Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Yardley Hastings Parish Council Wednesday 13th May 2020, at 7.30pm, by “Zoom Video” (On 4th April 2020 Parliament passed “The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) ( and Wales) Regulations 2020” authorising local councils to hold their meetings by means of video-conferencing, allowing remote access and participation by Council members and members of the public.).

Participating: Mr H. Cave, (Chairman), Ms D. Smith, Ms L Davis and Messrs D. Winter, R. Houghton, J. Quilter, C. Pickering, A. Rowton, M. Cooke and J. Keggin. Clerk: Mr G. Gill Councillors: Michael Clarke Public: Two

1./20 Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman With Mr H. Cave in the Chair Mr M. Cooke proposed, Ms D. Smith seconded and all agreed the election of Mr H. Cave as Chairman. Mr Cave then signed his Declaration of Acceptance of the Office of Chairman. Mr M. Cooke then proposed the election of Ms L. Davis as Vice-Chairman. This was seconded by Ms D. Smith and agreed. The Clerk said he would immediately arrange for Ms Davis to sign her Declaration of Acceptance of the Office of Vice-Chairman. Action: Clerk

2./20 Apologies Apologies were received from Mr J. Grant. These were approved. Apologies were also received from Councillors Steven Hollowell and Carole Clarke.

3./20 District and County Councillors’ Reports (previously circulated via email) Councillors noted a report from Councillor Michael Clarke, circulated in advance of the meeting. The NCC had established a Community Resilience Hub to coordinate its services to those residents in who were either most at risk of COVID-19 infection, or those most vulnerable. The demands placed on the Adult Social Care and Children’s services had increased considerably. Members of staff had been redeployed from areas such as Libraries, which were currently on lock down, to assist colleagues providing the front-line services. The NCC had achieved a balanced budget in 2019-20 and a small surplus for the second year running, without drawing down reserves. The Council had had to find £43m in savings – a big budgetary ask – in the course of the year. Much of this was achieved through “transformation” working and improving productivity as the numbers on the payroll reduced. The £641K surplus would be ploughed into reserves to form a part of the £40 million budgeted figure for reserves to be passed on to the two Unitary Councils. Following the postponement of the May 2020 elections the Government had appointed the leaders and deputy leaders of the three district Councils and the County Council to form the new Shadow Executive of the Unitary Council, with Cllr. Ian McCord, the leader of SNC, as chairman. The effect of the redeployment of staff was that the preparation work required to make the two new unitary authorities “live” on 1st April 2021 had been seriously put back. If services could not be guaranteed, the vesting date of the new authorities would have to be postponed. The NCC’s Household Waste Recycling Centres would be re-opening on Monday 18th May, which would require careful management. Councillors noted a report from Councillor Steven Hollowell, circulated in advance of the meeting. He would be in self-isolation for some weeks to come and was trying to do as much as possible either by email or telephone. He was very impressed by the way that the parishes had all organised their own support systems for their vulnerable residents. If it had been left to the professionals, some vulnerable people would have had to go without food for up to 3 weeks. Most of the SNC staff were working from home and only a handful were working at the Towcester offices. Generally this was working well. Several staff had been seconded to the Northamptonshire Local Resilience Forum (an emergency committee) and one of the SNC Directors had been responsible for setting up a temporary mortuary at the former Wollaston Re- cycling Centre (staffed by NCC employees). No site meetings were allowed and this was making planning decisions in particular very difficult. The corona virus had required the District Council to take on many extra financial duties on behalf of Central Government including: the introduction of “Extended Business Rates Retail Relief”, a Nursery Discount Policy, the “Small Business Rates Grant”, the “Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Grant”, and a hardship Fund for Council Tax-payers - as well as the SNC’s own Hardship Fund. These extra duties had gone generally well but one local business had experienced serious problems obtaining a Small Business Rates Grant. Civil servants had appointed leaders and deputy leaders for the two new Shadow Unitary Authorities. The WNC’s Leader was SNC’s Ian McCord and the Deputy Leader, Jonathan Nunn from NBC. There was now much to be done and the Civil Servants were now indicating that they would find a 3rd year of preparation acceptable. However many existing councillors were desperate to retire.

4./20 Members’ Declarations of Interest for items on the Agenda Mr J. Quilter declared an interest in Item 8./20(c) as an employee of the Applicant.

5./20 Approval of Minutes of last Parish Council meeting held 19th March 2020 The Minutes were approved on the proposal of Mr C. Pickering, seconded by Mr A. Rowton, and signed by the Chairman.

6./20 Matters arising from Minutes (Item 266./19) The Chairman said that in the current circumstances he had no immediate intention of convening the Annual Parish Meeting. Ms D. Smith proposed that the Chairman’s Annual Report, and other reports usually presented to the meeting (such as the School Governors’ report and Path Warden’s report), should be incorporated within the June edition of the village newsletter. This was agreed, and the Clerk said he would endeavour to obtain these other reports well in advance of the copy date (1st June). Action: Clerk (Item 268./19) It was noted that the village community had been able to mark VE day with a playing of “The Last Post”, displays of patriotic bunting, and some afternoon tea parties (at which “social distancing” was carefully observed). (Item 269./19(b)) The Chairman reported that after surveying the proposed planting site he had concluded that it would after all be inappropriate to order any free tree packs from the Woodland Trust, since the number of saplings required was only about seven, and the minimum pack size was thirty. Also the available species were not suitable. Individual saplings (e.g.: oak) were £6.99. A number of Councillors expressed an interest in taking on the responsibility of planting and nurturing (i.e.: watering) the saplings after they were planted (which would not be until the autumn), and on the proposal of Mr J. Quilter seconded by Mr D. Winter it was agreed to proceed. Action: Mr H. Cave (Item 271./19) Ms D. Smith presented a report to the Council on the many and varied activities of the “Yardley Hastings Good Neighbours, Yardley Helping Yardley (YHY) Coronavirus Crisis Village Volunteer Support Network”. (Copy report attached) (Item 272./19) The Clerk reported that several piles of fly-tipped tyres in the verge of Castle Ashby Road had all been cleared fairly promptly by the SNC. Ms D. Smith reported that that morning she had observed another pile of fly-tipped tyres in the ditch by the layby in Olney Road. The Clerk said he would take a photo and report it to the SNC. Action: Clerk (Item 273./19) It was noted that April had been an exceptionally dry month, and that since the previous meeting there had not been any heavy rainfall sufficient to cause any sewage overflows. (Item 274./19) It was noted that the Council was still awaiting the offer of a twenty-year lease from Lord , without which the SNC’s provisional grant offer could not be accepted, since they were standing firm on their legal position. The Clerk reported that Terry Watton’s latest weekly inspection report did not reveal any matters requiring immediate attention. (Item 276./19) The Clerk reported that NCC Highways had scheduled the re-instatement of a missing railing outside 26 Castle Ashby Road (Item 280./19) It was noted that street light 18, in Northampton Road by The Leys, was coming on in the daytime. It was agreed that the issue would not be reported to Aylesbury Mains until another issue arose which would justify the usual call-out charge. (Item 282./19 (b)) The Clerk reported that the tree-felling at the Old Rectory had been suspended during the current crisis, and that apparently this was because Health and Safety rules required two persons to be present on the platform of the contractors’ cherry-picker.

7./20 Finance (a) Renewal of the Council’s insurance policy (renewal date: - 10th June 2020 The Council noted the contents of the renewal invitation and associated documents received from Came & Co, copies of which had been previously circulated by the Clerk, together with copies of the Council’s Asset Register and the Council’s Risk Assessment. It was noted that Came & Co had three insurance companies on their panel of insurers, and that as brokers they were recommending that the Council’s policy should be effected with Pen Underwriting Limited, (the successor company to Inspire, and still underwritten by AXA) at a premium of £800.43 (in accordance with the three-year agreement signed in 2018). The sums insured in the “Property Damage” section had been increased by 4% in line with inflation. The Clerk observed that the new street lantern in the Recreation Ground had been added to the list of those street lights which the Council had chosen not to insure (the majority), and that the Council’s new laptop computer and projector were covered in the “Selected all risks section” within the £5,000 figure specified for “Business equipment”. On the proposal of Mr R. Houghton seconded by Mr J. Keggin it was agreed that the quotation of Came & Company be accepted. Action: Clerk (b) Approval of the end of year accounts for 2019/20 The Clerk having previously circulated copies of the end of year accounts Ms L. Davis confirmed that she had checked the Bank Reconciliation. The Clerk observed that there was a surplus for the year of £3,413.38. After taking account of the £1,000 being added to the Special Reserve being set aside towards the cost of new play equipment in the Recreation Ground this was nearly £2,000 greater than the budgeted surplus of £453.00. A sum of £500 had been budgeted for possible legal fees in connection with the proposed exchange of Shop Lane for a piece of land adjacent to the registered Village Green, but it now appeared that Lord Northampton would be bearing his own legal costs in relation to this proposed exchange. The budgets for training and street lighting had both been underspent by £316.00, and in the event the £250.00 budget for the maintenance of the defibrillator had not been required. Also the budget for the maintenance/improvement of the Millennium Triangle had been underspent by £263.00. A grant of £176.49 had been received for the entire cost of the new litter bin by the bus shelter, payment for which had been made in the previous financial year. The overspend on repairs in the Recreation Ground was more than covered by an insurance claim of £310.00. In May 2019 the Council had submitted a bid to the SNC’s newly reconstituted “New Homes Bonus Fund” for a 100% grant towards the cost of new play equipment in the Rec. This grant application had resulted in a grant offer of £50,078.51, somewhat less than the sum bid for, but the pre-condition attached to this offer, namely the grant of a new 20-year lease, remained unfulfilled as at the present time. As at 31st March 2020 the Council’s general reserves stood at £14,077.66, with a further £2,000.00 being held as a special reserve towards the cost of new play equipment. The Chairman observed that the fact that the Council’s general reserves had increased significantly was not an issue, since best practice dictated that Councils should maintain a reasonable general reserve. The Accounts were approved on the proposal of Mr J. Quilter seconded by Ms L. Davis. (Copy accounts attached). (c) Report of the Internal Auditor on the final accounts for 2019-20 Councillors noted the contents of the report of the Internal Auditor, Ms Glenys Kennedy, circulated in advance of the meeting. All payments had been made correctly, but in the October minutes a payment of £102.01 to SSE had been incorrectly reported as “£108.70”, and in the December minutes, although the total of a payment of £41.64 to Aylesbury Mains was correctly shown, the figures showing the VAT split were incorrect. There were no other issues arising, and she had completed and signed off her report on the Annual Return. (d) Approval of the Certificate of Exemption from External Audit for the year ended 31st March 2020 Councillors noted the contents of the Certificate of Exemption completed by the Clerk in draft and circulated in advance of the meeting. It was agreed that neither the Council’s total gross income for the year nor the Council’s gross annual expenditure exceeded £25,000, and that therefore, since none of the circumstances which might have prevented the signing of the Certificate applied, the Certificate of Exemption was approved. The Certificate was then signed by the Chairman, having previously been signed by the Clerk in his capacity as the Responsible Financial Officer. The Clerk confirmed that he would now send the signed Certificate to the External Auditor. Action: Clerk (e) Approval of the Annual Governance Statement and Accounting Statements for the year ended 31st March 2020 It was noted that in advance of the meeting the Clerk had circulated copies of the Annual Governance Statement and Accounting Statements which he had completed in draft. On the proposal of Mr R. Houghton seconded by Ms L. Davis it was agreed that the Annual Governance Statement was approved. Section 1 of the Annual Return was then signed by the Chairman (to be signed additionally by the Clerk after the meeting). On the proposal of Mr R. Houghton seconded by Ms L. Davis it was agreed that the Accounting Statements were approved. Section 2 of the Annual Return was then signed by the Chairman, having been signed by the Clerk in advance of the meeting in his capacity as the Responsible Financial Officer. The Clerk said he would now be attending to the publication of the Notice of Electors’ Rights on the village notice boards and the Council’s website. Action: Clerk (f) Payment of accounts received Terry Watton Handyman 01/04/20 – 30/04/20 267.00 G. Gill Clerk’s remuneration – March 281.75 G. Gill Clerk’s remuneration – April 281.75 G. Gill Reimbursement for “Zoom Pro” NET: £59.95 71.94 annual licence fee VAT: £11.99 Brown & Barden Grass cutting in Rec – April NET: £170.00 204.00 VAT: £34.00 SSE Street Lighting - March NET: £100.18 105.18 VAT: £5.00 SSE Street Lighting - April NET: £100.18 105.18 VAT: £5.00 Compton Estates Annual Rent – Recreation Ground 40.00 NorthantsCALC Annual Subscription 372.14 Came & Company Annual Insurance premium 800.43 Information Annual “Data protection” fee 40.00 Commissioner’s Office 2Commune Ltd Annual website hosting fee NET: £275.00 330.00* VAT: £55.00 *Not to be paid until receipt of invoice The Clerk reported that with the agreement of the Chairman he had bought a licence for “Zoom Pro” following advice from NorthantsCALC that the free (unlicensed) version was not legally compliant. (It would not allow prospective attendees to “dial in” from a landline). Although the standard annual licence fee was £119.90, he had succeeded in sourcing and using a freely available 50% discount code. Mr R. Houghton advised that HMRC were not requiring the Council to make any PAYE deductions from the Clerk’s salary. Mr R. Houghton proposed, Ms L. Davis seconded, and it was agreed that the above accounts be paid. The Chairman then signed the cheques to give effect to the above payments, having confirmed that these cheques had already been written and signed by the Clerk. It was agreed that the cheques could be signed subsequently by one of the other Councillors mandated to sign the Council’s cheques, notwithstanding the provisions of Section F6 of the Council’s Financial Regulations. Action: Clerk (g) Authorisation of future monthly payments The Council being currently prevented from holding physical meetings, being nevertheless under a continuing legal obligation to make regular monthly payments for services rendered to the Clerk, to Terry Watton, to Brown and Barden and to SSE, it was agreed, on the proposal of Ms D. Smith, seconded by Ms L. Davis, that notwithstanding the provisions of Sections F5 and F6 of the Council’s Financial Regulations the Clerk and the Councillors currently mandated to sign the Council’s cheques were authorised to make such regular monthly payments for services rendered during the months of May, June, and July 2020 without the need for such payments to be specifically authorised by a formally constituted Council Meeting.

8./20 Planning Applications a) S/ 2020/0452/FUL - Refurbishment of the Stone Barn, including re-roofing and installation of four Velux conservation roof-lights. - The Old Rectory, Rectory Lane The Chairman reported that the adjoining owner had objected to this application on the grounds that the proposed opening up of the west elevation would be an infringement of his privacy. After consulting with a number of other Councillors he had instructed the Clerk to lodge a similar objection. The Application had now been refused, on a number of different grounds. b) S/2019/2298/FUL - Demolition of existing horticultural buildings and the erection of 9no. dwellings (1 x two-bedroom, 6 x three-bedroom and 2 x four-bedroom), and associated boundary treatment, hard and soft landscaping - Yardley Hastings Garden Centre 32 Road East (re-consultation following submission by the Applicant of various amended documents) It was noted that the applicant had now submitted some revised plans, as anticipated. However the Chairman observed that the objections previously lodged by the Parish Council were still equally valid. He referred Councillors to the draft letter of objection which he had circulated in advance of the meeting, and observed that as well as agreeing with the substantial (reinforced) objections lodged by NCC Highways the letter also sought to rebut the assertion made by the applicant’s agent that the decline of the applicants’ existing business on the site was largely attributable to the “difficult trading conditions from a settlement as small as Yardley Hastings”. There were thriving garden centres within an 8-mile radius in much smaller conurbations than Yardley Hastings, and these did not have the benefit of considerable potential passing business from the A428. It was agreed that the Clerk should be instructed to send this letter of objection to the SNC without any amendment. It was noted that an unusually large number of letters of objection had already been sent in by local residents. Mr Tom Parrish (public) reported that Frosts Garden Centres would be lodging an objection on the grounds that the site met all their key criteria for potential acquisition as an extension to their existing operations, given its size, its current status as “employment land”, and its location on a busy main road. Action: Clerk c) S/2020/0706/FUL - Freestanding Timber Clad Building for use as office space - Oakfield Community Care Home, Oakfield, 1 Castle Ashby Road It was agreed that the Council had no objection to the proposed development. The Clerk reported that he had yet to receive the formal consultation invitation from the SNC, but would reply to it as soon as it was received. Action: Clerk

9./20 Councillors’ Reports and Concerns It was noted that Gigaclear were intending to resume their operations in the village the following day, and that they had obtained “Road Closure” orders to enable them to carry out their works in Little Street, Northampton Road and Chase Park Road. The Chairman observed that “closure” was in effect the only practical legal option available to them. In practice the roads might only be fully blocked for very short periods of time. (Their work in the High Street would only require temporary traffic lights.) A number of Councillors expressed their concern at the proposed “closure” of Chase Park Road in July and August, the period when the farm traffic was at its most intense because of the harvest. Mr R. Houghton observed that the intensity of the farm traffic would continue during September, and that ideally the works in Chase Park Road ought to be brought forward, to be completed if at all possible before the start of any harvesting operations. The Clerk said he would ask Gigaclear if this could be arranged. Action: Clerk Mr. Simon Barter (public) observed that “Zoom” meetings were becoming the norm, and that in his view a “Zoom” meeting would be an ideal medium within which to hold the Annual Parish Meeting, since it had the potential to involve a much larger number of local residents. The Chairman replied that Parliament had not legislated to allow Annual Parish Meetings to be held “remotely”, and that holding the meeting in this way would discriminate against those residents who did not have access to the necessary technology or the capacity to operate it. Most if not all Parishes had so far declined to hold their Annual Parish Meetings, but there was no reason why these meetings could not be held later in the year once the current restrictions on social gatherings had been removed.

10./20 Future Meeting Dates Wednesday 24th June.