In the Council Chamber of Colne Town Hall

MINUTES TO A MEETING OF

COLNE TOWN COUNCIL

on Tuesday, 18th JULY 2017 at 7p.m.

in the Council Chamber of Colne Town Hall

Present: Councillors:-

P Foxley, J Cooney, M Foxley, A Sutcliffe, D. Clegg, G. Clegg, P.Howarth,J. Nixon, G. Roach, M.Thomas.

Agenda

1. Welcome

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the July 2017 meeting of the Full Council.

1. Apologies

Received from Cllr. D Lord,Cllr. S Cockburn-Price, Cllr. S Petty,Cllr. N. Butterworth, Cllr. I Graham, Cllr. C Lionti.

1. Minutes

To approve as a correct record, the Minutes of the meeting held on 20TH June 2017.

The minutes of the meeting held on 20th June 2017 were agreed as an accurate record.

Proposed by Cllr. J Nixon

Seconded by Cllr. J Cooney

1. Additional Items of Business

To determine whether there are any additional items of business which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chairman decides should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

None Received

1. Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations of interest from Members relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Conduct and/or indicate if S106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.

None Received

1. Exclusion of the Public

To determine during which items, if any, the public are to be excluded from the meeting.

None to be excluded.

1. Public Forum

To consider questions, statements or petitions from members of the public who are welcome to the meeting and have a total collectively of 15 minutes to make their representations to the Committee.

Mr Michael Osborne and allotment holder from the Alkincoats site addressed the meeting.

He raised concerns that in a private discussion with the Town Clerk regarding the Stables at the beginning of January it had been said that the Alkincoats site could at some future stage be considered for development and felt this was inappropriate and that any such suggestion should only come from elected Members.

He also felt that the report to the Allotments Committee written by the CEO in April 2017 also inferred a hidden agenda to sell off Allotment land in view of point 3 of the report which stated

“To remind Members that the allotment sites we use are not statutory allotment sites, and therefore, may potentially have valuable housing land acquisition potential should Colne Town Council wish to pursue this objective at some future stage.”

Mr Osborne also sought to inform Members that the site was locked by virtue of access to the site across a strip of land that it privately held and for which they pay ground rent to traverse.

Cllr. J Cooney responded that none of the allotment sites are statutory allotments and that this advice from the CEO was accurate and factual relating to all sites and technically such land, once in the ownership of Colne Town Council could be considered.

Cllr. J Cooney He also categorically stated that as Ward Councillor he would not support any such proposal for redevelopment of this site away from its existing use as an Allotment site and agreed to write to Mr Osborne to confirm this statement.

Cllr. D Clegg commented that the Town Council is keen to obtain ownership of these sites in order to afford a level of protection, in that at least then, the decision would be taken by Colne Town Council. If left in the ownership of Pendle Borough Council and they were subsumed into another structure, local interests may not be regarded so highly. Cllr D Clegg did however advise that the Town Council cannot ever guarantee not to sell any of its land that it owns.

Cllr P Foxley welcomed the public interest in this issue and advised that as part of the emerging Neighbourhood Plan it was the intention to include reference to supporting the retention/provision of Allotment plots.

Another Member of the public, unnamed, raised a question about rumours that Pendle Borough Council are intending to sell off some strips of land that could possibly create an access road into a potential new site that could open up the Allotment site for such development .Colne Town Council Members confirmed they have absolutely no knowledge of this at all.

Members collectively expressed their desire to support the retention of Allotment sites as Allotment sites but acknowledged that whilst this may be a view of those Members present, the reality is that this stance can never be guaranteed for the future should future Town Councillors take a different view.

MEMBERS RESOLVED.

THAT ONCE ALLOTMENT SITES ARE LEGALLY OWNED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL IT IS THE INTENTION THAT, FOR THE FORSEEABLE FUTURE AND AT ALL TIMES SUBJECT TO DEMAND FOR USE AS ALLOTMENT SITES, THEY REMAIN IN USE AS ALLOTMENTS.

PUBLIC ITEMS

1. Committee and Working Groups

To provide Members with the opportunity to raise any matters arising from the Members update report regarding the work of the following Committees and key Working Group(s)

-Finance Employment and Services Committee

-Events Committee

-Allotments Committee

-Neighbourhood Plan Working Group

Cllr J Cooney provided an additional update regarding an initial meeting with Pendle Borough Council regarding the potential transfer of Alkincoats Park. Details of the specific areas of site to be transferred with all existing covenants and liabilities have been requested and the CEO is to consider what further information is required at this initial stage.

Cllr. P Foxley commented that he felt Pendle Borough Council had assumed we were further down the line in terms of resolving to take on the ownership and maintenance of this substantial park.

1. Financial update

To approve a schedule (9a) of payments made since last Full Council totaling £54,339.56 and to receive a summary update of spend and commitment (9b) as at 11th July 2017 against budget.

Members were presented with a schedule of payments made since the last Full Council meeting and no queries were raised.

A schedule of payments totalling £54,339.56 was agreed and formally approved and signed by the Chairman.

A summary of spend and commitments was also considered and no queries raised.

1. Blues Festival

To receive a reportadvising on latest progress, revised budgets, and an overview on risk.

A report was presented by the CEO updating Members of the latest position. Members were asked to start to volunteer now for duties and tasks over the weekend. A call has been put out via social media and press releases for Volunteers and to date we have 15 persons offering to volunteer. Meetings have been called for Aug 3rd at 2pm and 7pm to start to look at allocating specific times and tasks.

1. Appointment to Business Improvement District Steering Group

At the request of Pendle Borough Council, to seek a nomination and confirm the appointment of a representative of Colne Town Council to sit on the Colne Business Improvement District Steering Group.

Cllr. S Cockburn – Price was nominated by Cllr. A Sutcliffe

Proposed by Cllr. J Cooney

Seconded by Cllr. J Nixon

and unanimously agreed that Cllr. S Cockburn – Price will be the representative of Colne Town Council on the Colne Business Improvement District Steering Group.

Action: CEO to confirm to Pendle Borough Council.

1. Correspondence Received

To note any correspondence received.

None Received.

1. Councillors’ Questions

Questions under this item are for discussion and information only and any debate should be limited to five minutes only.

Cllr. M Foxley enquired as to progress on the CCTV system.

The CEO confirmed all signalling is now stable and that the Police were following protocol in terms of accessing use of the system for crime related enquiries. In terms of accessing and providing information approximately 1.5 hours is involved per incident.

Insurance enquiries were being received and given the administrative cost of dealing with such requests and the financial investment that this Council has made into this system, it was felt appropriate that a charge for this service should be levied at £100 per civil enquiry .

Now that the system is stable the CEO will follow up earlier correspondence with the Police regarding mobile use.

Cllr J Cooney advised that given pressures on the resources of the Council, and the practical difficulties of running such a scheme, at this stage proposals for taking forward a volunteer monitoring scheme may be held back.

Cllr. A Sutcliffe raised concerns regarding some tree foliage potentially blocking views near Matalan.

Action: CEO to review camera sightlines and take appropriate action.

Cllr J Cooney also tabled that given the impact of the Blues Festival on the normal course of business for officers that there be no Council Meetings in August.

Cllr P Foxley reminded Members of the need to at least consider any planning issue otherwise this opportunity would be lost. It was agreed to table a one item agenda for

Business for the meeting to be held on the 15th August 2017 – Item 8 Planning.

Action CEO to note.

1. Planning

To provide the opportunity to comment on Planning Applications lodged in Colneand environs since the last Full Council meeting.

Application Number / Applicant / Location / Proposal
1 / 17/0332/STC / Whitesides / 206-208 Keighley Road Colne Lancashire BB8 0PL / Permitted Development Notification: Change of use of shop to cafe.
CTC : Whilst we support this application we have concerns regarding the impact of parking.
2 / 17/0291/HHO / Mrs Donna Boothman / 6 Keats Close Colne Lancashire BB8 9SA / Full: Demolition of garage and erection of two storey extension to the side (East) elevation
CTC : No comment
3 / 17/0278/FUL / NET / Christ Church Keighley Road Colne Lancashire / Full: Installation of 4 telecommunication antennas, GRP louvers, electrical meter pillar and ancillary development.
CTC : We have concerns that the material and louvers proposed may not be suitable in this conservation area.
4 / 17/0263/HHO / MrsJameelaKausar / 12 Chapel Street Colne Lancashire / Full: Erection of single storey extension to the rearand ancillary development.
CTC: No comment
5 / 17/0311/CEA / MrMrs Davies / 3 Phillips Lane Colne Lancashire BB8 8JB / Certificate of Lawfulness (Section 192 - Proposed Development): Erection of a dormer window to rear roofslope.
CTC: No comment
6 / 17/0315/FUL / Barnfield Construction Ltd / Colne Health Centre Pharmacy Richmond Court Market Street Colne Lancashire BB8 0LJ / Full: Demolition of existing health centre building (D1) and change of use and construction of a new mixed use building containing 4 No. commercial units (A1) and 6 No. 2 and 1 bed residential apartments (C3)
CTC: This is an important town centre site of significance for redevelopment and therefore it is of extreme importance to Colne that this is delivered with sympathy and recognition of heritage, especially given it is located in a conservation area and joins onto a listed building. We feel the proposed plans do not deliver for Colne a building of good design .
We have concerns surrounding the massing of the building at the rear and the ineffectiveness of the proposed roof sloping that appears to block views from the lower level flats and the apparent smallness of window size at the area of the development as a whole that fails to capitalise on the stunning vista it looks out onto. The visual attractiveness of the back is as important as the front and we do not believe due attention has been given to this aspect.
We would also wish to be reassured that this willreceive adequate scrutiny of PBC conservation officer and that Historic England will be consulted.
7 / 17/0387/FUL / Miss H Forrester / Colne Corner Surgery Richmond Court Market Street Colne Lancashire BB9 9HR / Full: Change of use of surgery to funeral home
CTC: No comment
8 / 17/0367/HHO / Mr A. Rahman / Land To The South West Of 108 Knotts Lane Colne Lancashire / Full: Demolition of existing garage and erection of detached garage to the rear.
CTC: We would like clarification that this development does not encroach on any of the existing allotment sites legal site boundary.
9 / 17/0362/FUL / Mr Ben Wilkinson / Land To The North Of The Meadows Colne Lancashire / Development of existing open land for the erection of 55 dwellings of mixed type, with vehicular access from Red Lane and pedestrian/cycle link to The Meadows, including provision of public open space and site drainage measures
CTC: No comment

1. Date & Time of Next Meeting

The next Full Council is scheduled for Tuesday 15th August 2017 at which only Planning will be tabled for discussion as a formal item of business.

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