GRINDLEFORD PARISH COUNCIL – MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 8 JUNE 2023 AT 7 PM IN THE PAVILION
Present: Andrew Battarbee, Hilary Hart, Peter O’Brien, Dave Kirkup, Alex Erskine, Ray Whiteley, Elizabeth Coe, Simon Hutchinson. Sarah Battarbee Clerk
Apologies: Esther Stewart, Cllr Sutton
There was a site visit to the riverbank. Cllr Kirkup led the tour.
Felicity Stout, Woodland Manager, PDNPA came to talk about felling trees along the Hathersage road. Because of an advancing tree disease, the PDNPA will be felling larches along the that road because of the risk to larch and chestnut along there, and replanting with oak, birch, holly sycamore rowan and hazel. Restocking will happen in 24/25. The Council will need to approve a permit. The landowner has been approached and is concerned mainly for the security of boundary walls. Council thanked FS for coming to explain the situation.
Steve Mehdi, the sculptor behind the proposed Man of Steel in Sheffield, has offered to give us a design for village gates and some support work pro bono. All were in favour of the concept which is a stone realisation of the Edge. Mr Mehdi was happy to work with the Council to realise the project. It was agreed to set up a sub-group at the next meeting to take this forward. AE had some useful information on planning requirements. There were some thoughts about possible funding. It was proposed that the gates should be part of the remit of the nascent traffic group.
- COUNTY COUNCILLOR’S REPORT – there was none
- DISTRICT COUNCILLOR’S REPORT – Cllr O’Brien touched on the ongoing situation with Severn Trent about the road closure and the need to remind them about our claim for £20K compensation as we had heard nothing.
- POLICE REPORT – PC Boswell was in attendance. In view of the presentations he kindly sent a later email summarising his report.
- MINUTES OF LAST MEETING. These were agreed as a true record, Pro DK sec AE.
- MATTERS ARISING:
SWT. It was agreed to link the claim for compensation to the proposal for new village gates. Chair to write. DK represented the mood of the meeting when he said that there was now open anger amongst residents, with complaints going to public media as well as within the village.
Defribrillator. This will cost £1022. There is enough flex in the budget to accommodate it but it might affect our capacity to afford other things during the year; the amount we were asked to budget for was £400. (now paid). Pro RW sec SH.
Bleed kits. RW reported there is a course on these on 6 July,
Benches. These are in need of some restoration. To be discussed at next meeting.
- FLOODING – STANDING ITEM
The meeting with DWT minuted at the last meeting took place. It was agreed to set out a project plan for the work including the steps needed to get a permit to go ahead from the Environment Agency. Two further contacts from DWT were also in attendance, Daniel Blake and Jasper Hughes, and they are taking the detail forward on this. We are still waiting for the preliminary flood impact assessment, scheduled for 8 June.
- CLIMATE CHANGE EMERGENCY DECLARATION – STANDING ITEM
The clerk has succeeded in being certified as Carbon Literate and will shortly receive a certificate to prove it. Work continues apace on the place based initiative to provide resources and a sharing platform for parish councils wanting to develop a climate action plan. The group is securing The Great Collaboration, an existing website originating in Herefordshire; the aim is to set the website design group part of the initiative the task of making it accessible nationally. It’s emerging that a forum to support the website will be necessary bearing in mind the IT capability of some parish and town councils and the levels of climate action maturity. The role of the local Associations of Local Councils is being considered in this respect.
- HIGHWAY MATTERS
Parking at Padley was raised; it was noted that the police have been ticketing poor parking.
Traffic group. HH and ES are spearheading the creating of a new community/council traffic group to take forward the various issues of parking, noise, speeding, lorry count etc.
Speedwatch. This will start up again soon now that better weather is here. More members are needed. PC Boswell suggested speaking to Paul Cannon about training. Groups of at least three or ideally four are needed.
- PLANNING MATTERS
NP/DDD/0523/0559 https://portal.peakdistrict.gov.uk Laybourn, Unnamed road from Station Road westwards to track leading To A6187, Upper Padley, Grindleford. Replace existing rear dormer with single dormer to include balcony. Creation of hipped gable and reconfigure window arrangement on existing extension. In support.
- PLANNING DECISIONS
NP/DDD/1022/1265 Proposed ancillary outbuilding. Borgen, Adlington Lane Grindleford. Granted with conditions.
- 11. ACCOUNTS
| Chq No | Date | Payee | Amount | Description |
| 1104 | 8.6.23 | GPFA | 1022.44 | Defibrillator |
| 1105 | 8.6.23 | Party costs | 92.45 | S Battarbee |
| 1106 | 8.6.23 | Insurance | 592.91 | Zurich |
- It was pro HH sec EC that these accounts be paid.
- CORRESPONDENCE:
Website. PO’B raised the upkeep of the website. Clerk had struggled to take over from JRM for various reasons. It was proposed that Council should return to the Grindleford website unless progress could be made. DK offered to share his knowledge of WordPress with the Clerk.
Induction training. All in favour of pursuing this with DALC. A tailored session at the Pavilion for Grindleford Council would cost £275 plus expenses.
New computer for Clerk. EC proposed that the Clerk should pursue the purchase of a new computer with Word and virus protection as her own personal one was failing and she only used it for parish council and climate action business. The computer would remain the property of the parish council. All in favour.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING – 13 July 2023
As there was no further business the Chair closed the meeting at 8.55 pm.
Sarah Battarbee
Clerk to the Council