Council Meeting – 11th March 2026
Minutes of the Meeting of Great Longstone Parish Council
held at 7.00pm on Wednesday 11th March 2026
in Great Longstone Village Hall, DE45 1TB
DRAFT MINUTES
Present: Cllr J Rigby (Chair), Cllr A Douglass, Cllr J Cox, Cllr P Barrett, Cllr Hornsey
In attendance: Simon Headington (Clerk) and District Cllr H Froggatt to end of 29/26.
26/26 Apologies for absence from members.
All members were present
27/26 Declarations of disclosable pecuniary interest relating to items on the agenda.
None
28/26 To approve minutes of the meeting held on 14th January 2026.
Approved
29/26 Public Comments – District Cllr Froggatt spoke about changes to council taxes for 2026/27 and reminded members of the community projects scheme, which will be open again soon for small community focused projects. Cllr Froggatt also discussed the recent Housing Needs Survey and commented that the community response had been much higher than similar surveys that have taken place in the area.
30/26 Discussion of Confidential Matters: (Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 S1(2)) – Council decided that no items in this meeting needed to be discussed with the public excluded
31/26 Report from Proper Officer to the Council
- Submitted precept demand for 2026/27 (£23,835)
- Replaced battery on Tea Hut Defibrillator
- Reported various potholes
- Sorting out HMRC Registration
- Obtained 2nd quote for cherry tree and arranged for the work to be done
- Continuing work related to the Neighbourhood Plan
- Sent out Quarry and Agricultural invoices
32/26 Report from Staffing Committee Meeting on 29th January
- It was reported that Cllr Hornsey had been elected Chair of the Staffing Committee.
- It was reported that the following policies & procedures had been approved:
- Dignity at Work Policy – https://greatlongstone-pc.gov.uk/dignity-at-work-policy/
- Employee Privacy Notice – https://greatlongstone-pc.gov.uk/employee-privacy-notice/
- Grievances and Disciplinary Procedures – https://greatlongstone-pc.gov.uk/grievances-and-disciplinary-procedures/
- Health and Safety Policy – https://greatlongstone-pc.gov.uk/health-and-safety-policy/
- Sickness Absence Policy – https://greatlongstone-pc.gov.uk/sickness-absence-policy/
- Training and Development Policy – https://greatlongstone-pc.gov.uk/training-and-development-policy/
- It was reported that the staffing committee had confirmed the appointment of Simon Headington as salaried Clerk & Responsible Finance Officer (RFO), on Local Government Scale LC1 Points 7-12, commencing on Point 7, with effect from 1st February 2026.
- A request from the Clerk, for the Council to fund membership of the Society of Local Government Clerks, was approved.
33/26 Allotments: – It had been previously agreed to switch from a fixed price “per plot” to charges based on the actual plot sizes. The clerk reported that on measuring the plots they were found to range in size from 38 m2 to 80 m2. The “half-plots” varied from 35 m2 to 40 m2.
It was agreed that:
- The rental year will be fixed as being 1st October to 30th September each year.
- There will be no charges levied for the period to 30th September 2026. This is to compensate the allotment tenants for the disruption caused by the closure of the allotment gardens during the summer of 2025.
- The rent for the year commencing 1st October 2026 will be £0.45 per square metre.
- In future years, starting from October 2027, rent increases will be linked to the Annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) figure for July for the same calendar year.
- The Clerk was instructed to prepare an Allotments Policy and updated Tenancy agreements and for these to be brought to the next meeting of the Council for review and approval.
34/26 Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee Report: Cllr Douglass reported that 2 committee meetings and a public meeting had been held since the last meeting of the Council.
During this time the results of both the Housing Needs Survey (95 responses) and the Longstone Area Community Survey (167 response) had been received. These level of responses was significant, given the size of our local population and very positive.
The six workstreams (Climate Mitigation & Renewable Energy, Land Management and Nature Recovery, Transport, Business & Tourism, Housing and Community) were now reviewing the output of the surveys in order to plan their next steps.
35/26 DDDC Housing Needs Survey: The survey, which covered all five of the Civil Parishes that are within the Ecumenical Parish (Great Longstone, Little Longstone, Rowland, Hassop and Wardlow), which also matches the distribution area for “Under the Edge”.
The report’s conclusion was that the current “Need” within Great Longstone is for nine properties in total, made up of six 1-bedroom, two 2-bedroom and one 3-bedroom units.
The next stage will be to see if there are any suitable sites within or close to the village.
Councillors were reminded that we are still in a very early stage of this project and there were significant obstacles that will need to be overcome before any additional housing might be built.
36/26 Recreation Ground
36.1 Cllr Barrett reported that he and Cllr Douglass had installed the new noticeboard on the Tennis Court fencing.
36.2 The Clerk reported that he had received a complaint from a resident who was worried about footballs coming into her garden, and the risk of them causing injury to visiting children. In addition they complained that people were climbing over the wall to access her garden without permission.
It is difficult to stop balls from going over the fence, but users will be asked to take more care. The Clerk was instructed to put up warning tape in places where walls were being climbed, in addition to a notice instructing people how to find the front entrance of the properties, so that they can request the return of balls.
37/26 Village Green: The Clerk reported that he had requested and obtained a 2nd quote for carrying out work on the Cherry Tree. As this was lower than the first quote the Clerk instructed the contractor to go-ahead with the project. The contractor understands that the tree is within the Great Longstone Conservation Area and that they are responsible for obtaining the appropriate permission from the PDNP.
38/26 Closed Churchyard: Cllr Barrett proposed that the Council accept a grant of £590 from Peak District National Park Foundation for tools and seeds for the Churchyard Volunteer Group. This was approved by the Council.
The Clerk was instructed to return the acceptance to the PDNPF and to liaise with the Churchyard Volunteer Group regarding the need to order bluebell bulbs and wildflower seed, at a cost of £128.34 + VAT.
39/26 Old Infant School Building: The Clerk reported that he had been contacted by a person who was looking into renting the Old Infant School Building as a base for a Forest School Nursery. He was in the process of discussing “Heads of Terms” with the property agent and was expecting to have to submit a planning application for a change of use from F1 (Schools) to E (Nurseries).
40/26 Camper Vans on Moor Road: The Clerk reported that the Highways Department at DCC have confirmed that none of the lay-bys on the section of Moor Road, that runs between the cattle grid to the sharp bend at the top of the hill, belong to the Council, so all are the responsibility of the Landowner or their tenant. The lead from the Neighbourhood Plan Land Management and Nature Recovery Workstream will discuss this further with the tenant.
41/26 Highways – To note that:
- The Glorious Gravel Cycling Event will pass through the various parts of the parish on Sat 14th This will include Longreave Lane, Moor Road and Chertpit Lane and involve 100 to 150 cyclists.
- The annual Longstone Edge Cycling Hill Climb event will take place on the evening of Wed 17th The organisers will be arranging for the closure of Moor Road between the Leys Lane/Chertpit Lane turning and the top of the hill.
- Severn Trent: The Clerk reported that staff from Severn Trent have been carrying our extensive investigations of the “combined” drains system, looking specifically for places where excessive amounts of ground water could be entering into their network.
- Highways/DCC: The clerk has reported problems with blocked gulleys on Church lane (x 2), the new road, near Longstone Hole Bridge, and the junction of Mires Lane and Longreave Lane, but with no response. Cllr Cox pointed out that there was another blocked gulley on Station Road.
Reports of potholes had been a bit more successful and one on main Street, close to the allotments, had been repaired quite promptly.
42/26 Village Hall: Cllrs Barrett and Hornsey reported on the Village Hall Charity’s Annual General Meeting that had taken place the previous evening. The Charity Trustees have obtained a grant towards the cost of improving the electrical wiring system and the purchase of new chairs.
43/26 Village Week 2026 – Sat 11th to Sun 19th July 2026: The Clerk reported that a number of village organisations were working on running community events over this period of time. The main events over the first weekend will be the PCC Open Gardens, the FOLS colour run and fete, the Well Blessings. Little Longstone Parish Meeting are looking into organising a musical event on the Sunday. On the second weekend LASRA will run their sports day. Little Longstone Chapel Flower festival will be running all week and there will be other events during the week, including a musical evening at the Crispin on Thursday 16th.
44/26 Annual Parish Meeting (29th April 2026): It was reported that there will be updates on the Neighbourhood Plan and the proposed move of Thornhill House to a new site. It was agreed that LASRA and LEAP should be invited to present as well.
45/26 Land Registrations – The Clerk reported that confirmation has been received that the Land Registry records for the Village Greens (DY482175) and West Green/Allotments (DY318854) now both show the Village Hall as the postal address for the Parish Council. This update has taken over 10 months since the application was lodged by the Council’s Solicitor. The Recreation Ground (DY461279) was updated to the same address last year.
Work on registering the Council’s Moor Road properties still needs to be completed.
46/26 Planning Applications
- Recent – Decided/Withdrawn:
- NP/DDD/1225/1251 – 11 Edge View Drive – Permission for proposed rear ground floor extension and first floor side extension (over existing garage and porch) to dwelling – Granted Conditionally
- Submitted dealt with between meetings
- NP/DDD/0126/0096 – 26 The Meadows, Grisedale Road West, Great Longstone
- New, for consideration in meeting:
- NP/DDD/0725/0657 & NP/DDD/0725/0658 at Longstone Hall (multiple changes). This has now come back with multiple additional plans and reports. After reviewing the main changes to the application the Council resolved to make no further representations.
- NP/DDD/0326/0237 – 22 The Meadows, Grisedale Road West – Alterations and rear extension. The Council reviewed this application, noting that it was the second extension application in under 12 months, for the same property.The Council instructed the Clerk to write to the PDNPA to express the following concerns:
i) That the “Plans and Elevations (Existing)” on 0326/0237 do not match the “Plans and Elevations (Proposed)” on 0325/0219
ii) That the cumulative extensions may undermine the character of the parent building, possibly contrary to policies DMH7 and DMC3.
iii) The Block Plan on application shows three off-road parking spaces 0325/0219, as required by DMT8 and the PDNPA Parking Standards. They appear again in the Block Plan for 0326/0237, though do not appear to have been constructed yet. The Council felt that it if this application is approved that a requirement be included that this element of 0325/0219 should be completed before work any work on this new application is commenced.
47/26 Policies
- Existing Policies for review and readoption
- Publication Scheme (Required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000) – Approved
- For Adoption
- Information Technology and Social Media Policy: (Required by paragraph 1.54 of the Practitioners’ Guide 2025)
This was approved subject to an update to confirm that personal cloud storage accounts can be used for documents that are already in the public domain.
- Information Technology and Social Media Policy: (Required by paragraph 1.54 of the Practitioners’ Guide 2025)
- For discussion
- Biodiversity Policy (Section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 as amended by Section 102 of the Environment Act 2021)
Still outstanding
- Biodiversity Policy (Section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 as amended by Section 102 of the Environment Act 2021)
- Reviewing Policy Documents: Proposed that Standing Orders be updated to read that Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, Code of Conduct, Asset Register and Publication Scheme to be reviewed annually at the Annual Meeting of the Council (AMC), in May, and that all other policies be reviewed annually at the first full meeting of the Council after the AMC.
Approved
48/26 Scheme of Delegation: Proposed that the Scheme of Delegation (March 2026) be adopted with immediate effect, and that it be reviewed annually or upon changes to legislation, whichever is sooner.
Approved
49/26 Mid-Year Internal Audit – Jan 2026: To accept the midterm internal audit report.
The mid-year internal audit report was received
50/26 Preparing for the Annual Governance and Audit Review (AGAR)
A briefing note on the 2025-26 AGAR process and timetable was received.
51/26 Finance
51.1 Bank reconciliations – as at 28th February 2026.
Total cash available £30,535.54. Balances checked by Councillor Hornsey using bank statements and cashbook. The receipt of reimbursable expenditure from DDDC was noted.
- VAT Refund: It was noted that a claim submitted for £4,608.37 has been paid in full.
- Application submitted for a Unity Trust savings account: Noted
- To approve payments made since last meeting:
| No | Item | Supplier | Net | VAT | Total | Notes |
| 1. | Finance System – May, Oct & Nov 2025 | Starboard Systems | £31.00 | £6.20 | £37.20 | Per month x 3 months |
| 2. | Neighbourhood Plan Printing – Feb 2025 | Mad4Ink | £68.33 | £13.67 | £82.00 | Promotion for village meeting |
Approved
- To accept and approve new payments:
| No | Item | Supplier | Net | VAT | Total | Notes |
| 1. | Printer Supplies | Toner People | £194.55 | £38.91 | £233.46 | Credit Card |
| 2. | Clerk’s membership of the Society of Local Government Clerks | SLCC | £170.00 | £0.00 | £170.00 | Credit Card |
| 3. | Annual Subscription to DALC (2026/27) | DALC | £351.00 | £0.00 | £351.00 | Due 01/04/2026 |
| 4. | Optional Enhanced Training Fee (26/27) | DALC | £210.00 | £0.00 | £210.00 | Due 01/04/2026 |
| 5. | Bank Charges (Mar & Apr 2026) | Unity Trust Bank | £6.00 | £0.00 | £6.00 | per month |
| 6. | Credit Card Fees (Mar & Apr 2026) | Lloyds Bank | £3.00 | £0.00 | £3.00 | per month |
| 7. | Finance System Apr & May 26) | Starboard Systems | £31.00 | £6.20 | £37.20 | Per month |
| 8. | Membership Fee | SLCC | £170.00 | £0.00 | £170.00 | |
| 9. | Salary for Feb & Mar | Clerk | – | – | – | Redacted |
| 10. | Income Tax & NI | HMRC | – | – | – | Redacted |
| 11. | Bulbs & Seeds | Landlife Wildflowers | £ 132.50 | £26.49 | £158.99 |
Approved
- Items of Correspondence
- 22 Jan – DDDC – Timetable for submitting revised Local Plan to Government
- 22 Jan – Myhill Cycling – Longstone Edge Hill Climb 17th June
- 29 Jan – Notification of planning application NP/DDD/0126/0096
- 30 Jan – Email from a resident about a pothole on Main Street
- 30 Jan – PDNPA – 75th anniversary of the National Park
- 6 Feb – DDDC – Consultation on local government reorganisation
- 6 Feb – DCC – Transfer of transport services to EMCCA
- 9 Feb – PDNP – Response to question about Bleaklow Hollow Tailings Dam
- 10 Feb – Ethos Universitas – invitation to join their partner community
- 10 Feb – DCC – Public Rights of Way Minor maintenance claims
- 10 Feb – DCC – response to a query about extent of the highway and parking areas along Moor Road
- 26th Feb – Gravel X – Cycling event that will pass through on Sat 14th March
- 2nd Mar – Call from a resident about footballs coming into their garden from the Tennis Court.
- 3rd Mar – DDDC – Offer of training in the planning process (DDDC, not PDNP)
- 4th Mar – Sports England – Site Audit Due (for Recreation Ground)
- 5th Mar – Bakewell Safe Neighbourhood Team (Police) – March Newsletter
- 5th Mar – DDDC – 2026 Holiday Activities and Food Programme.
- 5th Mar – Correspondence about possibly opening a Nursery School in the village
- Items of Late Correspondence
- 6th Mar – Local resident – wrote concerned about damage being caused by cars parking on the triangle of land by the junction of Longreave Lane with the A6020.It was noted that this is within the Parish of Ashford in the Water. Clerk to pass on contact details for Ashford clerk to the resident. Also to pass to the transport workstream of the Neighbourhood Plan project.
- 9th Mar – Copy of a proposal from Hope Valley Climate Action that would see the frequency of the 173 bus service changed to hourly, for the service to start earlier and finish later and for buses to be timed to meet trains at Hope Station.It was agreed to send a letter of support to the Mayor of the East Midlands Combined Authority.
- Items from Councillors for information: (Note that anything that requires a decision to be made must go onto the agenda of a future meeting for discussion and agreement)Cllr Douglass asked that payments for services relating to Village Week be added to the agenda for the May meeting
- To note forthcoming meetings
Dates of future Parish Council meetings:
- Wed 13th May 2026
- Wed 8th July 2026
- Wed 9th September 2026
- Wed 11th November 2026
Date of 2026 Annual Parish Meeting– 29th April 2026 @7pm
The Chair closed the meeting at 9.32pm
