Minutes of the Coxhoe Parish
Council meeting held on
S Dunn in the chair
Present: K Pounder, C Wigham, R Mayo, D Smith, J Taylor and C Thirlaway.
07.149
Apologies for Absence: P Dodsworth, J Beecham, and B Hepplewhite
07.150
Questions from the Public
There were no members of the public in
attendance and no questions had been forwarded.
07.151
Declarations of Interest
D Smith declared an interest in item
(7c) on the agenda
07.152
Police Report
There was no Police presence at the
meeting and the Clerk presented the report for the period
Assault - 1 reported
incident
Theft - 5 reported incidents12/01/07- theft of timber
Roslyn Mews,
motor vehicle
theft of number plates
Burglary 1 reported incident12/01/08
Anti-Social
Behaviour 8 reported incidents in Coxhoe, 1 in Quarrington
Hill
Vehicle
Nuisance- 6 reported incidents in Coxhoe 5 motorbike
related and 1 parking
related. 1 reported incident in Quarrington
Hillmotorbike related. 1 S183 notice issued.
Other
Issues: Issues were raised relating
to graffiti on roadside stones at Quarrington Hill
and damage to football field at Coxhoe
Resolved: (i) the details were noted (ii) the Clerk to contact the Police and the City Council relating
to the football field
07.153
Points of Note
The Clerk had previously circulated an update of
issues raised at the last meeting and these were discussed and also updated the
meeting on the licensing application.
Resolved: the details were noted.
Reports of the
Clerk
07.154
Planning Applications
The following planning application had
been received:
(i)
Erection
of two storey pitched roof extension to rear of existing dwelling 22 School
Avenue, Coxhoe.
(ii)
Erection of 14 no. 2 storey dwellings
on former omnibus depot and welfare club at
Front Street, Quarrington
Hill.
Resolved: (i) there
were no objections to item (i), (ii) the details were noted. The Clerk to request
a copy of the plans in order to identify changes to the previous application.
07.155 Traffic Management
Details of the previous weeks meeting with
Gordon Wingrove had previously been circulated and
were discussed together with proposals for a possible alternative scheme at
West Parade/Coronation Terrace. A
recommendation was made to purchase 2 speed activated signs, with 2 posts at Quarrington Hill and utilising the existing one at Coxhoe.
Resolved: (i) to confirm preference for original West
Parade/Coronation Terrace scheme but to accept alternative proposal (ii) agreed, on show of hands, to
finance purchase of speed activated signs.
07.156
Standing Orders & Code of Conduct
At the meeting in January 2008
amendments to standing orders were proposed and seconded. These were now discussed.
Resolved:
the recommended changes to standing orders were agreed and adopted by the
Council.
07.157
Donations
The criteria for granting donations
was discussed in detail
Resolved: the previous criteria be disbanded, and each
application be considered on its own merits in future.
07.158
Training/Quality Council
The Clerk provided details of a
possible bursary for financial assistance for the Quality Council Scheme and an
increase in the registration fee for CiCLA.
Resolved: (i) an application for bursary is made (ii) the Clerk to register for CiCLA now and the current fee of £70 be
paid by the Council (iii) the next
Councillors training session would be 4 March at
07.159
Parish Plan
(i)
Details of the response from NEDL on underground cabling was discussed
(ii) Details of the response
from Arriva on the request for Service 55 to go to the Gilesgate
area were discussed.
(iii) Full details of the joint meeting on
Coxhoe regeneration had been previously
circulated and were discussed at length with the relevant
plans. Some concerns expressed relating
to village green issues.
(iv) Details of proposed designs for village
signs at Coxhoe had been previously
circulated and were discussed at length.
(v) The Clerk had previously circulated a
draft proposal of items to be included in the
next newsletter. The Annual Parish Meeting to be
advertised in newsletter
(vi) The Clerk updated the meeting on
proposals for a constitution for Coxhoe Allotment
Association
Resolved: (i) The Clerk to contact County Councillor Morgan for
assistance (ii) the Clerk to contact
retailers at Gilesgate/Belmont retail parks to
illicit support for the bus service (iii)
to express level of concern over some aspects of development. Parish Councillors to attend the open day
presentations on 14/15 March (iv) the designs for the signs were agreed. The Clerk was to make necessary enquiries
with relevant agencies. Funding for a
planning application and if necessary for erection of signs was agreed. (v) the
newsletter items were agreed. The Annual
Parish Meeting to be held on Tuesday 6 May at
07.160
Budget Update
Details of the latest budget position were provided
verbally.
Resolved: the details were noted
Correspondence
07.161
Local Government Review Update
The Clerk provided the latest information
from the
Resolved: the details were noted.
07.162
Possible Devolved Services
The Clerk provided the latest
information from the
Resolved: the details were noted.
07.163
Awards for Local Councils
The Clerk provided information from
the
Resolved: the details were noted.
07.164
Post Office Closure Consultation Process
The Clerk provided the latest
information from the
Resolved: the details were noted.
07.165
Freedom of Information Act Model Publications Scheme
The Clerk had circulated a copy of the draft
proposals for introduction from June 2008.
Resolved: the details were noted.
07.166
External Auditor
Notification had been received that
the Audit Commission proposed to appoint BDO Stoy
Hayward LLP as external auditors for a further 5 years. Standard fees would be £285
Resolved: the proposal was noted and accepted
07.167
Employment Bill
The Clerk provided the latest information
from the
Resolved: the details were noted.
07.168
Local Petitions and Calls for Action
The Clerk provided the latest
information from the
Resolved: the details were noted.
07.169
Quarrington Hill Facilities
A letter from MP Roberta
Blackman-Woods on the issue was detailed.
Resolved:
the details, including possible funding streams, were noted.
07.170
Details of consultation on the
economic strategy had been circulated for discussion.
Resolved: the details were noted.
07.171
A letter of thanks had been received
from Mr & Mrs Eason concerning improved pathways in Coxhoe
Resolved: the details were noted with thanks and the Clerk to
reply to the letter.
07.172
Parish Paths Partnership
Details had been circulated and were
discussed regarding the P3 grant scheme.
Resolved: the Clerk to discuss with Victoria Lloyd and make
the relevant grant application.
07.173
Community Engagement Advisory Group
A letter from Durham County Council
providing details of the group had been circulated for discussion.
Resolved: the details were noted.
Other
Issues
07.174
Coxhoe Together
Councillor Mayo provided an update on
progress on various issues. The
churchyard project needs partnership working between the Church, Durham County
Council, Coxhoe Together and the Parish Council on street lighting issues
Resolved: (i) the
details were noted (ii) agreement in
principle to work in partnership on church lighting issues
07.175
Councillor Pounder provided an update
on various issues. A request had been
received for the Parish Council to meet costs of maintenance and insurance liability
for the proposed play park.
Resolved: (i) the details were noted (ii) the Partnership advised to
contact the City Council regarding play park maintenance and insurance (iii) a
joint meeting with the Parish Council would be held at the Resource Centre on
Wednesday 27 February at
07.176
Accounts for Payment/ Requests for Financial Assistance
The Clerk detailed the accounts for
payment and the following were approved:
Creditor Reason Amount
Minute
N King January
Salary 07.18fi
N King Reimbursed
Admin Costs £46.37 07.18fi
SLCC CiCLA Registration Fee £70.00 07.158(ii)
TP Gardens Grasscutting/Hedge
Trimming £360.00 249
07148
In Private
D Smith had previously declared an interest and left
the room taking no part in the
discussion of this item.
The Clerk circulated a letter from the District Valuer
detailing
the current situation and this was discussed in
detail.
Resolved: (i) the details were noted (ii) to negotiate a sale price with each of the tenants (iii) a
panel of Councillors Dunn, Thirlaway,
Mayo and Pounder was appointed for negotiations
(iv) the Clerk to contact each
of the tenants inviting them to individual meetings
Signed as a true copy of the meeting
Chairman
. Clerk
(Pages 39 42 inclusive)
. Date