FEBRUARY 2005 MINUTES

WOLSINGHAM PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF MEETING HELD
TUESDAY 8th FEBRUARY 2005
AT 7.00 PM IN THE TOWN HALL
PRESENT: Chair, J. Anderson, Vice Chair, D.C. Pattison, Councillors,Mrs. M. Epsley, Mrs. V. Welsh, Mrs. E.S. Ridley, W. Pounder, M. Bell
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE I. F. Gardiner, Mrs. C. Gatenby, K. Rogers, K. Charlton
The Chairman welcomed the two new councillors and hoped they would enjoy and contribute towards the running of the affairs of the council and wished them well, and should they have queries not to hesitate to either contact the Clerk or himself.
2. POLICE REPORT
Sgt. Donnelly, & P. C. Ian Craggs attended the meeting, P.C. Craggs gave the police report and crime figures for January, there had been 39 calls, of which there were 5 crimes , being 1 assault, 2 damage, & 2 theft, these were the lowest crime figures for some time .Two new beat officers had been appointed, 1 for Crook and 1 for Stanhope to replace P.C. P. Donnelly. Anti Social Behaviour diary sheets when issued and used to be returned to the police for record purposes. Following recent complaints regarding anti social behaviour at the recreation ground and subsequent investigations from the police and our own councillors it was recommended that flood lighting be installed in and around the play area to try & minimise youth annoyance to residents adjacent to the recreation ground. The local police are fully aware of the situation and complaints have been made direct to the police who are visiting the site more regularly, Stanhope Market Town Initiative , Tisha Kalmanovitch may be able to assist with funding for the flood lighting or alternatively advice could be sought from John Hedley at Police HQ. Aykley Heads.
3. MINUTES OF LAST MEETINGS HELD 11th January 2005
Following a meeting held with Three Rivers at the St. Thomas’s Centre the accuracy of the minutes had been challenged, agreed to delete the statement regarding Wesley View.
Signed as a true record.
4. MATTERS ARISING
5. CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED
1. North Pennines AONB Partnership, Wolsingham Parish Plan, comments, noted and passed to Parish Plan committee.
2. Countryside Agency consultation , criteria for undertaking a review of a National Park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Boundary, noted.
3. J.& D. Clark Amusements , dodgem ride at 2005 Fair , to be discussed at meeting to be held 14th February, in the Town Hall.
4. Office of the Deputy Prime Minister , Freedom of Information Act authorisation of Qualified person for dissemination of information , will be the, Clerk or as deputy the Chairman , agreed to the recommendations.
5. Wear Valley D.C. Great North Walk 10th July 2005 , to be held at Wolsingham on same route as 2003, request for use of recreation field, agreed subject to any additional costs incurred to be passed on to Wear Valley D.C.
6. Browns Houses Household Waste Site, to be closed 21st February, nearest sites Middleton in Teesdale, Willington or Bp. Auckland.
7. Three Rivers Housing Group , re Wesley View, Chairman to report on meeting, report received with interest, continued disturbances would not be tolerated by the police or the Anti Social Behaviour co-ordinator, Phil Shaw, and if need be an order would be sought to resolve the issue.
8. County Durham Minerals & Waste Development Framework , Key Issues Paper, action plan noted.
9. Durham Assoc. of Parish & Town Councils , Planning for gypsy & travellers sites, points noted with interest.
6. YOUTH FACILITIES, Previous discussions had taken place when formulating the plans for the new community building to incorporate a “chat room “ facility either in the building or a separate building within the recreation ground , but the cost was found to be prohibitive, all agreed the problem needed to be addressed , Councillors Mrs. E. Ridley, M. Bell & P.C. Ian Craggs to arrange a meeting with the young fraternity to find out their needs and how best to achieve their aspirations and goals.
7. COMMUNITY CENTRE
1. Report on meeting held Wednesday 26th January, J. Taylor Architects
2. Letter of intent Serendipity, for café proposal , was very interested but would need a security system installed in the building .
3. The progress of the building works was thought to be encouraging and the builder was probably well up to schedule for completion June 2005.
4. Extra security fencing was agreed to between the building and the bowls green.
8. RECREATION GROUND
1. Complaint , Mr. Bell, Strandfield , copy letter attached. The complaint was discussed at length with the knowledge that the police are involved as previously discussed under police matters. Clerk to respond with a suitable reply and highlight what steps the Parish Council would be taking.
2. The Black Lion Jolly Girls had requested the use of Demesne Mill for an event in June, agreed to the request.
3. Some of the equipment needed attention and painting, the small fence surrounding the play area had been trampled down and needed attention, and it was felt the whole area needed attention before the Easter holiday, the perimeter fence was showing signs of corrosion and needed welding, a full inspection to take place at the site on Wednesday 16th February 3.00 pm.
4. A meeting of WRECASS to be arranged J. Anderson to contact the secretary.
9. BOWLING GREEN
10. ALLOTMENTS The rabbit traps had still not been located. Following the storms in January a tree had been blown down; B. Thompson had removed the tree.
11. TOWN HALL/MARKET PLACE
1. Wolsingham Market Place Adoption, Delineation of Market Place area for Fruit & Veg. Vehicle. Agreed to have stainless steel studs placed in the ground where the van stands, the operators of the van to be asked to stand the cost.
2. Proposed meeting with W. H. Clark re: Annual Fun Fair. 14th February 10.00 am
3. Works had commenced with the area adjacent to the Baptist Chapel and also outside Barclay’s Bank and the pavement had been altered for disability access , however the pavement had been left in an “uneven pitch” to the detriment of pedestrians as a whole, the chairman Clr. Anderson had spoken to the engineers on site , but they were only following the specification presented to them. Durham C.C. area office to be made aware of the unsatisfactory condition of the pavement.
4. The bus shelter had been subjected to some vandalism and the seat was no longer secure, also various seats in the Market Place needed repair, to advise Durham C.C. of the state of the street furniture and bus shelter.
5. Large deposits of chewing gum were apparent in Front St. and all the pavements in the town, Wear valley D.C. would take steps to eradicate the problem week commencing 14th February
6. The next visit of the chiropody van would be 23rd/24th February when it was hoped the improvement works would be completed, if not Clr. Anderson would allow the van to park on his ground , adjacent to the Market Place.
7. A yale lock had been fitted to the upstairs door in the Town Hall as instructed and the caretaker informed as to future use.
12. ANGATE STREET TOILETS
13. FOOTPATHS
1. Footpath 98 Emergency Footpath Closure , Holbeck Mill. Notice displayed on notice board. Durham C.C. were carrying out emergency repairs.
2. The waste bins at the riverside walk had been washed away in the recent floods, Wear Valley D.C. to replace.
14. NEWSLETTER
There was some doubt by the public as to what the Parish Council responsibilities were , for the area , and what achievements had been made to the Parish over the years, and it was felt the Town Crier could be used to get the information across as to what has been done, what we can do and which tier of local government is responsible for what.
The Junior Parish Council was no longer active and a previous councillor wondered if the bank account should be closed. Clr. Pattison to approach the Community College to see if the junior parish council could be resurrected.
15. CLERKS BUSINESS
Keys had been cut for the lock on Demesne Mill barrier and the park would now be closed each evening and opened at 7.00 am in the morning .Clr. Mrs Epsley agreed to close Monday/ Wednesday and Clr. M. Bell agreed to open and close thereafter.
As to the future of the lease to Durham C.C. , a firm decision was needed as to what the Parish council’s intentions were , as to parking and whether the planning authority would approve such a scheme, before the surrender of the lease was approved.
The Black Lion Jolly girls have asked for the use of Demesne Mill on June 18th agreed.
16. PLANNING
1. Response from Wear Valley D.C. re Barclays Bank door, enforcement officer would look into why no planning permission was sought and report back.
2. The new owners of Grey Towers were building kennels and have fox hounds on the site , the smell from the preparation of the food was causing concern , report to Wear Valley D.C.
3. a planning application to fell a tree at Fiddlers Bridge Cott. had been posted on site but no application had been received , raise with Wear Valley D. C.
15.1 The following applications have been approved
Agricultural building Carrs Farm Wolsingham
15.2 The following applications have been received:
1) Implement Shed & Toilet Block , West Park Farm, no objection
2) Cottage Style PVC windows , West Park Farm Byre, no objection
3) Reduce height of sycamore & blackthorn 9, Riverside, , no objection

15.3 The following applications have been refused

17. FINANCE
1) Minutes of meeting held 1st February, approved as a true record
2) Finchale Training College request for financial assistance, not given.
3) Monthly accounts presented, agreed to accept .