February 2011 Main Minutes
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MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF BIRCHWOOD TOWN COUNCIL, HELD AT PARKERS FARM COMMUNITY CENTRE, DELENTY DRIVE, RISLEY ON TUESDAY 22 ND FEBRUARY 2011 PRESENT: Councillor Evans in the Chair Councillors Bowden, Fitzsimmons, M. Hearldon, T. Hearldon, Higgins, Nelson and Ratcliffe Clerk – Mrs. F. McDonald Deputy Clerk – Mrs. C. Caddock Business and Finance Officer - Mr. G. Crowe PCSO Jon Williams 2 Residents Apologies were received from Councillors J. Clark, R. Clark, Hepworth, and Spencer It was RESOLVED that: The Minutes of the Meeting of the Town Council which took place on Tuesday, 25 th January 2011, be approved as an accurate record and signed by the Chairman. Code of Conduct – Declaration of Interests The Chair reminded Members of their responsibility to declare any personal interest or prejudicial interest which they have with regard to any item of business on the agenda, no later than when the item is reached. 053/2011 RECESS (a) Lack of Crossing Point to the Forest Park from Gorse Covert A resident who attended tonight’s meeting raised her concern regarding the lack of a crossing point from Gorse Covert to Birchwood Forest Park. She said that she uses the park every afternoon and where she crosses, near the entrance to the park’s car park although there are dropped kerbs, there is no central reservation to break the journey across the carriageway, which is a very busy road. She is often forced to rush and as she walks with a crutch this is difficult. This afternoon she fell whilst trying to cross quickly as an approaching car appeared to have no intention of slowing. The resident stated that there is an underpass from Oakwood to the Forest Park and one from Locking Stumps – but there is not even a pedestrian crossing point from Gorse Covert. The park is the only place in Gorse Covert where there are play facilities for children, who would have to negotiate the traffic to get to the park. The traffic regularly exceeds the speed limit along this stretch of road. She has often seen mothers pushing a pram with one hand on the pram and a toddler holding their other hand struggling to cross in safety. The resident asked whether there could at least be an official ‘crossing point’ sign put in place to slow traffic down. She added that when she drives at 30mph along this road, which is the speed limit, she is often harassed by other drivers from behind who are intent on travelling above the speed limit. 1 Councillor Fitzsimmons said that the resident has a valid point and that a great deal of traffic uses this road as a rat run to and from the motorway. Although the limit is marked as you get in to Gorse Covert as 30mph, it looks like a 40mph road. He added that Croft has recently had their speed gun in operation outside the primary school. Councillor Evans stated that Croft Parish Council has paid for its own speed gun and Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council has paid for its own speed sign. Councillor Fitzsimmons stated that we have budgeted for a speed gun/sign which is why the precept has increased very slightly this year as the Town Council is looking to purchase one of these items. Councillor Nelson stated that the problem of cars speeding along this route has been brought up many times, most recently by Councillor Bowden. The Clerk said that it is one of the matters to be raised on the agenda when we have a meeting with Dave Boyer from Warrington Borough Council, some time in the next few weeks. Councillor Fitzsimmons suggested that it also be placed on the agenda for the next Environment Sub-Committee meeting. Action Matter to be raised with Dave Boyer/put on agenda for next Environment Sub-Committee meeting. (b) Litter around Perimeter of Gorse Covert Primary School A resident who had attended the January meeting to raise concern over the litter around the perimeter of Gorse Covert Primary School thanked the Town Council for attending to the matter and cutting down some shrubbery on the outside of the fencing in order to get to as much litter as they could. He said that he can now see that much of the litter is within the boundary of the school itself. He asked if the Town Council would write to the school to ask if it can be dealt with. Action Clerk’s office to write to Gorse Covert Primary School about the matter. Councillor Fitzsimmons asked if the Town Council could also write to the High School as there is a great deal of litter currently within their boundary. Members agreed that the High School should be contacted. Action Clerk’s office to write to Birchwood Community High School about the matter. Councillor Nelson commented that the Town Council takes on lots of matters that are not its responsibility. Most of the responsibility lies with Warrington Borough Council, such as for litter picking or shrub cutting on footpaths, but if the Town Council did not have a Maintenance Team, most of this work would not get done. The Clerk was asked if a meeting had been arranged yet with representatives of the Borough Council. The Clerk stated that she had been asked by the Borough Council to delay any meetings until after their restructuring had taken place. She hopes to be able to arrange a meeting with Dave Boyer and John Rowson in the next few weeks. Action Clerk’s office to arrange a meeting with Dave Boyer and John Rowson. 2 (c) Police Monthly Pledge Meeting and Update PCSO Williams gave Members a brief update on Policing activity in the area since last month and reported some of the statistics for the Birchwood area. The most recently available information regarding local Policing priorities can be found on the Cheshire Police Website: http://www.cheshire.police.uk/my- neighbourhood/warrington-east/birchwood/priorities.aspx February priorities included anti social behaviour on Whitethroat Walk and speeding on Glover Road. PCSO Williams said that he would be conducting a speed operation during morning rush hour in the near future. Councillor Evans asked Jon if he could make speeding on Moss Gate and Ordnance Avenue a priority, given the earlier concern raised by the resident, especially at peak times. The Clerk asked if the speed sign can be used when daylight is fading, as the speed gun has to be used when there is sufficient light. Jon stated that it can be used in lower light levels than a speed gun, but it doesn’t record vehicles, so it can be used for awareness, but not for enforcement. The Clerk asked if the YMCA building at Hamnett Court could also be put as a priority as there had been a number of break-ins since our previous meeting. She has spoken to Trevor Moffat at the YMCA. She added that she had been informed that the boarding has been removed very neatly with the nails remaining straight, so it would appear to be someone going equipped to carefully remove the boards, rather than youngsters breaking in. The YMCA advised us that the site has been broken into on several occasions recently; each time scrap metal has been removed, even manhole covers and each time the building has been re-secured. The YMCA plans to put further security measures in place in order to try to stop these break-ins. The Clerk was also advised that there are still a number of parties interested in purchasing the site. Members thanked PCSO Williams for attending the meeting. 054/2011 PLAY AREA TO THE REAR OF LOCKING STUMPS LOCAL SHOPS At the January meeting Councillor Nelson suggested that perhaps the play area behind the Turf and Feather public house could be upgraded. The Clerk reported that she had written to the Borough Council in response to some correspondence sent to Councillor Fitzsimmons. They have informed us that work to improve the play area is already in progress and should be completed by the end of February 2011. The Clerk has written to the residents who first raised the issue of the play area needing some attention last year, to inform them of this progress. 3 055/2011 PROPOSED NURSERY GARDEN PROJECT At the January meeting the Clerk stated that we have spoken to the Rangers, specifically Dave Hazelhurst, about the Town Council taking on the nursery garden as a project, in partnership with the Rangers, later in the year. The area needs some tidying up, clearing, painting and perhaps some re-planting. Since the January meeting, the Clerk and the Maintenance Team Supervisor have been to the garden to speak with Dave and to meet with a local group from Gorse Covert Day Centre, which has done a lot of work on the garden in the past. At the moment the garden remains locked and if regenerated it would require fencing to be put around the pond before the gate could be left open, even when the Rangers are on site, as it is next to a children’s play area. The Clerk reported that she has been making some enquiries about the cost of fencing. The Clerk reported that she has also spoken to the Borough Council regarding the possibility of putting some wildflowers in part of the garden. Councillor Nelson suggested that mesh might be less costly than fencing. Action Clerk’s office to look into the cost of a mesh/grill cover for the pond. 056/2011 PARKING CONCERNS WHITWORTH CLOSE AND AINSCOUGH ROAD The Clerk reported that she had been to the area of concern a few times since the previous meeting and there have not been any vehicles parking on the road on the occasions that she was there.