EAST COWTON PARISH COUNCIL

Councillors are hereby summoned and Members of the Public invited to attend
the meeting of the Parish Council
th
on Monday 8 November 2021 at 7.30pm in the Village Hall.

AGENDA
1. Apologies for absence

2. Disclosures of personal and prejudicial interests from Councillors on matters

to be considered at the meeting.
(The disclosure must include the nature of the interest (i.e. pecuniary or other). If you become
aware, during the course of a meeting, of an interest that has not been disclosed under this
item you must immediately disclose it. You may remain in the meeting and take part fully in
discussion and voting unless the interest is prejudicial.
A personal interest is prejudicial if a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts
would reasonably regard it as so significant that it is likely to prejudice your judgement of the
public interest and it relates to a financial or regulatory matter)

3. Minutes of the meetings of the Council held on 27th September 2021 (circulated to
councillors)
To determine whether the Minutes are an accurate record.

4. Chair’s formal announcements on any matters not the subject of discussion or

debate

5. Police Report
To consider the report received

6. Finance
a) To receive and approve statements of account
b) To note and authorise cheques
c) To consider and approve the 2021/22 budget
d) To be updated regarding Prince’s Countryside Fund grant application and to consider
alternative application if refused

7. Neglected Communal Oil Tank

To receive a verbal update following Minute 2109.11

8. Millennium Wood
To receive a verbal update following Minute 2109.12

9. Play Area
To consider the annual safety inspection report and determine any further action required

10. Benches
To receive a verbal update following Minute 2109.14

11. Pathkeeper Scheme

To receive a verbal appraisal

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12. Queen’s Jubilee
To receive a verbal update following Minute 2109.18

13. Parish Council Elections

To receive a verbal briefing

14. Raising the Parish Council’s Profile

To be updated concerning a village Facebook page

15. Ultrafast Broadband

To receive a verbal update following Minute 2109.21

16. Resilience Plan

To receive a verbal update following Minute 2109.22

17. Parish Portal

To receive a verbal update following Minute 2109.23

18. Community Speedwatch

To receive a verbal update following Minute 2109.24

19. First Aid Training

To receive a verbal update following Minute 2109.25

20. Website Accessibility Check and Data Protection Review

To receive a verbal update and determine further action required

21. Allocation of roles to new councillor

To determine the new Parish Councillor’s special responsibilities and any changes to those of
existing councillors

22. Employee Appraisal

To determine arrangements for the Clerk’s annual appraisal

23. Christmas Tree

To consider arrangements for provision of a village Christmas tree

24. Planning applications

24.1. To consider the observations to be made on behalf of the Council in relation to planning
application number 21/02043/FUL (Bungalow Farm)
24.2. To consider the observations to be made on behalf of the Council in relation to planning
application number 21/02314/MRC (The Coppice)
24.3. To be advised of the outcome of applications which the Council has previously
considered namely: 21/01839/FUL OS Field 3752;
24.4. To consider the feedback on the Housing Need Survey and determine the nature of
the response

25. Public Participation

26. Date and time of the next meeting

10th January 2022 at 7.30pm is proposed

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 27. Any other business (urgent or not requiring debate or decision)
Primarily to inform the clerk of items for inclusion on the next agenda

Mrs J Kilsby
Clerk to the Parish Council 2nd November 2021

3
 Supporting Information

5 POLICE REPORT
PCSO 6786 K. Laws has informed the Parish Council that the anti social behaviour orders
(ASBOs) referred to within the report were not in the village itself and that the incident of
criminal damage was to a car. ASBOs in previous months have all been related to
infringement of Coronavirus Regulations.
She attended the first Village Pop Up Café since lockdown together with the Fire Brigade’s
Community Safety Officer and will continue to attend such when she can

Hambleton Command: Town and Parish Council Report

Town or Parish : East Cowton
Report Completed By : PCSO 6786 Kim Laws
Data Reporting Period : 6th September to 11th October 2021

Crime and ASB Data

Qualifier No of Incidents
Anti-Social Behaviour 0
Auto crime 0
Burglary : Commercial : 0 Residential : 0
Criminal Damage 1
Theft (including from shops) 0
Violence Against the Person 0
Other crimes including 0
Drugs

TOTAL THIS PERIOD 1

North Yorkshire Police Updates

Police bank branch response scheme prevents £362,000 of fraud in

North Yorkshire in first half of 2021
Branch staff at banks, building societies and Post Offices worked with the
police to stop £362,000 of fraud through the Banking Protocol rapid scam
response in North Yorkshire in the first half of this year, according to the
latest figures from UK Finance. In total, the scheme has prevented
£174 million of fraud and led to 934 arrests since its launch in 2016.

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The Banking Protocol is a UK-wide scheme, launched by UK Finance,
National Trading Standards and local police forces. Branch staff are trained
to spot the warning signs that suggest a customer may be falling victim to a
scam, before alerting their local police force to intervene and investigate.

It is often used to prevent impersonation scams, in which criminals imitate

police or bank staff and convince people to visit their bank and withdraw or
transfer large sums of money. It is also used to prevent romance fraud, in
which fraudsters use fake online dating profiles to trick victims into
transferring money, and to catch rogue traders who demand cash for
unnecessary work on properties.

Customers assisted by the scheme are offered ongoing support to help

prevent them from falling victim to scams in the future, including referrals to
social services, expert fraud prevention advice and additional checks on
future transactions.

North Yorkshire Police Financial Abuse Safeguarding Officer, Andy Fox,

said:

“The Banking Protocol is a highly effective tool in our fight against

fraudsters who are relentless in targeting victims across North Yorkshire.
Not only does it prevent the loss of money as seen in the huge amounts
saved, it also enables us to offer fraud victims safeguarding support and
advice, hopefully meaning they won’t fall victim to these scams again in
future.”
Katy Worobec, Managing Director of Economic Crime, UK Finance,
commented:
“Fraud has a devastating impact on victims so partnerships like the
Banking Protocol are not only crucial in helping vulnerable people, but it
also stops stolen money from going on to fund other illicit activities
including drug smuggling, human-trafficking and terrorism.

“Criminals have continued to capitalise on the pandemic to commit fraud,

callously targeting victims through impersonation, romance, courier and
rogue trader scams. Branch staff and the police are working on the frontline
to protect people from fraud and these figures highlight the importance of
their work in stopping these cruel scams and bringing the criminals to
justice.

“It’s important that people always follow the advice of the Take Five to Stop
Fraud campaign, and remember that a bank or the police will never ask you
to transfer funds to another account or to withdraw cash to hand over to
them for safe-keeping.”
To build on the success of the scheme, banks and building societies are
continuing to work with local police forces on expanding the process to

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cover attempted bank transfers made by customers through telephone and
online banking.

6 FINANCE
6a Accounting Statement at 2 November 2021
Community Account Premium Account
£ 6,868.13 £ 2,988.18
add
Income
Interest on Premium Account £ 0.14
Parish Precept - Instalment 1 £ 3,352.00
Parish Precept - Instalment 2 £ 3,352.00
VAT reclaim £ - £ 6,704.00
£ 13,572.13 £ 2,988.32
less
Transferred to Premium
Account
Transferred to Community
Account
£ 13,572.13 £ 2,988.32
less
Actual Expenditure
1. Gross Wages £ 810.88
2. Contractors £ 1,672.80
3. Services £ 82.20
4. Sundries £ 10.20
5. Insurance £ 257.60
6. Repairs/Maintenance £ 62.32
7. Rental £ -
8. Subscriptions/Training £ 258.00
9. Asset Purchases
£ 3,154.00
£ 10,418.13

Bank Reconciliation at 2 November 2021

Current Account balance as statement £ 10,418.13

add

Payments not yet cleared: £ - £ -

deduct

Cheques not yet presented for payment £ - £ -

Reconciled balance - Current Account £ 10,418.13

add -Premium Account balance £ 2,988.32

£ 13,406.45

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6b List of Cheques to be Noted/Authorised
Invoice Date Description £ Authority
CE & CM Walker Ltd - Highways Act 1980, s96 and Open Spaces Act 1906,
1.10.21* Grasscutting October £ 244.80 s10(b
Local Government Act 1972, s111(1)
23.09.21* Playsafety Ltd £
P Stephenson Highways Act 1980, s115B and Open Spaces Act
reimbursement for 1906, s10(b
28.9.21 bedding plants £ 10.00
October* J.Kilsby- Clerk's Wages £ 115.84 Local Government Act 1972, s112(2)
CE & CM Walker Ltd - Highways Act 1980, s96 and Open Spaces Act 1906,
1.11.21 Grasscutting May £ 244.80 s10(b
November J.Kilsby- Clerk's Wages £ 115.84 Local Government Act 1972, s112(2)
NB * denotes cheques have already been signed and despatched with Clerk/RFO using
authority from Minute 2104.06 to write cheques for signature by 2 councillors

6c) Draft Budget – see separate report

6d) Grant funding -see Minute 2109.16 (outcome is still awaited)

Alternative grant funding details have already been circulated to councillors as below:

Making a Difference Grant Fund 2022/2023

Hambleton District Council’s Making a Difference Fund has been launched.

Details of the scheme together with the online application form and guidance notes are on the
Council’s website at the following address: www.hambleton.gov.uk/madgrants

Grants of between £2,000 and £24,999 are being made available through the scheme for projects that
meet a local need and contribute to one or more of the Council’s priorities:

• Driving Economic Vitality

• Enhancing health and wellbeing

• Caring for the environment

• Providing a special place to live

Eligible applications must be from a not-for-profit group/organisation with a bank account and
constitution. Parish Councils and Town Councils are eligible to apply.

As in previous years, applicants must gain the support of a Ward Member before submitting a Making
a Difference application.

The deadline for submission of application forms (together with accompanying documents) is Sunday
5 December 2021.

Applicants should expect to hear whether they have been successful by the end of March 2022.

24.4 A draft housing survey was provided by Hambleton District Council to Parish
Councillors on 13 October. Feedback/amendments are requested in respect of proposed
background information

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 1. PARISH SUMMARY

The parish of East Cowton includes the small settlements of South Cowton and
Pepper Arden
.
East Cowton is a village and civil parish in the district of Hambleton in North
Yorkshire, England. It is 7 miles north west of the county town of Northallerton
on the East Coast Main line between River Wiske and its tributary The Stell.. The
village can be accessed via A167 and B1263 and has a number of neighboring
villages within 2.5miles of its centre, those being Birkby, Great and Little Smeaton
and North Cowton which lies within Richmondshire.

The etymology of the village name is a combination of the Old English words of
co and ton meaning Cow farm. The East is to distinguish it from other Cowtons
in the area. The village used to be known as "Long Cowton" and before that
"Magna Cowton".

All Saints Church is situated within the village and has an active congregation
and PCC. It holds regular services and other activities and is part of the Benefice
of the Wiske.

East Cowton's Community Shop is now OPEN in the cabin next to the
Village Hall

Opening Times:
Monday to Friday - 7.00 am to 1.00 pm
and to coincide with the Pop Up Café too
Saturday - 7.30 am to 1.00 pm
Sunday - 9.00 am to 12.30 pm
The shop's hours are currently restricted as a consequence of coronavirus and
it is closing at 11am

'Pop-up' Post Office

There will be a visiting Post Office in East Cowton Village Hall every Friday
afternoon between 1.00 pm and 4.00 pm offering a wide range of services.

'Pop-up' Café
Run by volunteers every Friday, 1.00 pm to 4.00 pm
All proceeds from the café will go to the New Village Hall.

Prices will be kept low as we want folks to come along

and enjoy a bit of a chat on a Friday afternoon.
.
The village is fortunate to have a thriving public house The Beeswing and a number
of SME businesses and home-based businesses operating in the parish.

East Cowton Church of England (VC) Primary School. The children, staff,
governors and parents of our community are rightly proud of the excellent education
our school provides and of the friendly, caring and cooperative atmosphere. We are
a co-educational school with an age range of 4-11 years established on our present
site since 1978. The school was originally situated opposite the Beeswing Inn and
opened in 1843. It has links with the local clergy, is a member of the Dales

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Academies Trust and in a federation with Kirkby Fleetham (Voluntary Controlled)
Primary School. The school has been rated Good by Ofsted and is a feeder
primary for Northallerton School and Sixth Form College.

The local planning authority is Hambleton District Council.

PARISH COMPOSITION

The area surveyed includes East Cowton, South Cowton and Pepper Arden parish
only. According to the 2011 Census the parish has a population of 533 residing in
243 households spaces, 235 with residents and 8 with no usual residents.
(Source: ONS Census 2011)

The composition of the area surveyed is:

Tenure of Properties Number of Properties
Owned Outright 113
Owned with mortgage 73
Shared Ownership 1
Social rented 22
Private rented 26
Living Free (living with parents) 0

Types of Properties Number of Properties

Detached 131
Semi-detached 65
Terraced 38
Flats 9
Caravans or temporary mobile homes 0

9 Play Area
See separate Report

25. Next Meeting

The second Monday in January is proposed after the PC decided to reduce the number of its
current meetings (Minute 2105.12) to alternate months so far as possible.