Annual Report 2020-21

Wolsingham Parish Council Annual Report; April 2020 to April 2021

1. This has been a unique year in local government; not just in Wolsingham, but throughout Britain and indeed throughout the world. The effect of Corona virus has been that all non-essential meetings have been prohibited during the period from 23 March 2020 until now, and continue to be only allowed under strict social distancing or by remote access. There is no government advice on how meetings should be managed after 6th May, when current arrangements expire. However, we have been continuing with our work as normal, but using email and telephone conferencing to share thinking, and Zoom for formal meetings.
2. Work on the surface under the carousel, which has been on our programme for two years was completed. We used a grant of £5000 from Anita Savory’s DCC Neighbourhood Budget. We have also re-used the plastic matting, to provide a safe and durable surface under the ‘adventure trail’ wooden frames. We have also subsequently completed the carousel with new fitments.
3. A Covid ‘risk assessment’ was done for the Angate Street public toilets and signage is in place, so they could remain open as government guidance suggests. The toilets were repaired and redecorated, but part of the ceiling now needs repairing again. We have now begun the process for making an accessible toilet here too. Plans are to hand, and will soon be submitted for planning consent. 
4. Durham County Council has made two grants of £22,000, one for the Town Hall Trustees, and one for St Anne’s Centre. Both have been closed, so no income has been generated, but the grants adequately cover those losses, and the losses from car parking at St Anne’s. We also received a grant of £6200 for the Angate Street Toilets.
5. We have taken this opportunity to refurbish the Town Hall, redecorating the main hall and staircases, as well as completing the conversion to LED lighting on the stairs and kitchen. The Clerk’s office has also been refurbished, creating access to a loft space for archive storage, so that the office is more spacious and modern in style.
6. We had an energy efficiency assessment in 2019, which led to us installing double glazing and LED lighting. In the refurbishment, we have added new insulating ceiling tiles in the main hall, with 300mm of insulation on top, to improve our heat retention.
7. The old electric heating in the town hall has been failing gradually over recent years. To replace the heating, gas is still the most cost effective heating. We are committed to environmental protection, so we did explore alternatives, including an ‘air source heat pump’ to avoid fossil fuels. However, the suppliers advised that for such a large building, which needs 30/35 Kwh. to heat it in the winter, such a system would not cope. Ground source heating is not an option in this location. Hence gas was the inevitable choice. This installation has now been completed, including adding radiators and hot water supply to the toilets and kitchen.
8. Residents may be aware of the contentious closure of a footpath, which is not formally recorded as a ‘right of way’. We have provided support and advice to a group of complainants, and the matter can only be resolved in an agreement with the landowner. Other problems in this area are being dealt with by the Environment Agency. Meanwhile we continue to seek a resolution, but the matter can only be decided by DCC Highways, and their work has been severely delayed by Covid restrictions,
9. Whilst the St Anne’s Centre has been closed, we have also arranged for it to be redecorated, and some repairs made to damaged plasterwork. We were also able to replace the old heating boiler, which had failed several times and was becoming costly to repair. It is now also ready for use, with necessary Covid Secure Guidance which must be followed.
10. The skatepark surround work was ‘on hold’ during the lockdown period, but has now be completed, and the skatepark is fully open again and well used.
11. In the course of the work in the Town Hall, The Clerk had to move his office from place to place as the work progressed. The computer system is a very dated desktop model, more than 10 years old. Whilst it still fulfils the basic functions, it does not have the camera and speaker system which we need if we have to use Zoom for meetings. We therefore have purchased a new ‘laptop’ computer, which has the capacity for teleconferencing, and can be used when the Clerk must work from home.
12. We were finally able to hold a council meeting on 11th August, as a ‘hybrid’ meeting allowing for physical attendance or Zoom virtual attendance. This worked well, and allowed anyone who was shielding to take part in the meeting.
13. This meeting allowed us to deal with some formal requirements which were important, as well as some routine matters;
    1. We agreed to vary the rule that any councillor who fails to attend any meeting for six months is excluded from being a councillor. This was done by agreeing a ‘special dispensation’ by council. Otherwise we would all become technically excluded, because no meetings were allowed.
    2. Our Standing Orders require an Annual Meeting to be held in May. This requirement has now been removed at a national level, so we may continue with the present officers and policies until the council decides otherwise. The Annual Report which that meeting would have required was circulated to councillors and is on the website.
    3. Since the resignation of Ian Hirst in March 2020, we had to first wait for formal notices to be displayed, so that residents had the opportunity to seek an election. None did, so we may now co-opt. We agreed that this was not urgent, as we are easily quorate. Since our term of office ends in April 2021, we felt that cooption was not necessary, as it is a time-consuming process to ensure transparency.
14. We had asked for views on a Bike-trail in the trees south of the recreation ground, and all the comments were positive, with only one exception. We agreed to aid a group of young people to restore and develop the bike track to the south of the football field, which they will build and maintain themselves, with our technical support. DCC Planning indicated that this would be a ‘permitted development’, and we have now created a suitable track, which is well used.
15. We had an outstanding formal complaint in process, which was also held up by Corona virus. This matter was pursued with the complainant, who subsequently made complaints about all of the council’s officers. In these circumstances it became impossible for us to process his complaint, and he was referred to the DCC Monitoring Officer so that his issues could be explored independently by the higher authority.
16. We arranged the necessary overdue annual appraisal for our Clerk, including a review of his contract terms which had not been reviewed since 2010. The Clerk’s employment appraisal report and reviewed contract was circulated to all councillors. They accepted the recommendation that his terms should be linked to the NALC local government terms, so that it will in future benefit from national annual adjustments. Councillors agreed that the new contract should be applied from 1st April 2020, as advised by our auditor.
17. Councillors were reminded that ANY confidential documents which we may send by email MUST in future be ‘password protected’, so that, if it goes to the wrong person it cannot be opened. The necessary password to open the document should be sent by text separately.
18. Walking Tour; our consultation last year led us to seek to plan a guided walking tour of Wolsingham area, possibly using a web-based programme which could be accessed freely. This development was paused, but we discussed whether this would be the time to reconsider. Councillors felt that we should wait until the Covid Virus problems are resolved before taking this further.
19. Angate Street Toilets; the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 requires us to make ‘any reasonable adjustments’ to provide disabled access to our facilities. We have been aware that our facilities here are not compliant, and currently have a grant from DCC which could allow us to make alterations for that purpose. Plans for Angate Street Toilets are now to hand. The best scheme seems to involve enlarging the current ‘Gents’ entrance to allow an ‘Accessible’ facility, and creating a new ‘Gents’ entrance to the right of this. We must seek Planning Permission for this, so anyone can comment on the plans. We particularly welcome views from anyone who might use the accessible facility, in case any further adjustment is needed.
20. We received a letter from Great North Air Ambulance, saying that their fund-raising has been adversely affected by Covid 19, and asking us to consider making a grant. We recognise that this service is particularly important to us in this rural area, and we agreed to make a donation of £500.
21. After consultation about the loss of the Post Office in the Market Place, we were informed that Post Office has decided to offer a mobile service, starting 3rd February, from a vehicle beside the Town Hall, on Wednesdays 16.00 to 17.30 and on Fridays 14.30 to 16.00. We do not believe that this is sufficient, and will seek to get a better provision.
22. A planning application has now been submitted to DCC for the conversion of the old ‘pavilion’ building beside the Play Area into three toilets and a food Kiosk. Everyone will be able to comment, for or against, in the planning process. We will proceed (if permitted) to provide new toilets and a food Kiosk beside the Play Area. The kiosk will offer drinks and snacks, and we will provide more picnic tables nearby.
23. .We agreed that the next development should be Tennis Courts, as in our consultation outcome. We believe that two doubles courts can be provided, and we have expressions of interest including 94 names for a potential ‘Tennis Club’. We hope that they might manage the tennis courts in a similar way to the bowls club management of the bowling green.
24. We held a site meeting with DCC, and they are supportive of the idea. Funds may be available from the sale of the ‘old school site’, to offset the loss of the courts which the school used to provide. Funding might also be available from Sport England, especially for rural sports facilities.
25. DCC Planning have now agreed that tennis courts would be a ‘permitted development’ on this site, as long as the fence is not more than 4m high, and no lighting is included at this stage. This avoids the expense of a planning application.
26. Considering the complexity and quantity of work needed for the tennis courts, we accepted an offer from Cllr David Jones to ‘Project Manage’ the process, on a voluntary basis. He has considerable professional experience of this work, and we were happy to entrust the task to him. Any formal decisions will be made by Council, based on the recommendation and advice which we receive.
27. In considering the use of the St Anne’s Centre, we realised that the ‘changing rooms’ are now underused, since the ‘football academy’ transferred to the school site. We upgraded them with proper flooring and redecorating, so that they can be used for other purposes. We are delighted that the St. Anne’s Centre is now used for Covid vaccinations, on Thursdays and Fridays. Vaccination is by appointment only, and booking is through the NHS national booking system. This will be much more convenient for Weardale residents than the regional centre in Newcastle.
28. There is a national scheme, funded by the Postcode Lottery, to enhance cities by planting ‘Cherry Tree Circles’. The scheme encourages similar planting in England's cities, with an eye to future tourism as well as 'prettifying' the urban landscape. 
29. This could be a way to create a special identity for Wolsingham (and Thornley?). We have several grassed areas in the villages, each of which could have small groups of trees, as well as the Market Place, which has potential space for several cherry trees around it. This would mean that, for a few weeks each year, those passing through or living in Wolsingham would see an attractive and colourful display. It also provides blossom for bees, and fruit too. In about 5 years, they would become quite impressive.
30. This is a first exploration of the idea, it is not a formal plan. We are asking for any comments from residents, to gauge opinion. If you have any opinion about this idea, please let us know. Responses so far have all been positive.
31. Lastly we have reviewed the financial situation and budget plans for next year. Our finances remain very strong because of the grant support which we have received, and even with all the planned developments we shall set a Precept figure less than previous years, which will reduce Council Tax by about £2 for each Band D property.
32. We expressed out thanks to Gordon Dobson, our Clerk, who has continued to work consistently and creatively throughout the lockdown to make all these actions possible.
33. Plans for the Parish Council Elections on 6th May are going ahead. All eleven places on this council must be elected, and some of our current members will not be continuing so new members are needed. 13th April will be the final meeting of this council.
34. Despite, or partly because of, Covid 19, we have been able to carry out many improvements and developments in the last year. Over the four year term of this council we have achieved major consultations with residents, developed new active projects and plans for the future. We have established formal procedures and processes which are transparent to all, and which can be seen on our website.
35. I would like to thank all of our councillors for their efforts and support over this term, and Gordon our clerk for his meticulous work to keep all our activities in order. I hope that we shall elect a new and effective council to follow on from this one, from 6th May 2021.

David Sugden

Chair of Parish Council