Minutes of the Meeting of the Council,

 held at the Community Pavilion, Llys Ben, Northop Hall

on Tuesday, 10th July,  2007,  at 7.00 p.m.

      Present:  Councillors   A Bailey, Mrs G Jones (Chair), K Hughes, E Pierce,

1.     A P O L O G I E S  :  Mrs  C Hughes, J Lamb, Mrs H Lamb, T Mallinson,

                                         M. Richardson & W Tait      

2.     A C C E P T A N C E   O F   O F F I C E

            -        Deferred

3.     M I N U T E S

The Minutes of the meeting of 12th June, 2007, were approved, and signed by the Chairman.

4.    V I S I T O R

- Mr Peter Pugh, Area Worker.

The numbers attending the youth club were disappointing.

Mr Pugh described a youth challenge scheme, which might be an incentive for more youngsters to attend.  It involved setting challenges, which would attract rewards and officially recognised accreditation for the workplace.

There was no agreement in place to continue the part funding of youth leaders beyond September, 2007.

Mr Pugh had arranged to meet the Pavilion Committee on 19th July.

The Council would await the outcome of the meeting.  If the youth club were to continue, it was requested  that the Council be kept informed of the programme of activities. 

5    M A T T E R S   A R I S I N G

It was reported that hedges had been cut back, but there were high hedges, where only the bottom half had been cut  The Clerk to seek an explanation.

6.   C H A I R M A N ’ S   R E M A R K S

The Chairman had attended The Buckley Civic Service and The Chairman of Flintshire County Council’s Civic Service.  The Queensferry Service had been deferred.

7.    C O U N C I L   M A T T E R S 

a)  CLERK’S REPORT

FOOTPATHS

Groundworks’ Access & Countryside Officer, Jonathon Fisher had written to ask whether he could come to discuss the potential for Rights of Way  improvement work   He was particularly interested in footpaths that formed circular routes and had opportunities for better access.

The Council would not be meeting in August; and a visit from  Cadwyn Clwyd was already scheduled for September.

It was suggested that both visits could take place at the same time.

Members were asked to consider which footpaths they considered to be in need of improvement.

FLINTSHIRE U.D.P.

Notes had been received from the Planning Inspectorate, following the pre-enquiry meeting, held on the 26th June.

It was agreed, that the Council did want to make an appearance at the Inquiry; and the Clerk was asked to contact the Programme Officer, so that arrangements could be made.

CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED

                       · Article from Barry Davies, concerning the demise of Dunvant Community Council.  Clerk asked to copy to all Members with next notice of meeting.

                       · Request for financial assistance from Shelter Cymru

                       · Notification of impending memorial inspections in Hawarden, Treuddyn and Flint.

                       · Ombudsman’s annual Report 06/07

CONSULTATION

Flintshire County Council

Environment & Regeneration

There were no objections to:

043388 - Amendments to the location of the kickback wall and teenage

              shelter.

043473 - Rear kitchen extension and side conservatory extension, at The 

              Laurels, Village Road, for Mr & Mrs Cook

043557 - Single storey pvc-u conservatory to side elevation of Ty Fach,

              Church Close, for Mr J Hughes

       b)  HIGHWAY MATTERS

Cllr. Pierce drew Members’ attention to dog fouling.

Agreed, to look into the provision of a bin on the Elm Drive/Brookside footpath.  

 c)   There were no LIGHTING MATTERS

d)   REPORTS

PAVILION

Cllr. Bailey reported that there was an overspend in excess of £2000 for the year ended July 07.  Cllr. Lamb advised  that electricity costs were being looked into.

Members discussed the lack of promotion of the building as a public facility,  the lack of use of the building by village groups, and the lack of fund-raising activities.

Cllr. Bailey was asked to raise the matter of fund-raising activities, in particular, with the Committee.

e)   FOOTPATHS

See agenda item 7a, Clerk’s report.

8        F I N A N C I A L   M A T T E R S

(a)   It was agreed, to adhere to the following recommendations, made  by the 

       Internal auditor, in his report for the year 2006/7 :  

1 That the annual risk assessment should incorporate a review of the SLA’s

   and any other ongoing agreements with the County Council.   

2  That all Minutes, including authorised payments. be signed/ initialled

    by the Chair.

 (b)  Accounts, amounting to £1061.55 were approved for payment

      (c)  The financial projection & budget statement were received

9.      D U R A T I O N   O F   M E E T I N G

        The meeting of Northop Hall Community Council of  10th July,  2007 ended at

        8.40 p.m.

                                                                                          ------------------------

                                                                                          Chairman

N O R T H O P   H A L L

C O M M U N I T Y   C O U N C I L

A C C O U N T S   F O R   P A Y M E N T ,

J U L Y  ,   2 0 0 7

                          PAYEE                                      AMOUNT

                 Scottish Power                                    £   170.01

                  NWP                                                £   163.25

                  Mrs A Greenland                               £   728.29

                                                         £ 1061.55

                                                                                 ------------------------

                                                                                          Chairman

Minutes of an Extraordinary Meeting of the Council,

 held at the Community Pavilion, Llys Ben, Northop Hall

on Tuesday, 21st August,  2007,  at 7.00 p.m.

      Present:  Councillors    K Hughes, Mrs G Jones (Chair),  Mrs H Lamb, J Lamb,

                    T Mallinson,  E Pierce, M Richardson, W.Tait, & T Wallbank

1.  There were no APOLOGIES

2.  SIGNING OF DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE.

     Mr William Tait signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

3.  A494 DROME CORNER TO EWLOE IMPROVEMENT

     SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVE ROUTES A1,A2, B & C

Members debated the question of supporting one of the options drafted by the Assembly Government, in response to letters of objection suggesting that ‘an alternative route should primarily involve re-routing traffic onto existing road infrastructure, including utilising the Flintshire Bridge, and providing a link from it to the A55 ‘

Cllrs. Richardson and Tait spoke in favour of supporting an alternative route. 

The need for 70 m.p.h. speed was questioned.  Safety issues were highlighted, and the  plans for the Plough and Aston junctions were discussed.  It was not clear whether existing proposals included the closure of entry and exit to Ewloe roundabout.

Cllr Tait commented on the problems in the vicinity of Northop Hall that would be encountered during construction of the Welsh Assembly’s current widening proposals.

It was questioned as to whether heavy goods vehicles from Ireland would use the alternative routes.

Cllr. J Lamb opposed any new routes being constructed, which he described as potentially blighting the countryside.

The paramount consideration for Northop Hall residents, he maintained,  was the problem of Wepre Lane and Vinegar Hill, which would be totally alleviated by the construction of a bridge/viaduct from the new proposed roundabout at the top of Vinegar Hill to Wepre Lane.

Following consultations with Flintshire Highways, there was reason to suppose that such a bridge, in conjuction with existing proposals,  was a distinct possibility.

It was proposed by  Cllr. Richardson, and seconded by Cllr. Tait, that  the Community Council support the proposed alternative route A1.

Cllr, J Lamb proposed an amendment, seconded by Cllr. Mallinson, that all four  alternatives be rejected, in favour of the Council’s original resolution to support the Welsh Assembly’s proposals, subject to there being a bridge from the Vinegar Hill roundabout to Wepre Lane.

Voting was 6 to 3 in favour. The amendment was carried.

4.   Accounts for Payment

     The following account was presented for payment : 

          Scottish Power        ..                              £  170.01

There being no other business, the meeting closed at 7.55 p.m.

                                                                                          ..................................

                                                                                                   Chairman

NOTICE OF

 AN ORDINARY MEETING OF THE COUNCIL

To be held on Tuesday, 11th September,  2007

in the Community Pavilion, Llys Ben, Northop Hall,

 at 7.00 p.m.

AGENDA

  1.  Apologies for absence

  2. Visitors :  Sian Roberts & Vicky Knaggs/Cadwyn Clwyd

                     Jonathon Fisher /Groundwork (Provisional)

  3  To approve the Minutes of the  meeting of the Council, held on 10th July, 2007,

      & to authorise that they be signed by the Chairman.

  4.  Matters Arising

  5  To approve the Minutes of the extraordinary  meeting of the Council, held on 21st      

      August, 2007,  & to authorise that they be signed by the Chairman.

  6  Matters Arising

  7   Chairman’s Remarks

  8   Council Matters

         a)  Clerk’s Report

         b)  Highway Matters

         c)  Lighting Matters

         d)  Reports from representatives on outside bodies

         e)  Items relating to footpaths.

  9   Financial Matters :

             a)   Accounts for Payment

      b)   To receive the current financial projection, and budget statement

10.  Duration of meeting

Residents are welcome to observe                                

                                                                                   ...............................

                                                                                          Clerk

Clerk: Mrs A Greenland, 7 Hazelwood Crescent, Hawarden, Deeside, CH5 3JZ