Page 1. Crofton Parish Council

Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held 17 April 2012.

Present; Councillors, Chalkley, Bennett, Dart, Hewitt, Kimbley, Makin, Schofield, Towns, Wilby and Wrigg.

In attendance; 5 members of the public

District Councillor Cummings.

PI Clare.

04/001 Report from W.Y.Police Officers working on Crofton Safe Scheme PS Matthew Jackson, presented his report covering March to April.

He thanked the Parish Council for the use of the Centre for the PACT meetings.

Further to the report of a vehicle being stopped on Doncaster Road and the occupants being found with cannabis, Cllr Bennett asked if this was a reported crime as it was not noted in the crime log. PS Jackson stated it was not logged as it was not a priority crime.

PS Jackson was asked if was aware of an incident on Pontefract Road resulting in a youth being placed on a stretcher, PS Jackson was not aware of the incident but offered to make further enquiries and report his findings.

PI Clare informed members of changes to be made to the Safe Scheme resulting in the total number of officers working on the scheme being reduced. Using the same officers on the scheme would enable a greater local knowledge to be obtained.

PI Clare asked for a Parish Council contact for the officers to liaise with, Cllr Chalkley duly volunteered.

04/002 Wakefield MDC District Councillors Report

Cllr Cummings provided information to enquiries made individually by Parish Councillors, and gave an update on previous matters raised;

She had not received any further information concerning the planning application for a metal container at 541 Doncaster Road.

There were to be 4 speed enforcement signs placed on Doncaster Road.

An inspection of the trees on Springhill Drive had been requested.

With regard to the proposed Bedford Farm development, over 700 leaflets had been distributed to provide information to residents and a petition signing event outside Sainsburys had been organised. The consultation period which had previously been extended beyond the 30 March had been further extended up to the 20 May. The consultants had also been informed that the project would be strongly opposed.

Cllr Cummings informed all present that should a planning application be submitted, due to the size of the development any application would have to be presented to the Planning Board for a decision.

Cllr Hewitt commented that the public footpath sign on Hare Park Lane had still not been replaced.

Cllr Makin had received complaints from residents about dog fouling within Coppers Lake and asked Cllr Cummings to take action, Cllr Cummings duly noted the request and would investigate further, she asked that an article be placed in the Smoke Signal to help highlight the problem.

With regard to the recent grass cutting taking place within the village, it was noted

that the grass cuttings were not being collected but being blown back into the road,

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besides this action causing much debris to remain for days, because of the recent rainfall this would cause a potential blockage of the gullys. Cllr Cummings was asked to report the matter.

04/003 Public Participation session

Residents in attendance commented that they thought there was a lack of consultation regarding the proposed housing development at Bedford Farm.

04/004 Apologies for absence

District Councillors; Manifield, none received for Cllr Lodge.

Councillor Ripley.

04/005 Declarations of Interest

None declared.

04/006 Minutes of the previous meeting

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 20 March 2012, were subject to change prior to signature.

04/007 Matters arising from previous minutes

The Clerk reported that;

He had not yet received the result of the inspection of the fence in the Cemetery (see minute 03/188).

He had submitted an objection to planning application 12/00484/FUL for the retention of a steel container and erection of single detached garage at 541 Doncaster Road.

In response to Cllr Schofield’s comment that extra stencilling (see minute 02/170) to enforce ‘pick up or pay’, had yet to be carried out, the Clerk had contacted WMDC Street Scene and been informed that stencilling had taken place but not in the most obvious areas. They had offered to do more stencilling for week commencing 25 April. Following this information, the Clerk was asked to request that stencilling be carried out on the Hare Park Sidings cycle track and on the footpath at Coppers Lake.

04/008 Community Facilities

Report Parish Centre

The Clerk having received an invoice from Churchill Cleaning for the cleaning of the Parish Centre windows, enquired if any member had instructed them to do so, as they were not the contractor who had been appointed. It was confirmed that the company had not been approached.

Report Village Association

Nothing to report.

Report Allotments

Cllr Hewitt reported that;

He had attended to allotments at Hare Park that were having problems with rats.

He had noted that some allotments at Pontefract Road were not being attended to, he would speak to the tenants concerned.

The installation of water pipes from the footway to the allotments was now complete, the Clerk had contacted Yorkshire Water to arrange for the connection to take place.

The Clerk informed members that he had received a complaint from a resident about the condition of the access road leading to the allotments, following the above

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mentioned works, comment was made that the road was not in a good condition prior to the works.

Report Parish Cemetery

Members agreed to discuss and clarify resident status under item 18.

04/009 Traffic issues

Cllr Bennett asked if there had been a response to the request of a meeting with WMDC Highway officers, the Clerk confirmed that there had not been. It was agreed that Cllr Chalkley would write in response to the letter he had received from WMDC Chief Executive Joanne Roney, to enable a meeting to be arranged.

04/010 Parish Plan

Members were informed that this was still ongoing.

04/011 Cleansing/Environment

Comment was made that the gully cleansing vehicle had yet to be seen in action, the Clerk was asked to contact WMDC Highways to ensure the planned action for April was to occur.

04/012 Planning Notifications

With regard to planning application 11/01687/FUL, which included provision of first floor storage space at Redbeck Filling Station, the Clerk was asked to contact WMDC Planning and clarify what the storage space was needed for.

04/013 Financial matters

The Clerk having informed members of invoices to be paid received no objections,

The Clerk informed members that some invoices would need to be paid by BACS transfer, due to insufficient cheque book signatories.

Members were in agreement with the content of the monthly and quarterly accounts.

Members having been distributed with a list of further changes to the Standing/

Financial Orders 2012, were in agreement to their adoption, subject to the implementation of the changes.

Members agreed to discuss a donation to the Choir Group under item 18.

Following discussion, members agreed to the appointment of Yorkshire Internal Audit

Services to conduct the internal audit.

The Clerk informed members that approval for the Draft Accounts for the financial

year 2012/13 were needed, it was agreed the Clerk would distribute in advance of the

next meeting to enable a decision to be reached.

04/014 Correspondence received

Members noted the content of the information received.

04/015 Parish matters

Cllr Bennett commented on the condition of the car park at the former Libray site, the gully’s needed debris removing from them, Cllr Hewitt offered to attend to them.

04/016 Date of next meeting

Resolved; that the next meeting would be held on Tuesday 15 May 2012 at 7pm in Crofton Parish Centre, High Street, Crofton.

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04/017 Members of the public and press were to leave before agenda no.18

It was agreed

04/018 Matters to be discussed in private

Members agreed that resident status is as that defined in the Cemetery rules (see minute 04/008).

Following discussion it was agreed that a donation of £100 be given (see minute 04/013).

Cllr Bennett and the Clerk had been sent the new planning policy for Travellers, the Clerk was to distribute to members for their information.

Further to the meeting with the WMDC Development Manager for Librarys and Information Services and Crofton Academy (see minute 02/170), Cllr Bennett had been asked to do a business plan. Members would discuss further a proposal of a financial commitment to the plan. It was agreed to discuss this on Sunday 29 April at 6pm in the Parish Centre.

Signed ……………………………… Date………………….. Chairman Crofton Parish Council