Fibre Optic Broadband Comes to. Stamfordham

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1 No.150 Stamfordham Communicator Jan SHROVE TUESDAY PANCAKE PARTY on 17th February 2015 at 6.30pm in Stamfordham Village Hall There is no charge for this event, but donations will be gratefully accepted. All are Welcome! Fibre Optic Broadband Comes to Stamfordham With this issue of Stamfordham Communicator, NCC has included a card about fibre optic broadband. The technology has been available for a week or two now and gives some broadband users the potential of speeds up to 80Mb/s on downloads. Having said that, we must draw readers attention to the following caveats: a) The speed of 80Mb/s is a potential maximum. It is NOT a guaranteed rate, because there are too many technical variables which may militate against it. So, while your speed should be considerably better than the present standard of about up to 8Mb/s within the village, do not expect 80 all the time and every time! b) FOBB does not come to you automatically you have to apply for it through your normal Internet Service Provider and you may have to pay more than on your present tariff. c) Your ISP may not provide this service to this village at all yet; though many are working towards it, not all are set up yet. To find out if you can benefit from FOBB, visit and follow the instructions. Do You Need a Babysitter? Available most weekday and weekend evenings. Reliable and trustworthy 18-year-old with 3 years experience and First Aid training. Have worked with children 6 months to 13 years old. References available on request. If interested, call Ellen Forsyth on or ellen@theforsyths.plus.com PONTELAND RAMBLERS Ponteland Ramblers have organised walks on the following dates in January: Sunday 18 th from Mitford. There will also be Wednesday walk on the 28 th, details still to be finalised. People who are not Ramblers members are welcome to join us as guests for a few walks. For more information contact Steve Edwards on I Give your electricity supplier credit where it s due..but don t let him get interest on it! don't normally write much in SC off my own bat (strictly speaking, it s not in my remit), but having watched last week s edition of The Martin Lewis Money Show (ITV) and having followed his advice two years in advance, as it were, I thought it might encourage some readers if I offered my own experience. Cont d on page 3 Stamfordham Community Breakfast on Sat. 7 th. Feb. at 9.30am in the Church on the Green TOPICAL ISSUES AFFECTING THE VILLAGE Free bacon butties & refreshments as usual All Welcome! 1

2 COAL, SMOKELESS FUEL, LOGS and KINDLING STICKS FOR SALE Contact Lee Bushby on or NORTHUMBRIAN TURF Suppliers of HARDWOOD LOGS and Dry, Seasoned Firewood per Dumpy Bag 3.50 per Small Bag 3.50 per bag for Kindling Sticks FREE DELIVERY AVAILABLE ALL YEAR ROUND

3 From page 1 I should make it clear that all of what I do in this respect is done online, though it s worth mentioning that if changes were required, the telephone might be almost as easy in getting things done needs a brave person to try it.. I was encouraged to write this by Phil de Spesse (!) and by seeing a member of the public telling Martin Lewis that she was - wait for it! in credit with her energy supplier! I nearly fell off my chair. Nobody should let their supplier get away with that - assuming that's not their monthly payment: I think that some companies ask to hold in credit a minimum of a month's DD payment, which seems reasonable, but if you have more, you should demand a refund you, not your supplier, should be getting the interest. A couple of years ago, I found that my electricity supplier at that time (rated one of the worst on the MLMS last week) was holding on to over 100 of my credit. It s true that I could have asked for a reimbursement, but only at the end of the year, when the supplier recalculated my monthly Direct Debit. So when I discovered a new, small supplier (as opposed to one of the Big Six ), which was offering 3% interest on credits and a better rate per unit (and which, it turns out, was rated one of the top three on the TV programme last week), I organised a quick and painless change. Added advantages are that if you use my present supplier, the only thing you have to do is send a meter reading monthly via its website. The website itself is very easy to use, supplies all the information you need and, importantly, includes the facility to set your own chosen level of monthly DD, judged against the company's recommended level. So far I have been well pleased with the supplier and would recommend it to anybody. Ed. Crime Update: Northumbria Police Neighbourhood News There have been two reported crimes in the Ponteland Rural during month of December 1 x Theft of Mobile Phone from office, Badger PH 1 x Theft of fencing wire, Matfen The low number of reported crimes is welcome news, particularly at this time of year. Please continue to report concerns or suspicious behaviour. Vigilance continues to be key in preventing crime in your area. Prompt reporting of any suspicious persons or vehicles can pay dividends. Police are more than happy to attend and check a report. Much rather we attend and verify the details of a genuine person or vehicle than fail to be warned of a potential criminal in the area. Feel like doing something new in New Year? There are various ways you can become involved in or find out more about various schemes to support policing in your communities. Community Messaging a monthly update of crime anti social behaviour and other campaigns in your area. FarmWatch Already a well supported scheme in the local area. Similar to community messaging whereby news and updates are sent out, although information covers whole of the county. Alerts are also sent if suspect vehicles etc have been reported locally or there is an appeal for information. There is also a Farmwatcher page on Facebook which gives alerts to crimes occurring in the area. Community Speedwatch The speed device has been away for it s annual service during December, and is now back in circulation. We look forward to welcoming five new volunteers to the scheme as the New Year unfolds. The next Police Surgery will be on Sat 7 th February 2015, at Belsay Shop PC 613 Lee Davison 101 ext NBM Ponteland Rural easttynedale.npt@northumbria.pnn.police.uk Upper Pont Dining Club Wed. 4 th. Feb. 6.45pm at Keeper Lodge Matfen Golf Club A NORTHUMBRIAN EVENING Pre-order multi-choice 2-course meal Featuring Andrew Davison and Tom McConville STAMFORDHAM WOMEN S INSTITUTE Wednesday 11 th. February 2015 Members Night The Coffee Morning before Christmas made Many thanks to all who worked so hard to make the event such a success meetings at FOR SALE 6ft x 3ft Antique Pine Table with four chairs in very good condition 150 ono Items for SC 151 to Editor by Wed. 11 th. February, please david@stanley92.freeserve.co.uk St. Quentin, Grange Ave. NE18 0PG Neither Stamfordham Parish Council nor the Editor endorses any advertisement in SC. 3

4 Looking for a Joiner, Painter, Decorator? Free, withoutobligation quotes No job too big or too small Any distance Contact: Philip Urwin or

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6 The following Agenda/Minutes arrived too late for the hard copy. The Minutes will be included in February s issue. Stamfordham Parish Council Website: Clerk Chairman Mr Ian Humphries Cllr E C T Trevelyan 25 Swaledale Gardens Low Cross House Newcastle upon Tyne Stamfordham NE7 7TA NE18 0PB Tel: Tel: ianhumphries1@sky.com Notice of Meeting A meeting of the Parish Council will be held in the Village Hall at 7.30pm on Wednesday 21 January Agenda 1. Apologies for absence. 2. To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Parish Council held on 19 November Matter arising from the Minutes, not otherwise on the Agenda. 4. Presentation on Flooding Resilience by Students from Ponteland High School 5. Planning Matters. Determinations GRANTED - 14/03241/FUL Replacement of existing fence, 14 Grange Road REFUSED - 14/03724/FUL - Proposed conservatory to rear, Dodley Farm 6. Expenditure Authorisation. D Stanley Stam Com Great North Air Ambulance - Grant Northumbria CAB - Grant 7. County Councillor s Report. 8. Play Area Update. 9. Correspondence not otherwise on the agenda Local bus services Fibre broadband availability in Stamfordham - Other business admitted by the Chairman as urgent 10. To confirm the date of the next meeting Wednesday 18 March 2015 MINUTES of the meeting of the Parish Council held on Wednesday 19 th November 2014 in Present : Councillor Trevelyan, Chairman Councillors: Boylan, Fitzpatrick and Wilson Clerk - I Humphries 40. Apologies for Absence An apology for absence was received from Councillor Smith. 41. Minutes of Meeting held on 17 September 2014 The minutes of the meeting of the Parish Council held on 17 September 2014 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. 42. Matters Arising from the Minutes Flooding and Resilience: minute 29 refers Cllr Boylan advised members on progress made in preparing a draft Plan. She advised that students from Ponteland 6 th Form were attending the village the following day on a Field Trip to look into flooding in Stamfordham. Weeds on road edges and footpaths: minute 32 refers It was noted that the weeds on road edges and footpaths had still not been done and that Cllr Jones be advised accordingly. Planning Matters 6

7 43. The Parish Council received the following- Determinations 14/00945/FUL: Demolition of Garage and erection of 5 detached houses Burnside Garage-Granted 13/02679/RENE: Erection of Wind Turbine land north east of Heatherslaw Heugh Refused New applications 14/03241/FUL: Replacement of existing fence, 14 Grange Road Members had submitted their views and were opposed to the proposal 14/03420/FUL: Proposed closure of BT phone box, Albermarle Barracks Members had no objection to the proposal 14/03724/FUL: Proposed conservatory to rear, Dodley Farm Members had no objection to the proposal 44. Expenditure Authorisation The following items were approved for payment D Stanley Stam Com issues 147 and Village Hall Poppy wreath Donation The Clerk advised members that the Audit of the Parish Council s accounts had been completed by BDO and the only minor comment had been to ensure the Internal Auditor provides a report or letter setting out her findings. Members were advised that Northumberland County Council had offered additional grass cutting in October and March at a cost of plus VAT Resolved: That the offer of addition crass cutting be accepted 45. Precept 2015/16 Members considered the Estimates for the current financial year and the 2015/2016 year. Resolved: That the precept for the financial year 2015/2016 be set at 5, Play Area Update It was reported that there had been a healthy 40 responses to the survey and that a report would be prepared for the next meeting. 47. Correspondence The following correspondence was received Local Hero recognition scheme } NALC Annual Report } received Community Action Annual Report } Archaeology in Northumberland report } 47. Grant Applications Members noted receipt of the following grant applications and were minded to award as follows at the next meeting Great North air Ambulance 100 Northumbria CAB 75 LegaCare Decline to grant 48. Website advertising The Chairman advised members that he had received a request to provide a link from the Parish Council s website to a not-for-profit website aimed at helping those who had lost their nearest and dearest. Members agreed that they were not disposed to agree to the request. 49. Hedges and bulb planting Members were advised of a request for hedges in the village to be trimmed. It was agreed that this matter be referred to Councillor Jones for consideration of action by the County Council. In respect of bulb planting, a request for the Parish Council to provide planting in Dalton was declined 50. Firework Display Reference was made to a very successful firework display which had attracted a large number of spectators. There had been some issues relating to cars parked on pavements, blocking wheelchairs and it was noted that these matters would be taken on board for next year. Date of next meeting Wednesday 21 January 2015 at 7.30pm 7