Minutes of Meeting held in St. Chad’s Church Room on Thursday 29th. September 2016.

Present: Councillor J. Sargeant (Chair).

Councillors T. Beastall, L. Bills, R. Lovell, C. Taylor & S. R. Weston.

District Councillor N. Hawkins.

One Member of the Public.

In Attendance: John Bourne, Clerk to the Council.

40/16. Apologies for Absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor D. Sargeant.

41/16. Declarations of Interest.

There were no declarations of interest at this point.

42/16. Chairman’s Address.

The Chairman thanked Councillor Lovell for preparing the room and for copies of e.mails which he had sent, on a personal basis, regarding speeding on the A53 Leek Road. A reply from the police was awaited.

43/16. Public Comments.

District Councillor Hawkins thanked the Council for the Get Well Card and the flowers which had been sent to her during her incapacity.

The member of the public gave a report on her contact with Staffs. Moorlands District Council regarding the removal of the dog waste bin near Horse Bridge in Sutherland Road. The Chairman pointed out that there would be a report on the matter later in the meeting.

She also reported that a gate(s) had been fixed on the old railway line by Network Rail.

44/16. Minutes of Last Meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 18th. August 2016 had been circulated. After the correction of a name wrongly spelt it was agreed that they be signed as a true and correct record.

45/16. Matters Arising.

A letter had been sent to the local police inspector regarding speeding on the A53 but no reply had been received. Councillor Lovell gave a report on an accident involving an overturned car on the A53 outside his residence.

The ongoing problem with the blocked gullies in Sutherland Road at the junction with Wood Road had again been reported to the County Council after no action had taken place. An email had been received from a nearby resident to say that the gullies had been cleaned out and that the situation would be monitored.

An e.mailed reply had been received from Staffs. County Council regarding the proposal to ask for the lay-by at Endon to be made one-way from a Northerly direction and the suggestion that a new additional lay-by could be constructed on the opposite side of the main road to facilitate traffic from the South. The reply stated that a new lay-by could not be constructed and the matter should be left until after the Coroner’s findings into the fatal accident at the location had been received.

The County Council had also stated that no action would be taken on the advertising trailer(s) in the lay-by.

A reply had been received from the County Council stating that residents in Denford Road would be instructed to remove the stones from grass verges which were rolling into the road and causing obstruction.

A letter had been sent to Staffs. Moorlands District Council to report that the dog waste bin on the canal towpath near Bridge No 4, Denford Road is damaged and is not being emptied. A telephoned reply stated that the bin had been wrongly sited and suggested that the Canals & Rivers Trust be approached to service the bin. After some discussion that it was not Parish Council’s responsibility to approach the waterways authority, the Moorlands Council stated that they would remove the bin from the towpath.

It was reported, however, that a waste bin had been removed from the canal towpath by Bridge No.6 Sutherland Road. It was agreed to ask the Moorlands Council for a replacement bin to be sited on the bridge in Sutherland Road.

A reply had been received from Karen Bradley MP regarding the proposed changes to the ambulance service in Leek stating that she had contacted the CEO of West Midlands Ambulance Service who had assured her that the proposal was still being reviewed. She was also informed that a 4 x 4 ambulance would be provided and that the Leek team were fully trained in the use of the vehicle.

It was reported that:

the problem with the road gullies in Leek Road A53 had not be done and would be reported again.

the problem in Leek Old Road had again been reported with photographs.

the safety rails which had been left by the entrance to Stonelowe Hall, Leek Road had been removed.

46/16. Correspondence.

Further information had been received from the Pensions Regulator giving various staging dates but the Council’s employee would not meet the age and earnings criteria.

Information received under this item:

Staffs. County Council’s weekly pothole update.

Staffs. County Councils Countryside Estate Review – Bidder’s Day Staffs County Council’s Highway Infrastructure Asset Management Plan Consultation.

Staffs Fire & Rescue Service Corporate Safety Plan (April 2017 – March 2020 Consultation.

Clerks & Councils Direct – September 16 issue.

47/16. Planning Matters.

The following plan had been distributed to Councillors, due to the time scale, and they had agreed to forward no objections, subject to normal planning guidelines, to:

SMD/2016/0508 Proposed Siting of One Polytunnel at Proctor’s Nursery, Leek Road, Endon.

The following plans were discussed and it was agreed to forward no objections, subject to normal planning guidelines, to:-

SMD/2016/0542 Conversion & Extension of Former Public House & Erection of Two Dwellings at New Inn, Leek Road, Longsdon – Detailed Information.

* SMD/2016/0557 Proposed Demolition of Existing Garage & Erection of Replacement Garage with Workshop & Storage Over at Micklea Farm, Micklea Lane. Longsdon.

*It was agreed that a stipulation should be added that the building should not be used for residential purposes.

48/16. Finance Matters.

Payment for the Staffs County Council’s Lengthsman Scheme quarterly account had been received.

V. A. T. Refund for previous year had been received.

49/16. Orders for Payment.

It was unanimously agreed that the following items be paid:-

50/16. Public Comment.

There was no business under this item.

51/16. Any Other Business.

It was agreed to purchase the normal British Legion wreath for Remembrance Sunday.

A report was given of a stone wall which was collapsing adjacent to the steps down to the towpath at Horse Bridge, Sutherland Road. This to be reported to Canals & Rivers Trust.

Mention was made of a caravan parked beside the fishing pool in Sutherland Road. This to be monitored.

The pavement outside The Old Smithy had been damaged by an accident. Councillor Lovell reported that a lady had sustained an injury to her ankle on the uneven surface. He had reported the matter to Staffs. County Council and the matter would be monitored.

Matters to be reported to the County Council:-

Damage to the ditch and road surface in Honeysuckle Lane, Longsdon.

52/16. Date of Next Meeting.

The next meeting of the Council will be held at 7 - 00p.m. on Thursday 1st. December 2016 at St. Chad’s Church Room, Leek Road, Longsdon.