SILVERDALE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Regular Meeting on Thursday 10 November 2022 at 6.30pm at Silverdale Library
Present:
Chair – Mr H Adamczuk (HA)
Parish Cllrs – Cllr Celia Jarrett (CJ), Cllr L Leighton (LL), Cllr C Mrozicki (CM), Cllr A Sutcliffe (AS), Cllr M Melvin (MM), Borough Cllr J Brown (JB)- part
Parish Clerk – Ms D Powell (DP)
In attendance – One member of the public was present to observe the meeting.
| 270/22 | Public Participation: Chair
This item is on the agenda to allow the public to raise issues at the Parish Council The period of time designated for public participation in accordance with standing order 3 f shall not exceed 10 minutes unless directed by the chairman of the meeting. Subject to standing order 3 g. a member of the public shall not speak for more than 2 minutes. One member of the public was present to observe the meeting. |
| 271/22 | To receive apologies (in writing to the Clerk)
Apologies were received from Cllr C Spence (CS) |
| 272/22 | To resolve that the minutes of the Regular meeting held on 13 October 2022 are correct and for the Chair to sign at the meeting (copy attached) Please read these before the meeting as they will be taken as read.
RESOLVED to approve the minutes |
| 273/22 | Declaration of Disclosable Pecuniary interest in any item on the agenda (Note member should notify Monitoring officer within 28 days if not already. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships) ALL to complete DPI forms and return electronically – To note Dispensation granted to Chrissy Mrozicki to discuss (only) the Acres Allotments.
LL declared an interest in 282/22 |
| 274/22 | To note the written update (to be circulated in advance) from the Borough Councillors, County Councillors.
Both Borough Councillor reports had been circulated and are included at the end of the minutes. Cllr Brown left the meeting at 6.57pm. |
| 275/22 | Walley’s Quarry Ltd Landfill
a. Walley’s Quarry Liaison Meeting updates. (HA/CJ) b. Abatement Notice and Compensation Update • No liaison meeting has been held. The next meeting is scheduled for the 15thDecember 2022.CJ was not available so MM agreed to attend on Teams as a substitute. • HA to write a letter to the Chief Executive at NBC about the out of court settlement for the Abatement Notice and the issue relating to area that was covered the donut shape of 1 km around the periphery of Walley’s Quarry. Most of Silverdale is outside this area. • In addition, there was a suggestion that money recoverable from Walley’s Quarry Ltd as a result of the settlement might be available for legal action to recover the S106 funding for Silverdale Gardens Development. HA would include this comment. |
| 276/22 | Neighbourhood Development Plan.
a. To receive a report from the Neighbourhood Planning Steering Group 29 October and note improvement in the website, commissioning SWT for data collection covering woodlands in Silverdale and Arbtech for an initial ecology surveys in wetland areas and for protected species at the former Keele Golf Course. b. To agree a ‘dry run’ consultation event as a training to trial new materials and presentation equipment c. To make plans and choose the venue for extensive consultation of residents during 2022/23 with one meeting before Christmas and one meeting afterwards for large groups then smaller sectional meeting afterwards. d. To RESOLVE to commission a drone video for the neighbourhood area, covering all housing, community/retail and woodlands/green spaces to help publicise the Neighbourhood Plan. e. To note the next Neighbourhood Planning Steering Group meeting. • A steering group meeting was held on 29th October 2022 and the minutes have been circulated to members. • A public meeting is to be arranged. A practice session will take place with presentation material & equipment. It may be necessary to purchase equipment such as projector and a screen. • It was RESOLVED to commission a drone survey with MM looking into the possibility that Balfour Beatty would be able to provide this service. • An ecology report including a pond survey at a total cost of £1,239 plus vat will be carried out in the new year. • The next steering group meeting will take place on the 26th November 2022. |
| 277/22 | For information only – Silverdale Gardens – Planning update regarding S106.
• See 275/22. |
| 278/22 | Mining Monument progress (HLF) Project and Miners Wheel
a. Energy Cost from Monument Lighting Installation. b. To obtain quotes for external lighting for the Miner’s Wheel. • No electricity bill has been received, DP to follow up. • MM to investigate lighting for the Miners wheel and at the entrance to the Country Park in Scot Hay Road and HA also to investigate whether Richard McCreadie, who reinstalled Miners’ Tribute lights could quote; two estimates are required. |
| 279/22 | Homeworks update and jobs
• Homeworks has closed so the contractor Steve Hough is to be approached regarding the jobs outstanding. • The website developer is to be asked to set up a Survey Monkey so that residents can request the completion of jobs in the Parish. |
| 280/22 | Local Plan consultation and Keele/Silverdale Growth Corridor
a. Borough Council Plan Consultation Issues and Strategic Options Consultation update b.Save Our Green Space update c. Protect Audley Greenbelt • The timetable shows that the draft local plan will be produced by the spring 2023, this may take up to a year to go through NBC procedures which will take it up to 2024 when the local plan will go to the planning inspector summer 2025. • NBC have made a call for brownfield sites. See RA’s report • HA attended a meeting at Audley where a presentation was given on protecting Audley green belt. HA exchanged information with a parish councillor on working together to fight green belt proposals. |
| 281/22 | To consider a fee quote for legal costs to extend the lease to include the additional site (plot numbers 45-80) at the Acres Allotments (note additional legal/site remediation/Knotweed costs).
a. To update on the tenancy at will agreement request to NBC and resolve to ask the Parish Clerk to sign the letter of intent and for the Chair to amend the draft agreement. b. To agree in principle that if the Borough Council clears the waste material on the council’s land beyond lane 4 then Silverdale Parish Council would negotiate a new lease for the whole site (previously known as Acres Allotments Nos 1-80). c. To consider appointing a consultant regarding the remediation of waste in the legal agreement to represent the parish’s council’s interest. • The tenancy at will agreement has not yet been signed. HA is to request a meeting with NCB to re-draft the agreement. • Approval was given to the hedgehog rescue service at the allotments. |
| 282/22 | To consider any grant applications (SPC Grant Programme £2,000)
a. Grant application received from Silverdale Methodist Church • A grant application was discussed and it was RESOLVED to approve the application. |
| 283/22 | GDPR (Standing Item) – INFORMATION ONLY
Subject Access Requests/Information Security/Data Breaches – reminder. • No issues. |
| 284/22 | To consider a quote
a. To install a new noticeboard at the library (note: may need permission from SCC/Highways). b. To consider a special memorial sign for the noticeboard. • AS to approach Staffordshire University Engineering Dept regarding the design of a new notice board. |
| 285/22 | To consider memorial/benches for The Parade and for Bath Road, Parksite
• RESOLVED for Steve Hough to paint the benches. • The meeting discussed sites for benches at Parksite. |
| 286/22 | To receive an update regarding traffic danger outside St Luke’s Primary School Pepper St
• AS to discuss this at the next school governors meeting. |
| 287/22 | Finance
a. To approve the payments, receipts and transfers – Appendix A. RESOLVED to approve. b. To approve the bank reconciliation – Appendix B. RESOLVED to approve. c. To approve the budget report – Appendix C. RESOLVED to approve. d. To convene the Finance Sub-committee to report back on the 2022/23 Budget and the 2023/24 Budget. HA, LL and CS to discuss the budgets. e. To note the closure of the external audit with Mazars. This was noted and DP was thanked. f. To note the new NALC pay scales from 1 April 2022. This was noted and approved. |
| 288/22 | To approve comments for the following Planning Applications (please click on the link toview BEFORE the meeting) and to approve delegated authority to deal with any urgent ones in between meetings in consultation with the Chair.
22/00906/FUL | Two–story side extension | 11 Farmers Bank Silverdale Newcastle Under Lyme Staffordshire ST5 6NE (newcastle–staffs.gov.uk)
|
| 289/22 | To note and discuss the website improvements
• The website developer is working on a new website. |
| 290/22 | To resolve to contact NBC regarding use of the former Bowling Club Pavilion
• The matter of the bowling green pavilion has been raised with Aaron Bell who said he would support it. Options are required. • It is owned by NBC and SPC is happy to work with them. • It has been broken into twice and the matter has been raised with PCSO Neil Moffat. The meeting discussed CCTV and the best position for a CCTV camera to observe activity around the pavilion. |
| 291/22 | To note the Staffs Parish Council Assoc Bulletins and correspondence received
• Noted. |
| 292/22 | Western Communities LAP and Knutton Master Plan update – (HA/CJ)
• A grant application will be submitted to Staffordshire County Council for the Community Campion Grants Scheme for a Knutton Health and Wellbeing. |
| 293/22 | Highways matters (Standing item)
• Members to report potholes. |
| 294/22 | Community matters (Standing item)
• A remembrance wreath is to be placed on the cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday. |
| 295/22 | Emergency Plan Risk Assessment
• This item was deferred. |
| 296/22 | Bus services to Silverdale and Parksite estate during off peak hours
• A letter is being prepared for circulation to the County Councillor. |
| 297/22 | Christmas Lights Arrangements at Silverdale Parade and Cheddar/Bath Road
• The lights are to be positioned on the canopies of the shops at Silverdale Parade and the large Christmas tree is to be lit. A Christmas carol and brass band event is to be arranged; MM to ask the schools regarding carol singers; LL to arrange the brass band. It was RESOLVED to cover the travel expenses for two members of the brass band travelling from university for the event. |
| 298/22 | Wildlife and County Act Rights of Way: Protective marking Scheme Route around Keele Municipal Golf Course
• Item deferred. |
| 299/22
|
To receive feedback from the Aspire Housing Community Day 26 October
• HA to write to Aspire to ask how the community day had been advertised. |
Meeting closed at 20:33.
THE NEXT MONTHLY MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE ON 8 December 2022, at 6.30pm
To agree future dates to include,
12 January 2023, 9 February 2023, 9 March 2023, 13 April 2022, 11 May 2022
Appendices A to C – See the PDF version of the minutes
Cllr. Rupert Adcock
Ward report for Silverdale Parish Council 10.11.22
This month I have met with Cllr. Jaqueline Brown to catch up on ward issues that we are working on together. I also met with Cllr. Derrick Huckfield to discuss issues that relate to County Council. I also met with Cllr. Simon Tagg to discuss issues relating to Borough Council.
Walleys Quarry
I was concerned to see that another permit breach had occurred in August due to inadequate capping taking the CCS score to over 250 strongly within Band F compliance. I wrote to the Environment Agency complaining about the continued breaches and asking what the consequences are for Band F sites which continue to breach their permits. The reply I received is attached to this report.
After meeting with Cllr. Huckfield we walked around Silverdale and the smell was clear and strong from the mining statue all the way down Silverdale Road. Although complaints remain relatively low Cllr. Brown and I agreed in our meeting that reporting fatigue also a factor.
Cllr. Wieldon, Cllr. Bettley-Smith and myself have been working to help residents report pest and vermin problems relating to Walleys Quarry.
Highways
Met with Cllr. Huckfield and discussed the pothole and parking situations. We agreed that road maintenance has been inefficient and some potholes have been repaired in the village but not others. We agreed that the speed bumps need urgent maintenance and are not fit for the volume of traffic. The on road parking situation remains a concerns as more traffic diverts down Church Street partly to avoid the bumps and potholes. Cllr. Brown and I discussed the problem some residents have with bins blocking the pavement. We discussed raising the possibility of fines for this as they do in Stoke.
We agreed that trying to get funding for a speed camera or speed indicator on the High Street would be more effective at calming traffic.
Tree planting
I met with Cllr. Tagg and we discussed the tree planting that will be taking place for the 850th anniversary of the town. A site on the former Keele Golf Course behind Ashbourne Drive has been identified as a site for some of these trees.
Local Plan call for sites
The Local Plan will be having a call for brownfield sites as part of its consultation next year.
We have been asked to advertise this as much as possible. Message from the council.
If you are able to suggest a site, help spread the word, add a poster to a local notice board, or suggest areas where we could go and put posters up in your ward that would be most helpful. We will also be contacting parish councils but it is often the urban wards which are harder to reach.
Leaflets
I was out delivering leaflets over the weekend detailing my activities and giving out contact details to residents to contact me with any casework. Cllr. Brown has also been delivering her newsletters. Hopefully this will help those with less access to the internet or less awareness of their local representatives to get in touch with us with any casework.
Parks
I have heard from Michael Cook at the council. A contractor has been out to look at securing the perimeters of Ilkley Place to prevent use by motorbikes. They reported that the gates had been cut with a disc cutter to gain access. They will look at replacing these and securing other potential access points.
New surgery location
Thanks to the kind permission of Lee, Cllr. Brown and I will be having our surgeries in Silverdale Methodist Church first Saturday of each month starting from 3rd December.
Ward Report to Branch: Silverdale Date 6. 11. 2022
Councillor: Jacqueline Brown Number of cases: 24 Number resolved: 16 and Number ongoing: 8
Planning & housing: Silverdale Sidings: I chased up the absence of an update on this at the last planning committee. Rachel Kileen informed me that Jeff Upton (Interim Head of planning) has now left the authority; his replacement is Nick Fenwick. A supplementary report is to be prepared for the next meeting on 8th Nov. There has been ongoing correspondence on the matter, but progress has been limited. Given that two of the sums within the s.106 agreement are due to be paid to the County Council (the education and the transport contributions), they have been advised by their lawyers that this matter should be set up as a joint instruction between the Councils going forward. They are therefore awaiting instruction from Staffs CC before issuing letters to the developers. I will continue to monitor the situation.
Whilst delivering my Autumn newsletter a resident of Pepper Street was very concerned about plans to put a 16m 5G Telecommunication Mast in Silverdale. She had been misinformed about the proposed site and the fact that the Silverdale parish council had objected to it. I was able to update her on this, after communication with the Chair of SPC, and reassure her that the objection had been raised on 18.10.22. I followed this up by emailing my objections as ward councillor on
21.10.22 to Planning Consultation at NULBC. There is a general feeling that Silverdale, after the pit and the quarry, that this ward could be used as a `dumping ground` for this kind of industrial/commercial development.
I attended the Aspire Community Day on Wed 26th Oct 11-2pm at the Parade. Residents were given information from organisations such as `The Green Doctor` in relation to energy savings and various competitions/prizes were available on a `Halloween theme`. The event gave an opportunity for Silverdale Parish Chair to continue consultation with residents and Aspire staff. I was also able to talk to Aspire officers about consultation with residents. They informed me that Adrian Foster is the person responsible for community engagement. In the meantime, the Labour group of borough councillors has arranged a meeting with a senior Aspire officer. We will ask about the` direction of travel` of the organisation and prepare questions in relation to the issues residents have reported to us.
Environment: I have received no further communication regarding park facilities at the Parade. This is less of a priority during the winter months, but I will continue to communicate with stakeholders regarding this. I am pleased to report that the long-standing issue regarding rear access to numbers 136-152 Church Street has now been resolved. A` one time clean-up` has been organised by Andrew Bird of NULBC. Once the passageway is clear it will be up to residents to maintain for the use of bin storage/collection.
Keele Golf Course: Save Our Green Spaces group organised a meeting on Thurs 20th October in Keele Village Hall. There was an update on planning/housing issues from stakeholders present and a discussion around the consultation due in Spring 2023. Plans were made to use a drone to make a promotional video showing the green spaces under threat. I have been working with other Labour councillors to gather information on the threat of building on KGC. This included researching, `A Borough Nature Recovery Declaration` (17 Nov 2021) and the Labour Party amendments rejected by the ruling Conservative group. These amendments attempted to safeguard sites i.e., by needing a 51% approval for planning/building of affected residents in the ward. Because of the many `rumours` about planning proposals and which party `want to build on green space` I decided to write to the Editor of the Stoke Sentinel on 7.11.22.
Walley`s Quarry I attended NULBC cabinet on 18.10.22 to ask questions arising from the out of court settlement between NULBC and Walley`s Quarry LTD. These were directed to Martin Hamilton.
- You have said the £400K and £60k payments offered by W.Q.L represents a `significant proportion` of what the council has spent. Could you tell us as what this proportion is as a percentage ?
- Why is there a `donut shaped exclusion` zone, which excludes the site itself, and how can we ensure that any odour nuisance stays on site?
- I have found it tricky to fill in the online report form (issues with 24 hour clock) How can we ensure reporting fatigue does not set in and is there a trigger number of reports to start legal action? VERBAL UPDATE if REQUIRED
Streets & Highways: Difficulties with parking in the Madeley/Kinsey /Ford street area continue. On 3.11.22 I undertook a site visit to Ford St as a resident could not get her car into her garage/property due to the parking of neighbours. The situation was not helped by what appears to be an abandoned car. I took photos and reported this to traffic and networks at Staffs CC on 4.11.22. The resident was frustrated because the County councillor had told her it was a police matter, but the police said they could not enforce without road markings.
Waste & Litter A litter pick was undertaken around the Parade area on 28.10.22 as part of the Aspire community day. Progress has been made regarding the local business on Cemetery Rd which has a very untidy appearance for anyone driving in and out of Silverdale as it is on the main road. Paul Lejman of NULBC has been in touch regarding previous steps taken and an officer will go out and inspect again.
Anti-social behaviour: I had a virtual meeting with PCSO Neil Moffat on 12.10.22. As Antisocial behaviour around the parade had been reported by residents over the summer, we discussed measures we could take. He informed me of existing CCTV and let me know that anti vandal paint can be used on the pavilion providing there is appropriate signage. This may be something the parish council wishes to fund in the Spring. Neil also told me about a range of activities the P.C.S.O.s are undertaking with schools including the Cadets scheme. This will certainly help build youth relationships with the Police and hopefully deter anti-social behaviour.
General Comments
We are very pleased to have been offered the use of a small, private room at Silverdale Methodists for councillor surgeries. Surgeries will be the first Saturday of every month at 10am, starting on Sat 3rd Dec 2021. This will continue until the library is back in action on Saturdays.
I have continued to work alongside volunteers at Silverdale Library. I met with staff from Silverdale Primary school regarding parents and children from Nursery & Reception coming to our story sessions. We had our first session on Mon 10th Oct attended by a group of 12 nursery children, parents & staff and we are hoping to continue throughout the Autumn term.
I attend a Q&A session with KS2 at Silverdale Primary school on 13.10.22. The subject was `the role of a borough councillor`. I really enjoyed doing this, the children asked very thoughtful questions, including `Do you know the Prime Minister? ` I have offered to do a similar session at St. Luke`s Primary.
The Silverdale Labour Newsletter for Autumn which has been delivered to all but one round at the time of compiling this report. Updates available F.B. page Councillor Jacqueline Brown in Silverdale