Parish Council Meeting Minutes November 2021
January 21st, 2022
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on: Thursday 18th November 2021 at the Baptist Church Hall, Preston Road, Inskip
Present:
Cllr Phil James (PJ – Chair)
Cllr Carol Berry (CB)
Cllr Geoff Carter (GC)
Cllr Martin Delaney (MD)
Clerk: Mike Ainsworth (MA)
Members of the Public: 2 members of the public
Apologies: Cllr Alan Lingard (AL); Cllr Chris Houghton (CH)
cc:
Parish Councillors; Joanne Porter (Wyre Council); Wyre Cllr Susan Catterall; Wyre Cllr Peter Cartridge; LCC Cllr. Matthew Salter
Meeting opened: 19:00
Meeting closed: 20:20
Agenda
1. Open Forum for the general public
2. Minutes of the last meeting held on Thursday 21st October 2021
3. Matters arising from the last meeting
4. Planning
5. Carrs Green
6. Financial matters
7. Any other business
Next meeting Scheduled for: Thursday 20th January 2022 at 7pm
Status: APPROVED
Chair: Cllr. Phil James
Date: 20th January 2022
1. Open Forum
1.1. A member of the public Farrow thanked the Parish Council for its efforts in addressing the problem of the resident allegedly operating a vehicle repair business from his domestic address but expressed disappointment at the response of LCC and Wyre Councils. He noted that in former times plastic bollards had been placed on the grass verges in Derby Crescent preventing vehicles being parked there. Perhaps these could be re-instated? He stated that he believed that the resident was still repairing vehicles. He cited the recent delivery of a 45 gallon drum of oil and the late night delivery of a vehicle by a commercial recovery truck.
1.2. Another member of the public stated that the resident was still parking cars and vans on the grass verges, resulting in mud and debris being spread onto the highway and onto the footpath and that the parked vehicles were a hazard. The library van had difficulty manoeuvring and that there were problems accessing the mailbox.
1.3. It was agreed that members of the public would forward evidence of the delivery of an oil drum and the late night delivery of vehicles to the Parish Clerk and that the Parish Clerk would advise Wyre Council of these latest developments.
Action 11.21/1 – members of public to supply photographic evidence of the continued commercial activities of their neighbour to the Parish Clerk
Action 11.21/2 – MA to advise Wyre Council of latest developments with regards to alleged operation of a vehicle repair business from a domestic property
1.4. It was further agreed that the Parish Clerk should liaise with LCC Cllr. Salter with regards to arranging for the mud and debris to be cleared from the highway and the footpath, as it is a risk to life and limb for elderly residents currently.
Action 11.21/3 – MA to liaise with LCC with regards to mud and debris resulting from parking on the grass verges at Derby Crescent
1.5. With regards to access to the mailbox in Derby Crescent it was agreed that the Parish Clerk should advise Royal Mail of concerns raised by residents.
Action 11.21/4 – MA to write to Royal Mail with regards to concerns raised by residents about access to the mailbox in Derby Crescent
2. Minutes of Last Meeting – approved as read.
3. Matters Arising
3.1. The Parish Clerk reported that all Actions had been cleared with the following exceptions:
7.19/2 – rumble strips
8.21/6 – placement of Carr House Farm household waste bins on Carrs Green Common
8.21/8 – liaison with Create Homes
10.21/3 – liaison with Wyre Rivers Trust with regards to maintenance of the Tank Trap
10.21/4 – liaison with Wyre countryside volunteers with regards to removal of saplings
10.21/7 – location of additional defibrillators
10.21/8 – move of defibrillator at Derby Arms
3.2. With regards to 8.21/6 and 8.21/8 Cllr. James noted that the Parish Council had been awaiting a response from Preston City Council and from Create Homes respectively for 3 months and asked that the Parish Clerk chase up both urgently.
3.3. The Parish Clerk advised the Council that he had now received a quotation to move the defibrillator at the Derby Arms to a more suitable position, which was approved by the Parish Council.
4. Planning
4.1. Cllr. Phil James reported that there had again been no new planning applications in the last period. He also reported back on the recent meeting of Planning Ambassadors with Wyre Council with regards to the proposed partial review of the Wyre Local Plan. The meeting was to introduce Parish Councils to the forthcoming public consultation of the partial review of housing needs that is scheduled for 29th November – January 2022. It is understood that this partial review of housing needs is predicated upon a new methodology for assessing housing needs that might be open to challenge by landowners and property developers. Cllr. James also highlighted that a full review of the Local Plan is scheduled for 2024 at which point further pressures for additional housing development might well emerge. He noted that all new future housing allocations would be minimum targets rather than maximum numbers.
4.2. Cllr. James expressed disappointment that the Local Government Ombudsman had rejected the complaint raised by the Parish Council with regards to the conduct of Wyre Councillors and Officials in the handling of a planning application. The basis for rejecting the complaint being that it was outside its jurisdiction as it had been raised by one local authority against another rather than by a member of the public against their local council. Parish Councillors noted that it might be possible for a member of the public to raise the issue separately with the Local Government Ombudsman though the Parish Clerk suggested that the only way forward might be for a member of the public to raise a new complaint directly with Wyre and if they were unsatisfied with the Wyre response to then appeal again to the Ombudsman.
5. Carrs Green
5.1. Parish Councillors discussed the proposed information panels. It was agreed that there should be four located as follows: on the YIPS car park; at the end of the upgraded gravel track towards the centre of the Common; on Preston Road adjacent to the tractor; on Woods Lane by the layby near the junction with Preston Road. It was agreed that the information panels by the gravel track and by the tractor would have identical text. It was agreed that the Parish Clerk would prepare final versions for PC approval and would then place orders with the selected supplier.
Action 11.21/5 – MA to present final versions of the proposed Information Panel for PC approval and to order same from selected supplier
5.2. Cllr. James said that on reflection he felt that provision of a lifebuoy ring between the two ponds would be beneficial. It was agreed that just a ring plus throw line and a hook to hang it from was required.
Action 11.21/6 – MA to order a lifebuoy ring, enclosed throw line and hook
6. Financial Matters
6.1. A draft budget for 2022, which had been distributed to members by email in advance of the meeting, was reviewed. It was approved subject to the following amendments:
(1) To adjust the precept to reflect changes to the council tax base whilst maintaining an unchanged rate per Band D equivalent property;
(2) To delete the line item allocating funds for deployment of rumble strips as Parish Councillors felt that funding for this was a Highways Authority responsibility.
Action 11.21/7 – MA to complete Budget and to submit Precept to Wyre within agreed deadline of 14th January 2022
6.2. The following payments were approved at the meeting: Clerks salary; PAYE; Lengthsman’s fees.
7. Any Other Business
7.1. Cllr. Delaney raised the recent floods on Woods Lane, which further highlighted the risk to life of drivers and passengers if vehicles are caught in flood waters. It was agreed that the Parish Clerk should write to the Environment Agency and to the Wyre Rivers Trust asking what action could be taken to reduce the risk of flooding here (it was suspected that the closure of flood barriers elsewhere might exacerbate the risks at this location) and to write to LCC about improved Highways signage.
Action 11.21/8 – MA to write to Environment Agency and Wyre Rivers Trust about action to the taken to reduce the risk of flooding in Woods Lane
Action 11.21/9 – MA to write to LCC Cllr. Salter seeking assistance in provisioning appropriate flood warning signage at Woods Lane
7.2. Cllr. Berry reported that two of the Defibrillator pads were end of life and needed to be replaced.
Action 11.21/10 – MA to order 2 x defibrillator pads