BELPER TOWN COUNCIL

The meeting commenced with the Mayor paying tribute to Mr Richard Millward who had died recently. He had been a Councillor for 22 years from 1974 to 1996 and had been Mayor in 1979/80 and again in 1985/6. The meeting stood in memory of their former colleague and then Canon Robert Parsons led the Council in prayer.

Canon Parsons then invited Members to attend the community lunches that he organises at St Peter's every two or three months. The next one would be at 12.30pm on 12th May. Members wishing to attend should notify the Town Clerk two or three days in advance.

223. APOLOGIES
     Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Robert Hallsworth and Ben Miller. It was reported that Councillor Hallsworth had had his operation and was making a good recovery.
224. CHANGE IN ORDER OF BUSINESS
     None.
225. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
     Councillor John Nelson declared an interest in planning application AVA/2003/0314 and Councillors Joyce and Randall Sanders declared an interest in the In Camera minute 220 (General Assistant).226.
226. HEALTH SERVICE IN BELPER
     The Primary Care Trust for Amber Valley was represented by Ms Wendy Lawrence (Chief Executive), Mr Adrian Evans (Chair) and Doctor John Stevenson (Chair of the Executive Committee). In introduction they pointed out that the meeting was being held on the second anniversary of the Trust and they thanked the Council for its support during the period leading up to the creation of the Trust.
     Their address focused particularly on the services as they affected Belper. They referred to the £1 million that had been secured for the enhancement of Babington Hospital. This was being spent on improving the wards primarily. Chevin Ward was being used as an intermediate care unit preparing patients for their return to home. Their emphasis was in providing support in the community in which they were working closely with Social Services.
     The Trust now employs 750 staff and they had designated themselves a "healthy business" in encouraging their staff to exercise and adopt sensible eating practices. They were currently negotiating reduced cost use of the Sports Centre in Belper. Also, they were introducing a GP referral scheme whereby doctors could prescribe exercise at the Sports Centre for patients.
     Various Councillors expressed concern about the closure of the chemists' service on Sundays in Belper. Doctor Stevenson said that only two prescriptions on average had been processed on a Sunday in recent years. Accordingly, there seemed little need particularly when GP's visiting patients on a Sunday could provide most drugs at the time of making the visit. He added that Belper was covered by the Derby Medical Service on Sundays and there had been very few complaints about the service they provided. It was considered that Belper was fortunate in having two extremely good GP practices. Reference was made to the appointment system that was being used at the Green Lane Surgery. This had virtually eradicated waiting for an appointment as well as waiting in the surgery itself. The Trust was endeavouring to extend this approach to all its GP's throughout Amber Valley.
     It was noted that the service to young drug addicts had improved significantly in recent months: this being partly due to the introduction of the Adaction Service.
227. POLICE
     PC Sean Lambert, one of the three members of the Beat Team, introduced himself. He had lived in Belper for eleven years and had been a Police Constable for the last five.
     Members raised various issues with him including illegal parking and the police response thereto, vehicles going through the pedestrianised area in King Street, and a vehicle that had been parked on Belper Triangle for several weeks. The efficacy of the CCTV cameras was also discussed. It was suggested that if the town's cameras were monitored within Belper rather than at Police Headquarters, then local volunteers would recognise miscreants and swifter action could be taken. The Town Clerk would examine the practicalities of this and report back. Councillor Alan Cox reported that a service level agreement was being agreed between the Borough Council and the Police on the costs of monitoring CCTV cameras throughout Amber Valley.
228. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
     None
229. IN CAMERA
     Minutes 220-222 of the Council's last meeting would be taken in camera.
230. MINUTES 194 - 219 OF THE COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 4th MARCH 2003
     The minutes of the Council meeting held on 4th March 2003 were received and approved subject to the deletion of the final sentence on Minute 202/177 - Compost Scheme.
231. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE ABOVE MINUTES
     197 Police Report
     Councillors Alan Cox and Joyce Sanders reported that a site visit had been made to Over Lane and subsequent discussions had taken place which had largely resolved the problem of car transporters unloading on Over Lane. The contract which had led to the problems was nearing its end and if it was renewed or other ones were entered into then the car transporters would unload on Whitemoor Lane and cars would be driven up to the garage.
     202-176 Safeway Traffic Island
     The Town Clerk reported that the final bill for the illumination works was £3537.00. This was 50% more than the original tender of £2332.00. The tender specification and supervision of the works had been undertaken by the Lighting Section of Derbyshire County Council. This Council had not been kept informed of the difficulties that the contractor had encountered in supplying power to the traffic island. Though it was recognised that problems could occur, the Council considered that provision should have been made in the tender for such difficulties. Accordingly, the Town Clerk was asked to refer the invoice back to the County Council to see whether they or Tarmac or both of them jointly could meet the excess cost.
     202-184 Lighting of Monuments
     It was explained that the magnesium light on the "fountain" in the Market Place could be softened to provide a warm glow comparable to that at the Spencer Monument for about £150. Precise details were awaited from the County Council.
232. MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
     The Mayor thanked all those who had attended the Civic Service for being there and said it had been a most successful day. He particularly thanked Elaine Hibbert who was responsible for the efficient organisation of the day.
     He wished Wayne Bontoft success in his new post in Northampton and thanked him for his diligent reporting of the Council's affairs.
233. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
     Councillor Joyce Sanders reported on the five issues that had been raised by the Council in discussing the proposals from Bimoto Development Ltd on the Fuchs site. She also referred to an alternative scheme for the site, which she considered dealt satisfactorily with those issues raised by the Council. This had been forwarded to the Planning Authority with the request that it be brought to the attention of Bimoto.
     She said that the other contentious issue before the Council related to an application AVA/2002/0298 by Cannon Retail for the Argos development on the Green Lane car park. She considered that there were six main areas of objection:-
     1) the building was too large for the site,
     2) deliveries would be extremely difficult and would have an adverse effect on traffic in King Street,
     3) there would be a loss of car parking spaces which would affect trade in Belper particularly at the top end of King Street,
     4) there would be a loss of a recycling site which was very well used at present,
     5) there would be a loss of disabled car parking spaces, and
     6) there would be an adverse effect on the Green Lane Surgery as infirm and elderly patients would have difficulty in parking near to the Surgery.
     It was considered that the whole problem could be resolved if the Borough Council made it clear that it did not intend to sell the car park.
234. JUSTICE'S AND ENTERTAINMENTS LICENCES
     No comments were made on the various applications set out in the schedules that were under consideration.
235. PAYMENTS AND RECEIPTS
     The schedule of payments and receipts from 1st February to 19th March 2003 was received and approved. The schedule is attached to these minutes and shows expenditure of £19,076.04 and income of £3791.38 for the period.
     A request had been received from the Amber Valley Partnership inviting the Town Council to take a seat on the Steering Group being set up to explore the possibility of purchasing those parts of the riverside presently in the ownership of the Strutt Estate. It was agreed that Councillor Ron Buzzard, should represent the Council on the Steering Group.
236. BELPER LEISURE CENTRE
     As there had not been a meeting since the previous Council meeting, there was nothing to report other than that the Fitness Suite was being well used.
237. MEMBERS' RESOLUTIONS
     In introducing the first resolution, the Mayor said that he was extremely concerned that such a resolution was before the Council as he considered it compromised the dignity of the Council and such sentiments were more appropriate to electioneering brochures. He asked Councillor Alan Cox to withdraw the resolution. In response, Councillor Cox said that it was not intended to be used for electioneering purposes but to record his disappointment that the Labour administration had not seen fit to share power after the last election when each party had seven seats. He said that his party could subscribe to those aims included in the Labour manifesto which were referred to in his resolution and would have welcomed working with the Labour administration to the benefit of the town. However, he would accede to the Mayor's request to withdraw the motion.
     As a consequence Councillor Tim Benson withdrew his resolution too.
238. PUFFIN CROSSING - CHAPEL STREET
     The County Council's proposals for installing a Puffin Crossing some 50 metres north of the Safeway traffic island was welcomed. Some Members considered that it would not be used by people crossing from the retail centre onto New Road as they would still use the central refuge rather than walking the extra few yards. It was also pointed out that the noise from the audible warning on the crossing could affect nearby properties and would have to be monitored closely.
239. CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED
     The schedule of correspondence received was noted. Members were reminded of the litter pick being organised by Belper Improvement Group on 6th April.