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No. 177 April 2017

The Swinburne Arms 31, North Side, Stamfordham , NE18 0QG 01661 886015 www.swinburnearms.com

The recent Marie Curie coffee morning was, without a doubt, a resounding success, with the grand total of £1,050 being raised. This money has gone directly to the Marie Curie Hospice in Newcastle upon Tyne. We would like to thank everyone who helped, those who made hot drinks, sliced cakes, sold tickets, baked cakes & scones, donated to the raffle, bought tickets, gave their time, made donations, helped out and turned up and gave us their support on the day – many, many thanks. We would also like to thank Stobo's of Wylam & Corbridge, Waitrose in

Ponteland, Hooker & Young in Ponteland, Lintzford Garden Centre, Mr Douglas Thompson and everyone else, who all kindly gave us raffle prizes. Together we helped make a difference to those who are dealing with Cancer in their lives. Easter is rapidly approaching and here at the Swinburne we have lots planned for the Easter weekend! We have a grand Easter Egg raffle, with all proceeds going to the Leek show. Tickets from the pub are £1 a strip. There will also be a Pickled Egg eating competition..................if you want to take part or would just prefer to spectate then more info is available directly from the pub. There will be a Easter Bonnet Competition, with a mini parade to show off the bonnets. All of this will be taking place over the Easter weekend - for more specific info please call into the pub. The quiz is on the last Wednesday of each month, with April’s to be the 26th. Live music is on Saturday 29th April when the Lynch Mob will be here to entertain us all again. The Village Shop is open daily, with fresh bread & Newspapers available to order. Opening hours are: Mon - Sat 7am - 1pm & 3pm - 5.30pm Sun 8am - 1pm (Please note opening times are as previously, not as stated last month.)

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Stamfordham Parish Council

Minutes of meeting of Stamfordham Parish Council held in

the Village Hall at 730pm on Thursday 16th

March 2017

Those Present: Councillor Trevelyan, Chairman;

Councillors Boylan, Wilson, O’Neil, Green, Fitzpatrick

V. Jones (Northumberland County Council), C. Miller

(Clerk), four members of Friends of Stamfordham Play

Area.

Apologies for absence: None.

1. To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Parish

Council held on 18th

January 2016

The minutes of the meeting were agreed as a true record.

2. Matters arising from the Minutes, not otherwise on the Agenda There were no matters arising

3. Planning Matters.

DETERMINATIONS: 17/00180/FUL: Northumbrian Water, new kiosk at Whittle Dene Treatment Works; 16/04276/FUL:

2 Grange Road, two storey side extension, single storey rear extension, porch extension and new site access and

subsequently GRANTED. /03691/FUL: Harlow Hill Farmhouse, re-develop dilapidated farmhouse; 13/03360/FUL: Mr B

Boase, Land at Harlow Hill, Variation of Condition 2 in order to allow different layout in Unit 1.

Proposed 1800 homes for Ponteland: scheme had been given approval by County Council Planning Committee, along with

other developments in that area - various local groups had made appeal to Secretary of State that this level of housing is

unsustainable, with 3700 houses in total having been given approval. Relief road and school places of concern, and the

scheme does not adhere to government guidelines for garden villages. County Council’s lack of advertising of public

notices in Hexham Courant discussed, Northumberland Association of Local Councils to pass on advice to Parish Councils

on who to contact at County level regarding this.

4. Financial Matters

Chair of Friends of Stamfordham play area present.

Funds had been raised for installation of new play park and committee wish to seek approval from PC for works to be

[Cont’d. page 3

STAMFORDHAM WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

Wednesday, 10th

May, 2017 ANNE- MARIE IANZITO

will be talking about Mental Health Awareness

+ + + Stamfordham WI was formed in 1918. We are still going strong and looking forward to our big birthday. If anyone has any memorabilia relating to our WI, we should like to hear from you. Please contact Lorna Telfer, Stamfordham WI, on 886275

+ + +

SWI calendar of events for may be seen on www.stamfordhamvillagehall.co.uk

Please Note Ed.’s new

e-address:

davidmstanley432@gmail.com

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Stamfordham Uniting Church

YOUTH GROUP

Weekly Tuesdays 7:30-9pm For more information

Contact Helen or Philip on 825669

Crafty Reivers Meetings at Stamfordham Village Hall.

29th April, 27th May and 10th June,

22nd July, 26th August, 30th September,

28th October, 25th November

These will all be 10am to 4pm

30th December....this will be 10am to 3pm.

All crafters welcome. Bring a packed lunch and your

chosen craft. This is a supportive self help group.

Cost £3 to members and £6 for visitors to cover room

hire and refreshments.

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ordered, with plans distributed and details given on equipment which would encompass a play train for toddlers; see-saw;

slide; picnic bench; spinning flower; safety matting; spinner bowl; basket swing; multiplay equipment aimed at older

children; standing swing and balancing poles - total cost for supply of equipment £24K, with third party to carry out

installation costs at total cost of £54K plus VAT. Parish Council willing to purchase equipment through their bank account,

provided funds are transferred into account by Friends of Play Park committee. Most equipment material is treated wood,

and insurance of equipment to be looked into by committee. There is six weeks’ delivery time on equipment, and

installation would take 4-5 weeks.

Expenditure Authorisation: Northumberland County Council, additional grass-cutting £893.12; C Miller, 6 monthly

salary/expenses £497.07; HMRC, PAYE on above £100.00; Request for support towards Bus Service 74, £400; Domain

name 26.39; Communicator 175 £45.96; Communicator 176 £64.96; Village Hall £12.50.

Email received from Church Warden requesting grant towards cost of new heating into church, and it was agreed to donate

£1,000.

Cllr Trevelyan had contacts for persons who could carry out six benches and noticeboard repairs.

5. County Councillor’s Report Festival on the Wall – this had been advertised for quite a while, with Parish Council and

County Cllr unaware of the event, which had been under discussion for two years, and neighbouring Parish Councils had

been consulted. However V Jones had been reassured after speaking to landowner whose land is hosting the festival, and

Albemarle Barracks commander, who had appeared unconcerned. It was agreed to write to County Council Licensing

Committee stating the PC had not been informed, and were extremely concerned about traffic with a narrow road coming

from the military road, and to ask for comments from County Council Highways Department.

6. Correspondence Northumberland County Council – notice of Residents’ Festival 1st and 2

nd April 2017.

7. Other business admitted by the Chairman as urgent

Email received suggesting litter picking be carried out within the parish. However the amount of litter in

Stamfordham and Hawkwell is minimal. However a litter pick would be considered at the meeting in January

2018, and Chairman to contact other local organisations within the village to see if they would be prepared to be

involved.

Complaint received about hens in the village, with uncertainty who owns land they are on.

8. To confirm the date of the next meeting The next meeting of Stamfordham Parish Council will be held on Thursday

18th

May 2017 commencing 7.30pm in Stamfordham Village Hall, preceded by the Annual Parish Meeting commencing

7pm.

The meeting closed at 8.15pm

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…

Since our last report, Mandy Dias, agent for Mrs. Hen of

the River Bank, Widdrington Drive, has been in

correspondence with a Planning Enforcement Officer at

County Hall, in particular seeking the grounds for the

complaint. His latest, relevant email said:

The complaint was that the structure had been erected on land you did not own, the visual impact as it was not in keeping with the village and that run off would pollute the river. I am not aware of what the land was used for but permission is required as the land was previously open space and has been changed. You will need both planning permission from the Local Authority (Northumberland County Council) and the owner of the land. If you are unable to identify the owner of the land you must take all reasonable steps to show you have tried to notify the land owner. Readers will no doubt draw their own conclusions from

this reply.

It is heartening to report a number of the notes of

support received by Mrs. Dias on Mrs. Hen’s behalf. We

reproduce them here with basic editing and privacy (all

names/addresses supplied), but not edited for content.

They are continued on page 5.

Just a note in support of Mrs Hen. She causes no problems for anyone and she provides lots of enjoyment for the

children in the area. She should be left where she is, as she is a lot less bother than some people.

J., Widdrington Drive resident.

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Items for SC 178 to Editor by Thurs. 11th May, please. 886432 davidmstanley432@gmail.com

St. Quentin, Grange Ave. NE18 0PG

Neither Stamfordham Parish Council nor the Editor

endorses any advertisement in SC.

Any article with attribution NNC was sourced from

Northumberland County Council.

Thanks are due this month....

… to Wylam Plastering for £25 for advertising.

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Further information will be published when it becomes available

Hi, Mandy

D. and I are very upset that you are being asked to remove your hens from the other side of the river to where we live. We love hearing them especially when they lay an egg. They are keeping the weeds there down as there was nettles three feet high before they came. I have spoken to a lot of people in the village and they all agree they should stay. A lot of mothers bring their small children who are delighted to see them Best of luck

M.

FAO the agent of Mrs Hen and family It was with great regret that we read in the Communicator of the plight of our neighbours on the other side of the bridge. Since their arrival in the village, we have taken great pleasure in seeing them enjoying their country life. They are a welcome addition to the village scene, and a reminder that Stamfordham is indeed, a village in the country. Having operated our business in the village for over sixty years, we have seen many changes, and Mrs Hen and her family are one of the positive ones. Their presence should be celebrated. M

We feel so disappointed to hear the way you have been treated by the NCC Planning Department, as since you arrived we have heard nothing but praise from the residents of this village. It seems to me that on the grounds of one objection from a person, who doesn`t even have the courage to name him/her self, that a decision has been made to evict you. We , and many of the children who visit you on a regular basis, will be very sad if you are evicted and it certainly won`t improve the landscape on which your house stands, as the NCC don`t even maintain it. Best of luck with your application. Mr. & Mrs. D PS. Wouldn`t it be great if we could rely upon just one objection defeating some other planning applications ?

Such a shame about the hen's house. My little boy (5 years old) loves to go and say hello and feed them with some juicy dandelions! Hope the Council see sense and let them live in peace next to the river. Keep fighting! X

Hi, Just seen your piece in the Stamfordham Communicator. How ridiculous that some idiot has told the council. I’m sure your hens are not doing any harm. My husband suggests you could put wheels on your hen house, so then you wouldn’t need planning permission? [Another email from the PEO indicated that permission would still be required for this type of action. – Ed.] If you need a letter in support, we’d be happy to write one for you. Good luck with fighting the council! K

I would like to support the hens living on the riverbank in Stamfordham. They are not a problem to anyone as far as I can see. This is a very good use of an otherwise unused area of land in the village. The hens are well cared for and provide eggs for local people. Many children never see hens laying eggs and only see eggs in boxes or trays. As a local resident I am prepared to adopt and support these Stamfordham Hens. T.

Dear Mandy When I get up in the morning and look out of the window I look at the hens. All is all right - they are busy in their cage. One of the reasons I moved to Stamfordham is that it is a rural village not another suburbia. The hens are part of that nice real life. Children, grandchildren and great grandchildren enjoy visiting them. There is no cockerel to destroy my sleep. There is no downside, just advantage to a near neighbour. Best wishes A.

Crazy ! We are living in the country , chickens are part of rural life and are enclosed in a pen that is big enough, clean enough and far away enough from neighbours . What is the problem? They are not harming anyone. Secondly, children need to know where their meals come from . A few years ago P. went to Waitrose for some eggs, couldn’t find them , asked a young lad who said ‘The only eggs we have are here, sir’ – Easter eggs! P. said that he wanted hens eggs and the lad’s response was ‘Oh, well, the only other eggs we have are these ones ‘ - lo, and behold ! – eggs – hens eggs ! Good luck, and down with nosy busybodies who won’t even have the guts to be up front.

Kind regards – G.

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Stamfordham Village Fund Raising

Are you free? Can you help?

11th Annual Cyclone

Once again, alongside other village activities, we’ll be serving light refreshments in Stamfordham village hall during the weekend of the Cyclone.

Saturday 17th June 9:00am to approx 4:00pm

Sunday 18th June 9:00am to approx 5:00pm

This is an important fund raising event for the village where we hope to make this another valuable contribution to hall funds and support fundraising for the Play Park.

Please pass this message on and let me know if you can help.

Ash Dias 886154 07736 354258 ash@afmeurope.co.uk

Extracts from organisers website www.cyclonecycling.com

Saturday 17th June Cyclone Challenge Rides (34, 64, 90 & 106 mile routes) All rides start and finish at the Newcastle Falcons Rugby Club, Kingston Park.

Sunday 19th June Curlew Cup - Women's National Series Road Race. The race will start at 9.00am and will use the Ryals Circuits which pass through the villages of Stamfordham and Matfen.

Beaumont Trophy - has international status and is one of only 5 UCI men’s events in the UK. This will be the 64th edition of the event. The race will start at 1.15pm

Race HQ will be at Stamfordham Village Hall where there will be refreshments for spectators and toilet facilities.

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Local Elections 4th

May

Still time – just – to apply to vote by post……..

esidents in Northumberland are being asked to consider voting by post at the forthcoming county

and parish elections, which will be take place on Thursday 4th

May.

Voting by post will save a trip to the polling station and is particularly helpful for the elderly and

infirm, those living in a remote rural area and for those who may be working, or away on polling day.

If you are not already a postal voter and would like to give it a try, you will need to contact the

council’s electoral service team to request a postal vote application form by: ringing the council’s

election office on 01670 624811 or by email: elections@northumberland.gov.uk

If contacting the council by email, please make sure you give the full names and address of anyone

wanting an application.

Completed applications must be returned by 5pm on Thursday 18th

April.

Postal voters will then be sent their ballot papers a couple of weeks before election day. All they need

to do is complete this ballot pack and post it back in the freepost envelope provided.

Your community - Your say

Councillors are there to represent your views and opinions and are a voice for your community. They

make decisions which will affect your every-day life and they decide how large sums of money are

spent. It is therefore important that local residents use their vote to choose the candidate that they think

will best represent their interests and those of their community. NCC

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R

Can you help by offering a few hours to prepare, serve, clear tables or wash up and /or by making a cake, traybake, batch of scones, flapjacks or whatever you do best?

Everyone welcome - why not come along for brunch or afternoon tea?