BELPER TOWN COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF 10th APRIL 2007

PRESENT: Councillor Mick Nelson (Town Mayor) - in the Chair
Councillors: Councillor Jim Anderson, Peter Arnold, Debbie Biss, Barry Lewis, Alan Cox, Jackie Cox, Les Dorey, Colin England, Peter Makin, John Nelson, Mick Potter and Mark Robertson
In Attendance: Mrs Elaine Hibbert (Clerk), Police Inspector Graham Lamin, Debbie Lockett (Belper News) and three members of the public were present for Public Participation.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

  1. Mrs Jane Middleton thanked Councillors for the recent grant funding of the Milford & Makeney Community Group. In representing the Group, Mrs Middleton asked Council to support their request for an extension of time in which to respond to a planning application for proposed new dwellings at the Dye House as the time scale did not allow for proper consultation of residents.
  2. Mr Kevin Renshaw spoke on the traffic problems on Becksitch Lane. Members agreed with the recommendation that this should be one-way and the Clerk would contact the County Council accordingly.
POLICE MATTERS
Police Inspector Lamin advised that new targets for 2007/8 had been issued and Belper section was performing well against these.
The concerns caused by young people congregating in the Whitemoor area were again discussed and Inspector Lamin was asked to call a meeting with the young people, involving local Members and the police to see if a way forward could be found (eg the creation of a properly supervised Youth Club). Following this meeting and the local elections in May, a Working Party could be formed to consider any proposals.
Inspector Lamin reported that they had received several complaints from people who had received parking tickets on the Market Place. Members had little sympathy for those members of the public who chose to park on the Market Place instead of the free adjacent Coppice Car Park. However, enquiries were being made regarding improving the signage to help alleviate the problem.
Members were pleased to note that an arrest had been made in respect of the damaged gravestone in St John's Churchyard.
  1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
    An apology for absence was received and accepted from Councillor Martin Tomlinson.
  2. CHANGE IN ORDER OF BUSINESS
    RESOLVED to include the following additional papers:
    Agenda Item 6 - Minutes of the Food Committee held 3 April 2007.
    Agenda Item 9b - Further planning schedule dated 10 April 2007.
  3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
    Councillors made declarations of Interest as follows.
    Prejudicial: ie would leave the room during discussions.
    Councillor Les Dorey - Item 9
    Councillors Peter Arnold and John Nelson - Item 13d
    Personal:
    Councillors Alan Cox and Jackie Cox - Item 12a
    Councillors John Nelson, Peter Makin and Jim Anderson - Item 9
  4. TO DETERMINE WHETHER ANY ITEMS SHOULD BE TAKEN WITH THE PUBLIC EXCLUDED
    In accordance with Section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, in view of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted, it was RESOLVED that, in the public interest, the public and press be excluded from the meeting during discussion of Part II of the Agenda, and they be instructed to withdraw.
  5. MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE TOWN COUNCIL HELD ON 13 MARCH 2007
    RESOLVED to approve Minutes 792-813 of the Meeting of the Town Council held on 13 March 2007.
  6. MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
    Councillor Mick Nelson reported on the various events and activities in which he had participated in the month including the Sponsored Walk on 1 April and the funds for his nominated charity had reached almost £1000. He advised that the series of talks to year 8 students had now ended and the feedback from them had been very positive. Unfortunately a couple of engagements had had to be cancelled because of his wife's sudden illness.
  7. FINANCE
    1. It was RESOLVED to note and approve the income and expenditure for the period 1-30 March 2007. The schedules are attached showing gross income of £2,919.07 and gross expenditure of £21,949.85.
    2. It was RESOLVED to note the bank reconciliation for the current/public reserve accounts as at 30 March 2007.
  8. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
    RESOLVED to note the planning applications listed on the schedules dated 15 March 2007 and 10 April 2007. Objections were raised on two applications:
    AVA/2007/0409 - Milford Care Home
    Further information was required on the cladding materials to be used and clarification as to the actual building to be demolished. An extension of time in which to respond would also be requested. AVA/2007/0297 - Dye House, Milford
    An extension of time in which to respond would be requested to allow proper consultation with residents and the plans should be made available for public viewing at Milford School. Additionally, as the plans do not appear to meet all the criteria that the developer was asked to include, full details should be supplied.
  9. REPORTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES ON OUTSIDE BODIES
    Friends of Belper River Gardens The programme of summer events in the River Gardens was noted, with two amendments as advised by Councillor Les Dorey. Members were appreciative of the programme and all the hard work that hard gone into the preparation of it. Some concern was expressed that the agreed budget would be exceeded because of the inclusion of a Proms event. However, it was noted that it was proposed to raise the additional funds through the sale of programmes and raffle tickets. The Group would be asked to confirm the financial status of the series of events for the Council meeting in June.
  10. DERBYSHIRE ASSOCIATION OF LOCAL COUNCILS
    RESOLVED to note the correspondence received from DALC.
  11. MARKET PLACE MASTERPLAN
    The proposals detailed in the brief for the revitalisation of the Market Place were noted and very much welcomed by Members. Serious concern was expressed however at Derbyshire County Council's curt refusal to consider the Town Council's request that a new library and arts centre (including a soundproof studio) be sited on the Market Place in preference to the Derwent Street site as currently proposed. The Clerk was therefore instructed to write again to Derbyshire County Council stating the strength of feeling of Town Council Members in this matter. Of particular concern was the fact that no public consultation had taken place and the County Council's decision to co-operate with the Tesco proposals in the siting of the new library at Derwent Street prejudiced the planning application which has not yet even been submitted for approval at the Borough Council.
  12. APPLICATION FOR GRANT FUNDING
    1. Musica Donum Dei - 247
      RESOLVED not to make any award.
    2. Childline East Midlands - 248 RESOLVED to request further informa
      tion on how much work is carried out in Belper.
    3. Fleet Arts
      RESOLVED to note the financial statements in respect of the grant approved at the March meeting.
    4. Derwent Valley Mills Partnership - 249
      RESOLVED to give consideration to this request for funding upon receipt of financial accounts.
  13. MR POTATO HEAD
    RESOLVED that because of repeated acts of vandalism, Mr Potato Head should not be included on the Town Council's insurance and the Clerk should liaise with the Mill View Residents Association regarding whether he should be relocated or put into storage.
  14. DERBYSHIRE ADVOCACY SERVICE
    RESOLVED to agree a letter of support in respect of their lottery funding application.
  15. POSTWATCH RESPONSE TO GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS
    Members considered this document to be too little, too late to be of any effect.
  16. ITEMS FOR INFORMATION
    RESOLVED to note the items for information included on the attached sheet.
  17. CHANGING PLACES CAMPAIGN
    After consideration of the further information that had been supplied, Members agreed to ask the Planning Authority to bear the proposals in mind in any future relevant planning applications.
  18. BEAUREPAIRE GARDENS
    As previously discussed, the Clerk again confirmed that the Council had no interest in this Garden because the lease situation could not be resolved with the Strutt Estate. In the circumstances, the Council's insurers had advised that the Garden should not be included within the Council's public liability insurance. This also affects the agreement in respect of the increasing amount of maintenance work that the Council staff undertake. The Clerk was asked to speak to Mr Peter Davies on these issues to see if the situation could be resolved.
  19. ANNUAL AWARDS
    Maurice Heely Award
    The Mayor advised that as eight nominations had been received for one organisation only it had proved unnecessary to hold a meeting to decide on the recipient.
    Town Service Award
    A further nomination was made and agreed for a third award.
    The recipients for both Awards would be notified and invited to the Annual Meeting when a presentation would be made by the Mayor.
  20. TOWN CRIER
    The Clerk would contact the previous Town Crier's secretary to ask what, if any, financial agreement was in place for Mr Arthur Bellaby and then discuss a similar arrangement for Mr Terry Porter with the Responsible Finance Officer.