BELPER TOWN COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF 1st OCTOBER 2002
PRESENT: Councillor Ron Buzzard (Town Mayor) - in the Chair
Councillors: Tim Benson, Alan Broughton, Alan Cox, Ron Day, Robert Hallsworth, Peter Leahy, Joyce Sanders, Randall Sanders and Richard Watson
- APOLOGIES
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor John Nelson.
- CHANGE IN ORDER OF BUSINESS
Agenda item 24 - Grit Bins and item 25 - Freedom of Information Act (2000) were withdrawn, the latter would be included on the next Agenda.
- DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Councillors Joyce and Randall Sanders declared a personal interest in item 28 and 29 (Staff Working Group Minutes and Matters Arising therefrom).
- POLICE REPORT
Inspector Arnie Hicklin tabled a report summarising the incidents of crime in the Belper Section for the period 1st April to 31st August 2002. The actual crimes in the three main categories of house burglary, violence and vehicle crime all exceeded their targets significantly. This was largely due to the fact that the system of classifying crimes at the reporting stage had been altered.
The go ahead had been given for seven additional staff for the Section and four of these after training would start operating as the Beat Team at the end of January. It was proposed to base the Beat Team in Babington Hospital rather than the Police Station. There was considerable debate about the wisdom of this proposal and if Inspector Hicklin wished to have support from the Town Council in basing the Beat Team in the Police Station, then it would be given.
Although he had been opposed to the introduction of an alcoholic drinks ban for Belper in the past, Inspector Hicklin considered that once the Beat Team was in post then a ban should be introduced for the centre of Belper (ie within the area bounded by New Road, the A6, Field Lane and Green Lane). The introduction of a ban would help in the policing of the Memorial Gardens and the Railway Station.
Members expressed concern about needles being found on a regular basis in the Memorial Gardens and at the Skate Park. It was proposed that needle bins should be installed at both sites either by the Town Council or by the Town Council in conjunction with the Borough Council.
Inspector Hicklin, in response to a question on the progress being made on the two acts of vandalism to the planter at the bottom of King Street and the brick pavement in the Memorial Gardens, said that he was hopeful of identifying the miscreants in both cases.
- COPPICE BROOK
David Brown of Groundwork Erewash said that he was working on behalf of the Borough Council and the Wildlife Trust on managing, maintaining and enhancing the Deer Park area. It was a three year project funded by the Lottery Heritage Fund. The area on the south side of the brook would become a nature reserve and serve as a valuable community and educative resource. Between the car park and the brook, the area would have first to be grazed intensively before it could be brought into beneficial use. As the meadow land and woodland areas developed and paths were improved, this area would become a valuable asset to the town. He considered that the way ahead was to create a "Friends of the Park" who would be involved in the management of the nature reserve once it had been established. He anticipated that there would be a draft management plan ready to go to public consultation by February.
- PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
No members of the public were present.
- IN CAMERA
Apart from minutes 95 and 96 of the last Council meeting, matters arising therefrom and the minutes of the Staff Working Group of 26th September 2002, there were no other items that warranted being taken in camera.
- MINUTES 66-94, COUNCIL MEETING HELD 3rd SEPTEMBER 2002
Minutes 66-94 of the Council Meeting held on 3rd September 2002 were received and approved.
- MATTERS ARISING FROM THE ABOVE MINUTES
67 - Safeway Traffic Island
Councillor Joyce Sanders reminded Members that the balance of the funds for Art in Public Places had been passed to Fleet Arts with the object of it being eventually used to illuminate the Flying Geese statue on the Safeway traffic island. Now that responsibility for the A6 had devolved onto the County Council, there was the opportunity of proceeding with the work. Accordingly, a demonstration was being arranged for 8.00pm on Tuesday 8th October to see whether permanent illumination was feasible. She hoped as many Members as possible would be present.
73/44/20 - Railway Service
The introduction of an hourly service direct to Birmingham was welcomed.
73/51 - Showground
It was reported that the condition of the ground was so poor that it was impossible to mow it with a gang mower and therefore a flail was having to be used. Once the ground was softened with the autumn rains, it may be possible to reduce the unevenness of the surface by the use of a heavy roller.
As the fence on the access road had once again been broken, it was agreed to install concrete bollards at a cost of £580.
73/56 - War Memorial
It was reported that the cost of cleaning the war memorial and re-cutting and re-enamelling ten letters on the upright part of the memorial would be £895. The cost of removing and refacing the sloping tablet commemorating those who had lost their lives in the second world war would be £997.50. It would be possible to carry out some of the work in time for Remembrance Sunday but the sloping tablet would not be completed by then. It was hoped that the Friends of War Memorials would make a modest grant towards the cost and that Derbyshire County Council and Amber Valley Borough Council would also make some contribution.
75 - Rugby Club
It appeared that progress was being made on the renovation of the gate as quotes had been obtained and grants applied for.
80 - Budget 2003/2004
The Budget Working Party would meet at 7 pm on 11th November 2002.
- CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES
It was noted that the Mayor and Councillor Alan Broughton had tendered their apologies for the meeting in addition to those referred to in the report of the meeting. The courses of action advocated in the report were endorsed.
- MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Mayor said that he had recently had an operation on his eye and the Consultant had advised him not to fly. Accordingly, he would not be able to visit Pawtucket later this month. Unfortunately, because the airline ticket was exclusively for his use, it would not be possible to pass it on to someone else or recoup the cost.
The Civic Service would be held at St Peter's on Sunday 16th March 2003.
- PLANNING APPLICATIONS
Councillor Joyce Sanders reported that following representations from various members of the public, she had made comments on application AVA/2002/0675 as the access from the unadopted road was unsatisfactory. There were no other applications that warranted comment.
- JUSTICES AND ENTERTAINMENT LICENCES
No comments were made on the various applications set out in the schedules that were under consideration.
- PAYMENTS AND RECEIPTS
The schedule of payments and receipts from 23rd August to 23rd September 2002 was received and approved. The schedule is attached to these minutes and shows expenditure of £5,416.70 and income of £3,806.00.
- ANNUAL RETURN
Subsequent to the submission of the annual return approved at the last Council meeting, a further publication "Governance and Accountability in Local Councils" had been received. This states that a Council of our size must submit their annual return on an income and expenditure basis rather than using a receipts and payments one. Accordingly Section 1 has been amended. The Council approved the revised Statement of Accounts.
- RAILWAY STATION
Councillor Randall Sanders reported on the site meeting at the Railway Station where all interested parties were present. He outlined the various courses of action that had been agreed. Perhaps the most positive result of the meeting was that all those concerned had met and appreciated their respective roles.
As it appeared that the station was only going to be cleaned on a weekly basis and there seemed no way of achieving a daily cleansing, it was agreed to look into the possibility of the Council staff obtaining a trackside safety certificate so that the station could be included on our cleaning rota.
- FLOOD PROTECTION EMBANKMENTS
A letter from the Wildlife Trust was circulated to the meeting. This dealt in detail with the concerns raised by Mr Gibson. It was agreed to respond to Mr Gibson referring to the factual comments in the Wildlife Trust letter.
- FINANCIAL REGULATIONS
The Financial Regulations which encapsulated the relevant parts of the draft circulated by the Association of Local Councils and the Council's existing
financial regulations, were adopted.
- BELPER CULTURAL CENTRE
Councillors Ron Day and Richard Watson reported on the meeting held at County Hall to discuss the consultation document. From the meeting, it appeared that there would be no problem over the revenue funding of the proposed centre but the capital costs of perhaps £6-8 million would be difficult to raise. Various suggestions such as PFI were considered although in the long term it was likely that the County Council would have to include it in their capital programme.
As the consultant had been retained to consider the possibility of various sites in or close to the town centre, it was likely that the Council would be approached for some additional funding.
- BELPER LEISURE CENTRE
The Mayor reported that the Manageress of the fitness suite had started work today and that the building works were progressing satisfactorily. Concern was expressed that the Borough Council had reduced its grant to the Leisure Centre Trust by £30,000 for the year 2003/2004.
- YOUNG ACHIEVERS' AWARD 2002
Councillor Joyce Sanders suggested that the Council could possibly nominate either the junior leaders who were involved in making the Wakes Day such a success or possibly the junior disabled swimmers at the Marlins Swimming Club. It was agreed that Councillors Joyce and Randall Sanders should investigate these and other potential nominees and submit an application.
- FOOTPATH - CHERRY TREE AVENUE TO CRICH LANE
It was reported that the stretch of this footpath from Cherry Tree Avenue to the Spinney had been the source of complaints by several users. Part of the footpath had a tarmac surface and much of the rest had been treated with chippings by the County Council earlier this year. This left two stretches which were compacted earth some 110m in length. Quotes for treating these two stretches with tarmac and chippings had been received. The cost of the tarmac was £4,922 and the chippings was £675. It was agreed to accept the latter quote.
- TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURE ORDERS
The temporary closure orders for Mill Lane and Campbell Street were noted.
- CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED
The schedule of correspondence received was noted.