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Draft Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Monday 21^st January 2019 in the Woodside Pavilion at Somerford Park Farm @ 7.30 pm.

Present;

Councillor G Bell (Chairman),
Councillor P Crompton (Vice Chairman),
Councillor R Crookes,
Councillor S Hughes,
Councillor K Wainwright,
Mrs J Mason (Clerk)
Councillor J Wray (Cheshire East Representative) left at 10pm

Declaration of Interest;

Cllr K Wainwright – RSPB land and Blackfirs Lane development by DWH

Cllr G Bell – 19/0131C – 21, Chelford Road

PCSO Sue Holt

The local PCSO introduced herself to the public and Parish Council. She covered Brereton Rural, Sandbach and Elworth. She conducted beat surgeries within each area on a regular basis and the location for Somerford was at Hoofers café in Somerford Park Farm. Every event she held would most likely be on social media SbachElwBrRuPol to follow. Email details; Sue.Holt@cheshire.pnn.police.uk and the Police community base is St Peters Church Hall, Elworth CW11 3HU.

Congleton Link Road Presentation

Present; Mr Paul Griffiths- CE Project Manager, Mr Wayne Ashdown – CE Project Manager, Mr Alastair Lewis – Project Manager GRAHAM, Mr Dan Cawthra- Stake Holder and Communication Officer GRAHAM.

GRAHAM construction had been appointed by Cheshire East to construct the Congleton Link Road. They are an Irish company based in County Down, Northern Ireland. Work on the project has already commenced and there is a communication event on 29^th January 2019 at Black firs school.

Initially Back Lane will close on 28.01.18 for 6 months whilst it is re aligned but access will be maintained to the playing fields from Chelford Road end and to the ‘Seddons’ housing site from the H/C Road end. The post box removal along Sandy lane and the closure of Sandy Lane was the subject of some discussion and concern. The farm access will be acknowledged.

There will be a 12-metre bridge constructed initially over Loach brook with precast concrete beams and stone clad. The bridge has been redesigned but the pedestrian route under the bridge will remain. The road will then travel down an embankment along the back of Chelford Road and link adjacent to the existing Back Lane. Chelford Road will be closed for a period whilst the underpass is constructed but there will be a temporary, single carriageway road controlled by traffic lights constructed to the east of Chelford Road.

The crossing over the River Dane will be the most challenging as there is a 25m difference in height on either side. Again this bridge has been re designed to reduce the height of the higher (Somerford) side by 5 metres and increase the height of the lower (Congleton ) side also by 5 metres. There will be a spur road from Congleton Business Park . There were four roundabouts planned in total and the first one will be the Holmes Chapel Road one scheduled in Jan to Feb.

No more planning applications will be submitted.

The post box removal along Sandy Lane was discussed.

GRAHAM will set up a dedicated website with updates and communication points. They were temporarily be based at Somerford Business Offices and then eventually in offices on Viking Way.

There was a question and answer session allowed.

(*Website link https://www.graham.co.uk/getattachment/Micro-sites/Congleton-Link-Road/Parish-Council-Meeting-21-January-2019.pdf?lang=en-GB )

Public Forum

Two members of the public.

A concern expressed on the way the recent planning application had been handled on the DWH site off Blackfirs Lane. The consultation letter was sent out after the SPB determination had been submitted as No Objection.

The Chairman encouraged a complaint to be submitted to CE as the Parish Council had already sent a complaint to the planning officer.

There was an issue with the standard of the footpath along Holmes Chapel Road by the bench.

01/19 Apologies

Cllr T Swain due to work commitments.

02/19 Minutes

Resolved the minutes of the meeting held on Monday 26^th November 2018 having been circulated be approved and signed as a true and accurate record.

03/19 Standing Orders

The Standing Orders had been circulated. Members made the relevant amendments.

Resolved the Standing Orders were adopted by full Council subject to the amendments.

04/19 Cheshire Wildlife Trust – Blackfirs Nature Reserve

Cllrs GB, KW, RC and the Clerk had met with Mr Joe Pimblett, the Area East Manager on site to discuss the Nature Reserve on 15^th January 2019.

The CWT had approached the PC to see if they were willing to take over the site. He had agreed to take actions on site with the footpaths and the dead trees over the next two months.

Cllr KW expressed her concern about the cost and liability if we managed /owned the site.

Resolved the Parish Council would pursue the possibility of taking ownership of the site depending on some key facts being established.

It was noted this would under take a public consultation first.

05/19 Cheshire East

Resolved to suspend the Standing Orders to accept a report from the Ward Councillor

There was due to be a boundary review after the elections in May. It seemed evident that Congleton Town Council would like to move the boundary. This process would take up to 3 years. He acknowledged the weight limit over Radnor bridge needed his attention.

06/19 RSPB Land

It was noted Mr B Costello had resigned and had been replaced by Ms Jane Birch. There was a meeting scheduled on the 1^st March.

The land still had not sold.

Cllr RC wished a concern to be brought to the attention of the RSPB that now the site was grassed and rolled it was ideal for travellers to gain access.

07/19 Community Home Bonus Scheme

SPC had submitted a bid for £72,000. There had been £7m bids submitted for a total allocation of £2m. Over 200 bids were being reviewed by the support team within CE. The first scheduled meeting for the Congleton Area was due to be held on18th February. The result was due to be formally announced at the end of March.

08/19 Planning Applications

19/0131C 21, Chelford Road, Somerford CW12 4QD – Demolition of existing house and construction of new residential development of five detached houses.

Resolved Objection

18/5875C Somerford Park Farm, Holmes Chapel Road Somerford CW12 4SW – construction of new vehicle park

Resolved No Objection

It was noted there had been comments from a member of the public and the Clerk was requested to enquire if the landscaping from a previous application had been carried out.

18/6073C Billbery Cottage, Holmes Chapel Road, Somerford, Cheshire CW12 4SW –

Provision of accessible accommodation

The Parish Council had not been consulted on this application but as it was on the boundary line the PC decided to comment.

Resolved Objection

To note a comment from a resident in reference to 18/4449C – DWH. The Parish Council decided it was not appropriate to invite Mr D Malcom to the next PC meeting.

09/19 GDPR

There had been a meeting with the Councillors of the other Parish Councils held on 03.12.18 where the Clerk and Cllr TS had attended. The Clerk communicated the results and actions being undertaken.

The PC discussed having a maintenance package for the Clerks computer. It was agreed that if the other three PCs agreed they would enter the option.

The Security Policy had been circulated.

Resolved the policy would be accepted by full council.

Freedom of Information Request

There had been a request submitted in December. It had been refused under the cost limit section 6.2 of the ICO guidelines. The amended FOI request was actioned.

10/19 Accounts

To note the balance of the accounts = £11,779.53

Payments

Online payment – £294.00 Alexandra Froggatt Design
Online payment – £195.00 Alexandra Froggatt Design
Online payment – £54.00 Blue Spot Computers
Cheque no 229 – £720.00 JDH Services Ltd (to be retrieved from other four PC’S)

Cheque no 234 – £295.37 Congleton Town Council ( bench)
Cheque no 231 – £1,476.18 Cranage Parish Council – (HMRC £111.16)
Cheque no 232 – £104.99 Mrs J mason (expenses Sept to Dec)
Direct Debit £5.99 Office 364

Receipts

11/18 Adult and Children Safe Guarding Policies

Both drafted policies had bene circulated.

Resolved the Council would adopt both policies

12/18 Highways

Verge markers along Chelford Road

It was acknowledged some residents had enquired of the cost of the CE approved verge markers

Radnor Bridge weight limit – (Environmental Weight Restriction)

Cllr K Wainwright requested this was deferred as no progress had been made by Cheshire East Council following her enquires. She had met with Sue Holt the PCSO but no decision could be made and there had been a suggestion to try and arrange a meeting with Police Traffic Officer – Robin Johnson. She was also awaiting a response from Mr W Ashdown.

Tree in River Dane

No actions had been taken. It was accepted the Environment Agency and the land owner would not remove the tree.

1 Chelford Road

Cllr J Wray was asked to review the surface water reported last year.

Mr M Heywood CE – Chelford Road resurface March 2018 (pothole 3347202)

MH had reported no further resurfacing works would be carried out on Chelford Road

SDU post within new 40 mph zone on A54

CE would not support.

Street signs on Blackfirs Lane

There had been a complaint received in relation to the siting of the new street names for the DWH site due to H & S issues. The PC would reinforce their concerns.

Comments in relation to Blackfirs Lane and Holmes Chapel Road from the last meeting

The points raised from the last meetings public forum time were noted.

13/19 Clerks Report

Annual Parish Meeting

The PC needed to approve a speaker for the meeting in April. It was noted there had been no applicants.

Elections 2019

It was noted the elections would be on the 2^nd May 2019. The Clerk was to attend a briefing on the rules and conditions in February. The Parish Council was advised that the co-option for a Parish Councillor was ideally deferred. A newsletter needed to be produced in February / March.

Fibre broadband to Chelford Road

A resident had circulated a flyer for support to try and receive fibre to the existing residents’ homes on Chelford Road – contact details were on the website.

14/19 Chairman’s and Members report

Police Surgery at Hoofers café – SPF

Cllr K Wainwright and Cllr P Crompton had attended.

Town & Parish Conference 29.01.19

Cllr G Bell would attend.

15/19 It was noted the next meeting would be on 18^th February 2019 at 7.30 pm at the Pavilion in Somerford Park Farm.

The meeting concluded business at 10.40 pm