The Minutes of May 2005 Slaley Parish Council meeting
Minutes of Slaley Parish Council, Monday 9th May 2005, after the Annual parish Council Meeting and the Annual Parish Meeting in Slaley Commemoration Hall.
1. Apologies. County Councillor Wm Purdue, District Councillor B.W. Massey & Councillor A.J. Weir & Mrs A.S. Robson
Present: Councillor D.G. Baynes in the Chair. Councillors, J.K. Robson, I.C. Hancock, Mrs L. Norris, &. Clerk Mrs P. Wilson.
Public: Ken Bates, Mr & Mrs Tully, Slaley Notes: Michael Elphick. Community Trust Executive Committee Parish Council Liaison Member: Vicky Hutchinson.
2. Declaration of Interests.
Councillors Mrs L. Norris & D.G. Baynes for agenda item 12
3. Minutes of April Parish Council Meeting circulated:
The minutes (pages 150-153). Approved and signed as a true record. Proposed by Cllr Mrs L. Norris, seconded by Cllr JK Robson.
4. Matters Arising:
a) 6b 11/4/05; 6b 14/3/05 Parish Councillors Expenses – reply from John Copping TC Finance Director. Before allowances can be paid an “allowance scheme” must be established, and costs must be met from the parish precept circulated – make an agenda item June.
b) 8h 11/4/05: TC Planning Department – Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) – Lucy Greenfield Circulated – Councillors would like Lucy to attend a meeting – invite June.
c) 15a 11/4/05: Parish Notice Board – Door Returned from Hexhamshire Hardwoods and working well.
5. Report from Community Trust
Three dates are being offered to Community Groups for a meeting with the Community Trust to see if they can help with funding or if they can point each group in the right direction for funding. The question was asked if the Parish Council is informed of the available grants from Tynedale District Council. Cllr JK Robson replied that he was informed as the member on the Commemoration Hall Management Committee.
6. Public Participation:
Q: Has the static caravan at Pine Hill got planning permission? A: No.
Q: Will the new Licensing Law affect Slaley Show? A: Cllr JK Robson will check.
7. Correspondence:
a) 11 14/4/05: Grant application to Community Foundation, Northumbria Water Pipeline Fund, two letters regretting that the request had been unsuccessful for play area development and promotional equipment.
b) Com C of Northumberland – Information Evenings on the Licensing Act 2003 – meeting 8/6/05 at Wylam 7 p.m.
c) N C News Vol 25 No 2: Clean Neighbourhoods and Environmental Act 2005 PC’s given the power to issue fixed penalties for litter and dog offences. NALC to issue further guidance on the new provisions in due course.
d) E-mail from Pat Goodwin re water problems & Clerk’s reply circulated – the Councillors wished a suggestion that the highway drainage be replaced in Slaley village in the covering letter with the Annual Highways Report.
e) Corbett Solicitors Slaley Hall Hotel application of transfer of Justices Licence on May 5th at 10 a.m.; then an amended copy for May 4th at 10 a.m. Clerk acknowledged 15/4/05.
f) NOMAD thank you letter for allowing Noman to present on April 18th
g) Mid-Tyne Lions Club “Message in a Bottle” circulating.
h) University of the Third Age telephoned and then returned a copy of the Slaley Parish Plan CD Rom which they discovered inside power point equipment provided by Tynedale Council.
i) E-mail from Brian Massey – Neighbourhood Watch Report – vehicle interference in Slaley.
j) TC National Spring Clean – April-August 2005; (after the Slaley Litter Pick); TC Affordable housing general letter from Vicky Law (confirmed by e-mail that Slaley received its copy through the general circulation system); Wicksteed Leisure play area equipment; Glasdon advertising leaflets; TC Parliamentary Election Notices (placed on parish & hall notice boards) North East War Memorials Project Newsletter Issue 1; eibe play equipment, Miracle play equipment; A69 Carlisle to Newcastle Annual Report 2004/05; Clerks & Councils Direct Issue 39.
8. Current Planning Applications:
20050452 Double Garage Sandybraes circulating
20050383 Conservatory & Boot room Meadow Rise no objections
20050329: 13.75 metre high flagpole antenna, transmission dish
& associated cabinets on the floor – Slaley Hall Hotel pending
20050295 Construction of extension to existing rear dormer – Rosyth pending
20050220 Conversion of barn to residential and removal of adjacent
farm building Trygill Farm pending
20050149 Conservatory to west, L shaped conservatory to north + increased
height of boundary wall. Slaley Village Garden Cottage pending
Decisions from Planning Authority
None
9. Financial report. Cheques to be signed and confirmation of interim payments.
a) Cheques to be signed
No 236 Whitley Chapel YFC (grant agreed see page 134) £100.00
No 237 Great North Air Ambulance (grant agreed see page 134) £25.00
Proposed by Cllr Mrs L. Norris and seconded by Cllr IC Hancock.
b) Welfare of the Elderly Account. The fund is increased by interest £2.26 = £498.38.
c) Balance Sheet was presented to the meeting Vat reclaim of £132.55.
d) The statement of accounts was presented to the meeting and the exact amount in the asset (No9) was questioned – Clerk to check that this is correct or should a depreciation be shown each year? Page 2 of Annual return will need to be signed by Chairman in June when this is clarified.
f) The Statement of assurance was presented to the meeting and because of above the Chairman was unable to sign the form. Page 3 of Annual return will need to be signed by Chairman in June when this is clarified
g) Margaret Weatherley has agreed to carry out the internal audit.
h) Notice of Appointment for Date for the Exercise of Electors Rights is 13th June – 8th July 2005 when the accounts for the year ended 31st March 2005 will be available for inspection at Lawn House between the hours of 7 -8 p.m. Monday to Friday.
10. NCC Provisional Local Transport Plan 2006-2011 – Cllr IC Hancock to report.
Report as appendix 1-090505
Additions to this report are
a) no provisions for the BOATs expenditure policy.
b) no traffic calming measures.
Clerk to draft a reply and confirm with Cllr Hancock before sending.
11. A.O.B.
a) Nigel Sanger (673291 nigel.sanger@ntlworld.com) of Slaley Community Trust Executive Committee telephoned the Clerk on Sunday afternoon to ask if Slaley Parish Council would consider leasing Slaley First School playing field from Northumberland County Council LEA. NCC legal services had informed Mr Sanger that other Parish Councils have leased school fields from the LEA for the community because they are able to take out favourable third party insurance. An idea of who these parish councils were was not available, the Clerk felt possibly large parish councils like Corbridge with thousands of members on the electoral roll or Stocksfield with an annual precept of £48,000. The Clerk informed Mr Sanger that such a request would need to be an agenda item for a future meeting, possibly June. Mr Sanger was asked if he would be giving a presentation to the Councillors on what the likely financial, workload and future maintenance expectations could be and what help if any could be expected from the Community Trust for the duration of the lease. Mr Sanger replied that at this early discussion stage he simply wished to have a discussion on the prospect of the Parish Council leasing the fields at an agreed annual amount. Discussions between School Governors, the LEA, Solicitors, Insurance Providers and the Slaley Councillors would then meet to agree terms. Invite to June meeting.
b) Nigel Sanger also asked who insured the Millennium Seat at the Townhead and should the Parish Council be doing this? The Clerk was asked to look into insurance covering public liability, vandalism and damage.
c) Cllr Norris reported that neighbours to Pine Hill caravan were requesting clarification on the planning permission for this static caravan whilst annoyance at the drone of the generator providing power to the caravan. Clerk requested to write again to TC Planning, copied to Cllr C Horncastle & Mr & Mrs Canning at Sandybraes.
12. BOATs Update (without Councillor Norris)
a). Liz Sobell & Pat Wilson on behalf of The 4 Parishes BOATs Sub-committee attended the Public meeting at Stocksfield on Monday 25th April 2005. Reports appeared in Hexham Courant .
b) Friday May 6th: Military style 4 x 4 vehicles through Slaley Forest, up U8079 etc to the B6306. A general request had been circulated asking if these vehicles had been spotted elsewhere in the district.
c) Cllr IC Hancock reported that trail bikes have been riding throughout Ladycross Quarry and Nature Reserve. Ground nesting birds have been disturbed, nests have been damaged and a number of bird feeders have been knocked over or pulled down.
Date of June meetings: Monday 13th June 2005. Meeting closed at 9.30 p.m.
