Minutes of the Choppington Parish Council meeting on Wednesday 22 September 2021

THOSE ATTENDING:

Cllr H Allsopp

Cllr J Foster

Cllr K Grimes

Cllr A Hart

Cllr G Huntley

Cllr A Iley

Cllr J Rowell

Cllr Vaughan (Chair)

Cllr L Watson

IN ATTENDANCE:

Mrs A Brindley, Parish Clerk/Responsible Finance Officer, Mr D L Nicholson, Deputy Parish Clerk and County Councillor M Murphy.

AGENDA PART 1

C040/21.1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE.

All members in attendance.

C041/22.2. DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY AND OTHER REGISTERABLE INTEREST(s).

Cllr G Huntley and Cllr L Watson and declared interest in the agenda part 2 item discussing a grant application for the Scouts, advising each would withdraw from the meeting.

 C042/21.3. PUBLIC QUESTIONS.

The Parish Clerk reported no questions have been submitted. Cllr Hart

asked what arrangements are made to advertise meetings and to

encourage attendance, suggesting more use of social media. The Parish

Clerk detailed current arrangements and said this item will be added to the

agenda for the Parish Council’s Strategic Review meeting.

C043/21.4. PLANNING MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION.

Cllr Foster advised the council that the owners of Watson Yard have not responded to a request for a liaison meeting following approval of their recent planning application.

C044/21.5. TO RECEIVE AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 14 JULY 2021.

The meeting agreed the minutes represented a true record of the meeting, authorising they be signed as such by the Chairman and placed in the public domain.

C045/21.6. MATTERS ARISING.

In response to a question from Cllr K Grimes the Parish Clerk/Responsible Finance Officer explained that a credit of £2,500 contained in May expenditure figures and noted as a ‘grant’ referred to a local member improvement award from Cllr Gobin made in respect of safety rails at West Sleekburn Village Hall.

C046/21.7. TO RECEIVE AND NOTE THE MINUTES OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE  HELD ON 24 JUNE 2021.

Members received the minutes.

C047/21.8. TO RECEIVE AND NOTE THE MINUTES OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE HELD ON 15 SEPTEMBER 2021.

Members received the minutes.

C048/21.9. PARISH CLERKS REPORT.

1. Finance Report. Members received a report from the RFO on expenditure made and income received since the last meeting of the Parish Council. Members approved this report for display on the Parish Council website.
2. Financial Performance to the end of the financial quarter. Members referred this item to the Finance Committee for detailed consideration.
3. Health and Safety report. Members received the quarterly report for consideration, a copy of which is attached to these minutes. The Parish Clerk reported on:                                              The inspection play area regime being undertaken by NCC the F&AO, expressing concern at inconsistencies contained in NCC inspection reports.  The Parish Council as employer.  Equipment and premises.  Additional Health and Safety inspections.    See the report attached to minutes
4. External Audit. Members received a report from the Parish Council’s external auditor PKF Littlejohn for 2020/21, stating there are no matters requiring further attention. This has been placed on the Parish Council website.

RESOLVED: The Parish Council thanked the Parish Clerk  for the report, agreeing all actions be taken subject to delegate authority and financial regulations.

 Agenda – Part 2.  Members resolved that in consideration of Standing Order 3d and because of their special and confidential nature, the following items require consideration after the exclusion of press and public.

1. C049/21 Consideration of any matters referred from Agenda Part 1.

   There were no items referred from part 1.

2. C050/21 Grants.

   A grant request for a further contribution towards building improvements made by Stakeford Scouts was considered by members.

RESOLVED: Members resolved not to make a grant at this time, instructing the Parish Clerk to direct the applicant to NCC Community Chest where larger funds for this type of project are available.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 19:50.

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

Item 9.3

* To be recharged

Item 9.3

Health and Safety report to Parish Council meeting 22 September 2021

Health and Safety items covered in this report relate to:

1. Parish council as an employer

1. The following equipment/premises

1. Play areas
2. Bus shelters (not for the ground it stands on)

• Allotments (Site at Bomarsund)

1. Parish Office

1. Addition health and safety inspections for:

1. Stakeford and Bomarsund Welfare Centre – the Council shares areas of the building has access to the car park and uses surrounding areas for sporting activities.
2. West Sleekburn premises and grounds on behalf of the Trustees of West Sleekburn Hall.

Employees

No change to report.  When working from the office staff are maintaining social distancing.  The welfare is observing covid safe practices so when staff are entering the building, they are required to take a temperature test.  Moving around the public area staff are required to wear masks.

Play areas

The Parish Council maintains the following play areas

West Sleekburn

Milburn Grange

Eastgreen

Cambridge Road

Liddells Field

Welbeck Road

Weekly reports are received from inspections by Northumberland County Council which are reviewed by DLN and DI.  The reports are colour coded to alert the seriousness of any damage or defects.

Anything marked as a serious alert (red) may be dealt with by the NCC inspector, but this will trigger a visit by a Parish officer and a course of action agreed.

Issues to note 

Liddells Field – soft pore damage has been repaired

Additional – welding corrosion on climbing frame, small piece out of see-saw seat identified as minor which requires monitoring.

The Weekly Inspection w/c 13 September assessed the smashed concrete base on the teen shelter as red, high risk of an occurrence of an accident with a high risk of a severe accident.  CPC officers attended the same day.  We observed areas of the base were cracked and one corner had been picked up and dropped a metre from the shelter.  In addition 4 or 5 smaller pieces were lying around the shelter.  We removed the concrete from the site, placed hazard tape on the edges base of the teen shelter and forwarded pictures to NCC’s green team leader to confirm with the inspector that this was the hazard he had identified.  He confirmed this today and will be making his re-assessment of the teen shelter w/c 20/9/21.

Cambridge Road

One of 5 way seats has been damaged slightly, but does not pose a hazard.  A screw on the see saw had ‘worked loose’ and was protruding from the seat.  CPC Officer attended and screwed it back into the seat.

Church Avenue

The grass under the burnt out swing has grown over the matting now.  The swing is being replaced this week by the Kompan contractors working at Eastgeen.

 Bus Shelters

The Parish Council has 33 bus shelters.  DI undertakes monthly inspections of bus shelters, noting the condition and stability of the frame, that the glass is intact and the conditions of the ground around the shelter.  (Any problems on the ground are reported to NCC).

Outstanding repairs

Bus shelter on opposite side of road to Bridge View home has lost one pane of glass. This is being targeted by vandals and we would suggest replacing the back panes with metal panels.

Bus shelter opposite East Farm Park has lost 2 front panes which again is repeatedly vandalised and would suggest replacing with metal panels

Guide Post library RHS pane of glass has been vandalised and would suggest replacing with metal panel

Stakeford Lane rear pane of glass vandalised, this is not a repeated target and we could replace with glass.

Actions:  We are in discussions with a bus shelter supplier for the metal panels.  In addition we have purchased matching paint and will be covering the worst offending graffiti on bus shelters.

Allotment site

DI undertakes monthly inspections of allotments noting the general condition of site, gates, locks, water taps and tracks and any general obstacles.

Issues to note

No change – Still awaiting plainings for pot holes to entrance of site.

Parish Office

No change to report

Covid measures are in place, signing in at the front door, temperature is taken of all staff and visitors.  Hand sanitisers are available at the doors to the Welfare and on the stairs to the Parish Offices.  No-one other than staff are able to access the Parish Offices unless they have business there.

Stakeford and Bomarsund Welfare

Premises as above.  During the summer holiday play we used our heras fencing along the field perimeter as a safety barrier between the car park and for those children playing on the field

West Sleekburn Hall

The Council have risk assessments for all areas, including Covid risk assessments by location and activity.

DI performs monthly hard surface inspections.

Issues to report

The tree in the grounds which required removing has now been removed.

Actions to be considered

To consider the report and direct the Parish Clerk on any issue raised that require further action.

A Brindley

Parish Clerk

15 September 2021