MINUTES of a MEETING of the SALTNEY TOWN Councilheld at the ODDFELLOWS HALL, 65 HIGH STREET

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE SALTNEY TOWN COUNCILheld at the ODDFELLOWS HALL, 65 HIGH STREET, SALTNEY on WEDNESDAY8 JULY, 2009

PRESENT: The Mayor, Councillor Ann Lloyd, Councillors K Armstrong-Braun;H D Beddow; W Crawford, D Evans; V Gay; E E Greensmith; D A Hope; W P Jones; T R Lloyd; M S Streeter and the Town Clerk.

37. APOLOGIES

Apologies were received from CllrsT J Elliottand C P Streeter. The Town Clerk reported on the circumstances that were at present preventing Councillor Streeter from attending meetings of the Town Council and indicated the meetings that he would be able to attend during the next 6 months.

RESOLVED: That the absences of Councillor C P Streeter be approved under section 85(1) and (2) of the Local Government Act 1972.

38. MINUTES

RESOLVED: Thatthe Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 10 June, 2009be confirmed as a correct record.

39. MAYOR’S COMMUNICATIONS

The Mayor reported that she:

• had attended the Civic Service at Holy Trinity, Greenfield;
• had been invited to present the Young Helpers Awards by the Community Youth Worker and to the Family Day Out at Airbus, Broughton;
• intended, subject to the approval of the Council, to hold a Civic Service at St Mark’s Church on the morning of Sunday, 18 October, 2009. She had consulted with the Rev Trevor Green and he was happy to support and encourage Community Cohesion;
• had set up a ‘Mayor’s Charity, where she intended to raise monies for local deserving groups. Also a ‘Citizens Award Scheme’ to recognise those who gave outstanding service within the Community. The first event in fund raising for the new charity would be a boat trip on the Lady Diana on River Dee with a BBQ on Wednesday, 16 September at 7.30 pm. The boat had been sponsored by the Chester Boat Company. The cost would be £22 per head including the BBQ and Disco on board. A Halloween Party on 31 October in the Community Centre was also at the planning stage;
• was, subject to the approval of the Council, arranging for Business Cards to be printed for herself and the Town Clerk.

RESOLVED(nem con): That the action of The Mayor referred to above be approved.

40. POLICE MATTERS

PC Ian Millington attended the meeting and reported upon:

• an EVA in the St David’s Terrace area and suggested that a surveillance camera be attached to one of the Council’s lamp standards in the area;
• parking around the schools within the Township particularly at ‘pick up and drop off’ times. On the days that he had attended the sites there had not been any problems but he gave an assurance that the situation would continue to be monitored;
• complaints he had received about youngsters playing football in the middle of the road particularly in the Victoria Road area. Again he had not personally seen any incidents but he would continue to monitor the situation;
• the fact that all the items reported in the Saltney Ferry EVA had now been completed except for a small amount of graffiti which remained to be cleaned;
• the Stonebridge EVA and the Residents Association had identified a problem which could be resolved by the addition of a gate to the laundry room area at the Douglas Place Centre;
• the need for some more dog bins in the Sandy Lane, Tegid Way and Salisbury Avenue areas;
• the necessity for the hedge to be trimmed in the area of St David’s School - the overgrown hedge was reducing the width of the pavement to a dangerous degree;
• cars parking on the pavements, particularly on the ‘safe routes’ to school, will become targets for police action;
• the fact that a number of people were leaving their downstairs window wide open or open and unlocked in the warm weather. He warned that it gave opportunist burglars an open invitation and asked Members to remind neighbours to make sure that any open window was locked into position.

The Town Clerk reported the receipt of a letter from Inspector Martin Best who had recently appointed District Inspector for South Flintshire, inviting Members to the next joint meeting of representatives of Community/County Councillors at Buckley Town Hall at 11 am on Friday 4 September.

RESOLVED: That P C Millington be given approval to site a surveillance camera on a suitable lamp standard.

41. NATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMME

Further to Minute 49 of 2008/2009 the Town Clerk reported that the Training Calendar had been published. As originally stated the training was in three Modules:

Module OneThe Council

• The Council as a Corporate Body
• The ‘Team’ of Members and Staff
• The Council’s Role
• Working with the Unitary Authorities
• Building Partnership Working

Module TwoThe Councillor

• The Councillor and their commitment
• Register of Interests
• Code of Conduct and Ethical Behaviour
• Monitoring Officers and Standards Committees
• Debating and Making Decisions
• Representing Your Electorate
• Building Bridges

Module ThreeThe Council as an Employer

• Contracts of Employment
• Roles and Person Specification
• Recruitment and Retention
• Discipline, Grievance and Appeals
• Health and Safety
• Training and Development
• Sources of Advice

Members were reminded that the Town Council had suggested that the courses should be run locally with groups of Councils coming together for each session. However this suggestion had not found favour with the organisers.

RESOLVED: That Councillors make individual application for the courses but that the Town Clerk be requested to write to the Training and Development Officer asking him to give further consideration to the Council’s original request for local training.

42. GREEN LANE RAILWAY CROSSING UPDATE

The Town Clerk reported that he had not received any further correspondence on this matter but Cllr Armstrong Braun had reported that he had received information from the Cheshire West and Chester Highways Department that the bus drivers were now happy with the situation on the approaches to the crossing and that CAWC were awaiting dates from Network Rail for the start of the widening of the crossing. Cllr Armstrong-Braun had refused to divulge the origins of his information and therefore no check could be made as to the accuracy of this information. Cllr Jones assured the Council that no driver in his bus depot was happy with the present situation at the crossing.

RESOLVED: That the Town Clerk be requested to continue to pressure CWAC and Network Rail for an official answer to the question as to when the crossing was to be upgraded.

43. REQUEST FOR GRANTS UNDER SECTION 137.

The Council considered requests for grants from the following organisations:

Saltney Ferry Scout and Guide Group – Scout Camp;

St David’s High School – Equipment transport to Italy.

By Minute 190 and 199 of 2008/2009 the Council had considered a request from Saltney Youth Council for a grant towards the cost of their attendance at the Welsh Assembly. The Council had agreed to match fund the monies that they raised themselves but no further information had been made available.

RESOLVED: That grants under Section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972 be made to Saltney Ferry Scout and Guide Group –in the sum of £490, towards their Annual Camp and St David’s High School – in the sum of £500 – towards the cost of the transport of school choirs’ equipment to Italy for their concert tour.

44. CAR PARKING AT BRADSHAW AVENUE

By Minute 133 of 2008/2009 the Council considered the serious problems associated with the

parking of cars adjacent to the Scout Hut in Bradshaw Avenue and the Council had asked Flintshire County Council to consider the provision of more parking places by using some of the playing field land. Despite a second reminder no acknowledgement or response had been received. The Group Secretary of the Saltney Ferry Scout and Guide Group had now

written requesting the Town Council’s help in obtaining some more parking space for the users of the Scout Hut. The Scout Hut was in use by more groups and there was a constant threat to road safety because of the lack of car parking space.

RESOLVED: That the Town Clerk investigate the ownership of the land in question and be authorised to contact Flintshire County Council again with a view to the provision of extra parking spaces.

45. DISORDERLY CONDUCT

During the debate on this item and the previous item re Green Lane Level Crossing, Councillor Armstrong-Braun wilfully obstructed business and despite repeated requests from the Mayor to come to order he continued to disregard her rulings.

In accordance with Standing Order 32 it was therefore duly moved and seconded ‘that Councillor Armstrong-Braun be no longer heard’.

RESOLVED: That Councillor Armstrong-Braun be no longer heard.

Councillor Armstrong-Braun took no further part in the meeting.

46.FINANCE

(1) Members received a statement of the Council’s Finances at the quarter end 30 June, 2009;

(2) The Town Clerk asked Members to note that the Council’s accounts were now available for public inspection until 31 July, 2009. Because the Council’s accounts were now computerised it had been possible to reproduce the accounts in booklet form and copies would be available in the Library and would be circulated to Residents Associations etc. This was not a substitution for the public being able to go to the Town Clerk’s Office but an easier method of the public being able to inspect the Council’s finances.

RESOLVED: That the report be received.

47.SALTNEY SIGN

The Town Clerk and Councillor R Lloyd reported upon the progress on the provision of the replacement ‘SALTNEY’ road sign.

RESOLVED: That the Town Clerk and the Chairman of the Finance and General Purposes Committee be authorised to make the necessary arrangements.

48. PLANNING MATTERS

The Town Clerk reported the following:

(1) the receipt of an Amended Notice re the operation of the ready mixed concrete batching plant and ancillary facilities for Lafarge Concrete at Borders 2 Industrial Estate, Saltney. The new Notice stated that the approval was only until 31 December, 2009 (not 3 years as previously stated).

(2). the Change of Use from existing workshop to MOT testing Centre at Chesterbank Business Park, CH4 8SL.

(3) the substitution of house types on plots 28, 29, 30 and 128: Land off Boundary Lane, Saltney.

(4) that the new Head of Planning at FCC was keen to drive an initiative for change which had been adopted in the County Council. The important role of Town and Community Councils was being recognised and a Group was to meet to discuss ways in which the Planning Service could be improved. The first meeting of the Group was to be held on Wednesday 15th July at 6.00pm in County Hall and the Town Council were invited to nominate two representatives to attend.

(5) receipt of a planning application:

Planning Application Ref: 046381

Proposal: Residential Development consisting of 58 two storey dwellings, open space,

roadsall associated works.

Location:142 High Street, Saltney, CH4 8SQ

For:Goldrock Investments Ltd

Grid Ref:E338015.5 N364989

RESOLVED: That (1) the notifications received at (1); (2) and (3) above be received and approved; (2) the Mayor and the Town Clerk be authorised to attend the meeting with the Planning Dept; (3) the development referred to at (5) above be welcomed but the Council’s concerns about the traffic management within the new development be conveyed to the County Council with the suggestion that a one-way system of traffic flow be adopted with traffic entering the site via the High Street with an exit being created onto Bridge Street.

49. QUESTIONS

In accordance with Standing Order 23 the following questions were asked of the Town Clerk:

The Mayor:-

Q. Can we have a list of the number of attendances of each Councillor at Town Council meetings within each Municipal Year?

The Town Clerk replied that he would prepare one for the next meeting of the Council.

50. ITEMS DEFERRED TO THE NEXT MEETING

Because of the decision taken at Minute 45 above, the following items stand deferred to the next meeting:

15. DEE FARM, FLINT ROAD, UPDATE

16. NOTICE OF MOTION STANDING IN THE NAME OF COUNCILLOR ARMSTRONG-BRAUN - BRADSHAW AVENUE PLAY AREA

51.NOTICE OF MOTION STANDING IN THE NAME OF THE MAYOR, COUNCILLOR ANN LLOYD - CHANGE IN STANDING ORDERS

That Standing Order No 1 (a) be amended by the addition of the words ‘and December’ at the end of the first sentence. This amendment would mean that there would be no Council meeting in December although Finance and General Purposes Committee would need to meet to prepare the budget estimates for the January meeting of the Council. Standing Order 56 (2) would also require amendment by the substitution of the words ‘Finance and General Purposes Committee’ for the word ‘Council’.

RESOLVED: That Standing Orders be amended accordingly.

52. INFORMATION FROM THE LOCAL COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS

Councillor Gay reported upon:

the condition of the garage area on the Mainwaring Estate;

the provision of the 30mph flashing warning signs on Boundary Lane;

the signing off of the UDP by the County Council.

RESOLVED: That the report be received.

53. PAYMENT OF ACCOUNTS

Members considered the payment of the following accounts:

PayeeInvoiceAmount

A ThornileySalary + Office (£50.00) June£951.22

HMRCTown Clerk’s Income Tax and NI£380.25

NWPJune Maintenance Chge£245.84

New Lantern 1 Eaton Grove£150.00

VAT £59.38£455.22

Deeside Lodge Room Hire £30.00

BTTelephone Bill £74.77

VAT£12.04 £86.81

A ThornileyOffice Expenses £108.84

The Greyhound InnBuffet Lunches – Business Panning£84.92

VAT£14.98 £99.90

The Town Clerk reminded Members that there was no meeting in August and therefore he asked that the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Finance and General Purposes Committee be authorised to approve payments and sign cheques on behalf of the Council during the recess.

RESOLVED: That the abovementioned payments be approved for payment and the Town Clerks request be approved.