Author: Helen North

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The Nature Reserve

With the better weather comes more activity in the nature reserve and we don’t just mean the wildlife! There have been a number of incidents recently which have led to complaints by residents, please be aware that although the Parish Council is interested in all that occurs in our villages we can be rather limited in what action we may take.

Going forward should there be an issue in relation to illegal parking please contact the local police on 101 or if the issue relates to breaches of social distancing or the Government lockdown rules in general and you feel action is required, again please contact the police.

Unfortunately we are again seeing at least one of the bird hides being used for purposes other than those intended, where you perceive there to be an issue relating to public safety please contact the police, where the issue relates to antisocial behaviour then YWT should be your first port of call as they can keep a log of such issues, and as the landowners, work with the police to deal with the issue effectively once they are aware.

The YWT officer responsible for the Staveley Reserve is Laura Harman and she can be contacted either by phone on 01904 659570 or 07896 674810 and by email
at laura.harman@ywt.org.uk

On a more positive note has anyone heard the cuckoo yet or are the geese making too much noise?

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New Estate Fencing and Trees

Tree work on etstate boundary in Wath Lane in 2019

Those with good memories will recall that in 2019 we raised funds to replace the old estate fencing along the field on Wath Lane as you enter Staveley from Copgrove. We received a grant from the Allerton Park Landscape and Cultural Heritage Fund, which was then topped up by donations from residents and the estate landowner.

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During that winter we were able to have the tree work completed as shown above. This work involved removing dead wood and overhanging branches plus planting 5 replacement oaks. The replacement trees were then protected from the sheep using tree guards donated by the late Lord Mowbray. These works gave us a good idea of how smart this entrance to the village would be and we were all set for the next stage.

You don’t need us to explain why the project has been on hold for a while! However, the good news is that we are now getting back on track. Government regulations permitting, we will be forming a working party at the end of May ideally or beginning of June if needs be. This working party is needed to remove the current fence and prepare the site for the installation of the new fencing which we are having made locally.

Tasks within the working party will be varied. We will need people who can dig out and generally manhandle the old fence, load the skip, supply tea/coffee, watch no one strays onto the road or forgets about social distancing. Not being experts in these matters there are bound to be all sorts of tasks we are currently unaware of too.

So everyone, please can you help? We need an idea now of how many people we can call upon so we can be sure we can get the job done. Please let us know if you can help.
Email us at enquiries@staveleyandcopgrovepc.org.uk.

See you there!

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Abacus, Jubilee Court, Copgrove

Over recent years Abacus has developed the small industrial site previously known as Jubilee Mills by adding a number of substantial buildings. Many of you will have, whilst taking advantage of our wonderful open countryside, spotted the latest building works. 

Part of the latest additions have not yet been given planning permission and in fact to date Abacus have not chosen to seek such permission.

The reason for this note is twofold; firstly to highlight the fact that a planning application will ultimately need to be made and secondly to try and elicit your opinions in regard to this latest expansion.

Harrogate Borough Council (HBC) aim to support businesses which offer employment opportunities for local people and as a Parish Council we agree that this is important in order to sustain this area. Abacus state they are such a business, even though they currently have a relatively small workforce.

When a residential housing development is proposed HBC, as the local planning authority, require various reports including an assessment of what impact the proposal would  have on traffic and the environment. Due to this further development not being for residential housing, such details are seen by HBC as less important. 

The current Covid-19 restrictions make it impossible for the Parish Council to call a public meeting in order to hear your views, so we are limited to trying to collate them by other means. Please can you tell us what your opinions are on the following:

1. Do you fully support the latest attempt to expand or not?

2. Do you think that the whisper of a possibility of extra jobs being available within our Parish outweighs any other issues?

3. Do you think that the expansion will lead to a further increase in large lorries and vans driving through the village and if so do you see this as an issue?

4. Do you think the additional buildings on the horizon are out of keeping with the surrounding countryside?

You can contact us using any of the methods detailed on our Contact page here. Contact details of individual Councillors are also available here.

We look forward to receiving your comments.

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New Tree Planting and Fence

New trees and fence along Arkendale Road

A huge thank you to those who literally got their hands dirty and helped plant the saplings the Parish Council received from the Woodland Trust. We now have a replacement hedge along a large section of the Jubilee Recreation Field roadside boundary. It mainly comprises of hawthorn and blackthorn with some hazel and rowan too. (Hopefully the birds will love it).

Due to the removal of the old hedge we needed to erect a fence to keep the area safely enclosed from the road, it is not the prettiest of fences but will soon be hidden by the hedge.

There are now some silver birch by the edge of the Pinfold; they are in the area previously used by a resident to dispose of their garden waste. Please be aware that leaving rubbish of any sort in such an area is fly-tipping and against the law. Should anyone be seen fly-tipping the Parish Council will report them.

New silver birch trees behind the Pinfold

In addition to the hedge we have also planted a small copse of goat willow, a patch of dog wood and filled in along the other boundaries of the playing area with silver birch, downie birch and rowan. Following along the line of the hedge in the football area (if anyone knows where one of our football nets has gone please can you get in touch) we now have 5 cherry trees, these will eventually, they are tiny, replicate the beauty of the cherries outside the church, village hall and school.

All we can do now is keep our fingers crossed that all the saplings grow!

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Your Parish Council

As you may be aware, Staveley and Copgrove benefit from having an active Parish Council rather than as with some other villages nearby, only a Parish Meeting or village committee. Your PC is here to represent you and your interests, however unless we hear from you from time to time the only voice that will be heard is that of the Council members.

Please let us know if you have any opinion in relation to planning applications, currently there is another application by Abacus which, in the PC’s opinion, could lead to further increases in traffic through the village.

  • Do you support the growth of the light industrial estate or are you concerned about the volume of traffic it generates?
  • Is local employment high on your agenda and if so what do you consider local?
  • Have you noticed any benefit now Hymas has relocated or do you feel their financial contribution to the area will be missed?

We provide a play area in Staveley (known as the Jubilee Recreation Field):

  • Do you and your family use it?
  • What do you like/dislike about it?
  • Would you be willing to help grub out the old hedge and infill with new plants this autumn?
  • Could more be made of the space? Is anyone interested in running some activities there (current covid19 restrictions aside)?

The benches around the villages are due for a refurbishment, are they in the right locations, do you use them, do we need any more? Once the building work reduces there will be a new bench outside Barley Court on Arkendale Road and the developers are also donating a new bench for the Jubilee Recreation Field.

We would also like to know of anyone in Staveley who would be interested in an allotment plot in the village. We currently have only two plots in the village, both of which are let, but there is anecdotal evidence of further demand for plots and some residents are known to have taken plots in surrounding areas. If we can establish and quantify demand from within the village, we can investigate the potential to meet it.

Please keep in touch!

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Update on Flooding Along Arkendale Road

Over a number of years there have been periodic floods across Arkendale Road and in the immediate vicinity of the Jubilee Recreation Field ( JRF). This last winter (2019/20) the flood levels were severe and caused the road to be impassable, damage to the JRF and homes to be put at risk.

We have spent a considerable amount of time trying to establish which authority are best placed to suggest solutions and identify responsible parties.

Continue reading “Update on Flooding Along Arkendale Road”
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Traffic Volume and Speed Through Staveley and Copgrove

On 26th November 2019 Cllr Windass (North Yorkshire County Council) received a response from Area 6 (NYCC Highways) addressing the issues we raised based on the speed surveys the PC undertook at a cost in September 2019.

In summary the two pertinent points were:

  • “In light of your enquiry, I have looked at the accident statistics on Minskip Road, Staveley for the last 5 years which indicate that there have been no incidents which are attributable to vehicle speeds. Given the absence of an established accident record in the area I do not believe that the application of the assessment formula to any traffic calming scheme to reduce vehicle speeds in the area would result in a score which warranted the provision of funding.”
  • “The speed survey results have shown that speed enforcement is required, however the Police have not enforced any 20 mph limits in the Harrogate area, so I shall take this up with my contact in the Traffic Police, and get a written response about it from them.”
Continue reading “Traffic Volume and Speed Through Staveley and Copgrove”
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Coronavirus Buddy Scheme Update

Over these past weeks, the majority of us have been required to stay home. How lucky we are, that not only are our homes in lovely countryside but, as the lockdown has demonstrated, we are part of a wonderful community.

Early in March, just before lockdown, we set out to contact every village household to reassure all, that whatever lockdown was going to mean, they would not be alone.

In Copgrove, being smaller than Staveley, through informal arrangements, residents have been able to help each other simply by looking out for their neighbours, keeping in contact, and sharing errands.

In Staveley, due partly to the greater number of households, we established a Buddy Scheme. Through the scheme, volunteer ‘helper/buddies’ from less restricted households were allocated to households who requested help and needed to strictly isolate. Some buddies were on stand-by to step in and help where and when situations and personal circumstances changed.

Buddies have cheerfully multi-tasked : picked up shopping,  phoned for friendly chats, helped with pets, picked up supplies and medicines and provided information about local home deliveries for their neighbours, for long established and for new friends.

To all those who have offered help and friendship and especially to those who continue to provide it: A BIG THANK YOU from the community. However, we do not know what challenges the next few months will bring. Whatever they are, you and your household will not be alone. If you are self-isolating, require shielding support, a buddy or other help, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH.

Likewise, for anyone who is finding every day is too like the day before and staying home means little human contact or you are very new to the village do PLEASE GET IN TOUCH. You are not the only one and we are happy to coordinate the exchange of phone numbers with a view to creating even more new friendships within the villages, our home.

TO GET IN TOUCH:

‘YOUR PARISH COUNCIL WORKING FOR YOU’

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Wath Lane Fencing Project Update

The original plan for this project was to remove the existing fencing once the lambs had gone to pastures new in a few weeks time; we could even have coordinated the work to happen whilst Main Street/Wath Lane is temporarily closed to traffic for roadworks.  The fence removal work was to be undertaken by Stuart Barton, who owns the field, supported by volunteers from the village. Clearly we can’t currently ask for volunteers to help with this activity at this time and so we will need to put the project on hold, possibly until this time next year.

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Allerton Park Landscape and Cultural Heritage Fund Grants Update

Work Starts along Wath Lane, Staveley

Grant 1

The Parish Council received a grant of £9,176 from the Allerton Park Landscape and Cultural Heritage Fund (APLCHF) in October 2019 to carry out improvement works to the Jubilee Recreation Field, the village green west, the Pinfold and the phone box on Main Street housing the community defibrillator. The works to the Jubilee Recreation Field and village green west have now been completed. The new gate to the Pinfold is in production and expected to be installed by the end of December 2019. The phone box refurbishment has been postponed until the spring as wet weather at the scheduled time of the works prevented the contractor from starting.

Following all this work the areas are looking so much more cared for and especially the Jubilee Recreation Field which, if it weren’t for the weather would offer a wonderful place for children to play safely. In the spring a little further work will be needed there to remove the ivy and brambles from the hedge along the roadside plus planting a few new hedge plants to in-fill. Volunteers for this small project will be required. Please contact the Parish Council if you are willing to spare a Saturday morning in February to lend a hand.

Continue reading “Allerton Park Landscape and Cultural Heritage Fund Grants Update”