Trimdon Foundry Parish Council Minutes for 8th December 2020 by Zoom

Minutes of a Meeting of Trimdon Foundry Parish Council held on Tuesday 8th December 2020 by Zoom

094/20 Present:
Councillors Carole Bell (Chairman), Gail Elliott, Gary Elliott, Brian Ferguson, Mike Gilvin, Jean Loverance, Ian Storey, County Councillor Lucy Hovvels

095/20 Apologies:
None: full attendance

096/20 In Attendance
Parish Clerk Kate Holmes

097/20 Notice of Motion
The notice of motion to call the meeting was proposed by Cllr C Bell and seconded by Cllr Mike Gilvin. This was carried.

098/20 Declaration of Interest
None.

099/20 Dispensations for Declared Interests
None required.

100/20 Exclusion of the Press and Public
It was RESOLVED that as no members of the public were present, no exclusion would be necessary.

101/20 Open Session
101a/20 Police and Wardens’ Report
The recently-circulated report was discussed. It was noted that overall figures were low, although one serious incident of arson was recorded.

It was RESOLVED that once the Clerk receives details of community policing online meetings from PCSO Foreman, these should be posted on the parish website and Facebook page. A Member and the Clerk will attend whenever possible.

101b/20 County Councillor’s Report
Cllr Hovvels had submitted information for Members by e-mail immediately prior to the meeting, which the Clerk agreed to forward. Her main points were:

  • Paul Darby has been appointed as Interim Corporate Director of Resources at Durham County Council. He is a native of the area and familiar with the Trimdons.
  • Tree grants of up to £150 are available on application.
  • Covid Community Champions have been appointed, and the new CareAcademy has so far recruited 46 people into employment or training.
  • £500 Environment Improvement Grants are available on application.
  • Dog fouling is an ongoing problem in the parish. Maybe the school could be used to push the message of the importance of clearing up after dogs? It was RESOLVED that the Clerk should check whether the dog bin near the changing rooms had been emptied, as it was recently full to overflowing.
  • Flu jabs roll-out is ongoing.
  • Sedgefield Community College has received a national award. It was RESOLVED that the Clerk should write to congratulate the school, on behalf of the Parish Council. [Note: the award was the Sunday Times North East State Secondary School of the Decade]
  • The Public Health function will, despite opposition, be removed from County Council from April 2021.

 

101c/20 Public Participation
None

102/20 Minutes
It was RESOLVED to accept the minutes from the Parish Council meeting on the 9th November 2020 as a true record.

103/20 Finance
It was RESOLVED to pay all items listed in the report filename ‘financereport v3.pdf’ that had been circulated by e-mail to Members.

The monthly bank statement (Sheet 496) was reviewed and approved.

The draft budget that had been circulated by the Clerk was discussed. The sum allocated to election costs, £3,500, was queried as to whether this would be sufficient. It was noted that elections due in 2021 will need to be very different from normal, with polling stations probably impracticable under Covid restrictions.

It was RESOLVED that the total budget for ICT in 2021-22 should not exceed £1,000, though this could be split in any way necessary between the constituent budget lines.

104/20 Close of Meeting
At this point the meeting was interrupted by an incident that required the attendance of the emergency services. The Chairman suspended the meeting,with the full agreement of Members, at approximately 7.00pm.

These minutes were agreed as a true record at the meeting of Council held on 12th January 2021

 

Page added 15th April 2021