Singleton Parish Council
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held at the Village Hall, Singleton
on 28 June 2022 at 7.15 pm
Present: – Cllrs Bailey (Vice Chair), Cholmondeley and Ibbotson, and the Parish Clerk Verena Henderson, who took the Minutes. County Cllr Singleton also attended
| 1. | Apologies for Absence – Cllr Lee. Cllr Bailey took the Chair for this meeting. |
| 2. | Police Matters ‘In The Know’ circular received advising that Lancashire Police are to hold two recruitment fairs. The first one is on Thursday 30 June from 11am – 2pm in St John’s Square, Blackpool and the second on Wednesday 6 July from 10 – 3pm in Lancaster Market. The Clerk had invited the new local Community Beat Officer to our meeting but had had no response. It had been some time since the Police had intended a Parish Council meeting and the Clerk was asked to send a reminder to them. |
| 3. | Open Forum – None |
| 3. | Minutes of Previous Meeting and any Matters Arising The Minutes of the meeting held on 17 May, having been previously circulated and agreed, were signed as a true and correct record by the Vice-Chair. Matters arising Noticeboard. It had previously been decided to wait and see if the one ordered by a neighbouring parish council had proved to be satisfactory. Unfortunately there has been a delay in delivery of this but its receipt is imminent. They will advise.Pool Foot Lane Noticeboard. The Clerk had contacted the supplier of this one – Glasden UK – to see if this could be repaired or replaced. Unfortunately they no longer supply noticeboards but will have a look at it. The Clerk will take photos and send them through to see if anything can be done.Commercial Waste Service. A bin has now been supplied by Fylde BC for the waste from the litter-picker. There has been a problem with getting the barrier raised in time for the lorry to empty the bin but hopefully this will resolve itself now that the system is up and running. The Caretaker of the Village Hall had raised a problem however with the barrier and the difficulty with opening it and closing it now that it has become out of line. It was decided to contact a handyman and ask him to have a look at it. Cllr Singleton suggested a person contracted by a neighbouring parish council and the Clerk will make contact.Speed Limit on Lodge Lane. The Clerk had tried to follow up the progress on the Parish Council’s request to the appropriate officer at LCC about a 40mph speed limit being imposed. Two emails had been returned as undeliverable. Cllr Singleton will look into this. |
| 5. | Declaration of Interests – None |
| 6. | Planning Matters and Decisions 22/0452 – Florries Grace, 35 Mains Lane, Singleton FY6 7LI – Extensions and alterations to front elevation … No specific observations22/0469 – Rosebank, 12 Mains Lane, Singleton FY6 7LF – Erection of single storey outbuilding in rear garden…. The Parish Council had asked the Enforcement Officer to have a look at this development as it seemed considerably larger than first envisaged. The Officer reported back that a couple of minor details deviated from the plans for the house and there was a part constructed outbuilding in the rear garden that was marginally outside of permitted development limits. This application addresses the outbuilding and is a part retrospective application. The Parish Council remains concerned about the size of the extension and the number of changes that have been made to the original plans and also the retrospective nature of the application. Concern was also felt about the size of the side windows which would be overlooking much smaller neighbouring houses.22/0421 – Application for Permission in Principle for Sundown Kennels, Old Mains Lane, FY6 7LA for the erection of 5 dwellings after the demolition of kennels. The Parish Council expressed concern about a very poorly maintained road that is libel to flooding and that a major redevelopment of the road would be necessary if extra dwellings were built down there. There were also concerns once again about the strains on local resources, especially health centres and dentists, on the increased amount of development and holiday parks in the area.22/0395 – 1 Leonard Place, Singleton FY6 7YZ – Single storey rear extension and erection of detached garage. No specific observations. The Clerk was asked to write separately to Fylde BC about the Parish Council’s concerns about the difficulties being faced by local people now in getting to see a GP or a dentist which is being exacerbated by the amount of new development/holiday sites in the area. Planning Decisions Roughdale, 104 Mains Lane FY6 7LD – Granted Land Adjacent to Selcourt, Garstang Road, FY6 7SX – Granted Manor Barn, Mains Hall – Listed consent – Granted The Fylde Council Supplementary Planning Documents (Scoping) were out for consultation until 7 July. This would be looking at the Provision of Parking on New Developments and Flooding, Water Management and Sustainable urban Drainage Systems. These documents are available on Fylde BC’s website. |
| 7. | Traffic and Highway Issues Cllr Singleton reported work would be carried out by BT Openreach on Mile Road, Singleton from 1st to August 5th with multi-way signals operating.Cllr Singleton also reported that the cost of raw materials was having an adverse effect on the budget for highway maintenance with funds fast becoming exhausted.The Clerk had received a banner and many stickers for waste bins by the Road Safety Team at LCC. These were distributed and would be given to local householders to put on their bins to tell motorists to slow down and save lives. Cllr Ibbotson will put up the banner on the Shard Road junction near to the traffic lights and another banner would be acquired for Lodge Lane. These banners would be moved around the parish from time to time.The Parish Council had become concerned about the vegetation encroaching on footpaths, particularly on Lodge Lane, making pedestrians having to walk in the road. The Clerk had reported this to Fylde BC who had referred her to LCC. This was reported to LCC on 27/06/2022 with a reference number of W698092. Cllr Singleton will follow this up.Cllr Ibbotson voiced her concern about the A588 which had been blocked on 4 occasions in the last 2 weeks, 3 accidents with at least 1 being very serious, and one where the Police closed the road for a stinger operation. School children were unable to get to school on time during examination time and on Saturday traffic had been redirected to Over Wyre via Little Eccleston for many hours. She has been told that the A588 is the 3rd most dangerous road in the country and LCC have been given monies for improvements to be made, including speed cameras. She wanted to make sure some of that money came to the stretch that came through Singleton between the Shard bridge and the traffic lights at the A585 junction which has been the subject of these recent closures. |
| 8. | New By-Pass Breck Road will be closed for 6 weeks into and through August. No further meeting has been arranged as yet for the residents of Old Mains Lane. Cllr Singleton will ask for another meeting with Kier for an update. Residents near to the main roadworks complain of constant noise and dust. |
| 9. | Correspondence Lancashire Choir of the Year competition. Information received about this which is free to enter by Sunday 31 July 2022. Information will be given to a local choir.Two surveys will be open until 22 July 2022 in regard to preschool parenting support. The Clerk will pass this on to the Church.Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Trust – Wellbeing and Mental Health Helpline Listening and Text Service. Information received about this service which is available everyday on 0800 915 4640 from Monday to Friday 7pm – 11pm and Saturday & Sunday from 12pm – Midnight or text HELLO to 07860 022 846. Information to be put on website. |
| 10. | Update from Fylde Borough Council – Deferred until next meeting |
| 11. | Councillor Vacancy The vacancy had been advertised on the website and 3 noticeboards including the one owned by the Village Hall. There had been 3 expressions of interest with 1 formal application received. Closing date is 30 June 2022. The Returning Officer at Fylde BC had advised that the vacancy could be filled by co-option or by interviewing the candidates. If ten electors of the parish requested it, an election would be held to fill the vacancy. |
| 12. | Children’s Playground Cllrs Bailey and Lee had met with the appropriate officer of Fylde BC in regard to outstanding works needed to maintain the playground. Some of the work had now been done but some works such as the matting underneath seats is the Parish Council’s responsibility. The Officer from Fylde undertook to send out a list of what work is being done by them. The subject of hiring a handyman to do what work the Parish Council needs to do was raised and perhaps he could also repair the sign for Miller Park which was damaged during the winter storms. The Clerk will pursue this. |
| 13. | Parish Tubs and Flowering displays No progress on these as yet. All the tubs will need to be replaced and it had previously been agreed to use the Community Fund to pay for these. Two organisations were named as possible sources of advice in regard to acquiring new planting barrels and a local man was suggested, who had recently become a gardener, and the Clerk will find out if he would like to quote for the twice-yearly planting and upkeep of the tubs. Realistically we are now looking at autumn/winter planting. |
| 14. | Village Green A meeting had taken place with a member of the Trust and a draft Constitution had been drawn up for the arrangement between the Parish Council and the Trust. This had been taken away for agreement/amendment by the Trust. Cllr Lee is conducting a survey on Singleton Chat and there have been many responses so far with 100% of these being in favour of the Village Green. Requests to include a pond and walkways to the Church have been uppermost. A consultation meeting is being arranged on 19/20 July in the Village Hall from 6.30 – 7.30pm and it is hoped that the designer from Fylde BC will be in attendance. |
| 15. | Accounts and Invoices to Pay The Internal Auditor had audited the accounts and had found no problems. Notices were on display on the website and noticeboards as to the period for public perusal of the accounts which goes from 6 June – 15 July 2022. Thanks were expressed for the work of the Internal Auditor and a thank-you gift will be purchased. Fylde BC – Supply of Euro bin and fortnightly collections to 31/03/2023 – £537.76. Proposed Cllr Ibbotson, Seconded Cllr Cholmondeley. Agreed.Clerk. Salary & Expenses May/June – £380.38. Proposed Cllr Bailey, Seconded Cllr Ibbotson. Agreed.Litter-picker for 6 weeks – £530 which includes expenses. Proposed Cllr Cholmondeley, Seconded Cllr Ibbotson. Agreed. |
| 16. | Any Other Business The Parish Council was pleased to see new tenants in the Miller Arms and wished them every success. |
| 17. | Date and Time of next meeting – Tuesday 26 July 2022 at 7.15pm. As there was no further business the meeting closed at 9.00pm. |
Signed …………………………………………… Dated ………………………………………
Verena Henderson
Clerk to the Parish Council
Tel: 01995 670455