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Minutes of the Meeting held on Monday 3rd September 2007
Present: Councillors Sayce, Pete Barrass, Ian Hall, Diane
Hinchcliffe, Barbara Gravenor, Norman Hooks, Melna Martin, Dave Porter, Mrs M
Williams, Clerk
Also present: County Councillor Ray Thompson,
Rebecca Dixon, Hexham Courant
Apologies: Councillors Lizzie Clark, John Davison,
Steve Gleadhill, Tracy Warhurst-Walker,
District Councillors Argent, Dale and Drew.
Mrs Sayce welcomed members back after the summer break and also welcomed Rebecca
Dixon, the new reporter from the Hexham Courant.
07/38 Declarations of Interest – None
07/39 Minutes
The Minutes of the meeting held on 2nd June 2007 were agreed as a true record
subject to the following amendments:
Page 4 Eastern Parishes to read SCA Forum
07/40 Matters Arising –
Yellow lines – County Councillor Thompson reported that the relevant County
Committee is due to discuss this matter on 4th September.
Branch End Play Area – Councillor Thompson advised that he expected
that his application to make a grant of £3000 towards Branch End Play Area
Regeneration from the Small Capital Works Scheme will probably go through.
The hedge at the Old Forge has been cut.
The Holly Hedge bordering the Scaur steps needs cutting.
Meadowfield Road – Councillor Thompson advised that the work on Meadowfield
Road had been completed. He had received two complaints – one that the
length between Painshawfield Road and Cade Hill Road had not been resurfaced
and the other that the improved surface meant that motorists were speeding down
the road. It was also noted that in order to allow the contractors to carry out
the work they had cut back many of the hedges.
Bus along New Ridley Road – regarding the alleged
variation in the fares being charged, Councillor Thompson confirmed that there
is a fixed price schedule for journeys.
Eastern Parishes Forum – Mrs Gravenor asked for
clarification on the status of this body and Dave Porter offered to seek further
information at the meeting on 4th September.
07/41 Public Participation - none
07/42 Correspondence
The correspondence received during July and August had been listed on the agenda
and was noted.
Tynedale – Overview & Scrutiny Work Programme – request
for items to be discussed.
It was agreed to write requesting that the following topics be included:
- Confusion over what can be put into household recycling bins
- Weight of traffic using A695
- Lack of transport interchange at Stocksfield Station
- Lack of late night train service on Tyne Valley line
- Difficulty of access to recreation facilities in Tynedale especially for
younger and older people
- Lack of affordable housing for young people and sheltered housing for older
people
- Lack of a footpath along the River Tyne between Prudhoe and Corbridge
There was some discussion about the problem of recycling
cardboard and what can and cannot be put in recycling bins. It was felt that
Tynedale's brown
bin scheme for composting waste should be expanded more quickly. The Parish Council
should consider developing a green composting scheme. It was agreed to seek clarification
of bulky waste collection charges. It was also agreed to ask Ian Douglas, Director
of Environmental Services at Tynedale, to come to a Parish Council meeting to
answer councillors' queries on re-cycling.
Northumberland County Council – Development of
Parish Transport representatives –
It was agreed to respond by advising the County that
Mrs Gravenor would provide feedback on the adequacy or otherwise of
current public transport services.
Mrs Gravenor would receive up-dates of service timetables
Arrangements can be made for these to be distributed.
Parish Councillors were not willing to be responsible for changing the bus
timetable case liners, nor was it felt appropriate for parish councillors to
keep these clean
Tynedale - Review of Statement of Licensing Policy – no
comment
Tynedale – Review of Polling Districts & Polling Places – no
comment
NALC – Notice of AGM – Julia Sayce and possibly
Norman Hooks will attend.
Northumberland County Council – Local Government Re-organisation – it
was generally felt that before any meaningful discussion could take place there
is a need to find out more about the proposals and then form a working group
to discuss the consultation papers and the implications to the Parish Council
and the local community.
(County Councillor Ray Thompson left the meeting at this point and advised
that he would not be able to attend the October meeting)
07/43 Finance
The accounts for July and August had been circulated and were agreed.
The report on Spend v budget for the year to 31/08/07 had been circulated
and was accepted.
The conditions for increasing the Fidelity Guarantee were noted.
The Bank Reconciliation form had been included with the cheques/invoices and
was signed.
Additional cheques – it was agreed that additional
cheques should be signed:
Post Office £106.00
BDO Stoy Haward (Auditor) - £699.13
Branch End Play Area Regeneration Phase I – a paper had been circulated
proposing that £3486 be moved from the Recreation Areas Development Fund
to the Branch End Play Area Phase I fund to clear the deficit, to bring this
latter fund to zero. It was noted that Tynedale had been unable to give a grant
to clear this fund as they were unable to pay retrospective grants. It was agreed
to move these monies.
Audit 06/07 Accounts – The amendments requested by the auditor had been
circulated and were noted. The final auditor's report had been received.
There were no matters of concern to report. The report was accepted.
Precept 08/09 – A draft of the 07/08 budget had
been circulated. Councillors were asked to consider this and to advise the Clerk
of any changes they would like to make, particularly in relation to proposed
expenditure in 08/09. This matter would be discussed further in October/November.
07/44 Brief Reports from Advisory Groups and Council Representatives
Mrs Sayce advised that Mr Gleadhill had agreed to join the Sportsfield Management
Group.
Mrs Gravenor agreed to join the Transport & Highways
Group and it was suggested that Mr Gleadhill might also be happy to join this
group.
Parish Plan Group – Mrs Gravenor to join this
group.
a) Footpaths & Environment Group
South Bank Footpath – no response had been received from Allendale Estates
or SITA to earlier letters and these are to be chased.
Mr Hooks advised that the next meeting of the Footpaths & Bridleways Group
would be held on 8th October. He proposed and it was agreed that this group and
the Environment Group should consider merging. It was noted that a representative
from Allendale Estates was invited to attend meetings of the Footpaths & Bridleways
Group because of their ownership of and interest in the Community Woodland.
b) Play Facilities Group
The Play Facilities Report had been circulated.
Kate's Plain – it was agreed that the tyre
should be refilled with soil and planted. Mr Porter was not happy that it had
not proved possible to remove the tyre.
It was noted that the fence at Kate's Plain had been damaged again and
repaired again. It was felt that there were two problems –
Firstly, balls were going over the fence and had to be retrieved
Secondly that persons unknown were taking a short cut from the A695 through
Kate's Plain and were "unknitting" the fence in order to achieve
this.
It was agreed that Mrs Sayce would look into the cost of increasing the height
of the fence by 3/4 feet over 3/4 panels to try to prevent balls going into the
field.
Branch End Play Area
New Access - over the summer the Clerk had contacted up to a dozen potential
project managers for this part of the regeneration. Quotations had been received
from three and Mr Hall and Mr Hooks had met one – Guy Rawlinson – and
recommended that his quotation of 11% of the cost of the work, plus the cost
of a topographical survey should be accepted. This was agreed. Mr Rawlinson will
liaise with Kompan and the Sensory Garden Group over this project. It was noted
that the old gate and steps to the play area will eventually be removed.
Phase II – As reported earlier County Councillor Thompson has offered £3000
towards this project. An anonymous resident has also made a donation of £1000.
This means that funds to cover the entire cost of Phase II have now been received
or promised and that there may be sufficient to provide a basket ball post in
addition. The Hexham Courant had published an article which had been very helpful.
Play Area Inspections - The annual report from RoSPA had been received. The
Play Facilities Group is to liaise with the Clerk on instructions to be given
to the Handyman and others to carry out the work required by the inspector.
c) Sensory Garden
It was noted that work on the Sensory Garden would not be able to start until
the completion of the work on Phase II and the new access of Branch End Play
Area. It was thought therefore that work on the Sensory Garden would have to
be put back until early spring 2008.
d) Sports Facilities Group
Mrs Sayce reported that the Rugby and Cricket Clubs had agreed to a 5% increase
in rent for the 2007/08 season. Further discussions are to be held with the Football
Club.
MUGA Regeneration – Notification of a grant from SITA of £50,000
had been received over the summer. News of the success of the application for
funding from the Football Federation was still awaited.
Cricket Field Grass Cutting – Mrs Sayce is to
have a meeting with the Head Teacher of Broomley School to try to resolve this
issue.
Football Club – a request had been received from
the Football Club for a new pitch to be created at the southern end of the Sportsfield.
This would involve earth moving and ground levelling and permission would have
to be sought by the Parish Council from Allendale Estate. This new pitch is required
as the senior football team has been promoted to a higher league and because
of this new regulations come into force and the pitch would require some kind
of fencing for crowd control. Councillors were concerned that the Sportsfield
should also include an area for causal play and occasional use for special events.
It was also agreed that football should be encouraged. It was agreed that before
any further discussion could take place on this topic some additional information
should be sought:
- A scale plan of the Eastern Sportsfield as it is at present
- A scale plan of the proposed new pitch development
- Consideration to be given to the creation of the new pitch at the northern
end of the field.
- The requirements of other users of the field must be taken into consideration.
- How many residents of Stocksfield will benefit from the creation of this
new pitch.
Cricket Field Birds Eye Fencing - the Birds Eye Fencing at the edge of the
Cricket Field had been damaged and is to be replaced.
e) General Purposes
Clerk Leave of Absence – the Clerk had requested leave of absence from
18th October until 10th December. This was agreed to. The Chair and Vice Chair
are to find a temporary Clerk for this period. Dave Porter offered to collate
an edition of NE43 News for issue in December – a decision on this to be
taken in October. It had been suggested that a Parish plan questionnaire might
be published in December rather than NE43 News. It was however felt that a response
to a questionnaire issued at this time of year was likely to be poor.
Code of Conduct – Mrs Gravenor had attended the
meeting in Tynedale on this subject and summarised the discussion and points
of concern. It was agreed to adopt the revised Code of Conduct noting in particular
para. 12.2
Para 12 (2) The new code make it difficult for parish councillors who sit
on other local bodies to take part in informed debate. You can get round this
if you allow public participation throughout the meeting because then the councillor
is able to express themselves as a member of the public. However they still have
to leave the room while voting on the issue takes place. However our standing
orders may not allow public participation throughout the meeting (we have public
participation as an agenda item at the beginning of the meeting) David Francis
(NALC) suggests as an alternative approach to adjourning the meeting to invite
the councillor with prejudicial interest to answer questions or give evidence
relating to the business and you may do so provided you do not remain in the
meeting for the subsequent deliberation of that business, and that you do not
seek improperly to influence a decision about that business.
Christmas Trees – A quotation had been received
for the supply of Christmas Trees, one for the School and one to be located at
the Dr Syntax at New Ridley. Mr Porter felt that as a commercial organisation
the Dr Syntax should pay for this tree. It was however pointed out that the owner
of the Dr Syntax paid for the lights and electricity on this tree. It was also
pointed out that there was no obvious alternative site for a tree at the south
eastern part of the village.
A vote was taken and the result were:
In favour of siting a Christmas Tree at Broomley School - All those present
In favour of siting a Christmas Tree at New Ridley - For 3,
Against 1,
Abstentions 4
It was finally agreed that as the supply of trees had
been budgeted for in the Precept then two Sitka Spruce trees would be purchased
at a cost including delivery of £480. The question of the provision of
Christmas Trees is to be debated when considering the 08/09 budget/precept. Research
is to be carried out as to whether any other supplier might be cheaper.
f) Planning
The Planning Report - had been circulated and was accepted.
Railway Masts – Mrs Sayce and Mr Barrass brought
the meeting up-to-date on this subject. Notes on recent meetings and recommendations
emanating therefrom had been circulated and were endorsed.
Tynedale Local Development Framework – Site Allocations Proposals – the
notes on the public meeting held on 30th July to discuss this issue had been
circulated and were accepted. The parish Council's draft response to Tynedale
had been circulated and was endorsed with the proviso that paras. 4, 7 and 9
be moved to the end of the section.
g) Transport & Highways
A draft letter to SCA and Thompsons regarding reducing traffic levels on the
A695 is to be discussed by the Transport Group and brought back to the October
meeting.
Provision of Vehicle Activated Signs – meeting
at Slaley. Mrs Gravenor volunteered to attend. It is hoped that John Davison
will also attend.
Vehicle Activated Signs – Mr Barrass is researching
these and it was agreed that the preferred option for the wording would not include
the vehicle registration number.
A request for 30 mph signs to be installed at Broomley had been passed to
County Councillor Thompson.
h) Policy Group - Nothing to report.
Public Toilet Provision - Councillors had received a number of requests for provision
of public toilets at Branch End. The majority of these were from elderly men
who instead of walking to Branch End were forced to drive as they could not be
certain of getting home without needing to use the toilet. It was also pointed
out that there was no public facility available for users of Branch End Play
Area. Councillors were reminded that the toilets at Branch End had been closed
because at the time they were not well-used and the cost of bringing them up
to the standards required by the DDA were prohibitive. It was agreed to ask Tynedale
Council to approach Branch End Service Station to see if they could make their
toilets available for public use and then publicise the fact.
i) Communication – drafts of the next issue of
NE43 News and the Parish Information Card had been circulated and Councillors
were requested to advise the Clerk of any amendments.
j) Parish Plan – contact is to be made with Community
Action Northumberland with regard to funding.
k) Council Representatives
Planning Forum – the Minutes of this meeting had been circulated.
Parish Council Forum – nothing to report.
07/45 Other business - none
07/46 Date of Next Meeting - Parish Council 1st October
The meeting closed at 10.30p.m.
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