Community Development and Environment Committee

at Stakeford and Bomarsund Welfare

27 November 2024 at 6pm

Agenda – Part 1

1. To accept apologies for absence and to remind members that any member not attending a meeting of the Council for six consecutive months will be deemed to be no longer a member of the Parish Council.
2. Members will identify any declarations of disclosable pecuniary and other registerable interest(s). Members are requested to read the note overleaf.
3. Public Questions (Please read the note overleaf).
4. To receive and agree as a true record the minutes of the meeting held on 11th September 2024. (page 3)
5. To consider any matters arising.
6. Report from neighbourhood police. A police representative is invited to present his report on policing activities in our area and take questions from members.
7. Community Engagement.
   1. Street surgery
   2. Verge hardening
8. To receive a verbal update from the Parish Clerk on current issues:
   1. Trees and green areas. – DPC will update Members on the Riverside paths
   2. Festive Lights

• Cleaswell Park

1. Youth Activities
2. Housing development behind Stakeford Crescent
3. Pre application meeting housing on Guide Post Social Club site

9. Website content  

An audit requirement is that Local Council websites meets WCAG2.2AA accessibility standard.  Members are required to give consideration to the options available.

Agenda – Part 2. 

Members will be asked to consider if there are matters that in consideration of Standing Order 3 and because of their special and confidential nature, require the exclusion of press and public.

1. Consideration of any requests for grants
2. Consideration of any matters referred from part 1 of the agenda.

Angela Brindley

Parish Clerk

 20 November 2024

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF CHOPPINGTON PARISH COUNCIL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE HELD ON 27 NOVEMBER 2024.

Members present:

 Cllr H Allsopp

Cllr K Burn

Cllr J Foster

Cllr G Huntley (Chairman)

Cllr A Iley

Cllr J Rowell

Cllr P S Vaughan

Cllr L Watson

In attendance:

Ms A Brindley Parish Clerk/Responsible Finance Officer, Mr D Nicholson and Mr D Iley FAO.

CD&E 021/24           1.         APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE.

                       All members on the committee attended

CD&E 022/24           2.         MEMBERS’ DECLARATION OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY AND OTHER REGISTERABLE INTEREST(S).

Cllr J Foster advised she may need to leave the meeting if current or future planning matters are discussed due to her County Council position.

CD&E 023/24           3.         PUBLIC QUESTIONS.

The parish clerk reported no questions had been received.

CD&E 024/24           4.         TO RECEIVE AND AGREE AS A TRUE RECORD THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 11 SEPTEMBER 2024.

The minutes were received and accepted as a true record of the meeting.

CD&E 025/24           5.         TO CONSIDER MATTERS ARISING FROM THOSE MINUTES NOT ALREADY ON THE AGENDA.

                        None

 CD&E 026/24           6.         REPORT FROM NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE.

PC Oliver was not on duty but has included a report for Members.  Members welcomed the report however suggested that as this meeting date was unsuitable for attendance, that the Council arrange a date with the Police to attend a mutually convenient time for a briefing outside of the meetings timetable.

RESOLVED: Parish Clerk contact the police for a meeting

CD&E 027/24           7.         TO RECEIVE A VERBAL UPDATE FROM THE PARISH CLERK ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

1.                Street Surgery:  The Parish Clerk reported that a street surgery is being arranged for residents in Stakeford Crescent following communication with a resident experiencing problems      associated with the construction of houses in that area, along Stakeford Lane around the junction of Oxford Road as Members had identified parking and speed around this area as a concern, and along Wansbeck Avenue following communication from a resident concerning speeding vehicles.

2. Verge Hardening Ashington Drive: Members had delivered letters to houses with grass verges advising improvement work to be started in the new year to replace grass with tarmac.  So far no one has contacted the Parish Council with concerns about this work, and 2 residents have contacted the council expressing their approval.
3. Parish News/Newsletter: Work has begun on information in the Winter issue of the Parish News.  Officers are compiling a newsletter for Resident Forum members, updating them on the work since their last meeting.  The Parish Clerk was hopeful that an update would be sent out to the ‘Friends of Cleaswell Park’ regarding the new play area before Christmas.

CD&E 028/24           8.         TO RECEIVE A VERBAL UPDATE FROM THE PARISH  CLERK ON CURRENT ISSUES

1.     Trees and Green areas: The Deputy Parish Clerk reported that the Council has been in contact with the Woodland Officer of NCC and identified the position for 2 trees for Cleaswell Park which are planned to be planted next year.  He reminded members that the Parish Council is responsible for watering these trees during establishment.  There is funding available under the Great Northumberland Forest fund for whip planting, which the Council may be able to access.  The Butler wood paths have been welcomed by residents.

2. Festive Lights: The Parish lights will be switched on next week.  We are having a traditional switch on without ceremony and therefore we have given NCC flexibility of the date.  Repairs of the existing lights have been more than usual this year and officers are meeting with NCC to discuss how to mitigate damage during the year.
3. Cleaswell Park:  i.The Parish Clerk and Deputy Parish Clerk have been part of the tender evaluation team from NCC for the play equipment provider.  During this process a technical question needed to be asked to all who had tendered and this subsequently had delayed the awarding of the contract.  This is unfortunate as it delays the start date until the new year with the construction period weather dependent.   The Parish Clerk is unable to disclose the final scheme with Members until the contract is signed and will then share with the ‘Friends of Cleaswell Park’ and members of the Residents Forum.

          ii Insurance: An insurance estimate for the play area has been received as around £800.

          iii Playzone: This project is being led by NCC, and there has been no further information regarding progress on the construction of the Playzone at Cleaswell Park since the  news that      planning application had been approved.  The Parish Clerk reported that work on a phase 1 playzone is due to be started.  Cleaswell is in phase 2.

4. Youth Activities: The Parish Council has youth activities as a strategic objective and offers funding in several ways. The Parish Council has arranged a visit from Santa at West Sleekburn Village Hall on 7^th December and tickets are still available through the Parish Council Office.  The toddler group has arranged a Christmas Party at Stakeford and Bomarsund Welfare which is now fully booked.  This is the culmination of a year-long fundraising effort by the toddler group which as a volunteer-led organisation receives financial support from the Parish Council.  The Parish Council provides a youth club from the Holy Family Church and it is also having a Christmas party for youth members. On this occasion the youth group is using their own funds to provide entertainment and refreshments for the party.
5. Housing Development behind Stakeford Crescent: As reported under 7.1 construction along Stakeford Crescent is causing difficulties to residents.  The Parish Clerk has reported the issues to planning who then forwarded to planning enforcement. NCC has an agreement with the developer to comply with certain measures to protect residents from some of the problems that have been reported, and we have forwarded a copy of this to the resident who brought it to our attention.
6. Pre-Application planning meeting for Guide Post Social Club. The Parish Clerk advised that this item was only for information that it had occurred and some members and officers had attended.  It was not for discussion until the planning application had been made.  Cllr Foster therefore was able to remain in the meeting.

CD&E 029/24           9.        Website Content

The Parish Council website is required to comply with WCAG2.2AA, and the Parish Council has employed a web administrator who has monitored the compliance using free software.  To ensure compliance the Parish Clerk presented 3 options for discussion.

1. Create a new website with a specialist web designer for Councils
2. Commission an expert to convert the website

• Purchase premium software to convert the website with back up from the current administrator

RESOLVED: Members approved option 3 as the cheapest option with the knowledge that the transfer to gov.uk domain may necessitate  to a new website at a later date.

Agenda, Part 2.

Members resolved that in consideration of standing order 3 and because of

their special and confidential nature, the following items require discussion in

the absence of press and public.

Agenda Part 2

There being no further matters requiring consideration the meeting concluded at 7.45 pm

Chairman………………………………………………………..Dated……………………