MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF BILLINGTON AND LANGHO PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON
Monday, 29th September 2025 at 7.15pm
AT THE COMMUNITY HALL
PRESENT
Parish Councillors. Brian Haworth (chair), Martin Hincks, Eva McPrice, Katie Swingewood, Michael Collins, Cllr Tony Austin. Cllr Steve Farmer.
In attendance –2 members of the public, PCSO Caroline Pemberton and R Greenwood clerk
ITEM 1 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
There were apologies for absence from Dennis Johnson and John Aspden
ITEM 2 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
- Register of Interests – Councillors were reminded of the need to update their register of interests.
- No members disclosed a personal interest in any matter to be discussed at the meeting.
ITEM 3 ACCEPTANCE OF THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING
3.1 Minutes of the meeting held 29th July 2025 were accepted and signed as a true record.
ITEM 4 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
4.1 PCSO Caroline Pemberton gave her report:-
- The burning and fly tipping at York continues, if people could contact the Police specifically PC 8090 Feeny and RVBC Andrew Dent who are both dealing with this.
- Report of two incidences vehicle interference on the 9th September
- Report of a male in Langho about with a torch very early in the morning, this turned out to be the new newspaper delivery person who was unsure of his round hence shining his torch onto door numbers.
4.2 Billington and Langho Remembrance Parade Committee member attended the meeting requesting a contribution towards the cost of the 2025 Parade. This is a voluntary group who need to raise money for the core costs needed to run the parade. Concerns were raised about the need for repairs of the Cenotaph. The parish council is trying to secure funds to complete this work.
4.3 York Telephone Kiosk, a group of residents from York have volunteered to maintain the telephone kiosk at York, one of the ideas is that is will house a defib for the community. The parish council are pleased to support this group and have agreed to pay the costs of the paint and the ongoing costs associated with the defib ie the pads that need replacing annually.
ITEM 5 PLAYGROUNDS
5.1 No report was received from the Lengthsman.
5.2The RoSPA report has been received. Quotes are being sought for the work that needs to be undertaken.
ITEM 6 ACCOUNTS
6.1 The following cheques were presented for payment.
| Cheque 202664 | RVBC website costs | £36.00 |
| Cheque 202665 | Returned | £0.00 |
| Cheque 202666 | Void | |
| Cheque 202667 | Clerk wage and backpay to April | £684.95 |
| Cheque 202668 | N Haworth Old Langho Church Groundsman | £500.00 |
| Cheque 202669 | C Walton August lengthsman duties | £276.92 |
| Cheque 202670 | PKF Littlejohn External Audit | £252.00 |
| Cheque 202671 | HMRC reissue of 202665 | £45.20 |
| Cheque 202672 | C Walton September duties | £332.29 |
| Cheque 202673 | Travel | £25.46 |
| Cheque 202674 | HMRC | £10.40 |
| Cheque 202675 | Clerk Wage | £546.43 |
| Cheque 202676 | PNFS subscription | £30.00 |
| Cheque 202677 | N Hawroth Old Langho Church | £500.00 |
| Cheque 202678 | Remembrance Parade Committee | £150.00 |
6.2 PKF Littlejohn have completed the external audit. An error in the figures has been noted for the next audit.
6.3 The bank reconciliation and cash flow was presented.
6.4 Income of £2061.00 has been received via RVBC Concurrent Functions.
ITEM 7 PLANNING
7.1 The following applications were received and considered.
| 3/2025/0594 | Northcote Hotel | no objections | |
| 3/2025/0549 | 5 Brookside, Langho | no objections | |
| 3/2025/0616 | 36 Painter Wood | no objections | |
| 3/2025/0426 | Land east of Snodworth Road | As 7.2 below | |
| 3/2025/0676 | Cunliffe House Farm, Longsight Road | No objections | |
7.2 An extension of time was granted by RVBC regarding 3/2025/0426. The parish council has strong objections to this application including the access road on the plans, the spoiling of the location including the impact on the skyline and the erection of an orange hut on the site prior to permission. Concerns were raised as to a business meeting held near the site with over one hundred attendees, no information has been forthcoming regarding this meeting with posts on Facebook being removed.
ITEM 8 HIGHWAY
8.1 Whinney Lane / Snodworth Road Speed Campaign, LCC have written to the residents heading the campaign and said that they will not consider using any of their road safety funding on Whinney Lane as the area has an excellent road safety record.
8.2 Enquiries were made regarding the parish council funding Spids, after discussion it was resolved not to fund Spids in the area at present as the area is well attended by both the Police speed van and the Police requested temporary Spids. This situation will be reviewed.
8.3 A wagon associated with the recent gas pipeline works in Old Langho has caused damage to the village green. The 14 tonne wagon reversed onto the gravel driveway of the Church but sunk into the grass. It took a local resident with a large tractor to pull the wagon out but there is damage to the village green. Whilst the firm has filled the holes with top soil this is not seeded or rolled flat and there is a hole in the tarmac at the side of the road. The clerk to write to ask for these repairs to be completed.
ITEM 9 YORK TIPPING AND BURNING
9.1 This item was discussed under Public Participation.
ITEM 10 OFFICERS REPORT
10.1 Harrisons Engineering have been thanked for moving the notice board from the paper shop to the fence at Billington Playground.
10.2 There has been a report that older children from St Augustine School have broken the bench outside the paper shop. PCSO Pemberton confirmed this had not been reported to the police.
10.3 The bench at Old Langho Church has been stolen
10.4 Gas outage at Old Langho and Brockhall. There is compensation available for the interruption of gas supplied to homes but this must be requested by the residents affected via the Cadent website as this is not automatic. The form can be completed online at https://cadentgas.com/contactus/compensation-claims
.
10.5 Cllr Austin attended the Community Centres meeting. There is a request for new volunteers to support the Centre. An update was given regarding the recent grant works and the forthcoming maintenance works scheduled. A request is to be made to LCC for a crossing person for St Leonards school.
10.6 Cllr Austin attended LALC area committee meeting, discussed at this was Devolution and future funding.
10.7 The railway parking at the Taj has ended, this is due to the lease for parking being completed and not renewed. Cllr Farmer is to contact the Taj owners who have said that the site is due for redevelopment.
ITEM 11 FLOOD CONCERNS AND UPDATE
11.1 No items were discussed.
ITEM 12 TELEPHONE KIOSK
12.1 This item was discussed under Public Participation.
.ITEM 13 CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
13.1 A grant is available from RVBC for parish Christmas Lights, due to the parish council not having a focal point in the area, the ongoing costs of annual pat testing / electrician to install and storage of the lights it was decided that the parish council would not be applying in this year.
ITEM 13 DATES OF NEXT MEETING. All at 7.15pm.
27th October 2025 29th June 2026
24th November 2025 27th July 2026
26th January 2026 28th September 2026
23rd February 2026 26th October 2026
30th March 2026 30th November 2026
27th April 2026
AGM 25th May 2026
The meeting closed at 21.06hrs
