Crofton Parish
Council
Minutes
of the meeting held on
Tuesday
19 November 2002 in The High School at 7.00 pm.
Present: Councillors: S Bennett, L Coates, T
Gomersall,
D
Crowcroft, J R Hewitt, G P Jackson,
D
Marshall, A Ripley, G Scargill, & J Voros
Residents: Mr P Jaques, Mrs P Walker
&
Mr
G Schofield
West
Yorkshire Police: Sgt Raworth & PC
Whitworth
The
Clerk: J F Shillitoe
Apologies: Councillors: I Beckett, P Beckett
The chairman,
Cllr Ripley, presided over the
meeting.
02/174 Declaration of Interests in Items on the Agenda
No declarations
made.
02/175 Public Participation Session
1.
Burnt Out Vehicles
Residents reported
several burnt out vehicle around the village. (Two by the 2nd bridge
on the road to Wintersett, one on Nostell Allotments and one along the track
extending from Middle Lane.)
PC Whitworth
explained that the police could only remove vehicle on or adjacent to the
highway.
Cllr Gomersall
agreed to approach the site manager of Moorhouse opencast with a view to having
the vehicles moved closer to the highway.
2.
Pedestrian Crossing
The gates adjacent to the pedestrian crossing, at the junction of
footpath no 8 and the mainline rail track have been damaged by vandals.
The clerk to report to railtrack.
3. Church Lane
Residents reported that Church Lane was in poor condition following recent building works at adjacent property.
The clerk to report this matter to highways.
4. Coppers
Lake.
Residents reported that a petition has been forwarded to Wakefield MDC Leisure Services regarding unsociable behaviour at Coppers Lake by quite a large group of youths.
It was agreed that the police pay attention to this area and the clerk contact leisure services.
02/176 West Yorkshire Police
PC Whitworth
informed the meeting that operations at the Crofton Triangle were still quiet
due to the Welbeck scheme having completed the task of clay lining, however a
new haulage contractor, Scott Plant Hire has been engaged. Scott Plant Hire has an excellent
reputation, they are happy to work alongside the police and local residents in
order to keep any disturbance to a minimum.
Groups of youths
roaming the parish continue to be a problem, safe scheme officers stop and
search youths on a regular basis, confiscating drink from those underage.
Eggs and fireworks
have been a problem over the last month.
Telephone boxes are having doors blown off them and houses are been
pelted with eggs.
Property on Hare
Park Ave has been raided again resulting in the seizure of certain illegal
substances.
Sgt Raworth
informed councillors that on the whole crime was low, 26 offences last month, 7
of which were down to driving away without paying from the Red Beck Service
Station.
The priorities
for November/December to be:
Foot Patrol – As
required, concentrating on the village centre, Post Office closing, windows
rear of High School, Crofton Infants, Royal Oak etc.
Continue to
discourage anti social behaviour by the minority. Coppers Lake
Monitor the area
adjacent to the Pavilion on Hare Park Sidings
The chairman
thanked the police contingent for their attendance.
02/177 Matters to be Discussed in Private
It was proposed,
seconded and agreed that the public and the press be excluded during
discussions involving staffing and the financial status of outside
organisations.
02/178 Minutes
It was agreed that
the minutes of the meetings held on 19 November were a correct record and signed
by the Chairman.
02/179 Matters Arising
1. Hedge –
Pontefract Road
The clerk reported
that he hedge adjacent to the Priory Centre field was the responsibility of the
Parish Council. He had therefore
arranged for it to be cut back.
2. Care in the
Community
The clerk reported
that Elaine McHale hoped to be able to attend the February Parish Council
Meeting to brief councillors on Wakefield MDC’s approach to care in the
community.
02/180 Community Facilities - Convenors Report
1. Parish
Centre
The clerk reported
that Crofton Children’s Play Area Association request the use of the Parish
Centre on Saturday 8 February 2003 to hold a jumble sale.
It was agreed that
the centre be made available free of charge.
2.
Village Centre
Nothing new to
report.
02/181 Allotments - Convenors Report
Cllr Ripley informed members that a site meeting had taken place with Mr
Smith who had agreed to clear the site for a fee of £1500. The site would then be leased to Mr Smith
for an initial period of three years, the first being free of charge and then
at £50 per annum, reviewable annually after the first three years.
Mr Smith plans to cultivate the area and sow with a meadow grass/wild
flower mix from which he will produce hay for his horses.
Councillors agreed with the chairman’s actions, instructing the clerk to
put matters in the hands of the parish solicitor.
02/182 Parish Cemetery - Convenors Report
The clerk reported
that T & D have cleared the waste bins of rubbish and soil and he had
instructed Mr Joyce to repair fence panels, which were loose again.
Mr Scofield
reported that tree cuttings had been left in the Church Cemetery for several
months and needed clearing. Cllr
Scargill agreed to deal with this.
Cllr Scargill reported
that the memorial stone on grave number one, Marjorie Carney, has been tipped
over by vandals.
The clerk to ask
Oxley-Smith to carry out necessary repairs.
02/183 Special Services - Convenors Report
1.
Crofton 31st Guides
and Brownies.
The clerk reported that he had received a request from the 31st
Guides and Brownies for continued funding of 25%, £114.00, (Wakefield Youth
Service fund 75%) of the charge made by Crofton Junior School for the rental of
the school hall.
It was agreed that the Parish Council would fund the £114.
2.
Crofton History Group
The reported that a request had been received from the history group,
for financial assistance towards the purchase of an overhead projector and
stand.
Cllr Scargill advised that All Saints Parish Church had an overhead
projector, which could be loaned to the history group.
It was agreed that the History Group be advised to contact Cllr
Scargill.
02/184 Moorhouse Opencast Liaison Committee
Cllr Gomersall
reported that the next meeting of the liaison group would be on Thursday 21st
November 2002.
The following
grants had been made to local organisations, Havercroft Community and Safety
Group - £2,000, Crofton Play Group - £2,000, Nostell Village Hall Restoration
Project - £7,500 and Crofton Community Association - £10,000(to be made
available only as matched funding)
02/185 Old Library Site
Cllr Bennett
reported that the education department had made contact with highways enquiring
whether a series of amendments to layout of the turning area would be feasible.
02/186 Planning
a.
Application No 02/99/07547/M –
Birkwood House Farm
Application for plant machinery demonstration and operator training
area. The clerk to seek clarification over the access to the site, objecting to
the application should access be via the public right of way. To seek
conditions covering any permitted operating hours and noise levels should the
application be granted.
b.
All other applications received during the
period were found to be acceptable.
02/187 Financial Matters
a.
Audit
The clerk reported that the external auditors had now returned the
accounts with the comment that no risk assessment had been carried out during
the year. This was a matter with which
councillors were already aware and that the clerk has an outstanding action to
resolve.
b.
Salaries
It was agreed that all salaries be increased in line with national recommendations, the effect being to increase the hourly rate for Mrs Hardwick and Miss Reid from £4.80 to £5.09 and to increase the clerks salary from £3,244 per annum to £3,392.
c.
Accounts
The following
accounts were submitted and approved for payment.
£
Mr J F Shillitoe 1,037.53
Miss Reid 61.10
Mrs Hardwick 249.60
68.12 (back pay)
Yorkshire Water 94.28
02/188 Freedom of Information Act 2000
The clerk reported that the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) gave everyone the right to request see
and request copies of all the information held by the Parish Council.
Under the act councils now have
to publish details of how and where the public can access the information along
with details of any changes for copies of the information. A model template,
which has already been agreed by the Information commissionaire, is available
for use; alternatively councils can devise their own template, this would then
need to be approved by the commissionaires.
Council agreed that the clerk
use the model template, publish as much information as possible on the website
and should anyone request copies of information charges to be fifty pence for
the first A4 sheet (including postage) subsequent sheets to be ten pence
each.
02/189 Correspondence
Wakefield
MDC -
Minutes
- Libraries Newsletter
YLCA -
White Rose Update
-
Freedom of Information Act (2000)
-
Annual Conference, Scarborough March 2003
West
Yorkshire Police -
Forum agenda and minutes.
Countryside
Agency - Vital
Villages Update
-
Rural Transport Schemes
-
Heritage Grants
02/190 Parish Matters
1.
Reverend John Taylor
Cllr Scargill informed the meeting that Rev
Taylor was to leave the parish, his last service being
25th December 2002, his new post
commencing on 6th January 2003.
The Parish would then probably become part of a
team ministry centred at Crofton including the parishes of Ryhill, Sharlston
and Warmfield.
2.
All Saints
Church Tower.
Cllr Scargill reported that the All Saints
Parochial Church Council is in the process of obtaining quotations for the
illuminating of the Church Tower with a view to approaching the Parish Council
for financial assistance.
02/191 Date of next Meeting
Tuesday
17th December 2002.
02/192 Matters Discussed in Private
Minuted at 02/183/02
Chairman 17th
December 2002