Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Tuesday 19th June 2018 at Cranage Village Hall.
Part 1
Present Councillor G Morgan (who chaired the meeting), Councillor R Hurst, Councillor J Swithenbank, Councillor M Hodge, Councillor M Cohen, Councillor D Bennett (arrived at 7.40pm), Councillor A Kolker (Cheshire East Council), the Clerk.
Declaration of Interest
Cllr D Bennett – Highways England – FOI request, Cllr G Morgan – Sibelco and 18/2829C and Cllr M Hodge – Sibelco and 18/2829C.
Public Forum
4 members of the public present.
No comments from the public.
Apologies – Cllr R Hocknell due to holidays.
61/18 Minutes
Cllr R Hurst suggested some amendments to the minutes which were accepted by full Council
Resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 22nd May 2018 be approved and signed as a true and accurate record.
62/18 Neighbourhood Plan
Cllr G Morgan apologised that none of the commitments had been actioned since the last meeting as her father had not been well.
Cllr R Hurst had commenced analysing the results of the recent survey that had been carried out in the parish.
There still was no committee members and it was suggested all the email addresses would be contacted to see if they can offer any support.
Cllr G Morgan was still awaiting approval of the designated area, but Cllr M Cohen still had concerns about the dated map.
63/18 Highways
VTC Consultants
The traffic report from Mr J Carruthers was referred to and actions to be taken at the five locations were approved.
Resolved the Parish Council would instruct Mr J Carruthers for one day of consultancy to formalise a plan to take actions to Cheshire East with supporting evidence.
Residents Action Group Report
Cllr M Hodge reported that Apex Acoustics had submitted their report after reviewing Highways England’s published material on the M6 Smart Motorway, RAG had analysed the findings and drafted a Freedom of Information request to Highways England.
The Clerk had submitted the request and was awaiting a reply which could take up to 20 working days.
Hermitage Bridge
It was noted this still had not been completed. Cllr R Hurst asked the Clerk to enquire about the stones being removed.
Grass verges in the Parish
The PC had instructed a contractor last year to cut the grass verges an extra two times in addition to the rural cut by Cheshire East. The had proved a success along the A50. It was proposed to extend the contract to cover the rural roads – Twemlow Lane, Goostrey Lane, Middlewich Road and Byley Lane.
Resolved the Parish Council will include the rural lanes in the grass verge maintenance scheme.
Glebe Farm
The Parish Council had received several complaints about the cars parking on the grass verge outside the premises. The police had been notified and the highways department at Cheshire East Council wished to have photographs submitted before any actions can be forth coming.
Resolved Cllr J Swithenbank would approach the owner with this issue.
64/18 Anti-Social behaviour on Needham Estate
A report on anti-social behaviour had been submitted by the Neighbourhood Watch Team which asked for support from the PC. Cllr M Cohen had arranged for Cranage Hall Hotel to redirect their CCTV cameras to cover the play areas. There had been CCTV camera signs erected along the fence. The police had been taking regular patrols around the area.
Cllr M Cohen was also completing regular checks and trying to engage with the youths. The broken glass bottles and the burnt swings were the most concerning issue.
65/18 Footpath and Tree Report
Mr T Sheldon had submitted the following report;
Trees.
The trees on both sides of Needham Drive ,as you enter the Cranage estate, need pruning – on many trees the branches are below head height and interfering with pedestrians.
Footpaths
Public Footpaths are generally well kept, with recent cutting of weeds / nettles evident on most major footpaths in the Twemlow / Hermitage area. However, the first stretch of Footpath 1, entering the first field off Twemlow Lane is in severe need of cutting.
The footpath on the A50, going towards Cranage is starting to get very over-grown on the stretch beyond Holmes Chapel Fencing to Needham Drive. The issue is not with the verge, but weeds / nettles growing out of the hedgerow and encroaching on the pavement.
Dog fouling – an increasing amount of dog fouling is taking place on the Hermitage Lane Bridleway, in both directions from Hermitage Bridge. As an unmade road certain dog owners believe that there is no need to pick-up. Signage needs to be introduced to warn that this is an offence
Notice of Public Path Diversion Order – The Cheshire East Borough Council (Footpath No. 3 (Part) Parish of Cranage). Public Path Diversion Order 2018
Details The above Order, made on the 7th June 2018, under section 119 of the Highways Act 1980,will divert that length of Public Footpath No. 3 in the Parish of Cranage commencing at O.S. grid reference SJ 7567 6784 and running in a general east north easterly direction for a distance of approximately 78 metres to O.S. grid reference SJ 7574 6786 to a new line commencing at a kissing gate at O.S. grid reference SJ 7563 6788 and then running in a generally north easterly direction for a distance of approximately 36 metres to O.S. grid reference SJ 7574 6788 and then continuing in a south easterly direction for 13 metres to O.S. grid reference SJ 7575 6787. to a kissing gate at O.S. grid reference SJ 7574 6788 and then continuing in a south easterly direction for approximately 13 metres to O.S. grid reference 7575 6787.
Resolved No Objection
Hawthorn House
No change to status.
66/18 Football Pitches in Cranage
The football manager of the local team had submitted a request for support funding to drain football pitches, so they would be playable by September. The club were willing to contribute £1,000 after the subscriptions were received in September. The summary of liaison and meetings Cheshire East had refused to assist as there was no finance available.
With the assistance of the Clerk three quotes had been submitted from ANSA, Dutton’s and Ashbrook’s Ltd. These had all been circulated.
A funding application had been submitted to the Co Op but no response to date.
A funding application had been submitted to Cheshire FIFA but no response to date.
Cllr A Kolker offered to challenge Cheshire East Council for not supporting this issue.
It was agreed the Clerk would also approach the relevant neighbouring Parish Councils of the children who were members of the teams who used the pitches to assist with funding.
The Parish Council considered the options and understood this work had to be undertaken in the next two months.
Resolved the Parish Council would financially support the residual of the cost after all the extra funding options available were exhausted.
Resolved the Clerk would instruct Ashbrook’s Ltd to carry out the works.
67/18 Adult Fitness Area
The Clerk updated members the lottery funding application was still under review. The Manchester Airport application had been unsuccessful.
68/18 Planning Applications
- 18/2829C Land Off Big Stone Gardens, Cranage – Construction of new dwelling
Resolved No Objection
- 18/2659C Springfield Cottage, Twemlow Lane, Cranage CW4 8EX – Front elevation porch extension.
Resolved No Objection
Sibelco application at Rudheath Farm, Cranage – this application was due to the heard at the SPB in Winsford Town Hall for Cheshire West Council on 21st June and Allostock Parish Council had requested Cllr M Cohen speak on their behalf.
The Chairman thanked him for his support.
FP McCann – Byley Parish Council
The comments were noted from the residents/Parish Council affected by this site.
69/18 Accounts
It was noted the balance of account = Leek United £30,275.36 + Natwest £41,302.07 = £71,577.43.
Payments
Cheque number
235- £75.00 CHALC (12.06.18 training for Cllr R Hocknell) *
236 – £35.00 CHALC (training for Cllr D Bennett 06.06.18)
237 – £1,536.00 Apex Acoustics Ltd
238 – £250.00 Cranage Village Hall (room hire)
239- £101.13 Mrs J Mason (expenses)
Receipts
- £400.00 RAG
- £860.00 Zurich Insurance
- £112.00 Cranage Bowling Club
- £2.81 Lloyds Banking Group
Cllr R Hurst was given delegated authority to authorise the Clerks salary prior to the next meeting.
Resolved the above payments are approved and signed for as a true and accurate record.
*It was agreed the Clerk would contact CHALC and request a credit note.
There needed to be anew signature on the Leek United Account as Mr A Townson had resigned.
Resolved Cllr J Swithenbank would act as the new signature on the Leek United Bond.
70/18 Cheshire East
Resolved to suspend the Standing Orders to accept a report from the Ward Councillor A Kolker.
When setting the Budget on 22nd February 2018 CE Full Council agreed the establishment of a ‘New Homes Bonus – Community Fund’ to be set up at a value of £2m to cover the period 2018/19 and 2019/20 subject to development of an appropriate governance framework.
This report sets out the scheme that will be implemented during 2018/19 initially. There will an allocation of £1 m each year. The Local Area Partnership of the surrounding rural areas were to receive £328,973.00. This was quite biased in our favour due to the amount of housing development in this section of Cheshire East.
There would be an application process in place for Town & Parish Councils to follow and then it would be presented by the Ward Councillors and decided by Cheshire East.
71/18 Chairman and Members report
Family Fun Day at Cranage Hall Hotel in 2019
Cllr M Cohen informed the PC this event was taking place and would like the Parish Council to become involved.
Police Forum 30.07.18
Cllr M Cohen would attend
Introduction to Local Councils Course
Cllr D Bennett updated the Council
Public Forum Time
Resolved the public forum time would be reintroduced at the end of the meeting.
Business Plan
This would be deferred until the Chairman was present.
72/18 Clerks Report
GDPR
The Clerk had circulated the relevant initial documents to be added to the website including the privacy statement. She asked if one Parish Councillor from Cranage would attend a meeting and a Councillor from each of her other Parish Councils to complete a check of the actions being undertaken.
Resolved Cllr G Morgan would attend.
PART 2
Resolved; “That in accordance with the public bodies (Admission to meetings) Act 1960 as extended by the Local Goverment Act 1972 section 100 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for discussion of the under mentioned item on the grounds that the publication of the matter would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted”,
The Clerks salary was discussed.
Resolved To increase the pay scale point of the Clerk by one with effect from 1 April 2018 and to implement the national pay rate for the year 2018/19.
The actions following from the last meeting in relation to the website.
Resolved to put onto the Cranage Parish Council website the following statement “This is the only official Cranage Parish Council website.”
73/18 the next meeting would be on the 31st July 2018 @ 7.30pm in Cranage Village Hall.
Meeting closed at 9.50 pm