Minutes, July 2025

Hartington Upper Quarter Parish Council

DRAFT Minutes of meeting held on 2 July 2025 at Brandside Parish Hall SK17 0SF, at 7.30pm

Present: Cllr Mellor (Chair), Cllr Staden, Cllr Jackson

Also in attendance: P Leppard (Locum Clerk) plus c.12 members of the public

1 Apologies for absence Cllr Temperley
2 Declarations of interests Nil
3 Appointment of temporary Parish Clerk It was resolved to appoint Peter Leppard as Locum Clerk until further notice.
4 Public participation No members of the public wished to speak.
5 Minutes of last meeting It was resolved to approve the draft Minutes of the meeting of 4 June.
6 Councillor vacancies It was noted that the vacancies arising from the resignations of Cllrs Oliver and Otty are currently subject to formal Notices issued by HPBC’s Returning Officer, and that from 18 July it will become clear whether by-elections will be called.
7 Brandside Parish Hall It was resolved that the Clerk will (a) obtain any necessary legal advice re interpretation of documentation re responsibility for maintenance/repair of the septic tank (after which some currently needed repairs to it will need to be progressed) and (b) seek clarification of certain land boundaries in the vicinity.
8 Highways & Public Rights of Way It was resolved that the Clerk will seek any available update on proposed implementation of Restricted Byway status on the track between Dove Head and Brand Top.
9 Correspondence An email of 2 July re Local Government reorganisation (seeking a consultation response by 10 August) was noted.

An email from HPBC Environmental Health re Brandside Parish Hall had resulted in a site-meeting with the Clerk, at which ways forward had been discussed (and which the Clerk was now pursuing) re trade-waste bins and septic-tank repairs. HPBC had also suggested (but not insisted upon) adding curtains to the windows.

10 Policies & Procedures it was resolved that the Clerk will draft all necessary updated policies for approval at September’s meeting.
11 Finance & Audit It was resolved to:

a.     receive the Internal Auditor’s report for FY2024/25.

b.     approve the Council’s 2024/25 Governance Statement.

c.     approve the Council’s 2024/25 Accounting Statement.

d.     authorise a Certificate of Exemption from limited-assurance review for FY2024/25.

e.     note the Council’s bank balance at 1-7-25 was £20,147.06

f.      authorise the following payments:

·         Ionos Cloud, IT hosting, 10 Jun  £  12.00

·         Water Plus, 1 Jul                       £  16.82

·         Ford Partnership, Internal audit  £200.00

·         Ionos Cloud, IT hosting, 9 Jul     £  12.00

g.     authorise the addition of Peter Leppard as signatory and key contact on the Council’s Unity Trust bank account.

h.     open a Savings account with Unity Trust bank.

i.      Authorise the creation of an ongoing direct-debit instruction to EDF Energy.

j.      note income received:

·         Karos Adventure, 11 Jun            £280.50

·         St Joseph S College, 30 Jun      £137.50

12 Planning It was resolved that the Council:

a.     supports application NP/HPK/0625/0595 (Shop Farm, Brandside).

b.     has no objection to application HPK/2025/0228 (Hill Head Quarry, Harpur Hill).

13 Next meeting This was resolved to be on 3 Sep at 7.30pm at Brandside Parish Hall.

Meeting closed 8.05pm.