2 April 2024

Parish Councillors are hereby summoned to a meeting of Neasham Parish Council on Tuesday 2 April 2024, 6:30PM, in Neasham Reading Room to transact the business listed in the agenda below.

Members of the public are entitled to attend Parish Council Meetings as a non-participating attendee (unless confidential matters are under discussion) but may speak only at the invitation of the Chair. Those wishing to speak on any matter during the meeting must give written notice giving brief details to the Clerk or Chair at least two days prior to the meeting.

Agenda

  1. Chair’s welcome and apologies for absence.
  2. Declarations of interest in items on the agenda.
  3. Approval of the minutes of the ordinary meeting held on 5 March 2024, as previously circulated.
  4. Matters arising from the previous meeting.
  5. PACT Meeting.
  6. Roads and footpaths.
    Further update on the condition of the road to Low Dinsdale following the initial and subsequent further temporary road closures which is assumed to be in connection with renewal of parts of the drainage system.
  7. Environment Agency Matters.
    Debris to east end steps to embankment reported to the Agency.
  8. Village Green.
    • Monitoring of proposed maintenance work required to Millennium and Memorial gardens including repairs to raised bed upstand boarding.
    • R Heward has confirmed that his quotation for the maintenance of the verge to Kent Beck Bridge would be the £200 which is the same as last. Approval required for the clerk to place an order.
    • Reinstatement of goal posts damaged by recent floods.
    • Replacement of any necessary planters required.
    • Report on the pruning of the cherry tree at the end of New Lane to prevent damage to cables.
  9. Planning.
    • Applications received since last meeting:-
      None to date.
    • Darlington BC decisions on planning applications returned by Neasham PC with comments. Of the three applications returned during February and March, all three remain undecided.
    • 22/00875/FUL Dinsdale Park Golf Club application, response still awaited from Darlington BC in response to Neasham PC complaint.
    • Report on NALC guidelines in respect of biodiversity consideration with regard to planning applications and SLCC guide on promoting diversity, both as circulated.
    • Formal notification of the result of the appeal against the enforcement notice regarding the siting of 4 mobile caravans at Skipbridge.
    • An email had been received from Mr R Walton regarding proposed diversion of permissive footpaths over land he owned adjacent Romam Way at Middleton St George. The Clerk requested further details of his proposals which were provided. Mr Walton indicated that although he understands that Neasham PC has limited power in respect of private land, he wished to keep all interested parties fully informed with the intention of ensuring they had no objection to his proposals.
  10. Risk Management.
    • Trees, Village Green and Millennium Garden inspections due in March and are subject to delay until April, due to weather conditions.
    • No defects raised, but debris on steps to the embankment was reported to the Agency.
    • The annual All Risks Checklist is currently being compiled for approval by the members and has been circulated to members involved in its preparation.
  11. Finance.
    • Previously approved payments made in March:- Clerk expenses £33.99 (Printer cartridges), ICO £35.00 (Data protection), Clerk £542.40 (Salary), HMRC £135.60 (PAYE), Village Green lighting (TBC).
    • The accounts are indicating that the general fund at the yearend will be approximately 75% of the precept. To reduce this, I have provisionally ring fenced a sum of £1000. For “IT generally and Website” (or could be for “Reaching Out”). This would have to be retrospectively approved at the meeting.
    • The Chair has received a quotation of £250 from Andrew Darge for repairs to the pump house stonework.
  12. Reaching Out and Communications.
    • The clerk had met with P Walters regarding the Facebook page and it was agreed to change the account from a personal account into a business one. P Walters had made the adjustment and access to the page by agreed members is available.
    • Arrangements for the Annual Assembly including report on the years events.
  13. Ward Councillor Matters.
  14. Correspondence (as circulated in March).
    Various emails from NALC regarding Chief Executive’s Bulletin (07/03, 14/03), Events (05/03).  There appears to have been no Newsletters issued. All listed for information only.
  15. Other village matters.
    • It was reported at the last meeting that there was a step protruding into the pavement on the north side of Teesway, report on the safety improvements proposed by the owner’s son.
    • Agreement on list of external contacts for posting on the notice boards.
    • Any other matter members wish to raise, that is not a motion requiring a formal notification.
  16. Date of the Annual Meeting followed by the ordinary Parish Meeting has been set as Tuesday 7 May 2024.