Macclesfield Forest & Wildboarclough Civil Parish
Parish Meeting Minutes – 16 October 2008
MACCLESFIELD FOREST & WILDBOARCLOUGH CIVIL PARISH
PARISH MEETING
HELD AT 8PM ON WEDNESDAY 16 OCTOBER 2008
AT THE SCHOOL ROOMS, WILDBOARCLOUGH
Present: / John Seed (Chairman)Tandy Palmes (Parish Clerk)
Irene Belfield
Antony Borrow
John Bowler
Ian Brindle
Neil Craven
Peter Farley
Maggie Harwood
Chris Hirst
Mary Hirst
Caroline Keightley
Maria Leitner
Jim Marcham
Jon Mayne
Norice Pārums
Greg Robinson
Leonie Sellars
Peter Sellars
Philip Sharpley
Michael Taughran-Duffy
Marshall Waller
Denis Whitehead
Erica Whitehead
Sgt Joanne Flanagan, Neighbourhood Policing Unit
Andy Decaux, Neighbourhood Policing Unit
Apologies: / Bob & Eileen Ashley
Julian Borrow
Sheila Bowler
David & Sue Harrop
Fiona Mayne
Janet Robinson
Colin Whitehead
Inspector Gareth Woods, Macclesfield Neighbourhood Policing Unit
Chairman, John Seed, welcomed everyone to the Meeting including Sgt Joanne Flanagan and Andy Decaux from the Neighbourhood Policing Unit.
Approval of Previous Meeting’s Minutes
The minutes from the previous Annual General Meeting were distributed and approved by everyone present and signed off by the Chairman and Parish Clerk.
Matters Arising from Previous Meeting’s Minutes
Upkeep of Millennium Benches – Jon Mayne confirmed that the Macclesfield Forest bench had been maintained. John Seed advised that he had still to carry out the necessary works to the Wildboarclough bench. Michael Taughran-Duffy kindly agreed to assist John Seed with this job.
Action:John Seed and Michael Taughran-Duffy to carry out the necessary maintenance works to the Wildboarclough Bench.
Invitation to the Conservation Officer – this item is to be carried forward to the next meeting at the request of Leonie Sellars.
Misuse of routes by 4x4s and trail bikes – the Parish Clerk advised that she had contacted the Inspector Gareth Woods of the Neighbourhood Policing Unit and had been advised that the unmade tracks would probably sit outside of the Road Traffic Act legislation and therefore police type enforcement would be unlikely to apply. However, it could possibly be that bye law are being broken and that the Parish Meeting could take a civil action against a driver, although the logistics of doing this would probably render it an unviable option. Andy Decaux of the Neighbourhood Policing Unit stated that he would be happy to look into this matter further as there was some confusion as to the status of the particular route (Oven Lane) concerned. He advised that he would be contacting Sue Harrop with regards to the problems that had been experienced and they would look into the possibility of utilising an off-road team which had had success in other areas of Cheshire.
Action:Andy Decaux of the Neighbourhood Policing Unit to contact Sue Harrop with regards to the misuse of routes.
Car Crash Debris – it was confirmed that in the event of an accident, if the police attended then it would be the responsibility of the recovery company employed to clear away the debris and if an individual had had an accident then it was the individual’s responsibility. Failing that it becomes the Council’s responsibility.
Neighbourhood Policing Unit Update
Sgt Joanne Flanagan & Andy Decaux introduced themselves and advised everyone that the local Police’s performance was assessed by the amount of crime detected. Their job was to reduce the number of crime being committed. They also urged everyone present to report issues as and when they occurred to keep them informed.
Several issues were raised including fly tipping and domestic oil theft. The Police advised that in the current climate everyone should be aware of oil thefts and that each individual should take their own precautions which could be planting particular types of foliage around the tanks, surrounding tanks with gravel, putting locks on, etc. However, it was pointed out that in some instances of oil theft the thieves had damaged the tanks in trying to get to the oil, which in turn had caused seepage leading to other problems. Sgt Flanagan advised everyone to speak to their insurance companies to see what each individual’s policy requirements were.
Andy Decaux stressed that if anyone had anything to report regarding crime then we should call the Neighbourhood Policing Unit, unless of course it was an emergency.
John Seed thanked the Police on behalf of the Parish Meeting for taking the time to attend.
Highways & Roadworks Update
Standing Stone Road – the Parish Clerk reported that repairs were being carried out to the drainage on this stretch of road with a view to eventually resurfacing it once the Council was satisfied that the drainage put in place was effective.
Stanley Arms/Cat & Fiddle Road – after talks with the local Area Traffic Engineer, the Parish Clerk had been advised that it would not be possible to put up a barrier along this stretch of road due to the extensive engineering works that would be involved, the funding and the statistics relating to the accidents here do not warrant erecting a barrier. However, the Council has agreed to put a “SLOW” on the road leading down from the Cat & Fiddle and additional signage advising oncoming of oncoming vehicles in the middle of the road. The Parish Clerk and John Bowler are due to have a meeting with the Engineers next week to confirm all the details.
Clough Road – the Parish Clerk advised that repair works to the clough bank outside Dingers Hollow Farm are due to take place between 20 October and 17 November 2008. The works are due to last approx 3 weeks and the Council must give at least 2 weeks notice prior to commencing the works. There will be limited access for local traffic.
Drainage outside Yarnshaw House – Cheshire County Council are contacting Mrs Turner to negotiate improving the drainage off the road onto her land.
Any Other Business
Best Kept Village Sign – the Parish Clerk reported that the Best Kept Village Sign had become rotten and asked if anyone was prepared to repair it. Jon Mayne and Greg Robinson agreed to arrange this.
ACTION: Jon Mayne & Greg Robinson to repair the Best Kept Village Sign.
Planning Applications – the following planning applications had been received since the Annual General Meeting:
Long Clough Farm, Macclesfield Forest – an appeal had been lodged against the refusal of the planning permission on this property.
Broughs Place, Wildboarclough – planning permission had been granted for a porch extension and detached double garage.
Crag Lodge, Wildboarclough – a planning application had been received for the installation of ground loops for ground source heating.
Phonebox – the Parish Meeting was currently awaiting the results of a consultation by BT. The proposals put forward by BT to either sponsor a phonebox @ £500 per year or adopt a phonebox, whereby we kept the shell of the box but without the telephone, were not considered viable and BT had been advised accordingly. Antony Borrow enquired as to whether it could be lit.
ACTION: the Parish Clerk is to look into having the light repaired in the Phone box once the outcome of the consultation has been received.
Parish Clerk – the Parish Clerk, Tandy Palmes, advised the Meeting that she would be standing down from the position at the AGM and therefore anyone interested in taking over the post should contact either herself or John Seed.
Light Pollution from Sparrowgreve Farm – Noris Parums asked if anything could be done about the outside lighting at Sparrowgreve Farm which was causing a nuisance.
ACTION: the Parish Clerk is to look into this matter to see if anything can be done.
Drystone Walls – Rene Borrow enquired if anything could be done regarding the state of the drystone walls in the area as some walls were falling down and cap stones had been stolen.
ACTION: the Parish Clerk is to look into this matter to see who’s responsibility the walls are and if anything can be done.
Finger Post @ the Bottom of Standing Stone – Leonie Sellars asked if the sign at the bottom of Standing Stone could be straightened.
ACTION: the Parish Clerk is to report this to Cheshire County Council for repair.
Pot hole between Brookside & the Crag Inn – Philip Sharpley asked if the pothole that had appeared between Brookside and the Crag Inn could be repaired.
ACTION: the Parish Clerk is to report this to Cheshire County Council for repair.
Date of Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Macclesfield Forest & Wildboarclough Parish Meeting is to be held at 8pm on Thursday 23 April 2009 at the School Rooms, Wildboarclough.
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