CRANAGE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of a Parish Council meeting held on Tuesday 30th November 2010.
Public Forum. Three members of the public present. Mr M Hodge (Goostrey Lane), Miss D Maddon and Mr Simon Kinsey (Middlewich Road).
They had come to speak about the affordable house proposal at Middlewich Road and the possibility of a bridge over the River Dane. Mr Hodge was concerned about the consequences of the bridge and whether the Council had thought through the maintenance and the public liability costs to the Parish of Cranage if the Council were left to maintain it. He went on to say that Cranage had already got affordable houses located at Big Stone and he believed there was only eight out of ten sold which in his mind suggested there had been an over emphasis that twenty five were needed in the area. He wished the Council to consider other options for the land.
Miss D Maddon spoke about the fact that it was going to saturate a small area; she knew that Needham Drive only had 10% of the houses dedicated to affordable homes so it seemed wrong to have so many in this area. She had also spoken to a solicitor that knew factually if the Council proceeded with the bridge over the River Dane and there was an accident we were liable. She wished the Council to consider the fact that the bridge could also eventually be washed away. Miss Maddon concluded that she felt we were trying to butcher an area and not protect it. She hoped the Council would go away and consider other sites such as the Henri Alty site.
Declaration of Interest. No declaration of interest was reported.
104/10 Present. .Councillor J Worstencroft (Chairman), Councillor R Hurst, Councillor J Irlam, Councillor J Halstead, Councillor D Hopley (Vice Chairman), Councillor G Yarwood, Councillor A Kolker (Cheshire East).
105/10 Apologies. Councillor M Mackenzie due to visiting relations in Scotland, Councillor J Irlam due to work commitments, Mrs K Tinkler and Mr I Thomlinson .
106/10 Minutes.
Resolved That the minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 19th October 2010 be approved and signed as a true and accurate record.
Councillor J Halstead wished it to be noted that he would take the photographs of the signs on Middlewich Road before the next meeting.
107/10 Playing field development.
The notes had been circulated from the last meeting with Cheshire East and HCPC on 8th November. It was to be noted that the next meeting was to be held on 17th December 2010. The clerk circulated a Land Survey (forwarded by Councillor M Mackenzie) it had been completed by Land Survey Ltd in September 2006. It was suggested that Councillor J Halstead attended the next meeting to discuss to the survey
Resolved the clerk would inform Tim Allen with the details of the survey and take it to the next meeting to check if it would be suitable and Councillor J Halstead would attend the next meeting on 17th December.
The clerk circulated the logos Councillor M Mackenzie had designed for Cranage Parish Council.
Resolved the first logo incorporating the sheaf of corn would be adopted without the blue background but with the blue moon and the clerk would progress the implementation and costing of the logo.
Councillor D Hopley wished it to be noted that the Council thanked Councillor M Mackenzie for her hard work.
The clerk had received an e mail from Tim Allen asking from Cranage P/Council to authorise payment of surveys up to £10,000 without three tenders.
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Resolved the clerk was to respond that the amount is outside our remit of our financial regulations which
state that ‘if we have to enter a contract of less than £50,000 we must have three quotations’ but the Council were prepared to discuss the controls and procedures that Cheshire East have in place and amend if necessary. They would discuss at the next meeting on 18th December.
The recent e mail from Mrs G Butler was discussed about replacing the stile with a kissing gate on the footpath which runs from Moreton Drive, Holmes Chapel to the Knutsford Road by the river bridge. The Council were being asked for a £60.00 contribution to the cost.
Resolved the clerk would contact the land owner from Dane Bank Farm and let Mrs G Butler she can precede with replacing the stile and the Council would pay £60.00.
108/10 Footpaths and Tree report. Councillor J Halstead was going to put the draft ‘Cheshire East Rights of Way Improvement Plan 2011/26’ on the website.
Councillor R Hurst wished the clerk to thank Mrs K Tinkler for attending the meeting on 19th October 2010 and ask if she had any points that needed bringing to the Council’s attention.
109/10 Highways. The clerk made the Council aware that she had spoken to Mrs H Gowier several times about the speed of cars on Northwich Road and had forwarded her details and comments to the police. There was now more police presence on Northwich Road, they were going to put a speed trailer out and there would be more uniformed officers with speed guns.
Resolved the clerk would follow up in the New Year.
Mr Roger need had asked to attend the next Parish Council meeting on 25 January 2011.
Resolved the clerk would put the Cheshire Police on the agenda.
There was also a Police question time in January at the Municipal buildings in Crewe which the public could attend to ask questions about cost cutting.
Councillor J Halstead and Councillor G Yarwood would attend.
The clerk made the Council aware that she could not resolve the maintenance of footpaths in Cheshire East, Public Rights of Way stated it was highways responsibility and pointed out the public highways footways reference numbers FY1435 and 1436. Highways refused to attend site. The local residents had always maintained them and now were finding it more difficult to do so therefore previously there had been no issue. The clerk had now received several complaints.
Resolved Councillor A Kolker would support the clerk by finding the department responsible make them aware of their responsibility to maintaining the footpaths.
The white line markings on A50 when turning right into Needham Drive had been reported and would be dealt with in due course.
110/10 Planning.
10/3964T 89, Needham Drive, Cranage. Tree Maintenance.
Resolved No objection.
10/4138C Application of lawful development certificate proposed for erection of summerhouse. The Crossings, Moss Lane, Cranage, CW10 9LS.
Resolved No objection.
10/4059C Demolition of derelict building and erection of 14 family homes, Henri Alty site, Knutsford Road, Cranage CW4 8HU.
Resolved Objection. The density should be reduced and the homes more in keeping with rural area. It is very concerning about the development being situated on a red route. This site is not for affordable homes therefore the fact that this site is not designated for housing in the local plan is a key factor.
10/3867C Reserved outline planning approval for agricultural workers dwelling on in fill site between dwellings ‘Allotment View’ and ‘Leawood’ Oak Tree Lane. Dwelling to be occupied by applicant’s son who is employed in full time agriculture.
Resolved Objection. This does not fulfil the criteria for an agricultural workers dwelling. There is no evidence of financial viability for three years therefore no proven need.
10/4189C Reserved Matters application for approval application. 07/0662/OUT 10 dwelling houses, land adjacent to 5 Middlewich Road, Cranage. CW4 8HG.
Resolved No Comment due to a prejudicial interest.
09/0738W Erection of Waste facility with associated buildings, car park and hard standing areas. Land off
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Pochin Way, Middlewich, Cheshire.
Resolved Objection. Reasons same as previously.
Consultation re regulation of sexual entertainment venues. Sch 3 Local Government Act 1982.
This is a consultation document. The licensing laws which are now the responsibility of CEC instead of the Courts.
Resolved No Comment.
Cheshire East Local Development Framework. Core Strategy issues and options questionnaire.
Resolved The clerk would contact Councillor M Mackenzie and ask for advice. The clerk would then complete before 17 December 2010.
The clerk had received a letter re Enforcement Notice Appeal; Land at Twemlow Lane, Cranage, Cheshire.
The Enforcement had now been taken to appeal. The Council had been asked to make their views known by writing to the planning inspectorate by 23rd December 2010 in triplicate.
Resolved the clerk would complete a letter and send to the Inspecorate.
The letter was read out from Mr J Ashall confirming validation of the planning application for reserved matters application number 10/4189C.
The Chairman went on to read a letter from a local resident regarding the breach of planning at Cranage Trade Park, Goostrey Lane, Cranage owned by Mr and Mrs D Thornhill.
Resolved the clerk would contact the planning department to establish the conditions that were put on the development when permission was granted. The Council would then follow up any outstanding complaints. It would be put on the agenda for the next meeting
111/10 Accounts.
To note the balance of the account was £82,108.92 (Cheshire Building Society = £19.965.77 and
Leek United = £62,143.15).
Payments
£100.00 to Byley Parochial Church Council.
Resolved that the above payments be approved.
Receipts
£16.00 Twemlow P/Council, £16.00 Somerford P/Council (contribution to CiLCA qualification).
The budget was circulated and an amendment for the contribution to the gate was completed. Members were asked to review and feedback any comments by the next meeting. The clerk requested an increase in the newsletter budget to produce a better quality letter before the elections in May 2011.
Resolved council agreed and Councillor R Hurst increased the budget.
The precept letter for 2011/12 had been received and the Council had been requested to complete the amount.
Resolved Cranage Parish Council would keep the same precept amount at £20,000.
112/10 Website for Cranage Parish Council.
Councillor J Halstead made the Council aware of his progress. The domain name we now required was still in use by Congleton Borough Council and Councillor J Halstead had great difficulty in tracing the holder of the pass word so the old website name could be deleted. At the present moment the website could not move forward until the domain name was sorted out.
Resolved another name similar to Cranage.org was used until the old one was deleted.
113/10 Cheshire East Report.
Councillor A Kolker stated that the boundary review had now been completed and there were two Councillors assigned to the boundary group which Cranage was assigned to.
Councillor A Kolker made the Council aware that the Government produces grants to Cheshire East and they were due to be cut by 7.25% a year. The front year was to be heavily loaded at 12% for this region. Cheshire East does raise money from Council tax, business rates (this does mainly go back to central government) and revenue fees (market stalls, leisure centres). The short fall could come from a Council
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Tax increase although Cheshire East was reluctant to do this as there would be further cuts in grants. The
cuts do not include school funding and there was still an obligation to provide resources to the children in need, the elderly and highways. The route Cheshire East was following was efficiency savings and for example if somebody resigns there would be no replacement.
Winter gritting had purchase 25% more salt this year although he did wished it to be noted that Cheshire East did not run out of salt last year.
The clerk asked for support on the land that had been fenced off on Carver Avenue. She had spoken to Mr P Hall and Mrs D Owen at Cheshire East who was unable to help although it had been clarified it was not Cheshire East’s land. The gentleman from number 3 Deans Row had fenced off, which the Council to believe as ‘no mans’ land, as his own.
Resolved Councillor A Kolker would make enquires and feedback to the clerk.
114/10 Clerks Report.
The meeting dates were handed around to members for next year. The Village Hall had been booked. The notes from the Cheshire Quality Forum which Councillor J Halstead had attended were put in the post box. The training dates for next year had been delivered the clerk would circulate and it would be put on the agenda for the next meeting. The clerk had read that Cranage Bowling clubhouse had received £500.00 from Cheshire East Community funding.
The risk assessment had been circulated and the clerk asked for feedback from Council.
Resolved the risk assessment was to be accepted and amended to fit Cranage Parish Council.
115/10 Members Report.
Councillor G Yarwood wished the clerk to be congratulated for passing her CiLCA qualification,
He had also been made aware of the allotments on the playing field site been advertised on the website.
Resolved the clerk would contact Holmes Chapel P/Council to find out details and try and stop it as it was far too early to consider applicants at this stage.
117/10 It was to be noted that the next meeting was on Tuesday 25th January 2011 at 7.30pm
This concluded business of the meeting at the time of 10.15 pm
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