Author: clerktohuqpc

Notice of Councillor vacancy

NOTICE OF VACANCY IN OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR

PARISH OF HARTINGTON UPPER QUARTER (West Ward)

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN

that a casual vacancy has arisen in the Office of Councillor for Hartington Upper Quarter Parish Council (West Ward)

If by 14 days, excluding Dies Non, after the date of this notice a request for an election to fill said vacancy is made in writing to the Returning Officer at the address below by TEN electors for the said Parish, an election will be held to fill the said vacancy, otherwise the vacancy will be filled by co-option.

Dated  1 October 2025

Andrew Stokes

Returning Officer

Buxton Town Hall

Market Place

Buxton

SK17 6EL

Meeting minutes, September 2025

Please see minutes 3rd Sep 2025

____________________________________________

Document referred to in minute 15b:

DRAFT Memorandum of Understanding

Parties:

Hartington Upper Quarter Parish Council, of Parish Hall, Brandside, Buxton, Derbyshire SK17 0SF (“the Council”); and

Matthew Pilmoor and Katherine Temperley, owners of School House, Brandside, Buxton, Derbyshire SK17 0SF (“the Owner”).

1. Purpose

1(a) This Memorandum of Understanding (“MoU”) records a non-binding and informal understanding between the parties in relation to the shared use, care, maintenance and emptying of the septic tank and its associated drainage system located adjacent to their respective properties. It is expressly not intended to create legal relations or constitute a legally enforceable contract.

2. Background

2(a) The septic tank is located on property owned by the Council and is used jointly by both parties.

3. Principles of Cooperation

Inspection and Maintenance

3(a) The system shall be visually inspected no less frequently than once every six calendar months by either party.

3(b) Any inspection revealing matters requiring action shall be submitted in writing to the Council within seven days of the inspection and shall be discussed and recorded in the minutes of the next public meeting of the Parish Council.

3(c) Any emptying of the system or remedial works required on Council land shall be instructed by the Council.

3(d) Routine maintenance and emptying costs shall be shared equally between the parties, with each party bearing one-half of the cost.

3(e) No work incurring costs shall be commenced, other than in an emergency, unless both parties have agreed in writing to the estimated cost of that work in advance.

3(f) Where any party commissions work without such prior agreement, other than in an emergency, that party shall be solely responsible for the resulting cost.

3(g) If a problem is clearly and demonstrably caused by misuse or improper connection by one party, that party shall bear full responsibility for all reasonable costs incurred, including any environmental or regulatory penalties.

Usage Restrictions

3(h) No vehicles shall be permitted to park on, pass over, or be stationed within the immediate vicinity of the septic tank, its drainage field, or any associated infrastructure, so as to avoid structural damage, or interference with its proper functioning.

3(i) The Council agrees to avoid permitting camping or organised overnight occupation within seven [7] metres of the septic tank, in line with safe practice and applicable Building Regulations.

3(j) Neither party shall obstruct access required for inspection or maintenance of the system.

Pipework Responsibility and Insurance

3(k) Each party is responsible for all pipework serving their own property, including connections crossing land owned by the other party.

3(l) The Council shall ensure that all parts of the system located on its land are properly covered by public liability insurance.

4. Withdrawal

4(a) Either party may withdraw from this Memorandum at any time by informing the other party in writing. While no notice period is required, the parties agree that, where practicable, reasonable notice and explanation will be provided as a courtesy.

5. Status of Document

5(a) This document does not constitute a legally binding contract and shall not affect or limit any legal rights held by either party, including those arising under existing title deeds or conveyances.

6. Entire Understanding

6(a) This MoU constitutes the entire understanding between the parties in relation to the septic tank system and supersedes any prior informal arrangements.

7. No Legal Effect

7(a) This MoU is intended solely as a statement of mutual understanding and cooperation and is not intended to create, nor shall it be construed as creating, any legally enforceable rights, obligations, or liabilities on the part of either party.

8. No Waiver of Legal Rights

8(a) Nothing in this Memorandum shall be construed as waiving, limiting, or varying the legal rights, interests, or remedies available to either party under their respective title deeds, at common law, or under statute.

9. No Creation of Easement by This Memorandum

9(a) This Memorandum does not itself create a legal easement, right of way, or other proprietary interest in land. Nothing in this document shall be construed as preventing either party from asserting such rights on the basis of separate legal grounds, including prescription or necessity.

10. Signatories

Signed:
____________________________________________

Document referred to in minute 15d:

Campsite Management Policy

Hartington Upper Quarter Parish Council allows its land to be used as a temporary campsite for educational purposes, at the Council’s discretion. This Policy reflects the Parish Council’s commitment to providing a safe and well-managed environment for all who use our camping area.

 1. Purpose

This Policy is designed to ensure the well-being and safety of all persons using the camping area adjacent to Brandside Parish Hall; the boundaries of the camping area are shown on the map at Appendix 1 to this Policy. The Policy provides guidelines and procedures to prevent accidents, minimise risks and respond effectively to emergencies.

 2. Scope

This policy applies to all councillors, staff, contractors, visitors and volunteers using the camping area adjacent to Brandside Parish Hall. It also applies to use of the Parish Hall facilities by those camping within that camping area.

3. Emergency Procedures

3.1. Emergency Contacts

3.1.1. Emergency contact numbers will be clearly displayed in the main entrance lobby of the Parish Hall, including local emergency services, medical facilities, and site management personnel.

3.1.2. The location of the designated meeting point for emergency evacuations will be clearly displayed in the main entrance lobby of the Parish Hall.

3.2. First Aid Provision

3.2.1. A regularly-maintained First Aid kit will always be available and visible in the entrance hall of the Parish Hall.

3.2.2. The site will normally be unstaffed during camping activity by visitors, so those visitors must ensure in advance that their group includes sufficient designated trained persons to provide First Aid assistance when required.

4. Risk Assessments and Site Inspections

4.1. Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment

4.1.1. A written risk assessment, addressing identified hazards and suitable mitigations in both the camping area and the Parish Hall (and thoroughly reviewed at the start of each calendar year, and more often if necessary), will be available to all users of the camping area.

4.1.2. The Parish Clerk will ensure that all necessary mitigations identified by the risk assessment are implemented to a satisfactory standard.

4.2. Regular Inspections

The camping area and the Parish Hall will be the subject of ongoing regular inspections to identify potential hazards, maintenance needs, or areas requiring improvement.

5. Site-specific Health & Safety requirements for the camping area adjacent to Brandside Parish Hall

5.1. Pitch Spacing

5.1.1. A minimum distance of 6 metres must always be maintained between each tent, to prevent the spread of fire and to give adequate emergency access. The area between the tents should be not be used for storage of any objects.

5.1.2. A minimum distance of 2 metres must always be maintained between each tent and any walls, fences or hedges which are adjacent.

5.1.3. No tent must be pitched within 7 metres of the underground septic tank located within the camping area.

5.2. Fire requirements

5.2.1. Any necessary documentation re action to be taken in the event of fire will be brought to the attention of all users of the camping area.

5.2.2. All users of the camping area must comply with a Public Spaces Protection Order made by High Peak Borough Council which restricts the lighting of fires and barbecues – see https://www.highpeak.gov.uk/media/10279/High-Peak-Wildfires-PSPO/pdf/kaHP_PSPO_Wildfires_2025.pdf?m=1751985709653

6. Guidelines and Procedures for Recreational Activities

Any guidelines and/or safety procedures for visitors engaging in recreational activities within the camping area will be advised to visitors before their visit commences.

7. Vehicular access to the camping area adjacent to Brandside Parish Hall

Vehicular access from the highway to the camping area exists only via land owned by others, over which access rights do not necessarily exist. Users of the camping area should therefore not take vehicles onto it.

 8. The Parish Council’s neighbours

8.1. Noise

Immediately adjacent to the Parish Hall is a private residential dwelling. Users of the camping area must therefore understand the need to keep noise to an absolute minimum between the hours of 10pm and 7am. At all other times, unnecessary noise (such as loud playing of music) is not permitted.

8.2. Lights

All lights in the Parish Hall (except lights in the toilets and the hallway lights) must be turned off before going to bed, so that unnecessary lighting does not disturb our neighbours.

9. Removal of rubbish

Users of the camping area are expected, on departure, to remove all rubbish from site, and to leave the site in the condition in which they found it.

 10. Communication

The Parish Clerk will ensure that all information required by this Policy, and any other necessary information, is provided in a timely way to each group of visitors using the camping area.

11. Policy Review

11.1. Regular Review

This Policy will be reviewed annually to ensure its effectiveness, compliance with relevant laws and regulations, and alignment with known best practices, so as to further improve visitor safety and ensure a secure environment.

11.2. Incident Reporting and Feedback

All users of the camping area are strongly encouraged to report incidents, hazards, or suggestions for improvement promptly to the Parish Clerk, so as to further improve visitor safety and ensure a secure environment.

(End)

We are seeking new councillors to join us – please apply!

HARTINGTON UPPER QUARTER PARISH COUNCIL

VACANCIES for PARISH COUNCILLORS

Two vacancies currently exist for Councillors on Hartington Upper Quarter Parish Council – one to represent East Ward and one to represent West Ward. (The Council has six seats in total, three for each Ward.)

Under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972, it is proposed to co-opt suitable persons into these vacancies, and so expressions of interest from potential co-optees over 18 years of age are welcome.

Applicants must (a) reside in the Parish or within 3 miles of the Parish boundary or (b) occupy as owner or tenant any land or premises within the Parish or (c) have their principal place of work within the Parish.

The Council meets monthly, usually on a Wednesday evening in Brandside.

To obtain more information, or to apply, please contact Peter Leppard, Clerk to the Council (07860 624453 or clerk@huq-pc.org)

Please note that previous applicants will not be considered unless they submit a further application in accordance with this Notice.

The closing date for applications is Tuesday 26 August.  We look forward to hearing from you.

 

Peter Leppard, Clerk to the Council

21 July 2025

 

 

Notice of public rights, accounts for yr ended 31-3-25

Hartington Upper Quarter Parish Council

NOTICE OF PUBLIC RIGHTS AND PUBLICATION OF ANNUAL GOVERNANCE & ACCOUNTABILITY RETURN (EXEMPT AUTHORITY)

ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 Sections 25, 26 and 27

The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/234)

NOTICE
1. Date of announcement 3 July 2025

2. Each year the smaller authority prepares an Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR).  The AGAR has been published with this notice. It will not be reviewed by the appointed auditor, since the smaller authority has certified itself as exempt from the appointed auditor’s review.

Any person interested has the right to inspect and make copies of the AGAR, the accounting records for the financial year to which it relates and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records must be made available for inspection by any person interested. For the year ended 31 March 2025, these documents will be available on reasonable notice by application to:

Peter Leppard, Parish Clerk, clerk@huq-pc.org

commencing on Friday 4 July 2025

and ending on Friday 15 August 2025

3. Local government electors and their representatives also have:

·         The opportunity to question the appointed auditor about the accounting records; and

·         The right to make an objection which concerns a matter in respect of which the appointed auditor could either make a public interest report or apply to the court for a declaration that an item of account is unlawful. Written notice of an objection must first be given to the auditor and a copy sent to the smaller authority.

The appointed auditor can be contacted at the address in paragraph 4 below for this purpose between the above dates only.

4. The smaller authority’s AGAR is only subject to review by the appointed auditor if questions or objections raised under the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 lead to the involvement of the auditor.  The appointed auditor is:

PKF Littlejohn LLP (Ref: SBA Team)

15 Westferry Circus

Canary Wharf

London E14 4HD

(sba@pkf-l.com)

5. This announcement is made by: Peter Leppard, Parish Clerk

LOCAL AUTHORITY ACCOUNTS: A SUMMARY OF YOUR RIGHTS

The basic position

The Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 (the Act) governs the work of auditors appointed to smaller authorities. This summary explains the provisions contained in Sections 26 and 27 of the Act. The Act and the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 also cover the duties, responsibilities and rights of smaller authorities, other organisations and the public concerning the accounts being audited.

As a local elector, or an interested person, you have certain legal rights in respect of the accounting records of smaller authorities. As an interested person you can inspect accounting records and related documents. If you are a local government elector for the area to which the accounts relate you can also ask questions about the accounts and object to them. You do not have to pay directly for exercising your rights. However, any resulting costs incurred by the smaller authority form part of its running costs. Therefore, indirectly, local residents pay for the cost of you exercising your rights through their council tax.

The right to inspect the accounting records

Any interested person can inspect the accounting records, which includes but is not limited to local electors. You can inspect the accounting records for the financial year to which the audit relates and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records. You can copy all, or part, of these records or documents. Your inspection must be about the accounts, or relate to an item in the accounts. You cannot, for example, inspect or copy documents unrelated to the accounts, or that include personal information (Section 26 (6) – (10) of the Act explains what is meant by personal information). You cannot inspect information which is protected by commercial confidentiality. This is information which would prejudice commercial confidentiality if it was released to the public and there is not, set against this, a very strong reason in the public interest why it should nevertheless be disclosed.

When smaller authorities have finished preparing accounts for the financial year and approved them, they must publish them (including on a website). There must be a 30 working day period, called the ‘period for the exercise of public rights’, during which you can exercise your statutory right to inspect the accounting records. Smaller authorities must tell the public, including advertising this on their website, that the accounting records and related documents are available to inspect. By arrangement you will then have 30 working days to inspect and make copies of the accounting records. You may have to pay a copying charge. The 30 working day period must include a common period of inspection during which all smaller authorities’ accounting records are available to inspect. This will be 1-14 July 2025 for 2024/25 accounts. The advertisement must set out the dates of the period for the exercise of public rights, how you can communicate to the smaller authority that you wish to inspect the accounting records and related documents, the name and address of the auditor, and the relevant legislation that governs the inspection of accounts and objections.

The right to ask the auditor questions about the accounting records

You should first ask your smaller authority about the accounting records, since they hold all the details. If you are a local elector, your right to ask questions of the external auditor is enshrined in law. However, while the auditor will answer your questions where possible, they are not always obliged to do so. For example, the question might be better answered by another organisation, require investigation beyond the auditor’s remit, or involve disproportionate cost (which is borne by the local taxpayer). Give your smaller authority the opportunity first to explain anything in the accounting records that you are unsure about. If you are not satisfied with their explanation, you can question the external auditor about the accounting records.

The law limits the time available for you formally to ask questions. This must be done in the period for the exercise of public rights, so let the external auditor know your concern as soon as possible. The advertisement or notice that tells you the accounting records are available to inspect will also give the period for the exercise of public rights during which you may ask the auditor questions, which here means formally asking questions under the Act. You can ask someone to represent you when asking the external auditor questions.

Before you ask the external auditor any questions, inspect the accounting records fully, so you know what they contain. Please remember that you cannot formally ask questions, under the Act, after the end of the period for the exercise of public rights. You may ask your smaller authority other questions about their accounts for any year, at any time. But these are not questions under the Act.

You can ask the external auditor questions about an item in the accounting records for the financial year being audited. However, your right to ask the external auditor questions is limited. The external auditor can only answer ‘what’ questions, not ‘why’ questions. The external auditor cannot answer questions about policies, finances, procedures or anything else unless it is directly relevant to an item in the accounting records. Remember that your questions must always be about facts, not opinions. To avoid misunderstanding, we recommend that you always put your questions in writing.

The right to make objections at audit

You have inspected the accounting records and asked your questions of the smaller authority. Now you may wish to object to the accounts on the basis that an item in them is in your view unlawful or there are matters of wider concern arising from the smaller authority’s finances. A local government elector can ask the external auditor to apply to the High Court for a declaration that an item of account is unlawful, or to issue a report on matters which are in the public interest. You must tell the external auditor which specific item in the accounts you object to and why you think the item is unlawful, or why you think that a public interest report should be made about it. You must provide the external auditor with the evidence you have to support your objection. Disagreeing with income or spending does not make it unlawful. To object to the accounts you must write to the external auditor stating you want to make an objection, including the information and evidence below and you must send a copy to the smaller authority. The notice must include:

  • confirmation that you are an elector in the smaller authority’s area;
  • why you are objecting to the accounts and the facts on which you rely;
  • details of any item in the accounts that you think is unlawful; and
  • details of any matter about which you think the external auditor should make a public interest report.

Other than it must be in writing, there is no set format for objecting. You can only ask the external auditor to act within the powers available under the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014.

A final word

You may not use this ‘right to object’ to make a personal complaint or claim against your smaller authority.  You should take such complaints to your local Citizens’ Advice Bureau, local Law Centre or to your solicitor. Smaller authorities, and so local taxpayers, meet the costs of dealing with questions and objections.  In deciding whether to take your objection forward, one of a series of factors the auditor must take into account is the cost that will be involved, they will only continue with the objection if it is in the public interest to do so. They may also decide not to consider an objection if they think that it is frivolous or vexatious, or if it repeats an objection already considered. If you appeal to the courts against an auditor’s decision not to apply to the courts for a declaration that an item of account is unlawful, you will have to pay for the action yourself.

Councillor vacancy, East Ward

NOTICE OF VACANCY IN OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR

PARISH OF HARTINGTON UPPER QUARTER (East Ward)

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN

that a casual vacancy has arisen in the Office of Councillor for Hartington Upper Quarter Parish Council (East Ward)

If by 14 days, excluding Dies Non, after the date of this notice a request for an election to fill said vacancy is made in writing to the Returning Officer at the address below by TEN electors for the said Parish, an election will be held to fill the said vacancy, otherwise the vacancy will be filled by co-option.

Dated  27 June 2025

Andrew Stokes

Returning Officer

Buxton Town Hall

Market Place

Buxton

SK17 6EL

Councillor vacancy, West Ward

NOTICE OF VACANCY IN OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR

PARISH OF HARTINGTON UPPER QUARTER (West Ward)

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN

that a casual vacancy has arisen in the Office of Councillor for Hartington Upper Quarter Parish Council (West Ward)

If by 14 days, excluding Dies Non, after the date of this notice a request for an election to fill said vacancy is made in writing to the Returning Officer at the address below by TEN electors for the said Parish, an election will be held to fill the said vacancy, otherwise the vacancy will be filled by co-option.

Dated  27 June 2025

Andrew Stokes

Returning Officer

Buxton Town Hall

Market Place

Buxton

SK17 6EL