WOLSINGHAM PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF MEETING HELD

TUESDAY 12TH OCTOBER   2021 7.00 PM

TOWN HALL, WOLSINGHAM

 

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

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

 

MEMBERS OF PUBLIC: J. Green, M. Bell, D. Stephenson, G. Pybourne, Mrs. B. Pybourne

 

 

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Mrs E Johnson ,D Jones
2. TO RECEIVE QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC: None
3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: None
4. MINUTES OF MEETING HELD 14th SEPTEMBER 2021 agreed as a true record and signed as such. Time meeting ended corrected as 21.45 pm
5. MATTERS ARISING: 
   1. A) Clerk Apprentice, Cllr Mrs. Savory had received a reply from CDALC on the issue and it was up to the relevant authority to provide cover for the absence of the clerk, and if need be a councillor could stand in,,in an unpaid capacity, until a new clerk is appointed. Training for a new clerk could take up to three months and it would be assumed the outgoing clerk would liaise with the handover.
   2. B)  Pump Track plans emailed for further consideration. The new proposed track would be next to the existing skate park, Members thought this was the last area of green space, and wished to have it remain so. Any future development of a pump track would be at the existing site in the wooded area.
   3. C) Request Expressions of Interest in Angate St. and Kiosk on website. An amendment to the layout for access had been proposed by the Building Control department, so the existing plans for the Angate Street toilets would be amended. Having looked at the plans and new access arrangements it was agreed to go back to Building Control and have the existing proposed entry retained with an increased width for ease of access .Cllr A Savory declared an interest as the councillor has donated some funds to the project, from the neighbourhood budget, for the Kiosk development.
   4. D) Cllr Y. Bell wished to make it clear that she was not in any way related to Cllr. J. Bell and wished for her concern to be noted.
6. RECREATION GROUND: A)Request to place Memorial Bench In Recreation Ground, agreed , clerk to liaise with Mrs. Lyn Watson as to location, at the top end of the park
7. CORRESPONDENCE:
   1. A) Demesne steps to Church field job well done, Cllr. A. Savory was commended on the work and thanks had been passed to the PROW team who carried out the work.
   2. B) Prof. Gary Bosworth had undertaken a research project on Daleton A Story of Rural Change ie Wolsingham and requested that it would be beneficial for him to give a presentation to members in November, agreed to Prof. Bosworth request and invite to November meeting.
   3. C) Cllr Savory gave the police report and highlighted the work being done by the police in operation Reboot , which mainly concerned the problems being experienced at Doctors Gate and the damage being done  to the environment by off road users. The “off road” users had been stopped and the outlook was more positive for the cessation of this practice.
8. ALLOTMENTS:  
   1. A) Two allotments have not been maintained this season, request permission to serve Notice to Quit. One allotment holder has moved out of the town, agreed to the request and the relevant notices would be served. There were seven on the waiting list and it was hoped both sites would be maintained more fully.
   2. B)  Site Wall Fallen ,
      1. a) Dry Stone Walling Report,
      2. b) Tree Survey
      3. Both the reports were now to hand and would be distributed to members for consideration at the next meeting. These reports would also be forwarded to the Parish Councils solicitors to ascertain the legal implications, before submitting to DCC Planning Dept. to have the tree works carried out, as the report suggested.
      4. The landowner of the wall addressed the meeting on the history of the wall and how the trees, which were self sown had, had a detrimental effect on the stability of the wall, and in his opinion all the trees should be taken out from the roots upwards. As the trees were in a conservation area this was a matter to be agreed with by the planning authority. From the previous meeting, concern was raised at the potential loss to the environment and ecology of the area and wish that the trees remain. The presence of ivy on some of the trees and ingress in to the structure of the wall had also raised concerns with the owner of the wall and asked that the ivy be also removed. As with permission for all trees work there was an underlying responsibility to be aware of the presence of bats and bat roosts, so a bat survey could also be necessary. It was mentioned that the question to be asked of the legal team was important as to the likely outcome, and should be considered further at the next meeting.
      5. C) Permission to share allotment, agreed to plot share.
      6. D) A combination lock and chain and the appropriate signage had been amended so that the park gates could be locked at 10.00 pm each evening. Cllr. Bell would lock the gates each evening and members of the bowls club would open on the morning, to start locking from 1st November. All interested parties to be provided with the combination as well as the emergency services who may want access.
9. Cllr J Bell letter and draft reply attached. This item was withdrawn, as Cllr Bell had been in contact with the external auditor and they had advised Cllr Bell that the matter had been dealt with in accordance with the relevant rules and criteria. A mediation meeting had been arranged with representatives of CDALC, Cllr Bell and Cllr Sugden and the matter would be discussed at this meeting, to be held Thursday 14th October. The purpose of the meeting was to try and move forward from the current impasse, so that all members of the Parish Council could work together for the interests of Wolsingham and Thornley, for the objectives set out in the Parish Councils mission statement.
10. FINANCE:
    1. Annual External Audit (AGAR) completed Mazars The  report highlighted the delay in the annual return, but no other matters of concern were raised. A notice outlining the times and dates for inspection of the AGAR had been completed and would be posted on the notice board and the website.
    2. Reports to End September 2021 Agreed and accepted.
    3. Cheques for payment, agreed
    4. Great North Air Ambulance Request for Funding, agreed to donate £500. The GNAAS had recently taken delivery of two new helicopters and the funding would allow the team to continue to provide this service, which was greatly appreciated in our rural location.
    5. Weardale Museum letter re-funding, a similar request had been made in May and was not granted. More details had been forthcoming as to why the request should be considered further. Agreed to invite a representative to the November meeting to address the Parish Council on the need for funding and to ascertain who else will be supporting the project financially.
11. PLANNING:DECIDED

DM/21/02755/PNE                Land south of Wiserley Barn Plantation Shull Bank Hamsterley

                                                Creation of fertiliser lagoon Prior Notification not required Noted

DM/21/02762/FPA                 1, Angate Street, installation of new door on principal elevation. Noted

DM/21/02872/TCA                3, Chapel Walls, Uppertown, crown lift to 5m  to T956 large leafed lime, fell T957 and T958 Scots pine , remove lowest limb T961 Scots pine and crown lift to 3m to G1 3 no. beech trees Raise no objection

DM/21/02655/FPA                 Bishop Oak, removal of pebble dash render to west and north elevations. Noted

DM/21/02594/TPO                7, Demesne Court, works to two cherry trees protected by TPO- crown reduction by 2m, crown clean by 10 -15% and minor crown raise(T1) and crown reduction by 1-1.5m (T2) Noted

DM/21/ 02581/FPA                10, Lydgate Avenue, Bay window and porch to front

DM/21/020401/FPA               Fraser House, 14, east End, single storey rear extension, replacement roof and loft conversion with roof lights Noted

DM/21/02299/TCA                Strandfield, 19, West End, Fell T1 Cherry, crown reduce and reshape up to 2m to T2 Cherry and fell T3 Cherry .Noted

                  12 PLANNING: NOTIFIED;

DM/21/03339/TCA                41, Front Street, reduce height up to 6 m to T1 Conifer, no objections

DRC/20/03744/FPA               Building South West of St. Anne’s Centre Discharge of conditions

3  ( external lighting) and 6  ( extraction details) of planning permission

A member asked what this entailed as no documents had been added to the application. Clerk to ask architect for clarification on the matter, and to pass on details, when to hand.

DM/15/03477/FPA                 Shield Haulage, Sandy Carr, removal of condition 6 (restriction of 10 HGVs operating from site) The business had been growing and since condition restricting no. of HGV,s to 10 was imposed  in 2015, highway improvements had been carried out with the creation of two laybys. Operators Licence for site approved for up to 20 HGVs and no objection to this had been raised by DCC. No objections raised.

DRC/21/00290                       3, Orchard View, Discharge of condition 4 (sample panel), 5 (window and door details) and 8 (means of enclosure) No documents available on website.

DM/21/03168/VOC                Deneside Business Units, variation of conditions 2,3,4,6 & 7 attached to planning permission DM/18/03161. Minor changes to layout and design of Business units , to reflect as built/layout including details of pedestrian crossing at junction and widening of access road to west of building. No objection raised.

 

The meeting ended at 20.30.