The Minutes of Slaley Parish Council February 2005
Minutes of Slaley Parish Council, Monday 14th February 2005, at 7.30 p.m. in Slaley Commemoration Hall.
Pre-meeting Discussion with Landowners
Report as Appendix 2/140205
1. Apologies. County Councillor Wm Purdue.
Present: Councillor C.J.R. Ferguson in the chair. Councillors, J.K. Robson, A.J. Weir, D.G. Baynes, Mrs A.S. Robson & Mrs L. Norris. Clerk Mrs P. Wilson. District Councillor B.W. Massey
Public: None. Slaley Notes: None. Courant Reporter: None.
2. Declaration of Interests.
Councillors D.G. Baynes & Mrs Linda Norris for agenda item 14
3. Minutes of January Council Meeting circulated:
The minutes (pages 129-131). Minutes of meeting with TDC Officers & Councillors (pages 132-133 appendix 1100105 circulated. Precept agreed at £6,271.00 (page 134 appendix 2/100105 circulated. Minutes of Special meeting January 05 (pages 135-137 appendix 1/140205) circulated.
Approved and signed as a true record. Proposed by Cllr J.K. Robson seconded by Cllr Mrs L. Norris.
4. Matters Arising:
a) 5a 10/01/05 & 6a 8/11/04: The new litter-bin (with lid) at the millennium feature & replacement near post office fitted by Bill Bates. Key will be given to Refuse Collection Department.
b) 7b 10/01/05 TC Scrutinising NCC’s Maintenance Policy in relation to Road Safety in Rural Areas – Questionnaire by 1st March deferred from January meeting. Completed.
c) 6d 11/10/04 (page 118), 6h 8/11/04 (page121), 6j 6/12/04 (page 125): Defra Clean Neighbourhoods (Slaley Parish Council circulated for 3 months – No Comments). Bill formally introduced on December 7th. Parish Council powers to issue fixed penalties for litter and dog offences etc. Councillors were very alarmed at implementing these proposals.
5. Public Participation: None
6. Correspondence:
a) NCC request (dated 13th January) for comments on County Council Budget 2005/06 cuts of £10m. Cllr Ferguson & Pat held a meeting on Monday 17th January to compile a reply (sent by e-mail on Tuesday 18th January) and acknowledged on Wednesday 19th January. + a reply from Mark Henderson, NCC Chief Executive.
b) NCC – Minerals & Waste Development Framework, Public Forum 3.30 p.m. Monday 28th February at Humshaugh Village Hall. No Councillor able to attend.
c) NEDL (electricity) extend communication to parish councils affected by major incidents – help in communicating with the local community. Reply that during a storm Slaley is normally without electricity therefore Fax machines and computers do not work plus telephone lines are prone to damage.
d) David Grenfell TC Dog Fouling Survey 2005 Clerk completed. E-mail re dog fouling outside School. DG asked to visit & hopefully make an example with a large fine.
e) Slaley Youth Club AGM Wednesday 16th March – Councillors invited.
f) E-mail 2/2/05 from Jonathan Farries (Forestry) rally cars Saturday 5th February. Clerk produced Warning noticed placed in Notice Board a distributed to know users.
g) TC – Northumbria in Bloom Open Evening – March 14th St Aidan’s Church Hall, Hencotes. Same date as March Parish Council meeting. Suggest giving to Community Trust group.
h) Office of the Deputy Prime Minister – Freedom of Information Act 2000. – Section 36 information exempt from disclosure. Qualified persons to implement Section 36:
Parish Councils. Primary Authorisation. Clerk to the Council. Secondary; Chairman.
Parish Meetings. Primary Authorisation Chairman of Meeting. Secondary District C Officer.
j) NALC training New Councillors 23rd February. Legal & Employment Matters 2nd March. Cllr Ferguson and Pat Wilson will attend March 2nd training.
k) Office of the Deputy Prime Minister – two discussion documents; 1st Vibrant Local Leadership and 2nd Citizen Engagement and Public Services: Why Neighbourhoods Matter. Councillor Ferguson to read and report back on this part of the £38 billion Sustainable Communities Plan.
l) TC Updated forms relating to Declaration of Acceptance of Office & Register of Interest Form and Guidance Notes.
m) Volunteering Tynedale request for funding; NTC Touring Theatre Company request for grant aid; North East Assembly The Voice for the Region- View Shaping the North East Consultation Events – January 24th in Morpeth; NCC – Town & Country Planning Act 1990 – Notice of Adoption of Proposals for the Alteration of a Structure Plan – Northumberland County and National Park Joint Structure Plan, First Alteration. Copies of the proposals are available List of venues for Tynedale given; CPRE (campaign to protect rural England) – Stop urban Sprawl; Record Playground Equipment information; Glasdon advertising leaflets to include new information frames; NALC Royal Garden Party; NALC Training; NALC Model Disciplinary Procedure; NALC Model Grievance Procedure; TC Bytes and Briefs Issue 33 – February 2005.
7. Current Planning Applications:
20050001 Freestanding winter fodder & livestock building Reaston Hill no objections
20041564 Change of Use & conversion of existing agricultural
building & construction of porch rear of Orchard House pending
20051520 Demolition of existing outbuildings & construction
of a replacement garage. The Strothers pending
20041467 Conversion of barn & change of use Trygill Farm pending
20041418 New vehicular access Linnel Hill pending
Decisions from Planning Authority
20041425 First floor ext, flat roof to pitched The Cottage (Village) refused
20041476 First floor bedroom extension & conversion
of garage to form bedroom Middle Grange granted
20041508 Two storey front extension Lawn Cottage granted
No reply for requested update on the static caravan at Pine Hill from Martin Eggenton , Helen Winter or Cllr Horncastle. No reply to update letter re the sale of Holiday Villas at Slaley Hall from the above. Clerk requested to write again.
20030313 Planning Application Old School. David Campbell replied “When the property was marketed in 1995 and eventually sold to Mrs & Miss Richardson there was no restriction placed on the future use of the premises. Copy to Mr & Mrs Weatherley.
8. Financial report. Cheques to be signed and confirmation of interim payments.
a) Interim payments.
No 224 Glasdon (new & replacement Litter Bins) £172.57
No 225 Bill Bates (fixing litter bins) £50.00
b) Cheques to be signed
No 226 Commemoration Hall 24/1/05; 28/1/05 (with CT group); 14/2/05 £30.00
No 227 NALC training event on March 2nd £10.00
Proposed by Cllr DG Baynes and seconded by Cllr Mrs L Norris.
c) Welfare of the Elderly Account. The fund is £496.12.
d) Precept request confirmed by Marjorie Dobson at Tynedale Council.
9. Community Trust Event, Friday February 4th report.
An audience of 50 people is an indication of interest within the parish. The constitution is very lengthy, however the general opinion was that the document was written to cover many conditions and events which may, or may not, occur. Dialogue between the two groups is still in doubt It was suggested and agreed that after March 11th event the Clerk write to the Community Trust asking them to define the methods of communication between themselves and the Parish Council. It was also pointed out that the Community Trust will not be working within the legal restrictions of a government organisation, as the Parish Council does, but will have an optional choice of what objects it covers.
10. Acceptance of the January Parish Plan Action Plan Update. Circulated
Acceptance of the circulated document was proposed by Cllr A.J. Weir and seconded by Mrs L. Norris.
11. New text for Information Display Board.
It was suggested that the Community Trust take this over. However after discussing the objective of the Information Board as defined in the Parish Plan, which was to tell people who are not of the area where to stay, eat, visit etc. It was finally agreed that the Councillors would look at the old copy at its March meeting and with the use of symbols see if progress could be made.
12. Resignation of a Slaley Parish Councillor.
Cllr A.J. Weir has reluctantly decided to resign as a Councillor. Cllr Weir reported that this decision was partly because Slaley has too few Councillors who were able to attend all the various sub-meetings. Since his joining the Parish Council he has seen the workload double with indications of more and more work expected from Councillors. His resignation will take effect from March 31st 2005. Councillor Weir was thanked for his input into the Council, his valuable experience in planning matters will be a great miss.
13. A.O.B.
a) Litter in the parish is unacceptable a parish litter pick to be considered during the Easter Holidays. Clerk to speak with Lesley Woodhouse to see if the Youth Club would participate – maybe to indicate Civic Pride. Cllr Mrs A Robson volunteered to serve refreshments in the Commemoration Hall if the Litter Pick became a parish event.
b) Litter signs in Slaley Forest have been placed inside the barrier into the forest and not adjacent to the Forest sign. This was felt inappropriate especially the one leading from the B6306. Information Boards explaining the owners of the forestry, a brief history and its rules of admittance (protection of deer, dogs under control etc.) should be made available. Slaley Forest is seen by many as an access to the countryside and used for several recreational pursuits. Clerk to speak with Jonathan Farries about this.
c) Fly Tipping is becoming unacceptable. A newspaper vending machine has been dumped on the left of the track south of Ladycross Quarry entrance. A car was recently abandoned at Action Cleugh Head gate. Clerk to write to Philip Hindmarch TC asking if TC’s policy on restricting commercial charges for the disposal of unwanted items could be reconsidered due to the increase in fly-tipping. Also to ask if Slaley was the only parish in Tynedale who had noted the increase.
14. BOATs Update.
a) Rights of Way Improvement Plan – Request for Information from Parish Councils was completed as requested.
b) A request for a TRO, on The Broadway, by Hexhamshire & Allendale Parish Councils will be supported by the remaining three parishes of the The 4 Parishes BOATs Sub-committee.
c) It has been reported that David Brookes, NCC, is asking certain organisations for comments on the NCC proposal to place a TRO on certain footpaths and bridleways in the County where MPVs are causing damage.
d) Letter of complaint of conditions in Slaley Forest from Eileen Charlton a horse rider.
Date of next meeting: Monday 14th March 2005. Meeting closed at 9.35p.m.
