Middleton Tyas Parish Council Minutes – 2012/13

7 May 2012

13 June 2012

11 July 2012

13 September 2012

11 October 2012

8 November 2012

13 December 2012

10 January 2013

14 February 2013

20 March 2013 Middleton Tyas Parish Council

DRAFT MINUTES of the PARISH COUNCIL MEETING held in St Andrew’s Church, Moulton on Monday 7th May 2012 at 7.00 pm

PRESENT: Cllrs F Jones, K Etherington, J Ross, R Congreve; Mrs C Jones (Parish Clerk); D.Cllr J McMullon.

1. Apologies C.Cllr Heseltine; PC John Wilbor.

2. Declaration of Interest All Councillors will make the following declaration: "We, as Parish Councillors, declare that we have an interest in each Agenda item as residents of Middleton Tyas."

3. Minutes of the Last Meeting The Draft Minutes of the meeting held on 11th April 2012 were approved and signed as a true record of the meeting.

4. Police Report PC John Wilbor’s report on the past year was read out by the Chairman. There had been a general decrease in crime in North Yorkshire over the past 12 months. Village crime included a house burglary; 2 x computer fraud; 2 instances of theft of BT cables which cut off communications to most of the village for over 2 weeks; 2 x disorder; and 1 case of criminal damage. Residents are reminded to report anything suspicious to the Police. The new PCSO is Caroline Pugh and she can be contacted on the usual Police phone number – 101. It was noted that Dennis Parvin has now left BorderWatch and PC Wilbor thanked him for his commitment over the past 7 years.

5. County Councillor’s Report No report.

6. District Councillor’s Report D.Cllr McMullon had nothing specific to report other than her input into item 16 below.

7. Matters Arising from the Last Minutes

1. Clerk’s Contract of Employment Councillors Resolved to review the draft Clerk’s Contract, drawn up by Cllr Jones, particularly the cost of termination of employment due to “sickness” benefit. ALL

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 7th May 2012 Page 1 of 4

Cllr Etherington will check the financial situation regarding the setting up of a fund for this purpose. KGE Cllr Jones will discuss the protocol with YLCA. FJ

2. A-One – Meeting with Gordon Thackeray It was Resolved to set up a small working group to meet with Mr Thackeray on site at 3.00pm one afternoon when the village traffic and parking are generally heaviest. Group to consist of Cllrs Jones, Ross and Etherington; the Clerk will circulate suggested dates. ALL/CJ

3. Tractors in the village Cllr Congreve has drafted a letter to be sent to NFU. CJ

8. Review of Standing Orders It was Resolved to approve the existing Standing Orders and a copy was signed by the Chairman.

9. Councillors’ Declaration of Interests Amendment forms were handed to each Councillor for completion and return to the Clerk. Councillors were reminded that they have 28 days in which to report any change of circumstance which may affect their Interests. ALL

10. Review of Councillors’ Responsibilities Councillors’ Contact Details and Responsibilities were reviewed. It was Resolved to amend some of the responsibilities and the Clerk will revise the list and re-issue. CJ

11. Risk Assessment and Valuation of Assets Cllr Jones presented a Risk Assessment and review of the Assets.

The Lime tree on the Green has been professionally inspected and minor work is required to keep it safe. It was Resolved to instruct Oliver’s Tree Services to carry out the work as quoted. FJ

It was Resolved to accept the insurance company’s valuation of the Assets which they increase each year in line with inflation.

It was Resolved to remove item 10 from the list of Assets as this seat does not belong to the Parish Council and is situated on Church land. The Clerk will inform the insurance company of this decision. CJ

One seat needs cleaning and Cllr Jones offered to undertake this work. FJ

12. Planning Matters

1. Garden Cottage – Work to 10 trees No comments were noted and the Clerk will inform RDC. CJ

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 7th May 2012 Page 2 of 4

2. Foresters Hall – Work to 11 trees No comments were noted and the Clerk will inform RDC. CJ

3. Village Green – Minor works to Lime Tree No comments were noted. The Clerk will notify Oliver’s Tree Services and RDC Planning Department of the correct contact address for the Parish Council which is incorrect on the Planning Application form. CJ

13. Diamond Jubilee

1. Picnic on the Green - It was Resolved that a sub-committee should make the necessary arrangements to hold a “Picnic on the Green” for all village residents. This will be led by Mrs Yvonne Nicholson and the Clerk will give her a copy of the insurance requirements and ask her to minute all sub-committee meetings. CJ

2. Jubilee Mugs – It was Resolved to order 72 mugs and to reimburse the Clerk for their cost.

14. Financial Matters

It was Resolved to make the following payments and cheques were duly signed: 1. Memorial Hall Grant – 1st ½ year payment £ 550.00 2. Memorial Hall Wayleave – 1st ½ year payment £ 25.00 3. AON – Insurance to 31.5.13 £ 515.11 4. Memorial Hall – Room hire x 3 £ 18.00 5. Christine Jones – Reimbursement for Jubilee Mugs £ 317.27 6. M. Feasby Services – Grass cutting x 1 £ 120.00 7. RDC – Contribution to maintenance of RDC Assets to 31st March 2013 (Playing Field and Children’s Play Area) £ 500.00

It was Resolved not to make the following payment: 8. Richmondshire Local Sports Association – Affiliation £5.00.

15. Correspondence

1. Richmondshire Local Sports Association – Nomination for Junior Sports Awards 2012. Councillors had no nominations to make.

2. NYCC Richmondshire Area Committee – Cllr Etherington will follow up the possibility of his representation on the Area Committee. KGE

16. RDC Assets D.Cllr McMullon explained the current situation regarding the maintenance of RDC Assets, explaining that only 2 Parish Councils have not taken over fully funding the assets in their Parish, one of these being Middleton Tyas.

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 7th May 2012 Page 3 of 4

Councillors reviewed RDC’s current budget figures and discussed various options for assisting both this year and into the future. Several options, including the possibility of creating a Jubilee Wood, were considered and it was agreed that a debate should be started within the village, and a Study Group should be set up to undertake a feasibility study. FJ / ALL

It was Resolved to write to RDC saying we are happy to contribute the sum of £500 towards this year’s maintenance budget to 31 March 2013. So far as the future is concerned, we are looking at the possibility of taking over management of the Playing Field next year and would like to enter into further discussions with RDC Officers with a view to exploring options. CJ

17. Broadband Cllr Ross reported that the meeting at which NYCC and NRCP will explain what their plans are for North Yorkshire has been deferred until the end of May. By July, we should hear if Middleton Tyas is to be included on the list of beneficiaries of the new Broadband funding contract.

18. Armed Forces Flag Cllr Ross had ascertained that an Armed Forces Flag could be purchased for approximately £10 and it was Resolved that he should buy one. JR

The Clerk will put Cllr Ross in contact with the Chair of the Memorial Hall Management Committee to ask if the flag can be displayed on/in the Memorial Hall. CJ / JR

19. Emergency Plan It was Resolved to re-issue the Emergency Plan to all holders as many had changed since the last full issue. The Clerk will issue copies and any amendments should be returned to her. CJ / ALL

20. Items for Village News and D&S Times KGE 1. Best Kept Village Competition – reminder and date for ‘clean up’ 2. ‘Picnic on the Green’ to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee 3. Village News now available on the Village Website

21. Date of Next Meeting Wednesday, 13th June 2012 at 7.00 pm

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 8.45 pm.

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 7th May 2012 Page 4 of 4

Middleton Tyas Parish Council

DRAFT MINUTES of the PARISH COUNCIL MEETING held in the Memorial Hall on Wednesday 13th June 2012 at 7.00 pm

PRESENT: Cllrs F Jones, K Etherington, J Ross, R Congreve; Mrs C Jones (Parish Clerk); Mrs F Hacking (Shoulder of Mutton); Mrs D Thomas (Village News).

1. Apologies C.Cllr Heseltine; PC John Wilbor.

2. Declaration of Interest All Councillors will make the following declaration: "We, as Parish Councillors, declare that we have an interest in each Agenda item as residents of Middleton Tyas."

3. Minutes of the Last Meeting The Draft Minutes of the meeting held on 7th May 2012 were approved and signed as a true record of the meeting.

4. Police Report No report.

5. County Councillor’s Report C.Cllr Heseltine sent a report which the Chairman read to the meeting. A copy is attached to these Minutes.

6. District Councillor’s Report No report.

7. Matters Arising from the Last Minutes

1. Clerk’s Contract of Employment Aon, our current insurers, have confirmed that ‘Personal Accident’ cover is included in our insurance policy. They also confirmed that they do not offer sickness protection insurance and another insurer will need to be asked to quote for this product. Cllr Congreve agreed to investigate options. RC

2. G Thackeray, A-One Mr Thackeray has been asked to attend a meeting on site with Councillors and his response is awaited. CJ

3. Tractors in village a. NFU advice – no response to our query has been received from NFU and the Clerk will chase. CJ

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 13th June 2012 Page 1 of 4

b. Accident in village on 31 May 2012 – This was noted as it is related to the above issue and shows the need for more care to be taken generally by tractor drivers.

4. Best Kept Village Competition Cllr Etherington is coordinating a ‘tidy up’ on 30 June/1 July weekend. He noted that some pavements need weeding and various Councillors offered to help. ALL

5. Revised insurance documentation from Aon The seat in the Churchyard has been removed and the total asset value reduced accordingly. Cllr Etherington has checked the new documentation is correct. A refund of £9.77 is due from Aon.

6. Jubilee Weekend a. The Picnic on the Green had been a successful and well organised event, despite the weather and it was Resolved to write and thank the sub-committee (via Yvonne Nicholson) for their efforts.FJ b. Jubilee Mugs had been presented to those children attending the Picnic. The remaining mugs will be distributed shortly. KGE/CJ c. The School Maypole Dancing will take place in school grounds on Thursday 14th June. The Picnic sub-committee have agreed to return the Maypole to school before the event. CJ/YN

7. Armed Forces Day Flag Cllr Ross has purchased a flag on behalf of the Parish Council and this has been presented to the Memorial Hall Management Committee (Barbara Oram, Secretary) for display on Armed Forces Day each year – 30th June.

8. Declaration of Interest Forms Councillors were reminded that while their Declaration of Interest Forms are reviewed annually, it is a requirement that any change to their circumstances affecting their declared interests should be notified within 28 days. ALL

8. Planning Matters

1. Remedial work to Lime Tree on the Green – Granted. 2. Works to trees at Garden Cottage – Granted. 3. Works to trees at Foresters Hall – Granted. 4. Illuminated pictorial sign at Shoulder of Mutton – Granted. 5. Quarry Park – New consultation under the NPPF Regulations. It was Resolved to write saying we had no objections before the new Regulations came into force and our position remains unchanged. CJ

9. Financial Matters

It was Resolved to make the followng payments and cheques were duly signed: 1. St Andrew’s Church Moulton – Room hire £ 16.00 2. M Feasby Services – Grass cutting x 2 £ 270.00 3. Oliver’s Tree Services – Works to Lime Tree £ 204.00 4. John Ross – Armed Forces Flag (reimbursement) £ 16.20

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 13th June 2012 Page 2 of 4

The following receipts had been made: VAT Refund £ 411.12

The following acknowledgement and thanks had been received: 1. RDC – for £500 grant towards Playing Field/Play Area maintenance. 2. Memorial Hall – for £550 grant and ongoing support. 3. Memorial Hall – for £25 Wayleave and ongoing support.

10. Correspondence

1. Mrs Mary Frost Mrs Frost had written to the Clerk asking if the Village Green would be cut for the Jubilee celebrations. The Clerk had replied with this information.

2. Mr Kevin Hacking, Shoulder of Mutton Mr Hacking had copied an exchange of e-mail correspondence with Mrs Diana Thomas to the Parish Council. Mr & Mrs Hacking were concerned about Mrs Thomas’s ‘promotion’ of the Holiday Inn Restaurant at Scotch Corner in the Village News which they felt was affecting their business. Mrs Thomas had asked the Parish Council for “a steer” on the matter as they provide considerable grant funding each year towards production of the Village News.

There was much discussion on the matter and it was noted that while both businesses are in the Parish, the Holiday Inn is not in the village. It was acknowledged that Mrs Thomas is editor of the Village News and her editorial control cannot be questioned. However, various comments have been made to Councillors as some people are upset about the situation.

Mrs Fran Hacking asked Councillors to consider that the Shoulder of Mutton is their business and that they are residents of the village. She also noted that the Holiday Inn does not need ‘promoting’, particularly at the expense of the village pub. She asked if Mrs Thomas would promote the M&S Food outlet in the Village News now she was a Director of the Village Shop. Mrs Thomas confirmed that she would indeed “take their money”.

Mrs Hacking suggested that they may well arrange their own advertising in the future, not in the Village News; Mrs Thomas said she may still write editorials on the pub at no cost to them. She also said that if village opinion is that she should not take advertising from the Holiday Inn then she would be guided by that.

Councillors noted that the Parish Council is in a difficult position and that there is strong feeling of support for the Village News and the Shoulder of Mutton, both of which are of benefit to the village. However, from a practical point of view, they felt it would be best not to promote the Holiday Inn over our village pub.

It was Resolved that Mrs Thomas’s position as editor of the Village News should be acknowledged together with Mr & Mrs Hacking’s feelings and business interests, and that a ‘steer’ would be that priority should be given to the village pub over a multi-national business.

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 13th June 2012 Page 3 of 4

This issue raised the question of advertising from ‘outside’ companies on the Village Website and Councillors discussed the matter further. Cllr Ross will draft a position statement for review. JR

11. Jubilee Wood Following on from RDC’s concerns over the future maintenance of the Playing Field, the idea of developing a Jubilee Wood has been put forward and Cllr Jones suggested that a Study Group be set up to look at the feasibility of such a project. Mrs Christine Jones and Cllr Ken Etherington plus ANOther will form the Group with Cllr Jones and report back in due course. FJ/CJ/KGE

12. Broadband Cllr Ross had attended a meeting last week re the implementation of Broadband across North Yorkshire. The main contract will be let in July and information will be issued in August on who will be connected to the new fibre optic Broadband service. We will also be told who will not be included. There will then follow another meeting to discuss what happens to those not connected. Some ideas for this eventuality look hopeful. The big message is that the Expression of Interest forms are critical to the decision making process so approximately 50 more are needed from Middleton Tyas residents. Cllr Ross will provide more forms for distribution. JR/ALL

13. Code of Conduct It was Resolved that we will adopt the new Code of Conduct, in principle, awaiting the receipt of the final clauses from NALC.

14. FOI – Model Publication Scheme It was Resolved to correct Councillors’ information contained in the document and then re-issue to website. CJ

15. Audit Commission The “Consultation on appointment of External Auditor for 2012/13 and future years” was noted.

16. Items For The Village News And D&S Times 1. Jubilee Picnic report 2. Jubilee Mugs report 3. Armed Forces Day Flag for Memorial Hall

17. Items for Discussion at the Next Meeting 1. Village Shop support 2. Pre-planning Parish Council meetings 3. Change of date of Parish Council meetings

18. Date of Next Meeting The next meeting will be held in the Memorial Hall on Wednesday, 11th July 2012 starting at 7.00pm prompt.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 8.25pm.

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 13th June 2012 Page 4 of 4

Middleton Tyas Parish Council

DRAFT MINUTES of the PARISH COUNCIL MEETING held in the Memorial Hall on Wednesday 11th July 2012 at 7.00 pm

PRESENT: Cllrs F Jones, K Etherington, R Congreve; Mrs C Jones (Parish Clerk); D. Cllr J McMullon; Mrs D Thomas (Village News); Mrs S Baxter (Village Shop); Mrs Y Nicholson and Mrs S Mahaffy (Jubilee Picnic sub-committee).

1. Apologies C.Cllr Heseltine; PC John Wilbor.

2. Declaration of Interest All Councillors will make the following declaration: "We, as Parish Councillors, declare that we have an interest in each Agenda item as residents of Middleton Tyas."

3. Minutes of the Last Meeting The Draft Minutes of the meeting held on 13th June 2012 were approved and signed as a true record of the meeting.

4. Police Report PC John Wilbor had submitted an area crime report. There were no incidents in Middleton Tyas but residents are reminded to secure any car with a Catalytic Converter as these are currently being stolen in the area.

5. County Councillor’s Report No report.

6. District Councillor’s Report D.Cllr McMullon asked to comment on individual items as they were raised.

7. Matters Arising from the Last Minutes

1. G Thackeray, A-One Mr Thackeray had been invited to attend a site meeting with Cllrs Jones and Etherington on Monday 9th July. He had informed Councillors that traffic is automatically routed down the A1 as far as Leeming Bar in the case of an accident or road closure on the A1. He reported that during the closure due to a serious accident in September 2011, most of the village congestion was caused by drivers from the A66 ignoring direction signs, although he accepted that local signage was late being deployed on that occasion. He said there is nothing the Highways Agency (via A- One) can do generally to prevent trucks and cars diverting through the village as it is a public highway. He suggested that a ‘flap down’ sign could be installed near Moto Services for future use, but felt that any extra signage in this area could cause more confusion than it resolves. He said that the Highways Agency appreciates the village has a problem during traffic diversions and will bear our concerns in mind in the future.

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 13th June 2012 Page 1 of 4

Mr Thackeray asked the Parish Council to remind residents that it is “unlawful to stop traffic” travelling along any road (in the village, or elsewhere). Residents should not stand directing traffic as they are not insured and it is dangerous.

2. Tractors in village NFU advice – no response to our query has been received from NFU. The Clerk passed some information on other sources of advice to Cllr Congreve for him to follow up. It was Resolved that Cllr Congreve will draft a letter to local Farmers asking them to take care on village roads/verges. RC

3. Jubilee Weekend The Chairman thanked the sub-committee for arranging the Jubilee Picnic on the Green. Mrs Yvonne Nicholson thanked the Parish Council for their support and reported that a profit of £302.15 had been made which the Clerk has lodged in the Parish Council’s bank account. Mrs Nicholson said they would like the money to used to buy something to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Members of the sub-committee are very supportive of the proposed Jubilee Wood but would like their donation to be used this year if possible. Cllr Jones suggested that the money could be ‘ring-fenced’ until such time as it was used and it was Resolved to note this in the accounts. CJ/KGE

4. Website Advertising Cllr Ross had drafted a ‘Mission Statement’ regarding advertising on the Village Website. It was Resolved that the wording was acceptable and Cllr Ross will be asked to upload it to the website. JR

8. Planning Matters There were no planning matters.

9. Financial Matters It was Resolved to make the following payments and cheques were duly signed: 1. M Feasby Services – Grass cutting x 1 £ 120.00 2. Clerk’s Salary to 20.06.12 £ 520.52 3. HMRC PAYE to 30.06.12 £ 133.66 4. Clerk’s Expenses to 30.06.12 £ 19.16

10. Annual Return It was Resolved to approve the Annual Return and this was signed and dated as required. The Clerk will send the Annual Return to Mazars, the External Auditors. CJ

11. Correspondence

1. Butterwick Hospice - It was Resolved not to make a donation to the Butterwick Hospice and the Clerk will reply to their written request. CJ

2. Flooding on Smithgutter Lane – Mrs Carol Holmes had discussed this on the phone with Cllr Jones; also Mr Peter Collis had written to the Parish Council asking for help in resolving the same issue. Cllr Jones had spoken with NYCC Highways Dept who were aware that there may be a problem with the drains on Main Street

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 13th June 2012 Page 2 of 4

near the Shoulder of Mutton. They had already undertaken a CCTV survey and further works are planned to ascertain if there was any damage to the main drain which may be affecting Smithgutter Lane (an unadopted road). Any damage found will be repaired. Cllr Jones confirmed that while the road is the responsibility of the residents, the Parish Council will do all it can to support the residents with this issue.

12. RDC Playing Field Cllr Jones presented an initial report from the Study Group into future options for the RDC Playing Field.

Following discussion of each option, several were discounted, leaving 3 for further consideration: Wildflower Meadow, Jubilee Wood, Allotments. Hudswell Village have allotments and will be consulted on their viability. It was Resolved that the 3 options will be discussed with RDC, who own the land. This will be followed by public consultation to gain the support to operate and maintain the playing field into the future. FJ/CJ/KGE

13. Broadband The Chairman read out Cllr Ross’s report which expressed his concerns that money was being spent on the town ‘hubs’, and that small village areas would be left out of the current funding awards.

14. Code of Conduct

1. The Chairman explained that the Parish Council had Resolved at its last meeting to adopt the new NALC Code of Conduct as this was the only Code available to us at that time. Since then, Richmondshire District Council has produced their own version of a new Code of Conduct which Cllr Jones has discussed with Michael Dowson, RDC Democratic Services. RDC would like the new Code of Conduct to be adopted by County, District and Parish Councils to give compatibility across the region and make it easier to monitor and regulate.

It was Resolved to adopt the new RDC Code of Conduct and the Clerk will inform RDC and NALC of this decision. CJ

2. The new RDC Code of Conduct requires Councillors to complete a new ‘Registration of Personal Interests’ form not only for themselves, but also for their ‘spouse/partner’. Councillors were reminded that they have 28 days from the date of this meeting in which to return their completed forms, either direct to RDC Democratic Services, or via the Clerk. ALL

3. The new RDC Code of Conduct also advises that the Parish Council should adopt a new Standing Order stating whether or not a Councillor should leave the meeting room following their declaration of an interest in any item under discussion.

It was Resolved to adopt option B: “Where a Member has a disclosable pecuniary interest in any business of the Council, the Member must withdraw from that part of the room or chamber where the meeting is considering the business during consideration and voting on the business but may remain in that part of the room or chamber which the public are allowed to occupy.”

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 13th June 2012 Page 3 of 4

15. Village Shop Cllr Etherington had attended a meeting last week of the Village Shop Management Committee where he had asked, on behalf of the Parish Council, for any ideas of help or support for the shop to be sent to the Clerk.

Cllr Etherington declared a Personal Interest in this item as he is a Director of the Village Shop Management Committee.

As the meeting was now inquorate, further discussion on the matter was deferred to the next meeting. ALL

16. Village Handyman Cllr Ross had suggested looking again at the possibility of employing a village Handyman. The Clerk gave a brief history of past attempts, where the lack of Public Liability Insurance by contractors had prevented us from employing anyone. It was Resolved that Cllrs Jones and Etherington will draft out a ‘Job Description’ and look into the matter again. Cllr Congreve said he may know of someone suitable. FJ/KGE/RC

17. Schedule of Meetings for 2012/13 Councillors have been asked to complete a schedule of availability up to 31 March 2013 and return this to the Clerk. ALL

Cllr Jones suggested we look at the suitability of bi-monthly or quarterly meetings, plus some ‘floating’ ones. D. Cllr McMullon said that some small Parishes have bi-monthly, or less regular, meetings depending on their workload. Councillors were asked to forward their opinions to the Chairman for review. ALL

16. Items For The Village News And D&S Times KGE 1. A-One meeting re traffic diversion procedures and Highways Agency advice that it is unlawful and dangerous for residents to stop/divert traffic. 2. Options for the future of RDC Playing Field. 3. Broadband update.

17. Items for Discussion at the Next Meeting Village Shop

18. Winter Gritting NYCC Highways Department are re-assessing essential routes for their Winter 2012 gritting programme and it was Resolved to ask them again to grit the short stretch of road from Oakfields to School Bank. CJ

19. Date of Next Meeting The next meeting will be held in the Memorial Hall on a date to be advised. (The meeting would not be quorate on Wednesday, 8th August 2012.)

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 8.45pm.

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 13th June 2012 Page 4 of 4

Middleton Tyas Parish Council

DRAFT MINUTES of the PARISH COUNCIL MEETING held in the Memorial Hall on Thursday 13th September 2012 at 7.00 pm

PRESENT: Cllrs F Jones, K Etherington, J Ross; Mrs C Jones (Parish Clerk); C.Cllr M Heseltine; D.Cllr J McMullon; PC John Wilbor, PCSO Gavin Dobson; Mr & Mrs K Ruston (residents).

1. Apologies Cllr R Congreve.

2. Declaration of Interest All Councillors will make the following declaration: "We, as Parish Councillors, declare that we have an interest in each Agenda item as residents of Middleton Tyas."

3. Minutes of the Last Meeting The Draft Minutes of the meeting held on 11th July 2012 were amended (item 12 heading) and the revised Minutes were approved and signed as a true record of the meeting.

4. Police Report PC John Wilbor introduced PCSO Gavin Dobson, his new assistant for the Richmond Rural East Ward, who said he is looking forward to working with the community. PC Wilbor presented his area crime report for August showing a theft (lawn mower) in the village which is being investigated. More generally, there is an increase in theft of tools and a sit-on lawn mower has been taken from Morris Grange. He noted that it is an offence for door-to-door salesmen not to have, and show on demand, a valid Pedlars’ Certificate and PCSO Dobson will let us have further information on this. GD

PC Wilbor also confirmed that Border Watch still has on-going operations and reports of any suspect vehicles reported by residents will always be investigated.

5. County Councillor’s Report C.Cllr Heseltine had already circulated a report (3rd September) on the current state of Broadband which Councillors have read. He noted that a spokesman from BT will be at the next NYCC Area Committee meeting in Richmond on 8th November to discuss High Speed Broadband and Councillors will receive an e-mail invitation to attend. MH/JR

Cllr Heseltine reminded the meeting that road improvements to Kneeton Lane will be undertaken from 8th – 12th October.

He also mentioned that the Assistant Chief Constable had commented at a recent meeting with Neighbourhood Watch volunteers on the good job which Border Watch is doing.

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 13th September 2012 Page 1 of 4

6. District Councillor’s Report D.Cllr McMullon informed the meeting that an oil spill on School Bank last weekend had been dealt with by NYCC Highways and the Police.

7. Matters Arising from the Last Minutes

1. Tractors in village Cllr Congreve is drafting a letter to local farmers. RC Cllr Etherington had been contacted by a resident who said the main concerns were size of tractors, noise, speed and time of movement through the village. Residents are advised to take a note of the contractor’s name and/or tractor registration number and report issues to any Councillor or the Clerk. ALL

2. a. Flooding / Drainage Cllr Jones had been approached by several residents regarding flooding and blocked drains at the top of Smithgutter Lane and in Kneeton Park, followed by a meeting with Neil Linfoot of NYCC Highways Dept.

Surface Water in Kneeton Park / Garden Cottage: the drain sizes are probably inadequate and NYCC are doing checks with the Environment Agency to try to resolve this problem.

The Green, manhole opposite 2/3 Kneeton Park: this is inadequate. The drain underneath 2 Kneeton Park has been jetted and cleaned, tree roots cut out, and a camera survey undertaken. NYCC accept there is a problem but it may not be their total responsibility. Cllr Jones will follow up. FJ

D.Cllr McMullon had met with the Environment Agency regarding flooding in Oakfields, but said that funding is an issue.

Cllr Ross asked that Councillors should ensure that all areas of the village are reviewed. Cllr Jones agreed that we need to take a holistic view. He noted that NYCC have been out in response to several incidents recently and have been very committed, doing an excellent job on each occasion.

b. Letter from Mr & Mrs Keith Ruston Mr & Mrs Ruston had written regarding problems with their sewerage system. They have been checking the work NYCC has done to the drains at the top of Smithgutter Lane as some surface water may be escaping into the foul drain on their property. They have had 2 leaks of sewerage in 3 weeks. Yorkshire Water has accepted responsibility for the sewerage system but the surface water is NYCC’s responsibility. Cllr Jones had already met with Mr & Mrs Ruston on site and he suggested that the matter is discussed again in 3 weeks when the results of Yorkshire Water’s dye testing to ascertain if there are any leaks should be available. FJ

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 13th September 2012 Page 2 of 4

3. RDC Playing Field The Study Group had no further report but will be consulting with D.Cllr McMullon shortly. FJ/KGE/CJ

A letter had been received from Mrs Daphne Ledger regarding the possible options for the Playing Field and Cllr Jones will draft a response. FJ

4. Revised Standing Orders The Clerk had produced Revised Standing Orders following acceptance of a new Code of Conduct and these were signed and dated by the Chairman.

5. Schedule of Meetings a. The following dates were agreed for the remaining 2012 meetings: Thursdays - 11th October, 8th November, 13th December. ALL b. No dates were set for 2013.

6. Winter Gritting NYCC Highways Dept had advised that we will not be successful in our appeal to have from Oakfields entrance to the bottom of School Bank gritted unless the road status changes in the future. It was Resolved to close this item.

7. Village Shop - Letter from Mrs Diana Thomas: Cllr Jones proposed that a Working Group be set up to find out the shop’s position; this could be followed by a public meeting as required. FJ/RC It was noted that the Parish Council cannot make a payment from the Precept (i.e. public money) to a Limited Company, which the Village Shop is. Mrs Thomas had quoted an example payment in another Parish, but D.Cllr McMullon has checked and confirmed this would not apply in the case of our Village Shop. D.Cllr McMullon offered to review the position once the Working Group has all relevant information to hand. JMcM

8. Planning Matters

1. Quarry Park – Erection of new dwelling house – Granted.

2. Caravan Park, Barracks Bank – Change of use from Tractor/Agricultural Vehicle Sales to Caraven Sales. There were no objections and the Clerk will inform RDC Planning Dept. CJ

9. Financial Matters

Payments Items 1-5 were ratified, payments having already been made on 20.8.12 and 21.8.12.

It was Resolved to pay the following items and cheques were duly signed: 6.. M Feasby Services – Grass cutting x 1 £ 120.00 7. Chipchase Manners – Internal Audit 2011/12 £ 126.00

Receipts Rotary Clubs of Richmondshire – Best Kept Village Competition 2012 £ 400.00

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 13th September 2012 Page 3 of 4

10. Correspondence

1. Emergency Planning ‘Speed’ Training No-one was available to attend on 3rd October.

2. Audit Commission – Appointment of new External Auditor. It was noted that the new Auditors will not make any charge in 2013 (Precept under £10K). KGE

11. Best Kept Village Competition Cllr Ross suggested that we hold a village competition to ask for suggestions for spending the £400 prize money. He will draft an item for the Village News. JR

12. Broadband Cllr Ross noted that ‘Expression of Interest’ forms are still vital and we need to raise around 100 completed forms. Everyone is asked to spread the word and blank forms are available in the Village Shop or from any Councillor or the Clerk. ALL

13. Items For The Village News And D&S Times KGE 1. Broadband – Expression of Interest forms. JR 2. Best Kept Village prize money – village competition. JR

14. Items for Discussion at the Next Meeting Village Handyman – final discussion before item is closed.

15. Date of Next Meeting The next meeting will be held in the Memorial Hall on Thursday, 11th October 2012 starting at 7.00pm prompt.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 8.50pm.

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 13th September 2012 Page 4 of 4

Middleton Tyas Parish Council

DRAFT MINUTES of the PARISH COUNCIL MEETING held in the Memorial Hall on Thursday 11th October 2012 at 7.00 pm

PRESENT: Cllrs K Etherington, J Ross, R Congreve; Mrs C Jones (Parish Clerk);

1. Apologies Cllr F Jones, C Cllr M Heseltine, D Cllr J McMullon, PC J Wilbor, PCSO G Dobson.

2. Declaration of Interest All Councillors will make the following declaration: "We, as Parish Councillors, declare that we have an interest in each Agenda item as residents of Middleton Tyas."

3. Minutes of the Last Meeting The Draft Minutes of the meeting held on 13th September 2012 were approved and signed as a true record of the meeting.

4. Police Report The monthly Crime Summary showed several incidents in the Parish including 4 thefts of diesel from lorries at Scotch Corner; a suspicious vehicle in the village; and trespassing and lamping on private land. Residents are reminded to secure all doors and windows and to report any suspect door-to-door sellers. Genuine sellers must carry a valid Peddlers’ or Hawkers’ Licence and any suspicious activity should be reported by telephoning 101 (or 999 in an Emergency).

5. County Councillor’s Report No report.

6. District Councillor’s Report No report.

7. Matters Arising from the Last Minutes 1. Village Handyman Cllr Congreve will find out the cost of Public Liability Insurance so that the viability of employing a village Handyman can be discussed at the next meeting. RC

8. Planning Matters 1. Middleton Lodge – Application to vary condition Nos 10 and 26 of Appeal Ref APP/P2745/A/09/2119601 which relates to works to the highway and blasting on land at Middleton Lodge on behalf of Sherburn Stone Company Limited. Councillors had no comment to make on the early undertaking of these works. It was noted, however, that work to the re-built wall opposite the bund was unfinished. Some of the coping stones on top of the re-built wall were missing and it was Resolved to ask NYCC when these works would be completed to a satisfactory condition. KGE/CJ

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 11th October 2012 Page 1 of 2

9. Financial Matters

Payments The following items were approved and cheques were duly signed: 1. Clerk’s Salary to 30.9.12 £ 520.32 2. Clerk’s Expenses to 30.9.12 £ 21.50 3. HMRC PAYE to 30.9.12 £ 133.86 4. Mazars – External Audit 2011/12 £ 144.00

Receipts 5. RDC – Precept 2nd ½ year payment £ 2,950.00

10. Correspondence 1. RDC Children’s Playground Improvement Scheme 2012/13 Item deferred to the next meeting. 2. Diana Thomas – Support for Capital Expenditure for the Village Shop This request had been withdrawn prior to the meeting.

11. Broadband Cllr Ross noted that he was a little more optimistic about the chance of receiving High Speed Broadband following a recent meeting involving BT Openreach. More information should be available in a few weeks’ time. JR

12. Items For The Village News And D&S Times KGE 1. Crime in the village – reminder to keep property secure 2. Best Kept Village prize money – reminder of competition

13. Schedule of future meetings 1. It was Resolved not to cancel the December meeting, as had been proposed, unless there is no business to discuss nearer the time. ALL 2. It was Resolved to hold meetings in the first quarter of 2013 on a Thursday and the following dates were agreed: ALL Thursday 10th January Thursday 14th February Thursday 14th March The Clerk will book the Memorial Hall. CJ

14. Items for Discussion at the Next Meeting 1. Update on recent Flooding in the village - Clerk to circulate article on flooding from LCR CJ - Cllr Congreve to obtain plan of Village Farm ‘pond’ RC

15. Date of Next Meeting The next meeting will be held in the Memorial Hall on Thursday, 8th November 2012 starting at 7.00pm prompt.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 8.07pm.

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 11th October 2012 Page 2 of 2

Middleton Tyas Parish Council

DRAFT MINUTES of the PARISH COUNCIL MEETING held in the Memorial Hall on Thursday 8th November 2012 at 7.00 pm

PRESENT: Cllrs F Jones, K Etherington, J Ross; Mrs C Jones (Parish Clerk); C Cllr M Heseltine.

1. Apologies Cllr R Congreve, D Cllr J McMullon, PC J Wilbor, PCSO G Dobson.

2. Declaration of Interest All Councillors will make the following declaration: "We, as Parish Councillors, declare that we have an interest in each Agenda item as residents of Middleton Tyas."

3. Minutes of the Last Meeting The Draft Minutes of the meeting held on 11th October 2012 were approved and signed as a true record of the meeting.

4. Police Report The monthly Crime Summary showed several incidents of suspicious persons and one house burglary. Councillors also noted that a second house burglary had taken place. Residents are reminded to secure their homes and to report any suspicious activity in the village by telephoning 101 (or 999 in an Emergency).

5. County Councillor’s Report C.Cllr Heseltine had already circulated his October ‘Bulletin’. Today was NYCC’s Area Committee Meeting and this had included discussion of Broadband. C.Cllr Heseltine said he had received considerable representation concerning the County boundary and he assured members that residents being served from out of County (say from Co Durham) would indeed be included in the North Yorkshire provision if they lived here. He had received assurance at the meeting from John Moore, County Treasurer, that “all North Yorkshire will be covered by the end of 2014”. The target is for 90% to have High Speed Broadband up to 20mbps and for the remaining 10% to have up to 2mbps. Information on whether Middleton Tyas will receive High Speed Broadband should be available in December 2012.

C.Cllr Heseltine said that continuing cross-County collaboration on BorderWatch is producing good results. He noted that 1/3 of crime locally results from people not locking doors (homes and vehicles); another reason for reviewing our security measures.

C.Cllr Heseltine also noted that recent flood damage in villages such as Gilling West and Skeeby is still being dealt with. He has had meetings in Middleton Tyas where NYCC Highways Department are continuing to try to resolve the various flooding issues.

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 8th November 2012 Page 1 of 3

6. District Councillor’s Report No report. Cllr Jones will discuss various flooding issues with her and report back. FJ

7. Matters Arising from the Last Minutes There were no matters arising.

8. Planning Matters

1. Middleton Lodge – Listed Building Consent for Alterations to Stable Block Councillors had no comment to make and our letter to RDC Planning Department dated 24 October 2012 was ratified.

2. Westside Garage, Barracks Bank – Change of Use for Display and Sale of Caravans and Motorhomes – Granted.

3. 12 Village Farm – Single Storey Extension and Conversion of Part of Existing Attached Garage to form Office. Councillors had no comment to make and our letter of 7 November 2012 was ratified.

4. White Gables – Extension of time for implementation of full planning permission for Development of 1 No. 3-bed Bungalow within Garden. Councillors had no comment to make and our letter of 7 November 2012 was ratified.

5. Middleton Lodge – Consultation on approval of details Reserved by Condition 39 (Ref C1/33/80R/CM) relating to materials for external surfaces of buildings and parking areas, and details of fencing of the quarry garden on land at Middleton Lodge. Councillors had no comment to make on this application and the Clerk will write to RDC. CJ

9. Financial Matters

Payments The following items were approved and cheques were duly signed: 1. NYCC – Replenishment of Salt Bin, Cumberland Gardens £ 90.00 2. Memorial Hall – Grant - 2nd ½ year 2012/13 £ 550.00 3. Memorial Hall – Wayleave – 2nd ½ year 2012/13 £ 25.00

10. Correspondence

1. Mrs Daphne Ledger – Cllr Jones will draft a response to Mrs Ledger’s concerns.FJ

2. St Michael & All Angels PCC – Permission to erect Christmas Tree and to hold Carol Singing on the Green. It was Resolved to grant permission for the tree to be erected on the Green subject to the usual insurance requirements. It was also Resolved to make a donation of up to £50 towards the cost of a PAT Test on the tree lights. Clerk will inform Mrs Diana Donnison. CJ

3. Great North Air Ambulance – Request for donation. It was Resolved not to make a donation to this charity in the current financial situation. The Clerk will inform GNAA of this decision. CJ

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 8th November 2012 Page 2 of 3

11. Tractors in village

1. It was Resolved to send Cllr Congreve’s draft letter to local farmers about their tractors being driven with care in the village. Cllr Congreve will provide the Clerk with a list of names/addresses so the letters can be sent. RC/CJ

2. Hutton Magna Parish Council had invited us to attend their last Parish Council meeting, where AWSM Farms were making a presentation on their planning application to extend an animal waste processing plant just outside Hutton Magna. Cllr Etherington had spoken with a representative of Hutton Magna PC as this application may affect Middleton Tyas: if permission to extend the processing granted, AWSM Farms could use any land they owned or rented for spreading, and some of this may be in Middleton Tyas. Councillors were advised to check the planning application on the Durham County Council website so they could understand the issue. ALL It was also Resolved to draft a letter to Durham Planning Department raising our concerns. FJ/KGE

12. Flooding

1. Cllr Congreve had circulated some old plans of Village Farm with an indication of where the ‘drainage pond’ might be situated. It was Resolved to make contact with RDC Planning Dept (Peter Featherstone) so ascertain where the pond actually is and also to check on any management company and/or agreement regarding the ownership or maintenance of the pond. FJ

2. Cllr Etherington had received representation from several residents at the West End of the village about their recent flooding issues. It was Resolved that Cllrs Etherington and Jones will meet with the residents to understand the situation. KGE/FJ

13. RDC Standards and Code of Conduct Training – 16 October 2012 Cllr Etherington and the Clerk had attended this training session and reported on the main topics covered. Councillors were each given a copy of the presentation document.

14. Broadband update Cllr Ross confirmed that we should have further information in December on whether or not the village will be included in the High Speed Broadband programme.

15. Items For The Village News And D&S Times KGE 1. Update on Police Report and warning about securing premises and vehicles. Cllr Etherington will also speak with Phyllis Dinsdale, the Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator. KGE

16. Items for Discussion at the Next Meeting 1. Co-option of a Parish Councillor

17. Date of Next Meeting The next meeting will be held in the Memorial Hall on Thursday, 13th December 2012 starting at 7.00pm prompt.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 8.55pm.

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 8th November 2012 Page 3 of 3

Middleton Tyas Parish Council

Minutes of Meeting held in the Memorial Hall on Thursday, 13th December 2012 at 7.00pm

PRESENT: Cllrs F. Jones, K. Etherington, J. Ross, R. Congreve; Mrs C Jones (Clerk); Mr Peter Collis.

1. APOLOGIES C.Cllr M. Heseltine, D.Cllr J. McMullon, PC John Wilbor, PCSO Gavin Dobson, Mrs Diana Thomas.

2. DECLARATION OF INTERESTS All Councillors made the following declaration: "We, as Parish Councillors, declare that we have an interest in each Agenda item as residents of Middleton Tyas."

3. MINUTES OF MEETING The Minutes of the last meeting held on 8th November 2012 were accepted as a true record of the meeting and signed by the Chairman.

4. POLICE REPORT 1. PCSO Gavin Dobson had submitted the monthly Crime Report which showed there had been 3 burglaries in the village; also suspicious youths had been stopped and questioned at the West End. Residents should continue to be vigilant, particularly over the Christmas/New Year period. 2. Winter Weather Plan – It was agreed not to keep a list of vulnerable people as it was felt that these residents were already taken care of by family, friends or neighbours. Information leaflets will be put on the Village Website and notice boards. JR/CJ

5. COUNTY COUNCILLOR’S REPORT 1. C.Cllr Heseltine had forwarded Emergency contact information for the Police in case of flooding or blockage of the public highway and these will be put in the Village News. KGE 2. Street Lighting faults should be reported to the Parish Clerk who will arrange to have them repaired. CJ

6. DISTRICT COUNCILLOR’S REPORT 1. Following conversations between D.Cllr Jill McMullon, D.Cllr John Blackie and the Clerk, an offer had been made to grant an extension of time until mid-January in which to submit our Precept request to RDC. This meant that the Precept figure could be agreed at our 10th January 2013 meeting. ALL 2. D.Cllr John Blackie had forwarded a copy of his Leader’s Statement to the Chairman who will circulate it to members. FJ This Statement includes details of the newly-approved A1 Upgrade from Leeming Bar to Barton following the Chancellor’s recent Autumn Statement. However, the planned Local Access Road (LAR) from Scotch Corner to Barton has not been included in the new plans, the LAR now ending at Scotch Corner. Cllr Blackie assured members that he will offer his full support in trying to reinstate the LAR from Scotch Corner to Barton which may involve another Public Inquiry.

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 13th December 2012 Page 1 of 4 7. MATTERS ARISING

1. Tractors in Village. Cllr Congreve is compiling a list of farms to contact. A lot of movements concern Farmway who are routing through the village. He will forward the contact list to the Clerk in due course to send out letters. RC/CJ

Cllr Congreve declared an interest in item 7.2 and took no part in the discussion.

2. Durham County Council Planning Application for Slurry business in Hutton Magna. Cllr Etherington has asked for a copy of the Minutes of the Hutton Magna Parish Council meeting where ASWM made a presentation. He will circulate these to members in due course. KGE

3. Flooding issues. Councillors are continuing to work with the relevant statutory bodies on various aspects of this village problem. Cllr Jones will arrange a meeting with NYCC (Mike Woodford/C.Cllr Michael Hesletine) to review the overall position. FJ/MH

4. Flooding – Meeting with residents. Cllrs Jones and Etherington had met with residents at the West End of the village who were experiencing flooding to their homes and gardens during heavy rain. Cllr Jones will request that the local drains are checked and ask for them to be regularly cleaned in the future. FJ Cllr Etherington will inform the residents where to locate sandbags. KGE

5. Neighbourhood Watch. Cllr Etherington had spoken with Phyllis Dinsdale who was concerned about the slow communication on issues from the Police, asking if the Parish Council could help. It was Resolved to ask the Police to keep Mrs Dinsdale informed about village crime so she could feed important information down to NW Coordinators as quickly as possible. KGE/NY Police

8. PLANNING MATTERS

1. Land to NE of Dixholme, Main Street. Outline Planning Application for Erection of 3 No 2-storey Dwellings. It was Resolved to ratify our letter sent to RDC Planning on 30th November 2012.

2. Sycamore House, Smithgutter Lane - Full Planning Application for Extension between Existing House and Existing Annexe and Replacement Garage. It was Resolved to ratify our letter sent to RDC Planning on 26th November 2012.

3. Middleton Lodge – Consultation on planning application for the purposes of the Variation of Condition 2 of planning permission ref C1/33/80R/CM. It was Resolved to ask NYCC for further clarification of the new plans which did not appear to include details of changed and increased holiday accommodation. Cllr Congreve will speak with Mr Daniel Jeffries at NYCC Planning Dept. RC

4. Bay Horse Inn, Cow Lane - Planning Permission for Change of Use and Partial Demolition of Existing Public House to create 2 No Dwellings and Erection of 1 No New Dwelling. It was Resolved to ask for an extension of time in which to respond to this planning application. Cllr Congreve will speak with RDC Planning Dept and collate Councillors’ comments for our reply. RC

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 13th December 2012 Page 2 of 4

5. Moto Services, Scotch Corner – Planning Application for Formation of Stand-alone A5 Retail Unit and Relocation of Disabled Car Parking Spaces. It was Resolved to ask for an extension of time in which to respond to this planning application. Cllr Congreve will speak with RDC Planning Dept; he will also collate Councillors’ comments for our reply. RC

9. FINANCIAL MATTERS The following items were approved for payment and cheques were duly signed: 1. Ex-Poor Folk’s Close – Grant to 1 recipient £ 10.00 2. St Michael & All Angels – Burial Ground Grant £ 275.00 3. M.Feasby Services – Grasscutting £ 120.00 4. Memorial Hall – Room Hire £ 7.00 5. Village Shop – Capital Grant under Section 137 £ 1,000.00

10. PRECEPT 2013/14 It was Resolved to confirm to D.Cllr John Blackie that we wish to delay submitting our Precept request until immediately following our next meeting on 10th January 2013. The Clerk will inform D.Cllr Blackie. CJ

11. CO-OPTION OF A PARISH COUNCILLOR Mr Peter Collis had applied to be co-opted onto the Parish Council and it was Resolved to co-opt him to serve as a Parish Councillor until the next election. ALL

12. BEST KEPT VILLAGE COMPETITION – PRIZE MONEY The Parish Council had asked residents for ideas for using the prize money and 6 suggestions had been made: Seat in Kneeton Park, Seat in Play Park, Picnic Table and seats in Play Park, Seating in the Play Park, Waste Bin at Village Shop, Defibrillator in Village Shop. After much discussion of the feasibility of all options, it was unanimously Resolved to purchase a ‘picnic table and seats’ for the Children’s Play Park. The Clerk will arrange a £20 Gift Voucher to be spent at the Village Shop for Mrs Daphne Carter who submitted the winning entry. CJ

13. BROADBAND Cllr Ross said that up-to-date information on High Speed Broadband could be found at www.superfastnorthyorkshire.com . The Barton Exchange will be upgraded by the end of 2013 but there is still no certainty that Middleton Tyas will be included in the 90% who will then receive High Speed Broadband.

14. ITEMS FOR THE VILLAGE NEWS KGE Police Emergency contact for public highway blockages. Street Lighting fault reports to Parish Clerk.

15. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION AT THE NEXT MEETING RDC Assets - Playing Field and Children’s Play Area It is hoped that D.Cllr John Blackie and D.Cllr Jill McMullon will attend the January 2013 meeting to clarify future arrangements for these RDC Assets.

16. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 10th January 2013 in the Memorial Hall, starting at 6.30pm prompt.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 9.45pm.

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 13th December 2012 Page 3 of 4 Middleton Tyas Parish Council

Minutes of Meeting held in the Memorial Hall on Thursday, 10th January 2013 at 6.30pm

PRESENT: Cllrs F. Jones, K. Etherington, J. Ross, R. Congreve, P. Collis; Mrs C. Jones (Clerk); C.Cllr M. Heseltine; D.Cllr J. Blackie, D.Cllr J. McMullon.

1. APOLOGIES PC John Wilbor, PCSO Gavin Dobson.

2. DECLARATION OF INTERESTS All Councillors made the following declaration: "We, as Parish Councillors, declare that we have an interest in each Agenda item as residents of Middleton Tyas."

3. MINUTES OF MEETING The Draft Minutes of the last meeting held on 13th December 2012 were approved and signed as a true record of the meeting.

4. POLICE REPORT PCSO Gavin Dobson had e-mailed a copy of the monthly crime report; also a copy of the annual crime report for the village which showed a 48.6% increase from 35 crimes in 2011 to 52 crimes in 2012, affecting almost all sectors. Of particular concern was the recent spate of house burglaries. However, the main area where crime has risen is Scotch Corner and the service station (theft from vehicles and stealing fuel). The Police report concluded with the assurance that they will continue to fight crime and bring offenders to justice.

5. COUNTY COUNCILLOR’S REPORT C.Cllr Heseltine reported that this was a busy time with the budget discussions and proposals for a new Potash plant on the East Coast. He said flooding is an issue all over the County and affects NYCC staff and costs, as well as the residents who are directly affected.

The A1 Upgrade (Leeming Bar to Barton) now has the go-ahead (announced in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement). He has no information on the timing but has asked for further details.

NYCC already had in place a 3-year programme to deal with a £69m deficit. Government figures indicate that more severe cuts will be needed and there is now a deficit of a further £24m to be dealt with in the subsequent 2 years. He felt that North Yorkshire has been badly dealt with in relation to other counties and a lot of painful work still needs to be done to resolve the deficit position. Council staff will be re- allocated or take early retirement in an attempt to avoid job cuts.

While schools funding had some flexibility in the past, now the same amount of money will have different allocations and ‘minority’ schools could be affected. However, there was some new funding available for 6 of the 7 local primary schools and Middleton Tyas should receive an additional £28,000 (over 5% increase).

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 10th January 2013 Page 1 of 4

6. DISTRICT COUNCILLOR’S REPORT Cllr John Blackie, Leader of Richmondshire District Council, attended the meeting to explain the current situation regarding the transfer of RDC assets (playing field and play park) to the Parish Council; the A1 Upgrade from Leeming Bar to Barton; and the Budget proposals for 2013/14.

Playing Field - Few Parishes still have an RDC-owned field and RDC needs to pass the remaining 2, including the one in Middleton Tyas, back into our ownership. The Parish Council will have to pay for the maintenance of the field from 1st April 2013 and it is proposed that the asset is ‘gifted’ with a Covenant in place to ensure that it continues to be kept for “community use” with open/public access at all times. There is currently a licence with a Richmond football club to use the football pitch on the field, which expires in May 2013, and the Parish Council could re-negotiate this licence. The other option is for RDC to retain ownership, but in that case the Parish Council would still have to pay for the maintenance costs.

Play Park- This is a similar situation to the playing field and RDC are prepared to ‘gift’ the play park to the Parish Council who would then maintain it. There is RDC match- funding available to replace equipment and RDC would continue to insure the play park in the future. They would also offer advice and support with maintenance.

Cllr Blackie suggested that the Parish Council could take over the playing field from 1st April 2013 and consider taking over the Play Park in 12 months’ time. He confirmed that there was no involvement in the playing field with Sport England or any other sporting or regulatory body. He also suggested that the football club could be charged a higher fee to use the pitch and the school/NYCC could be asked to contribute for their usage of the field. There may be some funding available from the ‘New Homes Bonus’ for new projects/facilities (eg play park equipment, etc). D.Cllr McMullon said she would be happy to explain this funding to members if required. JMcM

After further discussion, it was Resolved that the Parish Council will take over ownership and subsequent maintenance of the playing field from 1st April 2013, subject to being satisfied with the terms of the lease/contract.

It was Resolved that RDC should retain ownership of the Play Park for the time being, but the Parish Council will continue to pay the annual maintenance costs. (The Parish Council currently contributes towards these costs.) The situation will be reviewed at the end of 2013 with a view to taking over this asset from 1st April 2014. ALL

The Clerk will convey this information to RDC and thank Cllr Blackie for attending the meeting to explain our options. CJ

A1 Upgrade – Cllr Blackie said that the A1 Upgrade is now to go ahead and will promote investment in related infrastructure which RDC will encourage. He believes that work will start early in 2014 at a cost of £330 million. The Local Access Road from Scotch Corner to Barton is in question but he will press for and support any plans to ensure it is included this time, as agreed at the Public Inquiry into the original scheme.

It was Resolved that the Parish Council is concerned to include the Local Access Road (Scotch Corner to Barton) in the new A1 Upgrade scheme and when we know further details we will start the process to ensure that it is included. ALL

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 10th January 2013 Page 2 of 4 Budget – Cllr Blackie said that RDC has managed its budget well and so no cuts are planned in 2013/14. He agreed with C.Cllr Heseltine that NYCC had almost been singled out for the worst treatment of any county in England and said that RDC sympathises. Cllr Blackie said that RDC has been given a ‘New Homes Bonus’ and can support some local community initiatives, working closely with local partners.

7. MATTERS ARISING 1. Flooding in the village Cllr Jones has spoken with Kathy Stephenson, as agreed. A site meeting is planned with Councillors and C.Cllr Heseltine for 18th January 2013 at 9.00am when they will ‘walk’ the village to familiarise her with the various flooding issues. ALL

2. 3 New Houses on Land to NE of Dixholme ENK Planning & Design had written to the Parish Council following our comments on the above proposed development. Cllr Jones has drafted a response and both documents will be circulated to Councillors for their comment before any response is sent. CJ/ALL

8. PLANNING MATTERS 1. 12 Village Farm – Single Storey Rear Extension to form Office – Granted. 2. Sycamore House, Smithgutter Lane – Conservatory Extension between Existing House and Existing Annexe and Replacement Garage – Withdrawn. 3. 12 Village Farm – Full Planning Permission for Replacement of Front Door and Rear Patio Doors with Side Windows and like-for-like uPVC. Councillors had no objections and the Clerk will inform RDC. CJ 4. 11 Oakfields – Full Planning Permission for Alteration to Existing Garage and Loft Conversion. The documents are still in circulation and some Councillors have not had chance to review them. Comments should be returned to the Clerk as soon as possible so they can be conveyed to RDC Planning Dept. ALL/CJ

9. FINANCIAL MATTERS The following payments were approved and cheques were duly signed: 1. C. Reynoldson – Christmas Tree Lights PAT Test £ 25.00 2. Clerk’s Salary to 31.12.12 £ 520.52 3. Clerk’s Expenses to 31.12.12 £ 46.82 4. HMRC – PAYE to 31.12.12 £ 133.66 5. Village News – Grant from 2012/13 Precept £ 300.00

10. ANNUAL REVIEWS 1. Clerk’s Salary to 31 December 2013 – It was Resolved to keep the Clerk on the current salary scale, with no increase this year, in line with the NALC agreement for 2013. There may be a ½ % increase during the year in which case the situation will be reviewed. ALL 2. Grass Cutting Contract to 31 December 2013 – It was Resolved to ask M. Feasby Services if they wish to continue with the existing grass cutting contract in 2013. The Clerk will contact Mr Feasby for a quotation. CJ 3. Internal Auditors for 2013 – It was Resolved to retain the services of Chipchase Manners for next year’s Internal Audit. 4. Burial Ground Grant for 2013/14 – It was Resolved to increase the grant made to St Michael & All Angels PCC for grass cutting in the new burial ground by £25 to £300 for 2013/14 (payable in December 2013).

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 10th January 2013 Page 3 of 4 5. Councillors’ Areas of Responsibility and Contact Details – The Clerk will re-draft the list and circulate to Councillors for their approval. CJ/ALL 6. Asset Register and Risk Assessment – It was Resolved to authorize Cllr Jones to inspect the village assets and update the register; also to undertake a risk assessment including asking Oliver’s Tree Services to inspect the Lime tree on the Green and provide a report. FJ 7. Precept – It was Resolved to set the Precept for the financial year 2013/14 at £9,000 and the Clerk will submit the application to RDC. CJ

11. CORRESPONDENCE 1. Marie Curie Cancer Care – It was Resolved not to make a donation to this charity and the Clerk will inform them. CJ 2. Charitable Donations – It was Resolved that the Clerk is authorised to reply to similar requests for charitable donations in the future, reporting at each meeting on any requests received during the previous month. CJ

12. BROADBAND Cllr Ross reported that the Barton Exchange will be upgraded in 2013 but it is still not known if Middleton Tyas will be included in the 90% who will receive High Speed Broadband or the 10% who will receive ‘up to 2 mbps’. D.Cllr Blackie said that John Moore will be presenting to the RDC Strategy Board on Tuesday 15th January at 6.30pm and Cllr Ross will try to attend. CJ

13. ITEMS FOR THE VILLAGE NEWS KGE Broadband update Precept increase for 2013/14

14. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION AT THE NEXT MEETING

15. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING The next meeting will be held on Thursday 14th February 2013 in the Memorial Hall, starting at 6.30pm prompt.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 8.35 pm

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 10th January 2013 Page 4 of 4 Middleton Tyas Parish Council

DRAFT MINUTES of the PARISH COUNCIL MEETING held in the Memorial Hall on Thursday 14 th February 2013 at 6.30 pm

PRESENT: Cllrs F. Jones (Chairman), K. Etherington, J. Ross, R. Congreve, P. Collis; Mr Brian Whittle (Resident).

0. Apologies

C.Cllr M. Heseltine, D.Cllr J. McMullon, PCSO Gavin Dobson, Mrs C. Jones (Parish Clerk) .

The chairman undertook to draft the minutes.

2. Declaration of Interest: All Councillors will make the following declaration: "We, as Parish Councillors, declare that we have an interest in each Agenda item as residents of Middleton Tyas."

3 Minutes of the Meeting held on 10 th January 2013 The Draft Minutes of the last meeting held on the 10 th January 2013 were approved and signed as a true record of the meeting.

4 Police Report The Police Report had been circulated to Councillors prior to the meeting and there were no questions arising.

5. County Councillor’s Report The Chairman had spoken with C.Cllr Heseltine prior to the meeting to review outstanding/current activities. It was noted that the meeting was earlier this month than usual. It was agreed that all items were progressing well and that there were no significant changes since the January meeting. The two key items, A1 Upgrade and surface water, are progressing well. The Parish Council and Cllr Heseltine will exchange data as the situation develops.

6. District Councillor’s Report. The Chairman had spoken with D.Cllr Jill McMullon prior to the meeting to review any outstanding/current affairs. Cllr McMullon was attending another meeting prior to the Parish Council meeting and offered her apologies. She reviewed progress of the items on the agenda with the Chairman and these were discussed under the relevant agenda item numbers.

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 14 th February 2013 Page 1 of 3

7. Matters Arising from the Last Minutes

0. Flooding in village Councillors Jones, Etherington and Ross, together with C.Cllr Michael Heseltine and Mr Adrian Speir had met with Kathy Stevenson, NYCC Flood Risk Manager on 19 th January to walk the village on surface water. Full notes will be issued next week.

Now, Yorkshire Water wish to meet with the Parish Council ‘Flooding team’. Mr Michael Denny is the contact and a meeting will be held on 13th March to discuss the foul and combined drainage issues. The Chairman will issue meeting arrangements in due course.

Middleton Tyas resident Mr Brian Whittle attended the Parish Council meeting and spoke on drainage and sewer issues. It was agreed that he will join the ‘Flooding team’..

Note : the chairman has issued a short note on the meetings which will be appended to these minutes

0. Land to NE of Dixholme Outline Planning Permission has been granted with specific reference to satisfying surface water and drainage issues. The Parish Council needs to understand the next stages and were advised to contact D.Cllr John Blackie regarding due process. The site was totally water logged and there were puddles of surface water across the site! The meeting expressed concern as to how the surface water could be dealt with. We also understand that comments were made to the Planning Committee regarding the foul drainage.

8. Planning Matters

1. Bay Horse Inn – 3 new houses (2 converted from existing building, 1 new) – Granted.

2. Middleton Lodge – Listed Building Consent for Development of Stable Block – Granted.

3. 20 Village Farm – 2 No Roof Lights and Enlarge Window to form Door Opening – Granted.

4. 19 Village Farm – 2 Conservation Roof Lights to South Elevation - Discussion regarding the design of the roof lights but no actions agreed.

9. Financial Matters

1. Confirm RDC £2000 Grant application for Play Park has been submitted.

2. Confirm final application of 2013-14 Precept The Chairman has tried to contact RDC twice but has had no response. He will continue to try to clarify the position with them.

3. Village News - thanks for payment of £300 grant (2012-13) – Noted.

4. PCC thanks for notification of increased grant for 2013-14 – Noted.

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 14 th February 2013 Page 2 of 3

5. Grass Cutting 2013 – Review quotation from M Feasby Services. It was Resolved to accept Feasby’s quotation for 2013 grass cutting contract and the Clerk will send the usual letter of acceptance. CJ

10. Councillors’ Responsibilities & Contact Details Revised areas of responsibility were agreed and contact details confirmed, but it was Resolved to discuss this further at the next meeting.

11. Correspondence

1. A1 Upgrade – Invitation to Councillors to Preview of public exhibition at Catterick Bridge Hotel on 15 th February. Cllrs will endeavour to attend. We noted the need for a slip road (LAR) on the East side of the Motorway (see MTPC Minutes of 10 th January 2013, item 5).

0. St Michael & All Angels PCC – NYCC Highways’ notification of repairs to potholes and road surface in Church Lane was noted.

0. Village Shop – Thanks for recent donation of £1000 for capital items – Noted.

12. Broadband update Barton exchange will be updated in 2013 but it is still not certain if we will be included. Work is proceeding on the “roll out plan” across North Yorkshire.

13. Items for the Village News / D&S Times No items.

14. Items for discussion at the next meeting Sewers / Drains update Land to NE of Dixholme – Planning: the next steps Play Park (subject to receiving necessary documents) A1 upgrade on-going item Document distribution/method of handling at PC meetings Playing Field progress report (subject to receiving necessary documents) Asset Register and Risk assessment

15. Date of Next Meeting The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 14 th March 2013 at 6.30 pm in the Memorial Hall.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 19.22.

Note on Drains and Sewers

Clls Jones, Etherington and Ross have met/spoken on several occasions regarding sewers, drains and surface water issues in the village. The activities/outcomes will be reported to future meetings and decisions will be requested if required. F. Jones, Chairman

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 14 th February 2013 Page 3 of 3

Middleton Tyas Parish Council

DRAFT MINUTES of the PARISH COUNCIL MEETING held in the Memorial Hall on Thursday 20th March 2013 at 6.30 pm

PRESENT: Cllrs F. Jones (Chairman), K. Etherington, J. Ross, R. Congreve, P. Collis; Mrs C. Jones (Parish Clerk); C.Cllr M. Heseltine; D.Cllr J. McMullon.

1. Apologies

PCSO Gavin Dobson.

2. Declaration of Interest: All Councillors will make the following declaration: "We, as Parish Councillors, declare that we have an interest in each Agenda item as residents of Middleton Tyas."

3 Minutes of the Meeting held on 14th February 2013 The Draft Minutes of the last meeting held on the 10th January 2013 were approved and signed as a true record of the meeting.

4 Police Report The Police Report had been circulated to Councillors prior to the meeting and there were no questions arising.

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 14th February 2013 Page 1 of 3

7. Matters Arising from the Last Minutes

1. Flooding in village Councillors Jones, Etherington and Ross, together with C.Cllr Michael Heseltine and Mr Adrian Speir had met with Kathy Stevenson, NYCC Flood Risk Manager on 19th January to walk the village on surface water. Full notes will be issued next week.

Middleton Tyas resident Mr Brian Whittle attended the Parish Council meeting and spoke on drainage and sewer issues. It was agreed that he will join the ‘Flooding team’..

Note: the chairman has issued a short note on the meetings which will be appended to these minutes

2. Land to NE of Dixholme Outline Planning Permission has been granted with specific reference to satisfying surface water and drainage issues. The Parish Council needs to understand the next stages and were advised to contact D.Cllr John Blackie regarding due process. The site was totally water logged and there were puddles of surface water across the site! The meeting expressed concern as to how the surface water could be dealt with. We also understand that comments were made to the Planning Committee regarding the foul drainage.

8. Planning Matters

1. Bay Horse Inn – 3 new houses (2 converted from existing building, 1 new) – Granted.

2. Middleton Lodge – Listed Building Consent for Development of Stable Block – Granted.

3. 20 Village Farm – 2 No Roof Lights and Enlarge Window to form Door Opening – Granted.

4. 19 Village Farm – 2 Conservation Roof Lights to South Elevation - Discussion regarding the design of the roof lights but no actions agreed.

9. Financial Matters

1. Confirm RDC £2000 Grant application for Play Park has been submitted.

2. Confirm final application of 2013-14 Precept The Chairman has tried to contact RDC twice but has had no response. He will continue to try to clarify the position with them.

3. Village News - thanks for payment of £300 grant (2012-13) – Noted.

4. PCC thanks for notification of increased grant for 2013-14 – Noted.

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 14th February 2013 Page 2 of 3

10. Councillors’ Responsibilities & Contact Details Revised areas of responsibility were agreed and contact details confirmed, but it was Resolved to discuss this further at the next meeting.

11. Correspondence

1. A1 Upgrade – Invitation to Councillors to Preview of public exhibition at Catterick Bridge Hotel on 15th February. Cllrs will endeavour to attend. We noted the need for a slip road (LAR) on the East side of the Motorway (see MTPC Minutes of 10th January 2013, item 5).

2. St Michael & All Angels PCC – NYCC Highways’ notification of repairs to potholes and road surface in Church Lane was noted.

3. Village Shop – Thanks for recent donation of £1000 for capital items – Noted.

12. Broadband update Barton exchange will be updated in 2013 but it is still not certain if we will be included. Work is proceeding on the “roll out plan” across North Yorkshire.

13. Items for the Village News / D&S Times No items.

15. Date of Next Meeting The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 14th March 2013 at 6.30 pm in the Memorial Hall.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 19.22.

Note on Drains and Sewers

Middleton Tyas Parish Council 14th February 2013 Page 3 of 3