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Editor's note : as part of its Freedom of Information initiative, copies of the Parish Council's minutes will be placed on this web site after council approval at the following meeting, but are for information only. The printed edition is the only authoritative version.


ACTON BRIDGE PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the meeting held on Monday 3rd September 2012 at 7-30pm in the Parish Rooms.

  Present R Holt - Chairman
S Pardoe
H Bayley
D Evans
D Hall
M Hodgson
A Hughes
J Oliver
Clr J Grimshaw CW&C
  Apologies Clr C Fifield CW&C
Clr A McKie CW&C

1 Public Matters

There were no Public Matters

2 Minutes

The minutes of the meeting 2nd July 2012 were accepted and signed.

3 Matters arising

Playing Field Management
Further to the ChALC Newsletter item under 'Special Expenses Charging', stating that the CW&C Corporate Scrutiny Committee would be looking at the matter during the summer with a view to making information available for the 2013 budget setting process, the Chairman had sent a letter to the Chair of the Scrutiny Committee expressing the concerns of the Parish Council. Action Clr Holt Completed

No reply or acknowledgement had been received. The Council were not happy with the situation and believed that it should be standard practice to issue acknowledgement of receipt. The protocol will be checked.

The Chairman reported that a resident had mentioned worries over the climbing frame on the playing field and that children had fallen in the open framework. The matter had been reported but no action has been seen or has been notified.

Neighbourhood Plans
Clr Evans commented that the topic had been in the minutes for many years and was still on-going. The Chairman said that there have been many changes and iterations, brought on by changes in Government and Cheshire restructuring. The meeting with Mr Jeremy Owens (CW&C) had also brought into question the value of having a plan.

The new Local Plan for CW&C has just been issued for consultation. The Chairman proposed that a decision on what to do should be held off until more knowledge had been gained of the proposals in the Local Plan. Clr Pardoe confirmed that he would be willing to continue work on a Village Plan should it be necessary.

ABCA Lease
Further to completion of the lease and the request to Moss & Haslehurst to store the lease, the Clerk has searched for other related items to be stored with Moss & Haslehurst. It was believed that other documents and deeds had been passed to Chester Archives. Clr Evans reported on his visit to the Archives and said that there were six folders of information, of various dates, for Acton Bridge. He had further visits planned and would check the content of the folders. Action Clr Evans On going

Superfast Broadband
Clr Pardoe reported on a meeting 'Connecting Cheshire' where it was generally agreed that there is a good case and a fight worth fighting. He also said that there are plans to install fibre cables in our part of Cheshire.

Code of Conduct proposals.
The revised Code of Conduct has been received. The draft mentioned the requirement for the Monitoring Officer to be notified of members interests but was silent on what the Monitoring Officer would do with the information. The Chairman had followed this up with CW&C and ChALC and established that both CW&C and the Parish Council would be required to publish 'Disclosable Pecuniary Interests' of members and their partners on the respective web sites. Action Clr Holt Completed

Councillors reiterated their concerns of disclosure on the web of personal details and specifically mentioned release of information under the Data Protection Act and potential scope for identity fraud. It was agreed to seek clarification on these matters and to check the response of other Parishes.

April meeting
Item 6.1The audit papers have been returned and cleared by Mr Young for the internal audit stage. The papers were sent to the Auditors and have been fully accepted and cleared.

Item 11b) There had been some administrative hold up in the transfer of the grant money into the Cheshire Building Society for repairs to the Parish Rooms. Clr Oliver and the Clerk are progressing this.

June meeting
Item 10 Village Matters
Item b) Clr Evans mentioned the bad pot holes in Cliff Road. The Clerk said that these had been brought to the attention of Highways and added to the list of jobs for Hill Top Road and Chapel Lane. The Clerk said that Highways had stated that resurfacing work is planned for Chapel Lane and Cliff Road. It was agreed that the Clerk would again chase Highways to rectify the faults. Action Clerk Completed

Item d) Clr Hughes raised the need to continue with speeding campaigns and to try and collect data at peak commuting times. This was agreed and to query the use of the speed guns again. The Chairman will contact the CW&C personnel to determine availability of equipment and the times in the day when the equipment can be used. Action Clr Holt Completed

The Chairman reported on the campaigns that had been carried out in August and the data that had been collected. The sessions were from 8-00am to 9-30am and 4-00pm to 5-30pm. Yet again there were high percentage of drivers doing 35mph and more. The change from the derestricted zones at Station Road and Milton Rough were again shown as very high percentages.

The CW&C Highways personnel have said they will ask PCSO and Community Safety Officers to carry out enforcement action.

July meeting
Item 8 Reports from other meetings
a) Home-watch
A survey/questionnaire on opinions of PCSO has been received and Clr Evans will forward to the Chairman for completion on behalf of the Parish Council. The Chairman reported that the form had been completed. Action Clrs Evans & Holt Completed.

4 Planning Applications

Two Planning Applications had been received and actioned by the Chairman and Vice-Chairman during the Summer break.
4.1 Car wash - Warrington Road. This application was similar to the one previously submitted but withdrawn. There were some changes to the method of dealing with waste water but essentially the application was as before when the Council had recommended refusal. Refusal was again recommended on the grounds as before and this action was agreed by the Council.
4.2 Hazel Pear - Application for new entrance, rear access and internal alterations. After consideration of the application from a planning point of view and the affect on the external appearance, the Chairman and Vice Chairman had no objections or comments and had forwarded this response to CW&C. The Council agreed this action.
Following a telephone call from the licensee of the Maypole Inn, the Chairman had visited the licensee and discussed the plans. The Licensee had subsequently submitted a letter to CW&C objecting to the application on the grounds of the effects on their business.

4.3 A new planning application had been received for construction of a conservatory at the rear of 4 Warrington Road. The Chairman had visited the applicant and was able to confirm that the neighbours were content with the application. The Council have no objections or observations.

5 Planning Decisions

There were no planning decisions.

6 Financial Matters

A cheque for £60 for payment to the Audit Commission of the audit fee was approved.

A letter had been received from the Audit Commission giving notification of the appointment of new auditors for the next five years. On the scale of charges supplied with the letter it was noted that, due to our size, Acton Bridge will not have to pay an audit fee.

An invoice has been received from Drain Doctor for the inspection and cleaning work carried out carried out on the Parish Room drains. Further work arising from damage and blockages found by the inspection is subject to assessment by the Room insurers. This is being followed up by ABCA.

The grant payment for the repair work sanctioned on the Parish Rooms is being progressed.

Post meeting note. Grant money has been received into the Cheshire Building Society.

A cheque for £23 has been received from ABCA to bring their rental up to date.

7 CWAC Ward Councillors
Councillor Grimshaw reported on the publication and consultation on the Local Plan.

Clr Grimshaw also mentioned that some Parishes of CW&C had been circulated with reviews for residents on their Parish Councils. Nothing has been done to date on this in Acton Bridge.

8 Reports from other meetings
A meeting of the Joint Cemetery Committee had been held in July. Minutes are in the Circulation Folder

9 Correspondence
CW&C - Members Briefings, issues 366 - 393 (384 not received)
CW&C - Bulletin - July 2012.
CW&C - Code of Conduct and Associated Forms.
CW&C -Temporary road closure orders, Kingsley Road.
CW&C -Temporary road closure orders, Vickarage Lane, Frodsham.
CW&C - School Terms and Holiday Dates.
CW&C - Local Plan Referred Policy Directions.
CW&C - Spare seats - school transport.
Partnership West - Newsletter July 2012.
ChALC Newsletter July 2012.
CPRE - Countryside Voice magazine.
Cheshire Playing Fields Association - The Playing Field - magazine.
Cheshire Community Action - Meeting - Support the Community 12 September.
Joint Cemetery Committee - Minutes July 2012.
Kompan - Play equipment.
Wicksteed - Play equipment.

10 Village Matters

a) Clr Hall said that he had been contacted by residents of Sandfield Lane who were concerned about large containers of soil that had been placed on the land at the bend in Sandfield Lane. It was agreed that the Parish Council would contact CW&C Highways to investigate and if necessary establish ownership of the land. Action Clerk.

b) Clr Bayley mentioned a problem with the ragwort growing on the banking at the site formerly used by CW&C for material deposits/storage in Milton Rough. This is to be reported to CW&C Highways. Action Clerk.

11 Any other business
The Clerk was asked to check that the 30mph roundels that had been covered by the road resurfacing would be re-instated. Action Clerk.

Date of next meeting

The next meeting will be on Monday 1st October 2012, at 7-30pm.


Minutes of the 2012 Parish Council AGM are here
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Web version edited by Steve Pardoe. E&OE.
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