PARISH COUNCIL MINUTES JANUARY 2005

WOLSINGHAM PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF MEETING HELD
TUESDAY 11TH JANUARY 2005
AT 7.00PM IN THE TOWN HALL
PRESENT:- Chairman, J. Anderson, Vice Chair, D.C. Pattison & Councillors Mrs. V. Welsh. Mrs. E.S. Ridley, I.F. Gardiner, K. Rogers, K. Charlton, Mrs. C. Gatenby, M. Bell
A presentation of trophies took place before the commencement of the meeting to the winners of the Christmas house & shop decorations to Mrs. E. Wearmouth , 4, Riverside & Serendipity Manager Julie
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
2. POLICE REPORT
Sgt S. Donnelly , gave the police report for December , there had been 39 calls, 2 youth related, 2 other complaints and 1 for public disorder. There had been 9 recorded crimes, 3 burglary other, 1 assault, 3 damage, and 3 theft. The assault charge would not be proceeding as the victim would not press charges.
The Home Office led national licensing campaign over Christmas & New Year had been successful in Weardale and no problems had been experienced. An arrest had been made concerning someone from Leadgate who had admitted to shed burglaries, since the arrest burglaries had diminished.
A campaign was underway with Farm watch to have farmers apply hitch locks to trailers, lock houses & buildings and to have implements marked with SMARTWATER, and stickers to say they are marked with smart water, which helps when goods are retrieved, to identify owners and the goods can be returned to there owners. A group of youths who were loitering around the bus shelter and playing with the chair lift in the Town Hall was reported to the police , who would take action and visit the Market Place more frequently. It was reported that a camper van was parking over night in the Demesne picnic site, police to investigate.
Sgt. S. Donnelly introduced Phil Shaw, Wear & Tees Community Partnership,
Anti Social Behaviour Co-ordinator, gave talk on ASB, anonymous reporting procedures & strategies to tackle the problem.The Anti Social Behaviour Act applied to all residents and should landlords not take action to control Anti Social Behaviour then they to could be prosecuted under the Act. When investigating & reporting anti social behaviour the anonymity of the people is of paramount importance & will not be revealed as the coordinator is not bound by police regulations and can successfully prosecute on hear say evidence. Diary sheets and forms for recording purposes are available from the Town Hall office.
3. MINUTES OF LAST MEETINGS HELD 14th December
Signed as a true record.
4. MATTERS ARISING
Clr. Charlton requested that the Community centre building become an agenda item , all agreed.
5. CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED
1. Durham Assoc. Of Parish & Town Councils, Travellers: Action to Safeguard Local Communities, noted
2. Durham C.C. Comprehensive Performance Assessment, assessed as an excellent County.
3. Northumbria in Bloom 2005 competition , agreed not to enter but to continue with the garden competition.
4. Durham Police , Area Forum of Police CC Groups 19th January 05 6.15pm County Hall, Clr. D.C. Pattison to attend .
5. Wear Valley Community Consultative Group Meetings , 31/03/05 Bp. Auckland Four Clocks Centre, 27/10/05 Willington Community Resource Centre , information passed to Clr. D.C. Pattison
6. Wear Valley D.C. wrote informing the council that Willington were minded to form a Town Council , having received a petition of 307 signatures, and seeking the views of Wolsingham Parish Council, the council would support such a Town Council for Willington
7. A letter from Mr. Leaming of 5 Tower Mews was read regarding correspondence with Durham C.C. highways dept . regarding winter salting / gritting , or the lack of it, on pavements in Wolsingham
6. YOUTH FACILITIES
7. RECREATION GROUND
Report on meeting held Friday 17th December , re pavilion internal layout.
A compliant was raised concerning the architect , who is supervising the building of the community building , who had not liased with the builder, regarding the first interim payment and had gone on holiday . It was requested that the clerk write and complain about the matter.
A plaque to mark the generous donation of the Sisters of Mercy be commissioned and be installed within the building when complete , J. Anderson to action with consultations with the architect.
It was also mentioned that the recreation ground and the community building be given names, particularly as the Parish Council office was to be moved to the new building.
Some time was spent deliberating the need to install a sink unit , taps & drainage for the use of the bowls club, J. Anderson to ask bowls club members if this is what they would want.
The two additional doors requested for the building had been agreed with the architect.
The chiropody van to be sited to the front of the Baptist chapel for the next three months.
The dividing fence between Strandfield and the recreation ground was half complete and would be painted green, the remaining stretch to be completed at a later date.
8. BOWLING GREEN
9. ALLOTMENTS
Mr. J. Egglestone had given notice to quit his allotment, to be allocated to Mr. C. Burn.
A lot of damage to greenhouses and poly tunnels had taken place following the recent gales, and a pine tree had been blown down , as well as a tree in the recreation ground,
B. Thompson had been informed to attend to the trees.
10. TOWN HALL/MARKET PLACE
Report of Wear Valley Safety Advisory Group, 10th November re Wolsingham Fun Fair, copy attached. The report was discussed and a meeting to be arranged , not on a Friday morning ,for February with the fair ground operators
The new flower bed , in the Market Place, had been weeded by the chairman Clr. Anderson & Clr. Mrs. V. Welsh.
11. ANGATE STREET TOILETS
12. FOOTPATHS
Footpath 126 , further letter requesting lifting of objection, Durham C.C., objection not to be lifted and considering the demise of the Weardale Railway , the diversion may never be actioned.
Footpath 98, Holbeck Mill had again been eroded with the recent storms , to be reported to Durham C.C. for urgent remedial works to be carried out.
13. NEWSLETTER
The trial undertaken with the December minutes had proved to be successful , and minutes to be e. mailed to the editor of the Town Crier, Dr. R. Hopkinson.
14. CLERKS BUSINESS
Vacancies on Parish Council, no request for an election had been given to Wear Valley D.C. and the Parish Council could now co-opt new members. Decided to invite the two losing candidates from the 2003 elections, Mrs. M. Epsley, & Mr. W. Pounder to be invited to the next meeting.
Windy Nook closing date for offers , fixed for 21st January 2005
Letter Durham C.C. re purchase of Windy Nook site, David Miller, Head of Environment / Resource , read with interest , but the Council agreed to sell to the highest bidder.
15. PLANNING
Update on Parish Plan, Clr. Rogers presented the draft report of the Parish Plan ,to the meeting and should there be no objections by Friday 14th January latest then the report would be published. A copy to be made available to every household. The full version and a list of credits for doing the plan to be compiled also with supporting information to be available at a price.
Works had started on 19, Angate Street , to fix UPVC windows, as the property lay in a conservation area , this was not appropriate, to be reported to Wear Valley D.C..
15.1 The following applications have been approved
1. Erection of 1.35 m high fence & conservatory 19 Riverside
2. Conservatory , Demesne Cott. Rectory Lane
3. Demolish & rebuild brick built retaining wall, in stone, 26 West End
15.2 The following applications have been received:
1. Alteration and extension to dwelling , erection of detached garage, increase height of boundary fence, 5 Leadgate Tce. No objection
2. Demolition & Erection of new student block etc. Harperley Hall , no objection
3. Retrospective , 3 Solar panels 10, Mead hope St. No objection
15.3 The following applications have been refused
1. Garage , Demesne Cott., Rectory Lane
16. FINANCE
The Chairman had received an enquiry to purchase Thornley Wood, as this was common land a purchase could not take place.
The statement of accounts to end December 2004 were accepted.