Parish Council Meeting Minutes – Feb’18

Parish Council Meeting Minutes – Feb’18

March 23rd, 2018

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on: Thursday 15th February 2018 at the YIPS Centre, Nelson Gdns.

Present:
Cllr Phil James (PJ – Chair)
Cllr Carol Berry (CB)
Cllr Geoff Carter (GC)
Cllr Martin Delaney (MD)
Cllr Chris Houghton (CH)
Cllr Alan Lingard (AL)

Clerk: Mike Ainsworth (MA)

Members of the Public: Wyre Cllr Susan Catterall, Wyre Cllr Sue Pimbley, LCC Cllr. Matthew Salter, Dianne Hogarth, Paul Desborough, Brian Dearnaley plus 2 other members of the public

Apologies: None

cc:
Parish Councillors; Joanne Porter (Wyre Council); Wyre Cllr Susan Catterall; Wyre Cllr Sue Pimbley; LCC Cllr. Matthew Salter; PCSO Kirsty Newson (Lancs. Constabulary); Maureen Nield (In Focus)

Meeting opened: 20:00
Meeting closed: 21:25

Agenda

1. Open Forum for the general public
2. Minutes of the last meeting held on Thursday 18th January 2018
3. Matters arising from the last meeting
4. Planning applications
5. Correspondence
6. Financial matters
7. Any other business

Next meeting Scheduled for: Thursday 22nd March 2018 at 8pm

Status: APPROVED

Chair: Cllr. Phil James
Date: 22nd March 2018

1. Open Forum

1.1.    Cllr. James welcomed members of the public to the meeting. He welcomed LCC Cllr. Matthew Salter and congratulated him on his recent election to Lancashire County Council.
1.2.     Dianne Hogarth thanked Cllr. Carol Berry for the effort put into the neighbourhood survey that had been carried out with regard to the Cuadrilla’s proposed revised transport route strategy and the Parish Clerk for the effort in preparing material for the Appeal. Cllr. Berry in turn thanked Dianne Hogarth and her team for the effort in distributing and collecting survey forms. It was reported that over the next week or so the joint case opposing Cuadrilla’s appeal will need to be finalized. The Parish Clerk stated that he would make final amendments to material for the Appeal including a summary submission on behalf of the Parish. It was agreed that Cllrs. James and Berry would attend the document review on Sunday week.
1.3.    The decision of Lancashire County Council (LCC) to oppose the Cuadrilla revised transport route strategy was widely applauded. Nine local representatives spoke at the Committee meeting including Cllr. Berry on behalf of the Parish Council. Concern was expressed however at the failure of Wyre Borough Council to take any stand at all on the basis that it was a Highways matter, beyond the remit of the Borough authority. Cllr. James said that the Wyre Borough Council position was a disgrace and that this was the general opinion within the village community. Wyre Cllr. Catterall stated that she personally opposed the proposed routes and had put in an objection.
1.4.    Paul Desborough reported that the Inskip Residents Action Group (IRAG) had reviewed Wyre Borough Council responses to objections and other comments submitted by members of the public to the Wyre Local Plan. IRAG intend to present evidence to substantiate objections raised. One key aspect was the concern raised by both the Parish Council and by IRAG members that discussions between Wyre Borough officials and the Parish Council had been confidential, which invalidated the Local Plan as unsound on the basis that it was not consistent with national planning policy with regard to meaningful engagement and collaboration with neighbourhoods. Paul Desborough asked for the opportunity to meet with Parish Councillors in order to understand when meetings had been held and what information the Parish Council had made public. Parish Councillors agreed to this request, and it was subsequently agreed to meet on Thursday 22^nd February.
1.5.    Brian Dearnaley asked about the closure of the bridge across the Tank Trap on the Common. The Parish Clerk reported that LCC had closed the footbridge for a six month period pending repair. It was agreed that the Parish Clerk would liaise with LCC to ensure that the remedial work would be scheduled within this period. Brian Dearnaley also asked about a stile that had been replaced by a kissing gate at the junction of a footpath with Preston Road adjacent to White House Farm. It was suggested that the owner of the farm might know about the rationale for the change.
Action 2.18/1 – MA to liaise with LCC with regard to repair of footbridge across Tank Trap
Action 2.18/2 – GC to liaise with owner of White House Farm with regard to replacement of stile with kissing gate
1.6.    Wyre Cllr. Sue Pimbley highlighted that LCC have made a commitment to resolve potholes deeper than 15cm and wider than 30cm within a day and those deeper than 4cm and wider than 15cm within 5 working days. LCC Cllr. Matthew Salter reported that current LCC policy is that only potholes at least 4cm deep will be actioned. Potholes can be reported on-line or by email.

2. Minutes of Last Meeting – approved as read.

3. Matters Arising

3.1.    The following outstanding actions were cleared:

11.17/2 – site layout plans for new development at Preston Road
1.18/2 – Statement of Case for Cuadrilla Planning Appeal
1.18/3 – concerns with regard to proposed development at Green Farm, Carrs Green
1.18/4 – maintain and publish a record of Councillor attendance at Parish Council meetings
1.18/5 – letter of welcome to new residents

3.2.    The following actions were carried forward:

4.17/1 – Carrs Green Development – the Parish Clerk reported that he had written to Commoners and Residents at Carrs Green introducing the proposed development. In addition he reported receiving a mail from LCC Highways 29/01 stating that “the proposed parking spaces to be located off the public highway appear to be a sensible measure and we would have no concerns regarding this provision”.

8.17/1 – track from B5269 towards Carr House Farm – Cllr. Carter confirmed that he was planning to meet with a local groundwork contractor to obtain an estimate of costs to restore the track to its original state.

4. Planning Applications – the following application had been submitted to Wyre Council for approval:

Planning application 17/00631/DIS – discharge of conditions 2 (Phasing Plan), 4 (Surface Materials), 7 (Landscape Management Plan), 12 (Provision of Highway Improvements) and 14 (Proposed Future Arrangements) on planning permission 17/00631/REMMAJ | Land North And South Of Preston Road Inskip Lancashire

5. Correspondence

MA highlighted the following correspondence to Councillors for consideration:

5.1.    Letter of thanks for donation from NW Air Ambulance
5.2.    Cllr. Salter with regard to flooding on B5269 at Chesham House. Cllr Salter confirmed that the matter was now being investigated by LCC Highways
5.3.    Lancashire Wellbeing Service rebrand
5.4.    Wyre Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licencing Policy
5.5.    Biodiverse Society survey of Carrs Green
5.6.    Rural Services Network survey
5.7.    Lancashire Flood Forums – letter to MPs
5.8.    Planning Inspectorate – Public Enquiry notice
Action 2.18/3 – MA to publish Public Enquiry notice on website and Parish Noticeboards

5.9.    Ben Wallace MP with regard to Cuadrilla Appeal, stating that he “has formally objected to the proposed routes. He also intends to meet with the Communities Secretary before the application is determined”.

6. Financial Matters – payments approved at the meeting: Clerk Salary; PAYE; Clerks Expenses; and to Treales Roseacre and Wharles Parish Council as the Inskip-with-Sowerby contribution to Stopping the Fracking Lorries fighting fund.

7. Any Other Business

7.1.    Cllrs. Houghton and Berry confirmed that they had checked the three Defibrillators.

7.2.    Cllr. Lingard reported that a budget of £600 had been agreed for Wyre-in-Bloom. He said that he planned also to contact the School to determine whether they wished to join in the initiative this year.

7.3.    The Parish Clerk reported that he had been asked for permission for a field drain to be installed from an adjoining field on land formerly part of Carr House Farm across the Common and feeding into the Tank Trap. This would involve excavating a trench and laying a 9 to 12 inch pipe across the 20 or 30 yards of the Common. It was proposed to carry out the work in March, ahead of the growing season, and that the land would be fully restored subsequently. Parish Councillors agreed to grant permission for these works to go ahead.
Action 2.18/4 – MA to liaise with regard to installation of pipe across the Common

7.4.    Cllr. Carter reported that he understood that United Utilities planned to dredge the main rivers in the coming season. It was not known whether the Tank Trap would be included in this, he would investigate further.

7.5.    Parish Councillors agreed that the March meeting would be held on the fourth Thursday of the month, which is 22^nd March.

7.6.    The issue of flooded roads was again raised. Cllr. Salter mentioned that the previous LCC regime had abandoned the annual inspection of roadside gullies and this had proven detrimental.

7.7.    Parish Councillors noted the sad loss to our Lengthsman, Mr. Andrew Maxfield, of his father last month and asked that the Parish Clerk send condolences on behalf of the Parish Council.
Action 2.18/5 – MA to send condolences to Andrew Maxfield after the loss of his father

7.8.    Cllr. Carter confirmed that he would accept the nomination of the Parish Council to fill the vacancy for a co-opted member of the Inskip-with-Sowerby Thomas Knowles charity.

7.9.    Parish Councillors were concerned that they had not previously had sight of minutes of meetings held between Wyre Borough officials and Parish Councillors with regard to the Wyre Local Plan. Councillors were unaware that any minutes had been taken, and had advised IRAG members accordingly. The meeting minutes were provided by Wyre Council to a member of the public in response to a freedom of information request. It was agreed that the Parish Clerk should contact Wyre to investigate how this situation had come about and to express Parish Council concerns.
Action 2.18/5 – MA to investigate the provenance of meeting minutes released by Wyre Council in response to a freedom of information request