CARLETON-IN-CRAVEN PARISH COUNCIL
ANNUAL REPORT 2005/6
The Parish Council consists of the following members :- Chairman ? Robert Mason; Vice-Chairman ? Vacant; Mrs Dylis Kay; Peter Hart; Brian Summersgill; Simon Prest; Stuart Brown; Nigel Brown and Nigel Hancox.
Part-time employees of the PC. are :- John W. Preston ? Clerk; John Bell ? Lengthman and John Buxton ? Recreation Ground Overlooker.
During the year two Councillors resigned from the Parish Council (Cllrs. Mrs Valerie A.Tarbitt and Gary Smith). Mr Nigel Brown was co-opted to fill one vacancy and the remaining vacancy will be filled by co-option at the May meeting.
Planning applications received during the year were generally of a minor nature and all were dealt with by the Planning Sub-Committee under the chairmanship of Cllr. Summersgill. Altogether the PC. received 22 planning applications and 5 applications for tree work.
The long awaited traffic calming scheme was implemented last August and covers the three main roads in the village and the lower portion of Park Lane. The scheme has not received any hostile reports and has achieved a lowering of the average speed of vehicles using the highway. An analysis of the speed of vehicles on West Road show that the average speed has fallen from 34 mph to 23 mph.
The Carleton-in-Craven Playground Association made slow but steady progress during the year and is now in the process of installing the first piece of new equipment. Hopefully, this will lead to a substantial increase in grant aid available to the group and the installation of even more equipment to the value of £20000 in the new financial year.
Work on the website has been completed by Cllr. Hancox and the site is up and running. Cllr Hancox would welcome an input from all the various groups and bodies connected to the village who would like to publicize themselves and their activities on the website.
The Inspector at the Public Inquiry into footpath No 05. 10/38 Beckside to Vicars Row via the ginnel had decided to confirm the order with slight modifications appertaining to the width of the footpath in part of the ginnel.
The Parish Council had voiced concern regarding the increase in number of large scale functions being held on land of the Heslaker Farm Estate. These concerned noise, traffic issues and the possibility of flooding on some parts of the land. Whilst nothing was done to alleviate the traffic problem, the Craven District Council as Licensing Authority agreed to monitor the sound emanating from the events and got the event organisers to set up a flood warning hot line.
Dog fouling continues to be a nuisance in certain parts of the village during the winter months, notably on Beckside; Brook View; Dead Lane, Church Lane and Aire View. The PC. has been working in conjunction with CDC?s Dog Warden to identify the culprits and hopefully some will be apprehended in the near future and become eligible to pay the £75 on-the-spot fine. An input is also required from parishioners as the CDC. Dog Warden can only spend limited time in the village.
Requests have been received for the provision of a bus shelter and the Parish Council has agreed to look into the possibility of taking over the public toilets on Park Lane. These two items are to be discussed at the meeting tonight.
The PC. has set a precept for the new financial year of £11200 (this costs a Band D council tax payer £24.86 or £2.22 per £1000), some £4500 more than last year. The increase has been necessary to bring the reserves up to a satisfactory level and make a donation of £3000 towards the new equipment on the recreation ground. Some examples of the costs incurred by the PC. in 2005/6 are as follows :-
Amenity area maintenance - £582; General administration - £3028; Recreation Ground - £2488; Street cleaning - £1624; Street lighting - £318; Section 137 donations - £625 (SCAD. - £50; Craven Citizens Advice Bureau - £50; Relate Keighley & Craven - £25 and Village Hall - £500).
John W. Preston,
Clerk to the Parish Council,
April 2006.