13 April 2026 Parish (Open)

HAVERAH PARK WITH BECKWITHSHAW PARISH COUNCIL

 

 

MINUTES OF THE PARISH (OPEN) MEETING HELD ON Monday 13 April 2026

 

Location:     The Village Hall, Beckwithshaw

 

Present:       Councillors – Cllr D Spence (Chairman), Cllr A Ellis, Cllr M David, Cllr J Parish and

Cllr Mrs S Swires.

Parish Clerk – Mrs J H Galloway

 

The Open Meeting commenced at 7.30pm and 3 members of the public were present.

 

1. Apologies: Cllr Steven Swires.

 

2. Minutes of the last Open Meeting:

 

The approval of the minutes of the last Open Meeting on 14 April 2025 were incorporated into the immediately following Parish Council Meeting (12 May 2025).

 

3. Chairman’s Report:

 

Good evening and thank you for attending our annual Parish Meeting (previously referred to

as our Open Meeting).

 

Over the past year your Parish Cllrs have met and worked together to consider and respond

to the issues raised and to fulfil our legal obligations. I would like to thank them and the

Parish Clerk for their work throughout the year.

 

We continue to engage a Contractor to cut the grassed areas for which we are responsible

and in autumn to clear leaves from the roundabout area. As a team we have carried out

maintenance work to the Copse and refurbished the bench at Beckwith Head. We hope that

both will be enjoyed by all.

 

Under the leadership of Cllr David supported by our Parish Clerk we continue to develop our

website to increase its interactive potential.

 

Our Defibrillators at the Smiths Arms and The Squinting Cat are monitored and kept ready

for use.

As in previous years we report potholes, blocked drains, broken signs and overgrown verges

etc. to NYC and monitor progress monthly.

 

This has been a busy year for responding to Planning Applications with four major

applications falling within our Parish boundary. We have endeavoured to make considered

responses which we hope reflect the concerns of Parishioners.

 

We have attended an initial meeting with Harrogate Town Council to explore the possibility

of creating a Neighbourhood Plan. Such a plan would identify our thoughts on how and

where future developments in our Parish would be acceptable and could help to preserve

Beckwithshaw as an independent settlement. This work is very much in its infancy and

would require many hours of work to establish a completed plan.

 

We have successfully worked with NYC to retain the Harlow Grange development within our

Parish boundary. However, this has resulted in our Parish being split into two wards but on

the plus side provides us with access to two North Yorkshire Cllrs to represent our concerns

at County level.

 

We are aware that under the current NYC ‘call for sites’ initiative, as updated in January

2026 that there are some sites within our Parish. In order to maintain our current

geographical separation from Harrogate we are planning to meet with Cllr Graham Dixon, Harlow Wards representative on Harrogate Town Council, to explore if there is any value in organising a coordinated response.

 

Our relationship with Chris Blackburn, NYC Highways Customer Communities officer to

progress works on our Road Works Safety schedule continues although this is a

disappointingly slow process. Currently we are exploring the possibility of erecting a ‘Village

Gateway’ feature on the verge opposite the junction with Shaw Lane. The discussion

revolves around obtaining a street furniture licence and obtaining quotes. The purpose of

the ‘Gateway’ is to draw the attention of to the speed limit and that they are entering a

village location.

 

An area of concern is the proposed provision of a new ‘full size’ roundabout to replace the

existing mini version. We know that a planning application has been made(25/03390/RG3) but to date we have not been advised of any progress. We are aware that the Lady Lane/Whinney Lane development for 480 houses has had a ‘Grampion’ agreement attached to it preventing the construction of dwelling houses and employment units until a scheme of highway mitigation at Pot Bank roundabout has been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority and the land necessary to construct the roundabout has been transferred to NYC.

 

Our work with the Liquidators of TWM, the providers of our existing VAS machine continues. Currently we have applied to the liquidators for a ‘Consideration’ towards the replacement and or repair costs whilst simultaneously reviewing costs for a possible replacement.

 

We have a statutory obligation to have in place an ‘Emergency Plan’ which provides basic

information regarding infrastructure and contacts should a local disaster arise. Our plan is currently being updated.

 

I would like to take this opportunity to remind all Parishioners that you are welcome to attend our monthly meetings to air your views and concerns.

 

Thank you for your attendance.

 

 

4. Comments/Questions from the floor:           A comment was made that there is a

damaged stone wall at the entrance to the village from the Leathley direction.

 

 

The Parish Meeting closed at 7.40pm