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/ Longridge Town Council
Council Offices, The Station Building
Berry Lane, Longridge, PR3 3JP
Telephone: 01772 782461
email:
website: www.longridgetowncouncil.com

Mission Statement

Endeavour, through foresight and leadership, to enhance quality of life for Longridge residents and visitors. Working to enrich facilities and nurture opportunity,

to protect and improve the built and natural environment, and promote community pride.

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Proceedings at a meeting held on 24 February 2016.

Present: Cllrs S Rainford (Mayor), R Swarbrick, R Adamson, J Rogerson, S Tyrer, P Byrne, S Ashcroft, R Beacham, D Moon, L Lund (Clerk), J Watton (Admin Asst)

Min No
The Mayor welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Apologies for absence.
Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs M Everett and G Priest / 1378
Declarations of interests & written requests for disclosable pecuniary interest dispensations
Cllrs Rogerson and Swarbrick– Ribble Valley Borough Council Planning and Development Committee
Jane Watton - Best Kept Village Competition
The Mayor closed the meeting at 7.01pm / 1379
Public Participation
Alan Odix addressed the Council and updated the Council on the fund raising for defibrillators. At the end of January a quiz event had been held and raised £510 bringing the total to £5025.00.
The Mayor thanked Alan and Chris for all the work done to raise funds.
The Mayor and Alan would work together re publicity.
The meeting was reopened at 7.07pm / 1380
Approval of the minutes of the meeting held on 10 February 2016 and any updates of items not on this agenda
The minutes of the meeting were approved as a true record with the following amendment Cllr MN Everett to be added to the apologies.
Proposed : Cllr P Byrne
Seconded: Cllr S Tyrer
Follow ups:
The £40 invoice for a call out charge had been queried with Allan Paul but there had been no response as yet. / 1381
Consideration of planning & Licence applications
Planning Application 3/2016/0139 Removal of condition 2 (ancillary use of arena for household) of planning permission 3/2005/0158 at Alston Lane Arena Alston Lane Longridge PR3 3BN
LTC: No objections
Planning Application 3/2016/0140 Removal of condition 3 (ancillary use of stables for household) of planning permission 3/2004/0289 at Alston Lane Stables Alston Lane Longridge PR3 3BN
LTC: No objections / 1382
Approval of accounts for payment
Premier of Lytham Ltd electrical works at Station Building office building £2340.00 (VAT£390) - not approved until an itemised breakdown has been received and brought back to a future meeting
Terry Lewis January £80.00 - approved for payment Proposed Cllr D Moon Seconded Cllr P Byrne / 1383
Receive Reports of meeting attended by Councillors.
Meeting held with doctors surgery to discuss how they would accommodate an increase in clients following approved developments in the area. There had already been a 10% increase in the last 4 years. Cllrs felt it was an encouraging meeting.
Action: Jane to contact Stonebridge Practice for a meeting date
Newsletter - information of how to complain about the health service to go in the newsletter
Pact meeting - there were no major issues although there had been some drugs, juvenile and car nuisance problems
Local PCs had spoken to local youths and suggested they use the parks but it had been brought to their attention that there was no lights on them.
The Mayor asked if item 15 could be moved up the agendas it related to this discussion:
A proposal was made by Cllr R Swarbrick to approach RVBC and let them know that LTC were considering a lighting scheme on the park due to a request from the police and also considering a canopy. Would RVBC help with the project by offering some officer time?
Seconded: Cllr S Tyrer / 1384
To Receive Reports from Principal Councils
Mersey Street - bins issue - information had been requested by RVBC regarding names of residents complaining about the bins. The Mayor said she was not willing to share this information and asked the Clerk to contact RVBC suggesting that they contact residents regarding the situation. / 1385
To receive Reports from Councillors on issues raised by residents and discuss Council response
The recycling double bin on the play area was damaged - Clerk to write to Adrian Harper and ask for a replacement / 1386
Reports from Working Groups
11.1 Neighbourhood Plan - the group met with the consultant on 15 Feb 2016 to discuss consultation responses and the next steps. The next meeting with the consultant would be held on 11 April.
11.2 Community Partnership– hoping to meeting Tuesday 1 March
11.3 Toilet Working Group – meeting held on 12 February with Alan Coar RVBC group waiting for costings
11.4 Longridge Loop - Jane had written to Alister Simpson
11.5 Strategy Group - meeting arranged for 2/3/16 4 Cllrs and 5 residents
11.6 War Memorial Group - they would be meeting prior to the next LTCmeeting / 1387
Correspondence
a LCC Bus Services Team and email had been received re the retention of Services 5Band 5C a revised replacement bus service will operate from Monday 22 February 2016 to serve Chipping Longridge and Ribchester.
Replacement bus services for Chipping, Longridge and Ribchester
Working Group on Buses has been established to recommend where a reduced budget could be used to try and maintain bus services in areas where there is likely to be significant need.
New Service 5B will operate every two hours Monday to Saturday daytime between Chipping and Blackburn via Longridge, Ribchester, Salesbury, Knowsley Road, Pleckgate and St.Mary's College.
New Service 5C will operate every two hours Monday to Saturday daytime between Chipping and Clitheroe via Longridge, Ribchester, Hurst Green and Whalley. / 1388
Major Projects Capital Funding
The toilets refurbishment/Skate Park lighting and canopy/ Reclamation of footpath - Next agenda
Cllr Swarbrick had previously sent a list of projects some time ago - it was suggested that this could be a starting point and be added to. Some projects on the list had already been completed such as the Hump (footpath) and the permanent PA system at the station.
Other projects - Civic Hall heating/bar, Longridge Loop, Heritage style signage, Drain the wreck, Minor highway footpaths improvement, Agricultural Show facilities - upgrading of toilets etc.
It was felt that there was a need for a long term structure in regard to major projects.
A discussion took place in regard to S106 monies allocation re Tan Yard Lane - the Clerk was asked to contact RVBC in regards to accessing the monies held by LCC to upgrade Tan Yard Lane
What could the Council do within its existing resources? or if there was an increase in the Precept?
Capital and revenue projects to the Strategy Group for Wednesday 2 March. / 1389
Tesco Groundworks bid application
The bid had been accepted there was a guaranteed £8000. However there was a possibility of £10,000 or £12,000.
A 2nd bid in expression of interest stage - the community was needed to help write the bid.
LTC - approves on the whole and would empower the Community Partnership to get on with it. / 1390
Lancashire Best Kept Village Competition
Categories entered:
Place of worship & grounds - St Lawrences and St Wilfreds
Public Hall, Community Centre, Institute, Library, Health Centre, Youth Centre - Heritage Centre
Public playing field/sports grounds - John Smiths Playing Fields
Children's Play Area - Kestor Lane
Notice Board - Longridge Town Council
War Memorial - Memorial Garden
Public Garden not parks - Heritage Centre Gardens / 1391
Town Council Furniture
The Mayor proposed that the Town Council furniture be brought back and put in the office.
Clerk/Jane to liaise with Cllr Rogerson re delivery of the furniture - LSEC would have to remove the tables in the office first.
Cllr Swarbrick proposed that a removal company should be used upt to a budget of £250 maximum. / 1392
Printer - surplus to requirements
The old printer was now surplus to requirements it was suggested that it could be advertised in the newsletter for community groups to come forward if they required a printer with a letter explaining how they engaged with the community etc. / 1393
Bid application training- the Mayor said that in the present climate there was a need to explore new funding and she had recently spoken with the Clerk in regards to bid training.
The Mayor proposed:
LTC could source training and offer places to Community Groups also who would be asked to send in a letter of expressing an interest with an explanation of how the Community Group could benefit from it.This was seconded by Cllr Tyrer / 1394
Next meeting - 9 March 2016
Part 1 was closed at 8.25pm
It was proposed by Cllr Byrne and seconded by Cllr Tyrer to proceed to: / 1395
PART 11 the meeting was reopened at 8.29pm / .
Receipts and Payments to 9/2/16
The Clerk had done a receipts and payments sheet to 9/2/16 and also circulated the financial spread sheet prior to the meeting.
The Mayor asked that the spread sheet be forwarded once a month
A requests for the up to date budget sheet to be forwarded to Cllr Swarbrick for the Strategy Group meeting on 2 March.
It was agreed to send flowers and a card to Mrs Carefoot . / 1396