SILVERDALE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Regular Meeting on Thursday 8 February 2024 at 6.30pm at Silverdale Library
Present: Cllr H Adamczuk (HA), Cllr C Mrozicki (CM), Cllr J Avison (JA), Cllr J Crabtree (JC) Cllr J Brown (JB), Cllr C Bennett (CB)
Parish Clerk – Ms D Powell (DP)
One member of the public was present
| 31/24 | Public Participation: A member of the public was present to observe the meeting. |
| 32/24 | To receive apologies. Apologies were received from Cllr R Adcock. The meeting noted the resignation of Celia Jarrett and the Chair would thank her personally for her contribution over the last 5 years. |
| 33/24 | To resolve that the minutes of the Regular meeting held on 11 January 2024 are correct and for the Chair to sign at the meeting. RESOLVED to approve the minutes. |
| 34/24 | Declaration of Disclosable Pecuniary interest in any item on the agenda. JB declared an interest in agenda item 47/24. |
| 35/24 | To note the written update from the Borough Councillors
Borough Councillor reports had been circulated and are attached at the end of the minutes. In addition JB added the following: • There had been a Labour Group motion and call for an emergency meeting to take place on 14 February 2024 at Castle House regarding Walleys Quarry and the suspension of the operating licence. • Residents had been in touch regarding accessing the comments on the Draft Local Plan via the website. JB is to print a copy and leave this in the library. A Labour Group meeting is taking place next week to go through the concerns line by line. A meeting is being held with the Senior Planning Officer to obtain answers to the questions on the draft Local Plan. • An email had been sent to the Head of Legal at NBC regarding Silverdale Sidings requesting an update on the joint legal action. • There had been no response from NBC regarding car parking, street lighting and paths and surfaces. • Following the Silverdale Parish Council project to update Silverdale Park there will be resurfacing of the tennis court. A picnic in the park is planned for the end of Spring/early Summer. |
| 36/24 | Community matters (Standing item)
a. Silverdale Bus Transport: To receive an update on the potential of a bus subsidy to enhance the existing service. No update had been received from the Town Board. Item to be removed from the agenda. b. Update on response from SPCA regarding whether SPC can contribute towards the nighttime illumination costs of St Luke’s Church. SPCA had provided an update. There had been no update from the church. Any request for funding would need to be received directly from the church. c. To discuss the Spring newsletter. CB to prepare a newsletter with contributions from members. It was RESOLVED to post out a Spring newsletter in April and then to produce a quarterly newsletter. JC to contact a delivery person regarding distribution of the newsletters. d. Social media and communications. Facebook to be discussed at the next meeting. e. Afternoon tea events and afternoon activity events for children. It was RESOLVED for JC to organize an afternoon tea event for the end of June or beginning of July, to send out dates and decide who to invite. Use of the community house on The Dell was discussed. JC to ask permission for its use from Aspire. f. Books for primary schools. Grants for books were discussed. Schools are to be encouraged to apply for grants for the children’s books g. To receive an update on defibrillators. JA had circulated an email. Locations for the defibrillator were discussed. RESOLVED to go ahead with the purchase of a defibrillator at a cost of £1415 including the cabinet and defibrillator. Aspire to be contacted by JA about the installation and provision of the power supply. |
| 37/24 | To receive an update on the purchase and installation of the final two pieces of outdoor exercise equipment at the Ilkley Place play area, completing the upgrade which was started using the energy saving scheme funding.
CM suggested that SPC write to residents in Ilkley Place and to carry out a consultation with those residents who would be affected. JA to send letters to those residents. |
| 38/24 | Planning sub-committee feedback (Standing Item) and to approve comments for the following Planning Applications
HMO 13 Underwood Road Appeal Decision HA reported: 13 Underwood Rd had been taken to appeal by the landlord and the council’s decision was overturned in favour of the applicant. Adjoining semi resident concerned about noise only Environmental Health can intervene. 24/00019/TWA | Application to fell trees | 26 Peebles Road Silverdale Newcastle UnderLyme Staffordshire ST5 6QY (newcastle–staffs.gov.uk) HA reported: A Planning Officer is to inspect trees at rear of the Bush Inn 199 and Villa 197 High St. There was a visit to investigate tree surgery but this was without the apparent knowledge of the planning application involved. Contact with him has resulted in him approaching Agents for the new development. |
| 39/24 | Finance
a. To approve the payments, receipts and transfers – Appendix A. RESOLVED to approve. b. To note and approve the bank reconciliation – Appendix B. RESOLVED to approve. c. To note and approve the budget report 2023/24 – Appendix C. RESOLVED to approve. DP provided an update on the financial position and an analysis of the earmarked and general reserves. Earmarked reserves to be discussed further at the March meeting. |
| 40/24 | Walley’s Quarry Ltd Landfill
a. Walley’s Quarry Liaison Meeting b. Borough Council Action and Public Enquiry over role of Environment Agency HA reported: I attended a meeting with the Shadow Environment Minister organized with the Prospective Labour Parliamentary Candidate for the constituency with Stop the Stink activists and other groups. A resident and her son were present (landmark High Court case and Supreme Court in 2021/22). I advised the participants of the complaints made in October 2020 about the Environment Agency decision making over the variation to the Permit condition and I would contribute to any enquiry over their role in regulating Walley’s Quarry. Future DEFRA meeting. The current DEFRA minister is expected to meet with Aaron Bell MP and Ward Councillor Rupert Adcock later in February. The complaints were referred to Aaron Bell in 2020 as an Ombudsman’s Enquiry but they were ruled inadmissible. These are important developments including a further public meeting by the borough council in the Queen Elizabeth II & Astley Rooms – Castle House, Barracks Road, Newcastle, Staffs. ST5 1BL on Wednesday, 14th February, 2024 at 7.00 pm. ‘UPDATE ON THE ONGOING WORK ON ODOURS FROM WALLEYS QUARRY’ Motions of members. With new people involved – the minister was appointed before Christmas -and hopefully the recent response to the Environment Agency there will be some resolution. Stop the Stink want the site capped off before the end of the current permit, but there will be a considerable impact if that happens to the operation with financial consequences we do not yet know about. |
| 41/24 | Neighbourhood Development Plan
a. To receive feedback from the Neighbourhood Planning Steering Group. HA reported: Biodiversity Gain 2024 UK Governmentt has adopted new biodiversity gain enhancement measures to include Medium Distinctiveness. As with all the previous Biodiversity Net Gain policy is a completely new calculation and complex to understand. Natural England has updated the national data set which shows areas of deciduous woodland in the former Municipal Keele Golf Course so there is now a new map that can be included in the policy development. We have not referred before to Ibstock at Knutton Quarry. It is the one major extraction industry located in Silverdale Parish. Staffordshire County Council and the Environment Agency are the main regulators responsible. There is no change to the extraction plan as devised and agreed by Staffordshire County Council. The Minerals Local Plan for Staffordshire (2015 to 2030) – Appendices (Adopted 16 February 2017). This had been added to the emerging overall land use. Map and photo added to documentation. |
| 42/24 | For information only – Silverdale Gardens – Planning update regarding S106
This was covered earlier in the meeting. |
| 43/24 | Mining Monument progress (HLF) Project and Miners Wheel
a. Quotes for external lighting for the Miner’s Wheel. Awaiting second quote. |
| 44/24 | Parish jobs referred to the contractor.
Nothing further this time. |
| 45/24 | Local Plan consultation and Keele/Silverdale Growth Corridor
a. Borough Council Plan Update HA reported: Newcastle under Lyme Cabinet 16 January 2024 Decisions That the summary of the main issues raised to the consultation on the First Draft Local Plan which took place from the 19 June to the 14 August 2023 and the Council’s initial response as set out in the Consultation Report (Appendix 1), be noted. That the Deputy Chief Executive, in consultation with the Strategic Planning Portfolio Holder, be authorised to recommend to Council at its meeting on the 24 July 2024 that it approves the Final Draft Local Plan (at Regulation 19 stage), the Sustainability Appraisal, Habitats Regulation Assessment and supporting documentation for public consultation in line with the approved Local Development Scheme. That, subject to the outcome of consultation, and if no matters are raised that materially impact upon the Plan strategy, the Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Strategic Planning Portfolio Holder be authorised to submit the Final Draft Local Plan and supporting documents to the Secretary of State for formal examination by the end of 2024. Consultation Themes relevant to Silverdale PC 1 The council’s argument to redraw the green belt is based on exceptional circumstances that there is an objective need of 355 dwellings per year and there are insufficient brownfield sites available to meet that need. When tested at inspection the council must show that the housing need is exceptional. It has to address the low population growth in Newcastle under Lyme 2011-21. Borough Council Comment … The Council has commissioned consultants Turley’s to prepare an update to the 2023 study and undertake a check on the overall housing and employment numbers. The update to the study will consider consultation responses received to the First Draft Local Plan, any additional evidence and will also consider the implications of revisions made to the National Planning Policy Framework in December 2023. Please ask that the consultants take into account: The Standard Methodology lacks ‘sensitivity’ particularly in cases of low growth as occurred in this district from 2001 to 2021. The count of household numbers was 53,400 for Newcastle under Lyme in the Census 2021, an increase of eight hundred households compared with Census 2011 (Table H01). Office for National Statistics Dwelling Stock Estimates that housing stock was estimated to increase by 2,000 over the same ten years (125 Table). For the borough therefore, the number of households increased more slowly than the number of dwellings over the 10 year period 201121. Rebasing and reconciliation of mid-year population estimates following Census 2021, England and Wales from mid-2012 to mid-2020 and to include data for years after 2022. ONS 2022 statistics on Median Affordability in Districts and Unitary Authorities in the West Midlands and comment on the housing affordability in Newcastle under Lyme and Stoke on Trent relative to that of other authorities in the region. That the results of Stafford BC’s assessment that over 2016-20 Newcastle and Stoke were net exporters of households to Stafford (2020 Housing and Employment Land Numbers Topic Paper Preferred Options Stage: p17). See the results of Census population change for many districts in the East and West Midlands showing large variation between the two Census across a range of +14.3% for Rugby to -1.3% for Staffordshire Moorlands (See Appendix 1). In addition, the Consultant should state the current size of the household numbers in 2023/24 as there are several different sources and the numbers are inconsistent. 2 The response came back that the overall housing numbers should be recalculated and are either too high or too low. Please express the balance between the responses which were referred to the housing numbers as ‘too high’ and ‘too low’ numerically. There are huge physical and social infrastructure implications. Natural Environment and Pressure on local services ad amenities The main land use designations: in particular deciduous woodland, grassland and farmland would be lost when there is considerable industrial activity at Knutton and Walley’s quarries. Drainage/Flooding; the main former golf course site sits on a ridge containing many springs supplying water to the water courses in the valley below. There have been recent reports of flooding to residents and to the Park Allotment areas when drainage systems have been blocked and the removal of debris and alteration to the drainage and creating a further drain in the event of flooding in the future. The site of 1,170 houses planned at SP11, SP12 and SP23 were missing from the plan and the need for a Level 2 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment may be required for the proposed developments at the edge of the catchment area. There is huge detail to add from the June 2023 consultation. |
| 46/24 | Acres Allotments (no additional legal/site remediation/Knotweed costs)
a. To receive an update on the tenancy at will agreement. b. To receive an update on the appointment of Knights solicitors and negotiations over the tenancy with Acre Allotments involving the borough council and the condition of the land at the first extension of the 2015 lease c. To agree in principle that if the Borough Council clears the waste material on the council’s land beyond lane four then Silverdale Parish Council would negotiate a new lease for the whole site (previously known as Acres Allotments Nos 1-80) HA to follow up with Knights. |
| 47/24 | To consider any grant applications (SPC Grant Programme £2,000)
a. To consider a grant application received from Silverdale Primary Academy. RESOLVED to approve the grant application. |
| 48/24 | GDPR (Standing Item) – INFORMATION ONLY
Subject Access Requests/Information Security/Data Breaches – reminder None |
| 49/24 | To receive an update on the noticeboard project
a. To receive an update on the Higher Horizons initiative for the noticeboard HA reported: New Horizons Questions were answered by the deadline with a design brief. |
| 50/24 | To receive an update on the purchase of benches for The Parade and Silverdale Park. To consider purchasing benches for Silverdale Parish (Bath Road and Parksite)
RESOLVED to earmark £7300 for new benches. RESOLVED for DP to order 6 Lakeside anti-vandal benches from Broxap. RESOLVED to purchase eleven plaques for the benches from Timpsons at £20 each. JA to organize the plaques. |
| 51/24 | Flooding reports Acres Allotments and Park Road Allotments and Daleview Drive from 20 October
2023 and Mineral Line at Sutton Avenue/High Steet Silverdale. Flooding had stopped on Dale view Drive. The flooding on the Mineral Line continues. There are questions over ownership of the Mineral Line. |
| 52/24 | To receive an update on contact with NBC regarding use of the former Bowling Club Pavilion, including sharing the cost of the survey of the state of repair with the borough council.
Awaiting response. CM to follow up. RA to be asked to follow up. |
| 53/24 | To note the Staffs Parish Council Assoc Bulletins and correspondence received.
Noted. |
| 54/24 | Western Communities LAP. This was covered earlier in the agenda. |
| 55/24 | Highways matters (Standing item)
a. S106 street lighting outstanding work at Silverdale Gardens, Station Road. This matter is ongoing. |
| 56/24 | To implement the maintenance agreement on the Mining Monument and obtaining a quote for the Mining Wheel from Plowden Smith.
HA to follow up. |
| 57/24 | New Benches/Dedications.
Item to be removed from the agenda. |
| 58/24 | Bonfiglios Garage site Cemetery Road update.
Awaiting update. |
|
THE NEXT MONTHLY MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE ON 7th March 2024 at 6.30pm To agree future dates to include, 11th April 2024, 9th May 2024, 11th June 2024 |
|
Appendices A, B and C can be found in the PDF version of the minutes
Ward Councillor report to Silverdale Parish Council Date of report 4 .2. 2024
Councillor: Jacqueline Brown No of cases: 59 No resolved: 50 ongoing: 9
Walley`s Quarry. There was a sharp rise in complaints over the Christmas and New Year period and
monitoring data showed that residents within our local community have been subjected to levels with a causative link to ill health, and the consequences of that exposure for almost a quarter of the time in the period 25th-31st December 2023. We have also learned that the Environment Agency has just rated Walley`s Quarry as compliance band F (the lowest grade possible for an operator to retain the permit) for the third consecutive year. Due to these factors the Labour group tabled a motion for an emergency meeting on W.Q. Subsequently, a special WQ meeting has been scheduled for 7pm on 14.2.24 at Castle House. The mayor has set the agenda to include 2 points. Firstly, to receive reports from officers and secondly to consider the motion to suspend the operating licence. The meeting will be open to the public, i.e. they can observe for the public gallery, but they are not allowed to ask questions. I would urge all members of the PC to attend. On 31.1.24 a very productive meeting at Cornerstone, organised by Adam Jogee for Newcastle–under–Lyme and attended by Steven Reed MP, Shadow Secretary for Environment. Labour Councillors and residents shared information for the common purpose of finally getting something done about Walley`s Quarry. Labour have called for an emergency meeting of NULBC, please see the press report in this link https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/…/top–labour–mp–walleys…
Draft Local Plan At the Labour group meeting on10.1.24 we looked at the cabinet papers which included a 291 page report concerning the consultation responses and possible ways forward for the plan. The papers are in the public domain p.226 concerns the former KG land, p.241 the Glenwood Close site, p.249 Cheddar Drive and p.250 former playground at Ash Grove. We decided to go through the report page by page and liaise with stakeholders, e.g., the PC with the intention of coming back to a special meeting on 19.2.24 to make a list of points and Qs. We have invited a senior planning officer to brief us and answer any questions. I would urge members of the P.C. to contact me with any questions or concerns. The Labour group leader Cllr. Dave Jones wants the vote to be on the final version of the draft plan that will be submitted to the planning inspector.
Planning & housing: At the last full council meeting 22.11.23 I asked the Chair of planning, Cllr Andrew Fear, about a statement in the new Local Planning Enforcement Plan which stated non compliance of Section 106 as `Low Priority`. As we have a high profile case of this in our ward which has taken years to get to court I wanted to query this. Cllr. Fear said the wording was `unfortunate`. He said the prioritisation was in relation to the speed the team would have to act e.g. damage to a listed building would have to be speedily dealt with before the building was destroyed or damaged beyond repair. It certainly seemed enforcement is not speedy as I still have heard nothing in relation to the case of Silverdale Sidings Section 106 money and the resulting legal action and will yet again have to chase this up.
There has been some progress on the overcrowding case at Malvern Ave in Parksite. As the extended
family of the residents are looking to be housed by Aspire in Silverdale I liaised with housing officer Nicola Mc Millan who has now given advice in order to move the case to a higher priority. I took the printed advice to the house on 3.1.24.
On 12.12.23. I attended Stretton Road. Unfortunately, Sanctuary housing failed to arrive, and the tenant
was out. When I contacted their housing officer, they said the tenant had gone to a hospital appointment. They assured me they would be going back before Christmas to go through the list of problems, but the surveyor would have to come out in January. I will seek an update.
Another housing case came in the new year. A resident with 7 children, 5 of whom live with her,
overcrowded in a flat on Parkfields close. She has also experienced ASB from a neighbour. I arranged for PCSO Moffat & Nicola Mc Millan from Aspire to visit her at home to find a solution. This resident is very isolated, so I am taking her to some local community activities. She now feels much better and has asked me to close the case, I requested that she informs me when she has been rehoused.
Environment: Untidy Business premises on Cemetery road As in previous reports this business continues
to be an eye saw and of concern regarding safety to the residents. The Chair of the PC wrote to Environmental health and this triggered an inspection. When the Chair chased up the results it was the EA who got in touch and said the inspector had discussed the permit with the business operator and no laws were being broken. In the meantime some graffiti on the main gates informs is of what residents think of this particular site.
I reported the lights out of action at the Parade Park in Dec to NULBC see below under Anti social
behaviour, last time I checked 11.1.24 they were still off. I am waiting to find out if this is a deliberate measure to save electricity or because they need repairing.
Streets & Highways: The case of the state of pavements including a sealed man hole cover on High St was
reported to Staffs CC on 13.12 23. They have accessed it as low priority and said it would be added to the work programme. I took the paperwork to the resident and gave him Cllr. Huckfield`s number so he could find out when the work will take place. The same resident also reported a car opposite that is a parking hazard i.e. people have to walk in the road to avoid it on the pavement. I emailed PCSO Neil Moffat who said he would speak to the resident concerned. I have had no further reports of the parking being problematic. Silverdale Parish Council Playground Parade Project
On 24.1.24 I visited the Parade Park with PC councillor Chrissy My . Ws took photographs of the work already done to repair the swings and Chrissy talked me through the plans for painting the railings and replacing the benches, removing any that are no longer needed. The PC are getting quotes for the repair of the pavilion. I mentioned the Co-operative society community ownership initiative and I will be looking into this to see if we can apply this to our project. We would all like to see the pavilion back in use as a community hub. Together with the borough plans for the tennis court and the plans to `spruce up` the skate park by a local artist then we really should see a difference in our Parade Park. I would like to do a `picnic in the park` to celebrate in late Spring/early summer with the help of local partners.
Joseph Cook 1860-1947 The 6th Prime Minister of Australia born in Vale Terrace, Silverdale.
Whilst canvassing with PPC Adam Jogee I had the pleasure of meeting The Hon. George Brandis KC who is the former High Commissioner for Australia, now a Professor at the Australian National University. George is writing an article for the Australian press on Joseph Cook. I was delighted to share my knowledge with him and took George to the Miner`s Monument, commissioned by Silverdale PC. George took photos of the plague commemorating Joseph Cook and I was able to send him by email text from the `Fascinating Folk of Newcastle` book which features him. I will update you with news form George when the article goes to press.
General Comments:
I am now the Shadow Portfolio holder for Leisure, Heritage & Culture and I have particularly enjoyed getting involved with activities at the Brampton Museum. I attended an exhibition of Staffordshire artists there on 26th Jan and there are some exciting events coming up in Feb & March, including Valentine ceramic flower painting and Half term fun for children. Please seeWhat’s on at Brampton Museum – Newcastle–under–Lyme Borough Council (newcastle–staffs.gov.uk)for details.
I hold my surgeries at 12.30-1.30 in Silverdale Library. The next surgery will be on Mon 5th Feb and from
then on the first Monday in every month.
Weekly updates available F.B. page Councillor Jacqueline Brown in Silverdale.
Cllr. Rupert Adcock report for Parish Council Feb 24
Walleys Quarry
The issue continues to spiral out of control and I have heard odour reports from residents all over the town. I have had a meeting with council leader Tagg and our Thistleberry councillors to discuss the deteriorating situation. We discussed the massive increase in odours and are lobbying the EA and the government to take urgent action. We also discussed use of the abatement notice which is under consideration by officers. We are advised that the corrected historical emissions data is now due in early February after a delay. We are all calling on the EA to issue a closure notice as soon as possible and release the result of criminal and regulatory investigations.
I wrote a letter of complaint to the EA about their handling of this case detailing the dangers to public health they are allowing to continue as well as their admission that Walleys is not working towards permit compliance. I await a reply.
Aaron Bell and I have a meeting with Robbie Moore MP DEFRA minister arranged for later in February and we will be making the strongest case possible for intervention.
There will be an emergency council meeting on 14th February at 7pm to discuss motions on Walleys and we encourage members of the public to attend.
Silverdale Greenway
I will be attending a walk along Silverdale Greenway on 16th February to examine and discuss
potential alter access points.
Newcastle regeneration
I will be attending a briefing on the Town Centre regenerations plans on 5th February relating to York Place, Midway and Ryecroft.
Motion at full council – pets a prizes
I am pleased to have proposed a motion at full council that was raised with me by some Silverdale residents concerning the RSPCA campaign of banning ‘pets a prizes’ on council land. This motion received unanimous support and we also agreed to look into creating an animal rights charter for the borough.