EAST BEDLINGTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of a Meeting held on Tuesday 2 February 2010 at 6 pm at Bedlington Station Residents’ Association, Bedlington.

PRESENT:	

Councillors:	A Stewart (Chair)			Alyson Wallace
D Armstrong				B Richmond
A Douglas				Alex Wallace
R Major				I Harbottle

IN ATTENDANCE:		
Parish Clerk and 8 members of the public.
 
OPEN SESSION

The Chair welcomed members of the public to the meeting and invited questions which would be limited to 3 minutes each for a maximum duration of 15 minutes.

County Councillor Val Tyler questioned whether it would be better to have the “Open Session” at the end of agenda rather than at the beginning. The Chair stated that this would be looked into and a response provided.

A representative from Bedlington Station Library announced that the library would be kept open for the immediate future but a further review was planned in 6 months time. Her message was “use it or lose it”. The Chair stated that the Parish Council would do all it could to keep the library open.

A member of the pubic enquired about Cambois allotments. The Clerk advised him of his position of the waiting list. Some overgrown allotments were brought to the attention of the Council and it was agreed that these would be looked into further. 
		
CO102/09	1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence had been received on behalf of Councillor A Pegg.   

CO103/09	2. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING	
The minutes of the meeting held on 26 January 2010 were agreed and signed as a correct record.

CO104/09	3. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

There had been no further progress regarding the raised flower beds outside Sleekburn House.    

CO105/09	4. DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS
Personal Interests:

Councillors A Stewart; I Harbottle; D Armstrong – Friends of Gallagher Park.

Personal & Prejudicial interests: 
Councillor Alex Wallace – Agenda item 12 – Relative of potential website supplier. 	   

CO106/09	5. Northumberland Strategic Partnership / South East Northumberland Area Committee

Further to minute CO82/09 the Council has been notified that Councillor Ray Butler has been elected to represent South East Northumberland on the NSP Board and that he and Councillor Brian Richmond were elected on to the South East Area Committee. 

Resolved

That the Council notes the above appointments and congratulates Councillor Richmond on his election.  

CO107/09	6. CORRESPONDENCE 

Ref No	Date	Name	Details	Action	
39	31/12/2009	NCC	Proposal for the transfer of services from April 2010	Dealt with as part of Budget process	
40	4/1/2010	NCC	Planning Application	No objection	
41	11/1/2010	CAN	Appointment to NSP Board and South East Northumberland Area Committee	Agenda item 5	
42	14/1/2010	North Bedlington Parish council	Notes of South East Parish Network meeting held on 6 January 2010	Information	
43	15/1/2010	NCC	Planning Application – consultation protocol 	Information	
44	15/1/2010	LloydsTsb	Letter concerning the Council’s Bank Account	Dealt with by Parish Clerk
	
45	19/1/2010	Blyth Star Enterprises	Quotation for Hanging Baskets	
To be evaluated by Parish Clerk
	
46	19/1/2010	Jennifer Adamson NCC	Response from NCC planners regarding consultation protocol	Information	
47	20/1/2010	Azure	Quotation for Hanging Baskets	To be evaluated by Parish Clerk
	
48	20/1/2010	NALC	Invitation to nominate Chair & partner for the Royal Garden party	Agenda Item 12.2	
49	21/1/2010	NALC	Confirmation of meeting on 28/1/2010 5pm to discuss local Council Charter 	Clerk & Senior Councillor to attend	
50	21/1/2010	NALC	NLC Review & Survey	Clerk to complete survey	
51	22/1/2010	Great North Air ambulance	Letter requesting a donation to help support the Air Ambulance	Agenda Item 12.3	
52	23/1/2010	NCC	Invitation to Attend meeting regarding winter gritting / postal services	Unable to attend	
53	23/1/2010	NCC	Notice of cost of Parish & Town Council elections £5653.29	Information	

	Resolved

That the details of correspondence received and actions taken / proposed be noted.

CO108/09	7.CLERKS REPORT

		The Clerk gave a report in relation to the actions on minutes of the previous meeting and provided details of events and meetings that he had attended.

		Of significance there had been a meeting of the East Bedlington Community Partnership at Cambois Welfare on 19 January 2010 which outlined plans for the development of the Port of Blyth and the Cambois area.

	Resolved
	That the Clerks report be noted.

CO109/09	8.INVOICES AND PAYMENT VOUCHERS

	The Council considered a schedule of expenditure for payment as detailed below:

Payment reference	Details	amount	
V9	Newman Associates - photocopies	£19.20	
V10	Clerks salary – November, December & January 	£1870.29	
V11	R Thornton – clerks expenses – Postage £8.88, stationery £5.64, Print cartridges £44.77	£59.29	
V12	Bedlington station Resident’s Assoc – Refreshments after Civic Carol Service	£154.00	
V13	Bedlington station Resident’s Assoc – 1st Jan – 31 March 2010 (13 weeks) 	£650.00	

	Resolved
	That the expenditure schedule be approved.

CO/110/09	9. FINANCIAL POSITION

	The Clerk reported a cleared balance at 18 January 2010 up to and including Voucher 10 of £69,273.59.

	Resolved
	That the financial position be noted.

CO111/09	10. WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT

	Members considered a report of the Parish Clerk in relation to a preferred supplier for website development.

		Resolved;
	1)	That Parishcouncil.net be the Council’s preferred supplier,
2)	That Parishcouncil.net’s “Silver Package” be purchased, and
   3)	 That the package be upgraded to “Gold” as and when needed.

[Note Councillor Alex Wallace, having declared a personal and prejudicial interest, left the room during consideration of this item.] 

CO112/09	11.  WORKING GROUPS

	11.1	Publicity, Communications & Civic Events
	`
Councillor D Armstrong outlined plans for communication which included the distribution of leaflets and development of the Council’s website.

11.2	Finance 

Councillor B Richmond referred to possible sources of funding for Parish Council projects. He also referred to Community gain in the Stead Lane area in connection with the refurbishment of the “Airey Houses”.  

11.3	Environment

Councillor Alex Wallace gave an update on the planned environmental improvements (Hanging Baskets) in the Bedlington Station Area. He outlined arrangements for the storage of Christmas lights and announced plans for a garden competition.

Resolved 
That the reports of the working groups be noted.

CO113/09	12. MATTERS FOR DECISION

12.1	Advertising in the Church Magazine.

Resolved
That the Council advertises in the Church magazine at a cost of £12 per annum.

12.2	Nominations for the Royal Garden Party

Resolved
That the Parish Council does not make a nomination.

12.3	Donation to the Great North Air Ambulance

Resolved
That the Parish Council makes a donation of £50.

CO114/09	13. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

13.1 A member raised concern that Parish Council’s could be approached to fund Bedlington Community Centre. 

13.2 A member requested that civic regalia be tabled as an agenda item at the next meeting.

13.3 A member provided information in respect of a planning application that had been discussed at the previous meeting.

The Chair adjourned the meeting to allow members of the public to speak.

	13.4 A Resident of Moorland Cottages raised his concern in relation to Wansbeck Homes’ double glazing programme. The Clerk read out the response to a letter that had been sent to Wansbeck Homes. County Councillor Val Tyler (who is a board member of Wansbeck Homes) also stated that she too had raised the issue and received a similar response.

	13.5 A resident who was a “Friend of Gallagher Park” voiced his annoyance over an article in the Northumberland News relating to the efforts of Northumberland County Council in relation to Gallagher Park. He made particular reference to the disrepair of the pathways. He also referred to the cost of planning permission for the BMX track at Gallagher Park.

The Chair re-opened the meeting.

CO115/09	DATE AND TIME OF THE NEXT MEETING
	The next meeting would be held on Tuesday 2nd March 2010 at 6.00pm at Bedlington Station Resident’s Association.	

Meeting Closed 8.00pm.

Signed by the Chairman: …………………

Date:………………………………………...