KIRKBURTON PARISH COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2007 – 2008 KIRKBURTON PARISH COUNCIL Contact Details: Burton Village Hall Northfield Lane Highburton Huddersfield HD8 0QT Office Hours: 9.30 am to 1.30 pm on Monday and Thursday Tel/Fax: 01484 604391 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.kbpc.co.uk Angela Royle Sandra Harling Clerk to the Council Administrative Assistant Meetings: Parish Council meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month (with the exception of May). Meetings dealing with planning and general purpose issues are normally held on the third Thursday of each month (except for May, August and sometimes December). Committee meetings are called as and when required. Meetings are usually held at Burton Village Hall at 7.30 pm, with the Council meetings commencing with a Public Question Time when members of the public are invited to address the Council on any issue, over which it has a power. These arrangements are subject to confirmation at the Annual Meeting. Members of the public are welcome to attend any of the Council and Committee meetings, except where it is notified that a particular item of business is exempt under the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960. – 2 - I N D E X Contact Details and Meeting Procedures .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 Map of Kirkburton Parish Council area .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 Chairman’s Overview of the Year .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4 Council’s Aims & Objectives .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6 Kirkheaton Churchyard .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7 Breakdown of Annual Expenditure .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7 Environment Committee Expenditure & Summary of Projects .. .. .. .. .. .. 8 Details of the Small Grants .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9 Details of Community Project Grants .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10 Contact details of Kirkburton Parish Councillors .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 11 Kirkburton Parish Council is the successor of Kirkburton Urban District Council and was created in 1974. It has 11 villages (8 wards) within its boundaries and the population in 2007* was 24,460. * The most recent figure available. – 3 - Chairman’s Overview of the Year The elections of May 2007 resulted in a massive change to the Council, with 15 new members joining us out of a total of 25. I am very pleased to see what a positive contribution many of these new Councillors have made in their first year, both in their commitment to their communities and in accepting the need to learn about the Council’s overall responsibilities and legal requirements. One of the first issues the Council had to deal with was the concern over rural public transport expressed by members of the public at the open Question Time, which takes place at the beginning of each Council meeting. In response to the strong dissatisfaction expressed, the Council arranged a well-attended public meeting in Kirkburton, at which people were able to put their points of view directly to representatives of Metro and Stagecoach. Changes to the timetable were promised and the Council has continued to monitor the situation and make representation to Metro. We will continue our vigilance once the routes currently operated by Stagecoach are taken over. I am pleased that the Council has continued its support of non profit-making organisations throughout our area through the small grants system. These organisations include sporting activities for young people, scouts, guides and rainbows, playgroups and community-centred activities for adult and older residents, and play a great part in keeping our villages active and centred. We are all indebted to the volunteers who are prepared to give so generously of their time and effort to keep these organisations going, and the Council is glad to be able to assist their work. Grants for the maintenance of public clocks have been increased by £100 per clock to allow for the fact that the cost of servicing has increased since the 1980’s when the grant level was last fixed. Through its larger community projects grants, the Council has helped groups throughout our area, sometimes as part of an on-going programme, but often in response to a specific emergency, such as when storm damage revealed serious structural flaws in the Kirkheaton Scouts and Guides headquarters, and when flooding ruined the Lepton Highlanders Junior Football sports ground. I have been very heartened by the readiness of the Council to respond quickly and supportively in such situations. Improvements have also been carried out at Shepley and Grange Moor allotments, for which the Council is responsible and, in response to requests from the public, we are negotiating with Kirklees to try to provide allotments in Kirkburton. Obviously, there will be full public consultation concerning the site before any decisions are taken. The programme of bulb planting and the provision of hanging baskets and Christmas trees has been expanded. It has been very pleasing when members of the public have expressed their appreciation of the efforts made to enhance the attractiveness of our villages. The Shelley “Eco Park”, to which the Council has contributed for several years, was assisted again this year with a grant towards the completion of walks and signs, and is a credit to our area. Improvements have been made at Shelley Village Hall, of which the Council is the landlord, and planning permission has been obtained for the provision of new ramps for disabled access. The work is scheduled for this summer. The Council is responsible for the upkeep of the closed churchyard at Kirkheaton. We have worked in conjunction with Kirkheaton Parish Church and its dedicated team of volunteers to improve the condition of the churchyard, and are now being assisted in this by the Unpaid Work Unit from Huddersfield, for whose efforts both the Church and the Council are very grateful. – 4 - In February this year the Council entered the Big Green challenge, a project developed by the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (Nesta). The challenge is designed to encourage and reward new approaches that will lead to a significant reduction of carbon emissions within each competing community. I am delighted to say that the Council has reached Round 2, and so is one of the last hundred organisations competing throughout the country for the £1,000,000 prize. Other new initiatives undertaken this year include the provision of solar voltaic panels for the roof of Burton Village Hall (pictured right). This is being carried out in conjunction with Highburton & Kirkburton Community Association, who will take over the maintenance of the system. It is designed to provide the electricity needed by the hall itself, with any surplus being transferred to the National Grid. A scheme to encourage the use of water butts is being trialled as part of the Council’s commitment to environmental issues. We are providing new noticeboards in Farnley Tyas, Flockton, Highburton, Kirkheaton, Lascelles Hall and Lepton. I hope that this, together with the quarterly newsletter “One Voice” will help to keep our residents in touch with the Council’s activities. The Council’s website (www.kbpc.co.uk) has become a much-used information source, and we are grateful to the Clerk for her work in developing and updating the website. As well as special projects such as those outlined above, the Council continues to monitor all planning applications within our boundaries, and is very aware of problems caused by pressure for housing within our communities. Using the specific knowledge our Councillors can provide, we have pressed Kirklees to respect the integrity of our area with appropriate development, maintenance of the Green Belt and attention to roads and traffic flow. While it has been necessary to increase the precept this year, following a cut of 19.2% in the previous year, the cost to a Band D property in our area is now £14.39 per year. Out of the five Parish/Town Councils in Kirklees, only Mirfield has a lower charge. One tragic event occurred this year with the accidental death of Cllr Howard Seymour, who was elected Vice Chairman in May 2007. In the short time I worked with Cllr Seymour I came to appreciate his ready understanding of issues and his commitment. His death robbed the Council of a very able member and we extend our sympathy to his family. Having chaired the Council through the first year of its current four years of office, I have seen a period of considerable change. I look forward to spending the next three years working with my colleagues to consolidate what has been achieved so far and to develop further programmes for the benefit of the area we serve. Cllr Lin Holroyd Chairman 2007-08 Cllr Holroyd at her Civic Sunday in – 5 - St James the Great Church, Flockton Council’s Aims & Objectives Aim To support the development of facilities and community life in the Parish Council area in environmentally sustainable ways. * * * * * Objectives Communities: To engage with voluntary groups in the area, with practical support and via grants available from the Parish and through accessing external sources of funding. Health: To encourage access to open spaces and promote health/well being by providing allotments and developing and maintaining waymarked walks. Environment: To encourage sustainable lifestyles and a high quality local environment. Planning: To try and ensure that the Planning Authority supports new developments which are sympathetic to the villages and do not detract from the scenery and openness of this area. Transport: To promote the improvement of public transport and encourage its increased use by the general public. Representation: To listen to the views of the local population and make representation on its behalf to the relevant agencies and the Principal Authority as appropriate, on any issue over which the Council has a power. The Council will not be constrained by undertaking such actions, which are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objectives.