Do the people of pensionable age in Slaley parish want a christmas spree? Find out more in agenda item 14.
Minutes of Slaley Parish Council, Monday September 4thth 2006, 7.30 p.m. in Slaley Commemoration Hall.
1. Reconvened 4d from August meeting – Vacancy in the Office of Councillor (also 4 10/4/06, 4a 8/5/06, 14 12/6/06 & 18 10/7/06)
Thomas Arthur Henderson proposed by Cllr J.K. Robson and seconded by Cllr I.C. Hancock. Mr. Henderson was duly co-opted onto the Council and signed the declaration papers and book.
After consultation with David Francis the Councillors of Slaley Parish Council agreed to allow Mrs Hughes to speak during the Parish Plan portion of the monthly meetings, during the Public Participation section and if asked at any other agenda item otherwise Mrs Hughes will have the same limitations as the general public until such time as the elections in May 2007 when Mrs Hughes intends to put her name forward for election.
copy of letter to Mrs S Hughes attached as appendix 1/040906.
2. Apologies. District Councillor B.W. Massey, County Councillor Wm Purdue & Mrs A.S. Robson,
Present: Councillor Mrs L. Norris in the Chair. Councillors, J.K. Robson, Mrs C. Brooks, I.C. Hancock & T. A. Henderson. Clerk Mrs P. Wilson.
Public: Mrs S. Hughes. Notes: Jean Elphick. Courant Reporter: None. Community Trust Executive Committee Member: Michael Elphick
3. Declaration of Interests.
Cllr Mrs Linda Norris for agenda item 18.
4. Minutes of August Parish Council Meeting (circulated pages 238-241).
Proposed by Cllr J.K. Robson and seconded by Cllr I.C. Hancock the minutes were signed.
5. Matters Arising.
a) Walkabout report (page 238 first paragraph) Cllr.J.K Robson reported that after a telephone call to Slaley Show Chairman, Albert Weir, he had been informed that there had been no official police request for a second gate into Slaley Showfield.
b) 11e – 14/8/06 Reply from Philip Hindmarsh reference Rose & Crown car park suitable location for Glass Bottle Bank will contact Mrs Hughes. Mrs Hughes reported no contact to date.
c) 5a 14/8/06 E-mail s- Regional Winner: (i) National Conference Confirmation letter that Slaley will be represented by Linda Norris; (ii) Hotel confirmation for Linda Norris; (iii) Presentation time for Linda Norris; (iv) Presentation help from Vicky Law. Pat Linda and Vicky to organise the presentation.
d) 5m 14/8/06 Big Lottery Community Building Fund – Cllr. J.K. Robson reported his attendance and the fund was 100% community buildings and not PC lead activities.
6. Public Participation.
The new Slaley Councillor, Tom Henderson, was introduced to everyone present and Mrs Hughes’ invitation to join during Parish Plan items until the May elections when she proposed to stand for election. The Community Empowerment Award for Affordable Housing was clarified for the public and a financial donation was questioned. Mrs Elphick asked for permission to write a potted history of the members of the PC for the readers of Slaley Notes. The idea was agreed in principal, the content would be checked before publication.
7. Community Trust Report.
Minutes of Meeting Attached as appendix 2/040906 + Reconvened AGM Minutes as appendix 3/040906
8. Correspondence.
a) 7 i from 10/7/06 North Pennines AONB Partnership 50 trees for 50 parishes initiative – Reply from Lesley Silvera + e-mail from Cllr I.C. Hancock interested in both Ladycross & Juliet’s Wood will speak to the Headteacher at Slaley to try and include school children. Cllr IC Hancock to represent the PC on this initiative.
b) Parish Council Forum now 2 meetings (Cllr L. Norris agreed to go to 13th September see agenda 5f of August 14th draft minutes). Cllr IC Hancock will go and possibly Cllr C Brooks & Clerk to the second meeting Monday 20th November – this meeting will attempt to clarify various partnerships to some degree.
c) Copy of E-mail to Kirsty Wills re Linda attending Parish Councils Forum 13/9/06.
d) CPRE Overview Summer 2006 – see Ladycross on page 2
e) Article in Hexham Courant 18/8/06 re Councillor Code of Conduct
f) Japanese Knotweed on C275 reported to Kevin Allen NCC Highways 18/8/06. At 12.45 that afternoon Kevin telephoned and reported that it would be sprayed by NCC highways division.
g) Eastern Tynedale & Western Castle Morpeth Parish Councils Forum date of meeting September 5th Cllr Linda Norris will attend.
h) Twin bin scheme with kerbside collection – Copy of correspondence from Colpitts Grange Residents Association regarding the visit by Claire Wilson on 16th August. + notes made at that meeting. Circulate. It was decided that a letter be sent to Philip Hindmarsh/ Barry Pickering/ Brian Massey asking for an update i.e. conflicting dates for implementation of scheme, what consultation with residents off -kerbside or elderly has taken place and what was the outcome of this consultation. Details of identified Eurobin sites in Slaley parish would be beneficial. A proposed Eruo bin at Colpitts suggested at a site some considerable distance from the B6306 makes the non collection of twin-bins at each household ridiculous. The residents have indicated that they are not going to accept this suggestion.
i) NALC Meet the Funders 4/10/06 at Hexham Mart 2-7 p.m. + News Vol 26 No 4 see article Vulnerable Users will have implications for Slaley Commemoration Hall bookings. Because the PC has a representative on the Management Committee the Councillors must be aware and may need to delegate someone to attend the 6 hour training. Councillors were interested in these implications and training.
j) Milecastle Housing truths Summer 2006; Kompan Playful living – Carlisle Play Seminar 21/9/06
9. Financial report. Cheques to be signed and confirmation of interim payments.
a) Cheques to be signed
No 274 Mrs P Wilson Clerk 6 months salary £750.00
No 275 BDO Audit £141.00.
b) Welfare of the Elderly Account
Balance £ 503.33
c) Interim payments.
Cheque No 273 Hollybush Nursery (Townhead grass cutting) £30.00
Signed by Councillors I.C. Hancock and J.K. Robson.
Proposed by Cllr. C. Brooks and seconded by Cllr. JK Robson.
d) Audit for the Year ended 31st March 2006. Annual Return presented to the Council. Annual Return approved and accepted by the Council. Annual return and Conclusion of Audit placed on Notice Board in Commemoration Hall.
10. Current Planning Applications.
20061088 First floor extension above existing garage + two storey to north and 2 storey extension to east. Beechcroft, 4 Wooley Grange. Objections on size (two houses?).
20061009 Amendments to permission 20050787 Stable Cottage, High Clear. concerns
20060946 Two storey rear extension & external alterations to barns. Winter House.
20040701 Conversion of existing stables into holiday cottage East Ridley Hall-Appeal.
Decisions from Planning Authority
None.
11. Environment Agency – Tyne Catchment Flood Management Plan (5d 14/8/06 circulating).
It was agreed that Slaley PC need not complete this questionnaire because flooding did not affect them.
12. ENCAMS Local Environmental Quality – ‘Litter and the Law’ Cllr. Mrs A Robson to report. (5l 14/8/06)
Not available.
13. ENCAMS Local Environmental Quality – ‘A guide to improving your local environment’ Cllr. I.C. Hancock to report. (5l 14/8/06)
Cllr Hancock reported an extremely useful document and one that he felt all the Councillors should read. It was clearly written and well organized and should stay in the Clerk’s briefcase for reference to many queries regarding our local environment. Circulate.
14. Possible Christmas Outing for the Elderly (6c 14/8/06)
It was agreed that Slaley Notes carry an article to assess interest in people of pensionable age as to their ideas for a Christmas spree. Suggestions included a performance at Hexham Queen’s Hall, the theatre at Consett or a Christmas Pantomine at Newcastle/ Gateshead/ Sunderland etc. German shopping markets at Harrogate or Dobbies garden centre were also given as possibilities. Interest and personal preferences by reply to Slaley Notes or the PC Clerk to identify initial interest. Slaley Notes to give a copy of the article to Slaley parish magazine.
15. TC Local Development Framework Site Allocation Development Plan circulating 10 14/8/06
(very important for future development i.e. car parking/ equipped children’s play area ).
The actual document has been misplaced during circulation, therefore no actual discussion could take place. However, it was decided that whilst no specific sites could be identified the general aims of indiscriminate development were supported. The Councillors felt strongly that every case should be viewed on its merits and not because it had been, or had not been, identified as a potential site during the formulation of the LDF. Obviously the parish still needs an equipped play area and possibly other recreational areas (picnic site near running water, or cycle routes, bridleways etc) should land ever become available for such activities. Similarly workshops and small business opportunities could become available at as yet undiscovered sites (possibly farm buildings) which could be found no longer viable for whatever farmers may need in the decades to follow the publication of the LDP.
16. Parish Plan – Information Board – facilities and services Update.
Equipped Children’s Play Area: 9 14/8/06 (last paragraph) Land to rear of Rose & Crown Inn as possible play area. Mrs Hughes confirmed her request to Geoff Kane of Wolverhampton Dudley, who is part of Union Pub Company. Mr Kane will bring the proposition before his Board during its mid November meeting. Access to the site was questioned. The Clerk who is the co-ordinator for the equipped children’s play area project agreed that shared access to any play area would not be acceptable in today’s health and safety regulations. If and when the brewery decided they would be interested in selling the land then the health and safety aspects of the site would be discussed with various professionals at Tynedale. Cllr. Norris reminded the meeting that a play area was part of the Parish Plan and we must continue to consider every option and look for possible sites.
Information Board: The Community Trust are committed to take this forward although one of its members does not see the need for such a facility. The discussion of the base map from the PC discussions of: page 108 appendix 1-120704 (page 6 of the July 2004 Action Plan, page 113 of the August village walkabout 9/8/04, page 117 agenda item 10 13/9/04, page 118 agenda item 4d 11/10/04, page 122 agenda item 10 8/11/04, page 125 agenda item 7 (Steve Bland consultation) 6/12/04, page 130 agenda item 12 10/1/05, Page 140 agenda item 11, 14/2/05, page 148 agenda item 10 14/3/05 resulting in the transferring to the CT. The facility was originated from the Parish Plan and residents reporting that visitors did not know where to buy fuel, go to the loo, buy local produce, walk, cycle or use a bridleway, get something to eat and/or drink, find somewhere to stay, how to find the bus timetable etc. Mrs Hughes suggested to the CT that they look at Dfds Seaways A4 maps. The Councillors confirmed that the money set aside for the Information Board would be made available on the completion of the Board.
17. A.O.B.
a) Cllr.Mrs L. Norris gave her apologies for the October meeting. Cllr IC Hancock to chair.
b) Litter at Ladycross entrance looks like someone has cleaned out their vehicle – responsibility of landowner ‘Forestry Commission’. Clerk to write and inform them of this litter and ask for its removal.
c) A Councillor had a near miss whilst exiting the Wooley Road onto the B6306 from speeding traffic travelling from the Hexham direction he asks that the SLOW road markings on the B6306 north of Wooley Road junction, south bound carriage way be reinstated.
d) Crossroads at B6306 and C279 visibility impaired for vehicles exiting the C279. Sapling and scrub (gorse etc) growing on the fence line to the south portion of the B6306 are causing a danger.
e) Glen Cottage garden shrubs inside the garden are now overhanging the roadside hedges. Making visibility, especially for low vehicles, at this busy crossroads especially travelling from the east, highly dangerous. Clerk to contact Foster Maddison and ask for some form of pruning to take place in the interest of highway safety.
18. BOATs update
Copy of a letter from Hexhamshire PC to NCC regarding confirmation of BOAT 13. Hexhamshire has asked the Clerk if the BOATs sub committee would consider writing a letter of support. After discussion it was decided that this would not achieve any good as comments were made during 2004 when the application was first made. Hexhamshire’s record of use and misuse will be the remaining means of requesting the placing of a TRO on BOAT 13 and as the BOATs sub group has no such record it was decided that no support letter would be beneficial.
Meeting closed at 9.45 p.m. Date of October meeting Monday 9th.
