TODWICK VILLAGE

Todwick Parish
Council Minutes

JRW/301

TODWICK PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the meeting held in Todwick Church Hall at 7.00 p.m.
on Thursday 22nd March 2007

Present
Councillor Langford - In the Chair
Councillor Cloke
Councillor Kettell
Councillor Palmer
J R Walker - Clerk
J Marples - Village Maintenance Contractor.

06/150 APOLOGIES
Apologies were received from Councillors Gregory and Pantry.

06/151 APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
There were no amendments
The minutes were signed as a correct record.

06/152 MATTERS ARISING
1. 06/148
Langford had telephoned RMBC but the call had not been returned as he requested.

2. 06/149(8)
Clerk had sent the application to RMBC for devolved budget funding.

06/153 URGENT ITEMS FOR LATER CONSIDERATION
1. Skips
2. The Informer Newsletter
3. Parking on Highway Verges
4. Parish Council Elections
5. Floodlight at Children's Playground
6. Unauthorised Roadside Signs

06/154 CLERK'S REPORT
Clerk had undertaken all the duties placed on him at the last meeting and had attended further meetings of the Village Hall Building Liaison Group.

06/155 FINANCIAL OFFICER'S REPORT
Clerk had deducted £250 from his payment for the month because the cheque paid by HM Revenue and Customs for filing the parish council accounts on-line had been sent to him personally.

06/156 CORRESPONDENCE
Copies of all correspondence received had been included with member's papers for the meeting.

1. RMBC - Play Strategy

2. WREN - Play Equipment
Clerk had sent the information requested

3. RMBC - Bowling Green Fees & Charges 2007
Clerk had sent the information requested

4. RMBC - Parish Council Websites
Resolved to maintain the existing arrangements whereby parish council minutes and other council information were included on the website covering the whole of village life and activities.

5. RMBC - Tourism Forum

6. RMBC - Planning Board Training Session

7. Heritage Inspired - Faith Tourism Initiative

06/157 PLANNING APPLICATIONS
1. RB2007/0319
Erection of a canopy at Early years Area, Todwick J & I School for Todwick early Years Ltd.
Resolved to raise no objection.

2. RB2007/0281
Demolition of existing building and erection of three storey building to form 23 apartments with associated parking and landscaping and amended access at 160 Kiveton Lane for Mr. F Marshall.
Cloke/Palmer reported on the 17 March meeting attended by some 50 parishioners. Following the meeting the Clerk had been instructed to object to the application for a variety of reasons including:-

1. The site is insufficient in size to satisfactorily accommodate this number of individual, dwellings.
2. Car parking is being provided by encroachment into designated green belt.
3. It is expected that each unit will generate the need for two car parking spaces. The application does not allow for this. Any cars or other vehicles not being able to park within the property will undoubtedly park on Kiveton Lane. This would be entirely inappropriate and have an adverse effect on road safety.
4. The planned arrangements for ingress/egress to/from the property are inadequate and again will have an adverse effect on road safety. 23 apartments will require a large number of vans and lorries to service them. It will not be possible to turn many of these around within the site because of the car parking arrangements as presently designed. These vehicles will therefore have to reverse out on to Kiveton Lane, a very dangerous manoeuvre.
5. RMBC has allowed for an additional 48 dwellings in the parish over the life of the new development framework. If approved, this development will produce an additional 23, reducing the potential for appropriate future development elsewhere within the village.
6. There is no public access to the plantation as stated on the application.
7. A three-storey building will reduce the visual enjoyment of nearby properties, including those on Rectory Gardens and impinge on the lives of occupants.

The Clerk had also asked a number of questions: -

1. What mechanism would be imposed to ensure existing residents of the care home are sympathetically transferred to other suitable accommodation?
2. Several trees subject to TPOs are to be felled. Had the necessary procedures been complied with? Should not the footprint of the new building be reduced in order to leave as many of these standing as possible?
3. The plans showed discrepancies between the siting of the site access. Could this be determined?

Clive Pantry, the Parish Council Chairman had sought approval to attend the meeting at which this application would be decided.

06/158 COMMITTEES
Allotments
Clerk arrangements had initially been made for allotment rents to be collected at the home of Councillors B and L Waller on 25th March and notices erected. Since these councillors were no longer members of council and following his discussions with them new notices had been erected asking plot holders to pay rents directly to the Clerk.

06/159 PARISH COUNCIL AWARDS 2007
Resolved to make awards as the previous year: -

1. Best Garden
2. Best Kept Allotment
3. Young Sportsperson of the Year
4. Young volunteer of the Year
5. Diligence for Todwick Junior and Infant School Pupils

Cloke would include an appropriate article in the next edition of "The Informer".

06/160 NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
There were no further reports to make.

06/161 VILLAGE MAINTENANCE
Mr. J Marples the Village Maintenance Contractor was in attendance. He gave details of the work carried out on behalf of the Council and answered questions from members and the Clerk.
Resolved

1. To pay an addition one-hour per month to cover the time spent in opening and closing the recreation ground gates.
2. That Mr. Marples purchase a container for sharpies the cost of which would be reimbursed by the Council.
3. That Councillor Langford and Kettell obtain competitive quotations for the provision of a new sign at the recreation ground. This to include the opening and closing times.
4. To write to the Todwick Village Football Club giving notice that the rental agreement would be terminated if the Club continued to leave the football pavilion, pitch and environs in a poor condition after matches.

06/162 NOTICE BOARD
There was nothing further to report.

06/163 URGENT ITEMS
1. Skips
Cloke had noted that the skip on Mill Hills had been removed shortly after the last meeting but there were others in the village, which were incorrectly sited.
Clerk would report to RMBC

2. The Informer Newsletter
Cloke had visited Councillor Gregory who was unfortunately still ill. He had agreed to edit the next edition of The Informer Newsletter with her help.

3. Parking on Highway Verges
Cloke evidenced problems associated with cars parking on highway verges at Kiveton Lane and Goosecarr Lane.
Clerk would report to RMBC and ask for that the verges be hardened by use of block paving.

4. Parish Council Elections
Palmer reminded members of the mechanisms now to be adhered to when applying for election to the Council in May.

5. Floodlight at Children's Playground
Langford asked that the Clerk request RMBC to provide a floodlight at the Children's Playground via the street lighting system.
Clerk would write to RMBC

6. Unauthorised Roadside Signs
Palmer had observed a sign advertising a tattoo parlour attached to a road sign on Kiveton Lane.
Cloke had observed a similar one at the Kiveton end of Kiveton Lane.
Clerk would report to RMBC

The Meeting Closed at 9.07 p.m.

The next monthly Council Meeting will be in Todwick Church Hall at 7.00 p.m. on Tuesday 24th April 2007.
The Annual Parish Assembly will be held at 7.30 p.m.