Agenda and draft minutes

The Chair outlined the procedure which would be followed at the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Daley for lateness, Ferguson, Flux and Robinson.

Minutes of the meeting of the Cramlington, Bedlington & Seaton Valley Local Area Council held on 19 October 2022, as circulated, to be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

The Minutes of the Cramlington, Bedlington and Seaton Valley Local Area Council, held on 19 October 2022, as circulated, were confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

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

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Please note that printed letters of objection/support are no longer circulated with the agenda but are available on the Council’s website at??http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/Planning.aspx?

Councillor Wilczek, Vice-Chair Planning introduced the report which 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 planning applications, the procedure for handling representations, the requirement of conditions and the need for justifiable reasons for the granting of planning permission or refusal of planning applications. 

RESOLVED that the information be noted.

Extension to side of existing scout meeting hall to provide improved and safer storage facilities for scout equipment and materials that are currently stored within premises.

Scout Hut, Ann Welfare Recreation Ground, Cramlington, Northumberland, NE23 6HR.

Extension to side of existing scout meeting hall to provide improved and safe storage facilities for scout equipment and materials currently stored within premises.

Scout Hut, Ann Welfare Recreation Ground, Cramlington, Northumberland, NE23 6HR

Adam Ali, Planning Officer informed members that there were no updates to report.  No objections had been received to the application and planning permission be approved subject to the conditions and reasons in the report.

Councillor Ezchilchelvan moved the recommendation to approve the application which was seconded by Councillor Lee.

RESOLVED that permission be GRANTED subject to the conditions and reasons in the report.

For Member’s 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.

(Councillor Swinburn 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; 

(b)      Consider reports on petitions previously received.  No petitions to consider. 

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

This item was to:

a)    Receive any new petitions:  No new petitions had been received.

b)    Consider reports on petitions previously received:  None received.

c)    Receive any updates on petitions for which a report was previously   considered: None received

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. 

Tony Gribbin, Local Services Area Manager updated members on the following:

Grass Cutting

·        Grass cutting had now ended for the year, the teams had moved to winter works tasks

·        The season finished on 15/16 cuts in the Seaton Valley area and 11 in the Cramlington area and 11 in the Bedlington area.

Weeds

·        Currently in the winter works season so taking the opportunity to review the effectiveness of this years weed control programme.

·        Looking at an alternative roll out for 2023, to try and be omnipresent across areas.

Street Sweeping

·       Currently working on leaf hotspot areas to prevent localised flooding.

·       Any areas in need of sweeping should be brought to the Team’s attention.

Winter Works

·        The winter works programme had started, members’ requests should be submitted as soon as convenient.   (In some areas councillor walkabouts and meetings had taken place – lists agreed by Councillors would be worked through with Councillors during recent walkabouts).

·        As always, core works would be carried out first then prioritised list of requests.

Waste Services

·        Residua, Recycling and Garden waste collection services were all operating well.

·        Garden waste collections would end November/December.

·        Teams would continue to review existing collection rounds in order to cope with ongoing housing growth as well as controlled growth in take up of the garden waste service.

Other information

·        The kerbside glass recycling scheme trial continued, allowing more data to be gathered on volumes collected, servicing efficiency and participation rates etc.

·        A food waste trial had started in the same areas as the glass trial which would operate from the Morpeth depot on a weekly kerbside collection

Bereavement Services

·       The re-line of cremator 1 had been completed.

·       Works still to be finalised to the Muslim burial plot in Bedlington.

·       Additional drainage requested at the roundabout at Bedlington cemetery.

·       Stone wall mason now identified for the stone wall in St Nicholas churchyard in Cramlington.

In response to members’ questions, Mr Gribbin responded as follows:

·     Residents would receive a small caddy to store their food waste

·     The glass recycling trial had been extended to gather more data

·     The issue with overgrown branches at Glenluce bus stop should be forwarded to Leon Savage

·     Advice would be taken with the Countryside Team in relation to the flooding at Trinity Walk

·     The Countryside Team was aware of the problem of Ash die back.

·     The request for a campaign for garden waste bins to stop plant fly-tipping at Holywell Dene would be a corporate decision but this would be fed back to the Countryside Team

·     The issues at Lanercost Park, Maguire Street and play park in Weldon Road would be followed up

·     The damaged wood fence near CLV would be chased up

·     The Street Works Team would have contacts for utility companies for the media boxes

·     An update would be fed back regarding the broken entrance stone into Collingwood Chase.

The Chair conveyed his thanks to Mr Gribbin and his team, this was echoed by Members.

Mick Carle, Neighbourhood Services Manager, provided the following information:

·     All Highways  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62.

The report provides an update for members of the service provision for residents who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness, in Northumberland providing an outline of the key data and the services available for people sleeping rough. 

Vicki Flint, Homelessness and Housing Options Manager was in attendance and provided an update on the service provisions for residents who were homeless, or at risk of homelessness, in Northumberland.

The Council’s Homelessness Strategy detailed 5 key strategic priorities for the delivery of homelessness and housing options support for Northumberland residents.  Since that strategy had been published, national policy had impacted upon the services provided.

The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 – transformed the way homelessness services were delivered and introduced new duties. 

The Homelessness Code of Guide 2018 (COG 2018) – had been published in 2018 and considered alongside the legislation when assessing applications for assistance under the Homelessness Reduction Act.

The Government’s Rough Sleeping Strategy 2018, set out the 2027 vision to support every person sleeping rough.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 came into force in April 2021.  The Act aimed to further improve the effectiveness of the justice system in providing protection for victims of domestic abuse.

The Council’s new draft Homelessness Strategy, Homelessness & Rough Sleeper Strategy for Northumberland 2021-2024, set out the priorities and future actions for tackling homelessness over the next three years.  The priorities were listed in the report.

Current Council Provision – Housing Services currently managed 4 council owned properties, providing 32 rooms and 73 bed spaces, in addition, there were 3 self-contained flats, one in Alnwick and two in Berwick.

In addition, four additional properties had been acquired from Bernicia, specifically to support households who required temporary accommodation.

In 2020, Government funding was successfully obtained under the Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) for three further properties and a Tenancy Support Officer.

Commissioned Provision – with the enactment of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, it had been recognised that there was a requirement for increased availability of temporary accommodation for clients with complex needs.

Figures for rough sleeping in the county were reported to Government on an annual basis in the Autumn.  The count takes place on one night and partner organisations are asked to report how many people are found rough sleeping on that day.  The official annual count in 2020/21 identified 6 rough sleepers and in 202122 the number had been 4.

The table on page 39 of the report outlined the reasons for homelessness.

In response to members comments, Ms Flint responded as follows:-

·       It had been a very difficult time during Covid with an embargo on evictions.  There had been a big push to get rough sleepers into accommodation but they could not be forced to go into accommodation and could only be advised of the options.

·       Very often the Service would visit outreach services.

·       Sometimes people were frightened and the accommodation did not work out well for them.

·       The Homelessness Reduction Act placed a duty and people were encouraged to go into accommodation.

·       The Team was under pressure and totally reliant on the Homelessness Grant.  People came from different backgrounds and countries.

·       The Team worked closely with the Armed Forces Outreach Officer, who provided support to get people into  ...  view the full minutes text for item 63.

Gillian Cowell, Business and Community Engagement Officer, iNorthumberland Programme, will be in attendance to give a presentation and answer questions about the Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Acceleration (DCIA) project. 

Members were advised that this item had been withdrawn and would come back to a future meeting.

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).  

RESOLVED that the  Work Programme be noted.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 21 December 2022. 

The next meeting was scheduled for Wednesday 21 December 2022.