Belonging Communities in Tynedale is giving the Councillors lots to read and consider. Meetings are being held to further discuss these proposals. See agenda item 7 for more information. Parish Council minutes do not appear at this site until they have been approved which is normally the month after the meeting date.
Minutes of Slaley Parish Council, Monday November 12th 2007, in Slaley Commemoration Hall 7.30 p.m.
1. Apologies. Mrs A. S. Robson,
Present: Councillor I.C. Hancock in the Chair. Councillors Mrs L. Norris, Mrs C. A. Brooks, S Davison, Ms M Palmer, & Clerk Mrs P. Wilson. District Councillor B.W. Massey &. County Councillor Wm Purdue
Public: Thomas & Rachel Scott, Sheila & Keith Stoddard, Keith Robson, Gwen Foster & Margaret Ward. Courant Reporter: Will Green. Slaley Notes: Jean Elphick & Community Trust Executive Committee Member: Michael Elphick.
2. Declaration of Interests.
Cllr. Mrs L. Norris for agenda item 20
3. Minutes of October Parish Council Meeting (pages 350-354 + appendices 1 page 355, 2 page 356, 3 page 357, 4 page 358 & 5 page 359)
Proposed by Cllr. Mrs L. Norris and seconded by Cllr. Mrs C.A. Brooks the minutes were approved and signed.
4. Matters Arising.
a) 4a 8/10/07; 4a 10/907; 4 a 13/8/07; Parish grass cut quotes any progress made by Cllr Mrs AS Robson? Defer to December meeting.
b) 4f 8/10/07; 3d 13/8/07 Tynedale Council Planning Department reply regarding annual Holiday Villa occupancy details. We should make the occupancy details an annual request. The last paragraph of the letter states that planning department is grateful for our continued support with out of parish advertising boards (see 7e 8/10/07).
c) 8a 8/10/07 Reply to ET & WCM Parish Council Forum request to NCC for involvement in setting up of new Unitary Authority Cllr Mrs L Norris circulated by e-mail.
d) 18a 8/10/07 an approximate record of Clerks working week presented.
5. Allocation of Affordable Houses Update. Report from meeting on October 12th between Slaley PC Chairman & Vice Chair, District Councillor B Massey, Head of TC Housing Option Team & TC Director of Regeneration & Communities. Circulated and attached as appendix 1/121107 (page 366).
a) The Chairman reported that he had been invited to a 30 minute discussion at TC on Thursday 15th to give Slaley Parish Council’s view of the development of our Affordable Houses. He suggested to the public that any constructive comments they made under Public Participation could be passed on at this meeting.
a) Thank You card from Catherine Lincoln who moved into Number 3 Reaston View.
b) Flooding in Rosslyn garden still a problem. Family of Rosslyn residents are meeting with Bill Elliott, Surveyor for Two Castles on Wednesday morning. Clerk spoken with Kevin Wood of Tynedale Planning Department who felt that it could become a civil courts matter if Two Castles are unable to rectify the problem.
6. Public Participation.
Eight copies of the report of the meeting on October 12th between Slaley Parish Council Chairman and Vice Chairman and Tynedale Council, Appendix 1/121107, were distributed amongst the public and the Chairman gave a verbal report of the meeting. He then opened the meeting to the public asking them to keep in mind that the PC can pass on concerns about the level of communication but not to say that something has been done wrong in allocation. We need evidence of factual errors. It would be improper, ill mannered and possibly slanderous to discuss people who already have been allocated a house.
Public concerns: At the public meeting it was confirmed that single people had every chance of getting an affordable house. In retrospect this had given false hopes to single people. An example was given of a brother who needs a house for health reasons, has a son at University, and for some obscure reason this is not classed as a dependent who will need accommodation. Recent death in the family means this man has a pressing housing need for a single storey dwelling. In this particular case his doctor had never been contacted for medial information. This particular 52 year old had been offered a house at Whitley Chapel.
Members of the public put forward the following questions: -
Question 1: was the person referred to above properly assessed? The Local Authority can apply housing needs points for medical reasons.
Question 2: why was a Whitley Chapel house offered when a Slaley house was requested? Was it something to do with Government targets and ticking boxes in the allocation system?
The housing need at Slaley of single people wanting to find accommodation in the parish in which they lived and worked was established through the Parish Plan and the Housing Needs Survey. Without this housing needs survey the houses would not have got the go ahead.
False hopes were given to the young single people of Slaley parish at the Public meeting as everyone was promised consideration in the allocation process.
Question 3: were these people encouraged to believe they were likely to get houses in order to get local people on the developer’s side and make the planning application acceptable? Opposition to the development at Slaley was minimal.
There appears to be little consistency in the allocation process, apart from the bitter disappointment of the local young people. There are reported instances of parish border families who work in the parish and need accommodation and who have not got to the interview stage. It was acknowledge from early on in the planning application process that the Parish Council would have no say in the final allocations.
Question 4: why was this points system not fully disclosed at the Public Meeting?
The sellers of the land said that TC and Two castles had led them to go on believing that single local people were serious candidates for the houses. Firstly the Parish Council approach assured the landowners that the houses would be for local people in need of Affordable Housing. These assurances continued through dealings with Tynedale Council Enabling Officer, other TDC staff and again with Two Castles Development. At no point was it said that single people were likely NOT to have sufficient housing need points. The Scott family who sold the land feel severely misled.
The Chairman remarked that he felt the Scott family had a good reason to make a complaint. However the Affordable Houses were a real asset for Slaley parish and would be so for many years to come. It was sad that feelings of being misled were so profound amongst those present.
Question 5: If allocations are made by working to a housing needs protocol, which excludes single people and the land was given for the use of Local People for perpetuity what will happen when the houses become vacant and only local single people are the applicants. Will the houses then be offered to families and/or couples in the agreed wider community before single local people?
There has been a complete lack of transparency to the young people who applied for the houses. The grant application was made possible by the figures provided partially by these single people and who have now been excluded. It appears that a single lady should have children before being considered eligible.
Question 6: What happens when people who have been allocated a house because of parish work commitments move employment out of the parish. Will they be asked to vacate the house?
If it is true that all Housing Officers have targets to meet, and everything at Slaley has been carried out within the law and the Data Protection regulations protect disclosure of information about why certain people have been successful and others have not then it seems that the system is failing some of the very people it was allegedly set up to help.
Question 7: What can the Parish Council do to bring the housing needs of our single people into the housing needs points system?
Question 8: The rents are higher than those indicated at the Public Meeting have national rents escalated to this level? Also what is the Service Charge? Is it grass cutting? If so which grass?
The Chairman thanked everyone for coming and said he would report the feelings of the meeting to Tynedale Council and particularly relay the disappointment felt by the relations of parishioners who had been rejected in finding a home through the Slaley Affordable Houses for Local People. Some of the questions raised tonight would be raised elsewhere. Although the clock could not be turned back and allocations retracted we must hope that our comments would help to produce future policy and thinking about rural villages and the need for housing for its young people.
7. Belonging Communities in Tynedale – Representative from Community Trust invited to take part in this agenda item. (e-mail from Adrian Hinchcliffe circulated 18th October and attached as appendix 2/121107 page 367) plus (Tynedale Council invitation to a meeting on 26/11/07 and written comments by end of December 2007) plus (Report by District Councillor – see agenda item 7b 8/10/07). (see also the NALC correspondence (9) same text as e-mail from AH). Cllrs Norris & Hancock will attend the meeting on November 26th. Both the County and District Councillors gave a report from the various meetings attended and it is still not clear what the changes will actually mean. Presently more finance is allocated to local partnerships than elected bodies. How will the new communities be funded? Parish Council responsibilities will be reduced and Belonging Communities will be stronger but members will not be elected. Membership will be drawn from the community. Accountability was questioned. Presently the south east of Northumberland does not have parish or town councils. However, the problems reported from that area are not a good advertisement for areas existing without local government.
Correspondence from Community Action Northumberland attempted to clarify the next stages under Natural Communities in Northumberland.
8. Matters for Discussion with County & District Councillors.
a) CC B Purdue confirmed that he is hopeful of funds to complete the grass cutting outside No 9 South Park. He also confirmed his £500 commitment to the Flashing Speed Unit.
9. Correspondence.
a) Whitley Chapel YFC balance sheet (see 8a 10/9/07)
b) E-mail 9/10/07 Lucy Greenfield re Planning Forum meeting 9/11/07 circulated no one attended.
c) E-mail sent to NCC 19/10/07 regarding running water from Townhead this was repaired by Northumbria Water.
d) NCC Budget Consultation meetings 26/11/07 at Hexham. No one will attend.
e) ET & WCM Parish Council Forum copy of advertisement for Clerical Services of 84 hours per annum.
f) TC – adoption of Tynedale Council’s Core Strategy Development Plan Document + questionnaire Cllr IC Hancock completed.
g) NCC, Margaret Field, Development of Area Travel Information Co-ordinators (see 5j 13/8/07) Copies of bus service timetables + business cards Display Village Hall, Slaley Post Office, Pubs, Slaley Hall staff room, Parkside bungalows Notice Board etc.
h) Standards Board no notification of our adopting the Code of Conduct. E-mail confirmation sent 30/10/07
i) NCC Area Committee for Tynedale meeting 15/11/07 postponed.
j) NSP Invitation to the NSP Standing Conference ‘The Heat is ON’, 6/12/07 Longhorsley circulated by e-mail. No one wished to attend.
k) ET&WCM Parish Councils Forum minutes of 6/11/07 circulated by Cllr Mrs L. Norris e-mail.
l) NALC – Local Leadership in Action event 30/1/08 London circulated by Cllr Mrs L. Norris e-mail No one wished to attend.
m) Slaley Show balance sheet.
n) NALC – Local Authority Handbook 2007.
o) TC Christmas Refuse Collection dates & September meeting reports; Citizens Advice Bureau Macmillan Cancer Support poster – placed on notice board; NALC AGM 27/10/07 + Annual Report + details of NSP consultation of the 3 characteristic communities (same text as Adrian Hinchcliffe at 7 above) + Annual Report and Accounts 06/07; CAN News Vol 27 No 5; Furnitube advertising leaflet; CAN AGM 7/11/07 + annual report 06-07; North East Assembly – Working for the Region 06-07 key successes; North Pennines News – Autumn & Winter 07/08; TC leaflets on risks associated with fireworks & bonfires placed one on Notice Board and left a supply in Post Office; Direct Contact Exhibitions – Sunderland 14/11/07; Society of Local Council Clerks – Continuous Professional Development brochure. Clerks & Councils Direct November 07 issue 54.
10. Financial Report.
a) Cheques to be signed. (as agreed when setting Precept, Page 281)
No 316 GRANT Commemoration Hall £900.00
No 317 GRANT St. Mary’s Churchyard £50.00
No 318 GRANT Age Concern £100.00
No 319 GRANT Slaley Show £325.00
No 320 GRANT Community Action Northumberland £20.00
No 321 GRANT Whitley Chapel YFC £100.00
No 322 GRANT Air Ambulance £100.00
b) Interim payments. None.
c) TC Precept must be received by January 14th 2008
Cheques proposed by Cllr Mrs L. Norris and seconded by Cllr Mrs CA Brooks.
11. Current Planning Applications.
20071190 Conversion and extension of redundant agricultural building to form staff living accommodation associated with existing cattery business. Blackburn Farm.
20071228 Extension to dwelling, car port, single storey garage, alterations to access, gates and driveway. Wooley House
20071191 Two storey extension Overdale
20071063 Change of use and conversion of outbuildings to one
residential dwelling, installation of package treatment plant
and new pedestrian & vehicle access – Cocklake, Slaley. Pending
Decisions from Planning Authority
20070939 Construction of two porches at Pry Cottage granted.
12. Report from Cllr Mrs A.S. Robson on the Commemoration Hall Management Meeting on 11/10/07. Not present. Deferred to December
13. Post Christmas Meal at Slaley Hall for everyone age 60 years + Update.
a) A reply from Slaley Hall re disabled access and toilets in Claret Jug Restaurant was satisfactory.
b) Posters placed at Parkside Bungalows, Slaley Post Office & PC Notice Board.
c) Invitations and booking forms available from Slaley Post Office & in an article within the Parish Magazine. Clerk has delivered several in the village after telephone calls.
d) Slaley Notes to carry a reminder during November.
e) ADAPT had been contacted for a quote on help with disabled transport.
14. Balance Sheet. Circulated and attached as appendix 3/121107 page 368
Clerk to write to Headteacher / Chair of Governors asking is they would be willing to discuss the possibility of leasing part of the school grounds for a BMX track.
15. Village Mobile Flashing Speed Unit Update.
14 8/10/07. Reply from Lousie Taylor Shotley Low Quarter have decided against a Unit.
Confirmation from John McCann that £2, 400 is the correct price for a flashing unit. Before ordering a unit would John McCann consider a further meeting to discuss rotation costs.
Clerk to write to the residents in the vicinity of the proposed units indicating that Highways Authority had identified these areas for the flashing speed units.
16. Parish Councillor Travel Expenses (see 7f 8/10/07 page 352 & 4 13/6/05, page 161).
An e-mail reply received from Larry Dawson stated that the same protocol existed today as explained in the letter from John Copping in April 2005. It was agreed that Slaley Parish Council apply to the Independent Members Remuneration Panel for the purpose of making payments to Councillors for travelling and subsistence allowances. To ask if the declaration through the Parish Magazine, Slaley Notes column and minutes on the Slaley Web site be a sufficient advertisement?
17. Consider Precept Spending for 2008/09.
Before the December meeting clarification on the status of the Youth Club must be established and possible funding for 08/09 identified.
Costs for the rotation of a mobile speed unit will be required.
Grass cutting costs (see 4a above; 4a 8/10/07; 4a 10/9/07; 4a 13/8/07).
Councillor expenses (see 16 above)
18. Community Trust Report.
None this month.
19. A.O.B.
a) The imminent demise of the Parish Magazine was discussed and the loss of a written Parish Council report. It was suggested that this report should be included on the Slaley Web Site. Cllr Hancock confirmed that he would be able to do this. The Clerk questioned the need for two reports to be on the website and suggested that maybe the actual minutes could be dropped. Michael Elphick reported that several people enjoy reading the actual minutes and they should continue to be published.
b) The Clerk had received three, separately posted, copies of a letter entitled ‘Improving your Fire & Rescue Service’, although none had been addressed to the Parish Council. They were tabled for anyone to read due to no other households receiving a copy.
20. BOATs update.
a) Christine Pope of Natural England has agreed to joint the 4 Parishes BOATs Joint Committee for a site visit on December 17th.
The meeting closed at 10.25p.m.
