WOLSINGHAM PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF   MEETING  HELD

TUESDAY 14TH FEBRUARY  2017  

7.00 PM  

TOWN HALL, WOLSINGHAM

PRESENT: Chair   D. Sugden, Mrs. J. Henderson,, G. Price ,  Mrs. A. Savory, M. Bell

 Mrs. A. Nelson M/s L. Richardson, Mrs. M. Epsly, J. Wilson

 

 

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE:  S.Calvert, D.C. Pattison
2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: None
3. POLICE REPORT: None present albeit a member informed the meeting an arrest had been made pertaining to the recent caravan site burglaries.
4. MINUTES OF  MEETING HELD 10TH JANUARY 2017 agreed and moved as a true record and signed as such.
5. MATTERS ARISING :

 Recreation Ground : Tree works to commence W/c 13th February 2017, not all of the trees had been pollarded as the field was too wet to access

Bowling Green : Work on the boundary / pathway has commenced and will be complete by end March early April. Some misunderstanding had occurred regarding the astro turf and the disabled ramp access , but these items had been resolved.

Skate Park:  Visit to Skate Park Monday 13th February , the clerk gave a brief resume on his visit. Noise abatement issues had been more or less resolved as the design of the rink was concrete.

A facebook “thread” had been presented to the Parish Council of residents in favour of the project .

A debate followed on the proposed location , but generally members were in favour of the idea in principle. To move forward it was planned to hold a public meeting Tuesday 7th March 7.00 pm at the Town Hall.

Now that there was no longer a Neighbourhood Watch it had been agreed that the balance of funds be given to WRECASS.

 

1. CORRESPONDENCE:  

RECREATION GROUND: Mr. Terry Buckle had contacted the Parish Council regarding irresponsible dog owners collecting dog poo in bags and throwing into an open culvert . The clerk had arranged for the green team to collect same and had filled 4 (4 stone ) bags , Neighbourhood Wardens to be informed. Also Mr. Buckle made mention of damage to trees by storm Desmond, as far as the clerk was aware these had been attended to , but would arrange a site meeting with Mr. Buckle to resolve any outstanding issues.

Post Office had wrote advising that disabled access would not be complete before the post office service moved to the Spar shop, 15th February and apologised for any inconvenience.

Planning consultants working for James Hall & Co. had responded to the e mail requesting an electric charging point at the new SPAR outlet at the former Watson’s Garage Site.

An electric charging point would be included in the infrastructure but , because of cost reasons would not be activated. Store completion date expected late 2018.

1. ST. ANNE’S CENTRE:  
2. ALLOTMENTS Three allotments have been re-let

                        An allotment will be available April when poly-tunnel removed.

 

1. TOWN HALL:    All windows now fitted & complete next step painting inside & out recommended 3 coats gloss , clerk to arrange for tenders.

Clock :  Smith’s of Derby had installed the  new clock and very well it looked too,  in the dark like a second moon. The clock will re-set after a power cut and automatically reset at the spring and autumn British Summer Time changes.

Quotations for Air Conditioning were to hand, before a decision is made , more investigations are necessary on the units proposed,  as to wattage and life expectancy.

1. MARKET PLACE:
2. ANGATE STREET TOILETS :
3. DEMESNE MILL:  The Durham County road sweeper had very kindly swept the car park of mulched leaves.
4. THORNLEY WOOD Over 500 trees/hedging has now been completed . Additional days arranged with help from Darlington Sea Scouts and Beavers.

Also Wolsingham School ecology team with Mr. Elliott

Pathways created using wood chip , half complete.

Fencing Contractor ready to start

Quotations for Car Park were to hand Makepeace Motors,   Pinkney’s , W. Marley  Agreed to accept the lowest tender and award contract to Makepeace Motors.

Additional Grant from Durham C.C. Tree Week obtained for £150

 

1. FOOTPATHS  Much praise had been given from far and wide by ramblers visiting Wolsingham on the very informative leaflets on the walks in  and around Wolsingham.

The fencing at the Trod beck was found to be in adequate and unsafe , clerk to report to DCC highways

A drainage grate was missing from the junction of the Crofts and the Causeway, Golden Lion lane was slippery clerk to ask to be swept by DCC

The footpath along Leazes Lane had recently been upgraded , there was a  bend close to the school which used to carry a footpath but was now unused and impassable, clerk to ask if tree can be removed and footpath brought into  use again.

1. CLOSED CHURCHYARD: A complaint had been received from a member of the public who was unhappy about the state of the churchyard , the complainant was asked to speak to the Church Wardens on  the issues they had.
2. NEWSLETTER
3. CLERKS BUSINESS: Leave of absence agreed
4. MEMBERS REQUEST:

20 .PLANNING:          Employment Development Opportunity  The chairman briefed the members of a recent conversation with a business colleague and distributed a report as under:

Employment Development Opportunity; Wolsingham & Weardale?

 

In conversation with a local business-man recently, I was made aware that, whilst there are some industrial units available in Weardale, with more planned on the ‘steelworks’ site, these are all designed for manual work, such as building, joinery, engineering, etc.  There is no facility available aimed at the more ‘intellectual’ (and profitable) activities such as Electronics research, Chemical production, Communications and Information Technology, or even Administration and Financial management such as ‘call centres’. This means that anyone seeking such well paid employment has to travel out of the dale to Durham, Darlington, Barnard Castle or beyond.

 

In thinking about this omission, I am aware that the ‘old’ Wolsingham School buildings are still extant, and the demolition has not yet been started or contracted. These buildings already have ALL the requirements for such more sophisticated industry, including high speed broadband, adequate services, secure space, car parking, ready access, and are well located to serve the dale.

 

I am aware that the older building has some asbestos tiles, but these are not a hazard if undisturbed; they will only become biohazard in any demolition process. In addition, there is a more recent building, from the 1990’s, which already meets modern building standards and is ready for immediate use.

 

Re-designating the future of these buildings would not be a complex process. It would still leave all of the ‘playing-field’ areas surrounding the school for sale as building land. (I note that we already have approved planning permission for two substantial housing developments in Wolsingham which no builder is prepared to complete at present, so selling more house-building land would only be possible at a discounted price in the near future.)

 

Initially offering these buildings into the commercial market for such use would make it possible to test the market. If no interest is generated within a year or so, the option to demolish would still remain.

 

However, if taken up, it would;

1. save the substantial cost of demolition and site clearance
2. be a more environmentally friendly and less wasteful re-use of existing investment
3. prevent the biohazard of demolition works
4. create 50+ jobs in the construction/development of the buildings in the first year
5. create 50-100 long term jobs of a higher status character and bring a more prosperous clientele into the local market
6. change the view of what ‘work’ means in Weardale!

 

Having started on this thought process it seems obvious that this would be a more desirable step for Wolsingham and Weardale than the current plan to demolish. I will put this proposal before the next meeting of the Parish Council for consideration. Agreed to further this proposal and to contact DCC Assets to outline the proposals and meet to discuss further before the wrecking ball moves in

 

20.01  The following applications have been approved:

DM/16/03656/LB       22, West End, 5 internal secondary glazed windows

DM/16/03294/FPA    6, Demesne Court, replacement upvc windows

DM/16/03666/FPA     Bowlees Farm, Barn conversion to form 2 no. dwellings

DM/16/03905/VOC   Former Mill Garage, Variation of conditions  2,3,4,5,7,&8 of approval DM/15/02975/FPA

DM/16/03759VOC    Former builders yard, Lydgate Lane, Plots 1 & 2 approval 3/2012/0532 design change

  The following applications have been notified

DM/16/03999/FPA    9, Melbourne Place , replace timber windows with timber bespoke windows and door

DM/17/00237/TCA    25, Angate St.  Fell T1 Cherry tree , T2 20% Crown reduction magnolia

DM/17/00261/FPA    22, St. Anne’s Drive , external flue

DM/16/03670/FPA    9, ,West End, conversion of double garage with first floor office & storage to  1 bed holiday let

DM/17/00381/FPA    36, Lydgate Lane, Conservatory to rear

1. 21.0     Finance Reports JANUARY 2017 .agreed and accepted .
2. Internal Audit Review 2017 agreed , also agreed to ask M G Ackroyd to act as internal auditor for the ensuing year.
3. Risk Assessment and Financial Management review 2017 no changes, agreed and reviewed without change.