GRINDLEFORD PARISH COUNCIL – MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 18 MAY 2023 AT 7 PM IN THE PAVILION

Present:  Andrew Battarbee, Hilary Hart, Peter O’Brien, Dave Kirkup, Alex Erskine.  Sarah Battarbee Clerk

APOLOGIES Ray Whiteley, Elizabeth Coe, Cllr Sutton, PC Boswell  

1.   COUNTY COUNCILLOR’S REPORT – there was none as the date was a week later than usual and Cllr Sutton was attending to post election duties.

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2.   DISTRICT COUNCILLOR’S REPORT – PO’B reported that the majority party in the District Council was now a progressive alliance of Lib Dems, Labour and Green, with the leader being Lib Dem and the deputy leader Labour.  The Chair is Andrew Smedland.  Cllr O’Brien had reported the tree stump which presents a hazard on the Hathersage Road, as yet no action.  Network Rail meeting with DDDC and Network Rail (P’OB has subsequently circulated a note).  There are other possible locations for the depot but they have their own difficulties, in particular distance from the works which limits how much can be done at a time.  There will be a detailed meeting with residents and also future meetings, and a community meeting later in May. Cllr O’Brien had written to Severn Trent asking for £20K compensation

3.   POLICE REPORT – there was none.

4.   MINUTES OF LAST MEETING.  These were agreed as a true record, Pro HH sec AB.

5.   CO-OPTION OF COUNCILLORS.  The Chair outlined the process.  There were only seven nominees for Council elections and the Council is obliged to make every effort to make up the full complement of nine.  After the election for a period of 35 days these vacancies are not seen as casual and Councils are permitted to coopt Councillors without advertisement or poll.  After that time there must be an advertisement and anyone within a three mile radius of the village boundary can apply.  If there are more applications than vacancies then there must be an formal election which must be paid for by the Parish Council.  Esther Stewart and Simon Hutchinson had both kindly agreed to join the Council and were duly co-opted pro HH sec DK all in favour.

6.   INDUCTION AND TRAINING

It was agreed that in view of the number of new Councillors, all-Councillor training would be helpful as soon as possible.  Clerk reported that DALC would be happy to run a course at the Pavilion.  Clerk to action.

7.   MATTERS ARISING: 

SWT.  PO’B has written to Severn Trent asking for compensation.

Coronation funding.  Clerk had agreed with the former chair to spend the £100 funding finally received on wildflowers in the Jubilee Gardens

Padley Hill turning – Chair to write

8.   FLOODING – STANDING ITEM 

DK have a presentation on the current flood proposal.  There was discussion about postponing it as so few Councillors were present, but Clerk asked for it go to ahead as some small funding with regard to ownership of the bank was required.  HH said that the presentation must be given again next meeting so that all Councillors could see it.  AE helpfully pointed out the possible need for planning permissions. 

It was agreed that the flood group could spend up to £300 on land registry and probate check costs.  Pro HH sec AE.

Cllrs were clear that while the parish council is keen to support this work, any question of liability must be formally and absolutely covered, for example if the works cause houses further down the river to flood which do not currently do so.  Cllrs who were also flood group members agreed that this had to be the case, and were meeting representatives from DWT the following day to better understand the process across all the elements of the project, in particular permits from the EA.  They would report back to the next meeting.

AB said that depending on the outcome of that, the £2000 earmarked funding was not necessarily a ceiling and that the possibility of ‘loans’ from the Council in order to meet the project deadline might be possible if grants could be identified to repay them and it was a matter of timing.  DK said that the flood group acknowledged the ambition of the Nov 23 deadline but it was important to get on with the project as quickly as possible so as to be ready for winter floods and to have some progress to report to residents. 

9.   CLIMATE CHANGE EMERGENCY DECLARATION – STANDING ITEM

Clerk has been busy.  She attended the Carbon Literacy Trust training paid for by the Parish Council and will soon give a presentation on the learning points.  She found out it very interesting and informative if a bit depressing in parts.  The training requires two pledges, one as an individual working with a group and one as a group exercise.  Clerk will provide details on these at the next meeting.  Clerk has also joined the steering group of a place-based initiative to provide resources and a sharing platform for parish councils wanting to develop a climate action plan.  It seems we are quite well advanced with ours and are doing things right, if by chance.  The idea is to build or borrow a website which hosts useful up to date information, including on funding, for councils and community groups to use or share with residents.  It is aimed at parish and town councils because there is a gap in the market at that level.  Clerk is on a group ‘guidance content’ with a clerk from Gamlingay in Cambs, a software developer and climate action volunteer also from Cambridge, and Ric Casale from Carbon Copy, which is a publishing platform for parish council action plan case studies.  Other groups are finance, website building, and communications.  The initiative is under the umbrella of NALC (National Association of Local Councils) and SLCC (Society of Local Council Clerks).  Meanwhile clerk has updated our own action plan and made a list of the information we needed when we were starting out, and where we now have that information, where we got it from.  More updates as things progress.  It’s very exciting to be working at a national level.

10.                    HIGHWAY MATTERS

Froggatt Road closure.  The poor service from Severn Trent was discussed again.  There had been reports from residents that no work is going on at the site and yet the deadline ahs been extended.  PO’B had written to STW asking for compensation.

Padley Hill turning.  Clerk had written to DCC and received another disappointing response.  It was agreed that the Chair should write, and Clerk will circulate that letter.

Main Road through Stoke – uneven carriageway.  HH reported that the uneven road surface past the houses at Stoke was now so bad that furniture was shaking as the big lorries pass by.  This has been made worse by the Froggatt diversion. 

Village Gates.  Steve Medhi, resident, has provided a design for village gates pro bono.   The design will come to the next meeting.

Potholes.  There had been no reports from residents about potholes so Cllr Sutton’s kind offer to come and look at them was not taken up.  AE helpfully offered to send a link where potholes can be reported.  Once reported they are the Council’s liability. 

11.                    PLANNING MATTERS

NP/DDD/0523/0496 https://portal.peakdistrict.gov.uk/ 15 Eyam Woodlands. Erection of a single garage and store.  In support.

12.                    PLANNING DECISIONS

    NP/DDD/0722/0877 S.73 application for the variation of condition 4 on NP/DDD/0618/0555 Longshaw Estate.  Granted

13.                    ACCOUNTS

            It was pro HH sec APB that these accounts be paid.  

14.                    CORRESPONDENCE:

Consultation from DCC on the siting of EV charging points.  Council asked Clerk to fill this in on their behalf. 

Network Rail meeting.  See District Cllr’s report above. 

DATE OF NEXT MEETING – 8 June 2023

As there was no further business the Chair closed the meeting at 8.41 pm. 

Sarah Battarbee 

Clerk to the Council