Minutes of Parish Meeting - 17th August 2022
Meeting held at Bellingham Town Hall - 7pm
Councillors Present: Cllr Wilkinson, Cllr Irving, Cllr Moore, Cllr Huddleston, Cllr Tilley
In attendance: 4 members of the public. In the absence of the Chair and Clerk on sabbatical, Coun. Wilkinson took the chair, and Coun. Tilley took minutes.
Part A - Public Participation
A resident said she had been asked to raise concerns about gravel on the footpath between the toilets and Fountain Cottage café, but this appeared to have been addressed before the meeting.
Two other residents voiced their opposition to a revised application for extensions and alterations to the Hareshaw Linn caravan park to the rear of their homes. While an improvement on the original application, the residents still had numerous concerns about the development, including overlooking, fencing, septic tank capacity, distance between vans and whether the new vans would be holiday lets or residential units. They called for a site meeting to address these issues.
Part B - Parish Council Meeting
1. Apologies - Cllr Dickson-Green, Cllr Brebner, Cllr Riley, Cllr Kirkbride
2. County Councillor Report - None received
3. Declarations of interest - None
4. July 2022 minutes - agreed with one amendments
5. Matters arising from the minutes
5.1 Three bike racks were erected by NCC on a paved area not marked as a parking bay outside the Post Office, and two on King Street. Following complaints from the sub post mistress about the effect on deliveries and servicing of the pillar box, these were subsequently removed following a meeting with Cllrs Wilkinson and Tilley. County Cllr Riddle took exception to the racks being sited without consultation with him, as he had a scheme in the pipeline to put racks outside the First Chapter Book Shop, which was acceptable to the proprietor. This work subsequently took place.
5.2 The contractor had failed to respond to two emails querying his actions with regards to the planting and care of the wildflowers at sites in the village, so his £400 bill remains outstanding. Coun. Moore agreed to speak to the contractor personally in a bid to resolve the matter.
5.3 It was agreed the council should purchase a two-yard Union flag for the Town Hall which would cost around £85.00 for a good quality hand stitched one
5.4 War memorial engraving had all been approved, but a specific date needed to be agreed.
5.5 The Insurance quote from Access has been accepted as had a quote from Adam Peart for the surface dressing of the Jubilee Field footpath
5.6 NCC Highways had been asked for more details about the proposed traffic calming, warning signs at the Jubilee Field play area and other issues, but no reply had been received.
6. Finance
6.1 Income, expenses, bank balance and budget review
Income:
- Indoor Market Income: £70.00
- Interest - £0.04
- Donations: £60.00
- Cemetery fees: £1,010.00
Invoices to be paid:
- B Dickson-Green (clerk pay) = £118.59
- B Dickson-Green (expenses – Cemetery Law book) - £43.00
- CM Commercial (landscaping) = £957.60
- E Taylor (handyman) = £522.25
- Town Hall (rental for July) = £70.00
- DD - Wave (water rates) = £19.00
- N Green (cleaning) = £137.80
- Cllr Irving expenses (New defibrillator battery) - £204.00
- Cllr Dickson-Green expenses (metal sign) - £380.00
Bank account balances as at 11/8/22:
Current account £32,269.97
Jubilee Field Account: £2.217.27
Cemetery Maintenance Fund: £3,811.07
7. Planning Applications
7.1 21/04592/FUL Hareshaw Linn Caravan Park– demolition of two youth hostel cabins and erection of eight caravan pitches and children’s play area.
The parish council agreed to maintain its objection to this application on the grounds previously stated, and supported residents’ calls for a site investigation to see whether it was possible to resolve privacy and overlooking issues. It was also felt there were already enough caravans in and around the village.
7.2 21/03415/FUL Former Auction Mart (amended) – construction of 43 homes and 20 apartments including access road, landscaping and infrastructure.
Although there was one fewer house than on the application approved by the county council in July, the parish council agreed to maintain its objections to this scheme for the reasons previously state.
7.3 .22NP0064 Hesleyside Hall (consultation) Listed Building Consent – repointing and rendering of stonework, replacement lintel and stonework, replacement rainwater goods, installation of a resin bound gravel and 100mm land drain.
This application was supported.
8. Correspondence
8.1 A resident from the outskirts of the village complained that less than 24 hours before he was due to be connected, WeFibre had informed him they would not be connecting his property to the new gigabit broadband scheme as the government grant only covered Bellingham village rather than the whole parish. The resident felt this reflected badly on the parish council, which had actively pushed the scheme as a parish wide venture. It was agreed that clarification be sought.
8.2 Several residents reported that the seat from the zip wire in the Jubilee Field playground had become detached, and while the equipment was used without a seat for a few days, it was eventually deemed dangerous, and removed by Coun Wilkinson. After some difficulty, suppliers Kompan were contacted, and quoted £640 for replacement seat and kit. Kompan also gave prices for bolts, shackles and nuts as requested by the clerk, and with delivery, the final quote was £891.07. This was accepted by the council.
8.3 Following complaints about grass cutting in areas covered by social housing provider Karbon, including Holm Court, Fairshaw Crescent and parts of Hillside, the company explained it had been experiencing problems with sickness and annual leave, which had meant that housing inspectors had not been able to carry out full inspections. However, regular inspections would be undertaken from September to address residents’ concerns. The company would also be supplying a map clarifying which grassed areas it was responsible for.
8.4 A water leak in Lock Up Lane, possibly linked to the switching on of supply to the community pantry, caused some minor flooding which generated complaints to the parish council. The leak was being dealt with by Northumbrian Water.
8.5 A resident queried the length of time the temporary traffic lights in association with work on the housing estate between Noble Street and Briar Hill on the Woodburn Road were being left in place, when there was little evidence of any work taking place. NCC highways did not respond to a parish council request for information.
8.6 A request for access to the parish council’s section of the North Tyne in association with the Tyne Tour canoeing event in November was agreed.
8.7 A resident’s request for a no cycling sign on the footpath between the Jubilee Field and Riverside Garage was declined, as the path was a public right of way.
8.8 An allotment holder registered a strong complaint about the management of the Westlands Allotments operated by the parish council. This followed a somewhat heated confrontation on the site between the allotment holder, her partner and the allotment manager Coun. Wilkinson. Coun. Wilkinson walked away from the meeting, and apologised if he had caused any offence by his actions. He produced a list of allotment rules and regulations, and the confidential waiting list for plots. The complainant was top of the waiting list, and had been offered a plot, for which she would have to wait until the departing tenant had lifted his vegetable crop, a task that was imminent. Coun Wilkinson accepted some plots which were being neglected, but strong efforts were being made to persuade the tenants to look after them as demanded in the tenancy agreement. No other plots were currently available for letting, It was agreed the complainant be written to, offering an apology for any offence caused by Coun Wilkinson’s actions.
9. Borderlands
No updates had been received.
10. Reports
All report issues had been dealt with within correspondence.
11. Any urgent issues for consideration at the next meeting
None noted
12. Date of next meeting
Wednesday 21st September
Meeting was closed at 8.40 pm.
