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COMMUNITY TRUST
PARISH COUNCIL
Agendas
& Minutes
Accounts
CHURCHES
LOCAL
GROUPS
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Minutes
Thursday 20th November 2014
Craster Village Hall 7.15pm
Present
Chairman Bryn Owen.
Clerk
Helen Brewis.
Parish Council Members
Joyce Shaw, Elizabeth Pearson, Martin Smith, Michael Craster &
Pauline Baird.
In Attendance
County Councillor Kate Cairns.
Members of the public
Mrs P Owen, Mrs M Taylor, Mr T Howells & Mr N Fawcett.
1737. Update from County Councillor.
Kate has a copy of NCC
Maintenance Plan 2014-15 with all the roads marked for maintenance
& will email to the Clerk to circulate. Currently the NCC
Enforcement Officers are implementing a zero tolerance approach towards
dog fouling & if you keep ringing them they will mark an area as a
‘hot spot’ requiring more of their attention. This ‘hot spot’
list is updated each month and it’s an offence not to have a dog on a
lead at Cemeterys or fouling on public land.
The NCC Core Strategy
workshops will be held shortly & there is a new dawn for PC audit
transparency & the new code which comes out later next year means
that a PC can be scrutinised on how it spends amounts over £100.
Over the past 3 months a
great deal of Kates time as CC has been taken up on work concerning the
EJBC & was asked to request a quote for grass cutting & grounds
maintenance from NCC for the Cemetery. Kate is concerned that
this quote has not been circulated amongst the 3 parishes & EJBC as
the grounds maintenance is paid out of the precept money. Bryn
explained that the quotes for the grounds maintenance have not been
made public until all the tenders are in & can be evaluated
altogether.
1738. Apologies for absence.
Richard Pearson,
Margaret Brooks, John Gallon & Alan Punton.
1739. Confirmation of minutes of last meetings.
The October Minutes were
accepted as a true record with the following two amendments:-
1727. In John’s address
as Vice Chairman ‘we have failed in our duties concerning the Burial
Committee finances ie: insurance costs & burial charges.’
Elizabeth felt that as a
Councillor on the Burial Committee if the PC has lost confidence with
the Burial Committee then she should step down. Bryn believed
that the PC had confidence in their representatives & wished for
her to remain on. All in favour of Elizabeth staying on the Burial
Committee.
1727. When Bryn joined
the Burial Committee they did not have a copy of the house deeds.
1740. Standing Orders. It is resolved to change the standings
orders as follows:
3.11
Each item on the agenda will be discussed by the Council and the Chair
will allow the discussion to continue until consensus is achieved. The
Chair will then ask for a resolution reflecting this consensus and this
will be voted on by the Council. Voting at the meeting shall be by a
show of hands unless a majority of Councillors wants a ballot. Only the
proposer and seconder will be recorded in the minutes unless a
Councillor requests that their vote is noted. A Councillor may also
request that the Clerk records how each Councillor has voted, including
abstentions. Any request of this nature will be made before moving on
to the next business.
The Standing Orders
Toolkit sets out the rules for debate. After last month’s debate
it may be necessary to change our SO’s so we can discuss an item until
we reach a resolution. Elizabeth is concerned that we aren’t
communicating fully & all Councillors should be able to speak
freely. Michael suggested that if we accept this alteration we
can carry on as we always have & if anyone looks into it further
the SO’s back up what we have done & having checked with NALC it is
in accordance with legislation. Martin saw this as a way to allow
Councillors to respond & also to allow us to discuss items fully.
Pauline proposed to
accept the SO alteration to 3.11 & seconded by Martin. All in
favour.
1741. Planning Matters.
NCC Stage 2 Complaint
concerning 13/03499/FUL – Emblestone, South Acres extension.
The complaint is still
ongoing with NCC.
14/02919/FUL Harbour
Lights alterations to rear & balcony. Permission has been
granted by NCC.
1742. Parking in Craster & Double Yellow Lines.
NCC have sent a letter
out to residents of Craster concerning the planned changes to the
double yellow lines etc., John has contacted NCC concerning the work
start date (as a private individual on his own behalf) & is waiting
for a response.
At a previous PC Meeting
with NCC where Pauline had taken the Minutes, NCC had promised a great
deal towards solving our parking problems in Craster but so far have
not delivered. CC Kate Cairns is looking into what can be done
with the grass around Heugh Wynd & the ongoing discussions with NCC
concerning the expansion of the car park. Originally NCC told us
that the car parking charges would be used towards the work on the car
park & Pauline will forward the Minutes & relating emails to
Kate & she will chase them up for us. Bryn looked at the
coach parking spaces & if we moved the coach parking elsewhere we
could increase the car park capacity (normally there is approximately
only 1 coach that parks up per month). Everyone agreed that it’s
annoying to think that the National Trust won’t help with our parking
problems when most of the visitors to Craster are here to view the
castle.
Action Point: Contact NCC to
change the coach parking spaces to car spaces.
1743. Embleton Joint Burial Committee.
Terms of Reference &
Standing Orders for the Burial Committee.
The Committee didn’t
have clear cut Terms of Reference & Standing Orders earlier in the
year & they held a meeting with David Francis from NALC to create
them. If the 3 PCs could have the same SO’s & TofR based on
the ones provided by NALC as these are the ones the Burial Committee
have been working within their terms since then.
Newton PC wished to veto
any spending on the house contrary to the TofR so the Committee stopped
actions & didn’t undertake any further spending concerning the
Joint Meeting. Newton PC asked the Burial Committee to look into
this & for David Francis to attend the next meeting but he has
unable to but recommended that each PC should look at any changes they
require & to have these changes agreed by all 3 PCs.
Possible changes that
Craster PC may request: removal of cremation, EPC to be the host PC
which should be reflected & addressed in the composition of the
Committee – the 7 Members should perhaps be re-valued by population?
It was agreed for a
small working party to look into this:- Elizabeth, Alan, John &
Michael. To discuss the changes Craster PC require for the EJBC
TofR & SO which can be brought to the January Meeting. All in
favour.
1744. Craster Community Trust Matters.
A thank you letter has
been received from the CCT for the donation towards the cost of the
memorial plaque at the harbour. Joyce mentioned that she has been
approached by a resident who does not feel it is appropriate for the
tables to be stacked by the plaques in the Hall
1745. Matters arising from minutes of last meeting.
Dunstan Water Leak & Road Surface. We are waiting for a reply from Lee
Baxter NCC as the road is still flooding.
John Gallon – Maintenance of fixed assets. One person is interested at
present.
B Owen – Footpath marker post by the arch pointing along the cinder
path is on the floor. Marker
has not been replaced yet.
Action Point: Clerk to chase
this up.
Defibrillator for Craster – The Stephen Carey Fund. Ongoing.
One sign at Harbour.
Action Point: CC Kate Cairns will
contact NCC for a rough idea of the price.
Mobile Phone Reception.
Ongoing.
Tower Bank & Whin Hill flooding problems. Ongoing.
NCC Public Transport Letter Aug 2014 & changes to services 418, X15
& X18.
This item can now be
removed from the Agenda.
Mr M Taylor – CPC Standing Orders & Councillor Accountability.
Action Point: Clerk to contact
Michael.
Clerk Vacancy.
The comprehensive job
specification has now been circulated & requires the updating of
the PC website page on the CCT site mentioned as John is no longer
prepared to update it. Michael checked that everyone was happy
with this specimen job description & addition of the website
update. All in favour.
The job advert states
that the salary is negotiable & will hopefully tempt people in to
apply for the 20-25 hours work per month. Consideration should be
given to the fact that in the future if the Clerk has to do all the
work this could up the hours to nearer 40 hours or more per month which
could bring the annual salary to £4300.00 from the precept money (in
Feb 2013 there were 251 residents on the Register of Electors).
Michael suggested that we allow individual Councillors to work in
different areas – they will make no decisions, but could take some of
the pressure off the Clerk, When Joyce was Clerk she never accepted a
pay raise because it would increase the cost to the village.
Martin thought that if we did do this voluntarily it wouldn’t cost the
community & will keep the hours lower for the new Clerk, Pauline
was concerned that Councillors would feel pressure & weighed down
with the additional responsibility.
Michael suggested that he could speak to David Francis for the payroll
costs & to see if people would be happy to take on work & to
complete the Clerk job specification with Elizabeth & Alan.
The vacancy will be advertised shortly & hopefully the new Clerk
will be in place for the January Meeting.
Action Point: Suggested
Councillor voluntary roles for Januarys Agenda.
Joyce Shaw – NCC location moving from Morpeth to Ashington.
Pauline wrote to NCC
& has so far received no response.
NALC Subs change. Noted.
Creation of a Parish Council Website.
On hold until
the Clerk’s vacancy has been filled.
Craster pillars give way sign.
Ongoing.
1746. Financial Matters.
Current Acc Balance
£ 3,835.88
Higher Interest
Acc
£18,063.86
Cheques required:-
Stableyard
Landscapes £340.00
Clerk
wage/expenses
£333.83
HMRC
£ 78.40
Precept requirement due
into NCC by 2nd Feb 2015.
1747. Correspondence received.
Archaeology in Northumberland.
In circulation.
War Memorials Trust. In
circulation.
CAN News Autumn – Nov 2014. In
circulation.
NCC – closure of BT phone box in Howick.
Clerk has forwarded this
to Longhoughton’s Parish Clerk.
Elizabeth Pearson - Charlies Hill – dog fouling. There is currently a bad smell
from dog fouling on Charlies Hill.
Elizabeth Pearson – Making the public aware who was on the Parish
Council. So people would know who
was on the PC the names & addresses could go on the noticeboards
similar to Embleton.
Action Point: Clerk to put on
the Agenda for the January Meeting.
Elizabeth Pearson – Christmas Tree & Lights.
Heighley Gate are
charging £180 + £40 delivery, there must be cheaper alternatives.
Action Point: Martin & Elizabeth
will look into sourcing a cheaper tree & reporting back with the
prices & speaking to the CCT for a donation towards the cost.
Elizabeth Pearson – Overgrown verge on road out of Craster between Bark
Pots & TI Centre.
Action Point: Clerk to
contact Stephen Ternent to prune/trim the verge
Pauline Baird – Loose carpark fencing panel.
Action Point: Clerk to email NCC to
request the fence be repaired.
NCC– Northumberland Local Plan Core Strategy–Full Draft Plan. In circulation.
Bryn Owen – Dealing with the press.
Was everyone happy with
the Chairman speaking to the press on the PCs behalf? Elizabeth
was concerned that we could get implicated or misquoted, Martin thought
that Bryn had done well highlighting Craster’s ongoing parking problems.
Richard Pearson - emails concerning all PC business should go through
the clerk.
This item was discussed
during 1745 Clerk Vacancy.
The
next Meeting will be on Thursday 15th January 2015.
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