Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

A letter has been received from CC Keith Iddon (Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport). 

Agreed - That the minutes of the last meeting held on 19 July 2017 be confirmed as a correct record.

At the last meeting it was agreed that feedback on the event be requested from all of the Town and Parish Councils and that a collective response be agreed at this meeting to be sent to Ironman.

Feedback received in advance of the meeting is enclosed.

Terry Dickenson declared an interest as a member of Chorley Sports Forum. 

The Chair advised that it had been agreed at the previous meeting that feedback would be collated and sent to Ironman UK in advance of the event next year. 

Several responses were received prior to the meeting and these had been circulated.  A response had also been received from CC Keith Iddon (Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport) advising that “points raised in regards to the closure of Babylon Lane to facilitate the Ironman event will be raised with the organiser when County Council officers meet with them to discuss the 2018 event”.

It was requested that a member of Heath Charnock Parish Council be invited to the meeting.  This request will be fed back to LCC. 

Several points were raised, including the length of time Babylon Lane had been closed and the quality of stewards. 

Agreed – That feedback be sent to Ironman UK and a copy of the letter be forwarded to Town and Parish Council clerks for their information.    

At the last meeting it was agreed that funding arrangements for services, such as bus services and libraries be considered at this meeting. 

An update from is enclosed. 

Chris Sinnott, Deputy Chief Executive / Director (Early Intervention and Support), reported that Chorley Council had been funding the 24A/109A and 6/6A bus services since April 2016 when the Council stepped in to fund these services following Lancashire County Council (LCC) budget cuts.

Chorley Council has also been funding the temporary 7C service since February 2017, when the Council stepped in to fund the service following the announcement of the withdrawal of the number 7 service by the commercial operator. The rationale for providing this funding was because the area now served by the 7C would have been left entirely without a bus service.

Following the change in Administration at LCC, discussions around future funding of the routes are taking place between LCC and Chorley Council regarding a cost sharing agreement.  Parish Council’s along the routes will be contacted in the near future regarding contributions towards the funding of future services.

In relation to Libraries LCC has confirmed that Adlington Library will continue to operate when current funding arrangements with Chorley Council come to an end in March 2018.  LCC have also pledged to re-establish full library services in those libraries due to become satellites (Coppull and Eccleston).  Further information can be found on the LCC website here: http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/council/strategies-policies-plans/libraries-and-archives/reopening-libraries.aspx

LCC have also announced a consultation on the pattern of opening hours they plan to allocate across the week to local libraries. Further information can be found on the LCC consultation pages: http://www3.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/consultation/responses/response.asp?ID=332

The meeting discussed several points, including that transport would be key to young people accessing the new Youth Zone, that the bus service that included Tesco and the hospital is under review, and that the subsidised bus routes will be reviewed again in April 2018.  Changes to commercial routes are not necessarily something that Chorley Council could influence. 

Agreed – That the update be noted. 

Heskin has two long stretches of straight road. Speed limits vary between 30 & 40 mph, but at times traffic can be doing 70/80 mph.  Any ideas/ help / experience other Councils have would be appreciated.

The Chair will facilitate a discussion. 

Alan Whittaker reported that Heskin has two long stretches of straight road and speed limits vary between 30 and 40 mph, but at times traffic can be doing more than that. 

The meeting discussed different approaches and noted that Heskin shared a SPiD with Charnock Richard Parish Council.  Gwyneth Lloyd noted that the SPiD owned by Bretherton Parish Council had the capability to record data which could then be shared with the Police. 

Decision: That the discussion be noted.

Details of the query and a response are enclosed with the agenda.

Eccleston Parish Council submitted an item in relation to conflict between a planning permission and the granting of a licence.  A response was enclosed with the agenda. 

Decision – That the response be noted.

Details of the query and a response are enclosed with the agenda.   

Euxton Parish Council submitted an item in relation to Temporary Event Notices (TENS).  A response was enclosed with the agenda.  Chris Sinnott undertook to determine if there was a maximum number of TENS which could be granted to a premise in a year.  Chris confirmed that the Licensing Team will highlight where there have been issues with TENS previously. 

Further guidance can be found here:   https://democracy.chorley.gov.uk/documents/s80518/Temporary_Event_Notice_guidance_notes.pdf 

Decision – That the response be noted.

Details of the query and a response are enclosed with the agenda. 

Ian Horsfiled explained that Anderton Parish Council has concerns relating to proposed highways changes at to Bolton Road, Anderton between Rothwell Road and Rossendale Drive.  Chris Sinnott undertook to work with County Councillor Kim Snape and officers from LCC and Chorley Council to resolve this. 

Decision – That the response be noted.

It has been noted that residents have received a dispensation to park their vehicles on the pavement along the Preston Road where there is no off-road parking available. This causes a lack of mobility and danger for pedestrians/disabled residents on a 40 mile an hour road. The council’s proposal would be to widen the pavement and narrow the road to give pedestrians a safe route when the vehicles are parked. Please can this matter be investigated?

The Parish Council have been advised to report this as a service request to Lancashire County Council. 

Ray Ormston reported that Clayton-le-woods Parish Council had received complaints relating to residents parking on pavements on Preston Road.  This will be taken up with LCC. 

Decision – That the issue be noted. 

In order to allow members of the Liaison and members of the public to raise issues of local concern, a period of 20 minutes has been set aside.

A member of the public may speak for no more than 3 minutes.  Members of the public are not required to give notice of the issue they intend to raise, although it is expected in the case of service issues that the appropriate mechanisms for resolving the issue have been explored. 

Where a question is raised which cannot be answered at the meeting, a record will be kept by officers supporting the meeting and it will be responded to via the appropriate mechanism.

Terry Dickenson, Wheelton Parish Council, advised that a free first aid course was available on 1 November at Euxton Cricket Club.  Further details were available on Facebook. 

Doug Cridland, Waste Manager, advised that Chorley Council are reviewing the waste and recycling contract.  He requested feedback on bring recycling sites within the Borough from Town and Parish Councils.   

A schedule setting out deadlines for items to be requested on the agenda for the Chorley Liaison and dates for future meetings is enclosed. 

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 17 January 2018 at 6.30pm.  Requests for agenda items should be sent to Ruth Rimmington by Friday, 15 December by email: ruth.rimmington@chorley.gov.uk or 01257 515118.