CHOLLERTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the meeting of Chollerton Parish Council held on Wednesday 30th March 2016 at 7.30 pm in Village Hall

Present: Cllr Jennifer Dover (Chairman); Cllr Fiona Browell; Cllr Lee Buckingham; Cllr Steven Campbell; Cllr Edward Heslop; Cllr Maud Jupp; Miss Linda Pinkham (Clerk) Cllr Rupert Gibson ( County Council)

03-16/1 Welcome and Apologies for Absence The Chairman welcomed the local residents who had come to the meeting. Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Victoria Binovec and Cllr Alan Gibson. The Chairman reported that a letter of resignation had been received from Cllr Victoria Binovec.

03-16/2 Opportunity for Members of the Public present to Raise Matters Four members of the public address the Parish Council and raised the following:

i) The new bus services which had replaced the daily 802 route. Residents were grateful that there was still a Tuesday, Friday and Saturday service available but those present at the meeting suggested some amendments: - Moving the departure time from 1.45pm to 1pm. The 3-hour turnaround in Hexham during the week was felt to be too long. - A 10am departure time on Saturday mornings. The Tuesday and Friday inbound service was ‘spot on’ but the Saturday departure (9am) was too early. - All three services were being used and concerns were raised that there would be times when not all passengers could get onto the bus. The Parish Clerk was asked to pass on these comments to Northumberland County Council. ii) Station Road, Barrasford A visit from the County Council roadsweeper was requested as there was loose gravel remaining after the recent application of tarmacadam. County Councillor Gibson agreed to follow this up. It was noted that roads in Gunnerton had been swept recently on two separate occasions. iii) Funding for sports equipment Barrasford Bowls Club wanted to purchase new equipment but members were uncertain what funding was available. Possible sources included the Parish Council, the Ray Windfarm community fund, individual County Councillor funding or the S106 fund. Cllr Heslop agreed to circulate details. Equipment would need to be costed before applying for grants.

The members of the public left the meeting.

03-16/3 Declarations of Interest from Members Cllr Buckingham declared an interest in matters regarding the Fire Service and Cllr Heslop declared an interest in the planning item regarding Woodhall Farm.

03-16/4 a) Minutes of the Previous Meeting The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 27th January 2016 were agreed as an accurate record and signed by the Chairman. The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 18th November 2015, held over from the last meeting, were also agreed as an accurate record and signed by the Chairman.

Minutes of meeting held on 30th March 2016 Page 1 of 6 These minutes were ratified by Chollerton Parish Council at their meeting on 18th May 2016

CHOLLERTON PARISH COUNCIL

03-16/4 b) Matters Arising from the minutes of 27th January 2016

Defibrillator: This had been installed outside Barrasford Village Hall on Sunday 20th March 2016 and could be used in an emergency by anyone. A number of residents had received training in its use and more training events would be organised. £2,000 funding in total had been received. Letters of thanks would be sent to the Hexham Courant Hearts of Gold Campaign (Gemma Brown) and to the Marrow Show Committee (John Henderson or Tom Milburn). Cllr Jen Dover expressed thanks to Lee Buckingham on behalf of the Parish Council for doing such a good job in organising this project.

Website: Cllr Buckingham reported back that costs to build the Parish Council website would be £500 and build time would be 3 – 4 weeks. Cllr Buckingham, who also noted that Matfen Parish Council’s website was a good example, would circulate details by e-mail. Reimbursement of set-up and ongoing maintenance costs should be available through NALC under the Transparency legislation. It was agreed to proceed with the website and Cllr Buckingham and the Parish Clerk would discuss this further.

Tarmac Annual Meeting: It was noted that the company operating Barrasford Quarry, bnow renamed ‘Tarmac’ had undergone massive personnel changes which had contributed to the delays over the past year in rearranging this event. Moving back to June would now be a better option for this rescheduled meeting.

Colwell Swings: Cllr Heslop had taken down the swings. Comments had subsequently been received.

Speed Signs: i) County Cllr Gibson had ordered new Speed Indication Signs (SIDs) from Swarco Traffic Ltd and expected delivery within 8 – 10 weeks. These lockable speed awareness signs, which can also log vehicle movements for statistical purposes, would be peripatetic between the six civil parishes in the Ward. Installation brackets would be put up and these would remain in situ. A meeting explaining how the signs work and how to set them up would be arranged. ii) Cllr Dover reported an increase speeding vehicles at the north end of Gunnerton, which was particularly concerning because of children accessing the playing field. Traffic flow through the village had also increased, probably as a result of the recent road closure. Cllr Buckingham highlighted that the Neighbourhood Beat Manager could undertake a speed watch where a specific problem had been identified. The Parish Clerk agreed to follow this up. iii) It was confirmed that the flashing 30mph speed warning sign at the north end of Barrasford does register traffic exceeding the speed limit.

03-16/5 County Councillor Report County Councillor for Humshaugh Ward, Cllr Rupert Gibson, highlighted the following points: • The closure of Haydon Bridge Fire Station had been confirmed. • The proposed move of County Hall to new purpose-built premises in Ashington had been confirmed. • Rotary Way, the main road into Hexham from the A69, would be completely closed for 6 weeks from June 2016 to enable bridge repairs to be carried out. • Upgrade to superfast fibre broadband: Phase 1 should finish in March 2016, then Phase 2 which will include Colwell, runs April 2016 to end 2017. Cllr Dover queried whether Gunnerton was part of Phase 2 as superfast broadband was not available in some parts of the village. Residents should be encouraged to register an interest via the i- Northumberland website and to keep pressure on Northumberland County Council. Dave Colwell, i-Northumberland Implementation Manager, had cautioned that provision would have to be reconsidered for some areas if installation became very expensive. Minutes of meeting held on 30th March 2016 Page 2 of 6 These minutes were ratified by Chollerton Parish Council at their meeting on 18th May 2016

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The Parish Clerk to send an update on broadband provision to Gillian Gregory. Cllr Heslop thanked County Cllr Gibson for providing the information. However he expressed disappointment and frustration with the proposed timeframe.

03-16/6. Discussion Items a) Playing Fields: Barrasford: Steven Campbell presented the fortnightly maintenance reports for Barrasford Play Area. Cllr Campbell also reported that the playing field committee had received a quote for £80 from Adam Johnson for trimming the deadwood from the sycamore tree. As this was a proactive health and safety issue the work had now been carried out. Cllr Jen Dover proposed that the Parish Council should support Barrasford Play area by funding this work and this was agreed.

Gunnerton: No response had been received to requests for updates and neither the maintenance reports nor details of any annual inspection were available. Concerns were expressed that the lack of an annual inspection might affect the public liability insurance, provided through the Parish Council. Replacement equipment insurance is not provided. Cllr Dover had been in contact with James Feeley who had reported that a new committee had not yet been set up. It was agreed that a letter of concern needed to be sent to the committee chairman. Cllr Buckingham to ascertain a contact number.

Colwell: as reported under matters arising Cllr Heslop had arranged for the swings to be taken down. Comments in support of the swings had subsequently been received and the Parish Council may need to consider replacing these.

Chishillways: no action to report. b) Transport Issues NECA Consultation: response needed by 8th April. Parish Councillors to send any comments to the Parish Clerk. c) Highways issues Poor standard of finish to road repairs, Station Road, Barrasford: No response had been received from Northumberland County Council to the previous correspondence. Parish Councillors felt quality assurance checks were still needed before payment was made as surface levels raised around manholes had created potholes and hazards for bikes and the gulley covers could not be lifted. Unfortunately payment may already have been made because of the approaching financial year end. The expected increase in heavy traffic as a result of the new housing development was also highlighted. The Parish Clerk to write again to Northumberland County Council and County Cllr Gibson agreed to follow this up.

Parking on Front Street, Barrasford: This on-going situation required urgent attention as concerns had continued to be raised by villagers about the safety hazard at the junction from cars parked on Front Street. Increased potential for accidents from HGV traffic associated with cabling work and the new development was also highlighted. The Parish Clerk to contact Northumberland County Council about road safety options and seek further clarification of the legal status of the white H-bar painted on the opposite side of the road. d) Maintenance issues i) Damaged Noticeboard Barrasford: This required replacing as soon as possible and new build rather than refurbishment was preferred. It was suggested that sponsorship could be sought (eg from Tarmac) to enable all four boards, including

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CHOLLERTON PARISH COUNCIL

Barrasford Park, to be put up in one go. The Parish Clerk to enquire whether NCC recommended a preferred supplier of noticeboards. Cllr Buckingham to make some enquiries about costings. ii) Handyman: Gordon Robson was praised for all the work that he carried out as handyman for the parish council. However as Mr Robson had recently indicated concerns about undertaking further work at present because of a bad back Cllr Heslop agreed to make contact to clarify the situation. Cllr Dover reported that Stuart Matthews, Wark, was prepared to put up a replacement noticeboard and if necessary could be contacted regarding further handyman work. iii) Litterbin Barrasford: Replacement bin to be purchased from Glasdon. In addition, Cllr Dover highlighted the need for a post-mounted litter bin for dog waste, to be erected at Gunnerton (tip corner). It was agreed that the Parish Council should purchase this. e) Website Discussed under 03-16/4b above.

County Cllr Gibson left the meeting.

03-16/7 Correspondence List of correspondence received since the last meeting, including e-mails, was tabled. The following items were discussed in detail: a) Northumberland LED Street Lighting project This consultation, taking place after only two years, was felt to be premature. Parish Councillors drew attention to the need for an additional streetlight on Station Road, Barrasford at the entrance to Mill House Farm as there was a gap in provision, resulting in a dark area. There was a post already available at this location. It was agreed that a new streetlight be requested. b) HM Queen Elizabeth II 90th birthday: Following discussion, it was agreed to purchase a Queen Elizabeth II commemorative medal for each child currently attending Chollerton First School and Pre-school and that the school would be asked to arrange a positive activity around the theme. The Headteacher, Mrs Davey, to be contacted regarding numbers on the school roll and to discuss a suitable occasion for the presentation of the medals. c) Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Review of Statement of Public Rights of Way Pre- order consultation: Chollerton – Great Swinburne Cllr Heslop expressed disappointment that the Parish Clerk had not circulated this consultation to Parish Councillors earlier as the closing date for comments had now passed and he wished to raise a number of concerns about Byway Open to all Traffic (No.39). This had been approved in 1996 but not implemented at that time. Cllr Heslop drew attention to the out of date list of consultees which had been used for this consultation; noted that the route crossed the new access road to Barrasford Quarry; questioned the need for the BOAT and highlighted the potential for BOATs to lead to problems with off-road vehicles. The Chairman asked Cllr Heslop to draft a response from the Parish Council to be circulated and submitted to the County Council. The Parish Clerk was asked to find a method of circulating non e-mail correspondence rapidly to the members of the Parish Council. d) Resignation of Cllr Binovec Following the letter of resignation from Victoria Binovec, which was accepted with regret as Cllr Binovec had been able to provide valuable contributions to the Parish Council through her links with the local community, including the school and the scouts, the

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balance of representation on the Parish Council was discussed. The vacancy would be open to all eligible residents however it was felt that representation from settlements other than Barrasford, which was currently well represented, and adults of working age should be encouraged. The Parish Clerk to follow up the procedure for filling the vacancy and contact Ian Tarbit for inclusion in the Hexham Chollerton notes section.

03-16/8 Financial Matters a) Requests for Assistance Chollerton Church Grasscutting. It was agreed to increase the funding to £1,000. It was also agreed to issue the payment in the current financial year. Colwell Village Hall refurbishment of toilets. Cllr Heslop introduced the item, highlighting the increased usage of the village hall, then took no part in the discussion. Cllr Dover proposed a contribution of £200 which was agreed. b) Accounts to be authorised and paid Parish Clerk salary Q4 £388.80 (cq 577) HMRC £1.20 (cq 578) Parish Clerk expenses £89.58 (cq 579) Northumberland Estate for Village Green, Barrasford rent £25 (cq 580) Jonathan Elkington Property for Gunnerton Green Playing Field rent £125 (cq 581) Barrasford Village Hall room hire 2016 £52.00 (cq 582) Colwell Village Hall refurbishment of toilets £200 (cq 583) Chollerton Church grasscutting - £1,000 (cq 584) c) Bank balance: £8,190.51 as at 29th February 2015 (statement 281)

03-16/9 Planning a) Applications for consideration:

16/00499/CCM Proposal for extraction of sandstone. Camphill Quarry, Gunnerton. The application was supported however concerns were raised about the ability of the access road from the site to the A68 to cope with a quarry waggon meeting with large vehicles coming in the other direction (eg bus, water company truck or caravan delivery vehicle to Barrasford Park). As the vehicle runs to/from the quarry will be relatively infrequent it was therefore suggested that there should be co-ordination with the bus timetable at the least.

16/00757/FUL Proposed extension, repairs and refurbishment to existing property. Colt Crag Farm, Birtley, NE48 3JD There were no objections raised however Cllr Heslop did question what had changed from the previous application which had been refused.

Cllr Heslop declared an interest in the next application (Woodhall Farm) and took no part in discussions.

16/00873/FUL Proposed single storey extension to rear elevation, Woodhall Farm Cottage, A6079 Woodhall Farm, Barrasford, NE48 4DB There were no objections raised.

The Parish Clerk to pass on the support and comments regarding the three applications to the County Council Planning Team.

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b) Decisions issued on applications: 15/04202/FUL Proposed sunroom extension. Chishillways Farm, Chishillways, Barrasford NE48 4AD Permission GRANTED

15/04280/FUL Proposed installation of a radio base station antennae and ancilliary equipment, Communications Mast High Cowden Farm, Ridsdale. Permission GRANTED. c) Lead Member for Planning for April/May 2016: Cllr Lee Buckingham (as agreed at the Parish Council meeting on 27th January 2016)

03-16/10 Information Items Information items received since the last meeting were noted. There was no discussion.

03-16/11 Any Other Business Parish Councillors asked that best wishes be passed on to Alan Gibson and hoped that his recovery was going well.

03-16/12 Date and Venue for Next Meeting As Cllr Campbell would be unable to attend a meeting on 25th May 2016 it was agreed to move the Annual Meetings of Chollerton Parish and Chollerton Parish Council forward to Wednesday 18th May 2016 at Barrasford Village Hall.

Provisional Dates for the remainder of the year: 27th July 2016 (Colwell); 28th September 2016 (Barrasford); 23rd November 2016 (Gunnerton)

The ratified copy of these minutes, signed and dated by Chollerton Parish Council Chairman, Cllr E Heslop on 18th May 2016, is held on file by the Parish Clerk

[New numbering convention for minutes introduced from January 2016 to record Month – Year/Item number]

Minutes of meeting held on 30th March 2016 Page 6 of 6 These minutes were ratified by Chollerton Parish Council at their meeting on 18th May 2016