STAFFORDSHIRE MOORLANDS DISTRICT COUNCIL

MOORLANDS PARTNERSHIP BOARD MEETING

Minutes

WEDNESDAY, 8 NOVEMBER 2017

PRESENT: Councillor H Sheldon MBE (Chair)

Councillors R Alcock, A Banks, E Fallows, A Forrester, A Hart, H Jebb and T Riley.

IN ATTENDANCE: Brooks Regeneration Officer S Hampton Member and Community Support Services Officer J Ratcliffe Assistant Accountant S Robinson Principal Finance Officer (Financial Reporting) R Tuffrey Principal Regeneration Officer

APOLOGIES: Councillors C Pearce and D Shaw.

9 TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING.

RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the Meeting held on the 21st June 2017 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

10 DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS:

Agenda No. Member Declaring Nature of Interest Interest Other – A member of the Peak District

National Park Planning Agenda Item 5 Committee, a member

of Biddulph Town - The Trough, Cllr A. Hart Council, Deputy Chair Biddulph & of Peak Leadership Biddulph Town Programme and Council Projects. member of the Biddulph

Grange County Park Steering Group. Agenda Item 5 - Stockton Brook Layby. Other – Member of - T E Hulme Endon and Stanley Memorial in Endon Parish Council and is a village. Cllr H. Jebb Member of the North - Endon & Stanley Staffordshire Railway Interpretation Company. Panels

Agenda Item 5 – relating 1

Moorlands Partnership Board - 8 November 2017

to railway projects.

Other – A member of Agenda Item 5 Biddulph Town Council - The Trough, and a member of the Biddulph & Cllr H. Sheldon Biddulph Grange Biddulph Town County Park Steering Council Projects. Group.

Agenda Item 5 Other – Owns shares in - Relating to Cllr T. Riley the Cheddleton Cheddleton Railway. Station. Agenda Item 5 Cllr A. Banks & Cllr R. Other – Members of - Bourne Fountain, Alcock Cheadle Town Council. Cheadle

11 FINANCIAL REVIEW AND SUMMARY OF PROJECTS.

The Board received a report introduced by Jane Ratcliffe, Assistant Account, which provided a financial summary of the work of the Moorlands Partnership Board over the last financial year and included financial tables which provided a summary of the allocation of grant funding.

At this point in the meeting the Chair read out the letter which had been sent to Cabinet from the MPB and the response which had been received.

Steve Robinson, Principal Finance Officer, introduced himself to the Board and clarified that previous years funding couldn’t be re-allocated but there was flexibility within the current years budget. The Board may also wish to give its consideration to the following years funding.

Some members of the Board felt that the budget should be increased, bearing in mind that the budget had remained at the same level for a number of years.

A request was made for officers to be proactive when longstanding grant offers were nearing the expiry towards the end of the financial year.

RESOLVED - That the report be noted.

12 CURRENT STATUS OF PROJECTS

The Board received a report and presentation on the current status of projects at:-

Bourne Fountain, Cheadle – Awaiting Commencement. The lighting of the fountain was no longer required but the grant was to be used for cleaning and maintenance.

14 Market Place, Leek – Commencement due early in the New Year

18 Deansgate, Leek - Works completed and grant paid 2

Moorlands Partnership Board - 8 November 2017

Gazebo, Whitehough, Ipstones - Awaiting commencement but some stone repairs completed

High St House, Leek - Works ongoing and request made for additional funding

No 1 Clerk Bank, Leek - Works completed unsatisfactorily.

67 Tape Street, Cheadle - Works due to commence in the New Year.

Derby Street Bollards, Leek - Works complete

9 – 11 High Street Dilhorne - Works ongoing

Cheddleton Choir House - Works complete and grant paid.

Stockton Brook Layby – Works complete and grant due to be paid

TE Hulme Memorial , Endon - Works complete and awaiting payment

Endon and Stanley Interpretation Panels - Repairs almost complete

The Trough, Biddulph - Awaiting commencement

Leekbrook to Leek (Cornhill) heritage rail link: All surveys for the planning permission have been completed.

Leekbrook Station: Awaiting for a decision on a Peak Leader application which was expected in the near future. Assuming a positive response work would start January/February 2018.

Cheddleton Station: North Staffordshire Railway Company was now owner of the station and platform. The appointed architect was completing a refurbishment specification for tender and appointment of contractor. This should be completed in November. The applicant aimed to raise £75,000 including the purchase price of £50,000. They had raised £60,000 so far with £10,000 to spend on refurbishment to date. The owner would also approach other organisations for top up grants.

St Edwards Summer Houses: Officers had been advised that, whilst public access to the summer houses could not be legally restricted, access for the general public was not encouraged. The trail leaflet (circulated at the previous meeting) was no longer publicly available or promoted. Whilst the applicant had accepted the grant offer, they were mindful that the public access was not as generous as first considered. The applicant was aware that Board Members would be updated on this fact and would consider the existing grant offer.

Biddulph Town Council Projects Biddulph Town Council had been awarded a grant allocation of £12,700 towards various projects within the area. The Town Council had put forward the following projects to be funded from the MPB:-

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Moorlands Partnership Board - 8 November 2017

 £10,000 towards heritage projects with Biddulph Grange Country Park. This included restoration of Bateman/Heath footpaths and on site interpretation.  The remaining £2,700 would be allocated towards 4 small projects including – Tower Head Well, the platform at Gillow Heath Station, restoration of Trent Head Well and the continuation of railings along the A527.

RESOLVED: 1) That the report be noted.

2) For the Legal Team to be contacted in relation to the withdrawal of grant funding at No 1 Clerk Bank.

13 APPROVAL OF PROJECTS

The Board received a report to seek members’ approval to allocate grant funding from the Moorlands Partnership Board (MPB). At the last meeting the entire budget was allocated to projects in Leek and Biddulph. In view of this, the MPB could not consider any further requests for grant funding this financial year.

Despite this, and subject to members’ approval, there was a possibility of a withdrawal and reallocation of the £4,000 grant from St Edwards Summer Houses. In conjunction, there had been a request for additional funding against the repair of High Street House in Leek.

RESOLVED:

1) That members APPROVE the reallocation of grant monies allocated towards St Edwards Summer Houses.

2) That an additional grant of £2000 (inc of VAT) be offered towards the repair of High Street House in Leek, subject to the standard grant scheme conditions.

14 ANY OTHER BUSINESS.

The Board was reminded that it may wish to begin giving its consideration to next years strategic focus for the allocation of funds.

The meeting closed at 3.05 pm

______Chairman ______Date

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