Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Tuesday 20th October 2020 from a virtual meeting held on Zoom @ 7.30 pm.
Part 1
Present
Councillor D Bennett (DB) – Vice Chairman
Councillor R Hocknell (RJH)
Councillor R Hurst (RH)
Councillor S Lavin (SL)
Councillor G Morgan (GM) – Chairman
Councillor L Gilbert (LG) (Cheshire East Ward Cllr) left at 8.30pm
Councillor A Kolker (AK) (Cheshire East Ward Cllr)
Ms J Mason – Clerk
Declaration of Interest
Cllr G Morgan – Sibelco
Public Forum
There were two members of the public present.
One member wished support from the Parish Council in relation to condition 35 of the Sibelco planning application at Rudheath Farm. The condition 35 stated.
- This HGV Management and Routing Plan will form part of any contract with hauliers operating at the Rudheath Lodge site and will be provided to any “customer collect” hauliers and apply equally to both and be strictly enforced by Sibelco.
- All site related HGV traffic related to the development will access the site and depart from the site only via the A50 / New Platt Lane.
- No inbound or outbound HGV’s will use the western section of New Platt Lane (west of the A50) or the B5082 or Wash Lane.
- As noted on planning application Figure RL13A, a sign will be sited at the plant site entrance/exit stating that there is a strictly no left turn from the process plant site. The entrance kerbing has been designed to dictate a right turn out only manoeuvre.
- No HGV access will be allowed to any part of the site to the south of New Platt Lane (the extraction area). HGV’s delivering mobile plant to site will unload in the plant site area having followed all HGV routing plans.
- No site related HGV access will be allowed on the section of New Platt Lane to the east of the process plant site entrance. No site related HGV access will be allowed into Goostrey Village or on Goostrey Lane. Sibelco will monitor this and impose an immediate ban on any HGV driver found to be using Goostrey Lane or Goostrey village.
- Sibelco will operate a protocol, as part of this HGV Management and Routing Plan, whereby any HGV driver arriving to site before the conditioned opening time of the processing plant will be warned once then banned from site if this occurs a second time. Sibelco will not allow site related HGV’s to park up, even temporarily, on New Platt Lane.
- Departing HGV’s, upon reaching the A50 will turn either left or right and will not pass directly over the A50 into the western section of New Platt Lane.
- This HGV Management and Routing Plan will be in place for the lifetime of the Rudheath Lodge development.
This condition was being flouted on a regular basis and he explained a specific incident which had happened to himself and his granddaughter. He knew ‘Gratton’s’ from Buxton were one of the offenders and he felt Sibelco should advise their delivery vehicles accordingly.
One resident arrived late to the meeting, but the Chairman allowed his comments to be submitted after the public forum had closed. He was concerned about the speed of the traffic on Northwich Road and New Platt Lane as it was getting worse and there were more walkers, cyclists, and horse riders.
Cllr RJH responded that the PC had tried on several occasions to reduce the speed limit, but it did not fit the Cheshire East Speed Management Criteria. There had been discussions with two portfolio holders, and they would not change their stance. The PC had also sent a letter to all the houses on Northwich Road to formulate a plan, but nobody has responded.
Apologies
Cllr A Nicol due to holidays.
97/20 Minutes
Resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 22nd September 2020 be approved and signed as a true and accurate record.
98/20 Councillor Vacancy
Cllr SL had called the applicant for more information and had asked if he would complete the application form again with more detail. He also did not have any supporters from the Parish, The Chairman accepted the lack of supporters from the electoral role as he was new to the Parish but requested a completed application form.
Resolved this item would be deferred until a completed application was submitted.
It was noted due to work commitments the applicant could not attend this evening.
99/20 Cycleway / footpath to Holmes Chapel from Cranage
Cllr SL and the Clerk had met with Cllr S Ackers Smith – Cycling & Walking Champion from Cheshire East on 29th September and subsequently Cllr SAS had submitted a report to support better connectivity between Cranage and Holmes Chapel. Cllr SL communicated the comments from nine residents received from the recent newsletter. The standard of the footpaths was a concern to many as there had not been a verge push back for a long time and were overgrown.
It was agreed a further meeting needed to take place with Cllr SAS to see what next steps to take after her report had been accepted by full Council.
100/20 Allotments in the Parish
Holmes Chapel Partnership had approached the Parish Council to work together to use a piece of land for allotments. They required a 3-acre plot which would provide 48 full sized plots and car access was required. They were approaching CPC about a site which they believed was in CE ownership on the edge of the A50 adjacent to the track to the football pitches. Cllr RJH knew the farmer who owed this land and it was not CE land and he was not willing to rent or sell land for allotments.
The PC discussed other options and there did not feel there was any suitable sites in the Parish for allotments.
101/20 Football Pitches
Ownership of the land
Deferred.
102/20 Planning Applications
- 20/4266C Cranage Mill, Knutsford Road, Cranage CW4 8EE – proposed single storey rear office extension and demolition of the front porch
Resolved No Objection
- 20/4179C Boundary Cottage, Twemlow Lane, Cranage CW4 8DS – demolition of existing building and construction of 1 self-contained holiday unit (resubmission of application; 20/2523C).
Resolved No Objection
- 20/3633C Allotment Wood, Oak Tree Lane, Cranage CW10 9LU Proposed new cover storage for licensed trucks and animal shelter.
Resolved Objection
20/00449E Glebe Farm, Knutsford Road, Cranage CW4 8EF – fencing business
There still had been no progress with application. It was agreed the Chairman and Cllr AK would contact CE Planning Enforcement.
Sibelco
The Chairman had been unable to attend the last liaison meeting but would take up the issues raised in the public forum time this evening.
Heyhead Farm
This site was a cattery currently and there had been residents’ complaints that the site was now a boarding kennels.
Resolved the Clerk would enquire if this needed planning permission and Cllr RJH would advise the complainants to report to the EA if it was causing excessive noise.
Seven Oaks, Byley Lane, CW10 9LP FS253328494
Reported but no action to date.
103/20 Highways
Speed of traffic and missing speed signs on the access track to Cranage Hall Hotel
The Clerk had reported this under reference 3406129. Cllr RH pointed out this was an unadopted road and the responsibility of Cranage Hall Hotel.
Resolved the Clerk would contact the hotel.
Leese crossroads
Cllr AK had made enquires and Mr C Hodgson CE Highways had apologised for the delay in responding. He was compiling a report for the PC.
Glebe Farm – A50 sandbags on the pavement.
The Clerk had contacted Mr L Glover and he was investigating the site, he requested if the Parish Council knew of any history to the site, they would inform him. There was knowledge of a culvert. Cllr LG was also involved in this enquiry.
Speed of traffic on Northwich Road
This was deferred until Cllr DB had reviewed the report again after the discussion this evening. Cllr LG encouraged the residents to contact the Police Crime Commissioner to ensure more police were in place and completing speed checks. He felt lowering the speed would achieve extraordinarily little and enforcement was the best option.
Sycamore Cottage – actioned
Bulb Planting in the Parish.
The Clerk had arranged this with Sibelco, and they were kindly supplying the bulbs.
Trees blocking vision on Northwich Road on the empty plot of land.
The Clerk had been unable to find out who owned this piece of land. Cllr RJH offered to action the enquiry.
Tree on pavement outside Swan Farm 3406825
104/20 Shrubbery around the small area and grass maintenance on the estate
Cllr RH and the Clerk had met with ANSA and agreed not to take away all the shrubbery around the play area just some to gain access. They had also agreed to plant some supplementary trees.
The grass pathways were discussed on Needham estate and to leave some areas on the field areas.
It was agreed by members that grass pathways would be left as advised from ANSA.
Picnic tables on Needham estate
It was agreed that the Clerk would make enquires with Cheshire East and then provide some costings.
105/20 Social Isolation lunches
The Clerk had made further enquiries about a different location to hold the luncheons but due to more advice from Government this was not possible to pursue. There had been an offer for a delivery of hot meals by volunteers from the Saw Mill in Congleton but after discussion this was not dealing with the issue of social isolation.
It was agreed no further steps could be taken until the current restrictions were lifted.
106/20 Defibrillator at Cranage Hall Hotel
As the hotel was closed and would be for the foreseeable future there was no access to the defibrillator.
Resolved the Clerk would make enquires about positioning the defibrillator in an outside location.
107/20 Footpaths and Tree Report
Footpath Claim – Carver Ave/Byley Lane/Crescent Avenue Ref FPS/R0660/14A/2
Communication had been received this was making progress through the list and should be heard within the next few weeks.
108/20 Cheshire East
Cllr AK reported all the leisure centres were now open including the swimming pools. There was some key information on the White Paper from Government of which he would circulate to the Clerk for the Parish Council.
Cllr LG had sent an email stating that the surface of the bridge on Northwich Road over th eM6 carriageway was now on a list for resurfacing at a level 3 priority.
CE had allocated £7m for infection control within the area.
109/20 Accounts
It was noted the balance of account = Leek United £30,721.75 + Natwest £27,972.83 = £58,694.58
Payments
- Online payment – £320.00 Dane Valley Radio (donation)
- Online payment – £150.00 TCS Management
- Online payment – £625.80 Crewe Colour Printers
Receipts
- £294.52 Leek United Interest
- £4,641.91 Community Infrastructure Levy Monies
- £45.00 SPC
- £45.00 NBACM PC
- £1,657.69 SPC (Salary Q2)
- £1,657.69 NBACM PC (Salary Q2)
Resolved the above payments are approved and signed for as a true and accurate record.
Bank Reconciliation
This had been checked and accepted By Cllr RH.
CIL Monies
This was a replacement for the S106 monies and received against 19/2713C, 20/0186C and 19/3321C.
110/20 Chairman and Members Report
No comments
111/20 Clerks Report
No comments
112/20 The next meeting would be on the 24th November 2020
Meeting closed at 9.50 pm
It was noted this would be held on Zoom unless otherwise advised.