Crofton Parish
Council
Minutes
of the meeting held on
Tuesday
18 February 2003 in The High School at 7.00 pm.
Present: Councillors: I Beckett, S Bennett, T
Gomersall,
D
Crowcroft, J R Hewitt, G P Jackson,
A
Ripley, G Scargill, & J Voros
Residents: Mrs Baines, Mrs R Salt, Mr
P Jaques &
Mr
G Schofield
Wakefield
MDC Cllr P Loosemoore
West
Yorkshire Police: PC J Whitworth
The
Clerk: J F Shillitoe
Apologies: Councillors: P Beckett & L Coates
The chairman, Cllr
Ripley, presided over the meeting.
03/020 Presentation by
Cllr P Loosemoore
Cllr Loosemore
welcomed the opportunity to speak to the Parish Council again detailing
progress made to date on improving Social care in Wakefield.
Cllr Loosemore
explained that progress had been made is improving Wakefield MDCs Social Care
Programme but there was still a long way to go. One of the main areas for which Wakefield had been criticised for
was not providing a good service to the elderly an area in which progress has
now been made.
The community
meals service has been dramatically improved with the award of a new contract
to the WRVS, who now provide either a hot ready to eat meal or a frozen one to
be heated at home 7/52, a 43% increase in the service.
A new phone
service, Social Care Direct, has been established. This service offers a
one-stop shop were all matters relating to social care can be dealt with.
Facilities for
adults with learning difficulties have also been improved; work schemes have
been set up with Hemsworth Centre taking the lead.
In house
residential care had also been criticised by the inspectors, not for the
quality of the service, which is first rate, but for its cost, some £408 pw
compared to £253 pw in the private sector.
As a result Wakefield were planning to transfer 5 of its 9 residential
homes to the private sector. Cllr
Loosemore did stress that these plans were at a consultative stage and as yet
nothing was set in tablets of stone.
Cllr Beckett
expressed the view that the sale of these homes to the private sector should
not be allowed, the home have subject to massive investment and were first
class facilities, it would be criminal for them to be cherry picked by the
private sector.
Cllr Loosemore
added that the management of the homes were looking at ways of reducing costs.
Should these
result in the homes becoming competitive then there would be no need to dispose
of them.
Discussion took
place on the funding of residential care, the crude means testing and the
forcing of residents to sell property in order to pay for their care. The consensus being that residential care
should still be subject to means testing but residential property should not
form part of the formula.
Cllr Jackson asked
Cllr Loosemore to express the council’s disappointment over Mrs McHale’s
failure to attend, having had three months notice of the meeting. Surely she knew it was half term when she
accepted the council’s invitation.
The chairman
thanked Cllr Loosemore for attending and bringing councillors up to speed on
developments.
03/021 Declaration of Interests in
Items on the Agenda
No declarations
made.
03/022 Public Participation Session
Due to the length of the agenda, the chairman asked that public to only
raise matters, which were either not covered by the agenda or of extreme importance.
No matters were raised.
03/023 West Yorkshire Police
PC Whitworth
(John) apologised for PC Raworth’s absence.
The crime figures
for the month show 26 crimes in total, these include 4 making off without
payment from the Redbeck filing station, 3 detected crimes and a false
allegation.
Church Lane was
now clear and the residents have been informed of the consequences of not
keeping the road clear.
Two cars detected
without documents have been confiscated and crushed.
Problems with
youths are down, probably due to the frosty weather.
Theft of and
thefts from motor vehicles is still a problem, John expressed the view that the
owners of vehicles could do a lot more to project their assets, keeping nothing
in the vehicle or at least keeping goods out of sight and were possible
garaging vehicles rather than leaving them on the drive could deter thieves.
John informed
councillors that there is a possibility that West Yorkshire Police in
partnership with the Parish Council could produce a leaflet for circulation to
all households, aimed at educating parishioners on basic crime prevention. The costs would be in the region of £50 per
1000 plus delivery. Councillors thought
that this was worth exploring further and John agreed to bring copies of a
leaflet to the next meeting.
Mrs Salt informed
John that there was a vehicle dumped on Walton reclamation site. John advised that PC Andy Rogerson (07786
334684) be contacted on the matter.
Cllr Beckett
informed John that the residents of Harrison Road were been troubled by youths
running through their rear gardens, causing damage to fences, sheds,
conservatries and the like.
John agreed to
inform all safe scheme officers of the problem.
The priorities
for February/March 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/Hare Park
Monitor the area
adjacent to the Pavilion on Hare Park Sidings
The chairman
thanked PC Raworth for his attendance.
03/024 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.
03/025 Minutes
It was agreed that
the minutes of the meeting held on 21st January 2003 were a correct
record and signed by the Chairman.
03/026 Matters Arising
1. Flooding – Land adjacent to Spring Lane.
The clerk reported
that Yorkshire Water have visited the site and checked and ascertained that the
new sewer is not leaking. Surface water
not being the responsibility of Yorkshire Water they recommend that the matter
be taken up with Wakefield MDC.
The Clerk
confirmed that he had referred the matter to Wakefield MDC.
2. Street Cleansing – Cock Lane
The clerk reported that cleansing services have now visited the area, Wakefield MDC admit that the area may have been neglected through December and January, but this was due to street cleansing teams being diverted to gritting duties.
3. Car Sales –
Weeland Road
The clerk reported
that the Highways Enforcement Officer has taken action against the occupiers of
15 Weeland Road, whom it had been ascertained were responsible for the parking
of vehicles on the grass verge.
Cllr Jackson
informed council that vehicles were now parked on the road.
It was agreed that
the clerk writes to the planning department regarding the carrying out of a
commercial business from a domestic dwelling.
4. Surface
Water – Hare Park Lane
The clerk reported
that Yorkshire Water had informed him that Wakefield MDC were responsible for
kerbside drainage. He had therefore
referred the matter to the highways department.
03/027 Community Facilities - Convenors Report
1. Parish
Centre
Cllr Scargill
reported that he had acquired two quotations to repair the roof, one for a
localised repair (£580), the other for recovering, the whole roof (£1,700).
It was agreed that
the contactor, Paul Kelly Roofing, be asked to carry out the localised repair.
2. Village
Centre
Cllr Bennett
reported that he is having difficulty in contacting Mr Greatorex over his
invoice for repairs to the roof.
The association
are still experiencing problems with the alarm system, youths are causing
damage to the building and pulling up plants.
The heating system
is giving cause for concern local plumbers have been contacted.
03/028 Allotments - Convenors Report
1.
Hare Park
Cllr Voros reported that the Pest Control Officers had not yet attended
at Hare Park.
The clerk to remind them.
Rents to be collected on 22 February 2003.
2.
Pontefract Road.
The clerk read letters received from Mr Salt regarding the Parish
Councils handling of the Pontefract Road site.
The letters covered many points ranging from the administration of the
council, the awarding of contracts through to the legislation involved in the
disposal of allotment lands and the fencing off of legitimate rights of way.
The content of the letters was discussed fully, after which it was
agreed that the clerk responds to Mr Salt once information on the right of way
via Doncaster Road became available.
The clerk to also contact Mr B Smith regarding access to the site.
03/029 Parish Cemetery - Convenors Report
It was reported
that works to the casket area have been completed, the concrete plinths being a
big improvement on the original wooden ones.
The bays are over
full and the bin is out of position again. The clerk to contact cleansing
services.
Cllr Scargill to
contact Mr Earle regarding the leaking tap.
03/030 Special Services - Convenors Report
Cllrs
agreed that the request from All Saints Parish Church for assistance with the funding
a scheme to illuminate the Church Tower be discussed under item 03/039.
03/031 Adoption of Risk
Assessment Plan, Standing Orders and Financial Regulations
It was agreed this
item be discussed at item 03/039.
03/032 Moorhouse Opencast Liaison Committee
Nothing to report.
03/033 Old Library Site
Cllr Bennett reported that the matter was
again in the hands of design services who were to draw up a scheme for the
proposed development.
Cllr Jackson reported that another bus
had recently mounted the triangle becoming stuck on the grassed area.
03/034 Planning
a.
15 Dwellings – Bedford Farm,
Crofton
The chairman reported that he had visited the planning department to
examine the application, which entailed developing the existing farmhouse and
buildings to create five dwellings, an additional five new dwellings to the
rear of Rectory Crescent and a further five on land to the east of the site.
It was agreed that the Parish Council object to this application on the
grounds that it was against the UDP, the site being a Protected Area of Search
for Future Development. The access to the site in inadequate and the
infrastructure of the Parish was not in a condition to service any additional
housing.
b.
Other Applications
All other applications received during the period were found to be
acceptable.
03/035 Financial Matters
Accounts
The following
accounts were submitted and approved for payment.
£
Mr J F Shillitoe 984.15
Miss Reid 50.90
Mrs Hardwick 264.68
Yorkshire
Electricity 207.16
Yorkshire Water 22.41 (P Centre)
87.83 (Allotments)
Shaw & Sons 72.20
Wakefield MDC 114.00
T & D
Contractors 1,880.00
03/036 Correspondence
Wakefield
MDC -
Minutes
- Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy
- Costs for Parish Elections
- Mayors Charity Ceilidh
- Consultation Paper on Budget Policies
- Briefing Meeting on Standards Committee and
Area Panels
- Consultation on Local Access Forum
- Meeting with Chief Exec, 31 March 2003.
- Community Assembly Meeting, 27 February 2003.
- Are Panel Meeting, 27 February
YLCA -
White Rose Update
- Joint Executive Minutes.
YRCC -
Village Ventures
- Parish
Government Conference, 28 Feb-2 March 2003.
FOIC -
Acceptance of Parish Council Model Scheme
03/037 Parish Matters
1.
Constable
and Pinders Charity
Trustees
informed those present that the trustees had held their first meeting, a further
meeting was planned to take place on 25 February.
2.
Turf
Accountant – Slack Lane
The
dangerous condition of the bookies shop on Slack Lane was raised by members.
It was
agreed that the clerk writes to Nigel Buckroyd at the Planning Department.
3.
Hall Park
Avenue – Flooding from Cock and Crown Car Park.
It was
reported that the surface drainage on the Cock and Crown Car Park seems to have
failed allowing water to cascade into the gardens of properties in Hall Park
Avenue.
It was
agreed that the clerk contacts the planning department to ascertain whether or
not adequate drainage was put in place when the car park was extended.
03/038 Date of next Meeting
Tuesday
11th March 2003.
03/039 Matters Discussed in Private
Due to the lateness of the hour it was agreed
that items 03/030 and 03/031 be deferred to the March meeting.
Chairman 11th
March 2003