Minutes of a Meeting of Trimdon Foundry Parish Council held on Tuesday 14th January 2020 at 6.30 pm in May Crescent Community House

176/19 Present:
Councillors Carole Bell (Chairman), Gary Elliott, Gail Elliott, Brian Ferguson, Mike Gilvin, Jean Loverance

177/19 Apologies:
Councillor M Lenehan-Ferguson (dispensation)

178/19:- In Attendance
County Councillor L Hovvels Parish Clerk Kate Holmes No members of the public.

179/19 Notice of Motion
The notice of motion to call the meeting was proposed by CIIr C Bell and seconded by Cllr Gary Elliott. This was carried.

180/19 Declaration of Interest
None

181/19 Dispensations for Declared Interests None required.

182/19 Exclusion of the Press and Public
It was RESOLVED that as no members of the public were present, no exclusion would be necessary..

183/19 Open Session

183a/19 Police and Wardens' Report
PCSO Foreman had supplied the usual report, which was reviewed at the meeting. It showed an ongoing level of criminal and antisocial activity, particularly in established hotspots.

183b/19 County Councillor's Report
Cllr Hovvels reported the following:

  • Notices have been served on Rodwell Street residents to tidy rear yards.
  • The recent windy weather had overturned bins and created mess, which is not residents' fault but still needs to be cleared up.
  • The broken fence at the parish corner junction has been reported, but fence repairs are low priority.
  • An abandoned car has been removed.
  • On the afternoon of Friday 10th January double-parking outside the GP surgery/Chemist shop caused a bus and following vehicles to be delayed by about 15 minutes. This was an extreme example of the problems previously Lee Mowbray from Highways Department is looking into it. Yellow lines are a possible answer. It was suggested that practice staff should park to the rear of the surgery, and maybe restrict the spaces at the front to disabled users only. CIIr Ferguson expressed sympathy for the bus drivers, and it was RESOLVED that the Clerk should contact Arriva to ask them to make representations to the County Council to support those of TFPC. Cllr Ferguson noted that there is a parcel of land to the rear of the surgery that could possibly be used for parking, and it was RESOLVED that CIIr Hovvels would investigate this.
  • It has been agreed that women whose state pension age has been delayed to 67 will still be entitled to concessionary bus passes at age 65.
  • There have been major changes in structure and personnel at the senior levels of the County Council.
  • Consultations are underway about climate change, the fire service and the police precept.
  • At its recent Ofsted inspection, Aycliffe School was rated Outstanding.
  • The newly-elected MP has written to request a meeting with County Councillors, which is being arranged.
  • A priority for councillors is improved health facilities across the county, not just in the main centres of population.
  • The loss of Labour Party colleagues on the County Council puts additional work pressure on Cllr Hovvels, but she aims to continue business as usual.
  • CM" Hovvels agreed to supply parish boundary maps to the Clerk.

 

183c/19 Public Participation None

184/19 Minutes
It was RESOLVED to accept the minutes from the Parish Council meeting on the 10th December 2019 as a true record.

185/19 Finance
It was RESOLVED to accept all automatic and due payments reported by the Clerk, as evidenced by initialling by the Chairman and a Member.

It was RESOLVED to approve the bank statement to end December 2019, and this was signed off by the Chairman.

No grant applications had been received.

It was RESOLVED to apply for a precept of £63,000 for 2020-21 and the relevant form was authorized by the Chairman for submission by the Clerk.

186/19 Review of Environmental Maintenance Contract
It was RESOLVED that the Clerk should inform the contractor that unless the cemetery hedge trimming, tree pruning and path edging was completed satisfactorily by the end of the following week, the work would be given to another provider.

It was RESOLVED that for 2020-21, the contract should be billed on the basis of work done, rather than 12 equal sums, with prompt, regular reports submitted to enable validation of invoices.

It was RESOLVED that the Clerk should meet the contractor as soon as practicable to discuss the activity levels and invoiced sums for the year to date, and agree how work would be billed for the rest of the year.

187/19 Policy Review
No policy documents were submitted for review.

188/19 Cemetery Management
The problem of a headstone that has been repeatedly moved by relatives of the deceased and left in an unsafe, unstable state was discussed. It was RESOLVED that the Clerk should contact the relevant memorial mason to have it made safe, and notify the family in writing that they would be liable for the cost incurred.

189/19 Planning
No applications had been notified for consideration and comment.

190/19 Chairman's Report
In addition to the matters raised under other agenda items, the Chairman requested that the terms of the web support contract with DCC be obtained for review..

191/19 Clerk's Report
Covered in individual agenda items.

192/19 Councillors' Reports
ClIr Loverance raised the matter of ongoing disturbances on Laburnum Crescent, and confirmed that the police are aware of the issue with a particular property. She also highlighted the problem of inconsiderate/illegal parking around the GP Surgery and Pharmacy. She had been caught up in the incident highlighted by CHI- Hovvels, and so confirmed that she had been delayed for at least 15 minutes.

Cllr Ferguson raised the issue of the change to state pension age, particularly for women, and how the Pension Triple Lock had been undermined. It was AGREED that the delay to entitlement was deeply unfair to those whose retirement plans were based on receiving the state pension at age 60.

CIIr Gary Elliott reported that he had asked Brian Wallace to attend to the dead trees and overturned litter bin at the Recreation Ground.

CIIr Gail Elliott requested a copy of the Electoral Roll to enable her to validate the register of allotment tenants.

193/19 Samaritan Tree
The Clerk reported that she had emailed Barry Kirtley, a street lighting engineer at DCC, as recommended by CIIr Hovvels, to seek a meeting about lighting the Samaritan Tree and potential permanent Christmas tree. Members agreed that it would be a good idea to install a power source in addition to that for lighting at each location, e.g. to power public address system, tools, etc.

194/19 CCTV Provision
It was RESOLVED that the Clerk should contact Richie Brown, manager of the Community Wardens, to invite him to the next meeting to discuss CCTV provision

195/19 Cemetery Water Feature
The amended design including a kneeling 'Tommy' had been approved of by all Members in discussion with the artist immediately prior to this meeting. He would submit costs once the size etc. was confirmed.

196/19 VE75 Celebrations
It was RESOLVED that the Clerk should invite Annabel Terry to formulate and lead a service of thanksgiving and dedication of the new memorial at Deaf Hill Cemetery on the morning of 10th May 2020.

It was further RESOLVED that replacement of the lights at the former St Paul's Church clock, which was itself restored as a memorial to fallen servicemen, would be a fitting tribute for VE75. The Clerk had undertaken to contact the residents of St Paul's House to gain access to the clock tower, but this had been delayed because the house was omitted in error from the electoral roll, so she did not yet have confirmation of their names.

197/19 Correspondence Received
A printed list of key e-mails that had been forwarded to the online Councillors was provided to Cllr Ferguson

198/19 Future Agenda Items
Richie Brown, Community Wardens re CCTV

199/19 Exclusion of Press and Public
Not required.

200/19 Close of Meeting
The business of the meeting was concluded at 8.00pm.

These minutes were agreed as a true record at the meeting of Council held on 18th February 2020

Signed:                                                                         (Chairman)