Neasham Parish Council

23/001 – WELCOME

K Sandick welcomed Councillors to the meeting. Apologies for absence were accepted from P Dunn (prior commitment), J Grainger (Sickness).

23/002 - DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

There were no Declarations of Interest.

23/003 - MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING  

The minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on 7 March 2023 were confirmed as a correct record.

23/004 – MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MEETING

There were no matters arising.

23/005– PACT MEETING

J Weighell reported that he had not heard anything from the police and other participants in the meetings and as far as he was aware the meetings had now been discontinued.

23/006 – ROADS AND PAVINGS

1. Swarco had finally attended site to repair the defective VAS unit as per their quotation.  They attended site 23/03/23 without making any contact locally and were on site for precisely one minute before emailing us to say that a report would be sent to us within 24 hours Despite a reminder it has still not been received. Clerk to follow up again.
2. Darlington BC had carried out a limited amount of making good the sunken trench surface causing damage to 38 Teesway. The home owner was pleased that they had carried out this but he was reluctant to carry his own internal repairs as damage was still being caused. He felt this could only be rectified by repairing the full length of the trench. Darlington BC to be informed that this is an ongoing problem.
3. It was reported that there was a long trench type pot hole on Neasham Road near Skipbridge that required urgent attention. L Tostevin agreed to take the matter up with Highways. L Tostevin also reported that more money had been made available from the Government for pot hole repairs.

23/007 – ENVIRONMENT AGENCY MATTERS

The Vice Chair reported that the Agency had carried out all the remedial works necessary and only any planned improvements remain to be attended too. B Crossen felt that the outfall sign on the flood bank required attention as it was severely tilted. The Chair agreed to investigate and report to the relevant body.

22/008– VILLAGE GREEN

1. The Vice Chair reported that the plants for the Memorial Garden had been purchased, but planting up was weather dependant but he hoped to do it over the Easter weekend. Other works required can wait.
2. The Vice Chair reported that he had a number shrubs, which had been donated, ready to plant as part of the refurbishment of the Millennium Garden. A proposal to plant some heathers or lavenders to provide some colour throughout the year was approved. A budget of £200 was agreed for a contractor to complete the Millennium Garden including bark chippings. It was agreed to remove the bench fixings in preparation for new paving.
3. The Vice Chair reported that he had purchased 2 white birch trees to replace the diseased tree and had some manure and bone meal available. A budget of £30 was agreed for a contractor to dig the two holes.
4. 2No notice boards had been purchased as part of the grant from Darlington BC.  It was agreed to instruct M Harrison to fix them including improving access to the Low Dinsdale board and refixing the header strip to the Dinsdale Park board.

23/009 – PLANNING

1. Applications received since last meeting:-
   • Application 23/00211/FUL – Extension of porch, internal alterations and loft conversion – 61 Teesway, Neasham, DL2 1QT. (APPROVED).
   • Application 23/00278/FUL – Installation of 109kW ground mounted photovoltaic array – Manor Farm, Low Dinsdale, Neasham, DL2 1PN. (APPROVED).
   • Application 23/00202/FUL -Demolish existing and construct new single storey extension, various alterations, new highway crossings – 30 Teesway, Neasham, DL2 1QU. (APPROVED).
2. Decisions received since last meeting: - None.
3. The Vice Chair reported that he had examined the further Highways’ report resulting from additional information provided by the applicant in relation their application for various work at Dinsdale Golf Club. The Vice Chair felt we owe it to our parishioners to make representations and advised that to date the applicant had not provided any good reason to justify the proposed development. Any further objection should be based on highway issues such as prolonged and increased traffic volumes. The additional information provided does not identify where the fill material coming from nor the route it will take to site and a proposal by M Hannaford that we endorse the Highways Engineers’ request for the applicant to provide a robust Construction Management Plan, was agreed. It was resolved that the Vice Chair should prepare a further objection for submission to the planning department.
4. The Vice Chair reported that planning permission of the Sockburn Hall project had not yet been granted because of a query on waste water disposal which had been raised by the Environment Agency.

23/010– RISK MANAGEMENT

1. Scheduled inspections carried out in March:- Millennium Garden and Trees. The Village Green Inspection will be completed early April and had been delayed because of a query on Covid signage.
2. Copy of Risk Management Report 4Q 2022/3, which showed one outstanding defect, has been circulated.
3. The Annual All Risks Checklist to be prepared for review and approval at Annual Meeting in May.
4. It was agreed that the Chair and B Crossen would rotate the carrying out the scheduled inspections every six months but it was emphasised that a notice should be raised for any defect arising in the interim.

23/011 – FINANCE

1. Previously approved payments made in March:- ICO £35.00 (Data Protection Fee), Noticeboard Co £953.95 (Notice board), Cestrian £224.39 (Notice board), Almond Engravers £22.00 (Memorial plaque), Pretty Gardens £90.00 (Work to Memorial Garden), Clerk £495.64 (Salary), HMRC £123.80 (PAYE) , Green Frog Nurseries £91.50 (Replacement Trees), Green Frog Nurseries £91.00 (Plants for Memorial Garden).
2. A quotation of £30.53 (including VAT) from Harrison Flagpoles for a coronation flag was approved.
3. An additional order in the provisional sum of £350 (exc VAT) for paving to the Jubilee seat has been placed with Brindle Construction to be carried out concurrently with previously ordered paving.
4. Members agreed the proposal to ring fence an underspend of £990 in respect of IT matters, which it had not been possible to expend in the current financial year, for the future.
5. The Finance Report 4Q 2022/23 was approved and the accounts submitted to the internal auditor.

23/012 – ELECTIONS 2023

Eight seats are available on Neasham PC and nomination forms of all members had been delivered and accepted prior to the closing date and time of 4pm on April 2023. (POST MEETING NOTE: An email had been received from Darlington BC on 5 April 2023 confirming that the election was uncontested and therefore all existing member have been re-elected for another term). Members will be required complete the Election Expenses Form and to renew their Register of Members Interests and Acceptance of Office forms in accordance required timescales.

23/013– REACHING OUT AND COMMUNICATIONS

1. The Chair stated that he wished for a more relaxed approach to this year’s Assembly, with tea and coffee provided and then informal discussions between members and parishioners. The agenda would be visual report rather than written and based on a series of photographs related to events in the parish throughout the year. This photographic report would also be the flier advertising the Assembly. Members approved this approach.
2. Community Fund “Awards for All” provides grants up to £10k for projects for encouraging local councils to build bridges with the community cohesion and also promote climate change matters. The Vice Chair reported that there is an open session on 27 April inviting people (which now includes parish councils) to attend and put forward proposals that qualify. As Neasham is a small council with only eight members, it is felt that we need to form a team of volunteers to put a fully costed project together to make an application. It was agreed that the Assembly would be an ideal location to network to build a small team of volunteers to move this forward.

23/014 – WARD COUNCILLOR MATTERS

L Tostevin reported that TVCA had many trees available for delivery in November to both Councils and individual parishioners. Applicants will be eligible to register their interest in receiving an allocation later in the year.

23/015– CORRESPONDENCE

Various emails from NALC regarding Newsletter (08/03, 15/03, 22/03). Civility and Respect March Newsletter (08/03). NALC Events Climate Change 09/03, Housing Crisis (14/03), Chief Executive’s Bulletin (02/04). There were no issues raised by the members.

23/016– OTHER VILLAGE MATTERS

1. As the Reading Rooms were already organising a tea party style celebration of the King’s Coronation celebrations, it was felt that further celebration parties by the parish council were not required. However the parish council would support the Reading Rooms in their arrangement.
2. The Chair reported that he had not yet had the opportunity for a discussion with a parishioner regarding the information (which was confirmed as being held electronically) donated by the late M Townsend, as she had been on holiday. Coincidentally the Chair stated that he had been asked by a parishioner if he could assist in finding an enlarged copy of a photograph which could possibly be obtained from these files.

23/017 – DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Date of the Annual Meeting has been set as Tuesday 9 May 2023 to be followed immediately by the next ordinary parish meeting.  The meeting concluded at 8.00pm.