Singleton Parish Council
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held at the Village Hall, Singleton
on Thursday 25 October 2018 at 7.15 pm
Present: – Cllrs Lee (Chair), Bailey (Vice Chair), Chew and Smith, and the Parish Clerk, Verena Henderson, who took the Minutes. Also attending were Fraser Monteath, Ranger at Fylde Borough Council and later in the meeting, County Councillor Paul Hayhurst.
1. Apologies for Absence were received and accepted from Cllr Gallagher.
2. Minutes of Previous Meeting and any Matters Arising
The Minutes of the previous meeting held on 4 October 2018, having been previously circulated, were agreed as a true and correct copy and duly signed by the Chairman.
Matters Arising
Cllr Bailey questioned the need to purchase refuse sacks as he felt litter-picking should be carried out by Fylde Borough Council. Cllr Chew explained that Fylde BC carry out litter-picks every four months and if the Parish Council requests more than this, then this needs to be paid for. Fylde BC will provide refuse sacks as a one-off, but not on a regular basis.
3. Presentation by Fraser Monteath, Ranger, Fylde Borough Council
This was Fraser’s second visit to the Parish Council and he gave an update as to what was happening with the newly created Ranger Service at Fylde Borough Council.
The team was set up in March 2018 and comprises of 5 members – a Coastal Patrol Officer, a South Area Conservation Ranger, a Sand Dunes Conservation Ranger, a Conservation Operative and himself who was the North Area Conservation Ranger. His area covers St. Annes to the border with Blackpool, parishes such as Singleton, Elswick, Little Eccleston up to the border with Wyre. Their work involves conservation projects, large and small, with the larger projects being in Lytham and St. Annes. The smaller projects include helping with parishes which enter the “in bloom” competition for example or creating new projects.
They provide environmental education to schools and since his last visit to the Parish Council, contact has been made with Singleton Primary School which has proved very successful. He would now like to involve Singleton Primary School in their first schools’ conservation project before rolling this out across other primary schools. This would be a hedgehog rehabilitation project and he has now made contact with a hedgehog rehabilitation sanctuary in Blackpool which is keen to get involved.
Whilst visiting the School, he met with a representative from Singleton Trust and found out about the new Peace Garden. He would be happy to help them with their wildflower project. He would also be happy to help with their village green proposal. To date the rangers have held 15 events since March which have been either guided walks or family events. They are trying to roll these out across the borough. Their next project is to set up a volunteer scheme and will be looking to recruit volunteers very soon. Fraser was advised to check with Scout Groups and Brownies & Guides who could help and also the Windmill Youth Group who have carried out similar tasks before.
The Rangers provide a 7 day a week service and there is always a Ranger on duty at the weekends providing uniformed patrols and advising visitors. Fraser was asked if he could intervene in a problem which had arisen previously about jet skis and power boats using the River Wyre from the Shard Bridge up to the Cartford Arms. Complaints had been received about damage being caused to the river bank and jet skis and boats are not supposed to travel beyond the Shard Bridge. If this occurs again he would be happy to look into it.
Fraser Monteath was thanked for his attendance and the information given and Cllr Chew offered to accompany him on any future walks in Singleton when she would be delighted to give a talk on the history of the parish. The walks around Singleton are flat and accessible for disabled users and perhaps the Rangers could look into getting funding for a Tramper for the disabled, similar to the one available at Stanah Park,
4. Open Forum – None
5. Declaration of Interests – None
6. Planning Matters and Decisions
18/0541 – Linden Lea, 37 Mains Lane, Singleton, FY6 7LJ – Outline application for erection of one detached dwelling – The Parish Council has no specific observations to make.
Concern was expressed about a new property on Lodge Lane where the hedge had been pulled out at the front. The Clerk was asked to check with the Planning Officer about the conditions of the planning application.
Planning Decisions
18/0498 – Briarfield, Lodge Lane, Singleton, FY6 8LT – alterations to existing bungalow – Granted.
18/0548 – Singleton House, The Village, FY6 8LL – Erection of front boundary picket timber fence and gate – Granted.
18/0670 – Gamekeepers Cottage, Mile Road, Singleton FY6 8NG – Extensions to rear – Refused.
7. Police Matters
Information received that the front counter at Blackpool Police Station on Bonney Street closed on 11 October 2018. A new front counter is located at Blackpool Council’s Municipal Building on Corporation Street and will be open from 9 – 5 Monday to Friday and 9 – 6pm on Saturdays.
The Crime figures for September were listed as 1 burglary, 4 violent crimes, 1 theft and handling and 1 auto crime.
8. Traffic and Highway Issues
Concern expressed about the street lights being out at the top of Mains Lane. Also concern was expressed about the faintness of the road markings on Mains Lane, The Clerk was asked to contact Highways England about this.
9. Proposed new By-Pass
County Councillor Paul Hayhurst updated the Parish Council following his meeting with Highways England. He described this meeting as being “high powered” in that it included the Asset Manager for North West England, his deputy and their Road Safety Officer. They have completely changed their view on the problems of the Thistleton Junction, which Cllr Hayhurst has been bringing to their attention constantly over the last few years. They now accept this is a dangerous junction causing a major problem and they also accept that the A585 between Windy Harbour and the M55 will become a car park once the work on the Mains Lane by-pass has been completed. They also agree that the recent works to improve the junction at Windy Harbour are causing problems, but they blame motorists for this.
The problem they now face is how to proceed. The 5-yearly funding cycle will be coming up next year and they can apply for funding to improve the road from Windy Harbour to the M55 and are currently looking at the Blue Route as a possible option. Cllr Hayhurst stressed that if the two groups get together – i.e. the Mains Lane By-Pass and the A585 from Windy Harbour to the M55 – they may find that the original Blue Route would not work out any dearer than the two routes put together.
In the meantime, the problem with Thistleton Junction persists and there have been three accidents very recently there, one proving fatal. If they don’t get the necessary funding, then a roundabout might be an option but they don’t want to spend money on that yet if it will prove obsolete if they get the go-ahead for the further improvements. It was left that they would come back in the next few months with more ideas. Cllr Hayhurst was thanked for his attendance and update.
10. Correspondence
• More information received about the various Remembrance Sunday Services in the Borough, which include the WW1 Centenary on 11 November 2018. Noted.
• Fylde Borough Council has now adopted its Local Plan to 2032 and this, along with the adopted Policies Map, can be seen on their website at www.fylde.gov.uk/localplan. Hard copies are also available at Fylde Council and local libraries. Noted.
11.
Children’s Play Area
Cllr Chew contacted the Environmental Services Manager at Fylde Borough Council and she arranged to have the overflowing bin at the Play Area removed. As reported at the last meeting, this bin was an additional bin to the one supplied by Fylde BC and was full of dirty nappies. As such, it had not been emptied for some time and was deemed a health hazard. The Parish Council is very grateful to the officers of Fylde for helping in this regard.
A bill has been received for the inspection and maintenance of the new five pieces of play equipment to 31 March 2019. This amounts to £616.42 and the equipment will be inspected every week. Next year’s total charge has also been received and this will be £3,460.05 which is deducted at source from the Parish Councils annual Precept. It was agreed that the well-being of the children using the equipment was of paramount importance and in line with the Parish Council’s insurance agreement this payment was necessary.
Problems of dog dirt on the Children’s Play Area were reported at the last meeting and Cllr Chew has obtained stickers warning against dogs being on the play area and these will be put on the gate and on the bins. There was a problem with a catch being missing on the gate, which had been left open at times, and the Clerk was asked to report this to the maintenance team at Fylde BC.
12.
Bus Shelter
Now that the work has been completed at Worsicks Farm, the awful state of the bus shelter in that vicinity has been highlighted. Fylde Borough Council is responsible for this bus shelter but the Trust had wanted to move it previously and Fylde had refused to do anything about it if it was moved. Local people seem to be happy or it to be left where it is and there would be opposition if it was moved to a spot in front of the bowling green. Cllr Lee will bring this matter up with the Trust at the next meeting with them on 7 November 2018.
13.
SID Update
Cllr Chew has been in touch with Brian Ward, Road Safety Officer at LCC to ask for recommendations of SID equipment. This request has been acknowledged and she is waiting for him to get back to her.
14. Accounts and Invoices to Pay
• John Chew – Reimbursement for items purchased to repair bench on Children’s Play Area – £34.27 – Proposed Cllr Lee, Seconded Cllr Smith. Agreed.
• T A Pawson, Mounting SPID – £30.00 – Proposed Cllr Lee, Seconded Cllr Bailey. Agreed.
• S Butcher – Litter-picking – £160.60 – Proposed Cllr Chew, Seconded Cllr Lee. Agreed.
• Clerk – Salary and Expenses included annual computer security – £358.00. Proposed Cllr Chew, Seconded Cllr Smith. Agreed.
• Fylde Borough Council – Maintenance and Inspection of new play equipment to end of March 2019 – £612.42 – Proposed Cllr Chew, Seconded Cllr Smith. Agreed.
• John Chew – Compost and plants for 24 flowering tubs – £240.00 – Proposed Cllr Lee, Seconded Cllr Smith. Agreed.
15. Any Other Business
• Congratulations to the Singleton Trust for an excellent event to officially open the Peace Garden on 14 October 2018. A lot of background research work had been done to give a fitting memorial to those who fell in the wars.
• Concern expressed after complaints received from residents of bullying by site owners of one of the privately owned park homes sites. Unfortunately this is a civil matter but Cllr Chew has passed on advice which will hopefully be helpful.
• Christmas card – Cllr Chew will circulate two photographs taken by Dave Kay as possible pictures to use for this year’s card.
16. Date and Time of next meetings – To be decided via email from the Clerk. As there was no further business, the meeting closed at 8.40pm.
Signed …………………………………………… Dated ……………………………………………………. Verena Henderson: Clerk to the Parish Council: Tel: 01995 670455