DENBY DALE PARISH COUNCIL
ANNUAL REPORT 2007-2008
CHAIR’S OVERVIEW
It does not seem 12 months since I became Chair of the Parish Council but it is, and it falls to me as Chair to present the annual report of the council.
Twelve months ago, following the local elections, the new Parish Council met for the first time and as I sat down in the council chamber I looked around and realised that I had now become the longest current serving member of the council, and that so many of the faces that had become so familiar over the last 16 years were no longer here. The Council had gone through the biggest change of councillors for many years and we had lost a great deal of experience and knowledge of local issues and local government. So we set off on the journey that is the civic year, and it soon became apparent that the new councillors would settle in to parish council life and bring new ideas and a commitment to ensure the Council continued to serve the parish to the best of its abilities.
At the time of writing, I have been invited to represent the council at over 25 events and with a few still remaining before the end of the civic year; it has been busy but enjoyable time.
Over the last year, the Council has carried out its work in an efficient manner; it has developed new ideas and projects that will continue to develop over the years and will prove to have enriched the life of the parish and of those who live in it.
As detailed in the main body of this report, we have invited a number of people to address the Council on a range of different issues over the last 12 months. The Council greatly appreciated the contribution made by each speaker and while some of them brought what I would call good news, other confirmed what we already knew.
One of the major issues that has taken up a significant amount of our time is transport, both public and private. Several of our members have become very well informed on the subject of buses, and have lobbied hard on this issue. The continuing problems of speeding traffic, parking and the roads infrastructure have consumed a great deal of time and energy and despite there being no real and readily available solution, we continue to do the best we can.
The newly formed business association seems to be developing and I am sure this will not only help the local business which plays a vital part in our local economy, but will have benefits for the whole community. I hope that in the next year we can enjoy the same success with our proposed youth council.
Looking ahead, we, along with the rest of the world, will have to come to terms with the fact that we are facing uncertain times both economically and with a changing climate. During the year, we in the parish have suffered severe floods which have blighted many lives, and if this is not to become a more frequent event, then we will have to start to take a more active role in changing the way we use energy and how we view the future.
On a sad note, it now seems to be the norm that the Chair is unable to write the Annual Report without having to pass comment on how the Parish Council is viewed by certain members of our society, and this year is no exception. The attacks have been less frequent, but this year they have come from experienced councillors who should have both the knowledge and the understanding of how a Parish Council works without resorting to childish and mischievous attacks whether for their own personal or political gain. The Parish Council has always tried to leave party politics outside the Council Chamber, despite the fact that many of its members are members of a cross section of political parties.
We are, as has been said many times, unpaid volunteers who simply wish to try to make the area where we live a better place, through giving our time and energy. Unfortunately, for a country that has a world wide reputation for having some of the finest volunteer organisations in the world, it now seems that the idea of public service has become a dirty word, not only at a our level, but all the way through to the very top of the democratic ladder.
I simply ask why this has been allowed to happen and what would be gained by the destruction of these organisations and the values of unpaid voluntary public service.
I have always strongly believed that the area in which I have spent my entire life is better for having local parish councillors.
My report would not be complete without an expression of thanks. Firstly, I would like to thank Eddie Shaw for attending events when I have not been able to. I would also like to thank Hazel Chowcat for ensuring that meetings have run as smoothly as possible under my attempts at chairing them and that we have kept within the law and met all our obligations during the last 12 months. It was of course Hazel’s first full year as our Clerk and I am very grateful to her for all the help and advice she has given me over the last year.
I could not finish with out paying tribute to the many people who generously donated prizes for the grand prize draw which we held at my Civic Reception in February, and to those who bought raffle tickets and helped to raise over £700 in one evening. In many ways, this was the highlight of the civic year, and the money raised was donated to a much needed project, the Skelmanthorpe Youth and Community Centre which we have supported as a council.
Finally, I would like to thank all members of the Parish Council for their help and support over the last year and for putting up with me as Chair and I would like to wish my successor all the best for the coming year.
Cllr Graham Turner
Chair Denby Dale Parish Council
May 2007 – May 2008
SUMMARY OF COUNCIL MEETINGS APRIL 2007 TO MARCH 2008
April 2007
At the April council meeting, members of the public attended the meeting to raise their objections to a planning application for a 24 dwelling development at the Piggeries in Strike Lane, Skelmanthorpe. Following discussion, the council decided to object to the application. A member of the public attended to express his opposition to the Garganay Trust taking responsibility fro Denby Delf. Members also discussed the importance of promoting further recycling and agreed to ask Kirklees Council to provide a sheltered area at the Bromley Farm Recycling centre for residents to deposit unwanted furniture. In response to an enquiry by the council about the possibility of reducing street lighting in order to reduce energy use, Kirklees Council confirmed in correspondence that it is undertaking a trial involving dimming technology which allows power to the lantern to be stepped down after a certain time (i.e. after 1am) when pedestrian and road usage is low, thus permitting savings from reduced energy costs while offering an acceptable level of lighting for users.
The Council was advised by Kirklees Council that the new development off Commercial Road in Skelmanthorpe would be named Paddock Close and not Singfield View which was the Council’s preferred option being a reference to the historic use of the field for singing. Other issues discussed included the proposed reduction of household waste collections by Kirklees Council from weekly to fortnightly; a request for the use of active road signs which cut down on speeding traffic by flashing the speed at which an approaching car is being driven. The accounts for the year 2006/2007 were accepted and the Annual Report for 2006/2007 was agreed.
A special meeting was held on 24 April to discuss an application for funding of £8,500 from the Parkgate Trust towards a feasibility study in connection with the development of the Skelmanthorpe Community Centre and Sports Field Project. The Council agreed to make a loan of £8,500 subject to a number of conditions.
A meeting of the Plans Scrutiny Committee was held at which members discussed a range of planning applications.
May 2007
The Council held its Annual Parish Meeting on 15 May 2007. Reports were received from the Chair of the Council, School Governors, and representatives of the Road Safety Committee, Home and Leisure Safety Committee, and the Clayton West Millennium Green Trust. It was reported that the Home Safety Committee and the Home and Leisure Safety Committee had now merged to form the Denby Dale Parish Accident Prevention Committee.
The Annual Council Meeting was also held in May. Cllr Graham Turner was elected Chair of the Council and Cllr Edward Shaw was elected Vice-Chair. Cllr Tony Barlow was elected Chair of the Finance and General Purposes Committee and Cllr Nick Wilson Vice-Chair and Cllrs Terry Sigsworth and Heather Cole were elected Chair and Vice Chair respectively of the Plans Scrutiny Committee. Members were appointed to serve as representatives on various committees and organisations. It was agreed that subscriptions be paid to the Yorkshire Local Councils’ Association, the Society of Local Council Clerks, the Yorkshire Rural Community Council, the Council for the Protection of Rural England, the Open Spaces Society and the Penistone Line Partnership. .
Following completion of the business of the AGM, the Council had a long and detailed discussion about the decision by Stagecoach to withdraw service numbers 233, 235 and 236 with effect from 20 May. Concerns were expressed by members about the impact of the loss of these services on children travelling to and from school and on local residents travelling to Barnsley General Hospital for treatment. It was agreed to invite the Managing Director of Stagecoach to the June meeting of the Council to explain the company’s strategy; to write to Barnsley Metropolitan Council to ask whether it had taken any action against the proposals; to find out how many school children are affected by the changes and similarly how many patients travelling to Barnsley General Hospital are affected.
The Council also discussed the issue of active road signs. Kirklees Council had confirmed that it had installed a number of these signs in the past few years and that further sites were being looked at in the Denby Dale area where it was felt that the numbers and severity of personal injury crashes could be reduced. Two main lengths of road were currently being tested: the A635 Barnsley Road (Upper Cumberworth to Denby Dale) and the A635 Barnsley Road/Nether End. Information on the outcome of these investigations would be sent to the Parish Council. In the meantime, in response to an invitation to suggest specific locations, the Parish Council proposed two in Emley (one at the junction of Jagger Lane with Chapel Lane and Leys Lane, and the second at the entrance to Emley from the east around the junction of Ash Lane and Upper Lane) and one at the entrance to Clayton West on the A636 Wakefield Road from the direction of Wakefield.
Other issues discussed included traffic problems in Clayton West and Scissett and the future of the Community Paramedic Scheme.
June 2007
The impact of the cuts in the bus services in the parish was a major issue at the June meeting. Stagecoach had written to the Council justifying the cuts in services on commercial grounds. Information had been received confirming that large numbers of patients were referred to Barnsley General Hospital from health centres in the parish and a number of school children were affected by the cuts. In addition, information had been received confirming that Arriva was also introducing cuts and it was agreed to write to Arriva to challenge the proposals. The Council was advised that the Parkgate Trust had rejected the Council’s loan offer because they could not accept the condition that the Council have a seat with full voting rights on the Board of Trustees. Members were interested to read about the decision by Modbury Council in Devon to ban plastic bags from the town and decided to look at the possibility of taking some action against plastic bags in the parish. In the first instance, it was agreed to write to district councillors and Kirklees MPs to seek their assistance in pursing this objective.
Other issues discussed included action arising out of the parish plan, the appointment of a parish council representative to the Historic Buildings Trust, the appointment of a member to Scissett First School governing body and the need for action to be taken against the proliferation of advertising boards and other pavement obstructions.
At the Finance and General Purposes Committee meeting, grant awards were made to various organisations within the Parish.
At the Plans Scrutiny Committee, planning notifications were considered and comments made thereon. Items under discussion included the Thorncliffe Farm Shop in Emley and the Birdsedge Countryside Project.
July 2007
The Parish Council had invited Mike Proud of the Bromley Farm Recycling Centre to the meeting. The Council had previously written to Kirklees Council to ask for the recycling centre hours to be extended and for the centre to offer confidential paper shredding. Mr Proud explained that at this stage it was not feasible to extend opening hours though and that he was discussing with Sita the possibility of offering confidential paper shredding and electronic data destruction facilities. He invited councillors to visit the centre at a date to be decided in the near future. He answered a number of questions from councillors on plans for offering kerbside collections to outlying areas, on future government targets, on the energy for waste plant and on garden waste.
The Council also welcomed the confirmation that Kirklees Council had agreed to the Parish Council’s request for measures to be introduced to reduce traffic problems in Clayton West and Scissett. A 30mph gateway would be installed at Hill Top on High Street. The Council’s maintenance section would be carrying out extensive works on High Street later in the year and the new markings would be introduced as part of that scheme. The Council also agreed to look at Church Lane and Chapel Hill and come back with firmer proposals and confirmed that traffic signals were proposed for the junction of Wakefield Road and Sunnymead, which would incorporate pedestrian facilities to cross Wakefield Road in the vicinity of Scissett Baths to be introduced later in the year.
The issue of the bus services was again discussed. Both Metro and Stagecoach had responded to the council but the responses were disappointing and did not take account of the impact of the cuts on local residents. The Council agreed to set up a Public Transport Working Party to look at the whole issue of public transport in the parish, including the recent cuts in bus services, with a view to developing a strategy to enable the Council to exert influence over transport policy.
The Council also discussed street naming of developments off Cumberworth Road in Skelmanthorpe and Wakefield Road in Denby Dale; traffic problems on Station Road in Skelmanthorpe; the issue of speeding on Barnsley Road in Denby Dale. The Council agreed to nominate a representative to the Management Committee of the Denby Dale Centre. The new Model Code of Conduct for Councillors was adopted. The Council agreed to make a grant of £8,000 to the Skelmanthorpe Youth and Community Centre towards the cost of developing the new youth and community centre in Skelmanthorpe which will offer sports and community facilities to residents across the parish.
The Plans Scrutiny Committee meeting welcomed two guest speakers. Vicky Dumbrell of Kirklees Council addressed the meeting on Kirklees Council’s renewable energy policies.
Mary Creagh MP addressed the meeting on current issues, including action she had taken on the flooding problems in the area. She explained that contrary to some reports in the press, European flood relief would be available to the UK government but only after a proper audit had been conducted in line with EU regulations. She also discussed the problems in public transport in the area and explained that Metro receives government funding to subsidise bus routes.
The meeting discussed the Department of Communities and Local Government consultation paper “Changes to Permitted Development Consultation Paper 2: Permitted Development Rights for Householders” and agreed responses to questions posed in the paper.
August 2007
There was no council meeting in August, but the Plans Scrutiny Committee met to discuss planning applications.
September 2007
The Council discussed the problem of advertising boards and other pavement obstructions. Kirklees Council now confirmed that retailers using A-boards had been given leaflets advising them to remove any obstructions from pavements outside their premises.
Council discussed the issue of plastic bags which local councils in other parts of the country were attempting to ban. As a result of the discussion, members agreed that it would be useful if such matters could be pursued through a local business association and it was agreed that the Clerk explore the possibility of encouraging such an association to be established.
The Council spent some time discussing the impact of and council response to the flooding in June. Concern was expressed that sandbags were not already available in preparation for such an emergency, that the drainage system appeared to be inadequate to cope with the amount of rainfall experienced and that new housing developments may be contributing to the problem by reducing the amount of natural run-off and perhaps by being improperly sited in relation to the flood plain. Given the speed of climate change, it was felt the area could experience similar heavy rainfall in future. The Council agreed to raise its concerns with Kirklees Council.
The Council agreed to set aside funds in next year’s budget for hanging baskets across the parish.
The Working Party on Public Transport gave a report on their work to date. They had developed proposals for improving the 80/81 routes. Following changes to the 435 service, there is now no longer a bus service on the section of the Wakefield Road between Scissett and Clayton West going towards Wakefield leaving a large number of people without access to a bus. The new 80/81 bus routes from Huddersfield go to Clayton West via Chapel Hill and return to Huddersfield via the main Road. The Working Party is proposing that Stagecoach runs the 81 service in the opposite direction around Clayton West, i.e. going out along Wakefield Road and returning via Chapel Hill. In addition, the Group is working on an alternative bus route from Denby Dale to Barnsley via Clayton West, High Hoyland and Darton. It was agreed to submit these proposals to Stagecoach.
In addition to discussing planning applications, the Plans Scrutiny Committee discussed the decision by Kirklees Council to remove the automatic right of Parish Councils to refer planning applications to the appropriate Kirklees Council committee where the officer’s decision was contrary to the Council’s recommendation. The Committee also discussed the energy audit of the building which had been carried out in 2002/3.
October 2007
The Parish Council discussed the feasibility of setting up a Youth Council in the parish. Such a council run by young people, perhaps with the assistance of a youth worker, would enable young people to be consulted and to engage in their community. Members agreed to set aside funding in the budget next year to fund this venture.
The Council agreed to pursue the idea of encouraging the setting up of a business association in the area by writing to all businesses to find out whether there was sufficient interest.
The issue of flood planning was also discussed following receipt of a detailed response from Kirklees Council. The letter raised a number of additional concerns and it was agreed that Kirklees Council be asked to confirm how often culverts and other water courses are cleared of debris and other rubbish, such as dumped supermarket trolleys.
Bus service cuts were again discussed. Stagecoach had confirmed that the proposals put forward by the Parish Council would be discussed with Metro. The Public Transport Working Party reported on extensive overcrowding on buses between Skelmanthorpe and Huddersfield. Other matters discussed included the need for an alternative polling station for Emley instead of the Emley Band Room; car parking problems on Commercial Road, Skelmanthorpe; the appearance of Denby Dale Station; the need for more cycle lanes; the condition of the War Memorial in Clayton West. The Denby Dale Countryside Project Steering Group had discussed the possibility of developing a new woodland.
The Plans Scrutiny Committee discussed an update from Kirklees Council on the Local Development Framework.
November 2007
At the November Council meeting, members again discussed bus services and noted that following meetings with parish and district councillors, it had been agreed that changes would be introduced to the Stagecoach timetables to improve punctuality and reliability, that new low floor high capacity buses would be introduced in December and that a Christmas bus service would be run between Huddersfield and Barnsley in November and December. A good response had been received from businesses to the questionnaire and it was agreed that a drop in session be arranged for January 2008. Members also discussed active road signs, the work on the Upper Denby Play Area; the agreed lampposts for the hanging baskets; the issue of affordable insurance for food victims; dog fouling,
The Finance & General Purposes Committee met this month and discussed the draft budget which would be finalised at a special meeting in January 2008. The Plans Scrutiny Committee discussed a range of planning applications.
December 2007
At the December Council meeting, issues discussed included the decision by Kirklees Council to use the Methodist Church in Emley as an alternative to the Emley Band Room; parking problems in Commercial Road, Skelmanthorpe; a response from Phil Woolas MP concerning the issue of insurance for properties in flood areas; and cycle lanes.
The issue of bus services continued to occupy the council. The working Party on Public Transport was continuing to press for improvements to reduce overcrowding and increase reliability. The Council agreed to make a further grant of £8000 to the Skelmanthorpe Youth and Community Centre.
Finally, members said goodbye to Cllr Heather Cole who had tendered her resignation following her family’s decision to move to New Zealand.
At the Plans Scrutiny Committee a member of the public raised objections to an application to remove a condition to construct a footpath at the residential development on Bank Lane, Norman Road, Denby Dale.
January 2008
Cllr Trevor Bagshaw of Sheffield City Council attended the meeting to give background information on the application for RDPE funding which the Parish Council has been invited to join. He explained that the total amount of money available was £1.2m over four years, or £300,000 per year, to be spread over five or six partnerships. It was anticipated that the funds would be available in the middle of the year and the group has 4 to 6 months to work up business plans. The Clerk confirmed that the vacancy in Skelmanthorpe Ward following Cllr Cole’s resignation would be filled by co-option.
Other matters discussed included an update from Kirklees Council on its revised waste collection scheme; problems with waste collections over the Christmas period and the problems of recycling plastics which are not HDPE or PET. The Council agreed new guidelines for public participation sessions. An update was provided by the Working Party on Public Transport.
The Finance & General Purposes Committee met to discuss the budget and the proposed precept for the following financial year. The Committee also agreed a new grants policy with the small grants being advertised at the beginning of May with a closing date of 24 October. The Committee agreed to recommend to the council that a grant of £3,250 be awarded to the Denby Dale Centre to pay for rent costs.
Geof Thorpe of Kirklees Council attended the Plans Scrutiny Committee to discuss the issue of A-boards. In addition, the meeting discussed street naming in Scissett as well as the latest planning applications.
February 2008
At the February Council meeting, Fatihul-Haq of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association attended the meeting and spoke on the subject of ‘The Role of Islam in Secular Britain’. Local business representatives who had attended the drop-in session in January had indicated that they would be interested in establishing a business association and a further meeting would be held later in the month. The Council discussed ideas for increasing publicity and communications within the parish.
An update report was given by the Working Party on Public Transport. The amended timetable had been introduced but it was too early to establish its impact. Metro was organising a meeting to review the service and Parish Councils would be invited.
The Council discussed a revised planning application for the erection of 30 dwellings at The Piggeries, Strike Lane, Skelmanthorpe which was a modified version of a similar application last year to which the Council had objected. The Council again objected.
Finally, the Council agreed that the sum of £99,000 be precepted for the year 2008-2009.
The Plans Scrutiny Committee discussed consultation documents relating to the Local Development Framework of Wakefield Council.
March 2008
Cllr Andrew Palfreeman of Kirklees Council attended the meeting to give members a presentation on Kirklees Council’s plans for introducing ‘locality management’. Kirklees was to be divided into 7 localities. The aim of the programme was threefold: to target services to the needs of the area; to introduce greater partnership working with police, health services and other agencies; to comply with government legislation which was placing a greater emphasis on community leadership and the empowerment of local members to lead their communities. The process was currently in its early stages and it is anticipated that the programme will be completed by 2011.
The Business Association had met and agreed to set itself up as a separate body independent of the Parish Council. Under the RDPE Leader funding, a Local Initiative Group had been set up covering Denby Dale and Kirkburton and the council was invited to nominate representatives to sit on the LIG. The Working Party on Public Transport reported that changes to the timetable of the Holmfirth to Wakefield service would be introduced at the end of April, and that it had been reported that Stagecoach was negotiating the sale of its Huddersfield operation to Arriva. As a result of the discussion, the Council agreed to approach Crigglestone Parish Council with a view to campaigning to have Crigglestone West station opened which would ease traffic congestion between Denby Dale and Wakefield.
Other issues discussed included problems of parking at Shelley College; advertising boards; and cycle lanes.
Jim MacDonald, Senior Trees Officer of Kirklees Council addressed the Plans Scrutiny Committee on the subject of tree preservation orders. Other matters under discussion included street naming; the decision by Kirklees Council to reverse its decision to introduce new procedures overturn the previous removal of the automatic right of referral to the planning sub-committee of applications where the Parish Council has made a recommendation contrary to the officer recommendation.
DENBY DALE PARISH COUNCIL
SUMMARY OF ACCOUNTS 2007/2008
• The Parish Council precepted the sum of £85,000.
• As a co-funding partner, the Parish Council’s contribution to the Denby Dale Parish Countryside Management Project was £25,000
• £16,000 was donated to the Skelmanthorpe Youth and Community Centre
• £3,250 was pledged towards the Denby Dale Centre
• Nearly £3,000 was distributed in grant aid to organisations within the Parish.
• £2,500 was allocated to the Environment Trust for the environmental small grant scheme.
• £3,500 has been donated towards the refurbishment of the play area in Birdsedge
• £5,000 has been pledged towards the refurbishment of the play area in Upper Denby
• The Parish Council has also supported, by grant aid, the Primary, Nursery, Special and Middle Schools within the Parish and the Denby Dale Parish Accident Prevention Committee
• Donations were also made to the Royal British Legion, the Textile Museum in Skelmanthorpe and the Skelmanthorpe Chrysanthemum Society
Unaudited Balance Sheet
£
Receipts 92,038.60
Payments 93,473.26
Deficit -1,434.66
Opening Balance 1.4.07 52,610.06
Balance as at 31.1.08 51,175.40
Represented by
Earmarked reserves of 14,958.14
General Fund 36,217.26
TOTAL 51,175.40