Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that this was noted.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors: Castle, Clark, Hardy and Seymour

Unless already entered in the Council’s Register of Members’ interests, members are required to disclose any personal interest (which includes any disclosable pecuniary interest) they may have in any of the items included on the agenda for the meeting in accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the Council on 4 July 2012, and are reminded that if they have any personal interests of a prejudicial nature (as defined under paragraph 17 of the Code Conduct) they must not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must leave the room. NB Any member needing clarification must contact the monitoring officer by email at monitoringofficer@northumberland.gov.uk . Please refer to the guidance on disclosures at the rear of this agenda letter.

Councillor Hunter explained that she had a personal and prejudicial interest on item 7 of the agenda and would be speaking as the local member in the public speaking slot but would take no part in the debate or vote.

Minutes of the meeting of the North Northumberland Local Area Council held on Monday, 24 January 2022, as circulated, to be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.??

Councillor Hunter advised that there was an error with the name Scremerston.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the North Northumberland Local Area Council held on Monday, 24 January 2022 as circulated, be confirmed as a true record and be signed by the Chair with the above amendment noted 

Councillor Bridgett proposed that Councillor Thorne chair the planning section in the absence of the planning chair, seconded by Councillor Hill, this was unanimously agreed. 

Councillor Thorne then took the Chair

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 no longer 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 this was noted.

Change of use of land for the sitting of up to 60 static caravans, along with associated infrastructure and hard and soft landscaping.

Land North West of Springwood Coast View, Swarland

T. Lowe – Principle Planning Officer, introduced the application and gave the following updates:

·       There was an error on condition 2 where it referred to Plans, the Planting Strategy drawing and should read P07 and not P06.

·       In paragraph 8.75 and in the recommendation in paragraph 9.1, the Coastal Mitigation service should read £10,080 and not £10,040.

·       3 late representations had been received and had been circulated to members

Following a PowerPoint presentation, Councillor Thorne introduced the public speaking section.

J. Stent spoke in objection to the application and gave the following information:

·       There was no restaurant, church or pub in Swarland and the full-time shop and post office had closed several years ago.

·       No public transport.

·       It was stated in the report that the development was self-contained within the existing golf course and holiday park, however the proposed site was not near the other caravans and lodges already on site but on the periphery of the golf course.

·       Proposed screening on the eastern boundary was indistinct and non-existent on the southern side of the boundary.

·       There was no information regarding the supply of the caravans or the design, shape, size or how environmentally friendly the caravans would be.

·       There were issues regarding drainage, sewerage, and flooding in the area with no consideration to a long-term solution.

S. Stanley spoke on behalf of Newton on the Moor and Swarland Parish Council and gave the following information:

·       The proposed site would be immediately outside the new Northumberland Local Plan’s settlement boundary for Swarland.

·       The development would intrude on the existing long-established community and merged holiday accommodation with regular housing.

·       The planned site would be a higher density than the rest of the holiday park.

·       The inappropriateness of 60 holiday lets so close to existing and planned housing.

·       The parish council questioned the need for further such developments in Swarland and had no confidence in the proposed arrangements for foul and surface water.

H. Elms spoke in support of the application and gave the following information:

·       The application had been submitted for over two years, and there had been a series of meetings with the Parish Council, residents, and the adjacent land owner.

·       The drainage scheme within the application provided localised betterment in terms of drainage into the network, confirmed by Northumbrian Water and the Flood Authority.

·       Highways had withdrawn their concerns and the entrance to the extension would be through the main gates.

·       The issues around ecology had been accepted and would be controlled by planning conditions. 

·       There was no reserved matters application so far.

Following members questions to the planning officers, the following information was provided:

·       There were plans to enlarge the existing ditch’s width from 1m-1.5m to 5m-7m

·       With the mitigation measures in the application, the risk of flooding from surface water drainage would be reduced.

·       The drainage officer was content with the mitigation and stated that the measures put forward would not increase the risk of flooding.

·       There were no Great Crested Newt breeding ponds affected by the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 121.

Reserved Matters Application pursuant to planning permission 18/00828/OUT for access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale.

Land North and West of Hillcrest, East Ord, Northumberland

Councillors Bridgett, Renner-Thompson and Watson declared an interest in the application as they are directors of Advance Northumberland and left the meeting.

V. Cartmell – Planning Area Manager, introduced the application with a Powerpoint presentation and gave the following updates:

·       In condition 5, the Bat and Bird nesting features at a ratio of one per dwelling would be a total of 30.

Councillor Hunter spoke as the local member on this application and gave the following information:

·       The application should be considered against the NPPF and emerging Northumberland Local Plan.

·       Ord Parish Council would welcome the 15% affordable housing but were concerned that these would still be unaffordable to local families.

·       There were concerns around the speed limit on the entrance to the development and Ord Parish Council had requested if the speed could be reduced.

·       Concerns over a popular Public Right of Way along the edge of the A698

·       Concerns with water supply into Berwick and surrounding areas and issues with new developments.

Councillor Hunter took no further part in the application.

Lee Fulcher spoke on behalf of the applicant and in support of the application and gave the following information:

·       The application would assist with a range of local needs.

·       There were 5 affordable houses with 70% Open Market Value which was required by Northumberland County Councils Affordable Housing Officer

·       As part of the proposal, the applicant would upgrade the Public Right of Way, to a standard suitable for increased use and shared with cyclists. Including lighting and the removal of the access gate to promote accessibility.

·       EV charger points would be provided in accordance with Northumberland County Council Sustainability Policies.

·       The application would provide 30 Bird and Bat box nests, gaps in fences for small wildlife and wildflower meadows.

Following questions from Members to the Planning Officers, the following information was provided:

·       The application was a reserved matters application, therefore Members could not discuss speed limits.

·       The management company would be in charge of dealing with the communal land in terms of grass cutting.

Councillor Pattison proposed to grant planning permission with the conditions set out in the report, this was seconded by Councillor Hill.

Councillor Mather supported the application but mentioned that the speed limit needed to be re-evaluated and reduced to 30mph with the covering costs funded by the applicant.

A vote was taken, and it was unanimously:

RESOLVED that the application be GRANTED permission with the conditions outlined in the report.

Councillor Bridgett and Councillor Renner-Thompson returned to the meeting.

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 this was noted.

For Members’ information to report the agreement monitoring and collection of s106 contributions in the planning process.?  This is a monthly report and relates to agreements throughout Northumberland during the previous monthly period.

RESOLVED that this was noted.

A comfort break took place at this point.

Councillor Bridgett returned to 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 received.

This item is to:??

(a)    Receive any new petitions:?to receive any new petitions. The lead petitioner is entitled to briefly introduce their petition?and a response to any petitions received will then be organised for a future meeting.?

(b)   Consider reports on petitions previously received:??

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

(a)      There had been two new petitions received:

·       To declare Berwick-Upon-Tweed a smoke control area to help mitigate against emissions

·       Extend 20 mph speed limit areas in Berwick to help combat air pollution and increase safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

(b)      There were no petition reports for the committee to consider.

(c)      There were no updates from previous petitions.

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.??

Highways

G. Bucknall – Lead Highways Delivery Manager provided a verbal update on North area highways. The update and subsequent questions included information on the following:

·       30 out of 31 major resurfacing schemes had been completed, Swansfield Park Road footpath would be the last scheme to be completed.

·       2022-23 surfacing schemes were due to start with Swansfield Park Road carriageway.

·       Since the last meeting, resurfacing had been carried out at Rennington, Embleton and Sunnyside – Berwick.

·       Berwick Leisure Centre had been completed.

·       Beadnell, Bambrough and The Braid car parks were taking part in the Motorhome pilot scheme.

·       Highways inspectors had been out completing routine maintenance and addressing complaints.

·       Storm Arwen & Malek recovery was ongoing.

·       Winter Services had ended and had gone well in the mild Winter.

·       Northumberland County Council had still not received new Gully Wagons, as these were currently in Stakeford being set up.

·       The new bus shelter at Shilbottle had been vandalised

Councillor Mather queried if Northumberland County Council could complete a press-release to educate land owners of their responsibilities regarding fallen trees, leaning trees, hedges, and debris from Storm Arwen.

Councillors thanked Graham and the team for their ongoing hard work.

Neighbourhood Services

B. Hodgson - Neighbourhood Services Area Manager provided a verbal update on North area neighbourhood issues. The update and subsequent questions included?the following information:?? 

·       Ground teams had recovered slightly from Storm Arwen and Malek due to milder weather and were on target with scheduled Winter Works.

·       The teams were on the final stages of preparation for grass cutting, with all the equipment serviced.

·       There had been changes to routes in Alnwick, Berwick and outlying areas to increase efficiency.

·       The final stages of seasonal recruitment for grounds maintenance positions were underway.

·       Weed control would be taken by Northumberland County Council for the upcoming Summer due to the success of previous years and teams would be using the blue dye again following positive feedback pre-pandemic.

·       Two small new sweepers had been purchased for gully cleaning.

·       Two additional waste collection vehicles would be received due to an increase of funding.

Councillors thanked Bob and the team for their ongoing hard work. 

To receive a presentation and an update on the Northumbrian Music Partnership.

D. Francis and R. Johnstone introduced themselves to the committee and gave a brief presentation on the Music Partnership North.

D. Francis explained the purpose and mission of the Music Partnership North was to support children learning about music and unlocking potential and the commitment to enrich the lives of all children and young people in Northumberland and Newcastle through engagement and participation in quality music activities and explained that inclusion was incredibly important part to the scheme.

The funding for the Music Partnership was from the Department for Education through the Arts Council.

The core and extension roles of the Music Partnership were:

a.    Ensure that every child aged 5-18 has the opportunity to learn a musical instrument through whole-class ensemble teaching programmes for ideally a year of weekly tuition on the same instrument.

b.    Provide opportunities to play in ensembles and to perform from an early stage.

c.     Ensure that clear progression routes were available and affordable to all young people.

d.    Develop a singing strategy to ensure that every pupil sings regularly and that choirs and other vocal ensembles were available in the area.

e.    Offer CPD to school staff, particularly in supporting schools to deliver music in the curriculum.

f.      Provide an instrument loan service, with discounts or free provision for those on low incomes.

g.    Provide access to large scale and/or high-quality music experiences for pupils, working with professional musicians and/or venues. This may include undertaking work to publicise the opportunities available to schools, parents/carers, and students.

Covid-19 had been a huge challenge to the partnership, from which the scheme had to adapt and move to an online for a period of time, with support from Northumberland County Council and had gained positive feedback from parents and students who were home-schooling during lockdown around wellbeing and mental health.

The next steps for the Music Partnership were to reach out to non-engaged schools, review progression, develop SEND provision and develop an online or hybrid offer to overcome geographical difficulties.

A large-scale concert had been discussed with members and the difficulties with organising such an event, including finding venues that were large enough to cater for all the students from different schools as well as high costs of transportation from schools closer to Berwick. The Music Partnership has had an online event for the past few years known as the “Big Gig” which schools joined in virtually but were currently looking at doing smaller concerts in areas of Northumberland and had previously used venues such as Concordia Leisure Centre – Cramlington and Alnwick Garden and Alnwick Playhouse.

Councillors thanked D. Francis and R. Johnstone for their work with the Music Partnership.

Details of the North Northumberland Members Local Improvement Schemes for the period 2021-22 are provided for information only.?

RESOLVED that this was noted.

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 this was noted.

The next meeting of the North Northumberland Local Area Council is scheduled for Thursday, 21 April 2022 at 3.00 p.m.

RESOLVED that this was noted.