ALBRIGHTON PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of Planning Meeting
Thursday 2nd July 2009
Minutes of the planning meeting Thursday 2nd July 2009.
Present: Cllrs. P Lusk (Chair), D Beechey (Vice Chair), R Balkwill, N Hester,
M Holden, R Kidson, D Johnson, D Murray, J Nelson, M Pate.
Public Session:
The Chairman introduced Andrea McWilliams who was supporting the work of the Local Joint Committee.
Mr Paul Joseland asked whether the Council could assist in getting the water leak outside Chestnut House in the High Street stopped. The Chairman promised to liaise with Severn Trent Water to get the problem solved.
Mr Len Warrilow, Chair of Governors for Albrighton Primary School, introduced the document Children and Young Peoples Plan to the meeting which had been produced by Shropshire Council. The document stated that children should be able to arrive at and leave school safe from injury and death. He was very concerned about the problems of traffic congestion at the beginning and end of the school day and he had included in his discussions on pupil safety DCAE Cosford who supplied the school bus for children from the base at no cost to the county. While he supported the scheme for the improvements to the highway in Cross Road he was still concerned with regard to speeding traffic and the development that had now been approved at 18 Cross Road which would add to the congestion problems. He did not know about the timetable for the development of the site which makes planning for the work impossible.
Cllr. Pate said that there should be a meeting of the interested parties but so far this had been refused by Mr H Dannett after a letter had been written to Mr T McCabe. Cllr. Holden reported that she had written to the Highways Department asking for a lay-by in Cross Road but had been refused on cost grounds. Cllr. Balkwill also supported the idea of a meeting with stakeholders and while the Chair supported such a proposal he said there was no obvious solution to the problem. Mr Warrilow made it clear that any proposal to take vehicles on to the school site was impossible and Cllr. Murray said that if a meeting was to be arranged perhaps the owner of the site at 18 Cross Road, who lived in Shifnal, could be invited.
Mr. Warrilow was thanked for his contribution to this ongoing debate and Cllr. Pate promised to talk to officers and try to arrange a meeting for all of the concerned parties.
There were no declarations of interest declared either personal or prejudicial.
Albrighton:
The plans for the development of Cross Road and Elm Road were made available to Councillors. Cllr. Kidson stated that the footpath from Cross Road round the corner into Elm Road should be considered essential; a statement that was supported by Cllr. Murray who pointed out that a redesigned footpath in the area was discussed years ago. Despite these prolonged discussions there was still a ten metre gap in the footpath in Elm Road and Cllr. Beechey stated that we should still press for the extended footpath despite the extra costs. Cllr. Murray also suggested a 20 mph speed limit in Newhouse Lane to provide extra security for schoolchildren.
Cllr. Balkwill proposed a response to the County that gave support to the phase 2 developments but also suggested a 20 mph speed limit in Newhouse Lane drew the attention of the county to the concern over the safety of the schoolchildren attending Albrighton Primary School and requested costings for a continuous footpath round the corner into Elm Road. The proposal was seconded by Cllr. Holden and agreed.
Resolved: The Clerk to draft a response to the County and distribute it to Councillors for comment and amendment before posting.
The Chairman summarised the discussions that had arisen from the presentation to Council by Carolyn Healey and suggested that there were two options which Councillors had to consider. Members could take over the complete ownership of the play area together with a grant from the county and seek help regarding technical matters as necessary or enter into a partnership with a formal agreement as to who was responsible for what with regard to maintenance, repair and supply of new equipment and developments to the site.
Cllr. Beechey proposed that the second option was the better of the two and Cllr. Johnson supported his view. Cllr Hester asked whether Donington Parish Council should be involved in any agreement and Cllr. Nelson stated that he felt that there was still insufficient information available to Councillors to make a proper decision, a view that was supported by Cllr. Kidson who had reservations about the arrangements for the inspection of the equipment. He felt that Shropshire Council should take over the maintenance and inspection of the equipment and land management. Cllr. Nelson urged the Council to defer the decision until more information was made available and Cllr. Kidson proposed an amendment that one council, either the county or the parish council, should own the site subject to full information being made available and further discussion. The amendment was seconded by Cllr. Beechey and approved by the Council. The substantive motion was also approved by members and Andrea McWilliams promised to liaise with Carolyn Healey regarding further costs and other information needed by Councillors.
The Chairman reported on the planning meeting to prepare for the first full meeting of the Albrighton Local Joint Committee on 15th July at the Red House. Notes on the meeting were distributed and the Chairman drew members attention to a number of points including the main functions of the committee and emphasised that it did not replace or diminish the role of parish councils, it was responsible for running its own affairs and it is a mechanism for public engagement with members of the public able to raise issues of public concern with invited officers or guests. The committee will also provide an opportunity to raise policing issues and in Albrighton’s case it had a budget of £21,000. A Chair chosen from the one of the Shropshire Councillors will be chosen at the first meeting on 15th July plus a vice chair from among the voting members. The meeting will also agree criteria for spending the budget. The main topic for public participation will be traffic management including the A41 at Tong.
Members suggested that good publicity for the first meeting was essential as this was a new body of which the public had no knowledge. The Chair agreed and stated that measures were in hand to ensure as many members of the public as possible were informed of the first meeting on 15th July.
The Chairman stated that the Council had already agreed that it would support the drainage project for the junior football pitches by agreeing to meet any shortfall in funding. He had met Mr Paul Cottle who had supplied a quotation from a specialist company ALS. The Chairman proposed that the Council should enter a contract with ALS with the junior football club acting as agents.
Cllr. Kidson proposed that such matters should be considered by the Joint Leisure Committee. Concern had already been expressed by a member of Donington Parish Council that the grant awarded to the Albrighton Table Tennis Club had been made without reference to the Leisure Committee. Cllr. Beechey seconded the Chair’s proposal which was approved by the Council.
A response to the papers from SALC on vision and values and a proposed key structure for the Association carried a deadline of 20th July. Cllr Beechey said that the key issue is whether the Association should be constituted on the three “new” regions or the five old areas. The Council agreed that a draft response to the consultation should be produced by Cllrs. Beechey and Murray in time for the next meeting on 16th July 2009.
No objections.
· 09/01162/FUL Bow window to front of 16 Long Croft, Albrighton.
No objections.
· 09/00920/ADV Non illuminated full length fascia sign double sided non illuminated hanging sign 76 High Street, Albrighton.
No objections.
· 09/00905/FUL Application under section 73a of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 for the erection of a timber shelter to house cows (retrospective) land adjacent to 3 Beamish Lane, Albrighton.
No objections.
· 09/00905/FUL Application under section 73a of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 for change of use of barn (part) from agricultural to living accommodation Rainbow Stud, Harriott Hayes Lane, Albrighton.
No objections subject to agricultural occupancy to support the existing business only.
· 09/01307/TCA Application to remove one sycamore tree from close to the boundary between Church Road and the car park of the Shrewsbury Arms, High Street Albrighton. The tree is believed to be self set; it is not protected by a preservation order but in a conservation area.
No objections.
The Chair outlined the problems with regard to the plastic recycling skips, particularly regarding the one in the Crown car park which had still not been emptied despite many requests to the operators. Residents had compounded the problem by leaving sacks of plastic by the skip which made the whole area untidy and the subject of several complaints from individuals and businesses in the area. Cllr. Blincoe had telephoned the skip company and told them to permanently remove both skips. Cllr. Beechey suggested the Council should contact Veolia for replacement skips. He had also done a draft letter to Shropshire Council which had been distributed to all members urging the county to make proper arrangements for the collection of plastic waste as part of the household recycling scheme as was done in other authorities. Cllr. Murray proposed that the letter be sent to the county which was seconded by Cllr. Johnson and unanimously supported by the Council.
Members agreed to send a card and a suitable gift to Cllr. Blincoe’s wife who was in hospital. Cllr. Johnson agreed to make the necessary arrangements.
· Finance meeting Thursday 16th July 2009 at 3.00 pm in the Parish Office.
· Parish Council meeting Thursday 16th July 2009 at 7.15 pm in the Red House.
· Parish Council planning meeting Thursday 6th August at 7.15 pm in the Red House.
There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.03 pm
Signed……………………………………….Date……………………………………
Chairman