Parish Council Minutes May 2004

WOLSINGHAM PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF MEETING HELD
TUESDAY 11TH MAY 2004
AT 7.00PM IN THE TOWN HALL


PRESENT: J. Anderson, (Chair), D. Pattison, V. Shuttleworth, M. Bell, K. Charlton, Mrs. V. Welsh
Mrs. E.S. Ridley, K. Rogers, B. Thompson

1) APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: I. Gardiner, Mrs. C. Gatenby

2) POLICE REPORT
P.C. Ian Craggs attended the meeting and gave the Police report for April,there had been 51 calls and 9 crimes were recorded in comparison to Crook , Howden le Wear this was relatively low. In Co. Durham there had been a 25% reduction in crime. A street scene initiative was to be launched , and would tackle the problem for people who were in “fear of crime” A community police officer Sgt. Ashton had been appointed for Crook.
Speeding through the dales was to be combated by “Durham Dales Initiative “ and would run all summer with the mobile speed cameras. In partnership with Wear Valley D.C. a 24hr recovery scheme of abandoned vehicles is to be enacted.
A police liaison meeting 22nd April , held at the primary school had been very poorly attended and no members of the Parish Council attended, no notification had been received at the Town Hall.
A neighbourhood watch meeting had been arranged for 21st July at the Town Hall.
It was reported that itinerate gardeners were operating in the area , charging residents exorbitant rates , more information of victims was needed , P.C. Craggs to log and see if there was a pattern in the county as a whole.
3) MINUTES OF LAST MEETING held 13th April

a) The minutes of a meeting held 13th April had been previously circulated, apologies for absence for M. Bell had not been recorded, this would be amended.
b) Signed as a true record.

4) MATTERS ARISING
Referred from April meeting e.mail Ken Rogers.
a) Reference community college ,school closures due to adverse weather, it was felt this was not a matter for the Parish Council and individual parents should take the matter up with , P.T.A. , Chairman of Governors or Head Teacher
b) The meeting held on 26th March was not a Finance meeting it was to consider tenders only. In future all members to be invited to meetings for them to decide whether to attend or not.
c) Finance meetings now to be held first Tuesday in the month 7.00 pm all members to attend.
5) CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED
a) Education and Skills Council re closure of Wolsingham School Pool, complaint passed to Office of Deputy Prime Minister. A feasibility study was to be undertaken , if successful Wear Valley D.C. to fund up to £10,000, towards opening in the summer.
b) Co. Durham & Darlington Fire & Rescue Service, Integrated Risk Management Plan,
Feedback on consultation. Report circulated.
c) Durham Assoc. Parish & Town Councils, Meeting 19th June re. New arrangements, costs etc. of membership. Noted, await results of costings/funding arrangements.
d) Wear Valley D.C. draft council plan 2004 - 2007 , report circulated, Clr. Bell will read and digest for report and implications to next meeting.

6) YOUTH FACILITIES
The community building had been given planning approval, a meeting to be arranged at the recreation ground Thursday 7.30 pm. with representatives from Wear Valley D.C. and Wrecass regards funding and the way forward.
7) DEMESNE MILL
a) proposed plans and layout for parking, three options and costings. Plans circulated , agreed to forward costings to Hyperion Homes as they had indicated they would become involved. Referred to finance meeting, 1st June.
8) RECREATION GROUND
a) Letter of complaint from adjacent property at recreation ground, Mr. J. Bell, Strandfield.
Copy attached and proposed reply. Agreed to reply soonest, however another letter had been received which raised further issues concerning the boundary wall/ fence . Some repairs had been carried out on the wall and the rubbish had been removed from the fence.
b) Report on meeting held 22nd April 2004. Copy previously circulated, recommendations
1 – 6 were agreed for installation and purchase of adventure playground equipment,
re-alignment of fence and wood chip as a safe play surface. Total cost would be £7716, which had been funded in part by a Neighbourhood Renewal Fund grant.
c) The children’s play horse apparatus had been repaired.
d) Clr. Shuttleworth had been most annoyed to find a couple playing in the sand pit with a dog, had asked them to remove the dog, and also affixed more “no dogs allowed” signs to the fence.
e) Certain users of the car park were not purchasing tickets, stickers/notices to be bought to be affixed to the offenders cars.
f) It was felt the toilets in the recreation ground were very untidy and not well kept. A letter of complaint to be sent to Wear Valley D.C.
g) Agreed to move a picnic table into play area. Prices for additional picnic tables to be ready for finance meeting 1st June. A new seat would be presented to the Parish Council from D. Anderson, other seats in the recreation ground, to be inspected and a cost of repairs to be submitted to finance meeting 1st June.

9) BOWLING GREEN
a) letter from Bowls Club re: state of fence & security, proposed to find cost of weld mesh fence, J. Anderson to action.
10) ALLOTMENTS
It had been brought to the attention of Mrs. E.S. Ridley that this year an independent judge/ judges should be sought to judge the allotments, after much debate agreed to leave arrangements as is.
11) TOWN HALL/MARKET PLACE
a) Meeting with Northumbria in Bloom judges Thursday 15th April. Clerk and Clr. V. Welsh.
Clr, Welsh drove the judges around the town showing areas which were planted with spring bulbs, the recreation ground , demesne mill etc. Judges were impressed with the cleanliness of the town and would urge that other organisations became involved with the project, shops , businesses etc., with particular regard to planters and sponsoring planters.
b) A proposal was placed to have a public meeting on the closure of hall sin Wolsingham, a comment would be made in the Town Crier, to judge response.


12) ANGATE STREET TOILETS

13) FOOTPATHS
a) a diversion order had been received for footpath No.19 at Bradley Burn
b) Footpath no. 126 , no diversion order had yet been made albeit the Weardale Railway Co. had removed the existing footpath, illegally without creating the diverted path as requested. Durham C.C. Footpaths Officer to be contacted to have the original footpath reinstated , with enforcement action if necessary.
c) The dog bin adjacent to footpath 126 had been hung on the bus stop sign , which was preventing the public to travel the footpath, Wear Valley D.C. to be asked to look at the situation.

14) NEWSLETTER
15) CLERKS BUSINESS
16) PLANNING
a) The following applications have been approved
a) replace existing conservatory, 9, Meadhope Street
b) erection of pavilion recreation ground
c) erection of agricultural building , Scotch Isle Park
d) partial re-roofing 52 Front St./ 10 Church Lane
e) Bedroom extension above existing garage, 40, Lydgate Lane

b)The following applications have been received:
a) replace flat roof with pitched roof , Wearside Cottage, The Causeway, no objection
b) change ground floor into hairdressing salon , 36, East End, several letters of objection had been received. Clr. Shuttleworth attended the meeting but was not involved in any discussions appertaining to this application. Agreed to write in support of the objectors that there would be , parking problems, possible obstruction of the footpath, the development was in the wrong location, taking another affordable house out of the system at this time was inappropriate, and it was detrimental to the surrounding environment.
c) conservatory , 2 Greenways, no objection
d) all weather surface gallop High East Park Farm, no objection
17) FINANCE
a) Request for funding from Library for summer events. Agreed £50
b) North East Crimestoppers, annual appeal for funds. Not agreed
c) Weardale Building Supplies re: Windy Nook site, more details requested.
d) Annual Accounts 2003 – 2004 . Agreed and approved