Burley Community Council

Minutes of the Committee Meeting held on 09 September 2004

Present: John Gundry(JG); Mike Harris(MH);Christine Hill (CH): Peter Jenkins(PJ); Caroline Jones(CJ); Clive Myatt(CM); John Sparshatt(JS); Tom Sumner(TS); Sylvia Tilford(ST).

In the chair: Bruce Speed(BS).

Also in attendance: Marjorie Hanbidge from the Chamber of Trade, PC Stuart Hudson and 3 residents. BS welcomed them all to the meeting

1. Apologies: John Horton(JH); Fergus Johnson(FJ);Ian Padley (IP);Richard Thompson(RT); Tony Thompson(TT); Mike Walker(MW);

2. Minutes of the last meeting: these were accepted as a correct record and were signed.

3. Matters arising not covered elsewhere on the agenda.

Item 3: BS has alerted Roger Charnley that the costs of producing the Handbook must be covered by the sale of advertising space and there can be no free entries.

Item 4 and 7: BCC comments about development land at Endor Crescent in relation to the Village Design Statement have been noted by Transportation, Design and Planning who have advised that we submit them during the statutory 6-week period during the autumn when the replacement UDP is published.

Handbook: a sub-group of MH, BS, JS and CJ was agreed to organize the revision of the Handbook and will have its first meeting on October 7^th.

Christmas market: some bookings have been taken.

4. Correspondence

BS reported:

He had written to Chris Leslie MP and the Policy Advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister asking for support and a favourable recommendation for the proposed parish council. The former has written to the ODPM to support the recommendation and the latter has acknowledged and noted the comments.
Receipt of: the Neighbourhood Forum dates up to July 2005 – 21^st October, 20^th June and 21^st April; and opportunities to find out about the Airedale Master Plan.
Invitation and booking forms for the Shipley Area Conference on 16^th October. This is relevant to the Parish Plan and BS will attend together with PJ and CJ.
Invitation to Rural Bradford Conference on 21^st October.
Copy of a letter to Jon Snow from the Joliba trust about the imminent threat of locust devastation of crops in Mali. The British Government has decided that locusts are no longer a problem and stopped funding for study and monitoring. BS has written to Chris Leslie MP to urge action through the relevant Minister.

5. Treasurer’s Business

MH circulated the BCC and BWCT joint Accounts Summary for the month. Where income is concerned there was little to report from this last month. With reference to expenditure he drew attention to:

The Roundhouse electricity payment. This was an estimated account and higher than expected – there will be a reduced payment in the next quarter.
The John Squire Garden invoice was paid on behalf of the memorial fund and this payment will be refunded
The Queen’s Hall booking fee for the meeting on January 15^th 2005 (see 6.2 below)

After taking into account the items of committed expenditure the BCC free funds currently stand at £16,501 and the Trust free funds at £4782

6. Current Issues

6.1 Police matters: (This item was brought forward and heard before Item 5) PC Stuart Hudson attended the meeting together with 3 residents . His main concern was to raise the matter of the telephone box in Grange Road. The residents who live near to the telephone presented letters and a petition from other residents for the removal of the box. As noted in earlier minutes BT had proposed removing this box but this had been opposed by the Ilkley Parish Council as it was seen to be important that this public service be retained. PC Hudson and the residents described to the meeting a number of long term problems associated with the box. It is used as a gathering point by a small group of young people whose behaviour is causing considerable stress to nearby residents especially in the late evenings. There is also frequent damage to cars and property in the vicinity of the telephone box eg 13 of the 33 reported instances of vehicle crime in the village this year have been in adjacent roads. The daily number of calls is very low from the phone although it is frequently out of use because of damage. The Committee were persuaded that the low use of the phone and the difficulties reported made the case for its removal. It was also felt, however, that while the problems reported could be relieved for the Grange Road residents they would probably move to another location in the village. The problems would be best tackled by a greater police presence in the village in the evenings. In the light of the Committee decision CJ, on behalf of the five BCC committee members who are also members of Ilkley Parish Council, would write to the Clerk to the Council withdrawing their earlier objection to the removal of this telephone box.. The residents welcomed the BCC decision and proposed action.

PC Hudson also provided some information on the launch of neighbourhood policing which will align staffing to wards across the division. There was a wish to involve communities more actively in police matters. Regular 3 weekly meetings will be held – the first in Ilkley on Thursday 14 October and will be opened by the Chief Inspector. Meetings will rotate between Ilkley, Burley and Menston. CH will attend the first meeting. PC Hudson and residents left after this item

6.2 Burley House Field. JG reported that revised witness statements had been produced and sent to our barrister. He had requested some further detail in the statements and some amendments in the style of presentation plus photographs from those witnesses whose houses overlook the field. Revised statements have been produced and would be signed over the weekend. Further letters from residents, especially those who overlook the field were also requested. A letter was distributed to all residents who overlook the Field or who live close to it and some responses have been received. Our revised evidence has to be with the Inspector by September 15^th.

6.3 Parish Plan: The sub-group has met and will meet again on September 14^th. A bazaar will be held on 15^th January where all association in the village can have stalls. The event will form part of the consultation for the Parish Plan. A short consultation questionnaire will be circulated with the October Bulletin and the Plan will be discussed at the October Forum. As the Bulletin goes only to residents the questionnaire will also need to be distributed to non-residents who have businesses or run organizations in the village. The Parish Plan will need to be ready by April 2005.

6.4 Disability Access: The Act comes into force on October 1st. This applies to service providers and therefore, to any activities offered by BCC to the community. These include the website, coffee in the Roundhouse, monthly coffee mornings etc. Reflection on the extent to which we are already compliant with the Act will be initiated and any required changes identified and the matter will go on to the October Forum agenda.

6.5 October Neighbourhood Forum

BS has met with Chris Flecknoe (CF) about the agenda. Items to date are:

Parish council for Burley process update;

Burley Parish Plan;
Housing advice services
Burley House Field;
UDP;
Projects: progress on the Village Green water feature; Corn Mill Pond; Scalebor sports facilities etc
Safer Routes to School . Traffic Engineer on changes to Langford Lane.
Disability Access
Open Forum and Feedback
Street Scene

BS, MH and ST will meet later in the month to generate the Burley Bulletin

7. Reports from Sub-committees

7.1 Local Government: Parish Plan covered above

7.2 Planning: No report

7.3 SCAPAG No meeting to report. The next is on November 3^rd at Wilsden Village Hall. CH will attend.

7.4 Projects. TS reported on the progress of the work on the village green water feature. A large hole had now been dug and a small number of trees removed. The pipes would be laid on Monday September 13^th. Quotes for electricity have been received from Yorkshire Electricity. The lead time for connection is 8-9 weeks which will be acceptable within the programme of work. The nearby shrubs, which as reported earlier have been earmarked for removal have now been take up. It was proposed that TS provide a list of other projects - other than those initiated by BCC - which he is working on in the village.

7.4 Ilkley Parish Council Minutes. Three matters were noted from the Minutes of the 5^th and 19^th July:

i.A Minute from Ilkley Parish Council implied that that the Skateboarding Bye Law would be implemented for Burley unless BCC objected. Parish Councillors on the Committee were reminded that both the BCC Committee and the last Forum felt that, as there were no current problems, a bye-law would be inappropriate. The matter would be one for a Burley Parish Council to decide in future.

ii. the award of £15.000 to the Youth Forum for a junior skateboard park;

iii to leave resolution of the matter relating to land at Peel Place until a decision on the parish split has been reached.

7.5 Website: The site continues to develop satisfactorily and any modifications to comply with the Disability Access legislation will be implemented as soon as practicable e.g colour, fonts and layout of pages.

7.6 Road Safety: no report

7.7 Round Table. Nothing to report

7.8 WRUG. Nothing to report

8. Any other business

BCC Coffee Morning is on September 18^th. BS is unable to attend. CJ offered to look after the BCC stall.
Litter bins have been offered by Ilkley Parish Council
Christmas Lights switch on. Dominic Hanbidge can be contacted with reference to PA system.
BMDC is undertaking a consultation on public footpaths and has circulated a flier.
Further to communication in the Ilkley Gazette and a letter received from Mr Ben Plummer JS clarified the information on village support for the proposed bridge in Burley – the survey undertaken in 2000

9. Date of the next meeting: Thursday October 14^th at 7.30pm in the Roundhouse

The meeting closed at 9.15pm

Sylvia Tilford, Hon Secretary