MenuMinutes of a meeting of Amble Town Council held on Thursday 11th July 2013 at 6.30pm in the Council Office, The Quayside, Harbour Road, Amble.
1. PRESENT: Cllrs Weir (Chair), Watson, Mrs Dargue, Mrs Lewis, Mrs Bennett and the Clerk; Miss Brown.
Reporter James Willoughby was also present.
2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE:
Apologies had been received from Cllrs Nicholson and Cllr Morrison who were on holiday. Cllr Arckless also had other commitments. The apologies were agreed.
3. ACCEPTANCE OF DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: None.
4. PUBLIC QUESTION TIME: (maximum 15 minutes)
No public were in attendance.
5. MINUTES: TOWN COUNCIL
5.1: It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held 13th June 2013 be agreed. (pages 10-14)
6. CLERK’S REPORT:
RECOMMENDATION – That the Council notes the contents of the report
6.1: Parking services informed that a PCN was never issued to a hearse.
6.2: Meeting arranged with Doug Wilson, Town Council, Development Trust and Chair of Business Club at 4.45pm on 25th July.
6.3: Community Agreements – Proposals to support areas at risk of flooding; NCC informed of Town Council’s interest in the launch event.
6.4: Letter to Mr Johnson re: assistance with PA equipment
6.5: Letter to Mr Hinson re: complaints procedure
6.6: Letter to business disassociating Town Council from comments.
6.7: Letter sent to Councillor regarding Code of Conduct.
6.8: Letter of offer and revised contract hand delivered to employee
6.9: Lightning conductor survey completed.
The Clerk was required to ascertain the type of the 2 trees that NCC were to provide and bring back to the Council in September.
It was delegated to the Clerk and the Chair to progress the Crackett service proposed to possibly be held in September.
7. AGENDA ITEMS FROM CLERK’S REPORT:
7.1: Update on PA equipment – It was RESOLVED that the Clerk was delegated with the Chair, Cllr Hinson and suitably experienced advisors to spend up to £1000 on a system suitable for all weather outdoor use.
7.2: Recommendations from Lightning Conductor service – It was RESOLVED that the Clerk check the previous reports, based on these to request a reduction in the cost if possible and request the works to go ahead.
8. CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATIONS and REPORT:
To receive the communications and report of the Chairman pertaining to Council Business
8.1: The Chairman had attended the Good Citizen Awards.
8.2: The Chairman had attended the HMP Northumberland ‘Coal Truck’ planter presentation. He made a special note of thanks to Northern Structures Ltd who had taken delivery of and positioned the planter.
8.3: The Clerk informed that the Chairman and Councillors were invited to attend an official opening of the Queen Street Post Office on Friday 19th July at 11.30am following the renovation. The Chair and Vice Chair had previous engagements but Cllr Lewis would attend.
9. REPORTS FROM COUNTY COUNCILLORS:
County Councillor Arckless had provided a written report which was circulated.
County Councillor Watson had nothing to report at this stage.
10. REPORTS FROM COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES ON OUTSIDE BODIES & REPORTS OF MEETINGS ATTENDED BY MEMBERS AS PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS:
10.1: Cllr Weir had attended a meeting of LMAPS; a copy of his report would be circulated.
10.2: Cllr Weir had attended a meeting of Amble 2020; a copy of his report would be circulated
11. AGENDA ITEMS:
11.1: To consider Local Democracy week; 14th -20th October– It was RESOLVED that the Clerk contact the schools to establish their interest. The Clerk would then communicate with the Members of the Council over the summer regarding their availability and bring the item back to the September meeting of the Council.
11.2: To consider the grass cutting arrangements at the Welfare – It was RESOLVED, by the Chairman using his casting vote, that the Town Council would cut one football field at the Welfare over the 6 week school summer holiday as a short term community benefit without charge and in the interim period, arrange a meeting with the other party to discuss more long term arrangements for the whole area.
11.3: To consider information boards to correspond with Coal truck planters – It was RESOLVED this be incorporated into a Town Trail project and accepted in principle for further discussion at the October meeting of the Council.
11.4: To consider the future use of the noticeboard found at Alnwick Depot – It was RESOLVED that the Clerk and Chair be delegated to negotiate with a local firm the alterations to the header and the additions of posts for the noticeboard which would be sited at the entrance of the West Cemetery; if a new header could not be obtained in this way, it was RESOLVED a suitable one be purchased.
11.5: To consider the newsletter insert for August edition of The Ambler – it was RESOLVED that the insert be agreed with the addition of an article on the Radcliffe War Memorial Restoration and the results of the garden awards.
11.6: WW1 ‘In Memory of the Fallen’ Update and requested approval to proceed with a grant application – It was RESOLVED that the Town Council would pursue the larger grant of up to £50,000. Costs would be investigated and an expression of interest submitted. It was agreed in principle that a 5-10% contribution from the Council might be appropriate. The grant application procedure was delegated to the Clerk with the Chair and Finance and the Chair of the Council. A meeting would be arranged to consider the exact Council funding amount when this could be determined.
11.7: Website- Proposal of deletion of Councillors personal email contact facility – Following an incident of fraudulent transactions involving the use of a councillor’s amble.gov.uk email account it was RESOLVED to remove Members email contact details from the website. All email correspondence would therefore be received through the Clerk who would forward as necessary.
11.8: To consider grant offer and receive an update on the Radcliffe War Memorial restoration – It was RESOLVED that the Council accept the offer of grant from War Memorials Trust. The Clerk informed that the works would take place within the first week of October. Enquiries would be made about whether it was possible to hold a rededication service on 11th November before or after the Service of Remembrance.
11.9: To consider poppy seed planting – It was RESOLVED that the Council investigate planting traditional poppy seeds on the entrances to the Town prior to the WW1 commemorations. The Clerk would contact the Rotary Club and Warkworth Parish Council to inform them. It was also suggested that the Natural burial area might be sown with poppy seeds.
12. REPORT FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE:
12.1: It was RESOLVED to accept the reports and recommendations of the Meeting held Thursday 27th June 2013 (pages 3-5)
13. REPORT FROM THE PLANNING COMMITTEE:
13.1: The report was not available for the meeting but would be circulated as soon as possible.
14 REPORT FROM THE AMENITIES COMMITTEE:
14.1: It was RESOLVED to accept the reports and recommendations of the meeting held Thursday 20th June 2013 (pages 1-3)
Cllr Lewis raised the issues of the litter bins on Leazes Street, as the County Council had stated they were at saturation point with the number of litter receptacles they could manage, it was RESOLVED to remove the single litter bin and replace with the 2 new ‘gull’ proof bins. The Town Council had previously removed a dog waste bin which had not been replaced, therefore the number would remain consistent for NCC.
15. COMMUNICATIONS:
15.1: NCC – Bus services; Links Estate – It was RESOLVED that the Council produce and laminate our own timetable for the Travelsure service. The Clerk would arrange a meeting with Mr Coe for November when the 2nd quarter of data had been collated. The Clerk would also pursue a meeting with Arriva regarding the rerouting of the existing services.
15.2: NCC – Grit bin charge – This item was deferred to the Cemeteries Management Committee as the bin was on that site.
15.3: NCC – Action for Market Town benchmarking – It was RESOLVED that the Council would accept the offer of a grant for £2500 from Northumberland County Council for Town Benchmarking to be carried out by Action for Market Towns with the conditions that there was no cost to the Council and the report be displayed on the Council website. The option of paying £300 annually for a licence in the future was at the discretion of the Council.
16. INFORMATION ITEMS AND ITEMS FOR CIRCULATION:
RECOMMENDATION – That the Council note the information items.
16.1: Marine Conservation Summer 2013
16.2: The Ambler June/July 2013
16.3: Community Action Northumberland News June 2013
16.4: Clerk & Council’s Direct July 2013
16.5: NCC Funding bulletin 43
The information items were accepted.
17. DATE & TIME OF NEXT MEETING:
17:1 The date & time of the next Meeting will be on Thursday 12th September 2013 at approx. 6.30pm. in the Town Council Meeting Room, The Quayside, Amble
It was RESOLVED that under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public will be excluded from the Meeting during consideration of the following items on the Agenda due to their sensitive nature.
PUBLIC /PRIVATE
18 TOWN COUNCIL MINUTES
18.1: It was RESOLVED to accept the minutes of the meeting held 13th June 2013 (page 15) with a minor amendment to the wording.
19. PRIVATE REPORTS FROM COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES ON OUTSIDE BODIES & REPORTS OF MEETINGS ATTENDED BY MEMBERS AS PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS:
Cllr Dargue had a report from the TEAM meeting she attended. She would circulate this to the Members.
20. Review of Services Update – The Clerk informed that the Superintendent had accepted his new contract to become an Environmental Operative with effect of 1st July 2013. More formal arrangement for the outsourcing of the full body interment process would be delegated to the Clerk with Cllr Lewis who would report back to the Cemeteries Committee.
21. Consideration of Play area inspector – As the employee had given notice, these duties would be incorporated in the Environmental Operative position
22. Land transfer – As this matter had been ongoing for a considerable time and there had been no further action on the transfer it was RESOLVED that a letter be sent to the solicitor and the client stating that if the transfer was not progressed within 28 days, the offer would be revoked. The Council would then pursue the removal of the client’s property from their land, with the property being left on the client’s land and would then seek reimbursement of the costs involved.
The meeting closed at 9.15pm