Minutes of the Meeting of Denby Dale Parish Council held on Tuesday 4 November 2008 in the Civic Chamber, Council Offices, Skelmanthorpe
Members Present: Cllrs E I Shaw (Chair), R Allen, J A Barlow, M Barlow, R Brook, P Calpin, C Rimmer, T Sigsworth, A Stimson, A Tribe, G Turner, N Wilson
In Attendance: Hazel Chowcat (Clerk to the Council); PCSO Richard Hobson and PC Julian Nelson
795 Public Session
No members of the public raised any issues.
796 Chair’s Opening Remarks
The Chair announced that the collection for Cllr Kaye had raised £30 and a letter had been received from the Greenlea Oncology Unit at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary thanking the Parish Council for the donation of £50. A letter of thanks had also been received from Mrs Kaye.
797 Police Report
PCSO Richard Hobson attended the meeting to give an update on policing issues. He reported that in October, there had been 31 crimes in the Denby Dale area: 13 in Scissett, 7 In Skelmanthorpe, 4 in Cumberworth, 2 each in Denby Dale, High Flatts and Clayton West and 1 in Emley. PCSO Hobson also reported that PC Fearnley had retired and that PC Turner was retiring with effect from 1 January 2009, though due to leave owing, he had already left; he then introduced PC Julian Nelson who had taken over at Kirkburton Police Station. Members asked a number of questions and PCSO Hobson explained that he would find it helpful if the Parish Council could channel information of criminal offences in the area or other related concerns of residents directly to him and PC Nelson and it was RESOLVED that there should be a standing item on the agenda for members to report any such information.
798 Skelmanthorpe Community Action Group Speeding Survey
Christopher Ward had been invited to present the findings of the SCAG survey into speeding in Skelmanthorpe. The findings were very detailed and it was RESOLVED that SCAG be thanked for the survey and Mr Ward be thanked for his presentation. It was FURTHER RESOLVED that the matter be put to the Finance & General Purposes Committee to determine what action the council should take in relation to the speeding survey.
799 Apologies for Absence
Reasons for absence from the meeting were submitted from Cllrs Mills, Simpson and Waites. It was RESOLVED that the reasons for absence submitted by these councillors be accepted as valid.
800 Declaration of Councillors’ Interests
There were no declarations of interest.
801 Admission of the Public
It was RESOLVED that there were no items requiring the exclusion of the press and public.
802 Minutes of Council Meeting
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 7 October be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair subject to an amendment to Minute No. 786, that the words “consideration should be given” be replaced by “Kirklees Council be asked to give consideration”.
803 Minutes of the Plans Scrutiny Committee Meeting
The Clerk reported that due to illness and other reasons for absence, the Plans Scrutiny Meeting scheduled for 28 October had not been quorate. It was RESOLVED that the report be noted.
804 Skelmanthorpe Skate Park
The Clerk submitted a copy of the letter responding to the Ward Councillors’ letter about the Skate Park in Skelmanthorpe. Both Cllrs Sigsworth and Brook had attended the Denby Dale Area Committee meeting on 23 October at which this matter had been on the agenda and reported that the meeting had been quite tense. It was RESOLVED that the report be noted.
805 Community Governance Review
The Clerk gave a verbal report of the joint parish/town councils meeting held on 21 October 2008. Only Mirfield Town Council had not been present, but all other Kirklees Parish and Town Councils had attended and had agreed that by limiting the scope of the review to only parished areas, the review was not in line with the spirit of the Government guidelines. The meeting agreed therefore to issue a joint letter to Kirklees Council outlining that view. The Clerk therefore submitted the draft letter and it as RESOLVED that the letter be approved.
Finally, the Clerk submitted a draft parish council submission to the Community Governance Review and subject to some small changes, it was RESOLVED that the submission be approved and submitted to Kirklees Council.
806 Broadband
The Clerk submitted a revised analysis of the Broadband survey for information. She reported that as agreed at the last meeting, the report had been sent to all those residents who had responded to the review as well as to BT. As a result, a meeting had now been set up with Trevor Higgins, the Regional Manager of BT together with Robert Ling of Yorkshire Forward to be held on 4 December. She further reported that she had contacted Malcolm Corbett of the Community Broadband Network as suggested in the letter to Mary Creagh MP from Shriti Vadera MP and was expecting to be able to speak to him soon. Members expressed their thanks to Cllrs Brook and Tribe for their work in connection with the survey and RESOLVED that the report be sent to Mary Creagh MP.
807 Communities in Control: Real People, Real Power, Codes of Conduct for Local Authority Members and Employees: A Consultation
The Clerk submitted the above consultation document. It was RESOLVED that the matter be deferred to the December Council meeting.
808 Working Party on Public Transport
The Clerk submitted correspondence from Stagecoach responding to the complaints about the failure of the 95 service to adhere to the timetable. It was RESOLVED that Stagecoach be thanked for the action taken. The Clerk also submitted correspondence from Metro responding to the Parish Council’s request that some of the 435/436 buses be diverted via Chapel Hill at Clayton West on Saturdays. Members of the working party reported that they were arranging to meet with Alan Bishop and would discuss the correspondence regarding Saturday buses and Chapel Hill amongst other matters; that they were continuing to send local residents travel diaries to the Huddersfield Bus Company to monitor the reliability and punctuality of the bus service. They had visited the Waterloo depot and met with Taj Singh, Manager of the depot who indicated that he would be monitoring the service reliability, the lack of buses to the Matherville Estate and the link of the 83 bus service with trains in Denby Dale. It was RESOLVED that the reports be noted.
809 Denby Dale/Kirkburton LIG
Cllr Brook reported that the next meeting of the LIG was due to take place later in the week. It was RESOLVED that the report be noted.
810 Remembrance Day Arrangements
It was RESOLVED that the following arrangements be agreed for the laying of Remembrance Day wreaths:
Cllr Allen – All Saints Church, Clayton West
Cllr Wilson – St Michael’s Church, Emley
Cllr Turner – St Augustine’s Church, Scissett and St Aidan’s Church, Skelmanthorpe
Cllr Shaw – War Memorial, Denby Dale and War Memorial, Birdsedge
811 Emley Show
The Clerk submitted correspondence from Kirkburton Parish Council proposing that the two Parish Councils share a stall at the Emley Show in 2009 though it was pointed out that it will not be known until next April if there will be stalls available. It was RESOLVED that the Parish Council agree to the proposal and the following councillors agreed to staff the stall if available: Cllrs Allen, M Barlow, Calpin, Sigsworth, Tribe and Turner.
812 Collection of Garden Waste
The Clerk submitted correspondence from a local resident seeking support for the temporary provision of a skip in outlying villages to collect garden waste. It was RESOLVED that the Clerk put this request to Kirklees Council and ascertain what the Council’s plans are for kerbside recycling of garden waste.
813 Standards Committee Meeting
Cllr M Barlow gave a report of the meeting of the Standards Committee held on 21 October 2008. Members of the Standards Committee, the Monitoring Officer and another legal officer attended the Standards Board Annual Assembly in Birmingham on 13-14 October and they presented feedback from the Assembly at the meeting. Whereas nationally the number of complaints in the last 6 months is down 30% compared with the same 6 months last year, in Kirklees there has been a substantial increase with 7 complaints in the last 6 months, the same number as in the previous 2 years. Of these 7 complaints, 3 have been lodged by council members and 4 by members of the public. These 7 complaints have led to 4 investigations by Kirklees solicitors. They also reported that it was clear from discussions that Kirklees is thought to be ‘on the right track’ in its application of procedures and in its extensive training of committee members. The Committee has agreed the assessment criteria for complaints, and these have been used by the assessment sub-committees and found to be relevant and appropriate and it is now trying to agree a procedure for what happens when a sub-committee decides that a complaint should be investigated. There is a need to comply with the guidance supplied by the Standards Board for England, but also to meet the general principles of fairness and propriety. It was RESOLVED that the report be noted.
814 Denby Dale Area Committee Meeting
Cllr Brook reported on the meeting which had been held on 22 October. It was reported that the planning application for the Clayton West MUGA had been withdrawn and the design and layout were being revised. It was RESOLVED that the report be noted.
815 West Yorkshire Rural Transport Partnership
The Clerk submitted the minutes of the Rural Transport Partnership meeting held on 17 October 2008. It was RESOLVED that the minutes be noted.
816 Denby Dale Countryside Project Steering Group
Cllrs Wilson and Turner gave a report of the Steering Group meeting held on 27 October 2008. The main item for discussion was the future work of the Countryside Project. The Countryside Officer will continue with work on school grounds improvements; securing funding for the great crested newt project; following up the proposals from the Environment Trust about the Dearne and its tributaries’; continuing working with voluntary groups. Cllrs Wilson and Turner had proposed that work should also include looking for sites for allotments and for tree planting, cycle paths and improving existing and developing new bridleways. It was pointed out that grants were available for tree planting. It was RESOLVED that the Clerk investigate the ownership of the piece of land on Huddersfield Road in Skelmanthorpe immediately opposite Cumberworth with a view to using the land either for allotments or tree planting. It was FURTHER RESOLVED that information about the availability of grants for tree planting be put on the website.
817 Representative to Yorkshire Local Councils Associations
The Clerk invited members to nominate a representative to the YLCA. It was RESOLVED that this item be deferred to the next meeting.
818 Representative to Denby Dale Area Committee
The Clerk invited members to nominate a representative to the Denby Dale Area Committee. It was RESOLVED that this item be deferred to the next meeting.
819 Rural Action Yorkshire AGM
It was RESOLVED that Cllrs Shaw and Calpin attend the AGM of Rural Action Yorkshire on 29 November 2008 in Harrogate.
820 Scissett Mount
Cllr Turner expressed concern about the fact that the Scissett Mount Care Home continues to remain empty. It was noted that the matter had been raised in February 2007 and it was RESOLVED that Kirklees Council be asked to advise what plans were in hand for the building.
821 Clayton West Children’s Home
Cllr Sigsworth raised concerns which had been put to him by local residents about the behaviour of children in the Clayton West Children’s home. It was RESOLVED that the Clerk find out who runs the home and discuss the issue with the police and, if appropriate, with Kirklees Council.
822 Defibrillators
Cllr Wilson proposed that the Parish Council should support efforts to provide defibrillators in the parish. It was RESOLVED that the Clerk get further information and that the matter be discussed as part of the budget planning at the forthcoming Finance & General Purposes Committee.
823 Provision of Large Display Boards
Cllr Wilson proposed that as an alternative to A-boards which the Parish Council had discussed on a number of occasions, Kirklees Council should be asked to consider providing large notice boards in the vicinity of clusters of shops and other businesses to advertise these shops and businesses. It was RESOLVED that Kirklees Council be asked to consider the proposal.
824 Sustainable Communities Act
The Clerk circulated information about the Sustainable Communities Act on behalf of Cllr Tribe who proposed that the Parish Council support efforts to ensure that Kirklees Council opt into the Act. It was RESOLVED that a letter be sent to Ward Councillors, as well as the Leader and Chief Executive of Kirklees Council asking them to ensure that Kirklees Council support the legislation and opt into it.
825 PCSOs
Cllr Turner reported that two new PCSOs had been appointed to the area recently. It was RESOLVED that the report be welcomed.
826 Shelley Woodhouse Lane
Cllr Turner raised the problem of the state of the surface of the verges on this road. It was noted that Kirklees Council had been asked to rectify the problem but that no action had been taken and it was RESOLVED that Kirklees Council be asked to resolve the problem.
827 Website
The Clerk reported that during the month of October, the website had received 3388 unique visitors. Cllr Turner proposed that the Council explore the possibility of obtaining software to enable the Council to conduct opinion polls on the website. It was RESOLVED that the Clerk investigate the proposal.
828 Orders for Payment
It was RESOLVED that Orders for Payment No. 481 totalling £5,536.31 be approved.
829 National Interim Salary Award
It was RESOLVED that this matter be deferred to the Finance & General Purposes Committee meeting on 18 November 2008
830 Items for Budget
Members were invited to propose items for inclusion in the budget 2009-2010. It was RESOLVED that the following items be included: Denby Dale Centre rent; cycle routes, defibrillators.
831 Dates of Next Meetings
18 November – Finance & General Purposes Committee meeting starting at 7.30pm
25 November – Plans Scrutiny Committee meeting starting at 7.30pm
2 December – Council meeting starting at 7pm
Signed: ……………………………………………
Chair
