BELPER TOWN COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF 8th JANUARY 2008

PRESENT: Councillor Jackie Cox (Town Mayor) – in the Chair
Councillors: Councillor Jim Anderson, Debbie Biss, Norman Bull, Kay Charlton, Alan Cox, Hassan Dervish, Colin England, Ben Miller, John Nelson, Mick Nelson, Mark Robertson and Martin Tomlinson
In Attendance: Mrs Elaine Hibbert (Clerk), County Councillor Chris Jackson, PCSO Donna Shaw, Ian Shuttleworth (Derbyshire County Council), Harry Chandler and Emma Haggar (Citizens Advice), two members of the press (Belper News, and Belper Express), and five members of the public.
  1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
    Apologies for absence were received from Councillors: Peter Arnold (holiday) Kevin Hallsworth (illness) and Mick Potter (transport difficulties).
  2. ORDER OF BUSINESS
    RESOLVED to agree the inclusion of the following additional papers:
    Item 9 – Finance Working Party Minutes of 19 December 2007
    Item 11b – Bank Reconciliation
    Item 12 – Planning Decisions
    Item 17 – Letter from DCC re Congestion on Sandbed Lane
    Confidential – Response from Belper Leisure Centre Trust’s Solicitors
  3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
    Councillors made declarations of Interest as follows.
    Personal:
    Councillor Alan Cox (Items 15)
    Councillor Jim Anderson (Items 12 and 15)
    Councillor Martin Tomlinson (Item 15)
  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 the item in Part II and the additional item re Belper Leisure Centre and they be instructed to withdraw.
  5. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
    1. a)Four residents of St John’s Road attended the meeting in order to address Council Members and seek their support in eradicating the unacceptable anti-social behaviour being experienced in the vicinity of St John’s Chapel. The problems were well known to the Town Council, the Church (being the owners of the land) and the Police and included drinking and drug-taking, indecent and intimidating behaviour and foul language. Mr Connell asked the Council to put as much pressure as possible a) on the Police to take more action against those responsible and b) the Church authorities to take steps to make the area less attractive as a gathering place for undesirables. PCSO Donna Shaw, present at the meeting, advised that the Police were restricted in the action they were able to take and asked for Council’s support in requesting that the “anti-drinking” laws be extended to include private land. Members of the public were requested to report every incident of anti-social behaviour as this helped the Police to take action as required.
      Council Members RESOLVED to take the following action:
      1. Contact the Borough Council and ask that this matter be referred to Derek Stafford at the Community Safety Partnership stating the Council’s support for extending the “anti-drinking” areas.
      2. Contact the Chief Constable re prioritising anti-social behaviour and putting increasing pressure on the culprits
      3. Contact the Church PCC requesting that action be taken to stop the anti-social behaviour at the earliest opportunity.
      4. Arrange a meeting with the Church, Councillors, Residents and the Police
    2. Mr Ian Shuttleworth of Derbyshire County Council gave a short presentation on the desirability of completing a Community Response Plan in the case of Civil Emergencies. He advised that help to complete the plan was available if required. The forthcoming Community Flood Fair on Monday 28 January 2008 was noted.
    3. Mrs Jane Middleton of Milford and Makeney Community Group attended the meeting to ask Council to support the Borough Council’s planning decision (refusal) in respect of Milford Foundry as an appeal by the developer had been lodged. RESOLVED that the Clerk would write to the Inspector to request that the decision be sustained.
    4. Ms Emma Haggar addressed the meeting to give information on the work of the Citizens’ Advice Bureau in Belper. Relevant statistics were circulated and questions invited. She advised that CAB were in full support of the Civic Forum’s efforts re the preservation of the Herbert Strutt School and added that CAB was looking for new premises in order to improve access and communication.
  6. POLICE MATTERS
    PCSO Donna Shaw attended the meeting in place of Inspector Graham Lamin. Unfortunately no crime statistics were available.
    She advised of the Key Individual Network which had been set up comprising 500 people of all ages; ten of which form a “KINS Panel” and meet next in February. The aim of the network was to discuss police issues, currently focusing on: anti-social behaviour (Nottingham Road and surrounding area); River Gardens' vandalism; and Nuisance and Disorder in the Whitemoor area (Teen Shelter).
    Discussion took place on the congestion problems being experienced on Goods Road because of illegal parking. Councillor Chris Jackson asked that any evidence be forwarded to him so that he could raise the matter with the County Council.
    PCSO Summer was also asked to investigate the reason for the recent incident on the A6 which, if caused through speeding, would help in the argument for reducing the speed limit.
  7. COUNTY COUNCILLOR’S BRIEFING
    Councillor Chris Jackson gave the following information:
    Lodge Drive Mirror - site meeting on 17 January;
    A6 landslip – delay because of enquiries being made re ownership of the land;
    Signage to the Football Ground – DCC contacting the Club. Owners of strip of land now located;
    and offered to attend any meetings regarding anti-social behaviour.
    Councillor Jackson was asked to investigate why the footpath between Pingle Lane and the Fire Station had been fenced off by the Derbyshire Fire Service yet it had been in use for many years.
  8. MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE TOWN COUNCIL HELD ON 11 DECEMBER 2007
    RESOLVED to receive and approve Minutes 958-978 of the Meeting of the Town Council held on 11 December 2007.
  9. MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE FINANCE WORKING PARTY HELD 19 DECEMBER 2007
    It was RESOLVED to discuss the Finance Working Party Minutes alongside Agenda item 11c – Consideration of the Budget for 2008-9.
  10. MAYOR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
    1. Events attended in the past month
      These included: Christmas Eve Carol Service, visits to Ada Belfield, Osmaston Grange, Milford House and Babington Hospital.
    2. Forthcoming Events
      Borough Mayor’s Civic Service, Sunday 20 Jan – Christ Church and Nailers; Community Lunch at St Peter’s, Monday 21 Jan; Community Forum at the Whitemoor Centre, 7pm on 26 February 2008.
  11. FINANCE
    1. RESOLVED to note and approve the income and expenditure as detailed on the attached schedules for the period 30 November to 15 December 2007 showing income of £930.00 and expenditure of £19866.68.
    2. RESOLVED to note the bank reconciliation statements for the current/public reserve accounts as at 31 December 2007.
    3. The budget as recommended in the Minutes of the Finance Working Party dated 19 December 2007 was approved. Glyn Haynes, the Council’s Finance Officer, was thanked for his efforts in producing the budget. RESOLVED that the Council Precept for the year 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009 be set at £230,000.
  12. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
    RESOLVED to note the planning applications listed on the schedules dated 3-17 December 2007 and 18 December 2007 – 3 January 2008.
    No comments were made.
  13. GRANT APPLICATIONS
    263 Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre
    Discussion was deferred until the next meeting as no accounts had been received.
  14. REPORTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES ON OUTSIDE BODIES
    a Belper & District Road Safety Committee
    Councillor Alan Cox said he would take to the Committee all relevant matters raised at the meeting.
  15. AMBER VALLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL – POOP SCOOOP BAGS
    RESOLVED not to participate in advertising on these bags.
  16. CONTINENTAL VILLAGE MARKET
    RESOLVED to approve a Continental Market on the Market Place to coincide with the Switching On of the Christmas Lights but at no other time in the year.
  17. ITEMS FOR INFORMATION
    RESOLVED to note the items for information included in the schedule attached to these minutes.
  18. CAR PARKING
    The proposed lease of the car park on Derwent Street had been received and the Members responsible for organising this were thanked for their efforts. The lease was considered to be in accordance with the Council’s requirements but would be sent to the Borough Council’s Solicitor for legal comment before signing.
  19. BELPER LEISURE CENTRE
    RESOLVED to appoint Councillor Alan Cox as the Council’s Representative on the Board of the Leisure Centre Trust to replace Councillor Mark Robertson who found difficulty in attending meetings due to work commitments.
    The Clerk advised that a holding response to her letter about the Council’s future role on the Trust had been received from the Trust’s Solicitors.