Councillors, their roles and how to contact them

Mrs Geraldine Birks: geraldinebirks “at” gmail.com

Mr Robert Crow: crowbugpo “at” gmail.com

Mrs Fiona Goodhart: fionaghart “at” aol.com

Lady Halifax: halifax “at” garrowby.plus.com

Mr Stephen Huffington: Stephenhuffington “at” gmail.com, 07932173322

Mr Tom Julian: tjulian”at”halifaxestates.co.uk

Mr David Lord: dlord “at” halifaxestates.co.uk, 01759 368219

Mr Howard Paul: andyhowardpaul “at” aol.com

Dr David Pearson (Chair): david.pearson “at” hyms.ac.uk

Dr Katherine Robinson (Vice Chair): kr_messages “at” hotmail.com

The Council’s Clerk

Mr David Lord: dlord “at” halifaxestates.co.uk, 01759 368219

What the Council does

Bugthorpe and Kirkby Underdale is a small parish council serving fewer than 250 residents. The councillors are volunteers who live within the parish. They make the decisions of the Council and the Clerk handles all the administration and finances. The Council sets a precept which forms approximately 2-3% of your council tax bill. It spends that to help maintain or improve the village environment and to support community activities. Because many of the councillors are co-opted (i.e. they don’t stand for election because there is only one person seeking to fill each vacancy), the Council doesn’t have a General Power of Competence. This means it can only spend the money where specific legislation allows it to do so. For example, it pays to clean the Bugthorpe bus shelter, it contributes to the church clock maintenance funds and churchyard maintenance in Bugthorpe and Kirkby Underdale, and it contributes to the Kirby Underdale Village Hall and Bugthorpe War Memorial Institute. The Council owns and maintains the street lights in Bugthorpe. In extreme winter weather, it funds gritting of roads which aren’t included in East Riding’s gritting route. In recent years the Council has arranged for litter bins to be provided in the A166 lay-bys bordering the parish.

On behalf of the Council, the Clerk liaises with East Riding of Yorkshire Council about matters affecting the parish. These include pot holes that need repairing and repairs or improvements for the attention of East Riding’s Village Task Force.

The Council comments on all planning applications within the parish and on applications in neighbouring parishes which could impact Bugthorpe and Kirby Underdale residents. The Council’s comments are considered by East Riding of Yorkshire Council, which decides whether to accept or reject each application.

The Council has the power to issue fixed penalty notices for litter, graffiti, fly-posting and breaches of dog control orders (including dog fouling). In practice, dog fouling is the main complaint and the Council tries to identify offenders and request that they clean up for the benefit of other residents.

The Council exists to serve the parish residents so if there is anything you would like to discuss, please contact The Clerk or a councillor.