Minutes of the Meeting held on Monday 7th September 2009

Present: Councillors Pete Barrass, John Davison, Pete Duncan, Ian Hall, Diane Hinchcliffe, Norman Hooks, Melna Martin, Helen Morris, Dave Porter. Katharine Russell, Julia Sayce. Mrs Margaret Williams, Clerk
Also Present: Gemma Brown, Hexham Courant. Prof. R Madeley

Apologies: Steve Gleadhill, County Councillor Anne Dale

09/34 Declarations of Interest - Mrs Russell declared an interest in discussions on the Welton Close Play Space.

09/35 Minutes - Acceptance of the Minutes of the meeting held on 6th July was proposed by Mrs Sayce, seconded by Norman Hooks and agreed.

09/36 Matters Arising
Highland Cattle Centre – It was noted that this is being sold as a business.
Dave Porter asked if the accounts had been entered on a new file as agreed previously and was advised that this had not yet been completed and that the Clerk was to meet with the Finance & General Purposes Group and Pete Barrass in about a weeks time.

09/37 Public Participation
Welton Close Play Space – The Chairman, Ian Hall, had informed most residents of the outcome of the correspondence with the County and the remainder are to be given the same information.
Station Car Park Improvements – Prof. Madeley was welcomed to the meeting. A meeting was to be held on site the following Thursday when Prof. Madeley, County Councillor Mrs Dale representatives of the Parish Council and officers from the County would be present. Prof Madeley had had concerns about the levels of lighting of the car parking facility proposed for the north side of the station. It had been explained that on the North side the County were simply to tarmac the surface. Parking for disabled drivers will only be on the south side of the station. The County will define the road edge but there will be no other street furniture. There is a problem with the drainage of the north side and until this has been resolved, no progress can be made.
As far as the south side is concerned, Northern Rail were to have put the plans to their Board in August for approval. A contractor has been appointed. Parish Councillors are to meet with railway and County officers on 17th September.
County Councillor Mrs Dale had submitted a written report which had been circulated and was noted.

09/38 Correspondence
Correspondence received since the July meeting had been listed on the Agenda and was noted.
Requests for e-mail addresses - requests to pass on the e-mail addresses for each councillor are to be judged on their individual merit.
The Boundary Committee – no comment is to be made on the proposals put forward by the Boundary Committee.

09/39 Finance
July/August Accounts – the accounts for July and August 2009 were agreed.
2008/09 Audit – Queries had been received from the external auditor and had been responded to by the Clerk. The responses to the queries were noted. Pete Barrass proposed, Julia Sayce seconded and it was agreed that the amendments be approved and endorsed. It was felt that, in future, audit returns should be checked more carefully by Councillors prior to being sent to the External Auditors.
Review of Internal Audit – The Clerk has prepared a Review of the Internal Audit and this was noted.
Funding for VACS – the arrangements for funding the additional VACS machine were noted.

Additional Cheques – it was agreed to pay the following additional cheques not included in the Accounts for the period.
LexisNexis - Arnold Baker – £59.05 Accent Magazines – NE43 Distribution - £50
Collingwood Marquees – Festival - £789 Tyne Valley Nurseries – Bedding etc - £252.93
Post Office Counters Ltd – Distribution – Parish Plan – not more than £55.00
Robson Print – NE43 News - £332 Robson Print – Parish Plan - £774

09/40 Brief Reports from Advisory Groups and Council Representatives
a) Report on meeting held with Allendale Estates
Sportsfield Rent Review – negotiations are no further forward.
Provision of Matta – Eastern Field – the County are to be chased with regard to the need for Planning Permission.
Seat on the Round Hill - still unresolved
Hedge onA695 – this has been cut
b) Development of a Village Trust – The Chairman had drawn up a discussion paper on this proposal and it was agreed that time would be allowed at the October meeting for a detailed debate on the proposal and the way to take it forward. Ian Hall was thanked for drawing up the paper.
c) Parish Plan – The Plan had been published and was in the process of being sent out with an accompanying press release to those suggested earlier in the year. Copies would be available at the Festival. All those involved in the preparation and production of the Plan were thanked for their hard work.
Parish Plan Action Group – it was felt that this group should be given a more dynamic name and
that its role should be more clearly defined.
d) Policy Group – Windfarms – Pete Barrass had drawn up a paper, primarily in response to the proposals for the development of a windfarm at Boundary Lane, Whittonstall – he was thanked for preparing this report.
e) Play Facilities
Welton Close Play Space – this matter had been covered above..
RoSPA Play Areas Inspection – This had been carried out and the report had been received. Councillors, Hall, Hinchcliffe and Martin are to meet to discuss the report. It was agreed that they would look with discretion at Medium Risk comments and consider urgently and make recommendations on the action to be taken on those highlighted as High Risk. Consideration is to be given to resiting the picnic tables once work on the Community Garden is complete.
It was noted that the wetpour under the fire engine had been damaged and it was agreed to pay for its repair – the Clerk advised that it may be possible to make an insurance claim for this repair.
f) Community Garden – Ian Nichol had quoted for the job and had been appointed – he had then come back and said that he needed a further £700 as he thought the path was shorter than required and he needs to get a digger in. It was agreed that his revised quotation be accepted but a query was raised as to where he was dumping the soil.
g) The Clerk asked for clarification on the funding of the Community Garden. It was noted that the Group had raised £235; that £1000 had been budgeted for. It was suggested that the balance might come from the Youth and Beacon Funds. The planters for the Community Garden are being sponsored and it was suggested that an appeal for funds would be made in memory of the former Vicar, Father Tom Emmett. Dave Porter suggested that the Parish Council should pay no more towards to the Community Garden.
h) Finance & General Purposes Group – the Group had not met.
Snooker Club - Ian Hall and Dave Porter are yet to arrange to meet representatives of the Snooker Club to advise them of the results of the valuation.
Branch End Toilet Site – nothing to report.
Christmas Trees - Ian Hall had sourced a possible source for bare root trees but it was agreed that neither site was suitable for such trees. The Clerk is to get a quotation for the supply of one tree only. Mr Hall is to speak to Mrs Coulson about providing lights for a tree in the school grounds but not providing a Christmas tree.
Remembrance Day – As the Guide Troop is not longer in existence, the Brownies had agreed to provide the refreshments. Ian Hall is to ask Joe Bennington to lay the wreath. Representatives from Albermarle Barracks are to be invited to attend. Contact is to be made with the Police regarding traffic control.
Stocksfield Festival - A rota was circulated to man the Parish Council stall. Car Park marshals are required.
i) Sports Facilities
Football Club – Mrs Sayce advised that the Saturday Football team is playing its home matches at Kimberley Park in Prudhoe, they are renting the facilities not leasing them. The Sunday team continues to play at Stocksfield and all training is at Stocksfield.

[Suspension of Standing Orders –it was agreed that Standing Orders should be suspended and the meeting should continue until 10.00 p.m.]

j) Communication
NE43 News – The Festival edition had been given to a delivery company for distribution. It was reported that several houses had not received copies and it was felt that although this had been a useful exercise the company had not done a very good job and it was agreed not to use them again. The next edition would be published in early December and information should be sent to Dave Porter in good time.
Parish Information Card – a discussion took place on two fronts –
Should the card be re-issued after the general election or after the County Council
elections in 2013.
Should the card be re-issued at all.
It was agreed to look into the costs of production and possible alternative formats and ways of distribution.
k) Transport & Highways –
Station Car Park – See comments above.
Railway Mast – the mast has now been erected.
Drains & Gullies – refer to Mrs Dale’s report.
Repair to Ford – it was felt that the closure of this road had not caused a great deal of inconvenience to residents. The possibility of changing its status was raised and it was noted that there is interest in the County in defining some of the roads around the Fords as Quiet Lanes.
Purchase of additional VACS – this has been ordered.
Parking outside BEPA – the success of the Play Area is creating a problem on parking. It was suggested that a lay-by might be created adjacent to the play area and the County are to be asked about the possibility of providing such a facility.
l) Footpaths Gardens & the Environment Group
Footpath 13 - Mr Hooks advised the repair to this path had been completed.
Seats – Mr Hooks had looked at the two seats at the tennis courts and the Jubilee seat at the roadside beside the Cricket Field. He said that he felt that the seats at the tennis courts did not need immediate replacement. He felt that the boards on the Jubilee seat should be replaced. It was therefore agreed not to replace the tennis court seats but to monitor their condition and to ask the Handyman to replace the boards on the Jubilee seat, noting that the plaque will have to be moved to the new boards. A decision on providing a seat on the Round Hill is yet to be made.
Community Landscape Character Statement – The Group is to discuss this issue.
Big Tidy Up – it was agreed that we should participate in this campaign but that this would be later in the year,
Litter Bin at the Fords – it was noted that a public spirited resident was leaving a bag for litter near the seat. It was agreed to acknowledge this in NE43 News and ask the individual to let the Parish Council know if this got too much for them
m) Policy Group – nothing to report
n) Local Government Re-organisation – nothing to report – this subject to be deleted from future agendas
o) Planning – The Planning Report had been circulated. It was suggested and agreed that the Groups decision on an application should be noted on the agenda in addition to the report tabled.
Boundary Lane Wind Farm - it was agreed that the Council should respond to this application and advise that we have not comment to make.
p) Council Representatives – nothing to report

09/41 Any Other Business
Agenda - while it was accepted that some matters should continue to be included as an “aide memoire” it was agreed that these should be listed as pending.
Proposed closure of Day Centres – the F&GP is to draw up a response to these proposals.

09/42 Date of next meeting - 5th October 2009

The meeting closed at 10.05 p.m.