MINUTES OF THE RUFFORTH WITH KNAPTON PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD BY ZOOM ON MONDAY 1 FEBRUARY 2021 AT 7.30pm

Present: Cllr. Peter Rollings, Chairman (PR), Cllr Anne Powell, Vice Chairman (AP)

                Cllr Helen Butterworth (HB)               Cllr. Andrew Mate (AM)

                Cllr John Flynn (JF)                            Cllr Jane Wright (JW)     

    Cllr Mark Reynolds (MR)                    Cllr Nicholas Murray (NM)

In Attendance: Ward Councillor Anne Hook (AH) and the Clerk, Stephanie Warden

139 Public Comments: there were no members of the public present.                                 

140 Apologies and Reason for Absence: JF, NM and AH had sent apologies for the fact that they would be late to the meeting. Ward Councillor James Barker sent his apologies.

141 To receive Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interest(not previously declared): there were none

142 Minutes of Previous Meetings:  Minutes of11 January 2021 were proposed by MR, seconded by AM and agreed and would be signed as a true record.

143 Ward Councillors’ Comments: it was agreed to take Item 144 next as AH had not yet arrived

144 Clerk’s Report:

· Horse Chestnut Tree, Rufforth: the clerk would double check that Highways had looked to check there was no danger to road users.

· Footpath from Lowfield Cottage to beyond the old allotments: this would be cleaned but currently CYC were busy with gritting etc.

· Dogs on leads: Rufforth Playing Fields and Runway: there was a problem with dogs off leads in this area. JW had noticed that there was one particular van that parked on Southfield Lane, the owner regularly walked 8 dogs and only one on a lead. She would get together with the Chairman of the Playing Fields to see what could be done about it.

· Hole in hedge opposite Southfield Lane, Rufforth: this was being made by people using it as a short cut to the cycle track which was incredibly dangerous on the bad bend. HB would look into what was best to do there.

143 Ward Councillors’ Comments:

AH reported that Bradley Lane culvert was being dealt with by Jim Cavanagh (CYC).

Harewood Whin: CYC were to start work on the site entrance on Monday for 3 weeks 9am – 4pm. They would be widening the entrance to put traffic islands into the entrance to make it impossible for HGVs to turn right out of the site. They would also be resurfacing Heightlands Lane during the night. AH and AM thanked PR for his persuasion in getting this work done.

CYC helplines were very good especially for those at home on their own. Mental Health was an issue with youngsters, they were doing a good job on Covid-19.

Progress on the new allotments appears to have stalled. PR will attend a virtual meeting with James Gilchrist and Dave Meigh, both of CYC, next week to ascertain the reasons. Councillor Smalley was pushing this forward too.

145 Finance:

Monthly financial report by the Clerk

a. Payments were ratified that had been paid since 11 January 2021, AM proposed, AP seconded and all payments were agreed:                                                    

Clerk’s Salary + Burial fees 31 January 2021                                         £   920.52

                        Primrose Bank Nursery for Christmas Tree                                             £   120.00

                        ¼ PAYE to HMRC                                                                                       £       7.34

                        Burial Grounds expenses to HB                                                                £     45.44

     b.   Payments that had been received since 11 January 2021:                                                                  Invoice 229 NBG Burial Plot + interment                                                 £ 1600.00

Invoice 230 NBG Burial plots x2 + interment                                          £ 2100.00

c. Funds available:                                                                                                      £22614.90

The Clerk had sent in a VAT claim for £1039.73 which would go into the bank account shortly.

The cost of the AJ1 traffic project of c. £10,000 will come out of Funds Available, hopefully before the end of the financial year.

146 Planning Matters:

Public Footpath, Knapton No. 4 (Grange Lane to Rufforth Airfield) Definitive Map Modification Order 2010: Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 – Section 53

An inquiry into the Order will be held at 10.00am on 22 June 2021 at West Offices: as we had no objections to this we would just wait to see the outcome of the Inquiry.

147 Burial Grounds:

a. Maintenance in Burial Grounds: HB reported that the tap needed a new box around it with insulation inside otherwise there was likely to be a burst pipe to deal with. It was agreed that HB would get a handyman to deal with it.

b. Burials: there had been 2 natural burials during January, both with graveside services.

148 AJ1 Project Road Safety Fund:

CYC had looked at the data re. speed at each entrance to Rufforth and decided that both Bradley Lane and the Wetherby end of Wetherby Road should have a VAS but the data at the York end did not support one. The two however would be going ahead as soon as possible together with signage for each end of Rufforth. This would all be carried out by CYC, funded by the Parish Council and Speedwatch equipment also bought by the Parish Council. NM would be sourcing this. Ben Potter (CYC) would be firming up the quote for the 2 VAS and signage and would come back to us. The total amount would be c. £10,000.

Once data started to come in it might be possible to lobby for a 40mph buffer zone at the Wetherby end and Bradley Lane because the buffer zone at the York end does appear to be slowing traffic.

NM said the data collected from the VAS belonged to CYC as they collected it but they should feed it back to us.

PR thanked NM for all the work he had put into this project.

149 Knapton Recreational Field:

JF had circulated the initial designs. The feedback was that picnic benches would be a good idea and a basket type swing that more than one child could use.

Fund raising was the next job, JF was sourcing lots of different funds available and will come up with a funding strategy, c. £10,000 could possibly come from the parish council, this would have to be agreed. Planning will have to be looked at. JF had done a lot of research on Parks and welcomed any ideas. He said it would be good to be able to do the whole thing in one step, as that would save some costs, but if part funding was only available we would look to do it in phases and try to deliver a basic play area.

JF was thanked by PR on behalf of the council for his work on this.

150 York Community Woodland:

PR had circulated an update from Paul McCabe (CYC). PR explained that he had let Paul know that we had elected JF to be our representative on this project and that the Parish Council would put together a committee to feed into the steering committee via JF. AH said that Cllr Paula Widdowson (PW) was looking at hiring a communication/press officer. JF felt that would be good as communication needed to be better. AH said that PW was keen to get lots of local input. It would be the end of the month before they would know whether they would get 100% guaranteed funding and as such communication and progress had been delayed.

151 Website Content:

PR proposed that we keep Charlotte on for a while to provide the Clerk with any training on an ad hoc basis. This was agreed. PR would put something together about the Harewood Whin site entrance works. NM and PR would put something together about the AJI Project Road Safety fund and projected works. These would then go onto the website.

152 Footpath, The Avenue to Hutton Wandesley:

JW had contacted the landowners who said they were happy for a sign to go on the footpath as there had been a problem with cyclists racing through all summer. Cyclists are not allowed on a footpath. JW would sort a sign for the gate.

153 Representatives Reports:

a. YLCA: AP proposed Mark Waudby as a member of the Standards Committee, PR seconded and all agreed. The Clerk would fill out the form.

Remote meetings: AP had completed the survey on virtual meetings. This is a consultation on authority to hold virtual meetings once current temporary authorities come to an end. The general feeling was that we should still be able to carry on using virtual meetings if we needed to and that it would be best to agree a minimum of face to face meetings a year. This was agreed and that the Clerk do the survey on behalf of council. Any final decision rests with the government.

b. Yorwaste: As discussed previously works to the site entrance were to commence the following Monday, weather permitting.  

154 Minor Matters and Items for the Next Agenda:

AH would chase the French Drain on Southfield Lane to get some idea of when the work was likely to happen and to investigate whether if the parish council were prepared to organize and finance work would Highways give permission.

JW would give the number of a drainage expert to HB so that she could ask for a quote.

Next Agenda: Southfield Lane French Drain. PR would raise the issue of light pollution at the next Yorwaste meeting. PR would get a date for this once work starts at the site.

155 Date of Next Meeting: 1 March 2021 by Zoom at 7.30pm

PR thanked all for attending and closed the meeting at 21:26.

Signed__________________________________ Date_____________________