COMMUNITY TRUST
PARISH COUNCIL
Agendas
& Minutes
Accounts
CHURCHES
LOCAL
GROUPS
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Minutes
Thursday 17th September 2015
7:15pm in the Craster Memorial Hall
Jimmy
Shaw MBE
A
tribute to the life and memory of Jimmy Shaw was given
followed by one minute’s silence.
Minutes
Present
Vice-Chair John
Gallon
Parish Clerk Geoff
Newcombe
Parish Council Members Elizabeth Pearson, Joyce Shaw,
Margaret Brooks, Martin
Smith, Michael Craster
Members of the public
In Attendance:
Marjorie Taylor
There were no public questions.
1869. Declaration of interests.
Cllr Margaret Brooks
declared an interest as Chair of the Governors to the Vincent Edwards
School regarding the Consultation on Options for the Alnwick Schools
Partnerships.
1870. Apologies received
Alan Punton, Bryn Owen,
Pauline Baird
County Cllr. Kate Cairns
1871. Minutes of the previous meeting
The minutes of the 16th
July 2015 were accepted as a true record of the meeting and were signed.
Proposer: Martin Smith
Seconder: Margaret Brooks
Unanimous.
1872. Matters arising from the minutes not covered
elsewhere on the agenda.
a. Standing Order confirmation
The standing Orders
dated May 2015 and the Northumberland ALC model Code of Conduct for
Local Councils were adopted.
Proposer: Martin Smith
Seconder: Margaret Brooks
Unanimous.
b. Missing Streetlamp – Dunstanburgh Road
Now installed and
operational
c. Defibrillator training
Well attended;
defibrillator now operational.
d. Footpath – Arch to Craster
The Greys (one
landowner) do not wish to have a footpath on their land; risk to
livestock. Liaison with Howick estates still in progress regarding
possible placement of footpath. Cllr John Gallon suggested that there
is a possibility that LEADER may fund both fingerpost signage and
associated footpath.
e. Local housing statistics.
NCC; still awaiting
statistics from Ian Stanners. Members would like to ask him to a future
meeting to discuss housing demand in the area.
1873. County Councillor's update.
None
1874. Consultation on Options for the Alnwick Schools
Partnership
To respond to
consultation supporting the retention of a school in Embleton. Parish
clerk to respond via form available on NCC website on receipt of draft
from Cllr Margaret Brooks.
Proposer: Martin Smith
Seconder: Michael Craster
Unanimous.
1875. Local Transport Plan 2016-17 consultation
Cllrs Bryn Owen and John
Gallon met representatives of the County Council and Northumbria Police
regarding the problems of parking on the Bogie Road. It was suggested
that extension of the 30mph limit to the foot of Tower Bank could be
possible if the existing 30mph limit area was made into a 20mph zone.
The NCC highways has responded saying that the Dunstan area flooding
will be alleviated as part of this year’s improvement programme; an
item that was one of the three priorities agreed at the July meeting.
Members agreed that Cllr John Gallon should draw up three new
priorities for the forthcoming programme to include the altered speed
limit area and drop the flood alleviation. Clerk to send response to
NCC before deadline of 25/09/2015.
Proposer: Martin Smith
Seconder: Michael Craster
Unanimous.
1876. Planning Matters
a. Response to Consultation
The Chair &
Vice-Chair responded on behalf of the PC to respond by the consultation
deadline; as follows:-
“Craster Parish Council
has reviewed the Planning Protocol documents sent out for consultation
in July 2015. Thank you for the opportunity to take part in this
consultation.
The Parish Council
supports the principles behind the draft Protocols but is concerned
about how they will be applied in practice. One of the key points
in the Pre-Application Protocol is that:
"It is recognised that
in the past third parties have found it difficult to engage in both the
pre-application and S106 processes and this protocol, alongside the
Council’s Pre-Application and Major Developments protocols, seeks to
address this issue by providing an opportunity for developers to
present their proposed schemes to Members, Town and Parish Council’s
and other key stakeholder groups at the early pre-application stage.
The implication of that
statement is that there is no requirement for Parish Councils to be
involved at the pre-application stage; the developer will be given the
opportunity to present their scheme to Parish Councils, but it is not
mandatory that they do so. Apart from issues of commercial
confidentiality that the draft raises, it seems very unlikely that a
developer will open up a potentially contentious scheme in this way
during the planning process as they will not want to give any possible
opposition time to marshal their forces and their arguments. If
that is the case, the draft Protocol seems to be unrealistic and
unlikely to bring the involvement of Parish Councils at an early stage
that the County Council hopes will arise. What practical steps
can be included in the Protocols to bring pressure on developers to
involve Parish Councils at the earliest stage?”
b. FWD Planning Protocols – Training session report
Training session on
15/09/15; Cllr John Gallon attended.
c. Bark Pots 9 West End (14/04120/OUT) – Granted
d. The Bogie C75 Howick Grange Junction to Craster
Junction Craster Northumberland NE66 3ST (15/02500/FELTPO) - Works to trees protected by TPO: Fell 3no
sycamore trees and remove branches on 2no sycamore back to stem.
(Amended Description) (30/07/2015) - The Council would like to
recommend approval as per the application
e. 7 Whin Hill Craster Alnwick Northumberland NE66
3TP (15/02566/PRUTPO) - Crown raise
the canopy of 1no ash tree to remove low limbs and thin canopy of tree
by 20% - No Comment
f. Kipper Cottage 1 Chapel Row Craster Northumberland
NE66 3TU (15/02503/FUL) - Proposal
for replacement garden shed in detached garden – Granted - No Comment.
A request to the PC to
comment further on this application as received but the closing date
had passed. Enquiries of NCC determined that site notices were not
statutorily required and that nearest neighbours had been consulted.
1877. Affordable Housing
Dealt with under minute
1872 (e) above
1878. Administration Issues
• FOI Enquiry response
Response to the FOI
enquiry of 2nd August 2015 was sent within the statutory limit, as
circulated.
• FOI Statement, Registration and Policy
FOI enquiry highlighted
that Craster PC is not registered with the Information Commissioners
Office (ICO) for data processing, does not have a data protection
policy or publication scheme. Member discussion followed and resolved
that:-
Registration unnecessary
as no personal data processed;
Data Protection Policy
should be adopted;
Draft Publication Scheme
to be considered by Chair & Vice-Chair before adoption at future
meeting.
Proposer: John Gallon
Seconder: Martin Smith
Unanimous.
• IT Provision – word processing, resilience etc. – Microsoft package expired; NALC
advice/grants are available for transparency; office/equipment (PC,
printer, scanner, phone, filing cabinets). May be a chance to examine
resource sharing with Embleton PC. Chairs and Clerk to explore.
1879. EJBC
Last meeting 30/06; next
05/10 – TOR not resolved; needs working group. Ask for tenders to
survey headstones.
1880. Craster Community Trust.
No meeting since July PC
meeting. Shed available at Dunstan Square for construction of proposed
rowing skiff and will subsequently be able to be kept at the Bogie
1881. AONB
A meeting is scheduled
for wb. 21st September with the Chairs of local PC’s. Michael Craster
to attending and asked for any topics to be raised: Parking
1882. Dog Fouling
Incidences seem to have
decreased; however dog waste bags are often left in inappropriate
places; no further action for the time being.
1883. Fixed asset maintenance
No quarterly Report due
this month
1884. Tourist Fingerpost
Thanks to Alan Punton
for his research work. Further action in abeyance
position of possible LEADER grant position resolved in
conjunction with highways improvements.
1885. Financial matters.
a) Notice of Conclusion of Audit – Accepted by BDO – No Fee
b) Expenses Claims
– Example of claim for members travel claims circulated and adoption
agreed.
c) Current Account
Balance - £2,313.14 @ 11/09/15
d) Spent
& Received since 17/06/2015
• PC
(NCC) Insurance Policy - £165.20
• NALC
Chair & Clerk Training - £20.00
•
Clerk’s salary & expenses June 2015 - £190.01
• HMRC
June 2015 - £36.00
e)
Clerk/HMRC wages & expenses
f)
Cheques required:–
•
Donation to Craster memorial Hall - £200 (Re-issue to Craster Community
Trust)
•
Clerk Salary & expenses (July-Aug) - £333.28
• HMRC
(PAYE July Aug) - £69.60
1886. Parish Meeting
Cllr John Gallon to
explore possible interest amongst residents for the following agenda
items:-
Public Transport,
Affordable Transport, Precept Level.
1887. Correspondence received.
•
Waymarker on Lonnen; A member of the public has requested an additional
Waymarker from NCC.
• NCC
responded that grit bins will be reviewed before winter and PC comments
have been noted and will be investigated.
•
Letter of complaint about vehicular damage to grass parking area in
Heugh Wynd. NCC matter; Clerk to write to complainant asking permission
to forward letter to NCC.
1888. Items for Next Agenda
• Parish Clerk resignation
•
Charges for builders rubbish at community waste sites.
1889. Date and Time of Next Meeting
15th October 2015 @
7:15pm in the Craster Memorial Hall
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