BELPER TOWN COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF 13th SEPTEMBER 2011

PRESENT:
Councillor Alan Cox (Mayor) - in the Chair
Councillors: Jim Anderson, Peter Arnold, Simon Black, Joseph Booth, Alan Broughton, Kay Charlton, Jackie Cox, Erik Johnsen, John Nelson, Mark Robertson, Peter Shepherd and David Fisher.
In Attendance: Mrs Rosalind Bullimore (Clerk) Insp. Richard Smith and Sgt. Richard Booth (Police) twenty members of the public.

2017. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
      Apologies for absence were received from Martin Tomlinson, Stephen Holden and Deborah Biss (Work Commitments)
2018. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
      There were no declarations of interest recorded.
2019. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
      1. County Councillors
         Councillor Stuart Bradford informed the Council that a bus stop and waiting area has been installed at Milford. Councillor Peter Makin informed the Council that safety barriers can't be fitted at Field Lane because there are service cables in the area. The overgrown garden at the top of Whitemoor Lane has been cleared. The waiting restriction lines at the bottom of Gibfield Lane are to be painted over and will be removed at a later date.
      2. Police
         Sgt Booth told the Council that he had received very positive feedback about the Food Festival. The crushed motorbike that was on display at the festival to show members of the public what happens to seized motorbikes was effective. During the six week summer holidays the crime figures remained low - the main problem is still the large number of shed break ins. Licence checks have been carried out at the shops and public houses in the town and they all passed with flying colours. The Royal visit at Denby Pottery went well. The funding for the lights at the skate park hopefully will be received before the dark nights are here. There are an increased number of young people who meet in the Coppice car park in the evenings and Sunday afternoons causing a disturbance and creating damage.
      3. Members of the Public
         Adrian Farmer updated the Council on the programme for the Discovery Days and gave additional information to support the Derwent Valley Mills grant application.
2020. ORDER OF BUSINESS
      RESOLVED to discuss the supplementary agenda items 10c To note the Minutes of a Finance Meeting held 28 July 2011 and 19b To consider appointing a Snow Warden for Belper.
2021. 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 There were no items of a confidential nature which merited being taken with the public excluded.
2022. MINUTES OF A MEETING OF BELPER TOWN COUNCIL HELD 12 JULY 2011
      RESOLVED to agree as a true record Minutes 1991 -2016 of the Council Meeting held 12 July 2011. Subject to Councillor David Fisher attended the meeting not Councillor David Smith.
2023. MINUTES OF A FOOD FESTIVAL COMMITTEE MEETING HELD 11 JULY AND 25 JULY 2011
      RESOLVED to note Minutes 253 - 264 of the Food Festival meeting held 11 July 2011 and Minutes 265- 271 of the Food Festival meeting held 25 July 2011.
2024. MINUTES OF A FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING HELD 28 JULY 2011
      RESOLVED to note Minutes 247 - 253 of the Finance Committee meeting held 28 July 2011.
2025. MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
      Forthcoming events/Notices etc.
      Attended the Food Festival and thought the event was excellent.
      Opened the Milford pedestrian crossing.
      The Belper River Gardens received a Green Flag Award for the first time.
      There is to be a Macmillan coffee morning at the Congregational Church 16 September.
      The Disabled Club are celebrating their 50th Anniversary this year.
      The Strutt Club are celebrating their 20th Anniversary this year.
      The Mayor presented gift vouchers and certificates to the winners of the Belper in Bloom competition.
2026. FINANCE
      RESOLVED:
      1. To note and agree income and expenditure incurred in the months of July and August covering transactions of 6484 - 6775. Schedules are attached to these Minutes showing Income of £3,986.24 and Expenditure of £58,753.47.
      2. To note the 31 March 2011 Annual Audit is in accordance with proper practices and no matters giving cause for concern have come to the external auditor's attention.
2027. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
      1. RESOLVED to note the planning applications listed on the schedules dated 5 August 2011 - 13 September 2011. RESOLVED the Planning Response Co-ordinators to comment on application AVA/2011/0749, 0735, 0725 and 0726.
      2. RESOLVED to note the planning decisions listed on schedules dated 5 August 2011 - 13 September 2011.
      3. RESOLVED to note the enforcement notice for breach of planning to provide an extension to the existing footway and the provision of dropped kerbs and tactile paving at the Whitemoor Medical Centre has been quashed.
      4. RESOLVED to note an appeal has been made to the planning inspectorate in respect of 4 The Bent, Jackson Lane, Heage.
      5. RESOLVED The Planning Response Co-ordinators to comment on the Bullsmoor Draft Development Brief and to request that a full investigation of the structure of Belper is carried out before any development.
2028. GRANT APPLICATIONS
      321 - Derwent Valley Mills
      RESOLVED to grant £250 match funding to provide a free performance of a Shakespeare play in the Belper River Gardens. 322 - Belper Stroke Club
      RESOLVED to grant £200 towards the cost of an outing for the clubs members.
2029. OUTSIDE BODIES
      Drop Inn Centre
      Councillor Anderson informed the Council that one of the management team may have the opportunity to carry the Olympic Torch in 2012.
      Belper North Mill Museum Trust
      Councillor Arnold informed the Council that the landlords of the North Mill have increased the rent and backdated it to 2007. The Borough Council have indicated that they want to pass the increases onto the Trust. If that happens the Trust will have to terminate their lease and look for a cheaper venue.
      Friends of Belper Parks
      Councillor Fisher informed the Council that the parks had received a 4th Green Flag Award and was pleased to announce that they had received a £1,000 grant which will be used to erect a fence around the wild flower meadow.
2030. COPPICE CAR PARK
      RESOLVED To note the car park committee had agreed to hold a Public meeting on 18 October to discuss the possibility of gating the entrance to the Coppice car park.
2031. TELECOMMUNICATION MASTS
      The Council considered a letter regarding the installation of a telecommunication mast at the junction of Marsh Lane and Laund Nook. The letter asked the Council to consider holding a Parish Poll to find the views of Belper electors as to whether they think the mast should be turned on or not. The Clerk informed the Council that there is no provision for a separate ward vote and the poll would be for all wards and would cost £25,000 RESOLVED Clerk to write to the resident informing them of the cost of a Parish Poll and to inform him that the Council feel that to go ahead would not change the law. Currently if masts are under 15 metre in height planning permission is not required. The local MP has got a petition together to get this law changed. Clerk to suggest he signs the petition, gets a poll in the local press and uses the internet to advertise and gain support for his objections.
2032. THE BIG SOCIETY IN BELPER
      RESOLVED to note the list of organisations in Belper using volunteers to deliver or provide a service showing the 'Big Society' is already operating in Belper.
2033. ST JOHN'S CHAPEL CAR PARK
      The Clerk informed the Council that residents have asked Reverend Anne Stratton of St Peters Church if they can have permits to park their vehicles in the car park at the chapel. The council are asked to consider taking on a lease to manage the car park RESOLVED to advise the Reverend that the Council would be interested in leasing the land but it is doubtful that permission would be granted for change of use to use the land as a car park on a full time basis.
2034. SWISS TEA ROOM REPLACEMENT DESIGNS
      RESOLVED Clerk to inform the Borough Council that the Council support the panel's view on their choice of architect for the replacement Swiss Tea Rooms.
2035. WELCOME TO BELPER SIGN
      RESOLVED the Council accepted the quotation from Amber Signs for a decorative 'Welcome to Belper' sign.
2036. DERBYSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL WINTER SERVICES
      RESOLVED to note the Derbyshire County Council winter service online questionnaire.
2037. PARKING ON THE MARKET PLACE
      Members of the Council met with a highways officer to discuss the 'No Parking' signage on the Market Place RESOLVED to note the officer agreed to meet with conservation officers to find suitable areas to install more prominent 'No Parking' signs.
2038. DERBYSHIRE EXCELLENCE IN THE COMMUNITY AWARDS
      RESOLVED to note the Strutt Community Centre committee are to receive a Derbyshire Excellence in the Community award.
2039. BELPER CALENDER
      RESOLVED to sponsor the July page in Ashley Franklin's Belper calendar to promote the Council and its Belper Food Festival.
2040. ONE WAY ORDER - BROOKSIDE /DAYS LANE
      RESOLVED The Council has no objections to the proposed amendments to the One way order at Brookside/Days Lane, Belper.
2041. ITEMS FOR INFORMATION
      RESOLVED To note the items for information included in the agenda and the schedule attached to these minutes.