Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Decision - That the minutes of the last meeting held on 18 October 2017 be confirmed as a correct record.

Steven Perry, Withnell, noted that residents who requested a dropped kerb to access their property were being charged £700 by LCC.  Other examples were given of higher charges around the Borough.  Steve Holgate, LCC, noted that the option to use your own contractor to undertake this work is no longer available.  It was AGREED to write to LCC to highlight this issue.

Update since the meeting

A letter has been sent to LCC, and a copy is enclosed with these minutes.  A response has not yet been received from CC Keith Iddon in relation to the queries raised at the meeting in October.

Graham Ashworth, Heath Charnock Parish Council, advised there are inconsistencies in the information supplied by Ironman UK.  It was AGREED that a letter be sent highlighting this to Ironman UK.  Ian Horsfield, Anderton Parish Council, advised that further work could be undertaken to use alternative routes.  

Update since the meeting

We will take the comments on board and circle back in due course.  Sam Brawn, Race Director & Senior Operations Manager, IRONMAN

Simon Charnock, Customer Transformation Officer, will share information about courses and digital help the Council can offer and discuss if Parishes are interested in setting up some similar sessions in their parishes. This includes any interest for installing broadband and internet in any of the rural parishes.

Simon Charnock, Digital Transformation Officer, gave a short presentation which outlined work he was undertaking.  The presentation can be viewed here: https://democracy.chorley.gov.uk/documents/s83149/Digital%20Inclusion.pdf

Simon requested suggestions for suitable venues for digital training and people who would be willing to become Digital Champions (to ensure that the training is sustainable over time).  Simon highlighted the potential to assist with the provision of, or improvement of broadband and an equipment loan scheme. 

Members highlighted the need for assistance with online school admissions and the potential to provide information about training to nurseries and pre-schools.  Simon clarified that the LCC mapping system (MARIO) is included within the public service training and the free app to view Council meeting papers should be advertised to enable members of the public to use it. 

Posters advertising the courses are currently being printed and will be distributed to Town and Parish clerks.  Members made several requests, including:

·         Brindle and Hoghton for the provision of courses

·         Wheelton for assistance with broadband speeds

·         the provision of WiFi in Eccleston community hub and Heskin Village Hall

·         Anglezarke for assistance with the installation of Boundless Broadband. 

The Superfast Lancashire team are available to give advice to residents, although in some areas there is only one broadband provider.  The Superfast Lancashire team can be contacted here: http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/council/strategies-policies-plans/corporate/superfast-broadband

Simon can be contacted with further queries on simon.charnock@chorley.gov.uk or 01257 515485. 

The Chair thanked Simon for his presentation. 

Update since the meeting

Assistance with school applications: the council will get in contact with local schools and nurseries prior to the opening of applications and advise that the council can assist parents/guardians to complete the applications if they do not have the skills or equipment available.

Public Services Online: a date will be set following the elections for some training for Councillors and Parish Councillors.  This will include using the Council website and MyAccount, using the LCC website to report issues and use the mapping system. We can also look at providing training for ModGov for Parish Councillors so they can use tablets/laptops in meetings rather than paper copies. ICT have advised that public Wi-Fi for both Union Street, Town Hall and Bengal Street is part of the larger network upgrade. 

Posters/Advertising: posters for the current training opportunities were posted out to all Town and Parish clerks shortly after the meeting.  As new posters are produced they will be distributed to Parishes. 

Rural Broadband: the council have been in touch with Boundless Broadband and a bid is in early stages to the Government for the provision of full fibre in rural areas.

1      The new GDPR legislation and its impact on Parish Councils

Chris Moister, Head of Legal Democratic and HR Services, will attend to give a short update. 

A guide to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) can be found here: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/

2      Policing issues in Chorley & an increase in crime across the area

Chris Sinnott, Deputy Chief Executive and Director (Early Intervention and Support) will respond at the meeting. 

1.    The new GDPR legislation and its impact on Parish Councils

Chris Moister, Head of Legal, Democratic and HR Services, gave a short presentation on GDPR.  GDPR would come into effect on 25 May and the focus is on people. 

Chris advised that training had been organised for Chorley Council staff, the training company used is Peninsula and a contact is gail.tuck@peninsula-uk.com.  The Council are in the process of developing policies in relation to GDPR and these can also be shared for adaptation by Town and Parish Councils. 

Several queries were raised, including that companies will no longer be able to charge for the provision of information.

The information presented by Chris can be found here:  https://democracy.chorley.gov.uk/documents/s83156/2018.1.17%20GENERAL%20DATA%20PROTECTION%20REGULATIONS%20-%20Information%20Sheet.pdf

If there are any queries on GDPR Chris can be contacted on chris.moister@chorley.gov.uk or 01257 515160.

2.    Policing issues in Chorley & an increase in crime across the area

Chris Sinnott, Deputy Chief Executive and Director (Early Intervention and Support) noted that there had been a spike in criminal activity, particularly in Adlington, relating to the theft of car keys and vehicles.  The Police are aware of the issues and proactively taking steps to tackle this.  It is suspected that the perpetrators are from cross borders areas, such as Manchester.  The Police are deploying Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) Police vehicles and increasing information on social media to raise awareness with the public. 

Decision - that a representative of Chorley Police be invited to the next meeting to give an update. 

1.    Reducing traffic speed on Southport Road and Ulnes Walton Lane

2.    Problems with low broadband speeds for residents in the south of the parish who are not connected to the Leyland exchange.

These issues have been reported to Lancashire County Council by the Parish Council clerk. 

1.    Reducing traffic speed on Southport Road and Ulnes Walton Lane

John Dalton, Ulnes Walton, advised that a number of Speed Indicator Devices (SpIDs) had recently been procured by the Parish Council, with financial assistance from Chorley Council.  It was hoped that these SpIDs would assist with the problem of speeding vehicles. 

2.    Problems with low broadband speeds for residents in the south of the parish who are not connected to the Leyland exchange.

This issue has been reported to the Superfast Lancashire team at Lancashire County Council by the Parish Council clerk and is in the process of being dealt with. 

Notification of Planning decisions: Could the previous system where Parish Councils were notified be reintroduced.  We used to receive information on planning decisions which the Parish Councillors found helpful.  We now just receive details of planning applications.

A response will be provided at the meeting. 

Road closures: Bretherton has a Walking Day and the Remembrance Day Service.  Can Chorley be of help in relation to these? 

A response will be provided at the meeting. 

1.    Notification of Planning decisions: Could the previous system where Parish Councils were notified be reintroduced.  We used to receive information on planning decisions which the Parish Councillors found helpful.  We now just receive details of planning applications.

Barbara Farbon, Bretherton, clarified that when the Parish Council objected to an application the notification relating to the decision was not received.  Chris Sinnott, Deputy Chief Executive and Director (Early Intervention and Support) undertook to investigate. 

Update since the meeting

The Director (Customer and Digital) has confirmed that a notification email or letter is not sent when a decision is made.  However, a weekly list for decisions will be introduced shortly.    

2.    Road closures: Bretherton has a Walking Day and the Remembrance Day Service.  Can Chorley be of help in relation to these?

Alistair Bradley, Executive Leader of Chorley Council, advised that when the Council organised events which required road closures the services of a traffic management company were procured.  However, it was possible for the same Traffic Management Plan to be used each year and for marshals to be trained to save money.  A traffic management company would be needed to provide the relevant signage. 

Terry Dickenson, Wheelton, advised that events that he was involved in had used a company called Raynet. 

Update since the meeting

This issue will be discussed with CI Mike Adamson at the next meeting. 

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.

Laura Lennox, Astley Village, queried who she should report issues to.  Chris Sinnott, Deputy Chief Executive and Director (Early Intervention and Support), advised issues can be reported via the Contact Centre on contact@chorley.gov.uk, via My Account on the Council’s website: chorley.gov.uk or by called 01257 515151.  Complaints can be escalated via himself or Gary Hall, Chief Executive. 

Laura Lennox, Astley Village, asked for reassurances that users of Astley Park for events will be required to use the Council’s traffic management plan.  Alistair Bradley, Executive Leader of Chorley Council, advised that the Council are working with event organisers and did provide them with the Council’s traffic management plan.  Terry Dickenson, Wheelton, noted that for some events he had employed Council staff to assist with traffic management.  He noted that, at times, there were conflicting events held at the park, as the use of the facility increased.  Alistair Bradley advised that a new car park is under construction by Ackhurst Lodge. 

Charlie Bromilow, Clayton-le-Woods, noted that damage had been caused to the ground during the last Chorley Flower Show.  Chris Sinnott, Deputy Chief Executive and Director (Early Intervention and Support), noted that drainage works had since been undertaken and that the ground had been weather had been particularly bad at the time of the Flower Show. 

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, 21 March 2018.  Requests for agenda items should be sent to Ruth Rimmington by Friday, 2 March on 01257 515118 or email ruth.rimmington@chorley.gov.uk

Julia Berry, LCC, highlighted some consultation in relation to community transport which was scheduled to be discussed at LCC Cabinet on 18 January.  The report can be viewed here: http://council.lancashire.gov.uk/documents/s125157/Appendix%20C%20Additional%20Savings%20Cabinet%20January%202018.pdf at item 3. 

Charlie Bromilow, Clayton-le-Woods, raised on the ongoing issues at the Clayton Hall Landfill site.  There is a need for all tiers of local government to work together to resolve the situation.  Further information from Chorley Council can be found here: http://chorley.gov.uk/news/Pages/Clayton-Hall-Landfill.aspx