Crofton Parish Council
Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on
Tuesday 18th November 2003 in The
High School at 7.00 pm.
Present: Councillors: Mrs G Towns, Mrs W Wrigg, S Bennett,
T B Chalkley, S Duffy, G P Jackson,
P Jacques, A Ripley, G
Scargill & J Voros
Residents: Mrs R Salt, Mr B Murphy & Mr G Schofield
Wakefield MDC Elaine McHale
The Clerk: J F Shillitoe
Apologies: Councillors: J R Hewitt & D Marshall
The Chairman, Cllr A Ripley
presided over the meeting.
03/179 Elaine McHale
The chairman welcomed Mrs
McHale to the meeting.
Mrs McHale detailed the current
situation within Wakefield MDC’s Social Care Department, explaining that
Wakefield has made great progress since been placed near the bottom of the
Local Government league table by the audit commission. The authority has now
moved out of the bottom 10 gaining a 1* rating. However still a long way to go.
Examples
of the improvement are:-
The Elderly
145%
increase in the take up of home meals.
3000
Additional home care hours per annum
Established,
out reach teams to assist hospital
patients get back to their own homes.
Increased
respite care in each of the authorities Elderly Person Homes (EPH)
An increase from 10 to 35 day
care places.
The transfer of five of the
authority nine EPHs to the private sector failed due to lack of interest from
the private sector, the authority therefore has now to rethink the future of
all nine homes.
Learning
Disabilities
Mrs McHale advised that the 64
patients of Fieldhead Hospital will hopefully be placed into the community
before March 2004.
Mental
Health
Wakefield
was one of the worst spenders on Mental Health provision, 149th out
of 150, however a whole tranch of work is now been undertaken in conjunction
with the Primary Care Trust and mental health agencies to improve matters. £1.5m to be spent over the next 3 years to develop
services.
Children
Some
450 children are in care throughout the authority, for which foster carers are
actively been sought.
Children’s
homes are being rebuilt or upgraded.
Alcoholism
Many
schemes to help combat the problem.
Mr Murphy asked for details of
the formula used for calculating the cost of elderly care within the public
sector and why it was so more expensive than the private sector.
Mrs McHale replied that the
formula was in the public domain but the underlying problem was one of
inefficiency and poor absence management, these inefficiencies were been
addressed. The cost of private sector
care was £327 per week compared to between £400 & £500 in house.
The chairman thanked Mrs McHale
for attending
03/180 West
Yorkshire Police
The clerk presented councillors with a written copy the October Police report, for information. No formal discussion took place.
The clerk reported that PC
McMahon had as yet been unable to obtain the results of the recent Golden River
survey of Slack Lane and High Street.
The priorities for
November/December to be:
Foot Patrol – As required,
concentrating on the village centre, Post Office closing, Crofton High School,
Crofton Infants, Royal Oak etc.
Monitor
the Parish Cemetery.
Discourage
illegal use of motorcycles at Priory Ridge, Towers Close and adjacent land,
High Street and Hare Park Sidings.
Monitor
use of seat adjacent 11 Santingley Lane.
Monitor
the area adjacent to the Pavilion on Hare Park Sidings
03/181 Public
Participation Session
1. Christmas Tree
Residents asked
whether the Parish was to have a Christmas Tree this year and if so where was
it to be sited.
Cllrs advised that
Wakefield MDC had tried to erect a tree on the triangle but due to the recent
alterations at the site were unable to complete the task.
It was agreed that
the clerk/chairman would contact the authority.
2. Bedford Farm.
Mrs Salt asked if council thought it
worthwhile Crofton Community centre approaching the developers of Bedford Farm
for financial assistance.
Cllrs agreed that
such an approach could be of benefit and agreed to provide Mrs Salt with
details of the developers.
3. Cock Lane.
The clerk to arrange for cleansing services to visit the area.
4. Waste Bins
Two lamppost bins were reported missing,
one at the bus stop adjacent to 523 Doncaster Road the other in Cock Lane.
The clerk to advise
cleansing services.
5. Street Light –
Ashdene Avenue
Lamp
No 7 Ashdene Avenue was reported faulty, the clerk to advise Street Lighting
Section.
6. Derelict Property –
High Street
The clerk to contact building services, regarding the condition of the property adjacent to Jackson Supermarket.
03/182 Declaration
of Interests in Items on the Agenda
No declarations were made.
03/183 Minutes
It was agreed that the minutes
of the meeting held on 21st October be signed by the Chairman as a
correct record.
03/184 Matters
Arising
1. Drama Hall
The clerk reported that planning permission had not been required to demolish the drama hall.
The reason that it had been demolished was due to surveyors declaring the building structurally unsafe at short notice, after work had commenced on the Youth Centre. It had been intended to retain part of the original building and incorporate it within the new build. Unfortunately due to a fire, the whole of the drama hall had to be demolished.
The clerk to contact the LEA, to ask, if there are any plans to incorporate to Old Stone and roof slates within the new building.
The clerk also to invite Youth Service to a future meeting, to discuss plans for the site.
2. Resignation of
Councillor
The clerk reported that he had now been advised that the vacancy created by the resignation of Terry Gomersall could be filled by co-option.
After discussion it was agreed that Mrs Kath Duffy be co-opted.
The clerk also reported that the vacancy created by the resignation of George Scargill would be advertised during December.
2. Risk
Assessments
Cllr Chalkley reported that he had completed a Risk Assessment of the Cemetery; a copy of the report was given to the clerk for action.
Cllr Chalkley agreed that he would carry out assessment of all council property, The Pavilion, Parish Centre and Allotments.
Clls thanked Cllr Chalkley for his assistance with these matters.
03/185 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.
03/186 Community
Facilities - Convenors Report
1. Parish Centre
Nothing
to report.
Following
the resignation of George Scargill the position of convenor was now vacant, the
Chairman asked for a volunteer, no one came forward, it was therefore agreed
that this item be placed on the December agenda.
2. Village Centre
Cllr Bennett reported that
Yorkshire Electricity have visited the Pavilion to renew the meters.
03/187 Allotments
- Convenors Report
Cllr Voros reported
that a class from Shay Lane School had visited Hare Park Allotments as part of
their nature studies.
Council whilst not
wishing to appear as kill joys, advised that trips of this nature ought not to
take place until the appropriate risk assessments have been carried out and
indemnities signed.
03/188 Parish
Cemetery - Convenors Report
Cllrs reported that they had
visited the cemetery as arranged to examine the beck area. Cllr Chalkley produced photographs of the
area, which was considered to be tidy and relatively free of debris.
It was agreed that Cllr
Chalkley forward the photos to the clerk for inclusion within a response to Mrs
Waite.
Following
George Scargills’ resignation, cllrs asked Mr George Schofield if he would take
on the role of cemetery convenor. This
he agreed to do.
03/189 Special
Services - Convenors Report
1. Friends of
Crofton Infants School – Story Sacks
The clerk reported that reason that The Friends of Crofton Infants require their own Public Liability Insurance is that, when they first formed, a condition of them receiving grants was that they were not linked to any public body. So they were unable to operate under the umbrella of the Infants School.
It was therefore
agreed that a grant of £200 be made.
The clerk to advise
the friends that cllrs considered that the Story Sack scheme should be
self-financing and that they ought to be looking into ways of increasing their
visibility in order to achieve this.
2. Crofton Cricket
Club
The clerk presented
a request from the Cricket Club for financial assistance towards the purchase
of a new mower.
After consideration
it was agreed that council would not support the cricket club on this occasion,
as the lease for the cricket square funded by the Parish Council included the
ground maintenance carried out by Wakefield MDC leisure services.
03/190 Village Signage
The clerk reported
that before any sign could be built, permission from Wakefield MDC to erect
signs on highway verges would have to be obtained and consultation with all the
service companies would need to take place.
The signs erected
in Walton had cost in the region of £1500 each.
It was agreed that
cllrs take this matter away for consideration prior to any further action been
taken by the clerk.
03/191 Moorhouse
Opencast Liaison Committee
Cllr Ripley reported that the
extraction of 300,000 Tons of coal and 150,000 Tons of clay was due for
completion late January. Restoration could then commence.
The ponds are still loosing
water and the situation is been monitored closely with planning
The grant of £1000 for Crofton
Juniors is on route via Head Office.
03/192 Old
Library Site
Cllr Bennett reported that he
was still looking into the situation appertaining the library site and would
report at the next meeting.
03/193 Planning
1. Property extension – 30
Springhill Avenue
Both the clerk and chairman reported they had spoken with planner’s regarding the development at 30 Springhill Ave and were still awaiting replies.
2. Other matters
All other applications received
during the period were found to be acceptable.
03/194 Financial
Matters
a. Accounts
The following accounts were
submitted and approved for payment.
£
Ms Reid 53.20
Mrs Hardwick 276.64
Mr Wood 131.00
Mr Shillitoe 969.35
Yorkshire
Water 188.98
(Allotments)
21.85 (P Centre)
Yorkshire
Electricity
98.77
Wakefield
MDC 24.34 (Rainbows)
137.50 (Guides)
85.00 (Brownies)
143.14 (Scouts)
Friends
of Crofton Infants 200.00
03/195 Correspondence
Wakefield
MDC - Minutes
- Community Assembly
- Area Panel
YLCA - Parish Government Course, 5 -7 March 2004
-
White Rose Update
03/196 Parish
Matters
1. War Memorial.
The clerk to
contact the British Legion, to inform them that, the War Memorial on Doncaster
Road, requires attention.
Also to contact the
clergy of All Saints suggest that they may wish the conduct a short service at
the memorial in future years.
2. Crabb Apple
Trees – Springhill Ave
The clerk was asked
to contact the arboriculturalist asking that a Crabb Apple tree alongside
Springhill Ave be replaced by a non fruit bearing variety.
03/197 Date
of next Meeting
Tuesday
16 December 2003.
03/198 Matters
Discussed in Private
1. Friends of Crofton
Infants School
Minuted at 03/189/1
2. Crofton Cricket Club
Minuted at 03/189/2
3. Co-option of Councillor
Minuted
at 03/184/2
Chairman 16th December 2003.