Agenda and draft minutes

J Foster, Vice-Chair (Planning) (in the Chair) outlined the procedure which would be followed at the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bawn, Darwin, Sanderson and Towns for lateness.

To request the committee to decide the planning applications attached to this report using the powers delegated to it.   

Please note that printed letters of objection/support are not circulated with the agenda but are available on the Council’s website at  http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/Planning.aspx 

The report requested the Committee to decide the planning applications attached to the report using the powers delegated to it.  Members were reminded of the principles which should govern their consideration of the applications, the procedure for handling representations, the requirement of conditions and the need for justifiable reasons for the granting of permission or refusal of planning applications. 

RESOLVED that the information be noted.

Proposed Demolition of Storey Park Community Centre.

Storey Park Community Centre, St Marys Field, Highchurch, Morpeth, NE61 2QF

Proposed demolition of Storey Park Community Centre, Storey Park Community Centre, St Mary’s Field, High Church, Morpeth, NE61 2QF

Ryan Soulsby, Planning Officer provided an update to condition 3 in relation to noisy working times, these were to be removed as the working times would be secured by a Demolition Method Statement which formed part of the approved plans listed in Condition 2 – hours of work 8:00 am to 4.30 pm with no weekend working.

The Planning Officer continued to introduce the application with the aid of a power point presentation.

Hannah Wafer, George F White addressed the Committee, speaking in support of the application.  Her comments included the following information:

·       The building had originally been built in the 1950s and owned by the County Council with the ownership later transferred in 2020 to Morpeth Town Council.

·       The building had fallen into disrepair and due to the significant costs to bring the building up to standard, the decision had been made to close Storey Park.

·       Some residents had been disappointed at the closure and had requested that the building be identified as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) and the building was listed as an ACV in March 2021.

·       The designation did provide some protection to the building; however, it did not prevent its demolition or suitable redevelopment.

·       Prior to its closure, the community centre had only been used at approximately 25% of its potential capacity and it had not been considered appropriate use of public funds to undertake such repair work.

·       The emerging Northumberland Plan provided guidance which affected assets of community value, and it was considered that the demolition wholly complied with the policy with the addition that there was alternative facilities including the newly refurbished St James Community Centre.

·       Whilst the proposal was to demolish the building, there was no intention to redevelopment the land

·       She asked that members grant permission of the demolition of the community centre building.

Councillor Richard Wearmouth addressed the Committee as Ward Member.  His comments included the following:-

·       The decision to the application to demolish the community centre had not been taken lightly

·       There was other provision elsewhere within the town

·       The building was in a state which could not be economically developed

·       If funding were to become available in future, the site could come back to use, but there were no plans to do that

·       Every opportunity had been explored to try to develop the building further

·       He supported the recommendations made by officers.

Councillor Wearmouth then withdrew from the meeting.

In response to comments from Members of the Committee the following information was provided:-

·       The proposed site plan marked the land to be used as hardstanding area after demolition.  If there were plans for development in the future, it would be subject to whoever owned the site.

·       After the building was demolished, the site would not be recognised as an ACV and become a brownfield site.  It would be up to the owner to determine what to do  ...  view the full minutes text for item 95.

For Members’ information to report the progress of planning appeals.  This is a monthly report and relates to appeals throughout all 5 Local Area Council Planning Committee areas and covers appeals of Strategic Planning Committee.

RESOLVED that the information be noted.

A short recess was taken at this point during which time Councillor Towns and Wearmouth joined the meeting. The meeting recommenced with Councillor Beynon in the Chair. 

To reply to any questions received from members of the public which have been submitted in writing in advance of the meeting. Questions can be asked about issues for which the Council has a responsibility. (Public question times take place on a bimonthly basis at Local Area Council meetings: in January, March, May, July, September and November each year.)

As agreed by the County Council in February 2012, the management of local public question times is at the discretion of the chair of the committee.

Please note however that a question may possibly be rejected if it requires the disclosure of any categories of confidential or exempt information, namely information:

1. relating to any individual;
2. which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual;
3. relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person
4. relating to any labour relations matters/negotiations;
5. restricted to legal proceedings
6. about enforcement/enacting legal orders
7. relating to the prevention, investigation of prosecution of crime.
   
   

And/or:

?      is defamatory, frivolous or offensive;

?      it is substantially the same as a question which has been put at a meeting of this or another County Council committee in the past six months;

?      the request repeats an identical or very similar question from the same person;

?      the cost of providing an answer is disproportionate;

?      it is being separately addressed through the Council's complaints process;

?      it is not about a matter for which the Council has a responsibility or which affects the county;

?      it relates to planning, licensing and/or other regulatory applications

?      it is a question that town/parish councils would normally be expected to raise through other channels.

If the Chair is of the opinion that a question is one which for whatever reason, cannot properly be asked in an area meeting, he/she will disallow it and inform the resident of his/her decision.

Copies of any written answers (without individuals' personal contact details) will be provided for members after the meeting and also be publicly available.

Democratic Services will confirm the status of the progress on any previously requested written answers and follow up any related actions requested by the Local Area Council.

No questions had been submitted.

This item is to:

(a)    Receive any new petitions: to receive any new petitions. The lead petitioner is  entitled to briefly introduce their petition by providing a statement in writing, and a response to any petitions received will then be organised for a future meeting;

                    i.         E-petition opened - Speed Reduction Northern Bypass - St Georges roundabout - Northgate roundabout, Morpeth

The speed on the Northern bypass road between St Georges and Northgate roundabout in Morpeth is reduced from 60mph to 30mph. NCC should also look at other precautions to ensure the safe crossing for children going to school.

As more houses are also to be built by St Georges roundabout, the traffic flowing onto the Northern bypass road leading onto the A1 and into Morpeth will only increase.  It is important that safety measures are implemented at the earliest opportunity.

(b)  Consider reports on petitions previously received: no reports are due to be considered at this meeting;

(c) Receive any updates on petitions for which a report was previously   considered: any updates will be verbally reported at the meeting.

To receive a verbal update from the Area Managers from Technical Services and Neighbourhood Services in attendance about any key recent, ongoing and/or future planned Local Services work for the attention of members of the Local Area Council, who will also then have the opportunity to raise issues with the Area Managers.

The Area Managers have principal responsibility for highway services and environmental services, such as refuse collection, street cleansing and grounds maintenance, within the geographic boundaries of the Local Area Council.

Neighbourhood Services

Paul Lowes, Neighbourhood Services Area Manager provided the following updates:-

Grounds Maintenance

• Winter works were drawing to a close.
• A mild winter had helped teams recover some ground lost to storms and were on target to complete all scheduled winter works tasks.
• Teams continued to work a 28 hour week during the winter period.  Progress through scheduled work had been a challenge but ultimately successful.
• He requested members contacted him if they believed any requested work had not been completed.
• Grass cutting would be starting soon and preparation had been made
• All grass cutting equipment had either been serviced or was scheduled to be serviced.
• Interviews had been carried out for seasonal grounds maintenance positions for this year and working through the recruitment process.
• Weed control activities would be undertaken in-house again this year
• Blue dye would be used for weed killing this year and it had been well received pre-pandemic.

Street Cleansing

• It was anticipated that the increase in footfall experienced last year (due to the pandemic, staycation) would reduce this year, which should ease pressure on cleansing teams.

Waste

• Residual and recycling
• Business as usual for waste collection services
• Elevated tonnages from households were still being received following the pandemic due to people working from home
• Due to the rate of housing growth in recent years, the waste service will see additional investment this year of 2 additional RCVs and crew
• Work was underway to evaluate existing demands on the service and plan routes to ensure these resources were deployed in the most efficient way possible
• Garden waste collection had started
• Increased housing and customer numbers had means additional tweaking of rounds had been required to accommodate the increase
• Initial take up for the service was high, the scheme remains as popular as ever

Additional Information

• The glass trial had been extended by 12 months.  Presentation rates and yields remained encouraging in most areas.
• A food waste collection trial was currently being planned and members would be provided with more information on the trial when plans were finalised.

In response to members’ comments, the following information was provided:-

• Extra contractors had been helping the Tree teams to help with storm damage.
• A meeting and site visit would be arranged with residents to hopefully resolve the situation of residents having to wheel their bins to the end of their lane.
• There had been no problems with recruitment.
• It was hoped to run food waste collections in line with the glass waste collections.
• Mr Lowes would report back on the issues at Choppington Woods.
• Additional cuts to parishes were given the opportunity to have early cuts, there should be no reduction to cuts during the season.
• Arrangements would be made to clean the cycle path between Lynemouth and Woodhorn.
• The Tree Officer was aware of the problem with the tree referred to.  Neighbourhood Services and the Trees and Woodlands Team would have to work together to try and solve the problem.
• Concerns with fly-tipping were shared and the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 99.

To note the latest version of agreed items for future Local Area Council meetings (any suggestions for new agenda items will require confirmation by the Business Chair after the meeting).

The Chair advised that this was for information and should Members wish to ask for any items to be added to the agenda, then they contact either himself or Democratic Services.

RESOLVED that the information be noted.

The next meeting (Planning only) will be held on Monday, 11 April 2022

It was noted that the next meeting would be held on Monday 11 April 2022.