ANNUAL REPORT
OF
DENBY DALE PARISH COUNCIL
2009 - 2010
DENBY DALE PARISH COUNCIL
ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010
CHAIR’S OVERVIEW
It is 12 months since I became Chair of the Parish Council and I now have the opportunity to present the Annual Report of the Council before standing down.
One of the key events during my period of office was the completion by Kirklees Council of its review of Parish and Town Councils and it is with some satisfaction that we note the conclusion of this fairly lengthy review that there was no need for any change to Denby Dale Parish Council. Personally, and I know others think the same, I thought this was a waste of both public time and money. The Parish Council is proud of its role within the democratic process and, with its full strength of 20 councillors, is well positioned to provide access to the local community and to represent the needs of local residents. As ever, the Parish Council aims to work with Kirklees Ward Councillors and has endeavoured during the year to encourage Ward Councillors to attend Parish Council meetings by offering a slot on the agenda for a Ward Councillor report.
As a result of the parish review we have had, and are continuing to have regular contact with Kirklees Council and the other Parish and Town Councils within Kirklees. Denby Dale Parish Council has within its grasp to increase its powers and scope through the 'Power of Well Being' which Parish and Town Councils can now adopt once they have met certain criteria. It is hoped that the Parish Council will soon be in a position to meet these criteria and that the incoming Chair will be able to report this time next year that the Parish Council is using the new power.
Ongoing matters to report include our desire to increase the number of allotments in the parish, and at the time of writing this report at least 2 sites have been identified as possible allotments.
Over the last 12 months the European funded East Peak Innovation Partnership (EPIP) has started to take off, and as a result of some sterling work by some of our councillors and many others has started to show some positive results in the area. During this first year of a five year programme, in excess of £100,000 has been brought into the area to fund a variety of projects, including the improvement of footpaths and promotion of walking throughout the parish; financial support for Skelmanthorpe Youth and Community Association and Birdsedge Village Hall. We are hopeful that over the next four years, further funding opportunities will be equally successful.
The Parish Council itself has provided financial support in the form of large community grants to the Skelmanthorpe Youth and Community Association, Birdsedge Village Hall and in principle to the Upper Dearne Woodland Conservation Group. Small grants were made to the 7th Huddersfield Clayton West Scout Group, the Clayton West Parent and Toddler Group, Clayton West Women’s Institute, Denby Sports and Social Club, Cumberworth United Cricket Club, the Textile Heritage Unit in Skelmanthorpe, St Augustine’s Church in Scissett, Scissett Youth Band, Skelmanthorpe Band, Denby Dale Friend to Friend, Walkers are Welcome, and the Friends of Shelley Music Centre. Grants of £300 were also given to all the schools in the Parish.
I would also like to mention the work of the Denby Dale Countryside Project which goes from strength to strength, again with considerable financial support from the Parish Council. In addition to the work he does with schools, and a range of environmental and conservation bodies in the parish, Andy Wickham, the Countryside Officer, succeeds every year in bringing money into the parish for a range of projects. This year I am proud to report that he was successful in securing an award from Biffa of almost £40,000 for a Multi Use Games Area for the Young Emley Action Sports Team, as well as an award of £21,000 from SITA, the landfill operator for a Great Crested Newt Link project.
A couple of subjects I must touch on are the difficult winter we experienced this year, especially with the shortage of grit. I can only hope that lessons have been learnt and measures will be put in place to ensure we do not have a ‘repeat performance’. The other subject is about my role of the Chair. When I was elected I made the point that I wouldn’t be wearing the chain of office, nor would I be attending other Parish and Town Council functions. This has been ably done during the year by my Vice Chair, Cllr Kelvyn Waites.
I have to confess that running a business and becoming a father for the first time (in September) makes being Chair a very difficult task and I have not been as proactive as I would have liked, for which I apologise.
During the year, there have been some changes to the membership of the Council. It is with great sadness that I had to report the death of Cllr Tony Barlow. I first met Tony through the Labour Party, then through the Parish Council, and as a fellow Governor of Shelley College I got to know him quite well. He was a lovely man and I for one will miss him. We also said goodbye to Geoff Horton and Robert Allen who stepped down as councillors for personal reasons, but we were pleased to welcomed Garry Coleman, Allan Hinde King, Victoria Buyer, Ivan Purkiss and Anthony Weston who were all co-opted onto the Council to take up vacancies in Clayton West, Denby & Cumberworth and Skelmanthorpe Wards.
Finally my report would not be complete without an expression of thanks. I would like to thank Kelvyn Waites for attending all the events I have not been able to. I would also like to thank Hazel Chowcat for ensuring that meetings have run as smoothly as possible and that we have kept within the law and met all our obligations during the last 12 months.
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 Nick Wilson
Chair, Denby Dale Parish Council 2009 –2010
26 April 2010
SUMMARY OF COUNCIL MEETINGS MAY 2009 TO APRIL 2010
MAY 2009
The Annual Council Meeting was held on 5 May 2009 and Cllr Nick Wilson was elected as Chair of the Council with Cllr Kelvyn Waites as Vice Chair. Members were appointed to the Finance and General Purposes Committee, the Plans Scrutiny Committee, the Staffing Committee, the Working Party on Public Transport and as representatives to a number of other outside organisations. It was agreed that subscriptions be paid to the Yorkshire Local Councils’ Association; Rural Action Yorkshire; the Council for the Protection of Rural England; the Open Spaces Society; the Society of Local Council Clerks; the Penistone Line Partnership; Local Council Update and Local Council Review.
At the ordinary council meeting that followed the ACM, the accounts for the year 2008/2009 were accepted as a fair and accurate record. The Council was told that the names of Joseph Roys and James Edward Roys had finally been added to the plaque on the war memorial in Skelmanthorpe. Other matters discussed included the positioning of the notice board in Skelmanthorpe, the possibility of the old car park being used at Denby Dale Railway Station; the possibility of the pharmacy in Denby Dale being reopened. The council agreed to submit proposals to Kirklees Council under the Sustainable Communities Act. Further progress was reported on broadband and it was noted with satisfaction that following the publication of the council’s survey into broadband coverage, Kirklees Council was conducting a mapping exercise to determine the nature of broadband coverage in the parish. The Council agreed to make an additional grant award towards the refurbishment of Birdsedge Village Hall. The Plans Scrutiny Committee discussed planning applications.
JUNE 2009
The Finance & General Purposes Committee approved the report of the Internal Auditor, discussed options for distributing the Council’s newsletter and received a report on the work of the Denby Dale/Kirkburton LIG and its relationship with EPIP. It discussed an application from the Upper Dearne Woodlands Conservation Group for match funding for the rebuilding of approximately 1025m of dry stone wall on the boundaries of the Upper Dearne Woodlands near Upper Cumberworth. It was agreed to recommend to the council that £5,000 be set aside for match funding out of the green initiative budget subject to the application being approved by EPIP.
At the council meeting, members received a report from the police which indicated that crime was increasing in the area with a total of 36 crimes reported in the month of March. The problem of parking at the junction of Wood Street/Huddersfield Road in Skelmanthorpe had been discussed on a number of occasions and Kirklees Council was now consulting local residents about the possibility of reducing car parking to improve sightlines at the junction. Members were also advised that the Parish Council’s suggestions for improvements to the timetables for services 82 and 83 would be included in the new timetables which would be available in July and that the Council’s proposals for through fares on services 83 and 84 for residents of Birdsedge and Upper Denby had been raised with the Huddersfield Bus Company and the Council would be kept informed of the outcome. It was also confirmed that the 95 service had been further funded and would continue until 25 July on a use it or lose it basis. The meeting was also advised that there had been some interest from local residents in garden sharing and a model agreement downloaded from the Channel 4 garden share website had been sent to those individuals.
The Council was keen to set up a Walkers are Welcome Group in the area and a meeting had been held in May which was addressed by two representatives from the national organisation. A further meeting was due to be held to set up a steering committee for a local group. Other issues discussed included Kirklees Council’s proposed rights of way improvement plan and problems with the allocation of school places affecting some children in Emley. The Plans Scrutiny Committee met to discuss planning applications.
JULY 2009
At the Council meeting, members received a report from the police that a total of 9 crimes had been committed in June which was lower than the previous month. Members were advised that Kirklees Council had announced that it would be delaying making a decision on the Local Development Framework until 2010.
The final report of the Community Governance Review was discussed and members were satisfied to note that Denby Dale Parish Council was to remain unchanged. Concern was, however, expressed that many of the recommendations made by the report indicated a lack of understanding by Kirklees Council of the law and functions of parish councils.
The Council discussed correspondence from EPIP asking whether the Parish Council would like to apply for funding for the digitization of its archives. The deadline for receipt of an expression of interest predated the Council’s meeting, and following discussion with West Yorkshire Archives who hold the Council’s archives, it was felt that this would be a positive step for those interested in local research and a provisional expression of interest had been submitted to EPIP. The council approved this course of action.
Members were disappointed to learn from Metro that Kirklees Council had decided not to fund the 95 service after 18 July 2009 due to low patronage, but that a twice weekly market service was to be investigated and the Council would be updated in due course. Other issues discussed included a report from the July meeting of the Denby Dale Area Committee and the destruction of a healthy oak tree opposite the gates to Kirkby Grange Cottage off Clough Road in Emley.
A special meeting of the Finance & General Purposes Committee discussed the hanging baskets and agreed a rota for staffing the stand at the Emley Show in August. The Plans Scrutiny committee met to discuss planning applications.
AUGUST 2009
There was no council meeting in August, but the Plans Scrutiny Committee met to discuss planning applications.
SEPTEMBER 2009
Members were advised that Cllr Robert Allen had moved out of the area and had therefore resigned and discussed procedures for co-opting councillors. A briefing note clarifying the role of parish councillors in relation to delegated powers was discussed. Members discussed possible locations for the storage of the historical records which had been gathered by local historian, Stanley Sheead.
The Working Party on Public Transport continued to monitor bus services within the parish and it was reported that new timetable had been introduced without consultation for the 85/85A Huddersfield to Barnsley Service as a replacement for the 95 route and that there were a number of problems associated with it. Members were also advised that following representations by the council, tree preservation orders had been placed on ash, oak and sycamore trees running along both sides of Kirkby Lane in Emley. Other matters discussed included dog foul bins in Emley, the Local development Framework.
The Plans Scrutiny committee met to discuss planning applications.
OCTOBER 2009
The Council agreed to co-opt Victoria Buyer onto the Council to represent the Denby & Cumberworth Ward.
Andy Wickham, the Countryside Officer attended the meeting to discuss how the Parish Council could proceed with its plans to create allotments. He proposed that once suitable parcels of land had been identified, he and the Clerk would conduct a feasibility study to determine the cost and maintenance implications of setting up and running allotments, including estimating the cost of providing infrastructure, identifying possible sources of funding, evaluating different methods of management/administration, quantifying ongoing maintenance costs, evaluating possible tenancy agreements, including rental charges and conditions. The aim would be to complete the study within three months of its commencement.
Highways issues featured again with concerns raised about speeding traffic in Carr Hill Road in Upper Cumberworth and Chapel Hill in Clayton West. The Parish Council’s campaign for improved broadband received a fillip following a presentation by Rutland Telecom to the Denby Dale Area Committee at which it was suggested that a feasibility study into the provision of a local broadband service would be prepared.
The Council discussed the 10:10 Campaign and agreed to join. Members discussed the effectiveness of the Parish Council’s stand at the Emley Show in August and it was agreed that it had been a successful venture and that the Council should participate in the 2010 Show. Other matters discussed included the arrangements for wreath laying on Remembrance Day and the new West Yorkshire Rural Accessibility Partnership set up following the demise of the Rural Transport Partnership.
The Plans Scrutiny committee met to discuss planning applications.
NOVEMBER 2009
The Council discussed two funding requests. Vanessa Marsden of the Skelmanthorpe Youth and Community Association attended the meeting to update the Council on progress in renovating the Centre and to provide background information to support a request for funds towards work on resurfacing the car park. The Council approved a grant of £4,450 towards the cost of completing the works on the car park. In addition, the Council discussed a request from the Denby Dale Area Committee for a contribution towards the cost of a broadband feasibility study which was anticipated to cost either £2000 or £3000 depending on the area covered. The Council was happy to support this application, particularly since the feasibility study was a direct consequence of the survey into broadband provision which the Council had published in 2008.
Other matters discussed included the report of the Working Party on Public Transport that the tram/train trial had been abandoned; the S106 agreement associated with the East Hill development; an application to take over the pharmacy in Denby Dale. Finally, the Council agreed to set aside 10 minutes at each monthly meeting for a ward councillor to present a report.
The Finance & General Purposes Committee awarded grants totalling £4,910 under the small grants scheme and grants totalling £1070 under the Green Initiative; approved Newsletter No. 21, and had a preliminary discussion of the budget for 2010/2011. The Plans Scrutiny committee met to discuss planning applications.
DECEMBER 2009
The Council agreed to co-opt Ivan Purkiss onto the Council to represent the Skelmanthorpe Ward and accepted the resignation of Cllr Geoff Horton.
The Council was pleased to learn that the Skelmanthorpe Youth and Community Association had secured sufficient additional funding to enable the work on the car park to be carried out. This meant that the Centre would soon be able to be opened.
Steve Robinson of the Denby Dale Parish Environment Trust attended the meeting to give an update on the work of the Trust. He outlined the history of the Trust, its work over the years which included the production of detailed studies, such as the Landscape Character Assessment in 2002 and the hedgerow survey in 2004. Since 1997, the Trust had awarded £123,000 of grants and funded 66 local groups. The Trust is currently working on an action plan which will be posted to its website when it is ready.
The Council also discussed a report from Kirklees Council responding to the Council’s request for additional car parking to be provided at Denby Dale Station. Kirklees Council had assessed car parking provision at every Kirklees station and was at the stage of estimating costs and investigating land ownership for those considered to be of priority. It was also in the process of commissioning consultancy work to further assess access and facilities at Penistone Line stations; this would involve local consultation exercises.
With the offer of financial assistance for repair and maintenance from Kirklees Council, the parish council discussed the possibility of adopting up to five K6 red telephone boxes. Discussion centred on what the boxes could be used for and what the potential pitfalls might be. It was agreed to obtain further information and to discuss the matter again.
Cllr Brook gave an update on activities in the LIG. The bid from Birdsedge Village Hall had been approved, as had funding to digitise the collection of 500 colour photos recording farming in the Denby and Cumberworth area 30 years ago and Stanley Sheead’s archives on the history of the Skelmanthorpe textile industry. A letter was circulated from the Huddersfield, Penistone and Sheffield Rail Users’ Association. Following the decision to abandon the national tram-trail trial, it was now necessary to develop a new vision for the Penistone Line and the letter included a list of aspirations for the line which the Parish Council was asked to consider.
Following the discussion at previous meetings about heritage issues, including the future of the Textile Heritage Museum and that of Stanley Sheead’s archives, the Council agreed to set up a Heritage Working Party. Other matters discussed included a report from Cllr Tribe on the likely application for wind turbines in Birdsedge and the addition of the name of Cyril Thorpe on the Skelmanthorpe War Memorial.
The Plans Scrutiny committee met to discuss planning applications.
JANUARY 2010
Due to the bad weather, the Council meeting was cancelled. At the Finance and General Purposes Committee Meeting members held a minute’s silence in memory of Cllr Tony Barlow who had died just before Christmas. The Committee agreed to consult with local residents, where appropriately through community groups and organisations, about the telephone boxes situated in Lower Cumberworth, Denby Dale, Skelmanthorpe and Upper Denby to establish what the boxes might be used for and whether named key holders could be identified for the day to day management of the kiosks. The Committee also discussed the draft budget for 2010-2011 and determined that the final budget should be agreed at the March meeting.
The Plans Scrutiny Committee discussed planning applications.
FEBRUARY 2010
The Council agreed to co-opt Anthony West to the council to represent the Skelmanthorpe Ward.
PCSO Sharon Mellor attended the meeting to give a report about crime in the area since November 2009 and distributed information about Europhile locks.
District Cllr Dodds presented a verbal report to the meeting about Kirklees Council issues. He explained that the budget was being set and cuts were expected over the next three years, though the aim was to protect the most vulnerable people and frontline services. Following the recent bad weather, Kirklees was to review its seasonal maintenance programme. In Denby Dale, issues of concern to local residents continued to be related to highways and transport; inadequate provision of grit bins and the proliferation of potholes following the thaw. In relation to the Parkgate Trust, Sunnybutton had agreed to hand over the land at Park Gate for a community centre and sports facilities. In relation to broadband, following the feasibility study which had been jointly funded by the Parish Council and the Area Committee, Rutland Telecom was setting up a website for Denby Dale residents and businesses to register their interest in next generation broadband services. Finally, Cllr Dodds reported on a public meeting held at Birdsedge to discuss the possible application for wind turbines which had set up a campaign group, BOLT, to oppose the application.
Council agreed a draft response to the recommendations contained in the report of the Community Governance Review which had been drawn up at a meeting of the parish and town councils. Other matters discussed included correspondence from a resident in Emley about the state of the roads and footpaths around Emley; one from a resident in Denby Dale about the new street lighting being installed in Denby Dale. Finally, the Council agreed that the precept for 2010-2011 be set at £105,029.
A special meeting of the Finance & General Purposes Committee was held to discuss an application from the Denby Dale Walkers are Welcome Group for a short term interest free loan of £30,000. The Group had been awarded £37,000 from EPIP but Yorkshire Forward which manages the funding only pays the grants once the expenditure for which the grant has been awarded has been spent. Other groups thus funded within the EPIP area benefit from interest free loans from Barnsley MBC, but this was only available to groups within BMBC’s area. The Committee approved the loan subject to conclusion of a satisfactory agreement.
MARCH 2010
Andy Wickham, the Countryside Officer, had been invited to address the meeting but was unable to attend due to illness. He had tendered a written report which highlighted his success in obtaining grant funding from Biffa Waste to fund a Multi Use Games Area in Emley on behalf of YEAST. Members expressed their thanks to Andy Wickham and to the YEAST group for their efforts over the years in bring this project to fruition.
A progress report was received about the planning conditions associated with the development at East Hill Wood. A site meeting had been held at which it was proposed that the woodlands would transfer to Kirklees Council and that a commuted sum of £17,000 would be made available for future maintenance. Cllr Brook gave an update on activities in the LIG. Heritage Inspired had given a presentation to try to encourage visits to heritage churches. There had been funding applications from brass bands from across the EPIP area for funds to provide teaching and recruitment drives for new players; and from a drystone walling project to provide training. EPIP is to pay for a website to highlight tourist attractions in Denby Dale and Kirkburton.
On behalf of the Working Party on Public Transport, Cllr Brook reported difficulties experienced by users of the 85 route to Barnsley who had been left stranded in Barnsley because the bus had failed to arrive. The Heritage Working Party reported that it was visiting a number of small museums to look at best practice in relation to their day to day management. Other matters discussed included the impact of the salt shortage and reduction in gritting of routes within the parish during the bad weather; tenders for hanging baskets; and lighting columns in Denby Dale.
The Finance & General Purposes Committee conducted a review of the effectiveness of the councils systems of internal controls and its internal audit for the current financial year and approved a revised risk assessment. A new grants policy in respect of the Small Grant Scheme and the Community Grant Aid scheme was approved. The Committee discussed responses to the consultation exercise with the local community about the future of the red telephone boxes. The expressions of interest were welcomed but concerns were expressed about the long term future of the boxes if local interest dissipated. It was agreed that further information was needed to determine whether to go ahead with the adoptions.
APRIL 2010
The Council agreed to co-opt Allan Hinde King and Garry Coleman onto the Council to represent the Clayton West Ward.
Twenty three Emley residents attended the meeting to express their opposition to an outline application for planning permission to build 10 houses off Upper Lane. Members discussed the application and agreed to oppose the application. PCSO Sharon Mellor presented a report on behalf of the police and gave members information about Operation Focus week which would be held later in the month.
Following a lengthy discussion, the Council approved the adoption of two red telephone boxes, one in Lower Cumberworth and the one in Upper Denby. It also approved new model standing orders and the budget for the financial year 2010-2011 with estimates of expenditure totalling £125,769.
DENBY DALE PARISH COUNCIL
SUMMARY OF ACCOUNTS 2009-2010
• The Parish Council precepted the sum of £102,069
• As a co-funding partner, the Parish Council’s contribution to the Denby Dale Parish Countryside Management Project was £25,000
• £4,450 was donated to the Skelmanthorpe Youth and Community Centre
• £3,730 was donated to the Birdsedge & District Village Hall
• £900 which had been pledged from the previous financial year was donated to the Emley Methodist Church for security fencing for the play group
• Nearly £5,000 was distributed or pledged in grant aid to organisations within the Parish.
• £3,000 was allocated to the Environment Trust for the environmental small grant scheme.
• £1000 was contributed to the cost of a survey of broadband requirements in the parish by Rutland Telecom
• The Parish Council has also supported, by grant aid, the Primary, Nursery, Special and Middle Schools within the Parish
• Donations were also made to the Royal British Legion and the Textile Museum in Skelmanthorpe
Unaudited Balance Sheet
£
Receipts 113,237.99
Payments 125,328.83
Excess -12,090.84
Opening Balance 1.4.09 63,368.21
Balance as at 31.1.10 51,277.37
Represented by
Earmarked grants 2,730.00
Election Fund 7,476.00
General Reserves 15,000.00
Reserves for Future Projects 26,071.37
51,277.37
DENBY DALE PARISH COUNCIL 2009-2010
Clayton West Ward
Cllr Garry Coleman (from April 2010)
7 Ings Mill Avenue, Clayton West HD8 9QG 862668
Cllr Allan Hinde King (from April 2010)
1 Smithy Close, Skelmanthorpe HD8 0DQ 866443
Cllr Terry Sigsworth, 2 Dukewood Road, Clayton West HD8 9HF 860534
Cllr Sue Simpson, 117 Wakefield Road, Scissett HD8 9HR
Denby & Cumberworth Ward
Cllr Margaret Barlow, 4 Greenside, Denby Dale HD8 8QY
Cllr Tony Barlow (until December 2009)
Cllr Victoria Buyer, 3 Dry Hill Lane, Denby Dale HD8 8TX 07975934082
Cllr Richard Brook, 83 Barnsley Road
Upper Cumberworth HD8 8NZ 606275
Cllr Claire Rimmer, 9 Balk Lane, Upper Cumberworth HD8 8NZ
Cllr Alison Tribe, 4 Penistone Road, Birdsedge HD8 8XP 606618
One Vacancy
Emley Ward
Cllr Matthew Mills, 10 Outlane, Emley HD8 9RL 01924 849934
Cllr Edward Shaw, 15 Rectory Lane, Emley HD8 9RR 01924 848364
Cllr Shelley Wild, Rodley House, School Lane, Emley HD8 9RT 01924 848605
Cllr Nick Wilson, Newfield End, Intake Lane
Cumberworth HD8 8YE 01924 840759
(9-5 weekdays)
Skelmanthorpe Ward
Cllr Robert Allen (until 6 August 2009)
Cllr Philomena Calpin, Longfield, 70 Carr Hill Road,
Upper Cumberworth HD8 8XN 861339
Cllr Geoff Horton (until 1 December 2009)
Cllr Ivan Purkiss (from 1 December 2009)
52 Woodlands Drive, Skelmanthorpe HD8 9DB
Cllr Andrew Stimson, 9 Ashfield Avenue
Skelmanthorpe HD8 9BW 866968
Cllr Graham Turner, 20 Beechfield Avenue
Skelmanthorpe HD8 9BZ 804446
Cllr Kelvyn Waites, 4 Pennine Way, Scissett HD8 9JB 865449
Cllr Anthony Weston (from 2 February 2010)
20 Huddersfield Road, Skelmanthorpe HD8 9AE 863121
Parish Clerk, Hazel Chowcat
Denby Dale Parish Council, Council Offices, 24 Commercial Road, Skelmanthorpe HD8 9DA 222963
Countryside Officer, Andy Wickham
Address as Clerk above 222960
