Singleton Parish Council
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held at the Village Hall, Singleton
on Tuesday 25 January 2022 at 7.15 pm
Present: – Cllrs Bailey (Vice Chair), Cholmondeley, Gallagher and Ibbotson, County Cllr John Singleton and the Parish Clerk, Verena Henderson, who took the Minutes. Cllr Bailey took the Chair for this meeting.
| 1. | Apologies for Absence – Cllr Lee |
| 2. | Police Matters Email received from our new PCSO Georgina Fleming who asked when the Parish Council meeting was. Unfortunately she was not on duty this evening but would endeavour to attend a future meeting. The Clerk will advise her when the next meeting will take place. Unfortunately the Parish Council has still not received information about the number of reported crimes/incidents in the parish. A request received from Andrew Snowden, Police and Crime Commissioner in regard to the Lancashire PCC Budget consultation for 2022/2023. The Clerk will complete the survey stressing more visible policing for the rural area. |
| 3. | Minutes of Previous Meeting and any Matters Arising The Minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2022, having been previously circulated and agreed, were signed as a true and correct record by the Vice-Chair. |
| 4. | Open Forum – None |
| 5. | Declaration of Interests – None |
| 6. | Planning Matters and Decisions 21/1130 & 21/1131 – The Great Hall at Mains – Erection of 8 guest accommodation pods to the rear of the site to support the existing wedding venue plus listed building consent. The Parish Council has no specific observations to make.22/0036 Land between Greenways Nursery and 89 Mains Lane Singleton. Outline application for the erection of one dwelling. The Parish Council has no specific observations to make.21/1125 Greenways, 77 Mains Lane Singleton. Single storey rear extension. The Parish Council has no specific observations to make.22/0003 – 12 Miller Crescent, Singleton – First floor rear extension. The Parish Council has no specific observations to make.22/0038 Koi Pool Water Gardens, Mains Lane, Singleton. Single storey extensions to front of garden centre. The Parish Council has no specific observations to make. Decisions 19/0318 Windy Harbour. Mixed use of tourism & Leisure Development – Granted. The Parish Council was under the impression this had been granted a 2 years ago.21/1009 – 12 The Village, Singleton – Single storey extension – Granted.21/0960 – Application to remove condition 5 of reserved matters approval for land between 185 and 195 Mains Lane – Refused.21/1045 – Braemar, 121 Mains Lane – Single storey infill extension – Granted.21/1014 & 21/1031 – The Great Hall at Mains – Single storey extensions to create new entrance plus Listed Building consent – Granted. |
| 7. | Traffic and Highway Issues Many emails concerning a raised manhole cover in Mains Lane. Although this is a problem for United Utilities, both David Whitelow of Kier and Cty Cllr Singleton have been putting pressure on United Utilities to get the problem sorted. Apparently this is a long standing problem and will cause significant delays when the work is done but it is hoped that a weekend repair should reduce the impact. Cllr Singleton had previously submitted his report on various highway matters he is pursuing on the Parish Council’s behalf including the survey submitted by Cllr Ibbotson last month. He has also reported several blocked gulleys in the parish and gave an update on the Old Mains Lane excavation work where the kerbing is to commence on the 26th January for approximately one week, followed by resurfacing work from 3rd February for one week. The entrance to Old Mains Lane will be closed and a new entrance will be opened by 178 Mains Lane. Residents have been informed and signage will be available. The Parish Council was pleased to hear that the Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner is to hold a conference call for all Parish Councils to discuss Community Road Watch (the use of hand held speed cameras), a scheme which is to be revisited. The Parish Council had expressed interest in this in the past but unfortunately had not been encouraged to proceed. Confusion as to road works near to the bridge on Station Road and what is actually going on there. There are lights but nothing seems to be going on. |
| 8. | New By-Pass Fortnightly reports on progress submitted by Kier and forwarded to the Parish Council by Cllr Singleton noted. Cllr Bailey will contact Kier once again to chase up dates for the Parish Council to visit the works. |
| 9. | Correspondence More information received regarding the Queens Platinum Jubilee. The event will start with beacon lighting across the UK at 9.45pm on 2 June 2022. Street parties and the Big Jubilee Lunch will take place up to and including 5 June. Community choirs are to be encouraged and more than £22 million of National Lottery funding is being made available to help communities across the country come together to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee. The Parish Council will look at lighting a beacon. Singleton Gala Committee will not be taking part in this as the annual Gala is too near this date and bearing in mind it has had to be cancelled for 2 years because of Covid, their committee wanted to press ahead with the Gala in its normal format.A new community app has recently appeared in Singleton but it is felt that an advertising agency is behind this.Community Electric Car Club – A request for opinions and comments regarding creating a community electric car club in rural areas of Lancashire has been received from LCC. Cllr Singleton will look into getting more information about this.Email received from Fylde BC regarding a Community Governance Review for Singleton. This review is in addition to the recent review carried out by The Local Government Boundary Commission and is looking at the pattern of parish councils in the whole of the borough. In respect of Singleton parish, Fylde had considered recommending an adjustment to the boundary between Staining and Singleton to align the boundary to the railway line. However, they are presently minded to not make that recommendation because it would go against the recommendations made by the Local Government Boundary Commission but would like to put it forward to a future community governance review which would take place in 10-15 years time. It was agreed that this would make little difference to the parish boundary and the Parish Council was satisfied with this course of action.The next District Parish Liaison Meeting will take place on 21 February at the Wrea Green Institute at 6.30 pm.. Agenda items needed by 7 February. The Police will be doing a presentation at the meeting.Information from LCC about all Lancashire authorities and Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen councils working in close collaboration towards a new deal for a Greater Lancashire across a range of areas including economy, transport, jobs, skills and the environment.Information regarding a Fylde Housing Survey which has been sent to every house in Fylde. It was generally felt that many of the questions on the survey were too personal and may well result in people not wanting to take part.Lancashire Community Food Grant Scheme – Groups can apply for funding before 20 February 2022. Information on LCC’s website.Household Support Grant – Handyperson and Sanctuary Schemes. The criteria for use of the grant is to support vulnerable households. Details on Fylde BC’s website. |
| 10. | Update from Fylde Borough Council – None |
| 11. | Village Green Representatives from Kier met with Cllrs Lee and Bailey recently and were happy to offer help with supplying a couple of diggers when work on the Village Green starts. These would be made available as soon as they were needed. Cllrs Lee and Gallagher will meet up again with representatives of Fylde Borough Council in regard to help with the drawings. |
| 12. | Planting Trees One of the Rangers from Fylde BC has offered to collect the 3 trees donated by Fylde and bring them to Lodge Lane for planting. The Parish Council would need to arrange the planting of these. After emails were circulated it was agreed that Andy Pawson would do the planting at an agreed price of £90. |
| 13. | Precept for 2022/23 Much discussion about next year’s precept. A current balance sheet was circulated to help in the discussion. Following the difficult Covid period, there is much now needing the Parish Council’s attention such as ground improvements on the playground, the renewal of many of the planting tubs, purchasing necessary plants and compost for the new horticultural group, possibly replacing one of the noticeboards and an increase in the annual amount paid to Fylde BC for the maintenance of the playground, which this year will be £3,739, a rise of £171 from last year. In addition there will be no New Homes Bonus payments this year. A lot of funding will also be required towards the Village Green project. Cllr Singleton reported that Fylde BC would be increasing its precept by 1.99%; LCC would be increasing its precept by 1.99% plus 2% on Adult Care. It is not known yet what increases would be coming from the Fire & Rescue or the Police. Cllr Gallagher proposed that the Parish Council increases its Precept by 2%. This was seconded by Cllr Cholmondeley and Agreed. |
| 14. | Accounts and Invoices to Pay Reimbursement to Cllr Ibbotson for prizes for card competition – £20. Proposed Cllr Gallagher, Seconded Cllr Bailey. Agreed.Forsyth and Steel – Printing Newsletter – £63.00. Proposed Cllr Bailey, Seconded Cllr Ibbotson. Agreed.Forsyth and Steel – Printing Christmas card – £218.40. Proposed Cllr Ibbotson, Seconded Cllr Bailey. Agreed.Clerk, Salary and Expenses for December/January – £234.60. Proposed Cllr Gallagher, Seconded Cllr Bailey. Agreed. |
| 15. | Any Other Business Wi-Fi – Problems with getting full fibre to the properties at the corner of Shard Road/Mains Lane. Open Reach is ready to connect this but it will mean switching off the traffic lights and LCC has not agreed a date for this yet. Cllr Singleton will look into this.Cllr Singleton has got an amount of funding available for established voluntary groups who have bank accounts. Cllr Cholmondeley will forward him details of the Singleton Gala Committee which provides events for the village throughout the year. |
| 16. | Date and Time of next meeting – Tuesday 22 February at 7.15pm at the Village Hall. As there was no further business, the meeting closed at 9.00pm. |
Signed …………………………………………… Dated ………………………………………
Verena Henderson
Clerk to the Parish Council
Tel: 01995 670455