MOOR MONKTON PARISH COUNCIL

Chair Peter Gibbs Parish Clerk Dr Mark Pickering Tel 01904 737 042

Vice Chair Elaine Hall Moor End 07962 236 161

Moor Monkton Email parishclerk@

York YO26 8JA moormonkton.com

DRAFT MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

HELD ON TUESDAY 11 MAY 2010

IN THE OLD SCHOOLROOM, MOOR MONKTON AT 7:30PM

Present – Cllr Chris Allen, Cllr Peter Gibbs (chair), Cllr Elaine Hall (Vice Chair), Cllr Tony Gordon, Cllr Carol Walker, District Cllr Martin Leather, Mark Pickering (Parish Clerk), 9 Parishioners

The meeting was opened by the Chair at 7:38pm.

1. Apologies for absence were received from County Cllr John Savage.

2. Election of Officers – Cllr Gibbs was proposed as chair by Cllr Hall and seconded by Cllr Gordon. Cllr Hall was proposed as vice-chair by Cllr Gibbs and seconded by Cllr Gordon. Cllr Gibbs signed his acceptance of the chairmanship.

It was announced that Cllr Allen had tendered his resignation due to work pressure and a likely move out of the parish. He agreed to stay long enough to ensure smooth handover of financial issues. Cllr Gibbs thanked Cllr Allen for his hard work on council and offered to take up the role of responsible financial officer (RFO); this appointment will be postponed until the next meeting.

3. Minutes of meeting 12 January 2010 – These were approved and signed by the chair.

4. Chairman’s Report – This was read by the chairman.

5. Financial issues:

Annual Balance Sheet – Cllr Allen spoke to his financial report and the annual balance sheet (which has been approved by the internal auditor, Alan Warwick). This was approved by the council.

Insurance Risk Review – No reminder noticed has been received despite the employer’s liability insurance policy running out on 1 June. Clerk agreed to pursue this.

Financial Risk Assessment – Cllr Allen informed the council that a proper risk assessment had not previously been made and there had not been time to undertake a sufficient one before the meeting. He had produced a helpful template and councillors agreed to meet in the next couple of weeks to make a risk assessment. No standard risk assessment template seems available for parish councils but clerk agreed to investigate this with YLCA.

Internet Banking – Cllr Allen was pursuing this. The final solution should still be able to require two councillors to make payments.

Parish Clerk’s Wages - Agreed to increase clerk’s wages in line with the relevant approved pay scale.

Some discussion was had on what was considered an appropriate reserve limit for the council’s finances. Cllr Allen agreed to ask Mazar’s for advice.

Cllr Gordon asked whether the council should be contributing to the cost of the Mercury. Agreed to raise this on the agenda of the next meeting.

6. Matters Arising from 12 January:

Tockwith Incinerator Plans – BCB were planning to appeal NYCC’s rejection of their planning application. Tockwith Resident’s Association are planning to respond. Council may be asked to make a donation. Clerk agreed to clarify with TRA what they are likely to require and raise at next meeting.

Community Emergencies Scheme – Now renamed as Community Resilience Scheme. The final template and guidance have been received. Clerk to circulate around council for comments, then discuss further at next meeting.

Highways – Cllr Gibbs was due to attend a meeting with Area 6 Starbeck staff on 24 May. Dead End Signs, Oaklands Pothole – Cllr Gibbs to progress at 24 May meeting.

East Lane Drainage – work now completed and problem rectified.

A59 – Roadworks were completed as planned. Road markings at Lane End redone today. Bushes beyond the bus shelter at Lane End were obscuring view of cars coming out. Cllr Gibbs to raise at 24 May meeting.

Footpaths – Bumpy pavement outside Old Schoolhouse reported to NYCC.

Dog Fouling – Clerk to request new dog waste bin to be sited at the village end of Church Lane after end of houses. Parishioners with dogs requested to use this bin and one at East Lane corner rather than fouling verges in the village.

Village Broadband Access – Nil new to report. A parishioner gave a detailed account of his frustrating correspondence with BT over delivering an agreed service.

Phone Box Adoption – BT have changed their policy and now will pay for electricity for up to 5yrs. Any future disconnection of power would be done at their expense. Council now voted in favour of adoption – 4 for, 1 against. Clerk to progress application with BT.

Councillor Training – Clerk apologised for lack of progress. Agreed to use the YLCA programme of events, especially Sat 6 November, which was organised locally at our request. Clerk to inform local councils who had expressed interest in joint training.

Village Website – Will Wright was thanked for his good work so far in redesigning the site – feedback very positive. Now needs filling out with more info on clubs, events etc. Clerk to progress with Will. Agreed to leave domain as moormonkton.com as this is already established.

Planning Applications – Beck House Farm – This was approved with conditions by HBC.

Tockwith Airfield Plans – Council informed of potential for increased noise and traffic from plans to develop the site further for motor racing. Clerk to inform TRA that council would be sympathetic to any protest they make against this and would consider offering support.

7. Information Exchange – Written information received between meetings was now being circulated around the council again. Nothing of particular relevance for the meeting currently.

8. Any Other Business

Cheques – YLCA membership £116, Schoolroom rent £300, clerk’s quarterly wages £175

Verges – Clerk to ask Burnistons to cut around end of June, including Cock Hill.

Local Transport Plan – Clerk to circulate information to council – on agenda for next meeting.

Code of Conduct Training – Joint training offered by Tockwith council – no takers.

NYCC Parish Charter - Clerk to circulate information to council – on agenda for next meeting.

NALC Standing Orders – New book published - £25. Clerk to circulate free sample chapter and then decide at next meeting if we want to buy book.

9. Dates of Next Meetings – 6 July, 12 October, 11 January 2011, 10 May 2011 (AGM).

The meeting was closed by the chair at 8:38pm

Mark Pickering (Parish Clerk), 14 May 2010