Minutes of a Meeting of Trimdon Foundry Parish Council held on Tuesday 11th June 2019 at 6.30 pm in May Crescent Community House
033/19 Present:
Councillors Carole Bell (Chairman), Gail Elliott, Gary Elliott, Mike Gilvin, Brian Ferguson, Jean Loverance
034/19 Apologies:
Councillor M Lenehan-Ferguson, Co Councillor L Hovvels
035/19:- In Attendance
Parish Clerk Kate Holmes One member of the public.
036/19 Notice of Motion
The notice of motion to call the meeting was proposed by Cllr C Bell and seconded by Cllr Gail Elliott. This was carried.
037/19 Declaration of Interest
None
038/19 Police and Wardens' Report
PCSO Foreman had submitted a report that included the following: Incident from 07/05/2019 — 07/06/2019 = 45
Anti-Social Behaviour = 3
Neighbour Dispute regarding noise x 2
House party causing noise disturbance
Burglary = 1
Quad bike taken
Vehicle Theft Of, From and Criminal Damage to = 2
Criminal Damage: car windows smashed
Criminal Damage: car window smashed
Criminal Damage = 1
Rear door kicked
DCOP
All Crime a month to date: -27%
All Crime a year to date: 4%
All Incidents a month to date: -34%
All incidents a year to date: -34%
All ASB a month to date: -49%
All ASB a year to date: -55%
The percentages appeared not to make sense (specifically the All Crime month and year to date figures) so the Clerk was requested to obtain confirmation or correction from PCSO Foreman.
039/19 Chairman's Report
Cllr Bell proposed that the parish acquire a flagpole, for which grant funding might be available. This was seconded by Cllr Gilvin, and carried. If a mobile flagpole is chosen, it could potentially be rented out to other organizations when not in use by the parish.
She reported that the Community Orchard was becoming overgrown and untidy, and proposed that SE Landscaping be asked to do a one-off grass cut paid for out of the £500 grant money that remains. This was agreed unanimously. She asked the Clerk to monitor the spending of the remaining grant to ensure it is neither over- nor under-spent.
040/19 Minutes of the monthly meeting held on 14th May 2019
These were accepted as a true record. It was subsequently noticed by the Clerk that Co Councillor Lucy Hovvels had not been listed as present, when she had in fact attended, and had delivered her report as minuted.
041/19 Matters Arising Not Otherwise Covered by Agenda None
042/19 Review of Action List
Members reviewed and approved for closure the actions reported as complete. The action connected with the disputed grave location is to be kept on the live register for now, though no further action is to be taken. (Minute 024119 refers.)
043/19 Correspondence Received
A hard copy list of e-mails previously forwarded to the online Members was supplied to CU Ferguson.
044/19 Public Participation on Agenda Items Only
It was reported that, with regard to VE Day 75th Anniversary celebrations, Trimdon Station Residents' Association were suggesting a street party and/or a fete with 1940s costumes. These suggestions were noted.
045/19 Councillors' Updates
Cllr Gail Elliott asked the Clerk to request SE Landscaping to complete the flattening of the removed flowerbeds as soon as possible, including the one on Ash Crescent. She will be happy to advise if there is any doubt as to which bed(s) are to be removed.
She raised the issue of work reporting by SE Landscaping, as nothing had yet been received for June. The Clerk responded that on her last meeting with Mr Ellwood in mid-May, he had proposed a new system that would be less cumbersome than the individual paper sheets, and based on a spreadsheet. She had asked him to continue the paper system till the end of May, and then parallel run the two systems. She agreed to chase for up to date reporting.
CIIr Gilvin reported that he had attended the Smaller Councils forum, from which the main items to raise were the change in Steve Ragg's job hours and cover, and the availability of a number of training courses for which he would supply dates on request.
046/19 County Councillor's Report
Clir Hovvels not in attendance: no report.
047/19 Pre-audit Approval of 2018-19 Accounts
Reports for the year 1st April 2018 to 31st March 2019 had been circulated to the Members for review. These were created from the Rialtas Alpha system under the guidance of the system supplier during the process of closing down the financial year. All the reports were approved for submission to audit, and the relevant annual return completed and signed.
048/19 Monthly Financial Report
The Clerk presented a list of payments she had set up for online transfer via the internet banking facility. These were approved with the exception of the payment requested by the previous Clerk to replace a cheque sent to Durham County Council in January 2019, to cover pension contributions from July 2018 to March 2019. Members expressed concern at the large sum involved, as they had no recollection of authorizing such a payment, and understood that the pension contributions had been made by monthly standing order. They authorized the Clerk to enquire into the circumstances of the initial payment.
049/19 Renewal of Insurance
The Clerk reported that she had not yet received a response from Came & Co to her clarification questions about the Inspire — Axa policy, but would chase the next day. The Members approved payment of the premium by online transfer once the Clerk had obtained satisfactory answers.
050/19 Environment Updates
a) Allotments
The one plot currently vacant had been viewed by a potential tenant, but she had decided to wait to take on a tenancy as another plot, much nearer to her home, should become vacant by the end of June 2019.
b) Deaf Hill Cemetery
The work to improve areas of ground, contracted to LRT Groundworks who sub-contracted it, has not yet been completed to a satisfactory standard. LRT is supposed to be supplying, by Friday 14th June 2019, a date by which it would be completed. The Council resolved not to part with the withheld sum of £500 until the work was completed to their satisfaction.
The Clerk was asked to request SEL to undertake weedkilling of the old graves as a matter of urgency, as an additional item to the agreed contract.
c) Other Environment Matters
The Clerk was asked to contact DCC to request permission to take power from a nearby street light to illuminate the Samaritan Tree.
It was noted that the steps at the Fish Shop Corner remained in an unsafe condition despite being reported and chased by Cllr Hovvels. It was agreed that escalation should include a threat of a report to the Health and Safety Executive if no action was taken.
051/19 Samaritan Tree Update
The Clerk reported that, having taken on the task of producing the final grant report the previous week, she had contacted the monitoring team to apologise for missing the 31st May deadline. She had been offered a revised deadline of 31st July, which she had accepted. She intends to have the draft report available for approval at the council meeting on 9th July.
052/19 uWatch Cubes
The Clerk reported that the cheque sent to the supplier had still not been banked and the six-month deadline for doing had passed. She had stopped the cheque. It was agreed to take no further action with this supplier.
053/19 Nattrass Terrace
Cllr Hovvels has not yet supplied contact details for Social Care Direct re installation of dropped kerb.
Fly tipping, believed to be by residents, continues to the rear of Nattrass Terrace. The Clerk was asked to contact DC Environmental team to ask for a similar approach to that seen in other parishes — yellow signs warning of fines for tipping. It was noted that the Parish had already paid for the area to be cleared, and that dumped waste poses a fire risk to the adjacent sports changing rooms.
054/19 Policy Review
Members accepted that no more progress could be made in this area until the financial audit and annual returns work was complete.
055/19 VE Day 75th Anniversary — 8th May 2020
The activities suggested by Trimdon Station Residents Association were noted, and discussed briefly. The main concern was the need for a significant number of volunteers other than council members to organize, run and clear up after any activity. Council members are few in number, and have very limited spare time and capacity.
The idea of joining forces with adjacent parishes was discussed, and the Clerk agreed to ask what, if anything, they are planning. She also agreed to write to the Manager of Deaf Hill Ward Regeneration Partnership, as the Community Centre seems like an ideal venue for any event in early May. The Members agreed that the Parish could potentially offer funding towards a joint celebration.
056/19 Planning Applications
None received.
The Chairman's proposal in accordance with the provisions of S1 of the Public Bodies (admission to meetings) Act 1960 as amended by S100 of the Local Government Act 1972, that the Council exclude the press and public for the remainder of the items of the Agenda due to the confidential nature of business to be determined, as publication of the debate/detail of said items may prejudice public interest was carried unanimously.
No items discussed.
057/19 Close of meeting
The business of the meeting was concluded at 7.50pm.
These minutes were agreed as a true record at the meeting of Council held on 16th July 2019.