Minutes of the meeting of Matfen Parish Council held on
Tuesday 24th September 2024 at 19:00 in Matfen Village Hall
PRESENT: Cllr Mrs S Greaves, Chair to the Council together with Cllrs J Dempsey, K George and F Robson.
924.01 To receive questions from residents in relation to Matfen Parish.
a) Ingoe road safety. It was noted the planning application to construct 2no detached 4 bedroom dwellings on the land to the North of Ingoe Chapel had been approved. Concerns were expressed by residents regarding the increased number of vehicles travelling through Ingoe. It was RESOLVED that road safety in Ingoe would be added to the list of priorities for inclusion in the 2025-26 Local Transport Plan Programme. Minute 0924.11 refers.
924.02 To consider co-option to fill one vacancy. It was proposed by Cllr K George, seconded by Cllr F Robson and RESOLVED to co-opt Darcy Elles onto the Parish Council. Mr Elles gave and signed his declaration of acceptance of office and joined the meeting.
924.03 Apologies for absence received and accepted from Cllr T Webb.
924.04 To receive Declarations of Interest. Cllr Mrs S Greaves declared a personal interest in item 924.09 planning application 23/01450/FUL as a resident of Ingoe. Cllr D Elles declared a personal and prejudicial interest in all matters relating to Matfen Estates.
924.05 County Councillor’s Report. Cllr Mrs V Jones gave her verbal report on matters relating to Matfen Parish and Northumberland County Council as a whole.
a) Children’s Services. Northumberland County Council’s Children’s Services have been rated outstanding overall by Ofsted. It was noted that 95% of schools in Northumberland have been rated good or outstanding. The last school in Northumberland that was rated inadequate has just been rated good by Ofsted.
b) Fenwick speed limit. The 30mph limit through Fenwick has now been implemented.
c) Members Scheme. Cllr Mrs V Jones has funds remaining in her members scheme for capital projects over £2000.
d) Town and Parish Council Conference. The conference will be held on Thursday 3rd October 2024 at 17:00 in County Hall.
e) Surface dressing had been carried out on the Waterloo to Fenwick road and also the Fens road.
f) Halton Shield. Following the report that was carried out on the Military Road, signage and road markings will be installed imminently as part of the Local Transport Plan Programme.
924.06 To approve and sign the minutes of the meetings held on 30th July 2024. The minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 30th July were approved and signed as an accurate record of the meeting.
924.07 Actions taken following the meetings held on 30th July 2024.
a) Litter bin. Minute 0724.09d refers. New litter bin has been purchased and placed on the village green. The clerk will send a request to Northumberland County Council to remove the old litter bin.
b) Public Toilets. Minute 0724.09c refers. Northumberland County Council had been advised of the repairs needed to the public toilets.
c) Ashtree dieback. Minute 0724.11 refers. The trees had been reported to Northumberland County Council.
d) Local Planning Policy ECN15. Minute 0724.08c refers. Although it was felt that the context of Policy ECN15 was very subjective and open to interpretation, it was RESOLVED that Cllr J Dempsey will raise questions to be sent to Rob Murfin, Northumberland County Council.
924.08 Finance/Administration
a) Accounts for payment – It was RESOLVED to accept and approve the list of payments on the attached schedule.
| Payee | Details | Gross payment | VAT | Net Payment | Payment method |
| Mrs A Senior | Clerical services | 561.60 | 561.60 | BACS | |
| H M Revenue & Customs | PAYE | 140.40 | 140.40 | BACS | |
| Mrs A Senior | Play area inspections | 75.00 | 75.00 | BACS | |
| Matfen Village Hall | Hall rent – September 2024 | 15.00 | 15.00 | BACS | |
| L Paterson | Public toilet cleaning – July | 50.00 | 50.00 | BACS | |
| L Paterson | Public toilet cleaning – Aug | 75.00 | 75.00 | BACS | |
| L Paterson (Amazon) | Toilet rolls | 26.09 | 26.09 | BACS | |
| Matfen Cricket Club | Grass cutting | 60.00 | 60.00 | BACS | |
| Unity Trust Bank | Bank charges | 18.00 | 18.00 | DD | |
| Matfen Cricket Club | Grass cutting | 60.00 | 60.00 | BACS | |
| Mrs A Senior | Postages/travel expenses | 61.85 | 61.85 | BACS | |
| Income | |||||
| Northumberland CC | Precept payment | 6000.00 | 6000.00 | 06.09.24 |
b) To consider requests for grant aid from the following:
· Sport Tynedale – It was RESOLVED to send a contribution of £50.00.
· Calvert Kielder – It was RESOLVED to send a contribution of £50.00.
· Matfen Cricket Club. It was agreed in principle to pay for the grass cutting of the football field subject to costs. Cllr J Dempsey will forward the costs and the schedule for the 2025 season once received.
924.09 Planning Applications. It was RESOLVED that the Council receive the details of the Planning Applications and decisions made by Northumberland County Council, in accordance with the list circulated.
Planning applications
| Reference Number | Address | Description |
| 24/01947/FUL | 9 The Oaks, Matfen | Replace existing garden room and construct new single storey side extension, extend rear patio. GRANTED |
| 24/02054/VARYCO | Land West of Rose Cottage, Kearsley Farm, Ingoe | Variation of condition 2 (plans) on approved application 22/01192/VARYCO in order to add an extension to house a therapy pool to Unit 1. GRANTED |
| 24/02155/FUL | Land Northeast of West Fenwick Farm, Fenwick | Conversion and extension of existing vacant stone field barn into a 2-bedroom private dwelling with detached garage. GRANTED |
| 24/01116/FUL | Land Southwest of Tongues Barn, Kirkheaton | Retrospective: Installation of 1no two storey glamping hut with external decking and terrace, plus associated paths, parking area and groundworks for drainage/services. GRANTED |
| 23/01450/FUL | Land to North of Ingoe Chapel, Ingoe | Demolition of existing derelict agricultural buildings and construction of 2no detached 4-bedroom dwellings including associated access, parking and landscaping. GRANTED |
| 24/02536/VARYCO | Land to north of Kearsley Farm, Ingoe | Variation of condition 2 (approved plans) in order to make amendment to floor plans and elevations to Unit 1 on approved planning application 22/03990/FUL GRANTED |
924.10 Village Issues and Highways Matters.
a) The Black Bull had been stripped out and the windows replaced. It is hoped it will open for business next year.
924.11 To consider additional priorities to be submitted as part of Local Transport Plan [LTP]. It was RESOLVED at the July meeting to submit the following priority:
- Extension of the Footpath Leading South Out of Matfen. We request an extension of the existing footpath on the road heading south out of Matfen, directly opposite Matfen Hall Hotel. The extension should be approximately 20 metres to connect the current footpath to the quarry road. This road is a frequently used walking route, attracting both locals and visitors. At present, the footpath terminates before reaching the quarry road, creating a gap that requires pedestrians to walk on a road with a speed limit of 60 mph. This poses a safety risk, especially given the popularity of the route. The extension would greatly enhance pedestrian safety by providing a continuous and safer walking route. We believe that this improvement will significantly contribute to the safety and accessibility of the area, supporting both local residents and visitors.
It was RESOLVED to also add the following to the request:
- Road safety in Ingoe Village. Ingoe is a small rural village characterised by narrow single-track roads and a lack of pavements, which presents numerous safety concerns, particularly due to increased traffic. The village experiences a mix of vehicles, including residential cars, large agricultural machinery, and delivery vehicles. The narrow roads lead to vehicles encroaching on verges, and this is further compounded by the fact that the village has an open children’s play area at its centre, increasing the risk to pedestrians, especially young children. We urge the Council to work closely with the community to explore potential traffic management solutions aimed at improving safety for all road users. We believe that these measures are necessary to address the ongoing safety concerns and to ensure the well-being of Ingoe’s residents and visitors.
924.12 Any urgent business as allowed by the chairman/Agenda items for next meeting [ For information only]. It was RESOLVED to discuss the possibility of a Neighbourhood Plan. This will be an agenda item for the November meeting.