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Parish Council meeting minutes – July 2018

Parish Council meeting minutes – July 2018

August 24th, 2018

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on: Thursday 19th July 2018 at the YIPS Centre, Nelson Gardens

Present:
Cllr Phil James (PJ – Chair)
Cllr Carol Berry (CB)
Cllr Martin Delaney (MD)
Cllr Alan Lingard (AL)

Clerk: Mike Ainsworth (MA)

Members of the Public: LCC Cllr. Matthew Salter (MS), one member of the public

Apologies: Cllr Geoff Carter (GC); Cllr Chris Houghton (CH); Wyre Cllr Susan Catterall

cc: Parish Councillors; Joanne Porter (Wyre Council); Wyre Cllr Susan Catterall; Wyre Cllr Sue Pimbley; LCC Cllr. Matthew Salter

Meeting opened: 20:00
Meeting closed: 21:50

Agenda

1. Open Forum for the general public
2. Minutes of the last meeting held on Thursday 21st June 2018
3. Matters arising from the last meeting
4. New Business:
4.1. Planning applications
4.2. Carrs Green
4.3. Correspondence
4.4. Financial matters
4.5. Wyre-in-Bloom
5. Any other business

Next meeting Scheduled for: Thursday 16th August 2018 at 7pm on Carrs Green

Status: APPROVED

Chair:  Cllr. Phil James
Date:  20th September 2018


  1. Open Forum

1.1.    LCC Cllr. Matthew Salter (MS) raised concerns about changes planned to rural policing. Lancashire Constabulary propose that from October rural policing in Wyre will be limited to two PCSOs located in Garstang supported by “responsive policing” from police officers located at Lancaster and Fleetwood. Councillors felt that this was an unacceptable reduction in rural police cover and that Inskip would be better served from Preston rather than Fleetwood. A meeting with the Chief Inspector is scheduled for next Wednesday evening at Garstang to discuss community concerns with this withdrawal of cover and it was agreed that Cllrs. Berry and Lingard would attend.

1.2.    MS also asked whether grit bins were located at appropriate locations in the parish. It was agreed that the grit bins on Preston Road at School Lane and at Derby Crescent were both appropriately placed.

1.3.    MS reported that he had inspected the state of Woods Lane (previous action 6.18/7 refers). He advised that whilst a few minor potholes might be fixed the problem of the breakup of the road surface adjacent to the Common would need major work, which would need to be scheduled in the capital programme in a future year. Whilst MS is pushing for this to be included in next year’s programme he advised that this remained unconfirmed at present and could not be guaranteed.

1.4.    A discussion was held with regard to traffic speeding in the village. MS explained that LCC are unlikely to fund provision of a speed camera but might be able to fund a chicane or a speed ramp if a case can be made and if there was clear public support. It was felt that traffic calming might be supported at Carrs Green where traffic is very fast and on the approaches to the village centre near the Derby Arms and the School. It was agreed that Cllr. Berry would carry out a quick informal consultation of residents at Carrs Green as to whether they favoured traffic calming being put in place and that a further consultation on traffic calming be included in a future Parish Council newsletter.
Action 7.18/1 – CB to consult residents at Carrs Green with regard to introducing traffic calming measures

1.5.    Cllr. Lingard asked whether LCC could consider placing new junction signs on Woods Lane at the approach to the junction with the B5269.

At this point members of the public who were present left the meeting.

  1. Minutes of Last Meeting – approved as read.
  1. Matters Arising

3.1.    The following outstanding actions were cleared:

6.18/1 – clearing vegetation on the Common at junction of Woods Lane and main road. Parish Councillors discussed the overgrown state of the verge at the junction of Woods Lane with the B5269 and the resultant road safety risk. It was agreed that Cllr. Lingard would ask the Lengthsman if he could maintain the area adjacent to the junction on a regular basis with the strimmer and the Parish Clerk was asked to write a letter of thanks to the local resident who had carried out remedial work following the recent road traffic accident.
Action 7.18/2 – AL to request that Lengthsman maintain area adjacent to the junction of Woods Lane and the B5269 on a regular basis with the strimmer
Action 7.18/3 – MA to write letter of thanks to local resident who had carried out remedial work following the recent road traffic accident

6.18/4 – to recover old minutes out on loan with a member of the public;

6.18/5 – to procure a small fireproof safe to protect valuable Parish documents such as deeds;

6.18/7 – to write to Cllr. Salter with regard to the poor state of repair of the highway at Woods Lane.

3.2.    The following actions were carried forward:

6.18/2 – to liaise with Mr. William Knowles with regard to whether he would be putting cattle on the Common to graze this year; whether he had given any consideration to grazing other areas of the Common; and whether he had now formally registered his rights of common. The Parish Clerk reported that he understood that the 4-5 acre field established in previous years was being grazed this season but that the main issues with grazing other areas are:

  1. Fencing
  2. Insurance
  3. Water

Mr. Knowles reported that he is still chasing up his land agent regards right of common. Subsequently Clerk agreed that a five acre area of the common would be mown and the cuttings removed. Fylde Bird Club members were concerned at mowing this early in the season but after talking with the farmer understood that agricultural considerations also needed to be taken into consideration. It was reported that a couple of the bales had been slashed with a knife. Parish Councillors discussed whether further areas should be mown and it was agreed that, subject to no adverse comment when Parish Councillors inspect the work, the Parish Clerk would approve a further tranche of mowing in August;

6.18/3 – to contact St. Peters and Inskip Baptists asking whether they favoured the placement of poppy plaques at their locations – the Parish Clerk reported that he had received a positive reply from Inskip Baptists. He was asked to reach out again to St. Peters;

6.18/6 – to arrange for the signage on the Noticeboard at Mill Lane to be repaired or replaced;

6.18/8 – to write to United Utilities, copying Ben Wallace MP, seeking information on action to be taken to address the poor water pressure experienced by some consumers in Inskip.

  1. New Business

4.1.    Planning Applications

4.1.1.  The following applications were approved by Wyre Council:

18/00525/FUL: side porch extension and alterations to window arrangement of rear sun lounge at Bramblemoore 1 Leach Villas Preston Road;

18/00380/ADV: advertisement consent for two non-illuminated ‘V’ shaped free standing signs and erection of seven 6m high flagpoles with flags at land to north and south of Preston Road.

4.1.2.  The following applications were refused by Wyre Council:  none.

4.1.3.  The following new applications had been raised in last period:

18/00662/FUL: Rear conservatory at The Old Post Office, Carrs Green – no comments were raised.

18/00593/OULMAJ: outline application for erection of new industrial units (classes B1, B2, and B8) at Building 18, Higham Side Road – Cllr. James expressed concern that the application proposed a further site entrance leading onto Higham Side Road.
Action 7.18/4 – MA to submit Parish Council concerns to Wyre Planning with regard to the proposal for a further entrance leading onto Higham Side Road

4.1.4.  Updated environmental impact documents had been submitted by Cuadrilla Elswick Ltd. related to planning application LCC/2014/0101. Parish Councillors had agreed that Roseacre Awareness Group would submit a joint response on behalf of interested Parish Councils and the Parish Clerk confirmed that he had responded to Treales, Roseacre and Wharles Parish Council to that effect.

4.1.5.  The Parish Clerk reported that he understood that De Pol Associates were likely to be issuing a circular to all households in the neighbourhood in the near future detailing their Proposed Inskip Masterplan.

4.2.    Carrs Green

4.2.1.  The Parish Clerk reported that he had approved a request from Electricity North West to prune trees on the Common.

4.2.2.  The Parish Clerk reported that LCC have now repaired the footbridge across the Tank Trap at Carrs Green. Cllr. James expressed concern that access to the new bridge involved a steep slope but was assured that this was the same as previously. It was suggested that the Lengthsman be asked to cut out steps to reduce the risk of slippage in wet or icy weather.
Action 7.18/5 – AL to ask Lengthsman to cut out steps down to the footbridge across the Tank Trap to reduce the risk of slippage in wet or icy weather

4.2.3.  With regard to the van that had been parked on the Common advertising an upcoming property auction, the Parish Clerk advised that the legal advice was that this might constitute trespass but would need to be treated as a separate claim from the current legal case. He suggested that no action need be taken at this stage as:

(1)    the van is not obstructing the track and it is only going to be there a short while;

(2)    whilst the Parish Council have over the years threatened legal action against local residents who have park on the Common they have not actually proceeded – and a case might be made that it would be inconsistent to act more vigorously in this instance;

(3)    pursuing a case of trespass might be a distraction from the current legal dispute – which is to ensure that the current owner of Carr House Farm (or whoever purchases Carr House Farm and Barn) do not benefit from upgrading the track without prior agreement from the Parish Council as landowner and to ensure that they do not use the track for purposes other than those prescribed for the inherited right of way.

4.2.4.  Councillors discussed the ongoing dispute with regard to the track across the Common towards Carr House Farm. It was agreed that the Parish Clerk should ask our appointed solicitor:

  1. To write to the owner of Carr House Farm and his solicitor to ask when he intends to deliver on his statement of Tuesday 5th June 2018 sent by SMS to the effect that: “in the next 2/3 weeks I will pull the width back to 10 ft and move on with things”;
  1. To write to his solicitor confirming the dispute with regard to the track across Carrs Green Common and ask that his solicitor ensure that the dispute is known to bidders at the Auction;
  1. Whether there is any recourse to advertise our dispute, for example by adding a marker on the Land Register?

Action 7.18/6 – MA to ask the solicitor to:

–          contact the owner of Carr House Farm and his solicitor to ask when he intends to deliver on his statement of Tuesday 5th June 2018 sent by SMS to the effect that: “in the next 2/3 weeks I will pull the width back to 10 ft and move on with things”;

–          to write to his solicitor confirming the dispute with regard to the track across Carrs Green Common;

–          and to ask that his solicitor ensure that the dispute is known to bidders at the Auction, and to ask whether there is any recourse to advertise our dispute, for example by adding a marker on the Land Register?

4.2.5.  In addition the Parish Clerk was asked to directly contact the solicitor and the auctioneer handling the sale at Carr House Farm noting the dispute with regard to the access track across the Common.
Action 7.18/7 – MA to directly contact the solicitor and the auctioneer handling the sale at Carr House Farm noting the dispute with regard to the access track across the Common

4.2.6.  Cllr. James also expressed concern that Preston City Council continue to process planning applications for land at Carr House Farm without impacting the Parish Council. It was agreed that the Parish Clerk would write further to the Preston City Council solicitor.
Action 7.18/8 – MA to contact the Preston City Council solicitor requesting that the City Council include the Parish Council when considering planning applications related to Carr House Farm

4.3.    Correspondence

MA highlighted the following correspondence to Councillors for consideration:

4.3.1.  Speeding traffic at Carrs Green
4.3.2.  Policing Changes
4.3.3.  Grit Bins
4.3.4.  United Utilities – hosepipe ban

4.4 Financial Matters – the following payments were approved at the meeting: Clerk salary; PAYE.

4.5    Wyre-in-Bloom – Cllr. Lingard reported that the in-Bloom judging is scheduled for Friday 20th July.

  1. Any Other Business

5.1.    The Parish Clerk supplied Cllr. Berry with two further new AED pads and requested that she provide feedback as to their deployment.
Action 7.18/9 – CB to provide MA with details of deployment of two new AED pads

5.2.    Cllr. James asked that the Parish Clerk contact St. Peters Church with regard to the overgrown state of the hedge adjacent to Preston Road
Action 7.18/10 – MA to contact St. Peters Church with regard to the overgrown state of the hedge adjacent to Preston Road

5.3.    Cllr. James also asked that the Parish Clerk obtain an update with regard to the resolution of flooding issues at Derby Crescent
Action 7.18/11 – MA to follow up with Wyre Council / United Utilities / LCC with regard to resolution of flooding issues at Derby Crescent

5.4.    Cllr. James reported a problem a panel of the Parish Noticeboard at Preston Road and Cllr. Lingard agreed to fix it.
Action 7.18/12 – AL to fix problem reported on the Parish Noticeboard at Preston Road

5.5.    Cllr. James also reported that the back of the stone bench on Mill Lane needed re-painting and suggested that a local painter / decorator be invited to be commissioned.
Action 7.18/13 – PJ to advise the name and address of a local painter / decorator to be invited to re-paint the back of the stone bench on Mill Lane

5.6.    Cllr. Berry asked whether the Parish Council should make a contribution to #thumbsupforcharlie, which is crowdfunding to pay for life saving cancer treatment for a local 2 year old with a rare brain tumour. It was agreed that it was more appropriate if funds came from the Knowles Charity rather than from the Parish Council.
Action 7.18/14 – MA to arrange for Knowles Charity to consider a donation to #thumbsupforcharlie

5.7.    Cllr. Lingard reported that the waste bin in the lay-by adjacent to the Create Homes site is no longer bolted down and he proposed taking it away for safe-keeping in the short term and redeploying it once the building works have moved on. It was agreed that the Parish Clerk should report the re-location to Wyre Council.
Action 7.18/15 – MA to report the removal of the waste bin from the lay-by on Preston Road on a temporary basis for safe-keeping to Wyre Council

5.8.    The Parish Clerk reminded Councillors that the next Parish Council meeting was scheduled for 7pm on Thursday 16th August 2018 at 7pm on Carrs Green and that he might be on holiday for the September meeting.