ALTON PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of Council Meeting
Monday November 3rd, 2008
Alton Village Hall commencing at 7pm
Present: Councillor E Bailey
Councillor E Brindley
Councillor I Cope
Councillor P Ballard
Councillor S Hollins
Councillor A Moult
Councillor A Forrester
Councillor A Snow
In Attendance: 6 parishioners
Ms L Court, Clerk
Chris Drage, Conservation Officer SMDC
8.102 Visiting Speaker from SMDC
The Chair welcomed the representative from SMDC who attended the meeting. Mr Drage then gave an explanation of the Alton and Farley Conservation Area Consultation and updated the meeting on the timetable for other related consultations taking place in the near future.
There were questions and discussions on the following topics:
1. Street lighting - it was agreed that the Clerk would contact Mr Drage in order to find out what funding may be available Clerk to action
2. Alton Mill
3. The previous SPD plans for Alton Towers during the 1980s
4. Enforcement of planning regulations
5. The Flag Tower and residential satellite dishes
6. The preparation of the SPD by Alton Towers
The Chair thanked Mr Drage for attending the meeting.
8.103 Apologies
Councillor F Eyre
8.104 Minutes of the meeting held 3rd October 2008
The minutes were signed as a true record.
8.105 Matters Arising
• Responses regarding street lighting on Hurston’s Lane and Knight Lane were read to the meeting. The Clerk was asked to request a site meeting at Hurstons Lane urgently. A letter from a Parishioner regarding a streetlight on Knight Lane was read to the meeting and it was agreed that a copy of this letter should be sent to Highways at SCC with a letter from the Parish Council supporting her offer.
Clerk to action
8.106 Alton Towers
• Feedback from meeting held 23rd October 2008 was given. The meeting had covered the planning application and re-iterated the timetable for a decision on the Eastern Access Road
• A letter in response from Russell Barnes was read to the meeting
•
8.107 Footpaths
Councillor Bailey updated the meeting on Footpath 16 from Toothill to Battlesteads. The Clerk was asked to send a strong letter to Paul Rochfort on the matter. Clerk to action
8.108 Village Hall
Councillor Snow reported that there had been a meeting on 13th October at which it had been decided that the Parish Council would not be billed for their use of the Hall in light of all their help towards the Village Hall. A letter is due to come to the Parish Council on this matter.
There has been no reply on the application for grants towards the toilets as yet.
Bollards on the edge of the playing field are being considered to keep vehicles off the grass
Potholes are due to be filled by Village Hall Committee members
Vandalism around the site has increased especially at night. It was suggested that the Committee look into motion sensor white lights to aid recognition using the CCTV.
8.109 Highways and Road Safety
• Ditches on Back Lane have been cleared
• Cedar Hill resurfacing is on hold for this financial year
• Fingerpost is due for installation this month
• PCT signs are also due
• Give Way sign on Uttoxeter Road is also in progress
• A pothole on Limekiln Lane has been filled
• The Education field is being used to exercise dogs. Councillor Forrester agreed to pass this matter onto the Head teacher of St Peters in order to secure the field and renew signage. Councillor Forrester to action
• Accidents along Cheadle Road were discussed
8.110 Parish Cemetery and St Peter’s Churchyard
Councillor Forrester remarked that the condition of both was very good at the moment. Further to a discussion on the safety of the Eucalyptus tree in St Peter’s Churchyard, it was agreed that a contractor should be contacted to give a price for the safe removal of this tree before it becomes too dangerous. This was agreed by the meeting. The Lengthsman is also to do some general tidying in the churchyard.
Councillor Forrester to action
8.111 Best Kept Village Competition 2009
• Judges Comments were read to the meeting and Councillor Forrester felt that it was a good letter highlighting public involvement. The clerk was requested to place a copy on the notice board and give copies to Cllrs Forrester and Bailey
Clerk to action
8.112 SPCA Correspondence
• An invitation to the AGM to be held on 15th November was read out to the meeting
8.113 Public Facilities
The Chair requested that this item be held over to the next agenda due to the length of the meeting.
8.114 Planning and Licensing Applications
1. AHOPLY/08/01779/FUL Rear Dormer extension and rear conservatory at Treetops, Malthouse Road, Alton No objections
2. /08/01762/FUL Construction of replacement indoor attraction and external alterations to existing store and Mutiny Bay shop, Alton Towers No objections
Clerk to communicate
8.115 Planning Decisions
o Demolition of existing function room and garage at The Lord Shrewsbury – granted
o Two storey side, front rear extension to accommodate 24 bedrooms and function room at The Lord Shrewsbury – granted
o Listed Building Consent – Change of use of agricultural buildings to holiday accommodation, Crumpwood Farm – granted
o Oaklea, Tythe Barn, Alton –Two storey side extension and single storey attached garage – granted
Notification of Public Inquiry
Into the land at Cheadle Road, Alton re excavation and reprofiling of the land and the unauthorized erection of a breeze block building
Councillor Moult declared an open forum to allow parishioners present to raise issues/ask questions:
1. A parishioner raised the issue of litter around The White Hart and problems with glasses being brought off the premises.
2. A parishioner requested permission to buy bulbs for around the War Memorial. This was granted with thanks.
3. A parishioner queries whether the Village Hall was fully accessible to wheelchair users.
4. A parishioner queried whether a reply had been received to a letter sent to Cllr P Haines. The Clerk was asked to follow this matter up Clerk to action
5. The volume of traffic using the main road to Cheadle was discussed. It was decided to keep pursuing this matter with SCC.
8.116 Correspondence
Requiring response
• Query re sandbags for Flood Defences - the Clerk was asked to suggest that Alton Castle are approached in this matter. Clerk to action
• An email from Mr P Denning was read to the meeting. After some discussion it was decided that the updated agenda should be displayed on the village website each month when it is completed on the day of the meeting. The Village Website is up to date with ratified minutes and it was decided that unratified minutes are not to be published or released other than to Councillors prior to the meeting. Further to Mr Denning’s suggestion of an adoption of procedural arrangements used by SMDC for their Planning Applications Committee, it was felt that closing the Agenda a week before each meeting would be inappropriate for Parish Council Meetings where issues are often immediate and only brought to the Council’s notice on the day of a meeting. Clerk to communicate
• Consultation on the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Waste Core Strategy and the Staffordshire Minerals Core Strategy – to be displayed on the notice board
Clerk to action
• Invitation to training sessions on Householder Permitted Development -Councillors were invited to contact the Clerk if they wished to attend
• Communities and Local Government Consultations – offered to the meeting
• SMDC – Playing Pitch Strategy Consultation – taken by Councillor Snow to be passed to the Village Hall Committee
For information only
• NCB – supporting administrative and clerical staff to support children and young people in formal meetings
• Adopt a Kiosk
•
8.117 Finance
Return of Audit Paperwork from Audit Commission to be displayed on the notice board Clerk to action
Accounts for payment
Gross VAT Net
Jacksons Mowing September 560.00 98.00 658.00
Alton Village Hall Play Area insurance 673.19 0.00 673.19
E Bailey Wages 144.00 0.00 144.00
Councillor Forrester proposed payment, seconded by Councillor Hollins with all in favour.
8.118 Any Other Business
There being no other business, the Chairman declared the meeting closed.
Signed…………………………………………………..Chairman, 3rd November 2008
Signed…………………………………………………...Clerk
