Minutes of Parish Meeting - 19th October 2022
Meeting held at Bellingham Town Hall - 7pm
Councillors Present: Cllrs Wilkinson, Irving, Moore, Riley, Huddleston, Brebner and Tilley
In attendance: 1 member 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 expressed her thanks to the parish council for its support in opposing the siting of more caravans on the former youth hostel grounds at the Hareshaw Linn Caravan Park. The application had been turned down by Northumberland County Council.
Part B - Parish Council Meeting
1. Apologies - Cllr Dickson-Green, Cllr Kirkbride
2. County Councillor Report - None received
3. Declarations of interest - None
4. August 2022 minutes - Signed as a true record
5. Matters arising from the minutes
5.1 Westlands Allotments: It was noted that for various reasons, several plots on the allotments were starting to look neglected and overgrown , with few signs of cultivation. It was agreed that a notice be erected at the entrance to the site displaying the terms and conditions of occupying a plot, and reminding tenants of their obligations, and the terms of use also be displayed on the parish council website. (Cllr Moore to action)
5.2 Jubilee Field Play Equipment: After a lengthy delay, equipment ordered in July from Kompan was finally delivered in mid September and local handyman Michael Bacon was engaged to fit it. He was unable to rehang the broken zipwire because an incorrect shackle had been supplied. An engineer from Kompan visited the site with Cllr Wilkinson on Monday October 17, and with some difficulty had been able to cannibalise parts from the broken zipwire seat to effect a repair so that the equipment was usable . However it was felt this was unsatisfactory in the long term and the engineer was expected to return with the correct fitting. It was also agreed that more play sand was needed in the sand pit, and that the tree bark under the climbing frame and slide needed raking on a monthly basis. (Cllrs Tilley and Moore to action).
5.3 Fairstead Tree Planting: Despite a series of meetings and undertakings with Northumberland Estates representatives, the siting of the Jubilee Woodland on the Fairstead had yet to be finalised. Coun Moore was attending another site meeting with the estate on October 21 in the hope of making progress.
6. Finance
6.1 Income, expenses, bank balance and budget review
Income:
- Indoor Market Income: £30.00
- Interest - £0.27
- Honesty Boxes: £21.17
Invoices to be paid:
- Natalie Green (cleaning): £137.80
- B Dickson-Green (Clerk): £118.59
- Anglian water (rates): £19.00
- Chris Mowatt (landscaping): £957.60
- Town Hall (meeting and market): £70.00
- Eddie Taylor (Handyman): £433.40
- TyneRede (internal audit): £222.00
- Ken Irving (defibrillator expenses): £67.88
Bank account balances as at 13/10/22:
Current account £41,340.64
Jubilee Field Account: £2.217.45
Cemetery Maintenance Fund: £4,161,42
7. Planning
Cllr Tilley agreed to circulate a powerpoint presentation on the Northumberland Local Plan provided by county director of planning Rob Murfin.
8. Borderlands
Cllr Tilley to circulate minutes of the latest board meeting.
9. Correspondence
9.1 Jubilee Field Maintenance
Two strongly worded letters from former members of the Jubilee Field Playing Park fundraising committee members criticising the council’s maintenance of the park were received . It was pointed out that the parish council was in the hands of the equipment suppliers, which was slow to deliver ordered spares and other equipment. It was agreed to try to repair the damaged tyre walk using tyre levers and packed sand.
9.2 Northern Powergrid Grants: It was noted that the electricity supplier had established a foundation offering organisations grants between £1000 and £20,000 for energy resilience support in emergency situations such as Storm Arwen.
9.3. Dropped Kerbs: A caravanner from Brown Rigg had asked the parish council to provide dropped kerbs on the Tyne Bridge as he had difficulty in riding his mobility scooter safely across the bridge from the camp site to the centre of the village. It was agreed the request be referred to the county council.
9.4 Speeding: A complaint was received from the council’s street cleaner Eddie Taylor that he felt unsafe doing his job between the Catholic Corner and the Black Bull because of the speed of traffic. It was felt that the only solution to the problem was some sort of traffic calming measures as speed checks were only temporary deterrents.
9.5 Hospice Grant Application: An application from Tynedale Hospice and Home for financial assistance was not supported as the parish council only issued direct grants to organisations based within the parish.
9.6 Dangerous Gravestones: Following the identification of two dangerous gravestones within St Cuthberts closed graveyard. It was agreed the council seeks quotes from monumental masons to carry out the necessary repairs.
9.7 School Safety: It was noted that the county council was to introduce a 20mph speed limit, with flashing signs outside the two schools at starting and going home times.
9.8 Brewery Visit: The First and Last Brewery invited members of the council to have a tour of their new facility at the former ambulance station at a mutually convenient date and time. (Cllr Tilley to action)
9.9 Resilience: A suggestion that the parish council should back a bid to have the two schools formally identified as a resilience hub in the event of a major or critical event such as Storm Arwen was not supported. It was pointed out that the town hall was already earmarked as an emergency centre by the county council, with a heavy duty generator. It was also noted that the town hall was centrally located, while the schools were on the edge of the village and could be difficult to access in stormy weather. It was agreed however that the school’s attention be drawn to the Northern Powergrid Foundation grants scheme.
10. Christmas Planning: It was felt that despite the soaring cost of electricity, the parish council should proceed with its usual display of Christmas lights this year. All the lights had already been purchased, and the fact LED bulbs were used meant the cost of electricity used was minimal, It was also felt that the lights would bring a bit of cheer into the village at a time of high inflation. It was agreed David Allen be contacted to organise a tree and hang the lights, and that there should be a formal coordinated switch on ceremony, to take place before the village late night shopping and Christmas fair on December 7th. It was confirmed there would be another Christmas tree festival in St Cuthbert’s Church in aid of the Tynedale Hospice, and that there would be a repeat of the cavalcade of illuminated timber wagons through the village.
11. Reports:
11.1 Cllr Kirkbride reported via email that since its suspension during covid, Northumbria Police’s Community Speed Watch operation had undergone a complete revamp, and the Bellingham Scheme no longer existed, despite the fact we have our own speed gun and trained and certified operator in Cllr Irving. The nearest recognised scheme now covered Redesdale and no new ones were being set up. Anyone who did want to volunteer for an existing scheme would have to undergo DBS checks, which could take up to 12 weeks, along with other training. Cllr Kirkbride was meeting the people behind the scheme in a bid to ascertain what could be done to restore the scheme to Bellingham.
11.2 Cllr Moore expressed concern that the resurfacing of the Jubilee Field footpath had been inadequate. The surface dressing was already wearing off, exposing the stones underneath and was barely usable for pushchairs. He queried whether the surface dressing had been carried out to an adequate depth as it should not have washed away, after only moderate rain since it was laid down. It was agreed the contractor be asked to attend a site meeting for an explanation (Cllr Moore to action).
11.3 Cllr Huddleston asked what the parish council would t be doing to celebrate the King’s Coronation on May 6th next year. It was agreed his be put in the agenda for the November meeting.
11.4 Cllr Irving again raised the issue of the large puddle which appears outside St Cuthbert’s Church during wet weather. It was agreed the matter should be raised yet again with the county council in the hope of a new gully being provided,
11.5 Cllr Tilley had received a complaint about the handrail on the steps leading up to the steep slope to the rear of 27-25 Hillside. The steps hand rail was on the opposite side to the handrail proper and elderly residents were having difficulty switching from one to the other. The handrail was also rusty and in need of painting. It was agreed the matter be raised with Karbon Homes.
11.6 Cllr Riley confirmed she had taken over the running of the Bellingham Children’s Party, which would take place at the town hall on December 10th An application for grant aid for the event from the parish council was pending.
12. URGENT BUSINESS - None
13. Date of next meeting - November 17th at 7pm
Meeting was closed at 8.35pm.
