Parish Council Meeting Minutes – July 2019
September 20th, 2019
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on: Thursday 18th July 2019 at the YIPS Centre, Nelson Gardens
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 Cllrs Susan Catterall and Peter Cartridge; LCC Cllr. Matthew Salter; Mr. Brian Dearnaley; Mr. Paul Gibbs
Apologies: None
Cc:
Parish Councillors; Joanne Porter (Wyre Council); Wyre Cllr Susan Catterall; Wyre Cllr Peter Cartridge; LCC Cllr. Matthew Salter
Meeting opened: 20:00
Meeting closed: 21:35
Agenda
- Open Forum for the general public
- Minutes of the last meeting held on Thursday 20th June 2019
- Matters arising from the last meeting
- New Business:
4.1. Planning applications
4.2. Correspondence
4.3. Carrs Green
4.4. Financial matters
4.5. Wyre-in-Bloom
- Any other business
Next meeting Scheduled for: Thursday 15th August 2019 at 7pm on the Common
Status: APPROVED
Chair: Cllr. Phil James
Date: 19th September 2019
1. Open Forum
1.1. Mr. Paul Gibbs asked if the Parish Council had taken any further action with regard to the Community Wellbeing Index discussed at the last Parish Council meeting (Action 6.19/1 refers). The Parish Clerk reported that he had circulated a 70 page document that detailed the methodology behind the Index however Councillors felt that it remained valid to challenge the basis for divergent results for different postcodes in the same village which access exactly the same services. For example there is just the one bus service and the one Health Centre servicing all postcodes in the village.
1.2. It was agreed that even though it might be worth challenging the statistical basis of some of the results that the Community Wellbeing Index might be a useful resource demonstrating the need for improved rural services.
1.3. Mr. Brian Dearnaley asked whether any complaints had been received with regard to dust raised by the building works on Preston Road. It was agreed that the Parish Clerk would contact Create Homes.
Action 7.19/1 – MA to contact Create Homes with regard to dust levels resulting from the development at Preston Road
1.4. Mr. Dearnaley also asked for an update on the proposed development of Carrs Green (see para. 4.3, below).
1.5. LCC Cllr. Matthew Salter (MS) reported back on several actions that he had previously received. With regard to the provision of rumble-strips at Carrs Green and also on Preston Road on the approaches to the School. The Highways team had advised him that the red markings on the road adjacent to the School had not been replaced when the road was surface dressed a few years back and that funding was not currently available. With regard to Carrs Green the Highway team felt that rumble strips were not required as the change of speed was apparently clearly indicated by housing and the presence of street lighting. Councillors asked if LCC could carry out a speed survey at both sites, specifically monitoring speeds from the westbound direction towards the School and from the Preston direction towards Carrs Green.
Action 7.19/2 – MS to ask LCC to carry out a speed survey at Carrs Green and on Preston Road adjacent to the School to ascertain whether rumble-strips were appropriate
1.6. MS reported that he had received a holding response from LCC with regard to concerns raised by Parish Councillors about the cost of rural school bus services and promised to follow this up. Cllrs. James and Delaney asked whether any progress had been made with regard to a number of issues identified with pavements in the village and MS promised to follow up. Cllr. Lingard also raised the issue of roadside gullies.
1.7. Wyre Cllr. Cartridge reported that Wyre Council had resolved to become carbon neutral by 2050 and Cllr. Catterall reported that she had been re-appointed to the Planning Committee and appointed as Chair of the Standards Committee.
2. Minutes of Last Meeting – approved as read.
3. Matters Arising
3.1. The following outstanding actions were cleared:
5.19/3 – liaise with landowner with regard to stile, barbed wire and willow limb
5.19/8 – carry out site survey and draft specification of works
5.19/10 – to ensure the removal of rubbish dumped on Common at the top of Woods Lane
6.19/2 – to write to Cllr. Salter about lack of consistency in funding of rural school bus services
6.19/3 – advise Wyre Planning of road safety concerns at proposed development of Higham Side
6.19/4 – write to Vicar about proposed VE Day 75 celebrations
6.19/5 – write to Create Homes and Vicar about hedge cutting
6.19/6 – write to Bowling Club about parking on Manor Road
3.2. With regard to parking at the Bowling Club Cllr. Delaney reported that the situation had markedly improved with parking on only one side of the road in recent weeks.
3.3. The following actions were carried forward:
2.19/3 – track across Common in direction of Carr House Farm
4.19/6 – to liaise with Lengthsman with regard to reclamation of land adjacent to Bowling Club
5.19/9 – obtain quotations and draft application to Lancashire Environment Fund for work to upgrade Footpath No.15 on Carrs Green
6.19/1 – to seek information from Co-Op as to basis of Wellbeing Study scores
3.4. With regard to the track across Carrs Green the Parish Clerk reported that he had walked the track and measured its width at various points and that Parish Councillors now needed to agree whether to close this issue. He needed to advise the solicitor accordingly and the owner of Carr House Farm was awaiting a decision from the Parish Council before paying off his contractor. Parish Councillors agreed to walk along the track and re-measure its width on Monday.
4. New Business
4.1. Planning Applications
4.1.1. The following applications were approved by Wyre Council:
19/00479/FUL – new access from road to field at White House Farm, Preston Road
4.1.2. The following applications were submitted by Wyre Planning for Parish Council comment:
19/00641 – amendment to house types / tenure mix at plots 26-42 of land under development north and south of Preston Road (previous planning applications 16/00481OUTMAJ and 17/00631REMMAJ refer): the Parish Clerk reported that the developer, Create Homes, had reached an agreement with a housing association with regard to the provision of affordable homes and that the planning application was to vary the design of the proposed affordable homes at the request of the housing association. The new designs reduced the footprint of the 11 proposed three bedroomed homes from 897 to 832 sq. ft. and reduced the footprint of the 6 two bedroomed homes from 805 down to 724 sq. ft. The Parish Clerk pointed out that an agreement to supply and maintain affordable homes was progress reminding Councillors that on the earlier development Create Homes had been unable to engage a social housing partner. The Parish Council raised no comments with regard to the planning application.
4.2. Correspondence
MA highlighted the following correspondence to Councillors for consideration:
4.2.1. LCC “helping to keep Lancashire moving…have your say on your roads” campaign
4.2.2. Lancashire 50+ Assembly newsletter
4.2.3. Anonymous correspondence
4.2.4. LCC Transport Asset Management Plan / dealing with potholes
4.2.5. Taken from Facebook with regard to the defibrillator at Nelson Gardens.
Cllr. Berry was made aware by Cllr. James and from Facebook that the defibrillator cabinet at Nelson Gardens had been left open. Cllr. Berry checked the cabinet over the course of the week and confirmed that, though the door of the defibrillator cabinet had been left open several times, the defibrillator itself had not been tampered with. Since the post on FB in which parents commented that they would tell their children not to touch the cabinet it has remained closed. It was agreed it was likely to be kids playing. Cllr Berry contacted Claire Nash and asked her to ask YIPs members to keep an eye on the defibrillator and stress the importance of this resource to the village. It was also agreed that Cllr Berry would conduct a second round of CRP training at YIPs when they reconvene in September, for those that did not attend the previous session. The Parish Council agreed that if there were any further instances they would ask the School to speak to students and also that an article might be placed in the next Parish Newsletter.
4.2.6. LCC Parish and Town Council Newsletter
4.2.7. LCC – closure of Bleasdale Church of England Primary School
4.3. Carrs Green
4.3.1. The Parish Clerk reported that he had received a response from just one of the three contractors approached to provide estimates for the provision of a boardwalk across the Willow Carr at the north-west corner of the Common. It was agreed that the Clerk would contact the other two contractors from whom quotes had been sought (outstanding Action 5.19/9 refers).
4.3.2. Councillors reviewed a draft budget for the development. The Parish Clerk advised that he had included as many items as he could as we would only want to apply for funding once. It was agreed that the budget would need to be finalised and submitted to the Lancashire Environmental Fund prior to their deadline date of 8th October if funding were to be available for work during Spring/Summer 2020.
4.3.3. With regard to the stile over the fence into the field to the north-west of the Common the Parish Clerk stated that this was the responsibility of the landowner who owned the fence crossed by the stile. As the Parish Council were opening up Footpath No.15 Parish Councillors confirmed however that the provision of this stile would be included in the proposed development plan.
4.3.4. Councillors were very pleased with the path cut towards the north-west corner of the Common by Mr. Jimmy Hall. It was suggested that it might be worth asking him to extend the path directly towards the footbridge and perhaps also onwards toward the corner of Woods Lane. Firstly, though, it was agreed that he should be thanked for the work he had carried out and be asked to present a bill of his costs to the Parish Council.
Action 7.19/3 – MA to write to Mr. Jimmy Hall thanking him for cutting a path on the Common and asking that he bill the Parish Council for his time and materials
4.3.5. Cllr. Lingard expressed concern that the pair of barn owls who currently reside in the disused barn at Carr House Farm may be harmed in the event that these building are re-developed. Whilst this is primarily a matter for the landowner Cllr. Lingard asked whether Fylde Bird Club would be able to advise on suitable alternative arrangements.
Action 7.19/4 – MA to liaise with Fylde Bird Club with regard to barn owls on the Common
4.4. Financial Matters – Payments approved at the meeting were: Clerk’s Salary; PAYE; Clerk’s Expenses; YIPs rental; Lengthsman’s fees.
4.5. Wyre-in-Bloom – Cllr. Lingard reported that the North-west in Bloom judges had visited on Friday 5th July. He commented that more helpers would be needed next year and that a call for volunteers should be included in the next Parish Newsletter. It was agreed that the Parish Clerk should submit an account to Wyre Council for re-fund of costs.
Action 7.19/5 – MA to submit invoice to Wyre Council for Wyre-in-Bloom costs
5. Any Other Business
5.1. The Secretary of the Bowling Club had asked about the overgrown shrubbery adjacent to Bowling Green entrance. It was agreed that the Lengthsman would be asked to clear this and bag up the waster provided the Bowling Club were content to then remove it.
Action 7.19/6 – MA to liaise with Bowling Club with regard to overgrown shrubbery
5.2. Cllr. James noted that the shed attached to the Bowling Club required creosoting and the roof felting. It was agreed that Cllr. James would ask Mr. John Fox to carry out the works.
Action 7.19/7 – PJ to commission Mr. John Fox to carry out works to the Bowling Club shed
5.3. It was proposed that a letter of thanks be sent to HMP Kirkham for the work carried out in repainting the Cheshire fencing.
Action 7.19/8 – MA to write a letter of thanks to HMP Kirkham for the work carried out in repainting the Cheshire fences
5.4. Cllr. Lingard noted that the street sign for Woods Lane at the junction with the main B5269 Preston Road was damaged. The Parish Clerk agreed to report this to LCC
Action 7.19/9 – MA to report damaged Woods Lane street sign to LCC
5.5. Cllr. Berry proposed that a letter of thanks be sent to Mr. John Ronson for removing rubbish that had been fly-tipped on the Common.
Action 7.19/10 – MA to write a letter of thanks to Mr. John Ronson for removing rubbish that had been fly-tipped on the Common