Crofton Parish Council

 

                                                     Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on

                                            Tuesday 16th March 2004 in The High School at 7.00 pm.

 

 

                 Present:                                               Councillors:    Mrs K Duffy, Mrs G Towns, Mrs W Wrigg,

                                                                                                     S Bennett, T B Chalkley,  S Duffy,

                                                                                                     J R Hewitt, G P Jackson, P Jacques,

                                                                                                     G Makin, A Ripley & J Voros

 

                                                                             Residents:       Mrs Baines, Mrs Brown, Mrs Salt,

                                                                                                     Mr B Cook, Mr G Schofield, Mr B Murphy,

                                                                                                     Mr B Smith & Mr Wood

 

                                        

                                                                             All Saints        Rev A Jordan                                                                                            

 

                                                                             Wakefield MDC          Joanne Posonby & Cllr A Manifield

 

                                                                             West Yorkshire Police            Pc P McMahon

 

                                                                             The Clerk:                   J F Shillitoe

 

                 Apologies:                                          Councillors:                D Marshall 

                                                                                                    

                 The Chairman Cllr A Ripley presided over the meeting.

  

04/046      West Yorkshire Police

 

                 The February Police report had been circulated to members; Pc McMahon therefore asked if there were any questions. No questions were raised.

 

                 Joanne Posonby presented three alternative stickers for attachment to wheelie bins, the cost of these would be £170 for 100 or £360 for 1000 and would include the Parish Council, MDC and West Yorkshire Police logos.

 

                 Cllr agreed upon a design and requested that Joanne order 1000 stickers enough to supply an initial 500 households, these to be in the Shay Lane, Slack Lane area of the parish.

 

                 Joanne agreed that this would be an excellent start and as Crofton was the first Parish Council to embark on such a scheme, local media would be interested in publicising it. Joanne suggested that the scheme be launched on a Saturday morning for which she would make the necessary arrangements.

 

                 This was agreed.

 

                 Mr Cook reported that on Friday 12th March a group of 15/20 youth were fighting in the road adjacent to the Working Men’s Club in Slack Lane, the majority of them were drunk some possibly on drugs. Practically all were students of the High School of which 50% were from outside Crofton and unfortunately probably 50% lacked any parental control.

 

                

 

                 Mr Cook asked if the Police couldn’t arrest the culprits under the new unsociable behaviour legislation.

                 Parents would then be forced to take notice.

 

                 Pc McMahon explained that whilst the theory was good, in practice, police officers need to witness the unsociable behaviour before arrests can be made.

 

                 Mrs Brown reported that the behaviour of youths in the vicinity of Rectory Crescent is intolerable; in fact she has had to vacant a room moving into a quieter part of her home to avoid the disturbance. Police Officers don’t improve matters, pulling up at the Passengers Shelter in a traffic car demonstrating the use of the siren and flashing lights whilst half the youths are ditching their alcohol and drugs over the fence into resident’s gardens. Mrs Brown handed a large knife she had found in her garden to Pc McMahon.

 

                 Pc McMahon explained that he personally works every Friday evening, moving youths on, taken youths home to parents, confiscating alcohol but unfortunately the police can’t be in attendance 24/7.

 

                 Cllr S Duffy asked if it was not possible to arrange surveillance of the troublemakers, videoing there actions for possible law enforcement.  Pc McMahon explained that for the police to carry out such action presented a situation which was fraught with legal difficulties tantamount to an infringement of human rights.

 

                 Reverend Jordan thanked the Police for their efforts at the cemetery; officers had put in a lot of work. Youths had been taken home and spoken to in front of their parents. The response of parents varying , some being very supportive, whilst others obviously don’t care.    

 

                 It was agreed that the clerk write to Inspector Heppenstall, highlighting the concerns of the council seeking assurances that action will be taken to improve matters. 

 

                 The priorities for March to be:

 

                 Foot Patrol – As required, concentrating on the village centre, Crofton Library (Friday 6.30 to 7.00 pm.), Crofton High School, Crofton Infants, Royal Oak along with any other areas (Rectory Crescent) brought to the attention of the safe scheme officers.

 

                 Monitor the Parish Cemetery.

 

                 Discourage illegal use of motorcycles at Priory Ridge, Towers Close and adjacent land, High Street and Hare Park Sidings.

 

                 Address problem with youths in the vicinity of Rectory Crescent

                

                 Monitor the area adjacent to the Pavilion on Hare Park Sidings.

                

04/047      Public Participation Session

 

1.     Mini Roundabout – Cock Lane/The Avenue

 

                 Residents reported that the road markings depicting the mini roundabout are in need of attention.

 

                 The clerk to report.

 

 

 

 

2.     Footpath – Birkwood Farm to Doncaster Road

 

            The clerk to report to the countryside unit, that pedestrians are unable to use this footpath, due to the landowner ploughing the area adjacent to it.   

 

3.     Gable Wall – Pharmacy.

 

            The clerk to ascertain if the developer of the site adjacent to the pharmacy intends to render the new gable wall.

 

04/048      Declaration of Interests in Items on the Agenda

 

                 No declarations were made.

 

04/049      Minutes

 

                 It was agreed that the minutes of the meetings held on 17th February 2004 be signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

 

04/050      Matters Arising 

 

1.     Traffic Calming.

 

Cllr Ripley reported that he along with Cllr Marshall attended a meeting at Newton Bar with Highways Officers to discuss whether or not the traffic calming measures throughout the centre of the village are producing the desired effect.

 

Whilst it was agreed that the average speed of traffic had reduced slightly residents have shown concerns that motorists were now shortcutting through the Ashdene Estate to avoid the calming measures.

 

It was therefore agreed that further surveys be carried out to monitor the traffic flow through Ashdene from The Avenue/Cock Lane to Slack Lane, and the speed of traffic in the vicinity of the schools.

 

Once the results of these surveys were known a further meeting with Highways would be held.

 

2.     TRANCO – Springhill Avenue

 

Cllr Bennett passed details of TRANSCOs contractors to the clerk.

 

The clerk to ascertain the extent of the work planned.

 

3.     Youth Services

 

It was reported that no formal planning application for the new youth centre had yet been submitted.

 

4.     Passenger Shelter – Rectory Crescent

 

It was agreed that METRO be asked not to replace the brick shelter with a polycarbonate one as planned, but to simply remove the seating instead.

 

 

 

 

 

04/051      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.

 

04/052      Community Facilities - Convenors Report

 

                 1. Parish Centre

 

                 It was reported that Paul Kelly had visited the centre and carried out repairs to the roof.

 

                 The clerk to seek quotation’s for a new roof.

 

                 2. Village Centre

 

                 Cllr Ripley reported that Moorhouse Opencast Forum have approved a further grant of £1,000 for the Village Association, towards improvements to the access road.

 

04/053      Allotments - Convenors Report

 

The clerk reported that only two rents were still outstanding and that two allotments at Hare Park were now vacant.

 

Mr Smith presented a retrospective application to erect fencing and a gate on the site at the rear of 21 Pontefract Road

 

There was a lengthy at times heated discussion on this issue and the general use of the Pontefract Road site. Both Mr Smith and Mrs Salt were given the opportunity to put forward their point of view.

 

In conclusion Mr Smith was refused permission to erect the fence and gate and asked to remove them forthwith, Mr Smith was remaindered that the only vehicular access to the site was via Doncaster Road and no others should be used.  

 

The chairman asked that now these matters had been addressed could everybody involved try to be good neighbours.

 

04/054      Parish Cemetery - Convenors Report

 

                 Cllr Ripley reported that he had met with the district tree preservation officer to discuss removing some of the smaller trees which are growing too near the perimeter fencing.  Trees had been identified and marked accordingly for T & D Contractors to remove.

 

                 Rev Jordan asked if the Hawthorn Tree adjacent to the footpath half way down could be trimmed.

 

                 The clerk agreed to report the matter to Wakefield MDC.

                

04/055      Special Services - Convenors Report

 

                 No matters to report this month.

 

 

 

 

04/056      Cleansing

 

                 Cllr Ripley reported that a group of councillors had met with John Skidmore and Martin Womersley. The meeting was extremely useful and a plan of action was agreed, Cllr Jacques agreed to act as the point of contact.

 

                 Cllr Jackson asked why the Chief Executive(CE) had not attended when requested to do so.

 

                 Cllr Ripley explained that the CE had delegated responsibility to his Chief Officer, John Skidmore, with whom Cllr Ripley had agreed to meet. As a result of the meeting improvements have already been made, should the situation lapse the CE would be called to account.

 

                 It was agreed that the clerk write to the CE thanking him for his input.

 

04/057      Village Signage

 

                 The clerk presented details of highways plans for replacement signage throughout the village.

 

                 The one amendment these plans were agreed. The clerk to inform highways accordingly.

 

04/058      Moorhouse Opencast Liaison Committee

 

                 Nothing further to report

 

04/059      Old Library Site

 

                 Nothing further to report.

 

04/060      Planning

 

                 All applications received during the period were found to be acceptable.

 

04/061      Financial Matters  

 

                 The following accounts were submitted and approved for payment.

                                                                                         £

                 March

                 Ms Reid                                                       53.20

                 Mrs Hardwick                                            276.64

                 T & D Contractors                                  2,778.88

                 Wakefield MDC                                      3,147.86 (Priory Centre)

                                                                                      10.00 (Oak Street Lease)

                 PHS Group                                                 141.92

                 April

                 Zurich Municipal                                    3,172.10

                 First Impressions                                    3,420.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

04/062      Correspondence

 

                 Wakefield MDC                                  - Minutes

                                                                             - Area Panel Agenda

                                                                             - Community Assembly

                                                                             - Register of Interests

                                                                             - Horizons

                 Wakefield District Partnership                                    - Engagement Framework

                 YRCC                                                 - Village of the Year Competition

                                                                             - Community Halls Conference

                 YLCA                                                  - White Rose Update.

                                                                             - Wakefield Branch Minutes

                                                                             - Quality Parish Councils

                 ODPM                                                 - Consultation paper

                 Post Office                                          - Branch Closures

                 Crofton Community Centre                  - Agenda and Minutes

                

04/063      Parish Matters

 

1.     Stocks Lane/Harrison Road.

 

                 The clerk to report to the appropriate authority that drainage water is running from the property adjacent   

                 to stocks lane, across the pavement and onto Harrison Road.

 

04/064      Date of next Meeting

 

                 Tuesday 20 April 2004.

 

04/065      Matters Discussed in Private

 

                 None discussed

 

      

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chairman                                                                                                              20th April 2004