Parish Council meeting minutes – September 2019
October 18th, 2019
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on: Thursday 19th September 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 Alan Lingard (AL)
Clerk: Mike Ainsworth (MA)
Members of the Public:
Mark Hothersall (Motorsport NW); David Isles (Motorsport NW); Wyre Cllr Susan Catterall; Wyre Cllr Peter Cartridge; Jonathan Palmer; Mrs. Holden
Apologies:
Cllr Chris Houghton
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: 21:55
Agenda
- Motorsport UK – Road Rally
- Open Forum for the general public
- Minutes of the meetings held on Thursday 18th July and Thursday 15th August 2019
- Matters arising from the last meeting
- New Business:
- Planning applications
- Correspondence
- Carrs Green – application to Lancashire Environmental Fund
- Carrs Green – track across the Common
- Financial matters
- Any other business
Next meeting Scheduled for: Thursday 17th October 2019 at 8pm
Status: APPROVED
Chair: Cllr. Phil James
Date:17th October 2019
1. Open Forum
1.1. Motorsports North West – North West Stages Road Rally. Cllr. Phil James declared an interest and surrendered the chair to Cllr. Delaney for this item. Mr. Mark Hothersall (MH) thanked the Parish Council for the opportunity to address them and explained that the Legend Fires North West Stages Car Rally has been run for over 20 years and that the event scheduled for Saturday 21st March next year includes a Special Stage partially within the Parish. This special stage will involve the closure of Woods Lane, Rapley Lane, Eaves Lane, and Cinder Lane and will operate under Motor Racing Regulations introduced in 2017. This stage will be used twice during the course of the day and local residents will be allowed access between the stages.
1.2. MH detailed the marshalling and health and safety provisions and highlighted that LCC as highways authority have mandated that provision be made for spectators at special stages such as the ones proposed at Lewth. Given the proximity to the Rally Centre at Myerscough it is possible that any Lewth spectator point might attract a significant number of visitors. Once arrangements for any such location have been established the organisers will be able to advise the PC further.
1.3. Councillors thanked MH for his presentation. He proposed attending a further PC meeting in the new year once arrangements have been finalised and the Parish Clerk agreed to provide dates and times.
1.4. Mr. Jonathan Palmer (JP) asked whether any progress had been made in requesting rumble strips from LCC. The Parish Clerk reported that LCC had stated that no funding was available currently but that LCC Cllr. Matthew Salter had agreed to further pursue the provision of rumble strips and to carry out a speed survey. JP advised that he had details of a Speed Indicator Device (SpID) available on-line that could be procured at a cost of approx. £1,000, which might be within an acceptable budgetary range.
Action 9.19/1 – JP to provide details of SpID available on-line including its cost
1.5. Wyre Cllr. Cartridge suggested that another means of leveraging the provision of rumble strips might be to seek the support from the School via the LCC Education Department.
At this point Wyre Councillors left the meeting.
2. Minutes of Last 2 Meetings – approved as read.
3. Matters Arising
3.1. The following outstanding actions were cleared:
2.19/3 – track across Carrs Green towards Carr House Farm
5.19/9 – grant application to improve access to the Common via Footpath No.15
6.19/1 – to seek information from Co-Op as to basis of Wellbeing scores
7.19/1 – liaise with Create Homes with regard to raised dust levels
7.19/3 – to thank Mr. Jimmy Hall
7.19/4 – to liaise with Fylde Bird Club with regard to owls
7.19/5 – to invoice Wyre Council for Wyre-in-Bloom costs
7.19/8 – to thank HMP Kirkham for work carried out to repaint the Cheshire railings
7.19/9 – to report damaged Woods Lane street sign
7.19/10 – to thank Mr. John Ronson
8.19/1 – liaise with farmer about cutting hedgerow on Preston Road near to Derby Arms (xref. 4.2.8)
8.19/2 – liaise with landowner with regard to track across Carrs Green
8.19/3 – advise Preston City Council of current concerns with regard to planning applications
8.19/4 – to amend development budget to include the cost of gravel and consultancy on drainage
8.19/6 – to provide Parish Council concerns about Lodge Cottage planning application to Wyre
3.2. The following actions were carried forward:
4.19/6 – reclaim rough ground adjacent to Bowling Club (AL)
7.19/2 – to ask LCC to carry out speed surveys and ascertain whether rumble strips are required (MS)
7.19/6 – to liaise with Bowling Club with regard to overgrown shrubbery
7.19/7 – to commission works to the Bowling Club shed (PJ)
8.19/5 – to liaise with Wyre with regard to doggie bins on the Common
3.3. With regard to Action 8.19/6 Mrs. Holden asked about Planning Application 19/00773/FUL (erection of replacement garage / outbuilding at Lodge Cottage, Preston Road) as she had recently received a mail from her agent advising her that unless changes were made to her application it was liable to be rejected by the Planning Authority. Cllr. James advised that Wyre Council is the Planning Authority and his understanding would be that Wyre were proposing changes that would allow the application to succeed. If these proposed changes were not acceptable and if the planning application is rejected then the applicant always has the right to appeal the decision.
4. New Business
4.1. Planning Applications
4.1.1. The following planning matters were noted:
pre-application advice for householder development
14/00595/DIS3 – Discharge of Condition 3 (Affordable Housing) related to planning permission 14/00595/OUTMAJ – Ash Meadows, Preston Road
4.1.2. The following planning application relates to Great Eccleston, however a consultant retained by objectors, Mr. Tom Hastey, recommends that Inskip-with-Sowerby Parish Council might wish to provide comments to Wyre Planning:
19/00685/FUL – proposed change of use from agricultural land to transport depot (sui generis) maintenance workshop at Cross House Farm, Moss Side Lane, Great Eccleston
Action 9.19/2 – MA to submit objections to Cross House Farm, Moss Side Lane planning application
4.1.3. The following planning application has been referred to the Parish Council by Preston City Council as owners of land at Carrs Green:
06/2019/0293 – Change of use and extension of former piggery building to form 1xdwelling including part demolition of existing structures at Carr House Farm
Action 9.19/3 – MA to notify Preston City that the application documentation is inaccurate as the track across Carrs Green is single track without passing places
At this point members of the public left the meeting.
4.2. Correspondence
MA highlighted the following correspondence to Councillors for consideration:
4.2.1. From LCC and from Ben Wallace MP with regard to school bus charges. It would appear that LCC are unable to resolve this matter and it was proposed that the best way forward would be for members of the public to lobby Ben Wallace MP directly;
4.2.2. From Wyre Council with regard to planning;
4.2.3. From Lancs. Local Access Forum with regard to rights of way;
4.2.4. LALC – Chairmanship and Finance workshops;
4.2.5. Section 19 report on November’17 floods;
4.2.6. SPS – with regard to defibrillator availability bill;
4.2.7. From member of public with regard to hedge cutting debris on footpath near Derby Arms. It was recommended that this was reported to LCC Highways
Action 9.19/4 – MA to report hedge cutting debris on the footpath near Derby Arms to LCC Highways
4.2.8. Wyre – Remembrance events;
4.2.9. LALC – September newsletter;
4.2.10. Parkers Wholesale Catalogue.
4.3. Carrs Green
4.3.1. The draft application to the Lancashire Environmental Fund relating to proposed plans to upgrade to Footpath No.15 on Carrs Green Common and other improvements was reviewed. Though concerns were raised with regard to the Third Party Contribution that the Parish Council might be required to pay in order to facilitate the grant, the budget and the application were approved.
Action 9.19/5 – MA to submit application to Lancashire Environmental Fund
4.3.2. Parish Councillors considered what action to take if the application for funding was unsuccessful. It was agreed that in the absence of grant funding that the proposed development would need to be scaled back considerably – in particular the cost of installing a boardwalk would prove unsustainable from within existing Parish Council funds – but more limited development would still be practical. It was proposed that the Parish Clerk should investigate alternative funding sources, in particular whether to apply to the National Lottery Community Fund – Awards For All. MA advised that any application to Awards For All would need to be customised so that it met the specific criteria for the fund.
Action 9.19/6 – MA to prepare an application for funding from Awards For All
4.3.3. The Parish Clerk reported that the owner of Carr House Farm had made an offer of compensation for the provision of passing places on the track across the Common: namely £10,000 up front to be followed with a further £10,000 once the properties have been developed and sold on. Parish Councillors felt that the planning consent for the developments relied upon the provision of passing places and that therefore the benefits that the owner of Carr House Farm would obtain through their provision far exceeded the offer on the table. They accepted the risk that the owner of Carr House Farm might withdraw his offer as he has advised that he might be able to establish an alternative access route onto Catforth Road. It was agreed that the Parish Clerk should advise the owner of Carr House Farm that the current offer was unacceptable but that the Parish Council might consider an offer commensurate with the award made in “Stokes vs. Cambridge (1961)” and based on a percentage of the benefits of development.
Action 9.19/7 – MA to advise the owner of Carr House Farm of the rejection of his offer for compensation
4.4. Financial Matters – the following payments were approved at the meeting: Clerk Salary; PAYE; Clerk’s expenses; Lengthsman’s fees.
5. Any Other Business
5.1. Defibrillator check – Cllr. Berry advised that she had checked all the defibrillators.
5.2. Wyre-in-Bloom – Cllr. Lingard reported that the North-West-In-Bloom awards ceremony would be held on 1st November and that he would attend. He would also be inviting a member of the public whose garden had been especially commended by the judges.
5.3. It was agreed that the Parish Clerk would order a wreath from the Royal British Legion as usual.
Action 9.19/8 – MA to order wreath from Royal British Legion
5.4. Cllr. Lingard reported that the stile from Pinfold Lane accessing the footpath towards School Lane was broken. It was agreed that the Parish Clerk should contact the farmer seeking its repair.
Action 9.19/9 – MA to contact farmer with regard to repair of stile on Pinfold Lane
5.5. Councillors also noted that both the streetlights on the Bowling Green car park appeared to need replacement. It was agreed that the Parish Clerk would engage a local electrician.
Action 9.19/10 – MA to engage a local electrician to replace the light bulbs on the Bowling Green car park
5.6. Cllr. James reported that the newly laid hedge on the Create Homes site needs pruning to prevent the risk that sharp thorns might injure pedestrians.
Action 9.19/11 – MA to liaise with Create Homes to ensure that they prune their recently laid hedges
5.7. Cllr. James also noted that the bench adjacent to the post box on Preston Road appeared to require some maintenance. Cllr. Lingard advised that he had a spare bench, the one taken from outside the Create Homes site, so he could swap out the bench allowing him to maintain it.
Action 9.19/12 – AL to maintain bench adjacent to the post box on Preston Road