WOLSINGHAM PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF MEETING HELD

TUESDAY 8TH FEBRUARY   2022

7.00 PM

TOWN HALL, WOLSINGHAM

PRESENT: D. Sugden (Chair) Mrs. A. Savory, Mrs. E Johnson, I. Rodgers

Mrs. Y. Bell, Mrs. P. Dobson, J. Bell, AM Parkin, A.Vipond    

MEMBERS OF PUBLIC: J. Green, PC C. Davison

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: D. Jones, O. Gardner
2. TO RECEIVE QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC: None
3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: None
4. POLICE REPORT: PC Chris Davison gave the report. Off road vehicles were still using the lane at Doctors Gate and further operations were planned. Milk thefts had been an issue and had been resolved. Theft of tools from a van, and quad bikes being stolen from farms. There had been 104 logged incident calls from Wolsingham residents , the bulk of which were for suspicious activities, and three reported burglaries .An initiative had been launched “ keep in the Know” to allow residents to find out what is happening in the neighbourhood.
5. MINUTES OF MEETING HELD  11th JANUARY 2022 , confirmed as a true record and signed as such.
6. MATTERS ARISING: A)An invitation had been sent to the local MP ,Richard Holden to attend the March meeting, unfortunately he is unable to attend a Tuesday evening and asked if the meeting could be convened on a Friday, this was not agreed to.
7. DEMESNE MILL :
   1. ​ Durham Wildlife Trust work is being carried out by DCC and progressing well.
   2. Following the recent storm Malik several trees had been blown down in the top end of Demesne Mill, The local farmer had been contacted to stock proof his field and a tree surgeon had been asked to quote for the clearing of the trees.
8. CORRESPONDENCE:
   1. 100 walks Of Co. Durham: Kieron Young a member of the Walk and Talk Charity. Mr. Young attended the meeting and gave a brief on what he is planning to do with walks in Co. Durham. To produce a circular walk with a story to help encourage visitors to the Durham Dales and help invigorate  the local economy. He would be meeting with the Wolsingham Wayfarers group to help on the best routes, and help communities come together. The Parish Council agreed to assist his venture and looked forward to the eventual walks.
   2. Area Action Partnerships (AAP,s) Community Priorities Residents are being consulted on what has changed , where you live, work go to school and working towards the common priority of community recovery following the COVID 19 pandemic. Cllr Savory declared an interest as being chairman of WAAP.
9. RECREATION GROUND:
   1. ​Tennis Courts. Teams meeting report of meeting.an additional survey was requested inviting students from the local school, to assess their aspirations on the provision of tennis in Wolsingham
   2. Flower Festival 21st – 23rd May request for free parking in recreation ground. Agreed. Cllr. Savory Declared an Interest. But was allowed to remain in the meeting, she was quite upbeat on the project as it would bring the community together as well as inviting visitors to Wolsingham 
   3. Kiosk/Toilets additional firms have been contacted for quotations. No responses yet to hand.
10. ALLOTMENTS: Oliver’s to commence tree works 10th March. The clerk had spent some time taking the ivy from the wall, which was in a very poor state with the invasive nature of ivy, leading to the wall collapsing. So in essence the task of making the wall sound is more onerous and costly than first envisaged.
11. TOWN HALL : Replacement floor quotations. Three firms had submitted quotations.
    1. There had been two prices given, A) Town Hall and Landing B) As A ) with the addition of the stage area. A vote was taken and agreed to include the stage area. The combined quotations were: £4594, B) £5246 C) £5170
    2. The best quotation was provided by Tow Law Carpets at a price of £4594 and was accepted.
12. WOLSINGHAM LIBRARY: Get involved Survey, all members were given a hard copy of the survey for completion by 1st April.
13. ANGATE TOILETS : Cleaning of Stone Work, an offer had been made to clean the stonework at no cost to the Parish Council, The council agreed to accept the offer.
14. MARKET PLACE: Christmas Tree, Street Decorations Meeting with Blachere Illuminations 19th January The decorations were very good and you could buy them outright or hire, but in all instances the prices were prohibitive.
15. FINANCE:
    1. ​Cheques for Payment, agreed
    2. Reports to End January agreed and accepted
    3. Risk Assessment reviewed and amended where necessary.
    4. Internal Auditor appointment, agreed to invite M. Ackroyd to carry out the internal audit.​
16. PLANNING:  DECIDED
    1. DM/21/03957/FPA    21, Rectory Lane, Replace windows and doors, remove chimney stack, front extension, single storey rear extension and change flat roof to pitched(Retrospective)
    2. DM/21/03868/FPA    1, Chapel Walls, Uppertown, replace bay window with single storey rear extension
    3. DM/21/03853/TPO    19, Lea Green, removal of existing epicormic growth, crown reduction of 1.5 m, to reduce crown density, to T1 horse chestnut and minor crown clean and thin and crown raise to the south and east to 4.5 m to reduce density to T2 horse chestnut
    4. DM/21/02669/FPA    Redgate Hall, single storey and rear extensions
    5. DM/20/03796/FPA    Sandy Carr, Shield Haulage, erection of managers dwelling and office/welfare unit
    6. DM/21/01832/FPA    Land to West of Durham Road, 20 affordable houses​
17. PLANNING : NOTIFIED;​
    1. DRC/22/00015           Sandy Carr, Shield Haulage, discharge of conditions 3 (contamination),5, (materials),6 (stone sample panel) and 7 (boundary treatments and hard surfacing) pursuant to DM/20/03796 Sample panel and slate sample on site. Photograph example for information only submitted with this application Contamination report Landscape / hardsurface plan No objection
    2. DM/21/04327/TCA    The Rookery, 8 Church Lane, Pollard up to 7m to T1 Willow no objection raised.