R Turnbull

Another year with consistent membership of the Parish Council, with the new Clerk settling in well. The Audit in May with a new auditor confirmed that finances were in order, but did may some suggestions of improvements in governance. A new Long Drax Parish Council website has been launched this year with some positive comments from others. A Parish Council Whatsapp group has been set up to streamline communications between Councillors. The Parish Council’s bank account has been transferred to an online account with the cheque book as a backup.

Eastern Green Link 2 EGL2 converter station construction has begun in earnest with ground works and piling which could be heard around the village but finished in April. The riverbank flood risk due to failure of the stone walls on Langrick Road has been addressed by the Environment Agency with their contractor BAM putting in additional sheet piles behind the walls. The work despite the noise went quite smoothly with only issue being the designated HGV route needing to be modified with extra signage.

Four industrial planning applications have been reviewed during the year and the Solar Farms on Wade Lane Drax and Helios at Camblesforth gaining planning permission and Camblesforth Solar farm construction starting. All three solar farm cable routes being through Long Drax. Humber Carbon Capture pipeline held an information webinar and public information exhibition giving details of proposed pipe route if project goes ahead as it is on hold at present,

An issue with a residential caravan in a field off Wren Hall Lane was reported to NYC and a contact established. The Caravan has since moved on.

A road sign on Sharphill Lane was damaged by a vehicle, was straightened by the PC, but one on Langrick Road badly damaged has been reported to NYC Hiways. A number of road defects have been reported to Hiways via the Portal and have been repaired.

Drax Power Station has continued to have regular liaison meeting with local PCs and cut the road verges.

To be held at Drax Sports and Social club on Wednesday 13th May 2026 at 7.00pm

1. Election of Chairperson
2. Election of Vice Chairperson
3. Minutes of previous Annual General Meeting (May 2025)
4. Chair’s Report
5. To fix the dates and times of the Parish Council Meetings for the year

Followed by Parish Council meeting

 To be held at Drax Sports and Social Club, on Wednesday 13/05/2026 at 7.30pm

• Apologies for absence
• Present
• Minutes of last meeting (January 2026)
• Finances – Zurich Insurance renewal – Finance report
• Planning ZG2026/0098/S73 – Land to East of New Road, Long Drax. Vary condition and colour scheme of ongoing works at Wren Hall convertor station
• Correspondence

• • Defibrillator status check completed (February)

• • Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) – update regarding ongoing works at Wren Hall convertor station
  • Chairs of North Yorkshire & Yorkshire Air Ambulance invitation to Charity Reception. Refused
  • North Yorkshire Council – Planned Road Restriction Notification – Main Road Drax July 26
  • Invitation to Parish Council Chairs Meeting (Foxholes / Butterwick / Wold Newton) regarding gas drilling applications. Refused
  • Invitation to meeting with Policy Officer for Deputy Mayor re speed cameras in North Yorkshire. Refused
  • Survey on North Yorkshire Emergency Services. No response.
  • Letter from resident regarding Litter on Carr Lane. Replied
  • Letter from resident re Wren Hall noise, community fund application suggestion, low water pressure, turning area suggestion, EGL2 roadside cleaning, Sewage farm trees
  • Letters from residents re static caravan at Oak Bank farm.

• Matters Arising
  
  • Turning circle improvements update
  • Langrick Road pavement update
  • Community emergency plan update
  • Long Drax Parish Council new website
  • Damaged road sign following Police incident Langrick Road
  • Oak Bank Farm – Planning enforcement case update
  • Drax Power Station Parish Council Liaison meeting (March) update
  • NYC parish council liaison meeting Ricall 27th Jan update
• Any other business
  
  • Post on social media relating to the finding and reporting to NYC of nitrous oxide cannisters in Pear Tree Avenue.
  • Reported issues of low water pressure in Long Drax
  • Reported issue of trees transgressing the road in the vicinity of the sewage farm Redhouse Lane
  • Obstructions on pavement on Langrick Road

Long Drax Parish Council General Meeting

Held at Drax Sports and Social Club on Wednesday 21/01/2026 @ 7.30pm

• Apologies for absence

Joseph Spetch

• Present

Roger Turnbull         (Chairperson)                  RT

Geoff Haigh               (Vice-Chair)                      GH

Gillian Ward                                                        GW

Paul Miles                                                             PM

Jon Whiting               (Clerk)                               JW

County Councillor Mike Jordan

• Minutes of last General meeting (September 2025)

Minutes were distributed to the Councillors via email prior to the meeting and were accepted as a true and accurate record at the meeting.

Minutes signed by RT at meeting.

• Finances / Audit report / Financial regulations/ Standing orders/ Payments

Long Drax Finances – as of 21/01/2026 the balance of the account is £2,639.79

• Long Drax Parish council are now banking online with JW the primary signatory and RT secondary.
• ICO registration in process (RT)
• National Association of Local Councils (nalc) 2025 model standing orders and an updated financial regulations document have been disseminated via email.
• Agreement for clerk’s wages to be increased as per the civil servant pay award of 3.25% for 2026/2027.
• Invoices have been received and are agreed to paid for, from

MOOiDesign – Website / email hosting fee & renewal of SMTP Access (emails) – £186.97

JW (Clerks fee’s) – £471.92

• Planning

– Land East of New Road – consent for two hoardings at EGL2 entrance (Granted)

– Drax Power Station, New Rd – removal of 200 – 300 metres of hedgerow for access to 400KV circuit pylons (Approved). Condition is that hedge is replaced.

– Helios Solar Farm, Camblesforth (Granted)

• Correspondence

• North Yorkshire Council: Parish Precept Letter 2026/2027 – Precept request for 2026/2027 increased by £50 to £1350.00
• Humber Carbon Capture Pipeline (HCCP) – Parish Council briefing (online) – JW attended. A number of Parish councillors were in attendance at the public meeting held at Drax village hall.
• Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) Yorkshire Local Community Benefit Fund – open for applications. An application could be made in regards to the turning circle improvements. Letters to be sent from PC to landowners seeking permissions to conduct improvements.
• North Yorkshire Council Highways – application submitted for two road traffic signs for wildlife on Carr Lane. Awaiting response. Consideration to be given to the purchase of the signs by PC and placed on private land.
• Defibrillator status check completed by RT (December)
• Letter from Keir Mather MP to CEO Northern Power Grid regarding frequency of power outages
• Offer of a Piano as a gift – subsequently identified & reported as a scam email.
• NYC Issue of Election cost document
• Foxholes and Butterwick PC re planning application to drill for Gas in East Yorkshire
• NYC annual rough sleepers survey – nil return

• Matters Arising

• Drax Power Station Parish Council Liaison meetings (Sept and Dec) – updates from both meetings disseminated to PC by RT
• Turning circle improvements update – PC to send letters to landowners seeking permissions to conduct improvement works.
• Langrick Road pavement repair works – still awaiting feedback / response from NYC. PC to ensure weeds are kept under control.
• Community emergency plan – in progress by RT who is due to attend a meeting on 27^th January 2026.
• Caravan(s) in field adjacent to The Old Nursery – JW has been in contact with planning enforcement and is awaiting an update.
• Long Drax Parish Council new website – GH has approached two local businesses with a negative response for sponsoring the new website. One local company has agreed to contribute (£100) towards the website build costs along with a yearly (£30) fee towards maintenance costs. A meeting with the website designer is due to take place later this week to review the product.
• Damaged road sign following Police incident Langrick Road – reported and awaiting replacement by NYC highways

• Any other business

A new laptop for the use of the clerk JW has been purchased in full by Newland Parish Council. JW is to retain and secure the LDPC laptop.

Meeting closed 20:40hrs

Next meeting – Wednesday 13^th May 2026 at 7.00pm AGM followed by a meeting to be held at Drax Sports & Social Club