Betley,
Balterley & Wrinehill Parish Council
Minutes of the Meeting held on 25 November 2002
PRESENT Ian M
Ashbolt (Chair)
Steven K
Ball
Rita Chisnall
Ken Eaton
Anne Mountford
John Price
Roland
P Seymour
Jennifer J Walton
Ann Wynn-Jones
G Roger Gleave
BC David Becket (Clerk)
Ten members of the public
APOLOGIES Frank
A Speed
CC Ted Holland
BC Gavin Webb
ABSENT Ronald
C Howarth
Bob E Lindblom
194/02 The
Council considered the following planning application.
02/00792/FUL:
Demolition of existing bungalow and erection of new bungalow and three terraced
dwellings and erection of garage Amended plans relating to the variation of
access points for plots A and D and the handing of the property of Plot A and
new parking provision for the existing plot 8 within the Black Horse
Development; Conifers, Common Lane, Betley.
RESOLVED that the
Council approved the alterations to the access arrangements for this
application.
195/02 The Council considered the following planning application.
02/00928/TDET:
15 metre high communications mast with antennae, dishes and ground level
cabinets, compound and other associated development; Land off Bow Hill Lane,
Betley.
RESOLVED that the
Council would wish an exploration of the proposal that the desired facilities
could not be placed on the existing mast so avoiding the need to erect another
mast.
196/02 The Council considered the following planning applications.
02/00975/FUL
and 02/00976/FUL: Erection of three dwellings; Ivydene Garage, Main Road,
Betley.
RESOLVED that the
Council recommends acceptance of these applications.
4 for 3 against 2 abstentions
197/02 The Council received the results of the
following planning applications.
a) 02/00613/FUL: Detached house and garage; Land adjacent
Rostherne, Common Lane, Betley.
APPROVED
(with 5 schedule 2 conditions to protect amenity and
details of scheme to be notified before start)
b) 02/00675/FUL:
Conversion of redundant buildings to two dwellings with allocated commercial
use; Shortfields Farm, Nantwich Road, Audley.
REFUSED
(Contrary to policy and
structure plan,)
c) 02/00696
FUL: Front and rear extensions; Redcliffe, Ravenshall, Betley.
APPROVED
(With 2 schedule 2
conditions to protect amenity)
d)
02/00652/LBC: Removal and relocation of telephone kiosk; Telephone kiosk
outside former Black Horse Inn, Main Road, Betley.
APPROVED
(with one schedule 2
condition not to be removed until new location approved)
It
was agreed that as this approval was for a site that had not been approved by
the Council, the Chairman should enter into further discussions with BT over
the proposal to re-locate.
198/02 RESOLVED
that the minutes of the meeting (copy in minute book) held on 24 October
2002.
199/02 RESOLVED
that the following report/actions consequent upon a consideration of matters
arising be approved.
a) 180/02 (a) Den Lane & Bow Hill Lane There had been no developments.
b) 180/02 (b) Sign at Balterley. The sign on
the B5500 had been erected together with a new Betley signs on the A531 and
Church Lane. The Clerk was to enquire
if a Balterley sign could be erected (and at what cost) at a point of the
Council’s choosing on entering Balterley from the Newcastle direction on the
A531.
c) 180/02 (c) Appointment of Internal Auditor. The Chairman reported that he had not heard from
Whitmore PC to see if an arrangement could be made. It was agreed that an approach Keele PC on this matter.
d) 191/02 Staffordshire Coalfields Community Trust. Rita Chisnall
reported on the meeting she attended in which grants were available to North
Staffordshire up to £5000 maximum and with strict deadlines for
application. Information was to become
available as to how to apply and it was agreed that information should be
posted in the Doctor’s Surgery, Village Hall, Reading Room and sent to the PTA.
e) 162/02 (g) Village Plan. The Chairman reported that the meeting in December
could not take place and it was hoped to arrange this in the New Year.
200/02 RESOLVED
that the financial statement (copy in minute book) as at 18 November be
received.
201/02 RESOLVED
that the response prepared by the Clerk to the memorandum form the Deputy Prime
Minister’s Office concerning the ‘Accounts and Audit Regulations 2003’ be
approved.
202/02 Development at Laudy Croft
a) The Chairman outlined the arrangements that he
had negotiated for a bridging loan of £30,000 from the Newcastle BC to cover
the work at the Laudy Croft Sports Field to be drawn down as required and to be
repaid when the Section 106 payments associated with the development of the
former Anderson Sawmills site and other monies became available.
RESOLVED that the
Council approve the provision of a loan from Newcastle Borough Council of up to
£30,000 to be repaid as monies become available.
b) The Contractor had presented his final invoice and
there were matters in it that needed to be queried. There was a sum of £14,830
+ VAT over which there was no debate.
RESOLVED that:
and
ii the Chairman, Ken Eaton and
Steven Ball meet with the
contractor to establish the final invoice.
203/02 RESOLVED
that the following be approved:
a)
The cost of
putting up and taking down of the Christmas Tree Lights of £300 +VAT
b)
The Chairman to
hire a PA system for the turning of the lights
204/02 RESOLVED
that the Frank Speed be asked to dispose of the tree and that a grant of £40
could be made to a village charity of his choice.
205/02 The
Chairman said that the provision of a notice board in thon the Village Green
would be in the order of £750 plus any erection costs. It was agreed that this should be taken into
account in the preparation of the next year’s budget.
206/02 The Chairman said that it was unlikely that Mr
Cooper would be able to undertake work under the Highways Maintenance Agreement
before Christmas. He had reviewed with
C W Mottram the work on the Village Green over the year and had taken the
opportunity to ask him to undertake leaf and gully clearing under the
Agreement. Steven Ball would contact a
further person to find out if he was interested in undertaking some work for
the Council.
RESOLVED
that The Council approves these procedures.
207/02 RESOLVED
that the National Salary Award for Local Council clerks from 1 April 2002 to 1
April 2004 be implemented for the Clerk’s salary.
208/02 RESOLVED
that the Council adopts (copy in minute book) the Parish Council Model
Publication Scheme to comply with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for the
Core Classes of Information with the addition of the optional documents of
‘Agenda and supporting papers for council meetings limited in each case to the
forthcoming meeting’ as the agenda was already available on the website.
209/02 RESOLVED
that the Council acknowledges the general duty placed upon it by the Race
Relations (Amendment) Act 20002. The
Council will continue within its functions and policies to have due regard to
the need to eliminate discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and
promote racial equality between people of different racial groups.
210/02 The
Chairman said that he would hold onto the Countryside Agency two publications.
a) Vital Villages Autumn 2002
b) Get your community moving – a step-by-step guide to
the Parish Transport Grant
for
the meeting on the Village Plan in the New Year.
211/02 The
Chairman reported:
a) He had been assured that the Regeneration and Planning
Department of Newcastle BC would give support to the production of a Village
Plan.
b) At a meeting with the Senior Planning Officer it had
been agreed that the Council could retain planning applications papers.
c) At a recent Biffa Awards ceremony two of the thirty
projects under consideration had originated in Betley and that the Reading Room
Project had been highly commended.
d) He had had the agreement with the Football Club for
the use of Laudy Croft finalised and it would be presented to the Council at
the next meeting.
e) There had been a complaint as to the eligibility of
Bob Lindblom’s membership of the Council as he had moved from Wrinehill. The Council was of the opinion that he was
not disqualified from membership and would supply the information required by
Newcastle BC to respond to the letter of complaint.
212/02 BC David Becket made the following reports.
a) Wooden posts had been supplied for the road sign at
Church Lane. The Council warmly
congratulated him for this. The sign
needed painting and the Council hoped to make the arrangements for this to be
done.
b) The report about priorities for Newcastle BC placed
crime prevention, recycling, litter, child poverty and care for older people
were the most significant priorities.
c) An alleged breach of planning regulations at Balterley
Hall was being investigated.
d) He and his colleague had prepared a report on
transport in Halmerend and they had concern about drainage and gully clearing.
213/02 RESOLVED
that the correspondence under Item 13 be received and appropriate action taken.
a) Items 13 (a) i, ii & iv (b) i to iii (c) ii & iii (d) ii were tabled and as appropriate placed in
the Reading Room.
b) Agenda Item 13 (a) SPCA:
iii The Future of the Post
Office Network – Half Day Conference.
Details to be given to local post office.
c) Agenda
Item 13 (c) Newcastle-under-Lyme BC
i Community
Chest. A reply to a request for an
update be sent. A request for support
for a Village Diary of Events be forwarded to the Village Hall Committee.
d) Agenda Item (d) Community Council Of Staffordshire.
i Rural Issues Group Exploratory
Meeting December. Rita Chisnall might
be able to attend this meeting.
214/02 The following were raised under any other
business.
a)
John Price said that the
notice board in Balterley had received an apparent air gun shot and that he
would repair the transparent plastic – he was thanked for this offer.
b)
An enquiry was made for
the Village Hall Committee to look into how the dividing doors between the
Committee Room and the Main Hall cold be made more soundproofed.
Signed…………………………….
Date………………………………