Crich Parish Council

Minutes of the meeting of Crich Parish Council
Monday, 3 July 2006, in the Glebe Field Centre

Present: Cllr Lane (Chair), Cllr Brierton (Vice Chair), Cllrs Bendon, Goodhead, Harris, Harwood, Salt, Smith, Tromans, and Whitney, Clerk in attendance, Cty Cllr Jackson, and four members of the public.

Apologies: Cllrs Steppings and Thorpe.

06/74 Public participation
A parishioner explained various problems with noise and intrusive activities at The Briars. Chair and Cllr Bendon agreed to see the new priest-in-charge with neighbouring residents.

06/75 Minutes of the meeting of 5 June 2006
RESOLVED: that these be signed by the Chair without amendment.

06/76 Matters arising from the Minutes
06/73 Cllr Tromans said that Parkwood Conservation Group had started clearance work on FP 34; Clerk had asked Mr Fantom to replace wooden seating planks by Crich Market Place bus stop; Cllr Brierton had spoken to the proprietor about A boards on the pavement at Town End; Clerk advised that the Fritchley Drying Area sign could be cleaned up with wire brush and paint rather than be replaced and would inquire on costs on that basis.

06/77 Police matters
No PC attended. Clerk had received from Police copy for a warning flyer for attaching to vehicles parked on the pavement. Cllr Salt advised against its use by the Council as the Council had no capacity for enforcement. Cllr Harris advised that it should only be used by the Police themselves.
RESOLVED: Clerk to write to Police asking for Police use of the flyers.
Chair and Clerk attended the 10 June meeting at County Hall for parish and town councils to discuss the proposed Police mergers. Chair reported the overwhelming majority at the meeting against any merger, on grounds of cost, efficiency, accountability, and disruption. The Home Secretary had recently extended the period of consultation.
RESOLVED: Clerk to write to Derbyshire Police Authority, Home Office, GO-EM, and Judy Mallaber MP, with the Council’s opposition to the merger as currently proposed.
Police had been called to Fritchley on 18 June over blocking of a driveway and had resolved the matter successfully.

06/78 Local Authority Councillors
Cty Cllr Jackson (a) had written to the Chief Constable supporting the Constable’s opposition to the proposed Police merger but still concerned at policing in rural areas and the lack of dedicated rural officers; (b) agreed to liaise with Cllrs Bendon and Smith on a joint response to DCC on future quarrying and waste sites; (c) would soon be able to arrange a joint parishes meeting with DCC and Police; (d) was seeking land ownership details along Potters Lane for DCC although he believed that DCC must acknowledge ownership of the highway drainage ditches.
Borough Cllr Thorpe in a letter circulated to the Council (a) said that AVBC grit bin policy remained unchanged at present; (b) the wall along part of FP 64 needed resetting of fallen stones; (c) reported Fritchley driveway blocking (see 06/77 above): (d) after complaints about Fritchley teenagers throwing water bombs at car windscreens she had received apologies from two persons; (e) reported threats from Bullbridge teenagers to burn tents at a scout camp, the incident being reported to Police.

06/79 Amendment of Standing Orders to include an August meeting
Clerk proposed an amendment to Standing Order 4: delete ‘seven’ insert ‘eight’ and insert ‘August after ‘June’. The purpose of the amendment was to establish a regular full August meeting.
RESOLVED: to approve the amendment and record the vote as 5-4 in favour.

Clerk’s report
06/80 Burial ground: access weeds and path widening Chair and Cllr Harwood with Clerk met Ian Bunting of J C Balls on site to view problems with weeds coming up through the newly surfaced access way. Mr Bunting agreed to spray weedkiller once a fortnight over the summer and then heat seal in the autumn.
The site meeting with J C Balls also revealed that the grit bin in the burial ground was both damaged and sealed in place by the recent resurfacing.
RESOLVED: to add the grit bin to list of replacements recommended by Transport Committee (see 06/88 below).
Joe Brown Contractors had finished the burial ground path widening and had cut £200 from their quote due to use of less materials than expected.
RESOLVED: to pay Joe Brown Contractors Ltd £7700 + VAT.
06/81 Chatsworth Avenue and New Road lighting DCC had put in place the lighting scheme for Chatsworth Avenue. Clerk presented a resident’s complimentary letter. The Council discussed the New Road lighting schemes’ history.
RESOLVED: to implement the original plan for two new lights on New Road subject to local consultation.
06/82 Dog bin request on The Common Clerk presented a request for at least one dog bin along The Common.
RESOLVED: to approve one dog bin to be sited at the junction of FP 73 and The Common.
06/83 Footpaths (a) FP 21: landowner proposed an extra sign attached to the existing fingerpost making clear that the FP was not a bridleway, and also proposed a gate along the FP at some point. Clerk had directed the landowner to DCC for advice. (b) FP 34: Parkwood Conservation Group had begun clearance work. (c) FP 64: the stone wall between the FP and the Parish Quarry needed repair. Clerk advised that the wall was Council property.
RESOLVED: Clerk to secure quotes for repair of wall.
06/84 Fritchley School Chair reported on her discussions with the School:
(a) Extra road sign: the Council would apply for planning permission on sight of the School’s proposals.
(b) Metal fence: this was erected by the Diocese after grant of planning permission. Chair advised no interference.
(c) Shared use of playing field: this posed more complex issues. Chair would continue discussions with School.
Chair also reported damage to the playing field entrance gate, which was a Council responsibility.
RESOLVED: Clerk to arrange repair of damage and secure quotes if necessary.
06/85 Sims Charity presentations Clerk gave dates of Charity presentations. Members were welcome to attend.

06/86 Planning applications
AVA/2006/0644 The Cottage, Sun Lane, Crich (Harrison): demolition of garage + formation of new access drive. ‘Crich Parish Council objects to this application on grounds of poor visibility and the narrowness of Sandy Lane at this point. The new access drive at 5m wide seems designed to precede a new application for housing development at this site rather than benefit the current property which has managed with its present access up to now. We also note an increased danger to pedestrians.’
AVA/2006/0653 The End House, The Green, Fritchley (Philbin): 2 storey side extension. ‘Crich Parish Council opposes this development in a conservation area which does not enhance the present character. The proposed extension is onto the existing adequate driveway and the alterations to vehicular access give poorer sightlines. This cannot be a sound proposal.’
AVA/2006/0684 (LB) and /0685 1 Main Road, Whatstandwell (Brassington): 2 storey rear ext + new garage. ‘Crich Parish Council has no objections. As a Listed Building we expect AVBC to take the usual care with this application that you do for other LBs and in particular limit the extension to the footprint of the previous building demolished by a past owner.’
AVA/2006/0733 Eden End Cottage, Whatstandwell (Delin): loft conversion + new porch. ‘Crich Parish Council has no objections provided that due sensitivity is given to altering the appearance within a conservation area.’
AVA/2006/0748 2 The Common (Tomlinson): conversion of existing garage to kitchen. ‘Crich Parish Council has no objections. It supports the removal of the garage from the narrow road at this point and thinks the conversion will be more attractive than the current aspect.’

06/87 Finance Committee report 3 July
The Committee met just before the Council meeting ‘to make recommendations to Council on opening a deposit account’. The Committee preferred a rolling 90 day notice account to a term deposit system.
RESOLVED: Clerk to look into notice accounts at Yorkshire Bank and make necessary arrangements provided the interest returned was around 3.5 per cent.

06/88 Transport Committee report 28 June
Minutes of the committee meeting on 28 June were presented to Council. The Council agreed to the committee’s recommendations as follows:
RESOLVED: to purchase from AVBC 1 grit bin for Chadwick Nick Lane, 2 for Potters Lane, and 1 at the burial ground @ approx £170 + VAT each (delivered and filled).
RESOLVED: to cede future FP clearance and repair matters to the newly enlarged Common Land, Footpaths, & Jubilee Committee, while reserving the right of the Transport Committee to consider FPs in a transport context.
RESOLVED: to approve Grass Track’s repair specification and quote for FP 59.
RESOLVED: following failure to secure a DALG grant for Crich Market Place (a) to seek further grant funding from any available source and (b) to ask DCC to quote for carrying out specific works.
RESOLVED: to support Derbyshire Minerals and Waste Development Framework (Minerals Site Allocations – Aggregates) and object to any further permissions for Crich Quarry, either alone or with Dethick Lea & Holloway and South Wingfield Parish Councils if they were so minded.

Accounts
06/89 Balances 10 June Current £29612.84; Jubilee £945.28; Charity £112.52
06/90 Annual Return Brian Wood had performed the internal audit on 22 June without qualification. Clerk presented the Annual Return for the Audit Commission.
RESOLVED: to approve the Statement of Assurance and sign the Return where required.
Income
06/91 Yorkshire Bank re: current a/c interest (31.5) £39.80
06/92 Midlands CS Funeral Services (6.6) £40.00
06/93 A Waterfall re: allotment rents 2006/7 £87.00
06/94 Joseph Allen & Sons re: interment (22.6) £240.00
Expenditure
06/95 M D A Coultas re: Clerk’s salary June less tax/NIC Q1 034 £474.21
06/96 M Macarthur re: BG/PG caretaking June 035 £108.33
06/97 Crich Glebe Field Trust re: June contribution 036 £500.00
06/98 Derwent Waste Management Ltd re: BG skip 037 £76.38
06/99 Joe Brown Contractors Ltd re: BG path widening 038 £9047.50
06/100 BT re: office phone 039 £132.23
06/101 Post Office Ltd (for Inland Revenue) re: NIC + Tax April–June 040 £147.03
06/102 Zurich Municipal re: legal expenses insurance (Min 05/348) 041 £129.81
06/103 M Lane re: Chair’s allowance 2006/7 042 £120.00
06/104 Grass Track re: monthly grass maintenance payment 043 £337.81
06/105 Brian Wood re: internal audit 044 £41.50

06/106 Circulars and publications
ABA Info 34 Summer 2006
AVBC Minutes submitted on 29 June
Derbyshire Police Authority annual report 2005/6
Derwent Valley Mills Partnership Minutes 29 March

06/107 Information
Clerk presented a letter from Rolls Royce on recent break-ins to Hilts Quarry. Clerk to write asking RR to report incidents to Police and give points of entry.
Cllr Harris said that the Glebe Centre Management Committee was ready to issue quarterly figures as requested.
Cllr Goodhead remarked on ivy obstructing passage on Bulling Lane for a partially sighted resident. Clerk to write to house owner. Cllr Goodhead also requested weed killing along Chapel Row/Chapel Lane and suggested a hand rail be erected from West Bank to Bulling Lane. Clerk to inquire.
Cllr Smith said that Bown Hill public conveniences had opened again after refurbishment.
Cllr Harwood said that the hole in the wall along Cromford Road had been repaired. She asked the Clerk to inquire from DCC about resurfacing of Wheatsheaf Lane.

Chair thanked members and public for their attendance and closed the meeting at 9.57 pm

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