Minutes of the Choppington Parish Council 14 July 2021

THOSE ATTENDING:

Cllr H Allsopp

Cllr J Foster

Cllr K Grimes

Cllr G Huntley

Cllr J Rowell

Cllr Vaughan (Chair)

Cllr L Watson

IN ATTENDANCE:

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

AGENDA PART 1

C029/21 1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE.

Apologies were received from Cllr A Iley (ill health) and Cllr A Hart (ill health).  The meeting accepted these as proper reasons for non-attendance.

C030/21 2. DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY AND OTHER REGISTERABLE INTEREST(s).

No declarations were submitted.

C031/21 3. PUBLIC QUESTIONS.

The Parish Clerk reported no questions have been submitted.

C032/21 4. PLANNING MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION.

Cllr Foster advised the council that residents are requesting a liaison committee be formed following NCC’s approval of the Watson Yard application.

C033/21 5. TO RECEIVE AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 22 JUNE 2021.

The meeting agreed the minutes represented a true record of the meeting, asking that Cllr G Huntley’s name be added to the list of attendees and, and signed as such by the Chairman and placed in the public domain.

C034/21 6. MATTERS ARISING.

None.

C035/21 7. TO RECEIVE AND NOTE THE MINUTES OF THE ALLOTMENT COMMITTEE HELD ON 24 JUNE 2021.

Members received the minutes.

C036/21 8. TO RECEIVE AND NOTE THE MINUTES OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE HELD ON 7 JULY 2021.

Members received the minutes, asking that Cllr K Grimes be added to the list of attendees with a correction to the rank of Sgt Paul Davis.

C037/21 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. This information will be placed on the Parish Council website.
2. Financial Performance to the end of the financial quarter. Members will be asked to refer 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:
   1. The inspection regime being undertaken by the F&AO and the need to revise job descriptions to reflect additional responsibilities.
   2. The work being undertaken to identify suppliers of replacement components for Queensbury Shelters.
   3. Duty of care responsibility requiring the construction of restrictive fencing to the East Terrace shared boundary at Stakeford allotments.

RESOLVED: The Parish Council thanked the Parish Clerk for the report, agreeing all actions be taken subject to delegated 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. Consideration of any matters referred from Agenda Part 1. There were no items referred from part 1.

2. Grants

RESOLVED: Members agreed to award the following grants:

1. £500 to Choppington Together towards the establishment of a mothers and toddlers group in recognition of the benefit to the wider community.
2. £325 to Guide Post Allotments towards the purchase of equipment.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 19:55.

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

Health and Safety report to Parish Council meeting 14 July 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

All staff have undertaken health and safety training.  When working from the office they 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

Eastgreen –

• Panel on lower climbing frame is missing, exposing the holes from the bolts that were holding it up.
• Toddler springer has split wooden seat, but the surface area has not splintered and it remains smooth.

Liddells Field – soft pore damage, welding corrosion on climbing frame, small piece out of seat.

Actions:  These have been identified by inspections as minor which requires monitoring

 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

Actions:  We are in the process of identifying a contractor for this work.

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

As reported in the allotment update to tenants, the track running up to the main gate requires repair. This track is unadopted and is not the responsibility of Northumberland County Council as the Highways Authority, nor is it the responsibility of Choppington Parish Council.  Having said that we have asked NCC to undertake some basic repairs and we have ordered uncontaminated road plainings to be used at the entrance. As and when they become available, we intend not only to fill in the potholes, but to continue to spread them onto the track leading into the site as far up as the materials will go.

After the allotment meeting in June, members have instructed tenants that the gates should be locked as they come in and out.  It was suggested that an attractive fence but higher fence should replace the wooden along the external perimeter in front of East Terrace to increase security.

Parish Office

Risk assessment completed this month for Display Screen Equipment.

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

DI performs monthly hard surface inspections

Issues to report

One evening, the Parish Clerk was alerted by Cllr Foster that two intruders had been witnessed running over the bar roof.  When attended the two youths were walking across the sports field and disappeared back over the roof.  The police were advised and the CCTV enabled them to identify one of the youths.

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

Examination of trees in the grounds revealed that one required removal.  As the outside space is being used for hire, emergency action was made by CPC to remove branches before the next group arrived.  Another tree that is at the front of the road that allows shared access to the Hall will also require removal.

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

8^th July 2021