2Dales.org.uk Swaledale & Arkengarthdale

Previous meeting minutes are in the archive in pdf format Minutes of the Melbecks Parish Council meeting held on Thursday December 5 th 2019 at Gunnerside Village Hall Melbecks Parish Council meeting was held on Thursday December 5 th 2019 at Gunnerside Village Hall. Present were Councillors Silver, Crapper and Lewis with Cllr R. Alderson presiding. Also present was County Councillor Yvonne Peacock. The Clerk was Miss N. Adams. 1. Apologies for absence Apologies were received from Cllr McCartney and PCSO Tracie Taylor-Paige. 2. Declaration of Interests None declared 3. Minutes of the Melbecks Parish Council meeting held on 2 nd October 2019 The minutes of the Melbecks Parish Council meeting, held on 2 nd October 2019 were agreed to be a correct record, and these were signed by the Chair. 4. Matters Arising a) Relocation of dog-waste bin, Gunnerside. Two suggested locations were given to relocate the dog-waste bin, it was decided that the clerk would contact Cllr McCartney to find out more about the best location for this. b) Two Ridings Community Foundation. The council noted that the grant which had been applied for of £1000 has been received. 5. Finance The following orders to pay and cheques were signed, the clerk to send these out: a) Order to pay- Citizens Advice Bureau (£50 donation) b) Order to pay – Great North Air Ambulance (£50 donation) c) Order to pay – Yorkshire Air Ambulance (£50 donation) d) Order to pay – Richmondshire District Council (£75 uncontested election fee) 6. Highways a) Drain at Peat Gate. The council was notified that Highways had been unable to locate this drain. b) At the back of East Brocca bank. Some hardcore has been tipped and this is causing drains to fill up, and water is not reaching the grates and freezing. c) Surrender Bridge. On the Low Row side of Surrender Bridge, the cattle grid is blocked with rubbish, and this needs to be cleared again. d) Lights out in Gunnerside. Two lights which were not working in Gunnerside have been reported and RDC have advised that these will be fixed shortly. County Cllr Peacock offered to contact Highways to arrange a site visit, to look at the drain at Peat Gate, Surrender Bridge and Brocca Bank, the clerk to send details. 7. Richmondshire District Council a) Precept. The council agreed that £2500 precept would be requested this year, and the clerk will complete the necessary paperwork. The clerk will make enquiries to see if there are any restrictions on the amount of precept requested in relation to the amount in the bank account. b) YLCA training event. The council noted that the clerk and Cllr Lewis attended the free YLCA training event which had been very useful. It was suggested that joining the YLCA would be beneficial with access to information and legal advice. A quotation of £42.32 until March 31 st 2020 or £127 for a full year was given. The council will consider this again in March 2020. 8. North Yorkshire County Council a) Urban Highways grass cutting The council noted receipt of a letter from North Yorkshire County Council about arrangements for urban highway grass cutting in 2020/21. County Cllr Peacock will find out more about this. 9. YDNPA a) Planning application: Hazel Brow Visitor Centre, Low Row. Both Cllr Lewis and Silver have visited the site and looked at the revised plans, and it was noted that there have been the following changes to address the concerns raised: • Privacy concerns – balcony at the back has been removed. New balconies are more enclosed and not visible from further up the hill. • Late night noise – visitors will have restricted access to the garden area, and a strict enforcement policy will be in place. • Lighting/light pollution – all lights will be eco- nighttime lights which are shrouded from above, in keeping with YDNPA Dark Skies policy. • Traffic and access – access to the visitor centre will be ticketed with timings staggered to reduce congestion • Access from the main road - there is potential to move the gate to the top of the road, as long as emergency access is maintained. • The planned underground observation room will now not be built and the skylights have been removed. • The parking issues on the main road at Hazel Brown House have been addressed by improving parking behind the house itself. A discussion was held and it was agreed unanimously that the concerns that had been raised previously have now been addressed, and the clerk will contact YDNPA to advise. b) Planning decision: Home Farm, Low Row. Approved conditionally. c) Planning decision: Foxgloves, Gunnerside. Approved conditionally. d) Trees in conservation area: Shielings, Gunnerside. The council received notification to fell one Lawson’s Cypress at Shielings, Gunnerside. e) Trees in conservation area: Woodend Farm, Low Row. The council received notification for the following works at Woodend Farm, Low Row: Removal of three small stems, crown lift and crown this (up to 20%) one Elm, crown lift and reduce (up to 20%) one Rowan, prune one Apple tree (up to 1m), crown reduce one Hawthorn (up to 1m), fell one Cherry and crown lift, reshape and crown thin (up to 20%) one further Cherry. f) Dark Skies reserve status: The council noted receipt of a letter from YDNPA about their application for Dark Skies reserve status, and it was agreed that a letter of support would be sent to endorse this application. g) Temporary prohibition of footpath. It was noted that part of footpath no. 79 between grid reference SE 0026 9956 and SE 0055 9940 will be closed from 5/12/19 to 26/12/19 for repairs. 10. AOB/other correspondence a) Dales Police report October 2019 The council noted receipt of this report. b) Emergency Plan Cllr Lewis advised that he has been working on the Emergency plan with support from other organisations who have emergency plans in place. Cllr Lewis has written to Low Row Institute and Gunnerside Village Hall for permission to use the halls in the event of an emergency and this has been agreed by Gunnerside Village Hall, Low Row Institute have yet to confirm. A lead and deputy contact are needed for the emergency plan and it was suggested that as chair and vice-chair, Cllr Alderson and Cllr Crapper would take on these roles. This was agreed unanimously. Helen White, from the Emergency Plan Committee is arranging a meeting with Cllr Lewis to discuss putting this in place after Christmas. Volunteers are needed, as well as a list of vulnerable people and property. Cllr Lewis has put a notice in the Reeth Gazette asking for information about any vulnerable people and property as well as sandbags storage locations in Low Row and Gunnerside. Once the location is registered, sandbags will be delivered to this location in the event of a flood. c) Public participation and communication It was confirmed that the existing arrangements for public participation still apply, with residents able to speak at the annual meeting in March, but not at other meetings. Electors can submit queries by letter, email or telephone via the clerk or by contacting one of the councillors. It was also noted that improved communication is needed to ensure that residents are aware of issues, as notices on the boards sometimes get covered over or blown away, and with meetings only taking place every six weeks information does not always get communicated to all. It was noted that the report in the Reeth Gazette now includes the website address for the 2dales website where the full minutes of meetings are available. d) The council noted that the hedge on the north side of the road in Low Row next to the Old Dairy needs trimming before Spring. The clerk will write a letter asking the owners to address this. 11. Date and time of next meeting The next meeting will be at Low Row Institute on Thursday February 6 th 2020 at 7.30pm. As there was no other business, the meeting closed at 9.05pm.