06 August 2012 Page 1
Minutes of Meeting of Fulford Parish Council held on Monday 6th August 2012 in
the Old Library, Fulford Social Hall, School Lane, Fulford commencing at 7.30pm
Present: A M Smith (Chair), K Aspden, B Bircher, V Clare, M Urmston, K de Vries,
J Young (members) Mrs. J Fletcher (clerk.)
12/174
CODE OF CONDUCT
Clerk received Registers of Members Interests but was asked to write to the Monitoring Officer
to see if it might be possible for the council to be covered by a special dispensation due to the
previous threat of intimidation by a Parishioner should that person be in possession of private
addresses.
There appeared much confusion about what constituted an interest where a councillor should
leave the room and clerk would enquire whether any training sessions were to be made available
by CoYC to parish councils.
It was agreed to defer amending standing orders to reflect the changes in the Code of Conduct
until the September meeting.
Action: clerk
12/175
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Cllr de Vries declared personal interests in item 7d (planning application at York University),
and 10 (Heslington East) and a prejudicial interest in item 9 (Germany Beck)
Cllr Young declared personal interests in items 7d and 10 (York University)
Cllr Aspden made his standard declaration as a City Councillor, Ward Councillor, member of
Fulford in Bloom and Fulford Residents Association
12/176
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Cllrs. M Courcier and S Kenwright had sent apologies.
12/177
MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
12/162 Change wording in penultimate sentence as follows ‘details of the fund’ to ‘a news
item about the fund’
After making the above amendment the minutes of the meeting of full council held on
Monday 2nd July 2012 were confirmed as being a true and correct record of the proceedings
of the meetings and duly signed by the Chairman.
12/178
COUNCILLOR RESIGNATIONS AND VACANCIES
The Chairman reported with regret that he had now received letters of resignation from both
Chris Marshall and Jan Wilford. Appreciation had already been expressed to Cllr Marshall for
all his efforts both as a councillor for a number of years and latterly as chairman for a term.
The clerk was asked to write to Jan to express the council’s appreciation for all the hard work
that she had done on behalf of the council as a member of Open Spaces, Social Hall and
Cemetery working groups. The two vacancies had already been notified to Electoral Services.
Action: clerk
06 August 2012 Page 2
PARISHIONERS’ QUESTIONS
12/179
Tree in Delwood
A Parishioner reported to the council that there was a dead tree in Delwood which needed
dealing with before the winter as it was currently overhanging the electricity substation and the
garages. It was agreed to report this to the Arboriculturist at City of York Council and to ask for
the tree to be replaced.
Action: clerk
12/180
Litter bins
It was noted that the litter bin near Sir JJ Hunt Homes had now been replaced and a second bin
had been moved from Crossfield Crescent to outside the new convenience store west side of
Main Street. Cllr Aspden would be making a request for the resiting of the bin outside the Big
Bite.
12/181
Vodaphone pole and equipment
Cllr Aspden advised of a pre-application notification to replace a 17.5m pole with a 20m pole
and to provide a new cabinet which would be twice the width of the existing cabinet in
Heslington Lane. It was agreed to check the exact location.
Action: K Aspden
12/182
Police Crime Report for July
Violence (including domestic) 23,27th
Thefts (retail) 01,03,06,15,and 17, 18th
Theft (other) 14th
Theft of vehicle A19 TO Selby layby, broken down scooter stolen, 4th
Criminal damage 4,7,19th
Theft from vehicle, Naburn Lane 9th
Total 14
There were also 48 other incidents classed as non-crime.
12/183
A
PLANNING APPLICATIONS
New
1 Fulfordgate, York (12/02278/FUL)
Single storey side and rear extension, alterations to roof to create gable end and
dormer to rear for Dr Avtar Matharu
No objections
B
White House North, 14 Main Street, Fulford (12/02415/FUL)
Conservatory to rear (retrospective) for Mr. Richard Edmonson
No objections
C
White House North, 14 Main Street, Fulford (12/02418/LBC)
Internal and external alterations including conservatory to rear and removal of
walls (retrospective) for Mr. Richard Edmonson (Listed Building consent)
No objections
D
University of York, Heslington Parish (12/02306/FULM)
06 August 2012 Page 3
Proposed University Campus Lying Between Field Lane And Low Lane A64
Trunk Road And Hull Road York. Athletics track and closed road racing cycle
circuit with ancillary parking, lighting and fencing, and including re-routing of
public right of way.
At this stage in the proceedings Cllr de Vries left the room having previously declared her
personal interest.
It was understood that the Highways Agency had put a stop on this application for the
time being but that it might be considered by the Heslington East Forum in due
course. No comments to be sent at this stage.
Cllr de Vries returned to the meeting.
E
Decisions
Halcyon, 130 Main Street, Fulford (12/02011/TCA)
Various tree works including Fell Conifers (G1) (T1,T2), Pine (T3) and Birch
(T4) Trees in the Conservation Area
Permitted
F
1 Main Street, Fulford (12/02015/TPO)
Reduce long branch by 4m, crown lift by 3m, crown thin by 15% Ash (T1),
Crown lift by 4m, crown thin by 15% Ash (T2), Trees protected by Tree
Preservation Order 25/1986
Permitted
G
Fordlands Home, 1 Fordlands Road, Fulford (12/02016/DMNOT)
Prior notification of demolition of Fordlands Elderly Persons Home
Decision - Prior approval not required.
H
Fulford Vicarage, 1 Fulford Park (12/02135/TPO)
Crown clean, crown lift and crown reduce by 3m. Sycamore, Crown lift to give
2m clearance over garage, Horse chestnut. Trees protected by Tree Preservation
Order 3/1997
Permitted
I
38 Naburn Lane, Fulford (12/01795/FUL)
First floor side extension and dormer to rear
Approved
12/184
Planning – Other
A
Report of Planning working group
Notes of a meeting held on 1st August had been circulated. Notification had been received
that the demolition of Fordlands Road Elderly Persons Home did not require formal planning
06 August 2012 Page 4
consent but it was noted that the bat roost was not mentioned and Cllr Urmston agreed to speak
to the Case Officer to clarify this point. She had since learned that the Ecologist would be
handling the bat issues and would maintain contact with the parish council. The working
group had looked at the consultation on ‘Improvements on Policy and Legal Framework for
Public Rights of Way’ but it had been decided not to respond as there were no issues of
particular concern and the consultation was extensive and involved complicated legal issues.
A reply had been received from English Heritage which took the view that no additional
information which might refine or improve understanding of the significance of the heritage
asset (the site and archaeology of the Battle of Fulford) had yet been produced or confirmed,
and therefore there had been no change to the level of understanding about the application site
and the impact of the proposed works. The Inspector of Ancient Monuments for North
Yorkshire and the City of York had agreed to meet Chas. Jones on site in August. Cllr
Urmston agreed to draft a reply to English Heritage and seek a meeting if possible.
Action: MU/clerk
B
E-Planning facilities Task Group
Cllr Urmston and the clerk had attended a meeting at the Guildhall on 3rd August. This
meeting was very well attended by both parish councils and planning panels and flagged a lot
of problems which were to be presented to the Scrutiny Committee in September.
12/185
GERMANY BECK
At this stage in the meeting Cllr de Vries having already declared her prejudicial interest left the
room.
The council was informed that none of the applications were going to committee this month
and that the Planning Officer was still gathering information. It was noted that the City
Council was not in a position to request a community infrastructure levy but instead must rely
on the previously signed s106 agreement which could not be amended at this stage.
12/186
Heslington East Community Forum
Cllr de Vries remained outside of the meeting for this item having already declared her personal
interest.
It was agreed that Cllr Urmston join Cllr Clare as parish council representatives on this
group.
Cllr de Vries returned to the meeting.
12/187
A
SOCIAL HALL
Report from working group
No meeting of the Social Hall wg had taken place in the interim but Cllr Young reported that
the round window was due to be fitted within the next few weeks. Grant aid was still being
sought for a new replacement floor and its condition was being monitored. There were no
issues of concern requiring immediate action at this time.
Action: Clerk
06 August 2012 Page 5
B
Social Hall users for July
Day
Dates
Wed
Fri
4,11,18
6,13,20
10
3,10,17,24,3
S Corbally
S Corbally
Fishergate Women’s Institute
4
10,24
3,10,17,24,3
St John’s Ambulance
Silver Circle
1
Tues
1
Thurs 5,12,19,26
25
8,15
2,9,16,23
7,14,21
5,12,19,26
2,9,16,23,30
6
7
13
25
28
2
5
17
30
User
Tai Chi Class
Kumon Maths class
Main Hall
X
X
X
Library No.
hours
9
6
X
2
5
X
X
X
2
4
10
Kumon Maths class
Townswomen’s Guild
Korean School (education)
Mrs Rhodes, Yoga
J Freeman (ballet)
J Bailey (Zumba)
Aerobics class
York City Council
R Haxby (party)
A Ismail (party)
R Heath (music workshop)
N Hewitson
X
X
X
X
X
8
2.5
5
6
4.5
6
5
2
12
4.5
2
2
Total Hired hours
X
97.5
Free of Charge
Council meeting
Fulford Show
Fulford Show
Open Spaces working group
Total Free Hours
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Of
4
2
2
2
10
12/188 Open Spaces & Allotments
A
Report of Chair of Open Spaces WG
Report of Open Spaces wg meeting held on 30 July had been circulated prior to the meeting.
The wg was planning to carry out an audit of play areas and condition of equipment and it
was noted that the annual ROSPA report was due soon. A site had been identified for the
new exercise equipment and the wg would produce a plan so that the clerk could contact the
grass cutters to find out what distance was required between pieces of equipment in order to
facilitate grass cutting. It was noted that the allotments were being well tended at the
moment and criteria would be drawn up to define plot clearance. It was agreed to thank Jan
Wilford for all her hard work on the wg and to take up her kind offer to be an ex-officio
06 August 2012 Page 6
member. A notice was required for the pedestrian gate into the allotments which advised that
the allotments were private property and that there was no public right of way. The next
meeting of the Sports Club was on 14th August and Bryn said that he was planning to attend.
B
Village Green
A meeting had been arranged with Yorkshire Water and J N Bentley on 10th August at
2.30pm and Cllrs Bircher, Clare and Smith would attend.
Clerk was asked to speak to
CoYC and have the lock replaced on the barrier at the entrance to Landings Lane and to make
arrangements for the grass and hedges to be cut before the Fulford Show.
Action: clerk
C
Flooding issues on School Lane Field
At this point in the meeting Cllr Smith declared an interest as his son plays for Fulford
Juniors.
Clerk had received confirmation from Fulford School that if required the pump would be
activated but that when it was installed some years ago it was seen as a temporary installation
as an interim measure. Clerk was asked to write to the School Business Manager to thank her
for her reply and to ask her to explain the interim measure. It was noted that the field would
be in use for the Fulford Show.
Action: clerk
12/189
A
CEMETERY
Report of Cemetery Superintendent
Dear Mr. Chairman
There were 12 interments in the cemetery in the month of July.
Cemetery Receipts
£14,907.00
Social Hall Receipts £1,319.50
Allotment Receipts
£12.5
Petty cash balance as at July 1st =£104.95
Staff holidays 10 days
B
Proposal to purchase vehicle for cemetery
Proposals were considered to purchase a cemetery vehicle which would be mainly for the
collection of fuel as the Superintendent would no longer be in a position to collect in his own
car and indeed there was no requirement for him to do so. There would be no private use of a
cemetery vehicle and operational procedures would need to be agreed. It was noted that
some funds was available from the current machinery budget. It was agreed to ask CoYC for
an opinion and if they could offer any solution to the problem and Cllr Bircher agreed to draft
a letter.
Action: Cllr Bircher/clerk
12/190
QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT
The clerk had prepared figures to compare Income and Expenditure to budget for both the
general and the burial accounts. She said that the burial account had almost broken even
06 August 2012 Page 7
at the end of the first quarter and City of York had not been asked for any contribution.
There had been no unexpected large items from the general account. Income on general
account was in line with budget forecast.
12/191
A
CLERK’S AND MATTERS CONTINUING
Schedule of website changes
Details of councillor vacancies had been posted as a news item and member details amended
to reflect the recent resignations. Cllr Urmston had posted news items for Germany Beck and
the fighting fund. Cllr Bircher agreed to compose a separate web page for Germany Beck.
B
Notice Boards
It was resolved to accept revised quotation from Sign a Rama in the sum of £695 plus Vat for
supply and fitting of a new lockable parish council notice board on legs outside Fulford
Surgery.
Action: Clerk
C
Future of Ward Committee System
Clerk had been advised that due to recent changes in the Council budget parish councils
would no longer be eligible for Ward funding and therefore the application for the Social Hall
floor would not be considered.
Cllr Aspden advised that the Ward Committee had not agreed the new Community Contract
but had agreed to hold some informal meetings together with Heslington Ward to discuss
what type of contract might be acceptable to Parish Councils and Parishioners.’
D
Delivery and Innovation Fund initiative
Clerk had attended what had been described as a ‘Drop-in - Q & A session for parish
councils. This, however, was in the form of a meeting sitting around a table. The ‘Delivery
& Innovation Fund’ was making £1m available in 2012/13 and a further £1.5m in 2013/14 to
facilitate new and innovative ways of working and to support projects that change how the
council delivers services. Clerk would circulate the information and members were asked to
think of ideas and projects that might qualify for a grant for the next meeting. Action: All
E
Consultation
on
Parking
Fulfordgate/Heslington Lane.
Restrictions/yellow
lines
at
junction
of
Residents on the Fishergate side of Heslington Lane had already flagged some issues which
had been taken account of. It was agreed to leave it to residents to make comment if they had
any further concerns.
F
Flag raising days and responsibility.
A new flag had been purchased and it was agreed that it would be raised for the Fulford
Show. Responsibility for this would be with the Show organizers. Action: Clerk/K Aspden
06 August 2012 Page 8
G
Information on budgets and timescales for precept
Information had been circulated by the clerk prior to the meeting. GPC and Cemetery
Committee would meet in November to consider budgets for approval at the December
meeting. Working groups should consider their requirements and submit these to the clerk
before end of October. Budgets would hopefully be approved at the December meeting as the
precept request needed to be submitted in January.
H
Archiving and recording of council documents
Clerk had ascertained that the correct place to lodge parish council minutes was the Local
Studies Library at York which apparently already holds photocopies of minutes up to 1923.
12/192
A
CORRESPONDENCE
Consultation on CoYC Licensing Policy
This consultation was noted but no response was made.
B
Strategic Cycle Network Review – summer 2012
It was agreed to delegate a response to the Planning wg and to forward the information to the
Carstairs Trust whose land the proposed network crosses.
Action: clerk
C
Government consultation paper for proposed legislative reform order to reform
legislation on electronic payments by Parish Councils
The Council was in agreement with this initiative and agreed that the clerk would respond
favourably.
D
Letter from Fulford Community Sports Club meeting 14th August
This would be passed to Cllr Bircher who planned to attend the next meeting.
E
Electoral Review of the City of York (Local Government Boundary Commission)
Cllr Aspden provided further information. It was agreed to respond with reference to the
importance of the parish boundaries and the historic community which the council felt should
be more important than any administrative efficiencies. It would be especially vital for
Fulford to retain a Ward Councillor with the advent of the Germany Beck development.
Action: chair/clerk
F
Request from Fulford Flowers to provide flower sale service at Fulford Cemetery.
Cllr Young declared an interest and left the meeting at this point.
The council had previously been asked to consider planters advertising the flower shop but
the new proposal was for flower sales with honesty box to collect money. It was resolved to
deny this request.
06 August 2012 Page 9
12/193 GENERAL POWER OF COMPETENCE
The Chairman and the Clerk had attended a training course run by YLCA on 31st July. To
qualify the council must have a clerk who holds both the Cilca qualification including the
module on the GPoC and a qualification in Local Government Administration from the
University of Gloucester. It must also have two thirds elected membership which must be
valid at the annual meeting each year if a council was to retain the status. The General Power
of Competence gives parish councils the power to do anything that individuals generally may
do. They can do it “in any way whatever” and “anywhere in the UK or elsewhere”, “for a
commercial purpose or otherwise”, “for a charge or without a charge” and it “need not be for
the benefit of the authority, area or local people”.
12/194 APPROVAL OF WAGES AND ACCOUNTS (as circulated list)
The following wages and accounts were approved:Net Wages £9,591.63
Inland Revenue, PAYE & Nat. Insurance £2,492.69
NYPF superannuation £3,143.21
DPDS Consulting £1,057.20
Crockey Hill Lawnmowers £175.20
LGYH, annual subscription £237.74
SLCC £15.60
Came & Co. Insurance £25.00
Flagpole Express £80.64
Mrs. J Maycock, reimbursement cemetery fee £403.00
Cropwise, chemicals £233.66
Direct Debits
British Gas, S Hall electric £60.65
Cemetery electric £223.55
CoYC, council tax £450.00
Fuel Genie, June a/c £354.89
Orange, office phone & internet £40.56
Talk Talk, cemetery phone & internet £40.21
Petty cash, cemetery, piano tuning at S Hall £50.00
Office, postage £16.10
12/195 Items for next agenda
Changes to standing orders to reflect requirements of new code of conduct.
Resolution to make dispensation for SNK to continue as a councillor.
Frequency of meetings
Electoral review of the City of York
Delivery & Innovation Fund – to consider any ideas for applications.
Sports Club questions and lease amendments.
06 August 2012 Page 10
12/196 Date of Next Meeting/s
September full council – Monday 10th
Cemetery wg – 17th September
October full council– Monday 8th October
Open Spaces wg – 24th September - to be confirmed
Planning wg – to be confirmed
November full council – Tuesday 6th.
There being no further business the meeting was closed at 10.38pm
Minutes taken by
J M Fletcher, Clerk
Dated 07/08/2012