Parish Council Meeting 18th October, 2000

The meeting was opened at 7:30pm by Clr. Hirst; there were apologies received from DDDC Cllr. Mrs. Crowther, the previous minutes were accepted, with no matters arising.

On Backdale Quarry, Stephen Barton gave the Council an update from SLEG: as regards RMC and Backdale Quarry, yet again there was no change in the situation, RMC seem content to let things be. At the recent SLEG meeting at Calver the group received a mandate from the contributors to include the Glebe Mining proposals within the group’s remit. It is believed that Glebe’s planning application is with the PPPB, but is awaiting some technical clarifications before proceeding.

Two planning approvals were noted. The planning applications for Ash House have been withdrawn by the applicant. A horse-chestnut tree is to be felled at Thornbridge; all the necessary permissions have been obtained. An application to convert a builder’s store on Main Street (the one opposite Casey’s shop) to a dwelling has been received. The Council raised no objections, but did note that a potential car-parking problem could be caused in an already congested area.
Finance: Following the payment of several sizeable payments approved last month, the Council’s bank balance fell to Ł4,600. Some further, minor payments were approved this month. It was reported that the Council’s accounts for last year are now complete and have been approved by the District Auditor. Cllr. Hirst thanked the Clerk, Mr. Paul Dalton, for his efforts.

Cllr. Askew reported that all planned work on the Village Hall was now complete, and all bills had been paid.

The work required on the playground equipment has been reassessed, and will now be done in-situ. This means that foundations of the slide will not need to be disturbed, so the safety surfacing can be put in place without waiting for the renovation work to be completed. Cllr. Fawcett noted that the bark under some of the equipment needed replenishing and the Council resolved to do this, but would wait until the advent of the better weather next Spring. Regarding the ‘No Dogs’ signs, DDDC have promised to supply them and should have erected them weeks ago. This will be chased up.

Much of the meeting was taken up with discussing the setting of the precept (the amount of money the Council gets from the parish, via DDDC Council Tax) for the year 2001/2. Many items were simply carried forward from last year, additional or changed items considered were: Repairing the old cross in the churchyard, this is in a rather decrepit state and – in part – is a very old monument, however the PC thought that this was really the PCC’s responsibility, and so the issue would be raised by Cllr. Hirst at the next PCC meeting. The PC may consider making a donation towards the work, finances permitting. Repairing and lowering the notice board in front of the Under Fives building; funding a village sports day (this proved a very popular event earlier this year); a donation to the Under Fives group; a donation to Under The Edge; further safety surfacing under the playground items not yet so done. In light of possible legal action regarding the unauthorised gate onto the Recreation Ground, a provision for legal costs was made, being budgeted at Ł3000. However, the Council felt that the resulting precept was unacceptably high, and so resolved to postpone the playground resurfacing until next year (2002/3) and make some other economies. This resulted in a lower precept of Ł10,120, which the Council felt acceptable. This is still significantly up on last year’s (Ł7,770) but this increase is due to the provision made for legal costs and if they were excluded, the precept would have been down on last year’s. The Council hopes that the provision would not need to be realised, and if it were not, the playground resurfacing project would be brought forward to 2001/2.

Quotes for the work required on the allotment land have still not been received from all the three contractors invited to tender. As all three are required before making a decision of this financial magnitude, nothing can be progressed yet.

Under maintenance, Cllr. Cox noted that the footpath down by the side of Harrow House was overgrown, and it was resolved to ask Mr. Watson to tidy it. Cllr. Finney brought to the Council’s attention the fact that a wall on Moor Road had fallen and had been rebuilt by Mr. Longden and Mr. Peters. The Council resolved to write a letter of thanks. It would seem that the cause of the fall was the burgeoning growth of Japanese Knotweed, and the Council resolved to request Mr. Watson to take any action necessary to kill off the weed, but this would probably be best left until next Spring’s new growth. However the weed’s resistance to any form of weedkiller is well known, so this may be a long-running job. The weed is a notorious pest, and the Council felt it had should try to eradicate it before it spread further. On the subject of the unauthorised gate onto the Recreation Ground, no response has yet been received following the Council’s solicitors writing to the householders concerned, but the Council reaffirmed its commitment to the policy of ‘no gates’.

Correspondence: Several items of correspondence have been received, including: notification of the next DDDC Area Community Forum, which will be held in Grindleford, notification of next year’s approved caravan rallies (there will be one in Longstone) and an invitation for the village to take part in the Christmas Tree Recycling Scheme again, which was accepted. Cllr. Cox offered the use of the usual field on Beggarway Lane as a collection point. An invitation to join in a millennium (the real one?!) beacon scheme was turned down, on the same grounds as last year – who would want to be on Longstone Edge at midnight on 31st December?

The next meeting is on 13th December, at 7:30 in the Village Hall. The Council then closed the meeting to the public in order to discuss a letter received from the Council’s solicitors giving legal advice regarding the gate onto the Recreation Ground.