Agenda and minutes

The Chair (Councillor J Walker) welcomed everyone present to the first meeting of the Chorley East Community Forum.

The Chair explained that, following the success of the three Area Forum pilot schemes in 2006, the Council had agreed to establish four Community Forums (Central, East, West and South) to cover the whole of the Chorley Borough area.

The East Community Forum covers the Parish Council areas of Angelzarke, Astley Village, Brindle, Clayton-le-Woods, Cuerden, Euxton (North East Ward), Heapey, Hoghton, Wheelton, Whittle-le-Woods and Withnell.

Representatives from the following organisations would be invited to attend the Community Forum meetings, appreciating that their attendance at every meeting could not be guaranteed:

·                    Chorley Borough Council;

·                    Lancashire County Council;

·                    The respective Parish Councils;

·                    Lancashire Constabulary;

·                    Central Lancashire Primary Care NHS Trust.

The Chair then asked the Council Officers and representatives of the partner bodies present to introduce themselves.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Mrs. Iris Smith (Borough Councillor), Mark Perks (Lancashire County and Borough Councillor) and Chris Howard (Withnell Parish Councillor). 

Report enclosed

The Forum received, for information, details of the agreed membership and terms of reference of the Chorley South Community Forum.

Each attendee of the meeting had been provided with a copy of the membership details and terms of reference which were attached to the meeting’s agenda.

The Chair gave a brief resume of the Council’s Corporate Strategy, which outlined the Council’s vision and strategic objectives for the period up to 2009. In particular, the Chair drew attention to two of the aims of the strategy; to involve people in their communities and to improve equality of opportunity and life chances for the Borough’s residents.

The Chair indicated that the Council had appointed himself (Councillor John Walker) as Chair of all four Forums in order to achieve a level of consistency and co-ordination across the Borough. This arrangement would be reviewed when the Council came to monitor the first year’s operation of the Forums.

Representatives of the following organisations will report on any local issues / intiatives within the area of this Forum.

The Chair welcomed Chris Evans, the Community Beat Manager for the Wheelton rural area, who was accompanied by several Police Community Support Officers.

PC Evans advised that the crime figures had reduced in the area, in particular in relation to criminal damage.  The Police and Communities Together (PACT) meetings were continuing to develop, with monthly public meetings that influenced the policing priorities for that month.  The target for the previous month had been youths on mini motorbikes and had been successful. 

There were no questions from members of the public for the Police. 

Cath Burns, Economic Development Manager will give a brief presentation on the Town Centre Strategy and the Market Walk development proposals.

Jamie Carson, the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services will give a brief presentation on the provision of leisure and cultural activities in the east area of Chorley.

(a) Chorley Town Centre Strategy

Cath Burns, the Economic Development Manager, gave a brief presentation on the Town Centre Strategy and the Market Walk development proposals.

Mrs Burns explained the background to the development of the Strategy, which had evolved over 18 months following publication of the Economic Development Strategy and the findings of a Consultant’s retail study.

The Strategy’s overall vision was ‘to assist in improving the vitality and viability of Chorley Town Centre, so that by 2016 it provides a place to successfully do business and visit through a unique offer of attractions’.  This should help to curb the leakage of business from the Borough to neighbouring towns.

In order to deliver the vision, the following four key priorities for the strategy had been identified:

Town Centre Environment

The strategy would need to safeguard the distinctive character of the town, as well as delivering environmental improvements.  The Council’s Officers would undertake an audit of the town and develop a design strategy to guide future development and prominent features, such as town centre gateways and shop fronts.

Accessibility and Movement

The Consultant’s survey had revealed that 71% of people surveyed had not found difficulty in accessing the town centre car parks.  However, there would be a comprehensive review of car parking in the town centre and plans were being developed to improve pedestrian access at the junction of St Thomas’s Road and Market Street and to create an attractive Town Hall Square.

Business Promotion and Support

More effective marketing and promotion of Chorley as a ‘Contemporary Market Town’ was crucial to the Strategy and the Council would be meeting shortly with market traders to discuss ways of enhancing the vitality and viability of the Markets.

Town Centre Diversification

The Council accepts the need to attract a new range of visitors and leisure uses to the town centre if it is to maintain its competitiveness and attract shoppers and visitors.  The Council will be working in partnership will land owners and developers to promote and assist, where possible, the development of key sites (eg the former Grahams and McDonald’s sites and the Pall Mall Triangle).  The principal focus of attention in the near future would be assist the development of a second phase of Market Walk.

Plans were being examined to construct four new large retail units and a multi-storey car park on the eastern part of the Flat Iron Car Park (resulting in a net increase of 303 spaces), with associated environmental improvements.  The attraction of recognised retailers to the extension was paramount and the Council would be working with the developers to encourage suitable middle-range retailers, such as Debenhams and Next.

Questions raised at meeting:

1.                  A Parish Councillor queried whether any car parking spaces would be lost in the town centre during the redevelopment work. 

Response: Mrs Burns advised there will be an additional 303 car parking spaces provided as part of the multi-storey car park.

2.                  A resident raised the issue of car parking  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4b

County Councillor Margaret Livesey reported that five areas had been identified for the speed limit to be reduced to 50 mph.  Plans would be produced and sent to the Parish and Borough Councils for consultation. 

The Children's Centre Initiative is a government funded initiative which aims to support families by providing a 'core offer' of services, aimed at families with children 0-5 years old, which include provision of early education integrated with day care, family support, health services and training.  This initiative is being introduced in three phases to reach all communities by 2010.

Phase 1 (2004-2006) focused on introducing these services in the most disadvantaged areas. In Phase 2 Lancashire must reach an additional 31,476 children aged 0-5 by March 2008. Agreement has been received from the Department for Education and Skills that this can be achieved through the creation of 31 Phase 2 children's centres.

Four children's centres will be developed in Phase 2 in Chorley on the following four sites: Buckshaw Primary School, Clayton Brook Primary School, Coppull Primary School and Duke Street Nursery/Primary Schools. This is in addition to the children's centre being developed in Phase 1 at Highfield Nursery School, Chorley. Development of the centres has progressed this past year and it is expected that several will receive official designation as Children's Centres in May.

1.                  A Parish Councillor raised the issue of standing traffic at the Hartwood roundabout for Buckshaw Village as the traffic lights were only operational during peak times.

Response: Councillor Livesey advised that this issue was under discussion and a decision would be taken once the road through to the Sea View public house was completed.  There was a possibility of an overhead gantry to direct traffic into lanes but no decision had been taken on this. 

2.                  A Parish Councillor queried the maintenance program for ‘cats eyes’, this was a particular issue on the road up to Abbey Village.

Response: County Councillor Case advised that there is budget for this at the County and that the Lancashire Locals would deal with this.  Councillor Case would highlight the need on the road up to Abbey Village at the next Lancashire Locals meeting at Woodlands on 4 April at 6.15pm.

3.                  A Borough Councillor queried the action to be taken at the junction of Millennium Way and Blackburn Road in Whittle-Le-Woods. 

Response: County Councillor Case advised that this was the subject of discussions and that proposals would be consulted on.

Councillor Bell reported that there might be traffic lights here although it could take a number of years to come to fruition.

The Chair welcomed Alison Johnson (Associate Director Commissioning and Community Engagement) from the Primary Care Trust.  Ms Johnson explained that the PCT had been merged and the Central Lancashire PCT was formed on 1 October 2006. 

She also reported that the PCT were pleased to hear the views of local people on any local health care issues and noted that there had been a lot of response to the recent CATS consultation.  It was noted that the local hospital trust would bid to provide the service. 

1.                  A Parish Councillor queried how pharmacies were licensed.  There was a concern that pharmacies within superstores would have a detrimental effect on community pharmacies and the customers they serve.

Response: Ms Johnson undertook to investigate the licensing process for pharmacies. 

To consider any issues raised by the representatives of the Parish Councils at the meeting.

It was agreed to take the Parish Council issues as part of the Open Forum item later on the agenda.  

Ms Alison Marland, the Borough Council’s Principal Policy Planning Officer will give a brief presentation on:

1.      Work being undertaken with Lancashire County Council through the Local Development Framework on Accessibility Planning throughout the Borough.

2.  Work being undertaken with Preston City Council and South Ribble Borough Council through the Local Development Framework on sustainable resources and renewable energy.

Alison Marland (Borough Council Principal Planning Officer) addressed the meeting on the planning issues in relation to the preparation of the Local Development Framework (LDF).  The LDF, which replaced the former Local Development Plans, would be made up of a series of different planning documents.

Chorley Council was currently working actively with Preston and South Ribble Councils to define and take forward major planning issues that affected all three authorities.  The three Councils had produced an LDF Core Strategy Joint Issues and Options Paper which identified the principal planning matters common to the three Borough areas on such issues as housing, employment, land, transport, road infrastructure, etc, together with potential ways of dealing with the problem issues.

A copy of the document was available at the meeting and on the Council’s web-site and Alison advised that she would welcome resident’s views and comments on the Paper.

Ms Marland explained that the collaborative working arrangement was in no way a precursor to the planned merger of the three Authorities.

Sustainable Resources

Ms Marland also drew attention to the draft Preferred Options Document on Sustainable Resources, which had been published for consultation purposes and would eventually form part of the Local Development Framework.

The document set out alternative options for measures aimed at ensuring sustainable developments, the reduction of carbon emissions, recycling and renewable energy projects.

Local residents’ views on the Options Paper would also be welcomed.

Transport Accessibility Planning

Ms Marland also referred to a Transport Accessibility Planning Study being undertaken across Lancashire under the lead of the County Council.

The study aimed to examine the issues surrounding people’s ability to access key services and places of work at reasonable cost.  The Authorities would be working directly with transport operators and service providers to identify current barriers and means of resolving current problems.

1.                  A member of the public noted that transport was an issue for elderly people in Brinscall.   

Response: County Councillor Case advised that there were a lot of alternative methods for transport via the Older People’s Forum. 

Ms Marland undertook to send the Transport Accessibility Planning information to all Parish Council clerks. 

2.                  A Parish Councillor advised that there was a bus only every hour and to get to the hospital people had to then get another bus, this was expensive and took a lot of time. 

Response: Ms Marland would feed this information into the study.

3.                  A member of the public advised that the buses in the area were dirty and often broke down.

Response: This would be fed back to the service provider. 

A period of 30 minutes will be allocated to allow members of the public to raise questions and express views on any matters relating to local services affecting the community.

Question cards will be available at the meeting for members of the public to complete and hand in before the start of the meeting.  Where possible questions will be answered on the night.  If a question cannot be answered a written response will follow.  A summary of the responses to questions submitted will be included on the agenda for the next meeting.

The Chair invited the local residents present at the meeting to raise questions and express views on any matters relating to the provision of local services or issues affecting the Angelzarke, Astley Village, Brindle, Clayton-le-Woods, Cuerden, Euxton (North East Ward), Heapey, Hoghton, Wheelton, Whittle-le-Woods and Withnell Wards.

In addition, a supply of Question Cards was made available at the meeting as an opportunity for residents to write their enquiries or views on the cards.

The Chair indicated that the appropriate Officer and/or Partner representative would endeavour if possible, to provide a direct response to questions and issues raised at the meeting.  If this was not possible, a written reply would either be sent to the questioner as soon as possible after the matter had been full investigated or a response reported to the next Forum meeting.

The following issues/questions were raised at the meeting:

1.                  A member of the public advised that they had not received their copy of Chorley Borough News and that the photograph on the front page was owned by the Older People’s Forum. 

Response: Mrs Fenton undertook to investigate the photograph.  She advised that every effort was made to ensure the delivery of Chorley Borough News to every household and that copies were available at civic buildings and libraries. 

2.                  A member of the public queried whether Preston Road in Whittle-Le-Woods could be a residents permit area as the parking is a real problem. 

Response: Councillor Bell advised that residents permit schemes only currently operated in the town centre.  It was noted that even with a residents permit there was no guarantee that people would be able to park outside their own house.

3.                  A member of the public raised the issue of a quarry to the rear of Preston Road, Whittle-Le-Woods, as it was not maintained and would be dangerous for children if they played nearby. 

Response: Councillor Bell believed that the area was waiting to be developed.  This would be queried with the Planning Department. 

4.                  A member of the public queried whether there were any plans to make car parking free in the town centre to encourage visitors and shoppers.  A lot of bays around the Bingo Hall are given over to taxis. 

Response: Councillor Malpas advised that the charges for car parking was competitive in comparison with other local towns and had been frozen.  Investigations were ongoing into having free limited stay bays on Market Street although if all parking was free all of the spaces would be taken up with people who worked in Chorley.  The issue of the taxi rank would be raised as part of the parking review, it was noted that spaces needed to be provided for taxis. 

5.                  A Parish Councillor queried the area of the Community Forum, whether it could be incorporated within Parish Council meetings or split down into areas that had more in common with each other.  More work is needed on publicity for the meetings. 

Response: Councillor Walker  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Members of the Public will be invited to express their views on the format of the meeting and to submit issues for consideration at the next meeting.

The Chair drew attention to the feedback cards available at the meeting and invited the attendees to complete them to express their views on the format, arrangements and conduct of the Forum meeting.  The cards could also be used to suggest items for consideration at the next meeting.

It was noted that the venue for the meeting would be difficult to travel to by public transport. 

Future meetings of the Forum will be held on the following dates, commencing at 7.00pm. 

• Thursday 12 July 2007
• Wednesday 14 November 2007
• Thursday 7 February 2008

The venues will be circulated in the near future. 

Future meetings of the Forum will be held on the following dates, commencing at 7.00pm:

·                    Thursday 12 July 2007

·                    Wednesday 14 November 2007

·                    Thursday 7 February 2008

The venues will be determined in the near future.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Chair thanked all the members of the public present for their attendance and participation in the Community Forum meeting and expressed his gratitude to the Council Officers and Partner representatives for their contributions.