Minutes of Huntington

MINUTES OF HUNTINGTON PARISH COUNCIL MEETING 19th June 2017. 7.30 p.m. at Huntington Village Hall.

PRESENT Chairman – Cllr Roy Shelton Cllr. Mark Williams Cllr. Anthony Wilcox Cllr Jacky Creswick Cllr. Nick Dodd Cllr. Mike Dutton Cllr. John Creswick Cllr. Carolyn Walker

Non-Councillors Clerk – Louise Gibson Public – 1

1. APOLOGIES Cllr Andy Tassell – Work Commitments Cllr Dave Whitehead – Holiday

2. DECLARATION OF INTERESTS At the beginning of Item 11, Cllr Carolyn Walker declared a pecuniary interest in Maintenance of the Old Post Office Path as her husband owns Walkers Nurseries who supplied plants for the path and has offered his services to water them.

3. CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION Cllr Shelton thanked the Council for appointing him as Chairman at the First Annual meeting held in May and looked forward to continuing in his role. Cllr Shelton then signed the Declaration of Office (pg. 518 of Minute book), as witnessed by the Clerk and Councillors present.

4. MINUTES 17/672 RESOLVED – That the Council agreed the minutes of the Annual (First) meeting held on the 15th May 2017 as a true and proper record. 5. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION A resident of Saighton Camp introduced himself to the Council. He then informed the Council that there had been an incident at a small children’s play area within the estate. This is designed for 2 to 5 year olds as stated on the actual play equipment. Some older youths had been playing on the equipment and, in his opinion, been making considerable noise and nuisance. After informing parents, neighbours became involved, this resulted in threatening behaviour, and the Police called. The resident asked if signs could be produced which informed other residents of the appropriate ages to use each playground on the new estate, as well as highlighting the facilities at Jubilee field, which may help older youths to be aware that there are more age-appropriate equipment available in the community.

The resident then went on to say that he felt that there were many issues on the new estate which needs addressing such as dog fouling and street lighting as well as maintenance of Green Space.

The Chairman explained that Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) had now adopted the Taylor Wimpey part of the estate (Cheshire Way) but that the rest of the estate, including the main thoroughfare of Highlanders Rd, remained the property of developers. Therefore, this was private land so we, as a Parish Council, were very limited in what we could do at this time. The Clerk was instructed to contact Bovis to ask whether signs could be erected on the playgrounds to alert residents of the appropriate age of children 7 who should be using the equipment. The police should also be made aware that we are asking for these signs. To deter youths from using the younger children’s playground, the clerk was also asked to investigate when the older children’s play area, found at the front of the estate, would be ready for use. It was also suggested that the Council highlight the facilities on Jubilee Field, which may deter older children from using the equipment designed for younger ones.

The police report for May was read:

Incident Type Number Location/Incident Concern for Safety 2 04/05/2017 - Jubilee Field – A child was left in care of another parent. Police were informed as child’s parent did not come back as expected. Parent then returned and had been longer than expected. No offences, parent advised. 15/05/2017 – Rangers Close, vehicle turned up and driver throwing things out of window. Suspicious 2 08/05/2017 – Waterworks, car left in area. Belongs to a Person/Vehicle local keeper, no concerns. 27/05/17 – Highlander Road, male asleep in a vehicle on private parking space. Advised to contact landowner. Burglary 1 16/05/17 – Butterbache Road, door handle rattled. No trace of an intruder. ASB 2 08/05/2017 – Highlander Road, children playing ‘knock and run’. Parents spoken to. 28/05/17 – Highlander Road, load music being played. Advised to contact the council. Theft 1 20/05/17 – Old Hall, Handbag stolen, no request for police. 6. ACCOUNTS AND PAYMENTS (a) Councillors were asked to review the accounts for May – June (pg117 of Spreadsheet). 17/673 RESOLVED – That the Council approve the Accounts for May - June (Pg117 of Spreadsheet).

The Chairman asked for an update on the Fete income and outgoings. The Clerk reported that we had nearly reached 20 Stalls booked and a number of big attractions had been confirmed. We were currently operating at a small loss but the Fete Group were aware and were working hard to secure sponsorship, already obtaining kind offers from a number of local businesses including ITS Technologies, Stagecoach Coach Company, Walkers Nurseries and Elan Homes.

(b) Councillor Jacky Creswick enquired as to why the Clerk was not claiming travel expenses. The Clerk wished it noted that she did not consider travelling to Huntington as additional travel as that was her ‘place of work’. The Council asked the Clerk to claim travel expenses in the future. 17/674 RESOLVED – That the Council approve the following payments to the Clerk as reimbursements: Date of Receipt Payment to whom Items Amount 30/5/2017 Cheshire West and Licensing Act Certificate £21.00 Chester 31/05/2017 Screwfix 2 x Litter Pickers £24.99 (+£4.99 VAT) Total:£29.98 2/06/17 Rightway Dust Sheets x 2 (To take 18 £14.16 (+£2.84 VAT) bin bags from Huntington to Total: £17.00 Sealand Road Refuse Centre) TOTAL £67.98 (c) 8 17/675 RESOLVED – That the Council approve the following Invoice payments for May-June: Date of Payment to whom Services/Products Amount Payment provided 12/5/2017 Chester Handbooks Ltd Full Page in May Edition Total: £109.00 (Neighbourhood Plan Request) 12/5/2017 Mountain Monkeys Climbing Wall and Archery Total: £663.00 for Fete 2017 12/5/2017 Countrywide Grounds Grounds Maintenance for £244.63 + £48.93 Maintenance Jub Field for May 2017 VAT Total: £293.56 17/05/2017 Zurich Insurance Insurance 2017/2018 £717.32 + £86.08 VAT Total: £803.40 17/05/2017 Phil Sanders Internal Auditor Total: £72.00 19/5/2017 Chalc Annual Membership 2017 Total: £746.20 07/06/2017 Chester Handbooks Ltd Double Page x 2 in June Total: £318.00 Edition (Annual Report plus Fete Poster) 07/06/2017 Shelly Seeds (Jim Partington) L’man (May Invoice) Total: £99.30 UK Landscaping Services Invoice Number 20: £39.98 (Plus £8.00 (Morgan Bailey) VAT) Total: £47.98 13/6/2017 Countrywide Grounds Grounds Maintenance for £244.63 + £48.93 Maintenance Jub Field for June 2017 VAT Total: £293.56 13/6/2017 Sutcliffe Play Ltd 4 x Swing Seats for Jub £176.00 (Plus £35.20 Field VAT) Total: £211.20

7. AUDIT 2016/2017

Councillor Dutton reported that he and Cllr Williams had now installed the new swing seats at Jubilee Field. The Clerk gratefully thanked the Councillors

7 PLANNING Councilors noted the planning register. Observations (and subsequent objection) to Planning Application 17/01306/FUL, 16 Chester Road had been submitted by the Parish Council with concerns including 9 visibility, loss of trees and a danger to users of both the Highways and pedestrian access. The Chairman asked that Pg112 of the Planning register be formally noted and approved by the Council. 17/676 RESOLVED – That the Council approve Pg. 112 of the Planning Register, formally objecting to the Planning Application 17/01306/FUL, 16 Chester Road.

In regards to High Bank, the Council then discussed the future of this land, considering that other similar applications may follow. The Parish Council, despite not owning it, have maintained it for several years and CWaC have already stated that they believe that they do not own the land. It appears that the land has no formal owner. With this in mind, the Council discussed whether they should claim ownership. It was acknowledged that this would give them the burden of maintenance but would also protect the land for future use. Caution was noted that CWaC should maintain pedestrian footpaths at both the top and bottom of High Bank and this would clearly have to be ensured if claiming High Bank as land owned by the Parish Council. 17/677 RESOLVED – That the Council contact Land Registry to begin the process of claiming the land at High Bank as their own.

8 TRANSPARENCY GRANT APPROVAL The Clerk reported the Council had received three quotes for the redesign of our website. These were Rabbit Design: (Also designed Frodsham Town Council AND 2 other Parish Councils): £720.00 UQ web design: £965 Roodee Web Design: £1200

The Clerk provided all Councillors with a copy of the application form for a Transparency Grant to fund the redesign of our website. 17/678 RESOLVED – That the Council approve the application form and apply for the Transparency Grant

Councillors asked if these quotes included the ability to update the content ourselves as a Council to which the Clerk confirmed it did. Councillors also asked if we would own the Source Code. It was unclear whether the quotes would allow this. The Clerk was asked to send detailed specifications of each quote to all Councillors, for their assessment. Councillor Wilcox would contact Frodsham Town Council to ask for a reference for Rabbit Design and seek further information.

9 CAPITAL EXPENDITURE The Chairman noted that, at the May meeting, Councillors felt that so much change was occurring in Huntington, we would be better to keep hold of the money for now to assess ALL options once we know what we can do with the current school site/green spaces. However, since that discussion, the external Auditor had raised a query regarding the amount of money held in our savings account (received from New Homes Bonus, which has now been stopped). In light of this, the Chairman asked that Councillors revisited the notes from the Capital Expenditure group, including the Councillor Priority list for expenditure.

17/679 RESOLVED – That the Council, on reflection of the work undertaken by the Capital Expenditure group focus on three main projects:

 Extension to the Footpath at Jubilee Field so that the footpath travels the Perimeter of the field. Clerk to obtain quotes.  To erect football posts on Jubilee Field. Clerk to obtain quotes.

10 Some Councillors reminded the Council that new football pitches were part of the criteria for the new School. However, it was also noted that those would be full sized pitches and the community would still be lacking 5-a-side and 7-a-side pitches, suitable for younger children. The ground owned by CEG should be used for a football pitch bit several residents, including Cllr Dutton, had been refused permission to play on there by CEG who claim that they would be unable to monitor use and therefore unable to allow local people to play on it. Income could also be generated from the installation of football posts, as local sports teams would be keen to use the pitch.

 Toilets on Jubilee Field. Clerk to carry out a feasibility study on approximate costings of installing toilets on site.  Lighting at Caldy Nature Park (Huntington side). CWaC has already stated that they would be unwilling to cover the cost of installing new lights BUT, if the lights were installed by the Parish Council and met the strict criteria set by CWaC, they were willing to service them once installed. The Clerk was instructed to contact CWaC again to determine their position.

10 WORK PROGRAMME Cllr Shelton began by thanking Cllr Dodd and Cllr Jacky Creswick for all of their hard work in co- ordinating the Volunteer Day and the fantastic achievements made at improving the Old Post Office Path. Volunteers from Qwest and McDonalds were also thanked for their tremendous efforts on the day.

Concerns were raised that the plants would need watering regularly and this was a matter of urgency with the current heatwave. Martin, from Walkers Nurseries, had very kindly agreed to water the plants on the following day. Going forward, a charge of £15 per hour could be charged to water them on a regular basis. Before agreeing to this, Cllr Jacky Creswick would discuss with local residents whether there were volunteers willing to water them.

It was discussed that the other side of the Post Office Path also needed attention from CWaC. It was considered that less than one third of the path remained accessible due to the overgrown shrubbery. Streetlights are being obscured with the overgrown shrubbery, which must be a safety hazard so one which requires attention urgently.

Concerns were also raised regarding the hedgerow on the footpath between Harebell and the Nature Park. The trees need attention as well as the laurels cutting back as they are encroaching onto the footpath.

It was suggested that a Parish Walk should be organised to identify work needed to be carried out by CWaC. Clerk to organise.

17/680 RESOLVED: That the Council ask the Clerk to contact Streetscene to ask for this to be inspected and cleared. Cllr Williams, Ward Councillor, also agreed to follow this up. The Clerk would organise a Parish Walk with Councillors to identify key areas for improvement.

It was also noted under the Works Programme that several residents (via email or Facebook) had contacted the Parish Council to request that the Public Right of Way to Christleton be improved to ensure access as well as the possibility of a new cycle route.

It is becoming very apparent that many of our new residents in Huntington are sending their children to Christleton High School, which is resulting in a vast number of cars having to travel over Sainsbury’s Roundabout or through Saighton to get them there. However, the current footpath, which links Christleton to Huntington, is less than a mile long and a large amount of these children could be walking or cycling! This would reduce traffic, pollution and promote a healthier lifestyle.

11 Councillors expressed concern that this footpath is something in which CWaC should be maintaining, as it is believed to be their responsibility as well as ensuring that adequate signs are in place to promote the path and highlight it for residents.

A Councillor reminded the Council that a traffic assessment carried out when Redrow applied for planning permission for the new housing on Saighton Camp suggested that there was already a cycle route which didn’t exist and that there was also £4.2 million set aside to improve and add further cycle and pedestrian routes. This should be explored further to see if some of this investment could be used to improve and upgrade the footpath as well as add a cycle route. It was agreed that several Councillors would walk the Public Right Of Way to assess the accessibility and the work that should be carried out.

11. MAINTANANCE OF THE OLD POST OFFICE PATH The watering of the plants was dealt with under the Works Programme item. Cllr Wilcox kindly offered to weed the new area of planting on a weekly basis.

The meeting closed at 8:55pm. The NEXT meeting of the Parish Council is on Monday 17th July 2017.

Signed ……………………….. Dated ………………………..

Louise Gibson 27th June 2017

12 Pg112 of the Planning Register – Huntington Parish Council

Observations on Planning Application 17/01306/FUL, 16 Chester Road.

Application to Access front of House, to create a parking area/driveway

As a Parish Council, we make the following observations:

Households already have vehicular access to this property. This is along Butterbache Road and to the rear of the property where the household garages are.

We believe this would cause public safety issues on the upper footpath, as a section of the footpath safety barrier will need to be removed to allow vehicular access.

There are trees and shrubs either side before the footpath and the visibility of pedestrians will be completely obscured until the vehicle is across the footpath. We believe this would cause public safety concerns on the lower footpath as the steep proposed access incline (which is also hidden by embankment foliage) falls onto a rapidly falling footpath towards Caldy Valley Brook. This section is currently free from vehicular access, has a high embankment on one side and wide verge on other side. This footpath section is considered to be safe and is used by young children and young cyclists, particularly down the hill part of the footpath.

We have access concerns as this is a fast section of Chester road and the crossing of two public footpaths to add a second vehicular access to a property would be hazardous for traffic travelling along Chester Road as well as vehicles coming out of the Caldy Valley Road junction.

We would question the validity/accuracy of the applicants measured incline for the proposed access road. There will be a very steep slope up to the footpath. The other consideration is that vehicles will need more power to get up the bank and may have a tendency to accelerate. Taking into consideration that there is a footpath at the top, this could cause major safety worries.

Due to these reasons, we feel we must object on the reasons stated above.

13 Notes from Huntington Parish Council Meeting Capital Expenditure Working Group

Wednesday 8th March 2017 at Huntington Village Hall, 8:30pm

Present Cllr Mark Williams (Chair), Cllr Dave Whitehead, Cllr Nick Dodd, Cllr Carolyn Walker, Cllr Mike Dutton and Louise Gibson (Clerk)

Apologies Cllr Roy Shelton

1. POTENTIAL PROJECTS FOR CAPITAL EXPENDITURE

 The group were reminded of the current financial process:

New Homes Bonus Savings: £146, 561.52 S106 money (To be used on Jubilee Field): £11,446.32

 The group were reminded that there were also public loans/grants available for some of these plans, if decided upon.

Potential Project Budget Requirements Long Term or Short Term Bus Stop for Village Green £5000 Medium Term Oak Tree Roundabout – Plan £1000 Short term flowers and new sign, ‘Welcome to Huntington’ Footpath Extension to Jubilee £15,000 (Could use S106 Medium term Field money) Adult Exercise Equipment on £10,000 Medium Term Jubilee Field Equipment such as seating, play This could form a separate Long Term area etc. on land nr new school if project, possibly set up via a land we successfully secure land trust, which PC are represented transfer from CWaC on. Village Hall Relocation (Possibly Undisclosed Medium Term to current school location) Caldy Nature Park lighting on £1500 per unit Long Term. Huntington side Total: £6000? Further investigation with CWaC needed. PC believes this to be CWaC project, not PC. Procurement of Land (3 possible £100,000?? Medium term sites identified) – possibly use for allotments Signs for Jubilee Field on £2000? Short Term Butterbache Rd

14 Toilets on Jubilee Field £20,000 Long term. Possible Project if land is bought in specific location where drainage is available. Current School Location site for £100,000 Medium term (Dependent on older people housing, village hall CWaC Asset Transfer) and land for allotment

Long Term – 4 years’ plus Medium Term – 1 – 4 years Short term – Within 1 year

Also see chart by Cllr David Whitehead The meeting closed at 9:49pm

Cllr Dodd questioned when and how residents would be consulted. It was explained that, once key projects had been identified, a consultation with residents could then be launched, possibly in conjunction with the Parish Council elections (2019). It could also be identified within the Neighbourhood Plan/Parish Plan and consulted upon within that.

PRIORITIES ACCORDING TO COUNCILLORS

Cllr John and Jacky Cllr Anthony Cllr Andy Cllr Dave Cllr Nick Creswick Wilcox Tassell Whitehead Dodd 1 Lighting in Caldy Nature Park Footpath Footpath Extension Footpath Footpath – on the Huntington side (as Extension to to Jubilee Field Extension to Extension to already explored with CWAC) Jubilee Field Jubilee Field Jubilee Field 2 Drainage/path from the cycle Oak Tree Toilets on Toilets on track into the play area, no the Roundabout – Jubilee Field Jubilee Huntington side, in Caldy NP Plant flowers and Field (mentioned by Julie Smith, new sign, resident, but not taken up by ‘Welcome to the Working Party). Approx: Huntington’ £698 3 A sign for Jubilee Field from Adult Exercise Procuremen Chester Rd (we think one near Equipment on t of land to Butterbache Rd where the Jubilee Field sign for the village hall is, near the pedestrian lights) would probably mean another sign on Butterbache Rd was unnecessary but if others disagree we would go along with both. 4 New Bus stop (we assume this Toilets on Jubilee means bus shelter?) for Village Field Green 5 Adult exercise Equipment on Jubilee Field (subject to a survey showing that a sufficient number of adults would use it on an ongoing basis to make it worth the expenditure) 6