HEXHAM TOWN COUNCIL
I HEREBY GIVE YOU NOTICE THAT a meeting of the Council will be held in the Council Chamber, Prospect House, Hexham on Monday 4 November 2013 at 6.45 pm, when the following items will be discussed:-
A G E N D A
1. Council will hear residents on any matters they may wish to raise in regard to Hexham,
2. Apologies for absence.
3. Mayor’s announcements.
4. To agree minutes of the Town Council meeting held on the 7 October 2013 enclosed.
5. Matters arising, if any.
6. Declarations of interest. [Memorandum enclosed]
7. Accounts for Payment [list enclosed].
8. To comment on Planning Applications received [list enclosed].
9. Correspondence.
10. Cockshaw Burn clearance - to receive a report by Cllr T Cessford.
11. Hexham Town Centre Survey – a report by Cllr T G E Gillanders [All Councillors are asked to complete the survey attached.]
12. Free parking for all – to consider a number of proposals by Cllr T Robson for parking within Hexham. [Attached hereto].
13. Food Bank – to receive a report by Ms. Sam Gilchrist.
14. Cllr D Clegg will propose: – “As a result of the progress of the Town Council's Built Environment Working Group, I propose the Council adopts the Shop front Guidance, provided originally by the Hexham Civic Society, as its preferred guidance and subsequently works in collaboration with the HCS to make it available to traders and developers as early as possible in a supportive and pro-active manner”.
15. Any urgent matters at the Chairman of the meetings discretion. [Matters to be raised under this item should be written out [if possible] and handed to the Chairman of the meeting or the Clerk of the Council before the meeting begins].
The War Graves Remembrance Ceremony is at 10.15am on Saturday 9 November & the Remembrance Day Parade and Service of Remembrance is at 10.30am on Sunday 10 November.
Derick Tiffin,
Clerk of the Council
28 October 2013
Hexham Town Council
Council Office, St Andrews Cemetery
West Road, Hexham NE46 3RR Tel: 01434609575
Email:
www.hexhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Hagenda1113
HEXHAM TOWN COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE TOWN COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 7 OCTOBER 2013
5921. PUBLIC COMMENTS. No comments were made by any members of the public present at the meeting.
5922. OCTOBER COUNCIL MEETING. Cllr T Robson, the Town Mayor then opened the Council meeting. Present were: Councillors G C Ferguson, Dr. Mrs. K F Rose, D Clegg, P E Oliver, J M Graham, Mrs. C R Homer, T G E Gillanders and C Cessford.
5923. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE were received from Cllrs. D Kennedy, Mrs. C Hanley, J V R Hare, T Cessford and Mrs. I C Brook.
5924. MAYORS ANNOUNCEMENTS. Cllr T Robson, in order to bring the public attending ‘up to date’ announced that:-
a. County Councillors had met with NCC to discuss the bus station and been promised short term measures before the winter to provide weather protection for passengers.
b. NCC had suggested the Council use its Planning Neighbourhood approach and this should bring better cooperation. He will be requesting the NCC attend a future meeting to provide more information on this.
c. Market Place developments. There is funding available and he will be pursuing this possibility with the NCC.
d. Historic Assets. The NCC has not yet completed its investigations of these assets but he understands Hexham House does not figure in any of its plans though Prospect House may have a future however this has not yet been decided.
e. He understands all NCC vehicles will be maintained at Tyne Mills in the future.
f. Fore Street road surface is expected to be repaired soon.
g. The NCC is to carry out a ‘signs audit’. This should reduce unnecessary signage.
h. He had attended the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Flodden. Hawick Town Council will be coming to Hexham shortly to investigate ways to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Hexham raid on Hawick, this anniversary being in June 2014. He will make a report to the Council in due course.
5925. POLICE. Police Inspector Kevin Oates gave an oral report on crime trends in the area. The overall trend was a reduction over five years. His area is cooperating with adjoining areas and this has been welcomed. The one stop shop in Hexham has been a success and is helping residents to report crime incidents via Crime Stoppers, a non-Police charity. ISOS has also been helpful in evicting anti-social tenants. On a question about drug offences he stated that adults are the main offenders and while some younger persons may take cannabis this was not easy to link to anti-social offences. Most anti-social offences were due to drink and to adults. Cllr T Robson thanked him for his report and for the Police successful action in the east end with the one stop shop which had been supported by County Councillor Mrs. C R Homer.
5926. MINUTES. It was AGREED the minutes of the Town Council meeting held on 2 September 2013, having been circulated, be signed as a true record.
5927. MATTERS ARISING.
a. PUBLIC TOILETS. Minute 5899a refers. It was AGREED to request NCC ensure these are brought up to an acceptable standard before the various events taking place in the ‘Countdown to Christmas’ take place.
b. TRANSPORT TOWN PLAN WORKING GROUP. Minute 5913 refers.
i. BUS STATION. The Working Group is having difficulties in its consideration of the bus station. The NCC is issuing press releases of its proposals for the bus station that are simply not the same as the information it provides to local County Councillors. When is the NCC going to consult with the Town Council? This subject must be considered jointly with the Town Council so that a mutually agreed plan can be carried out and the quicker this is done the better. It was AGREED to request the NCC engage with the Town Council urgently.
ii. DISABLED PARKING. A statement about this subject by Cllr Mrs. C Hanley was read in her absence by Cllr G M Graham and it was AGREED such matters should be considered as part of the Council responses to the ‘Free parking for all’ that is being further considered at an open meeting with nearby Parish Councils on the 10 October 2013. The subject of parking will also be an agenda item for the November meeting.
c. ABBEY FLOODLIGHT. Minute 5917 refers. The Clerk reported the matter is now subject to the insurance claim and the vehicle that caused the damage has been traced. The repairs should be carried out shortly.
d. CHRISTMAS ICE RINK. Minute 5914 refers. Due to problems with the original hire company another company was being booked and the dates may need to be altered. The new hire company is ‘isk8’ and a further report will be made in due course.
5928. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST. No declarations of interest were made.
5929. ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENT. It was AGREED to authorise payments in accordance with the lists circulated and attached hereto.
5930. PLANNING APPLICATIONS. It was AGREED there were no objections to the planning applications received in accordance with the list[s] circulated and attached hereto.
5931. POLICE DOG ‘PUPPY’. A suggestion from a retired policemen that he would breed a puppy specifically to be presented to the Kent Police Force in memory of the late Police Constable Duncan Clift was noted and it was AGREED this suggestion had the fullest support of the Council.
5932. NALC Annual meeting. It was noted the AGM of the Northumberland Association of Local Councils will be on 19 October 2013 at Morpeth. No Councillor present was able to attend.
5933. COUNCIL TAX BENEFITS COMPENSATION SCHEME. It was noted the NALC did not yet have any information from the DCLG regarding compensation for the removal of council tax benefits from the Council tax paying base for parish councils. The Clerk pointed out that without this compensation the Council precept will be considerably increased.
5934. PLANNING APPEAL. It was noted an appeal has been made against refusal of planning application 13/00051. [Staircase at 5 Temperley Place]. It was AGREED no additional comments on the proposals should be made by the Council.
5935. FLY POSTERS. A complaint had been received by the Clerk however as the matter was the responsibility of the County Council it had been passed forward to that Council. It was noted the County Council did not consider there was a problem as temporary banners and posters were just that, temporary and were removed after the event.
5936. NCC HOUSING SURVEY. A Dr. Michael Quinn BSc, MSc, PhD, CStat. of Allendale had raised concerns with the NCC in 2012 about a housing needs survey carried out in 2012 and he continued to have concerns and has now circulated many Parish Councils with details. It was AGREED the Clerk will circulate Dr. Quinn’s email for Councillors information.
5937. TYNE WEAR TRANSPORT. It was noted the Tyne and Wear Transport Authority is to develop a bus Quality Contracts Scheme. The only service affecting Hexham is the number 10 which is the route between Hexham and Newcastle. The Clerk had read the consultation paper and did not consider there were any proposals adverse to Hexham’s interest. It was AGREED the information be received.
5938. JOINT NCC AREA COMMITTEE AND PARISH COUNCIL MEETING. It was noted there will be a meeting of the NCC West Area committee on 15 October 2013. County Councillors will of course be attending but no other Councillor present was able to attend.
5939. LOCAL PLAN CORE STRATEGY: HOUSING EMPLOYMENT AND GREEN BELT OPTIONS. The NCC will be consulting on this strategy between 31 October 2013 and 2 January 2014. It will be holding a ‘drop-in event in Hexham on 19 November 2013 and Councillors were recommended to note this date. As soon as the Clerk is sent the Preferred Options document he will circulate it to Councillors.
5940. DISPENSATION. Cllr T Robson had made a request under the Localism Act 2012 to the Clerk of the Council for a dispensation in respect of his declarable interests that he would need to make whenever certain grant aid applications were considered. The Clerk confirmed the dispensation would be granted under LA2012c7 s33[2e] and will expire on 31 January 2014. It was AGREED this dispensation be noted.
5941. PROPOSAL. Cllr D Clegg proposed amendments to the Terms of Reference for the Town Plan Built Environment Working group and this proposal was AGREED. The amended Terms of Reference are attached to this minute. It was further AGREED all other working groups should have their Terns of Reference amended in a similar manner.
5942. FREE PARKING FOR ALL. Councillors were reminded an informal meeting is to be held on 10 October 2013 at Prospect House.
5943. CLLR MRS. C R HOMER made a personal statement about a recent press report. She considered the article that had appeared in the local paper seemed to be the result of a letter by one Councillor to another person being ‘leaked’ to the press by another Councillor and she considered this action to be appalling.
5944. REMEMBRANCE EVENTS. The Clerk reminded Councillors that there will be a Remembrance ceremony at the War Graves in the Cemetery on 9 November and also there is the Remembrance Day Parade and Service of Remembrance on the 10 November 2013.
5945. NEXT MEETING. The next meeting of the Council will be held on 4 November 2013 commencing at 6.45pm.
______Chairman
HEXHAM TOWN COUNCIL
TERMS of REFERENCE
for
The Hexham Town Plan 'Built Environment’ Working Group
Duration:
· The Working Group shall be constituted for an initial period ending on 31 March 2014
· The initial period may be extended for an additional period which must be defined by the Town Council at a Council meeting
Composition:
· The Working Group may include three Hexham Town residents and/or representative of local organisations
· Three members of the Working Group must be Town Councilors, to include the Mayor [Cllr T Robson] and the Working Group Chairman will be Cllr D Clegg
· The Working Group may determine its maximum membership subject to prior approval by the Town Council
Powers:
· The Working Group will only act in an advisory capacity to the Town Council
· The Working Group may liaise with other Local or County Councils
· The Working Group may consult with authorities and organisations
· The Working Group has no power to commit the Town Council either financially or in principle
· The Working Group has no overall decision making capabilities
· All members of the Working Group must be familiar with its Terms of Reference
Expenses:
· The Working Group has no budget but reasonable incidental expenses incurred in the course of the Working Group's work may be reimbursed, subject to prior approval by the Town Council
Data:
· The Working Group may undertake such surveys as it requires, these should be coordinated with the Town Council & other groups to ensure that any surveys are conducted efficiently and minimize disruption to community households
· All information collected is to be made available to the Town Council
Remit & Reporting:
· The Working Group is to review and if agreed amend and then recommend a revised ‘Vision for the ‘Built Environment’ in Hexham – 2020’