The Speeding Review comes to a close for the time being, see agenda item 4a.
Minutes of Slaley Parish Council, Monday May 10th 2010, in Slaley Commemoration Hall following the AGM and the Annual Parish Meeting.
1. Apologies: Cllr. S. Davison.
Present: Councillor I.C. Hancock in the Chair. Councillors Mrs C. A. Brooks, Ms M Palmer, Mrs A. S. Robson & Mrs L. Norris. Clerk Mrs P. Wilson. County Councillor: Colin W Horncastle. Public: Community Sergeant Neil Cockburn. Courant Reporter: Apologies Rebecca Dixon. Slaley Notes: Michael Elphick. Community Trust Chairman: Norman Watson
2. Declaration of Interests and Hospitality Record.
None
3. Minutes of April Parish Council meeting (circulated pages 596-599 + appendix 1 page 600, appendix 2 page 601, appendix 3 page 602)
Proposed as a true record by Cllr. Mrs C.A. Brooks and seconded by Cllr. Mrs L. Norris. The minutes were approved and signed.
4. Matters Arising
a) 4a 12/4/10; 4b 8/3/10; 12 15/2/10: Parish Plan Action Plan – Speeding Review. The PC reply from Alan Bawn to try and establish what needs to be done for flashing 20 mph to be activated outside the school at drop off and collection times was not terribly helpful. Basically a trial of 6 pilot, 20 mph flashing signs are being tested. The list for the West Area Committee included Slaley village. If Slaley wished to go ahead with traffic calming measures (priority chicanes or road humps) a scheme could be costed. A copy of this was sent to Chair of Governors, Marge Rastall. Cllr. Mrs A Robson suggested an article in the parish newssheet asking people to park vehicles in their drive rather than the public highway. Cllr. Mrs A Robson also reported that the school letter to the Rose & Crown asking for permission for drop off parking could not be answered because there was currently no tenants only Caretakers. Any correspondence should be sent to the brewery direct.
b) 4b 12/4/10; 8k 8/3/10; NALC Standing Orders. Cllr Hancock is looking at these new suggestions and making a comparison to our existing Standing Orders. Cllr Hancock has identified four amendments: Power of well-being; Freedom of Information Act; Liaison with Councillors & Financial Matters. The amendments will be report by e-mail.
c) 7 12/4/10; 7a 8/3/10 Councillor Horncastle’s offer to resurface the play-yard was not linked specifically to community use. The surface was in fact lifting in places and holed in others making it dangerous for the children. The cost is estimated at £6,000, any money remaining will go towards a covered area for Little Badgers Childcare.
d) 8a 12/4/10 the forecourt at Parkside bungalows owned by NCC Highways. County Councillor Horncastle suggests speaking with Colin Charlton & Dick Fraser – see e-mail 6q below.
e) 8c 12/4/10 RNID – Do local libraries carry the information? A reply from Michelle Watson at Hexham Library said they did not and should. The Clerk forwarded Jenny Terry’s correspondence details.
f) 8i 12/4/10: Northumberland Sport – Consultation to 28/5/10 – access to school sports facilities. Cllr Brooks reported that there was nothing relevant to Slaley. Hexham has good facilities, the Wentworth sports ground and indoor facilities including the new swimming pool. Kingswood who owns Dukeshouse Camp School will have several pitches for football which will be open to the public.
g) 8u 12/4/10 E-mail reply to request for the PC to have an indication of the approximate number of Carers in our parish. Kelly Railton estimated there were approximately 150 carers in Slaley and Hexhamshire. The Councillors to look at the web site.
h) 13 12/4/10 Annual Litter Pick on Sunday April 25th between 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. was supported by 10 people (3 non-PC members of the parish & 7 PC members & their family). Four-year-old Scarlet Coney won the prize for the most amusing item.
i) 16a 12/4/10 The Litter Bin at the Millennium seat Bill Bates investigated and the bin is simply being emptied incorrectly and not being replaced upon its brackets. Clerk to send a Thank You letter.
j) 16 b 12/4/10 The bag of litter placed near the dog bin was part of jammed litter bins etc after a teenage party at a private home in the village. Cllr IC Hancock to put something in the parish news reminding people that bin men will not take away bags of rubbish left lying around.
k) 16c 12/4/10 Street lights at Reaston View are both off. Neil Johnston confirmed by e-mail that Reaston View lights have been adopted by Development Control and would be repaired. They have been and are now working well.
5. Public Participation
None.
6. Correspondence
Hard Copy:
a) Funding accumulated through planning permission for sport and play was questioned at the Community Trust AGM by Mrs Scott. Following a request from Cllr. IC Hancock The Clerk contacted CC Colin Horncastle and asked about the legality of a designated play area open to the public on school grounds. The reply was that for obvious health and safety reasons the general public is not allowed to intermix with the schoolchildren during school hours. Visitors to the school have a strict protocol to follow, visitor badges, singing in and out etc. The conversation gradually arrived at a netted games area on the school grounds and a letter has been sent to Marge Rastall, Chair of Governors asking for initial reaction. A letter has also been sent to Val Knowles, NCC, asking for an exact indication of funds available to us at this time.
b) Came and Company – PC Insurance due 1/6/10. Information sent via e-mail. Renewal Premium is £284.22. The Councillors agreed to renew.
c) Thank You letter from Core Music for the £50 grant.
d) Parliamentary Elections 6/5/10 notices placed on notice board.
e) Verbal report from NCC highways KA that the owner of the vandalised water tanks on the U8078 are owned by Mr & Mrs Garvey of Wooley Park. It was agreed that the Clerk would write and ask when the tank would be repaired.
f) Dave Richardson NCC Highways & Transport – 2010 Surface dressing May – August 2010 – C279 & U8078. The U8078 was patched during April.
g) CAN Spring meeting information; SMP Playgrounds advertising leaflets; Tynedale Hospice at Home April 2010 newsletter & Volunteer request; Society of Local Council Clerks Regional Conference 8/6/10 Shotton Hall; Clerks & Councils Direct May 2010; Landscape Led Natural Play Design with Record RSS advertising leaflet; Marmax products advertising brochure all from recycled materials (interesting)
E-mail:
a) 13/4/10: Aaron Wilson (no relation) a student at Gloucestershire University asked for an answer to 10 questions on Empowerment. Clerk completed the questions.
b) 15/4/10: David Francis – NALC website members area.
c) 20/4/10 Request from Alan Jones (NALC) re Rural Affordable Housing Project – Clerk forwarded a copy of reply to students (during 2009) Amy Coply & .. A similar request from Melanie Hall of CAN in Hexham Community Centre was also sent a copy and finally Tessa Lynn of Reading University.
d) 21/4/10: NSP publication People and Places 7/4/10
e) 21/4/10 & 10/5/10: Weekly Rural Focus 19/4/10 & 10/5/10
f) 24/4/10: CAN – Meet the Funders May & June dates.
g) 24/4/10 D Francis NALC Communications Briefing – Governance and Accountability for Local Councils a Practitioners Guide (England) 2010. Chairman & Clerk to look and possibly downloaded the guide?
h) 24/4/10 Parish Council training rescheduled dated to 26th May.
i) 26/4/10: Weekly Rural Focus
j) 26/4/10: NALC E-Bulletin
k) 26/4/10 New rates for traveling expenses.
l) 28/4/10: CAN e:news April 3rd bulletin.
m) 29/4/10 David Francis – ‘The Charter on our AGM agenda’ – consultation questionnaire imminent.
n) 30/4/10: NSP Matters Arising Issue 2, April 2010, 12 pages.
o) 4/5/10: David Francis Parish & Town Council Questionnaire ‘Survey of sporting and recreational facilities’. Not having any recreational green spaces in the parish Slaley goes straight to question 20. Cllr. Hancock suggested the following answer. This was agreed.
a) there is public access outside school hours to the school playing field ;
(b) an equipped children’s playground is a specific aim in the parish plan but is currently unachievable because no site is available;
(c) use of a children’s playground at Slaley Hall Hotel was offered to the village (by which management? does present management know? do we know if it is used by local people? )
(c) the nearest public equipped children’s playground is at Whitley Chapel, ????? miles away.
(d) neither of these facilities could be safely reached by children on their own.
(e) the geography of the village limits the location of realistic sites for a playground – nearly all houses in the village are on a single long street that is a through route for traffic and at each end of the street is a T junction with an equally busy road.
p) 4/5/10: RSN monthly newsletter.
q) 4/5/10: West Area Committee meeting 6 p.m. at Slaley – Clerk is offering to meeting Colin Charlton & Dick Fraser beforehand and discuss the parking problem at Parkside.
r) 6/5/10: Flood fair on 22/5/10 at Rothbury.
s) 6/5/10: David Francis – NEREO Advisory Services
7. Financial Report
a) Cheques to be signed
Cheque No 409 Alex Evison grass cutting April £219.65*
Cheque No 410 Broker Network Limited (Came & Co) Insurance £284.22
Proposed by Cllr. I.C. Hancock & seconded by Cllr. Mrs L. Norris the cheques were signed. *Alex reported the rusty holes on the Townhead ‘Slaley Hall sign post also small black pipe cover which has been loose for at least two years.
b) Interim cheques None
c) Audit: Display Notices June 7th – June 20th
Internal audit June 7th – June 20th
Records available to public 21st June – July 16th
Audit date 23rd July 2010
8. Current Planning Applications
20100206: Single storey side and rear extension with chimney. Overdale, Slaley. No objections.
20100015: Certificate of lawfulness for proposed timber stables block / store. Moorlands, Lead road. Pending
Decisions from Planning Authority
None.
9. A.O.B.
a) Mobile post office arrived at Slaley 8.30 a.m. on Saturday1st May without any cash. Monday was a bank holiday therefore the next visit was Wednesday May 5th and the computer was down. The operator had been unable to alert Martin at Stocksfield or to get an engineer to say what the problem was. He suspected it was a broadband failure. Monday May 10th Martin from Stocksfield PO telephoned a.m. to say further problems. A new router ‘Horizon -0n-line’ was installed Saturday May 8th afternoon. Today it is not working or it was not at Bardon Mill driver telephoned for an engineer but was unable to get an answer. Martin suggested the Hexham Courant. Martin also said the van would be carrying money on Saturday May 1st it was a broadband failure responsible for no money transactions not the fact that the van had no money.
Clerk to check if the problem has been resolved today and if not contact the Hexham Courant.
b) It has been reported to the Clerk that the speed sign is not working. PC needs to contact and ask why the sign has not been transferred to the Townfoot pole.
c) Dog Dirt reported 15/16 April near Parks Side bungalows.
d) Hedges encroaching onto footpath at Greyholm & The Haining Clerk to write standard letter.
e) Microlight activity has stated again Cllr Hancock reminded those concerned to keep a record of days when flying is taking place.
10. BOATs Update.
A copy of the draft report which will be considered by members of the Rights of Way Committee on 21/5/10. Some of the routes left open require progress reports every 6 months. It does not say who will be undertaking these reports.
11. Date of June meeting
Monday 14th June 2010 (Apologies from Cllr Hancock).
There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.30 p.m.
