Newsletter August Update

PROPOSED EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS STORAGE

A Planning Application has been received for the creation of a site for Energetic Materials Storage
and Distribution. Consent is being sought for the storage of 35 tonnes of explosive and 50 tonnes
of Ammonium Nitrate.

The proposed site is to the west of Rudgate adjacent to the Minster Hag Business Park.

Your Parish Council is very concerned and will be objecting to this Application on several Planning
grounds, including inadequate site security, light pollution and proximity to

dwellings.

It will help to prevent the approval of this Application if a large number of letters are received
from individual residents in the Parish objecting to the Application. Please help with this if you
can, you don’t need any technical knowledge. It’s enough to express concern about the quantity of
explosive and the proximity of the site to the surrounding

houses.

Contact details for letters and emails:

Case Nos 19/02944/HSC & 19/01923/FULMAJ

 

PHONE BOX

The Parish Council have received several letters and emails about the loss of the BT Payphone in Bilton in Ainsty. After consulting Harrogate Borough Council and BT, we can confirm that this is not the case. Currently the Parish has two working BT Payphones, one in Bilton in Ainsty and one in Bickerton. It is the Council’s view that, because the network coverage for mobile phones is still inconsistent, a working BT Payphone is essential to make calls in an emergency. We will continue to make this point whenever BT conducts one of it’s regular reviews.

CHURCHYARD

In the past the Parish Council made a contribution to the maintenance of the churchyard
at St Helens. More recently we discovered that Parish Councils are not allowed to
contribute to ‘active’ graveyards. Consequently we will no longer be making this
contribution. The Vicar is aware of the situation and understands why this decision was
made.

COMMUNITY GRANTS

As you may be aware, as residents of this rural area we do not benefit from any local
services within the Parish. Schools, GP Practices etc are all in neighbouring Parishes. Our
residents either attend Springbank Surgery at Tockwith/Green Hammerton or Crossley
Street Surgery in Wetherby. Some time ago our then Chairman, whilst attending
Tockwith/Green Hammerton Surgery noticed that they were fund raising for an ultra
sound scanner. As this would be most helpful to local people, prevent unnecessary
journeys and speed up diagnosis, he asked the Parish Council if it would be willing to
make a contribution to the fund, which Councillors readily agreed. However, conscious
that many residents particularly in Bickerton, attend Crossley St Surgery and in an attempt
to be even handed, an approach was made to Crossley St Surgery with the same offer of
£1000, for a project of their choice.

THE CHEQUERS INN CAR PARK

As you may know, The Chequers Inn has been sold and will be renamed The Tickled Trout
under private ownership when it re-opens in late 2019. The Parish Council has been
involved in the negotiations regarding the lease of the car park.
Some years ago, following a legal dispute about ownership of the pub car park, the newly
confirmed legal owner offered the land to the Parish Council for the princely sum of £1.00
The Parish Council accepted the offer and owns the land. It leases the car park to the
owner of the pub in accordance with conditions set out in a 10 year lease agreed in April
2018. The income from the lease reduces the annual operating costs of the Parish Council
by 25% and the community charge levied on each property in the Parish is also reduced.