04/06/2024
Crosby Garrett Parish Meeting
Monday 3rd June at 7pm in Village Hall
Minutes
Present
Officers: Richard Sewell (Chair), Elizabeth Allonby (Vice Chair), Marilyn Tinkler (Clerk), Tony Wadding (RFO)
Electors: B Christie, J Christie, D Witterick, J Brunskill, Rev J Wright ,I Allonby, A Peart, S Tinkler, M Todd, J Tyson, S Saunders, L Handley, L Young, N Morley, W Raine, J Morley
Other: John Murray (Westmorland and Furness Councillor [Kirkby Stephen and Tebay])
1. Apologies for absence and Chair’s welcome
1.1 Apologies: K Robinson, E Robinson, C Tyrer, S Todd
2. Approval of minutes from last meeting
Proposed: Dawn Witterick
Seconded: Bradley Christie
Approved with no objections
3. Officers Reports on updates and matters arising
3.1 Chair:
The Chair provided an update on actions outstanding from the November 2023 minutes. Ian Allonby has ordered the Duke of Edinburgh Plaque and it will be erected in the near future. Chair has not yet had the opportunity to review the Parish Meeting Archive held in safe keeping in the Village Hall but hopes to be able to do so in due course. Chair had contacted Network Rail in response to the to barrier safety brought up by Geoffrey Clapham who suggested that is was not their responsibility, so may be responsibility of those who use the track to access land, ownership queried by Martin re Lord of manor, Chair will follow up. There had been no opportunity to progress the Village Well initiative, Stuart provided an update, budget allocation to be reviewed at November precept meeting. RFO purchased new child cradle swing seat and this was fitted by Stuart free of charge. Stuart updated the meeting on the state of the tiles surrounding the play equipment and suggested they were coming to end of life and may have sustain some damage from fallen tree branch. Chair thanked Stuart and Dan Young for the additional voluntary work they done in response to the playground inspection report. Chair thanked everyone for grass cutting efforts in the village and was pleased to see some areas being left for bees and other wildlife.
3.2 Responsible Finance Officer [RFO]:
The RFO reported that the 2023-2024 Annual Governance and Accountability Return had been prepared, that an Internal Audit had been undertaken by Martin Todd and thanked Martin for his efforts. Westmorland & Furness Council had deposited the 2024-2025 precept in to the Parish Meeting bank account. The Parish Meeting had switched insurance supplier for 2024-2025 from Aviva to Zurich Municipal, this provided a small annual saving for the same level of cover.
3.3 Clerk:
The Clerk reminded the meeting that updates and matters arising were posted on the Parish Meeting, Village Community and Village Hall pages.
4. Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2023-2024
The RFO updated the meeting on progress and that this meeting need to approve the Annual Governance statement, the Annual Accounting statement and the Certificate of Exemption from an external audit.
4.1 Annual Governance
Proposed by Bradley Christie, seconded by Ian Allonby, no objections
4.2 Annual Accounting Statement
Proposed by Ian Allonby, seconded by Alison Peart, no objections
4.3 Certificate of Exemption
Proposed by Bradley Christie, seconded by Stuart Saunders, no objections
5. Crosby Garrett Relief In Need Charity
Alison provided the meeting with an update on progress. A mandate has been secured on the Barclays account, contact details were now up to date and Alison and Heather Harper were the authorised signatories. Alison has made good progress with the CCLA account and hopes to secure a mandate on this in the near future. Work is progressing on the M&G Charities account but this is proving more challenging, Ian Allonby had been contacted by Linda Rayment and Ian will pass on M&G correspondence to Alison. Once all three account mandates have been secured the Trustees will meet to discuss the next steps.
Parish Meeting thanked Alison and Heather for their work.
6. Land Registry Search [Playground Land Ownership]
Chair had undertaken a Land Registry search but drew a blank suggesting the land may not have changed hands since the new land registry system came in to place. A process of deduction pointed towards Westmorland & Furness Council being the likeliest owners. John Murray noted that there are lots of areas in the towns and villages where land ownership was uncertain. John took an action to try and ascertain if Westmorland & Furness Council was the owner of the land.
7. Playground Refurbishment Project [Update]
Judith Christie provided an update, noting that Jo Morley and Sarah Dunning had come on board and that they now had prices to replace or refurbish the play area but the ambiguity over the land ownership meant they could not move forward at this time.
A general discussion then took place, Bill suggested that the land was claimed by Village Hall, but Dawn thought it would put unnecessary strain on Village Hall resources, John Murray suggested leasing the land if the Council took ownership, which would provide a legal entity. Currently the Parish Meeting take responsibility for safety and maintenance for the area for the benefit of the parish.
8. Village Notice Board
Chair raised an issue of a damaged door on the Notice Board. Stuart had repaired it, but because its made from aluminium, it is prone to bending. Tony took an action to see where it was purchased from and if replacement parts are available.
9. D-Day Celebrations
£200 was set aside in the 2024-2025 precept to help with the village D-Day celebrations. Brad updated the meeting on preparations, turn out for the planning meeting the Village Hall organised was disappointing. Current plans are for an ecumenical service at St Andrews on the Saturday morning with an afternoon tea and pub night later in the day. Ian Allonby has purchased a wreath for £35 to be laid as part of the service and this will be funded from the £200 with the remaining monies being used to help the Village Hall fund decorations, children's entertainment and catering.
10. Play Park Oak tree
The Play Park oak tree dropped a large bough during recent heavy rain. The meeting was updated on the progress has been made following the incident and the Parish Meeting thanked Stuart, Bradley and Dan for their efforts in securing the area, clearing the fallen branches and organising surveys. Brad read out, in full, the report from the Arborist along with an email from the Yorkshire Dales National Park Trees & Woodlands Officer. Tony updated the meeting regarding the insurance claim, the insurer had offered £800 and Tony noted that the Parish Meeting was not VAT registered and has asked if the insurer will pay the full amount of £960 quoted in the Arborist report, we are currently awaiting the insurers response.
A general discussion then took place to establish how the village would like to proceed. Stuart wanted to minute his disagreement with certain aspects of the report, stating that the tree had lost three boughs, that he felt it still posed a risk to the chapel and that the work proposed in the Arborist report risked the tree dying due because of sever shock and that further boughs could still be lost even after any remedial work. The meeting consensus was that the remedial work proposed in the Arborist report should be implemented by Northern Arb Ltd and that a request made for a copy of their Public Liability certificate. This was proposed by Alison Peart and seconded by Ian Allonby and will now be progressed once the insurance claim is finalised.
11. Resignation of clerk to Parish Meeting
Resignation of Clerk to Parish Meeting was accepted, Nick Morley agreed to stand and a formal handover will take place between Marilyn and Nick in the coming weeks.
12. Election of Parish meeting Officers/Fitness to Continue
Chair and Responsible Finance Officer are both willing to stand for a further year, Nick agreed to replace Marilyn as clerk to the Parish Meeting.
Proposed by Martin Todd, seconded by Bradley Christie
13. Close Of Meeting
Meeting closed at 20:25
