1 Public Matters

There were no Public Matters

2 Minutes

The minutes of the meeting 1st October 2012 were accepted and signed.

3 Matters arising

Playing Field Management
There have been no further developments on this matter and as the whole scheme is 'back in the melting pot' it was agreed to drop the item until CW&C made clear their intentions.

Likewise the funding of PCSO officers, none of whom appeared to be assigned to Acton Bridge, was in the hands of CW&C and would be dropped from the minutes.

Neighbourhood Plans
The new Local Plan for CW&C has been issued for consultation and meetings have been arranged for Parish Councils to be briefed and to raise queries. The Chairman, Clr S Pardoe and J Oliver will attend the meeting on Wednesday 3rd October. (see item 8 Reports from other meetings).

ABCA Lease
The process of search the archives in Chester was very time consuming and no results had been obtained. It was agreed to drop the matter from the minutes Action Clr Evans Completed

Superfast Broadband
The ChALC News letter mentioned more money being put into the scheme. Clr Pardoe reported that there had been no response from residents to items in the Village Newsletter. It was agreed to drop the matter from the minutes.

Code of Conduct proposals.
Further to the adoption of the Code of Conduct at the last meeting, all Councillors had decided to continue in office and would complete the required forms for forwarding to ChALC / CW&C.

A letter had been sent to the respective Minister (Mr R Neil MP) expressing the views of the Council on the unnecessary onerous conditions and disclosure on the web sites. No reply had been received. Our MP, Mr G Evans, had acknowledged the copy sent to him and would if required take up any matters. It was now thought pointless to pursue the matter further.

April meeting
Item 11b) The Parish Room work continues to be progressed. ABCA are in correspondence with the Parish Room insurers over the drainage work.

October meeting
Item 4 Planning Applications
Further to the proposals for the 11 various types of signs to be installed, a comment was raised on the painted finish to the building, given as dark grey, and that it was not in keeping with the locality. This comment was forwarded to the Planning Officer. The building has now been painted (called charcoal colour) and many comments had been received that the building now looked unsightly and incongruous.

Item 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. This was checked and confirmed. Action Clerk- Completed.

4 Planning Applications

a) A planning application had been received from Mr G Nicholas for a detached house on a plot of land near 'Long Barn' Hill Top Road. His agent quoted the Localism Act and infill development.

The meeting discussed the application and the Council are strongly opposed to the development. The pertinent planning guidance is the Vale Royal Local Plan which together with the Green Belt legislation prohibits building unless there are special circumstances. Added to which the Village residents have on many occasions confirmed their support for the Green Belt and their objections to infill and 'ribbon' development.

It was agreed to write to CW&C requesting refusal of the application on the above grounds.

b) Long Orchard, Hill Top Road; request for triple garage. The Council considered the location of the building and the open type structure. It was agreed that were no objections or observations.

5 Planning Decisions

a) 4, Warrington Road - application for conservatory has been granted.
b) Car Wash - site on Warrington Road. Application refused on highway safety grounds.
c) Hazel Pear signage - application granted. There was no comment from CW&C on the colour of the building as raised by the Parish Council.

6 Financial Matters

The meeting confirmed the payment of the Clerk's salary for four months, being £100 per month.

7 CWAC Ward Councillors
No Councillors present and no items received.

8 Reports from other meetings
a) CW&C Local Plan - Town & Parish Council Briefing, - Councillors Holt, Pardoe and Oliver attended the presentation by Mr Jeremy Owens and colleague Mr Duncan McCorquodale (the new Local Plan Manager) at Wyvern House on 3rd October. A comprehensive coverage was given of Preferred Policy Directions (PPD) and the NPPF. A Community Infrastructure Levy replaces the Section 106 "planning gain" requirements, which, as we know, some builders claim they can't afford to honour, once they've got planning permission on the basis of them.
b) ChALC AGM - Councillors Pardoe and Oliver attended the meeting. They reported on the discussions that had taken place on the various motions. Green Belt concerns were prominent and were well supported. A particular motion asking why are Councils not given feed-back on the points/comments made on planning applications obtained support and approval of the meeting.

The main speaker was Mr Jeremy Faulkner, Senior Manager CW&C, on Council Tax and precepts. One point of caution he raised related to the assessment of total precept against the scheduled number of Band D properties in an area. It was explained that revenue raised could be affected by claimants for single occupancy reduction of Council Tax could bring the actual revenue below that expected.

c) Weaverham and Acton Bridge Trust. - Councillor Pardoe reported on the meeting of the Trust he attended on the 4th October. A problem is growing as to income for the Trust. As there is no new money, income is dependent entirely on returns from investments, and as is well known this has been poor of late. Councillor Pardoe and the Clerk to the Trust had produced a Statement of Investment Policy and a description of how the Trust works in answer to request from the Charity Commission.

Six requests for assistance had been received all of which were able to be fulfilled.

d) Cuddington Parish Council had arranged a meeting of Villages in the Weaver and Cuddington Ward to carry out a Scoping Exercise and discuss common matters on Spatial Planning. There had been a useful debate. There will be further meetings to consider the preparation of a Local / Neighbourhood Plan if required. It was noted that Acton Bridge had been advised by Mr Jeremy Owens, CW&C Planning, that we did not need a Neighbourhood Plan as the Village is totally washed over by the Green Belt.

e) Cheshire Landscape Trust - Councillor Oliver reported on the inaugural meeting of the 6th October and a follow up meeting that he had attended on behalf of the Council in his role as tree warden. The plan is to develop and expand the tree warden scheme to cover the landscape / countryside.

f) Joint Cemetery Committee - Councillor Evans reported on the recent meeting. General discussion was taking place on expansion at Gorstage. There is open land on three adjacent sides of the existing cemetery. One area has been given to Cuddington P.C but it is not consecrated ground. Councillor Evans said that there are queries as to the overall plans by CW&C for cemetery provision.

g) Best Kept Village - Councillor Bayley had attended the presentation evening on the Councils behalf. The Village had not done as well as last year but examination of the scoring showed that Items over which the Village has no control, e.g. Station Car Park, had been marked down. Councillor Bayley had complained about the marking.

9 Correspondence
CW&C - Members Briefings, issues 407, 412 to 418 (408 to 411 not received).
CW&C - Bulletin -Oct 2012.
CW&C - Have Your Say - Northwich Gyratory System.
CW&C - A49 speed limit update.
Electricity North West - Questionnaire re expenditure on distribution system. (Clr Hughes to complete).
CPRE - Invitation to Carol service.
Cheshire Fire and Rescue consultation and questionnaire on future plans and staffing.
ChALC - Newsletter Oct 2012.
Cheshire Community Action Letter and leaflet.
Partnership West Edition No. 44 Oct 2012.
Littlethorpe - Wooden bus shelters.

10 Village Matters

a)Clr Bayley raised an issue over large amounts of chippings from the recent road resurfacing being scattered on the pavements and collecting in large blocks in places on the roads. She has contacted Highways but no action has been taken as yet. The Clerk will follow this up with Highways. Action Clerk
b) Clr Bayley reported an incident of theft of lead from Milton Baptist Chapel.
c) Clr Hughes reported on incidents on Hill Top Road where tools had been stolen from a garage at a house and believed to have been used at an attempted break-in at Mr Nagle's funeral premises and workshop.
Arising from the above and other recent thefts in the Village, a discussion took place on the need to engender support for the 'Homewatch' scheme. The Chairman agreed to contact Mr Bob Heaton to discuss the present scheme and to arrange a meeting, via the next Village newsletter, to stimulate support of the scheme. Action Clr Holt

11 Any other business
None.

Date of next meeting

The next meeting will be on Monday 3rd December 2012, at 7-30pm.