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STAMFORDHAM PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES of a meeting of Council held in Stamfordham Village Hall on Wednesday 18 November 2009 at
1930hrs.
Present: Councillor E C T Trevelyan Chairman
Councillor D Fitzpatrick
Councillor B Irvine
Councillor S Lough
Councillor S Noble
Also present: Mr Adam Keen, NCC West Recycling Officer (263 only).
Mr K W Dodd Clerk
Apologies for absence were received from Cllr D Spearman and County Cllr Jones.
263. RECYCLING. Chairman introduced Mr Keen who was now the Recycling Officer for the County
West Area. Mr Keen explained that although Stamfordham was included in the West Area, waste and
recycling facilities were still being delivered from the Morpeth Depot until such time as new routes were
organised so that Hexham would be the main depot. He had been Waste Management Officer for Tynedale
Council but was now responsible for all aspects of waste management and recycling in the West
Northumberland Area, including dealing with bin collections and associated problems. Landfill Tax was
now at least £40 per tonne and gradually increasing, so the ideal was to dispose of all waste outside of
landfill. As much as possible is recycled at the West Sleekburn Facility, but he explained problems with
recycling certain materials which tended to contaminate useful recyclables. Materials from the old Tynedale
District which cannot be recycled are taken to the transfer station at Hexham and thence to Haverton Hill,
Teesside, where it is burnt to generate power, with only the waste ash going to landfill. The realistic target
is to reduce landfill to 8%. Mr Keen expected to improve the recycling percentage by effecting
contamination improvement through “doorstepping” and educational means. As the different District
arrangements were consolidated, there would be some collection route restructuring but service to residents
should not be affected. Mr Keen left after answering questions.
264. MINUTES of the previous meeting held on 16 September 2009 having been circulated were taken
as read and confirmed as a true record.
265. MATTERS ARISING. Minute 253. Cllr Lough was concerned that there had not been sufficient
consultation about planning application CM/20090407 to allow a composite Council response. Chairman
pointed out that he had entered an objection as Chairman of Council and other Councillors had submitted
individual objections.
Minute 262.b. A CDROM of the County Flood Plan (Ponteland Area) had been passed to Cllr Trevelyan.
266. PLANNING MATTERS.
Applications:
20090606: Thomson, 1 The Old Forge, Bridge End. Construction of sun room to rear and loft conversion.
No objections.
Decision:
20090354: Rugley Villa, Grange Road. Installation of solar water heating system; two solar panels to roof.
Permitted under delegated powers.
20090465: The Old Inn, Burnside Heugh. Replace existing flat roof to garage and porch/breakfast room
with pitched tiled roof. Permitted under delegated powers.
There was a query about work going on at Lane House, east of Bridge End. Clerk to clarify with Planning.
267. EXPENDITURE AUTHORISATION:
D M Stanley - photocopying StamComm 86/87/88 £13.46
Stamfordham PF & Village Hall - room hire September 09 £10.00
BDO Stoy Hayward - Audit fee for 2008/09 audit £138.00 inc VAT
Age Concern (Sec 137 grant approved last meeting) £125.00
RBL Poppy Appeal - wreath for Remembrance (Sec 137) £25.00
K W Dodd - Clerk's salary July/Sept 09 incl £443.75
K W Dodd - Clerk's expenses July/November £23.18 inc VAT
268. COUNTY COUNCILLOR. In the absence of Cty Cllr Jones, no report was available.
Page 2 of Minutes of 18 November 2009
269. PLAY AREA INSPECTION/REFURBISHMENT. Cllr Trevelyan had identified several items in
the RoSPA inspection report of low/medium risk which needed attention. He would ask Dick Southwick to
deal with these as well as remove the remains of the two spring animals. Clerk reported that a tree branch
was hanging at eye level and needed removal. Chairman would attend to that. One item in the report
referred to the absence of a "No Dogs" sign. Cty Cllr Jones to asked if County could provide an appropriate
sign.
270. PONTELAND/STAMFORDHAM COMMUNITY FORUM. Cllr Trevelyan had attended a recent
meeting but had nothing significant to report. Cllr Noble reported that Steve Noble had discussed public
transport neede with the Forum Transport leader and had made the point that bus services were essential to
allow young persons and the elderly who often had no car availability to make use of leisure and other
facilities outside the village. Youths stuck in the village without activities often led to problems.
271. BT PHONE BOX. BT had indicated that they proposed to remove the public call box as it was not
being used sufficiently to justify the maintenance costs, but offered it, with the telephony equipment
removed, to Council at a nominal £1 to use as thought fit. BT had indicated that all mobile services could
be accessed in the village, but Councillors said that this was not the case and often no signal could be
received in the village centre. Clerk to point this out to BT, but to decline the offer of the empty box.
272. THE WEATHER VANE. Clerk had asked Smiths Gore if the Estate would be willing to grant a
lease on the Market Cross if at some time in the future Council wished to go ahead with replacement of the
weather vane, but no response had been received.
273. BRIDGE CLEARANCE. After many years, the Environment Agency had at last cleared the
blockage to the second arch so that water could flow through if necessary. The river bed in the second arch
had not been cleared out as that was not considered essential. There was still some minor work to be carried
out upstream.
274. AUDIT REPORT 2008/09. The External Auditors had signed off the Annual Return as
unqualified, but had considered the Fidelity Guarantee to be insufficient. However they had based that
comment on Council receiving 100% of the Precept at the beginning of the year, whereas Northumberland
had paid only 50%, so the Guarantee was adequate and Clerk had pointed this out to the auditors. The
Report was received and approved.
275. NORTHUMBERLAND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP. The Partnership had arranged several
meetings to inform electors and receive comments about the Sustainable Community Strategy. The nearest
ones were at Morpeth (26 November 1300 to 1600hrs in the Town Hall) and Hexham (1 December 1300 to
1600hrs at Hexham Racecourse). Members of the public were invited to attend and voice their opinions on
how their quality of life in Northumberland could be improved.
276. VILLAGE MAINTENANCE. The Green bus shelter roof was still showing signs of concrete
decay. A roofing contrcator to be asked to look at it. Chairman had emailed County Cllr about gully
clearance and was awaiting a response. Cllr Trevelyan had also referred the hole in the
Hawkwell/Stamfordham footpath to County Coucillor as it had not been mended. Cllr Noble had met a
County officer about the Bridge End/Hawkwell area street lights being obscured by tree growth, and also the
overgrown hedge which was affecting the footpath.
277. GRANT APPLICATION. Northumberland Wildlife Trust. Not approved for grant.
278. OTHER MATTERS.
A. Cllr Noble had been approached by a Northside resident about a tree on Northside which was
affecting car parking but was thought may have a preservation order on it. Cty Cllr had been asked if there
was such an order. Clerk to bring this complaint to the Estate's attention as they owned the tree in question.
B. County Highways had provided a plan of a proposed 40mph speed limit at Harlow Hill. The
proposed signs were approved and welcomed as being long overdue.
C. County had notified its Precept request, asking that it be submitted by mid January. Clerk to ask
Neighbourhood Services what arrangements would be in force for additional grass cutting next year.
279. NEXT MEETING was confirmed as Wednesday 20 January 2010 at 1930hrs.
KD: 24:11:09
Potholes and other highway faults - ring freephone 0808 100 8 9 10
Street lighting faults ring freephone 0800.085.0029
