2009-12-07

7th December, 2009

MINUTES OF ESCRICK PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 7th DECEMBER 2009 AT ESCRICK & DEIGHTON SOCIAL CLUB

Present:
Mr Steve Smowton (chair)
Mr Brian Forster (vice-chair)
Mr Mike Russell
Mr Charles Forbes Adam
Mrs Gina Mannix
Mr Peter Skilbeck
Mrs Lilian Coulson
Dr John Askham
Mrs Sara Cunningham

APOLOGIES:
Mr Bill Reader
Mr John Reader
Mrs Liz Casling - North Yorkshire County Councillor and Selby District Councillor

The chair welcomed Mrs Cunningham and Dr Askham to their first parish council meeting.

MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
Confirmed as a true record.

POLICE REPORTS
Mr Skilbeck had attended the Joint Action Group's November meeting. The main concern raised at this meeting had been poaching in the area. Mr Skilbeck supported a farmer from Wistow who has been having problems with poachers on his land. Poaching is a crime and other crimes are committed while these trespassers are illegally on people's property. In the Selby West area seventeen poachers have been arrested, cars confiscated and dogs taken. Police are going to have a purge in the next three months in our area. Also a major issue was these poachers destroy property and are inhumane in the way they kill the animals.
Another issue raised was speeding along Skipwith Road and the concern of accidents near the A19/Skipwith Road junction. Mr Skilbeck reported that the numbers of people represented at the Joint Action Group meeting can make a difference as everyone is entitled to two votes each.
He reported that a Wildlife Officer has been appointed for this area and while at the meeting the Officer was called away to an incident.

MATTERS ARISING:
ESCRICK PLAYING FIELDS
Mrs Mannix reported that the rubber mats and tables have arrived. Goal posts have not yet been ordered. The clerk has not had any payment from Selby and Mrs Mannix will help the clerk to expedite the monies from Selby.
Equipment funding has been given by SDC from an Open Spaces grant not used at Stillingfleet of £1300. New football posts and nets have been purchased and the groundsman from York City Football has volunteered to help erect these at no cost. They have also applied for replacement benches.

FLOODING
A meeting was held last week in Selby with MP John Grogan and representatives from Yorkshire Water which the chair reported had been a very promising meeting. They are planning to place an enzyme treatment which will treat the fat and de-clog the pipes. There is only one another of this kind in the country in the Thames Valley. They have an Inspections Officer who is checking the main drains along the A19 which pass the restaurant, hotel and come into Main Street. She will contact the Clerk as she is to attend the next Parish Council meeting. They are hoping to separate the surface water from the main drains and will be putting in new pipes which are to run the surface water into the beck.
Yorkshire Water requested that when a flood occurs could the public telephone them to give exact details. The telephone number to contact is 0845 1242424.

MAINTENANCE OF ‘GREEN' AREAS
Dean Landscapes have agreed to do these areas.

NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL - FOOTPATHS
Clerk has contacted North Yorkshire Highways and as there has been no improvements made will contact them again. Action Clerk
Clerk to report to Highways:

• Lights out on the speed sign A19 junction with Carr Lane.
• No 8 Skipwith Road opposite the ginnel holly tree branches overhanging.
• No 4 light on Carrs Meadow broken and the Clerk will report this to Tarmac Lighting.
• Wenlock Drive - tree at No 7 blocking the light.

Action Clerk

CITY OF YORK - FOOTPATH ON A19
Chair contacted City of York about the path on the A19 which is being overtaken by the vegetation and they are going to tidy this area.

SKIPWITH ROAD SIGN
The Clerk had reported this to Highways but still a problem. The Clerk to chase them - Action Clerk

SALT BINS
Two potential locations are to be investigated by Mrs Mannix and Chair and report given at the next meeting. Action SS/GM

CHEAPER ELECTRICITY SUPPLIER
A detail of all lights have now been collated and this to be put onto a spreadsheet. The chair will create a street map of Escrick and mark out the lights. Action SS

PLANNING PORTAL EQUIPMENT GRANT
We do not have facilities to use this equipment and it was agreed that the Grant is of no value to the Parish Council.

VEHICLE ACTIVATED SIGNS ON THE A19
Mrs Casling has been in contact with North Yorkshire Highways after the multiple accidents in one day at the junction of A19/Skipwuith Road and received this reply:
The accident at the A19/Skipwith Road junction was attended by the Police therefore if anyone involved in the collision has sustained a personal injury the police will log the incident on the accident site database.
The Vehicle Activated Signs will not prevent all accidents, but will make drivers aware that they are potentially approaching hazards on the A19 through the Village.  We have been monitoring, by observation, if the Vehicle Activated Signs are having an effect on vehicle speeds.
The sign on the northbound direction activates occasionally during peak flows, and vehicle speeds are at or lower than the speed limit during the 'rush' hours.  It is activated more frequently when there are fewer vehicles.  We have arranged for the Street Lighting Unit to check the calibration as it would appear to activate at higher speeds than the speed limit; we normally set them at the enforcement level rather than the speed limit, but in this case we arranged for them to be set at the speed limit in view of the forward visibility to the Skipwith Road junction and the accesses to the Church, Doctors Surgery and the Parsonage Hotel.
The sign on the southbound direction has only been observed to activate only when we have deliberately tried to activate it.  Again the calibration is being checked as it operates at slightly higher than the speed limit.
However from observation vehicle speeds are lower post the Vehicle Activated Signs being installed, but Gary Lumb will be arranging a post implementation speed check once vehicle speeds have settled following the installation of the Vehicle Activated Signs and if there is not a significant reduction in vehicle speeds and personal injury accidents then we will request a review the priority assessment of the Traffic Signal proposals indicated in the A19 Route Study.
The two accidents at the garage may be a result of the works they are currently undertaking and that four of the eight pumps are out of action at present.  Vehicles are not able to get a clear run onto the forecourt during the rush hours and it has been noted that other drivers are braking heavily as those drivers entering the garage are not clearing the access at present.
Gary Lumb will contact the Police to discuss the spate of accidents on the A19 through the whole village to determine whether there are speed related or driver error.  Only personal injury accidents are recorded, therefore if any are vehicle damage only there will be no data available.
We will advise you if those discussions highlight a problem associated with the highway rather than driver error.

STORE FOR VILLAGE GREEN COMMITTEE
Mr Coulson reported that SDC have confirmed that no planning consent is required for this store. Chair thanked her for investigating this issue.

PRECEPT APPLICATION
The Clerk has sent in the application.

SHERBURN PC REQUEST
The clerk contacted Sherburn and informed them the chair was willing to help with their website. No further contact has been received.

SCHOOL DATE 2010
The clerk received the dates for local schools for the forthcoming year. No clashes exist for the rest of the Parish Year.

MRS CASLING'S REPORT
Mrs Casling has warned that there is to be budget review at Selby District Council with possible cutbacks from the Government to Councils.

APPOINTMENT OF CLEANER FOR BUS SHELTER
Mr Ron Watson has resigned from his post as cleaner of the bus shelter. Mr Jason Casling is has agreed to take this job on. Payment for this work was agreed unanimously to be £200.00 per annum.

ACCOUNTS

The accounts are in credit

A/c No 1	£1697.49
A/c No 2	£3433.04

It was agreed to pay

Escrick & Deighton Social Club	£10.00
Mrs Cumberland - broadband - Nov & Dec	£27.40
Dean Landscapes	£405.95
Postage	£7.20
Ron Watson	£160.00
Society of Local Clerks	£30.00

PLANNING APPLICATIONS

8/10/61A/PA - erection of a two storey extension to the rear, carport with studio above to the side, porch to the front, gazebo and greenhouse in the garden at 7 Woodlands Escrick - no objections in principal but query use of slate tiles on porches and car port rather than existing tiles. Also complaint about boundary problems with No 9 in regard to erection of car port. Suggest site visit to discuss with neighbour before approval.

CORRESPONDENCE
North Yorkshire Police are requesting a volunteer to join the Neighbourhood Profile Guide.

Mr Eric Hardy from Carrs Meadow reported a faulty light which has now been repaired and he wondered if Main Street would have more lighting. Clerk to reply that when funding is available more lights would be considered for the village. Action VC

Selby District Council asked for suggestions for potential new street names. As none are proposed at present the letter to be filed.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Mr Russell - a sign warning against dog fouling on Carrs Meadow which the Estate have place could now been taken down.

Mr Forbes Adam - requested the trees/nettles along Carr Lane/bridge on Main Street be tided. Request the pavements cleaned along Main Street outside the old school. Action Clerk

Mr Forster - reported the path from end of Carr Lane onto eastern side A19 towards the old gates and on Main Street outside the Old School be cleared of rubbish. Action Clerk

Mrs Coulson - would like part of the fence on the village green opposite The Glade entrance be made as the other end to make it easier for people to get onto the green. Mr Russell reported that this issue was in fact going to be discussed at the next Village Green meeting.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING: Monday February 1 2010

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