MINUTES OF RUFFORTH WITH KNAPTON PARISH COUNCIL

 MEETING HELD IN RUFFORTH VILLAGE INSTITUTE ON MONDAY 6 DECEMBER 2021 at 7.30pm

Present: Cllr Peter Rollings (PR) Chairman; Cllr Helen Butterworth (HB);

                Cllr Nicholas Murray (NM); Cllr Jane Wright (JW);

                Cllr Mark Reynolds (MR):

In Attendance: Stephanie Warden (Clerk) and 1 member of the public.

126      Public Comments:  None

127 Apologies and reason for absence: the following councillors apologies and reasons for absence were accepted: Cllr Anne Powell, Cllr John Flynn and Cllr Andrew Mate.

128     Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interest (not previously declared): None

129     Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on 1 November 2021:  The minutes were proposed by NM, seconded by MR agreed and signed as a true record.

130     Ward Councillors Comments and Reports:  None as there were no Ward Councillors present.

131     Clerks Report: 

• Following the Clerk’s request the Drains and gulleys were cleaned and cleared of Autumn Leaves
• The Clerk had reported the state of Hannam Lane to the Public Rights of Way officer but had not heard anything back. The member of the public present reported that it was low grade rubble (6F2) that had been put down by the farmer following his planning approval to erect an agricultural building on a field North of Hannam Lane (Application Ref. no: 21/00358/FUL). This rubble was strewn with litter. The Clerk would report back to the PROW officer.

132     Planning Matters:

• Proposed development behind Middlewood Close, Rufforth, by Mulgrave Properties Ltd: there had not been a planning application submitted to CYC yet. NM, JW and PR had met with Mulgrave Properties Ltd and had voiced their concerns regarding the proposed development. There had been no response from the developers. PR had received a phone call from the landowner, who is supporting an adopted road behind the school. Sewerage and drainage would meet all CYC criteria. It was noted that the site is designated for housing in the emerging York Local Plan and was included in the submission version of the Neighbourhood Plan (although removed before referendum for technical reasons). The site although historically in the Green Belt is not in the new Green Belt as defined in the York Local Plan which is currently under independent examination.

133     Finance: Monthly report

a) The following payments were proposed by NM and seconded by MR and ratified:

            Clerk: October Salary + Burial fees                                              £  534.47

            ICO                                                                                                     £    35.00

            AJT Garden Services Ltd for grass cutting etc.                          £1008.00

            Cllr Helen Butterworth for 10 burial markers NBG                     £    74.50

The Clerk also asked for approval to pay £112 to SLCC for Subs and this was agreed. The Clerk was also waiting for an invoice from CM Marketing Ltd for work to the website. This would be £60 and had been agreed previously. She was also waiting for an invoice of £360 for the installation of the 3 donated benches.

c) Payments Received:

            3x donations for benches                                                               £1650.00

            Invoice 249 NBG interment fee                                                     £  300.00

d) Funds Available:                                                                                     £6735.19

134     Ideas for inclusion in Budget 2022/2023:

Refurbishment of the two noticeboards on Knapton Green and by the Rufforth Institute: the clerk would try to find a joiner willing to take this on.

A grant to RPFA towards repairs to the Play area.

Plugging the gap in the fence around the Rufforth pond once the tree had been removed.

Christmas Tree

Community Festival (2 July 2022)

NM had made enquiries about how much a VAS lighting up showing the bad bend would be by the church.

135 Burial Grounds:

a)         Report on Burials: There had been one full burial in the Natural Burial Ground. HB reported that now the lane had been resurfaced it had enabled the spouse to get up the lane in her wheelchair and so she felt the work done had been worthwhile.

b)         Maintenance in Burial Grounds: The Clerk would chase AJT Garden Services for quotes for hedge cutting and for the cutting pack of the permissive cycle track.

c)         Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016: The Clerk had returned the YLCA consultation response but had been unable to find the Government consultation online. Responses were due by 22 December.

136     Website: The website was being kept up to date with all the latest

news.

137     AJ1 Project Road Safety Fund: NM said that this was as good as done and had reported back to the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner. We were waiting for the invoice from CYC. NM reported that it would be 3 months before there was any usable data from the VASs and had made a note to chase up the data once that time arrived.

138     Rufforth:

• Benches for Rufforth to Knapton PROW – the benches were now installed and the Parish Council thanked the three donors, Lord Willis of Knaresborough and Councillors Helen Butterworth and Nick Murray. PR said that he had received a lot of good comments about them. The one up on the hill is up a slippery bank. Kevin Smith of Yorwaste had obtained a quote for a contractor to put in a path to it from further up the hill. The reasons for having it being safety and accessibility. Cost would be approximately £3500 which Yorwaste might be prepared to fund if there was some contribution from the Parish Council. It was thought to be a good idea and it was agreed the parish council would pay up to a maximum of £1000, following NM’s proposal, as a contribution to the path.

MR was concerned about the light pollution especially from the liquid treatment plant at Harewood Whin, this would be brought back to the next liaison meeting.

• Rufforth Pond: the flooding by West Cottage had been resolved but the fallen tree needs to be pulled out of the pond before it affects drainage.
• Allotments: Work has started on the allotments. A different contractor is doing the road and carpark which is likely to be the cause of work going on into January. It was thought that 1 big metal shed for all to use for tools etc with good security rather than structures on individual plots. PR to discuss with planners. Dave Meigh has suggested a meeting on site in January. PR will circulate shed sizes to councillors.
• Solar Farm: There has been no further news from the developers. The possible consultation in November did not take place.
• Church Bend: The Clerk had written to Highways regarding the incident on the church bend that was causing concern to residents. It was not only the narrow pavement that was the problem but the size of vehicles coming through. As she had not heard anything back from CYC the Clerk had written again and will keep chasing this. The Clerk would let the resident who raised this concern know what had been done by the PC.

139     Knapton Recreational Field, Play Area:

There was progress with the planning application and this would be submitted

soon to CYC.

140     York Community Woodland:

The Lease to the Forestry Commission states that they have to consult with

the Parish Council before deciding on where to locate carparks etc.

141     Representatives’ Reports: 

a) Rural West York Team and residents Forum Meetings: there had been no meetings

            b) York Branch Yorkshire Local Councils Association: The Parish Charter was supposed to be signed off in October but nothing had come through on it yet.

            c) Yorwaste Liaison Group: There had been no operating changes to report.

            d) Rufforth Playing Fields Association: There was nothing to report other than wanting a grant towards repairs to the play area.

142     Minor Matters and Items for the Next Agenda: 

NM would look into the possibility of renovating the Milestone and it would go

on the next agenda. The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee was to go on the next

agenda and to agree the budget and set the Precept for 2022/2023

143     Date of next meeting:  Monday 10 January 2022 in Rufforth Village Hall starting at 7.30 p.m.

PR thanked all for coming and closed the meeting at 9.30pm

Signed_________________________________ Date____________________

Mrs Stephanie Warden, Parish Clerk: Tel: 738751

Email: clerk@rufforthwithknapton-pc.gov.uk