CARLETONINCRAVEN PARISH COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2019 2020 CHAIRMAN’S

CARLETONINCRAVEN PARISH COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2019 2020 CHAIRMAN’S






CARLETON-IN-CRAVEN PARISH COUNCIL







Carleton-in-Craven Parish Council



Annual Report



2019 - 2020



















CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE


2019/20 ANNUAL REPORT


This is my second report as the Chair of Carleton-in-Craven Parish Council. I took on the role in 2018 and it has been a pleasure to continue to serve as Chair with the support of my fellow councillors.


I have been helped by the Clerk to the Parish Council, John Preston, who has guided me over the last few months. He has, as always, performed the duties of clerk to a high standard offering support and advice to the councillors in difficult circumstances.


This has been a difficult time for everyone with the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic. There were many annual events in the village that support both the Umbrella Group and St Mary’s Church, and these were well supported. We have now seen the virtual lockdown of village facilities including the Village Hall and the Swan public house. People have been self-isolating, and I feel that it is a fact that we are in a strong community and that people are able to move on with support from each other.


There have been a number of planning issues this year and, once again, we were able to put forward our comments on these. We have not been able to meet face to face as a parish council, but our work goes on remotely.


The parish council was unable to agree with Craven District Council on the plans for sustainable housing on the parish land behind the shop. This is a rather neglected site and as there was no way that we could build the proposed bungalows we now want to see how we will use this site. There has been a suggestion for a community garden, and this may well fit into the plans for Carleton in Bloom. Sadly, this may well not happen this year given the lockdown.


I look forward to the next twelve months and working with my fellow councillors towards ensuring that Carleton is a vibrant, exciting and safe place to live.


Philip Holmes


Philip Holmes, Chairman.











ABOUT THE PARISH COUNCIL


Carleton-in-Craven Parish Council is part of the three tiers of local government which comprise parish/town council, district and county council. There are seven councillors elected every four years. Vacancies between elections are normally filled through a co-option procedure. Councillors are unpaid but have the services of a part time (30.3 hours per month) Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer (Parish Clerk).


POWERS


The Parish Council has a wide range of powers which it can exercise but not all are appropriate to a parish of this size.


FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES


The various functions of local government in England are carried out by different levels of organisation. In Yorkshire, the parish council is the “third tier” of local government – the grass roots of local democracy. Parish councils play a significant role in the local community.


Carleton-in-Craven falls within an area administered by the Craven District Council. It, in turn, falls within an area administered by the North Yorkshire County Council.


All of these organisations have different responsibilities. Although all are part of the local government system and enjoy close working relationships, each organisation is an independent and autonomous statutory authority in its own right.


The duties of the Parish Council – the functions it must carry out – are limited. But its powers - the areas where discretion to act if it chooses – are wide. As well as taking direct action in a number of areas, the Parish Council responds to many consultation papers from other bodies and agencies on matters of importance to local residents and businesses. In addition, councillors are appointed to represent the Council on a number of local and district organisations. Since its inception, the Parish Council has assumed responsibility from the Craven District Council for a number of activities and services. It also addresses many issues and problems and undertakes appropriate action.





PARISH COUNCIL SERVICES


Recreation Ground


Co-ordinates and manages a village recreation ground for young children. Employs an overlooker to inspect the equipment and remove litter on a weekly basis.


Communication


Publishes agendas, minutes, reports and other activities on the parish council website (www.carletonincravenpc.org.uk) and parish council and public notice boards. Produces an Annual Report.


Consultation


Reviews information and comments on a wide range of issues affecting the village.


Planning


Comments on local and strategic plans, local planning applications and tree work applications.


Environment


Employs a lengthman to undertake local road sweeping and litter collecting and engages the services of a contractor to cut the grass at various locations in the parish. (Supplementary to that of the Craven District and North Yorkshire County Councils).


Amenity Areas


Provides and maintains four amenity areas within the parish together with a number of public seats.


Grants


Awards small grants, upon written application, to local organisations and groups to help support local activities and services.


Charities


Administers the Poor’s Field and Parkinson’s Charities in conjunction with the vicar of St Mary’s Church.


FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES


The annual precept has to cover all the expenses of the parish. This includes the salary of the part time Parish Clerk, the Lengthman and the Recreation Ground Overlooker plus the services of the grass cutting contractor and all other repairs and maintenance, administrative overheads etc. In addition, the Parish Council engages in activities which improve upon the standard maintained by the district and county councils.


The Parish Council also supports other items and activities which it considers of benefit to the village. It does this on an ad hoc basis on receipt of a written request. This includes the awarding of small grants to local voluntary organisations.


The Council’s finances are subjected to scrutiny each year by both internal and external auditors. The internal audit normally takes place in May of each year. The results of this audit are then submitted to a designated external auditor for scrutiny (customarily in June) together with an Annual Governance and Return (AGAR). This process is well publicised and relevant notices are published in the Council’s public notice box and website.


In December, the Parish Council approved a budget and precept for the next financial year (2020 – 2021) for the sum of £19660, the same as in the previous year.


Financial Statement and Draft Unaudited Income and Expenditure Accounts


In the past financial year (1 April 2019 – 31 March 2020), income totalled £22408 and expenditure £17324, leaving a surplus of £5084. This compares to the previous financial year when there was a surplus of £853.


Current net assets amount to £5084 which reflects an increase of £4231 over the previous financial year.


The draft and unaudited Income and Expenditure accounts for the year ending 31 March 2020 are shown below. Once the AGAR is received from the External Auditor – normally around September, the audited accounts are displayed in Council’s notice box and the members of the public are encouraged to review them and make formal representations to the Parish Council about any aspect of the accounts.



Unaudited Draft Accounts £


Income Expenditure


Brought forward 853 General Admin 7520

Precept 19660 Amenity Areas 3175

VAT Refund 1788 Recreation Ground 2503

Interest 12 Street Cleaning 654

NYCC (Splay cuts) 82 Street Lighting 1014

Sub refunds 13 Section 137 Grants 1900

VAT 558

Total 22408 17324


Surplus (Deficit) on the year 5084


Current Assets £


Barclays Bank Business Savings Account. 5084





CONTACT THE PARISH COUNCIL


The Parish Council consists of seven elected members who undertake their responsibilities on an unpaid voluntary basis as well as a part time Parish Clerk who administers the activities of the Council from his home. There is no formal Council Office with established office hours.


Members of the public are invited to contact the Council, through the Parish Clerk who works from the following address :- John W. Preston, 18, Beech Hill Road, Carleton-in-Craven, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 3EN. Telephone 01756 795435 email [email protected]


Members Contact Details (All Carleton-in-Craven)


NIGEL BROWN 14 Chapel House Mews, 01756 799447.

[email protected]


SARAH CHURCHER 4, St Mary’s Green,

[email protected]

PHILIP HOLMES 12, Chapel House Mews, 01756 794226

( Chairman) [email protected]


ROBERT MASON Carla Beck Farm, 01756 794843

[email protected]


JOHN WATERHOUSE

(Vice Chairman) 7, St Mary’s Green, 01756 799861.

[email protected]


NICK CLAYTON-STEAD Park House, Park Lane.

[email protected]


ANGELA DOWBIGGIN 5, Beech Hill Road. [email protected]

Part-time employees of the PC. are :- Lengthman - Vacant and Recreation Ground Overlooker – Mrs Lesley Day.



Meetings are usually held on the last Wednesday of every month (not July and December) and members of the public may attend and take part during a special 15 minute period prior to the start of the meeting where they may raise and discuss matters appertaining to themselves and/or the Parish. Meetings are held in the Village Hall (committee room) and commence at 7.30 pm. Once the PC. meeting proper commences, only PC. members may speak but members of the public may remain in the meeting to observe the business being conducted if they so wish.




COUNCIL ACTIVITIES 2019 – 2020


Planning applications received during the year were once again generally of a minor nature and were dealt with by the Planning Sub-Committee under the chairmanship of Cllr. Brown. Altogether, the PC. received 16 planning applications for building work such as new build, extensions, conservatories, conversions, insertion of extra windows, change of use etc. and 2 applications for tree work (23 and 3 respectively in the previous year).


Three new build applications received considerable interest, two of which were on green field sites. The application for eight timber lodges on land to the northeast of Carla beck farm was fiercely fought throughout the year and was eventually refused permission. An application for six dwellings on a brown field site to the south of Carla Beck Lane was granted planning permission with seventeen conditions whilst an application for five dwellings on a green field site also to the south of Carla Beck Lane and adjoining the six dwelling site was refused planning permission.


The Carleton Community Land Trust was formed to oversee the building of two bungalows on the Parish Council owned amenity area at New Street. Unfortunately, the site was deemed to be too small for development by the CDC. and with no other land available, the Trust has been abandoned.


The refurbished recreation ground has continued to be well used by the children of the village but is currently closed due to the Covid-19 Lockdown imposed by the Government to prevent the spread of the virus.


The Parish Council gave its support to the new Carleton in Bloom Group that had been formed to improve the look of the village and its surrounding area. The Covid-19 situation has unfortunately curtailed any activity for the time being.


Dog fouling remains a problem in certain areas of the village and the Parish Council would welcome details of anyone regularly allowing their dog to foul in the village by contacting the Clerk of the Parish Council or the CDC. Dog Warden. Free dog waste bags are available from the Post Office and the General Store and the Pharmacy on West Road. A dog bag dispenser has been purchased and will be installed on Dead Lane near the recreation ground.


The winter weather this year has been much kinder to the roads in the parish with the absence of any keen frosts so pot holes have not increased in number. The almost continual rain from September to March ensured that Heslaker lane, Pale Lane and Limehouse Lane were flooded on numerous occasions with the usual crop of abandoned cars that cannot negotiate five feet of water. Roadside walls on Limehouse Lane were victims of the flooding and occasional high winds and are currently being rebuilt by the NYCC.


The campaign to re-open the Skipton to Colne railway line has been beset by changes to Government personnel and various bodies in the north of England such as Northern Powerhouse Rail.


Grant Shapps, the Secretary of State at the Department for Transport is now awaiting a further feasibility study (originally commissioned by Chris Grayling) on the case for the reinstatement of line and the proposed next steps. This will inform the Government’s decision as to whether a reinstatement scheme should progress to the next “develop” stage of the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline.



John W. Preston,

Clerk to the Parish Council,

April 2020.






(This Report consists of 8 pages)






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