Kearsley Area Forum
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KEARSLEY AREA FORUM MEETING TUESDAY 5TH JULY 2011 Present - 35 members of the public attended the meeting Councillor Burrows (Chair) - Kearsley Ward Councillor J Rothwell - Kearsley Ward Councillor Liam Irving - Kearsley Ward Stephen Young - Chief Officer Dawn Hampton - Area Coordinator, Chief Executive’s Department Angela Lunt - Environmental Services Stuart Barnes - Zacs Youth Bar Doctor George Ogden - Kearsley Medical Centre Malcolm Fairhurst - Senior Engineering Manager, Highways Department Shelly Williams - Neighbourhood Management Support Officer PC Andy Smart - Greater Manchester Police PC Andrea Parkinson - Greater Manchester Police Councillor Derek Burrows in the Chair. Apologies for absence were recorded for Yasmin Qureshi MP. 1. INTRODUCTION Councillor Dereck Burrows opened the meeting by welcoming everyone and introduced himself, ward colleagues, Bolton Council officers and partners. Councillor Burrows advised on a change to the agenda and explained that after previously agreeing to attend the meeting to update residents on their plans for Wilson’s Bridge, the United Utilities representative had informed the Council yesterday that they were not in a position to share any information and so would not be attending the meeting. A number of questions were raised and answered on the night. Page 1 of 6 Councillor Burrows requested that residents complete the Diversity Monitoring forms and the questionnaires on Bereavement Services and Stoneclough Community Centre. 2. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING The minutes of the meeting held on the 7th March 2011 were submitted and approved as a correct record. 3. KEARSLEY MEDICAL CENTRE UPDATE Doctor George Ogden updated residents and provided details regarding the plans for the new medical centre at Kearsley. The main points of the update were: The proposal for the new building options had gone to the Primary Care Trust and no decisions had been made. No new sites for a new building had been identified. There were lots of changes occurring in the Primary Care Trust currently, therefore a definite agreement to the proposal could not be given at that time. Councillors and Doctors were still committed to having a medical centre in Kearsley and would not move out of Kearsley unless forced. The Primary Care Trust wanted to maintain a presence in Kearsley as they had a strategy to deliver integrated services locally. Members and residents would be kept informed and updated at all times through the media and at future Area Forum meetings. A number of comments and questions were raised and answered on the night. Resolved – That the presentation be noted. 4. KEARSLEY ROUNDABOUT UPDATE Page 2 of 6 Malcolm Fairhurst, Senior Engineering Manager from the Council’s Highways Department, updated residents on the new layout for the Kearsley roundabout. Mr Fairhurst explained that the work to the new roundabout was due to it being in poor condition and the road markings needed to be upgraded and brought in line using the Highway Code, as figures had shown that there had been a high volume of road traffic accidents in the past twelve months. The main points discussed were: The new road markings were in line with the Highway Code. The exit towards Farnworth was not wide enough to accommodate markings for two lanes. The road could not be widened due to cables running below the traffic islands. The Highways Agency were monitoring congestion at peak times and no accidents had been recorded since this road safety scheme had been put in place. The scheme would be reviewed in two months time and results would be fed back at the next Area Forum. A number of comments and questions were raised and answered on the night. Resolved – That the presentation be noted. 5. ZAC’S WORK IN THE PRESTOLEE AREA – THE SYCAMORE PROJECT Stuart Barnes, Director of Zacs Youth Bar presented to the Area Forum the details of the work that had been done to engage with young people in the Prestolee area and explained how the Crompton Road base had been developing. The main points of the update were: Page 3 of 6 Zacs had already made contact and consulted with young people from the Presolee area. A team of 13 paid workers and 30 volunteers worked on a rota basis across Prestolee, Farnworth and the Little Lever area. Zacs were currently committed to working two nights in the Prestolee area. The Crompton Road base would initially be used as a drop-in for young people in the area. Funding for the Crompton Road base had been used for the refurbishment and future funding was being sought. The Crompton Road base refurbishment would be completed in the next couple of months with a view to moving in autumn. The Council had let the Crompton Road base to them on a 25- year lease, rent free for five years. Resolved – That the presentation be noted. 6. BUDGET UPDATE The Chair advised the Forum that the budgets had not yet been confirmed for this year. The Forum was advised that the Voluntary Sector grants were now managed by Bolton CVS. Resolved – that the report be noted 7. QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION Councillor Burrows invited residents to ask any questions or put forward any comments they had regarding issues and concerns in the Kearsley ward. The following questions and comments were received:- On the original plans for - Dawn Hampton advised that a Page 4 of 6 Tesco there was no planning application for a mention of a petrol filling Petrol Filling Station at the station, so why were they new Tesco store on now applying for planning Longcauseway had been permission for a station? received, and that residents were able to put forward representations in writing to the Planning department before 19 July 2011. Could residents put - Ms- Hampton advised that all of forward their objections these issues would be through this Area Forum assessed by the relevant meeting in relation to Council departments, and that issues with traffic; the formal route for objections environmental and health was in writing directly to the and safety; noise; Planning department. lighting? Would a temporary bridge - Councillor Burrows advised be an option at the site of that this would be raised with Wilson’s Bridge? United Utilities. Could a letter expressing - Councillor Burrows advised residents’ disappointment that a letter would be sent on at United Utilities be sent? behalf of the Area Forum. What was the current - Ms Hampton was hoping to position regarding update residents on the Kearsley Town Hall? current position but unfortunately the legal paperwork was still being processed. A full update would be provided at the next meeting of the forum. There had been a - Ms Hampton advised that this reduction to grass cutting would be checked with the at the play area between relevant department and Birch Road and reported back at the next Area Springfield Road area. As Forum. this was a designated play area could the grass be cut at more frequent intervals? Who was the person - Ms Hampton advised that Mike Page 5 of 6 responsible for Govier was the manager of the Stoneclough Community community centre and if any Centre? community group needed to use the centre they should contact Mr Govier direct. Could the grass at the - Ms Hampton advised that this side of the community suggestion would be put centre be converted into forward and reported back at extra parking spaces? the next Area Forum meeting. What was the latest with - Ms Hampton advised that this the Mossfield Road was a joint project being led by project as things seemed Bolton at Home. An update to have come to a would be provided at the next standstill? forum meeting. 8. DATE OF NEXT MEETING Councillor Burrows thanked everyone for attending and advised that the next meeting of the Kearsley Area Forum would be held on a date to be confirmed. Page 6 of 6.