AGENDA
Community Development and Environment Committee
at Stakeford and Bomarsund Welfare
11 September 2024 at 6pm
Agenda – Part 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.
- Members will identify any declarations of disclosable pecuniary and other registerable interest(s).
- Public Questions (Please read the note below)
- To receive and agree as a true record the minutes of the meeting held on 26 June 2024
- To consider any matters arising from those minutes not already on the agenda
- Report from neighbourhood police. A representative of Neighbourhood police is invited to present his report on policing activities in our area and take questions from members.
- To receive a verbal update from the Parish Clerk on current issues including:
- Public seating. Members will be updated on the progress of public seating.
- Trees and green areas.
- Youth activities. Members will be updated on the summer holiday activities.
- Repairs. Members will be advised on outstanding repairs to bus shelters and play areas.
- Cleaswell Park. Members will receive an update on the development of Cleaswell Park.
- Neighbourhood Plan. An update on developments on the Neighbourhood Plan.
- NCC Highways. Members will receive an update on communications received from NCC regarding highways matters in the Parish.
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.
- Consideration of any requests for grants
Carers Northumberland
- Consideration of any matters referred from part 1 of the agenda.
Notes to be read in connection with Agenda Items 2 and 3 are shown separately
Note for the Public – Any resident of the Parish may raise topics for discussion during the public question session. The length of the public session, normally fifteen minutes, is at the discretion of the Chairman. Any resident may speak once on a subject, and they are requested to avoid duplication as far as possible. Councillors are not allowed to participate, other than by asking direct questions for clarification. There is limited space for public attendance so for members of the public unable to attend, questions can be emailed or telephoned to the Parish Clerk on info@choppingtonparishcouncil.org or 01670 858664 by 12 noon on Tuesday 10th September and read out during the public session.
Angela Brindley
Parish Clerk
4 September 2024
MINUTES OF A MEETING OF CHOPPINGTON PARISH COUNCIL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE HELD ON 11 SEPTEMBER 2024.
Members present:
Cllr H Allsopp
Cllr K Burn
Cllr G Huntley (Chairman)
Cllr J Rowell
Cllr P S Vaughan
Cllr L Watson
In attendance:
Ms A Brindley Parish Clerk/Responsible Finance Officer, David Iley FAO.
CD&E 013/24 1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE.
Apologies were received from Cllr Foster for childcare commitments and Cllr Iley for illness which members accepted as valid reasons
CD&E 014/24 2. MEMBERS’ DECLARATION OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY AND OTHER REGISTERABLE INTEREST(S).
None were received
CD&E 015/24 3. PUBLIC QUESTIONS.
The parish clerk reported no questions had been received.
CD&E 016/24 4. TO RECEIVE AND AGREE AS A TRUE RECORD THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 26 JUNE 2024.
The minutes were received and accepted as a true record of the meeting.
CD&E 017/24 5. TO CONSIDER MATTERS ARISING FROM THOSE MINUTES NOT ALREADY ON THE AGENDA.
1. CD&E 009/24 9. vii. The Parish Council has not had a response from Highways regarding the installation of bollards at Osier Court.
2. CD&E 011/24 11 Cllr L Watson Chairman reported that the Fare Share initiative was working well and was attracting more people to the Village Hall at West Sleekburn. They were particularly pleased with a comment from an attendee that it was a ‘happy place’. She commended her other Trustees Cllr Allsopp, Cllr Burn and David Holmes for their hard work in making it a success. There had been minor vandalism to the building but following the police pop up, and police presence in the area including visits to homes, the vandalism had ceased.
CD&E 018/24 6. REPORT FROM NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE.
Sgt Cook was to attend however a last-minute work issue had prevented him in doing so. He had emailed through a written report which was presented to members.
CD&E 019/24 7. TO RECEIVE A VERBAL UPDATE FROM THE PARISH CLERK ON CURRENT ISSUES.
i. Public seating. The audit will begin in October.
ii. Trees and green areas. The Parish Clerk and Deputy had recently met with the Neighbourhood Services Area Manager and Local Area Team Leader to discuss green services. CPC and NCC will be starting a full audit of services later in the year. The hedges at Guide Post school have been completed. Both sides were cut around the field but the fenced off space around the Appleby building is contracted by Mowbray Primary. CPC will be discussing with Hadrian Management the cutting of hedges along Woodhorn Drive flats.
iii. Youth activity. In addition to deploying the football court around the area, CPC had employed 2 new organisations to provide holiday play during the school holidays. AB Sports was based outside on Stakeford and Bomarsund Welfare field for sporting-based activities and ran once per week. They attracted around 10 children per session. Control and movement were appointed for 2 sessions of circus skills however the first one was cancelled due to lack of numbers. The second one was run with only 5 children. Both providers offered a good service but the lack of interest from these activities is perhaps cause to rethink our holiday programme at budget setting for next year. Our youth club ran during the summer holidays and took a group to Airbox bounce one evening.
iv. Repairs. Glass panels had been damaged and replaced at two bus shelters at Bomarsund on separate occasions. The repairs to the soft pore at Liddells Field play area had begun on Monday 9th September and will continue the following week.
v. Cleaswell Park. The parish clerk gave an update on the proposed development of Cleaswell Park. The tender process was underway and proposed schemes will be presented to Members in the next couple of weeks.
vi. Neighbourhood Plan. The steering group are devising a list of organisations and areas to visit to gather evidence for the Neighbourhood Plan. Members were asked to send any suggestions the Parish Clerk. These next few weeks will be prioritized for this work. Members will be required to be part of this process.
vii. Projects and NCC Highways. CPC have interest in several projects that require highways input.
1. Interactive signs. – County Councillors and Highways are coordinating the purchase and installation.
2. East Terrace Allotments. Highways have provided two options 1. Full construction or 2. Overlay. Cllr Watson advised that it was the case that a strip of land running along the side of both of the end houses was included in their house deeds, therefore before work was started, this should be explored with householders.
RESOLVED: Approval of the work for the overlay following consultation with householders.
3. Verge hardening Ashington Drive. The Parish Council has been in discussions with NCC regarding the extension of verge hardening along Ashington Drive. Past attempts to have a scheme included through the LTP have failed and CPC has approved a budget to put towards a scheme which over a number of years will complete the remaining verges along Ashington Drive. NCC has provided a cost to replace the verge with tarmac and officers are in discussions to identify what this cost covers.
RESOLVED: Delegation to Parish Clerk and Deputy Parish Clerk to finalise costs with NCC for Members final approval. To begin consultation with residents.
The Parish Clerk was thanked for a comprehensive and informative report.
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
CD&E 020/24 Grants – Members considered the application from Carers Northumberland. It was agreed that this organisation provided a worthwhile service, but it was concluded that as the Parish Council works in partnership with Choppington Disability Group which also supports carers in our area, the grant request was declined.
There being no further matters requiring consideration the meeting concluded at 8pm
Chairman………………………………………………………..Dated……………………