Present

Councillors G Baxter : M Brader : D Cheetham : M Emmens : T Furniss : C A Gill : F Higgins : D Hill (Town Mayor) : Mrs K M Marr : W I Pryce : Mrs C A Smith : J Sorrill : S P Temple : Mrs W M Temple: J Williams.

Prior to the meeting, Mr John Morris of the Gosforth Playing Fields Association gave a brief presentation, explaining how the Association was formed and what its aims and objectives were.

He started by explaining that the playing fields were leased from Derbyshire County Council on a long-term lease following the middle school’s closure. At the time of acquisition, there were four pitches and there are now eleven pitches on the twenty-acre site. Access has been maintained through the ‘old car park’, and they have joined the National Playing Fields Association.

Temporary portacabins are being used for storage and some changing facilities with showers have been erected on the site. Local football and rugby clubs are involved on the management committee and the annual running costs for grounds maintenance etc are in the region of £12,000.

Mr Morris then gave a brief overview of what they would like to do regarding the provision of purpose built changing rooms, club rooms and other facilities and that bids would be made to national funders to provide external funding in the region of three million pounds in the long term.

Mr Morris was thanked for his presentation.

Mr Alec Whiteley of Brook Close spoke about the application by Westbury Homes to build on the former school site at Gosforth. He expressed concern about the type of dwellings on the western edge of the development, which were proposed to be three-storey dwellings and thought they were too close to existing houses. He stated that access to the site may cause problems onto Stubley Lane and that problems may arise during the construction phase. He asked the Council to support his views when it would be discussed later in the meeting.

98. RESOLVED

That apologies be received and accepted for the reasons stated.

Councillor N R Foster	Other business
Councillor E Hodd	Other business
Councillor J Stocks	Other business
Councillor M Wing	Work

Youth Matters

None raised.

 

Police Matters

Sgt David Oliver attended for this item and outlined some of the current problems. There had been a spate of house burglaries lately with criminals kicking in residential doors and stealing LCD or plasma televisions from homes. Three police forces had joined together in a special initiative and extra patrols are now in place in Dronfield.

Assaults were slightly up on last year, but significantly the extension to local licensing hours had not led to an increase in crime or disorder.

Sgt Oliver was thanked for his report.

 

Council Minutes

Members considered the Minutes of the meeting of Council held on 5^th December 2005. (Pages 57 – 64)

99. RESOLVED

That the Minutes of the meeting of Dronfield Town Council held on 5^th December 2005 (pages 57 – 64) be received and accepted as a true record of events and that the Town Mayor be duly authorised to sign them as such.

1. Planning Applications

98. RESOLVED

That prior to any decision being made by North East Derbyshire District Council the planning committee be requested to convene a site visit to consider certain local comments and concerns.

 

Reference 05/01267/OL – Outline application for the demolition of existing bungalow and construction of two detached houses (all matters reserved)

99. RESOLVED

That Members requested that North East Derbyshire District Council convenes a site visit prior to any decision and that further details of proposals be sought. (Subsequently, North East Derbyshire District Council informed that objections had been received from the highway authority concerning this application).

Reference 05/01432/LB – Listed Building Consent to remove internal wall and reinstate internal window (Listed Building)

100. RESOLVED

That Members be supplied with more detailed information concerning which wall was to be removed, and whether this would entail the entertainment room being made larger.

1. Planning Decisions

98. RESOLVED

That the schedule be received and noted.

1. Planning Appeals

1. Appeal against the decision of North East Derbyshire District Council against the felling of one common lime tree at 76 Melbourne Avenue.
2. Appeal against the decision of North East Derbyshire District Council against refusal of consent for planning permission in respect of development at 16/17 Snape Hill.

104. RESOLVED

That the information be received and noted.

Members were made aware of their ongoing legal obligation to notify any change to their declaration of interest under the above code.

Members considered the Town Clerk’s report on various issues and projects.

1. Stonelow Pavilions

104. RESOLVED

That the information be received and noted.

2. Outside Services

Members were informed of works and tasks being undertaken by outside services staff.

105. RESOLVED

That the information be received and noted.

3. Notice of Completion of Audit

104. RESOLVED

That this report be received and noted.

3. Strategic Health Authority

104. RESOLVED

1. That the consultation document be received and noted.
2. That Dronfield Town Council would wish for the proposal to amalgamate the Primary Care Trusts of North East Derbyshire, Bolsover and Chesterfield to create a more manageable Primary Care Trust for the North Derbyshire area be considered.

3. Dronfield Gala 2006

104. RESOLVED

That North East Derbyshire District Council be informed that the Council give permission for the use of Cliffe Park to hold the Dronfield Gala on Sunday, 9^th July 2006.

3. Civic Sunday 2006

104. RESOLVED

That Churches Together in Dronfield be notified that this Council agree to Civic Sunday 2006 being held on 25^th June 2006.

3. Derbyshire Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy

104. RESOLVED

That the information be received and noted.

3. North East Derbyshire Local Plan

104. RESOLVED

That the information be received and noted.

3. Publications Received

104. RESOLVED

That the schedule be received and noted.

 

Representatives on Outside Bodies

Members were informed that Mr John Searson had tendered his resignation as the Council’s representative on the Henry Fanshaw Foundation.

105. RESOLVED

1. That Councillor David Hill be appointed as this Council’s representative on the Henry Fanshaw Foundation.
2. That Mr John Searson be thanked for his years of service and commitment in representing the Council on the Foundation.

Members considered a schedule of courses and conferences.

104. RESOLVED

That the Clerk be authorised to attend a conference on Thursday 9^th March 2006 at 6.00 pm in Bakewell Town Hall concerning ‘Councils Achieving Quality Status’ at a cost of £10 per delegate.

1. Notes of the Properties Working Group held on 20^th December 2006

104. RESOLVED

That the notes be received and noted.

1. Notes of the Budget Working Group held on 16^th December 2005

104. RESOLVED

That a Special Meeting of Dronfield Town Council be convened for 7.30 pm in Gosforth Lodge on 23^rd January 2006 to consider amended budget proposals.

 

Schedule of Payments (Appendix 2)

Members considered a schedule of payments for the month of November 2005 in the amount of £33,581.65 drawn on the Council’s No 1 Account.

 

105. RESOLVED

That the schedule of payments in the amount of £33,581.65 be received, noted and approved.

 

Schedule of Receipts (Appendix 3)

Members considered a schedule of receipts for the month of November 2005 in the amount of £41,680.83 paid into the Council’s No 2 account.

106. RESOLVED

That the schedule of receipts in the amount of £41,680.83 be received, noted and approved.

 

Public Forum

Mrs Susan Ingham, of High Street, remarked on Sgt Oliver’s comments to the Council and stated that she had spoken to him concerning the anti-social behaviour that was taking place in High Street and Church Street. Mrs Ingham said that glasses were being smashed and broken glass was littering the roads and pavements in this area, and alleged that shop windows had been vandalised. Mrs Ingham also expressed concern about the proposals to demolish an internal wall at the Blue Stoops and hoped it would not result in an increased capacity in the entertainment rooms.

 

Exclusion of the Public and Press

107. RESOLVED

That the public be now excluded from the meeting during the discussion of the following items of business to avoid the disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended by the Freedom of Information Act (2004).

Members considered a report informing of recent resignations and internal staff appointments to fill these vacancies. Advertisements had been placed to offer two current vacancies and it was hoped these would be filled in the next two to three weeks.

The Town Clerk left the meeting at this juncture and in his absence Members were informed that an ex employee was not proceeding with allegations previously made.