Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 June 2013.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 3 June 2013 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

RESOLVED – That Councillor Anthony O’Neill be appointed as the joint ward spokesperson for the Heatons North Ward.

Councillors and Officers were invited to declare any interests which they had in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

The following interests were declared:-

Personal Interest

Personal & Prejudicial Interest

To receive any announcements from the Chair about local community events or issues.

No announcements were made.

Councillors and members of the public are invited to raise ‘Neighbourhood Policing’ issues with the local Neighbourhood Policing Team.

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager reported that a representative of Greater Manchester Police had been unable to attend the meeting.

Members of the public are invited to put questions to the Chair of the Area Committee on any matters within the powers and duties of the Area Committee, subject to the exclusions set out in the Code of Practice (Questions must be submitted prior to the commencement of the meeting on the cards provided. These are available the meeting and at local libraries and information centres.  You can also submit via the Council’s website at www.stockport.gov.uk/publicquestions.

No public questions were submitted.

The local Public Realm Inpsector will attend the meeting to provide an update on matters raised at the last committee meetings. Councillors and Members of the public are invited to raise issues affecting local environmental quality.

Robin Boardman and Janette Sadgrove ( Public Realm Service) attended the meeting to report on current issues and to answer questions from councillors and members of the public in relation to public realm issues within the area represented by Heatons and Reddish Area Committee:-

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         Resurfacing works on Cleveland Road and Mauldeth Road.

·         Annual safety inspections for all the wards had been completed on the brown routes. The yellow routes were next on the list for inspection.

·         Fly tipping cases which had recently been considered at Stockport Magistrates Court.

·         Litter picking in the Belmont regeneration area and in Reddish Vale.

RESOLVED – That Robin Boardman and Janette Sadgrove be thanked for their attendance and presentation.

To receive petitions from members of the public and community groups.

No petitions were submitted.

In accordance with the Code of Practice no organisation has indicated that they wished to address the Area Committee as part of the Open Forum arrangements.

No organisation had indicated that they wished to address the Area Committee as part of the Open Forum arrangements.

To consider any applications for Area Flexibility Funding or to receive feedback from organisations who have received funding.

1.    Heatons Arts Trail

2.    Signpost Stockport for Carers

3.    Stockport Homes Community Champions Network

4.    Friends of Heaton Chapel Station

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted Area Flexibility Funding applications (copies of which had been circulated) for consideration by the Area Committee as follows:

a) Heatons Arts Trail

A representative of Heatons Arts Trail attended the meeting and presented an application requesting funding towards the hosting of an annual open studio Arts Trail.

RESOLVED – That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to make a grant of £444 (to be divided equally between the Heatons North and South wards) to the Heatons Arts Trail towards the hosting of an annual open studio Arts Trail.

b) Signpost Stockport for Carers

A representative of Signpost Stockport for Carers attended the meeting and presented an application requesting funding their first annual fun day.

RESOLVED – That the Democratic Services Manager be request to make a grant of £831.60 (to be divided equally between the four wards) to Signpost Stockport for Carers towards their first annual fun day.

c) Stockport Homes Community Champions Network

A representative of Stockport Homes Ltd attended the meeting and presented an application for funding towards a summer event for children in the Heaton Chapel area.

RESOLVED – That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to make a grant of £673 (Heatons North Ward allocation) to Stockport Homes Ltd towards the funding for a summer event for children in the Heaton Chapel area.

d) Friends of Heaton Chapel Station

A representative of the Friends of Heaton Chapel Station attended the meeting and presented an application for funding towards a number of improvements at the Station.

RESOLVED – That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to make a grant of £750 (the split to be apporved by the Chair of the Area Committee) to the Friends of Heaton Chapel Station towards a number of improvements at the Station

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

Development applications were submitted.

(NOTE: Full details of the decisions including conditions and reasons for granting or refusing planning permission and imposing conditions are given in the schedule of plans. The Corporate Director of Place Management and Regeneration is authorised to determine conditions and reasons and they are not therefore referred to in committee minutes unless the committee makes a specific decision on a condition or reason. In order to reduce printing costs and preserve natural resources, the schedule of plans is not reproduced within these minutes. A copy of the schedule of plans is available on the council’s website at www.stockport.gov.uk/planningdecisions. Copies of the schedule of plans, or any part thereof, may be obtained from the Place Directorate upon payment of the Council’s reasonable charges)

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager outlined the procedure for public speaking.

Construction of one detached subterranean dwelling.

The Area Committee is recommended to grant planning permission subject to the conditions outlined in the report.

In respect of plan no. 52261 for construction of one detached subterranean dwelling at Land to the rear of 12 Heathcote Avenue, Heaton Norris,

a member of the public spoke against the application and a representative of the application spoke in support.

It was then

RESOLVED – (One abstention)That planning permission be refused due to the detrimental impact that the proposed development would have on the residential amenity of neighbouring properties, the loss of open space, concerns over drainage and flood risk on the site and in respect to vehicular access during the construction of the development.

Revised retail park highway access from Manchester Road to provide a signalised junction and pedestrian crossing into the retail park, associated relocation of an existing bus stop, blocking up of the existing access, amendments to the retail park car parking, vehicle and pedestrian access arrangements including the demolition of two existing retail units to provide additional car parking and the provision of a new fence to separate the car park from the service yard.

The Area Committee is recommended to grant planning permission subject to the conditions outlined in the report.

In respect of plan no. 52251 for revised retail park highway access from Manchester Road to provide a signalised junction and pedestrian crossing into the retail park, associated relocation of an existing bus stop, blocking up of existing access, amendments to the retail park car parking, vehicle and pedestrian access arrangements including demolition of two existing retail units to provide additional car parking and the provision of a new fence to separate the car park from the service yard at Carpet Right, Manchester Road, Heaton Norris

a representative of the applicant spoke in support of the application

it was then

RESOLVED – That the Planning and Highways Regulation Committee Visiting Team be requested to undertake a site visit to consider the potential impact of traffic flow visibility splays should the proposed development be granted planning permission.

To consider a report of the Service Director (Legal and Democratic Services).

The report summarises recent appeal decisions; lists current planning appeals and dates for local enquiries; informal hearings for planning appeals, and enforcement action within the Heatons and Reddish Area Committee area.

The Area Committee is recommended to note the report.

Officer contact: Joy Morton, 0161 474 3217, joy.morton@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Council Solicitor submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) summarising recent appeal decisions, listing current planning appeals and dates for local enquiries, informal hearings for planning appeals and enforcement action within the area represented by Heatons and Reddish Area Committee.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration.

The report outlines proposed changes to the Council’s Application Validation

Checklist (AVC) for the validation of planning applications, and a new

supporting document ‘Explanatory Notes for the National and Local

Information Requirements for the Validation of Planning Applications’.

The Area Committee is requested to note the report.

Officer Contact: Chris Smyton on Tel: 474 3657 or email:

chris.smyton@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration (copies of which had been circulated) informing the Area Committee of proposed changes to the Council’s Application Validation Checklist (AVC) for the validation of planning applications and a new supporting document ‘Explanatory Notes for the National and Local Information Requirements for the Validation of Planning Applications.’

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration will attend the meeting and provide an update.

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration attended the meeting to provide an update and answered Councillors questions in respect to concerns raised about disabled access for train stations in the Area Committee area. He explained that discussions remained on-going at the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee concerning all stations in Greater Manchester and that locally officers were looking to access central government funding streams to ensure that all stations were DDA Compliant.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the West Area Housing Manager (Stockport Homes Ltd)

The report provides an update on progress on the delivery of Stockport Homes (SHL) Neighbourhood Action Plans.

The Area Committee is requested to consider and comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Maria Lindars on Tel: 474 2965 or email:maria.lindars@stockporthomes.org

A representative of the Chief Executive (Stockport Homes Ltd) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on progress on the delivery of Stockport Homes (SHL) Neighbourhood Action Plans.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         Councillors expressed concern in respect to the Rechargeable Repair Policy requesting that the policy be circulated to them at the earliest opportunity and that a briefing be provided to those councillors who wished to attend.

·         Whether the insulating of properties on Furness Grove and Garston Close would form part of the capital programme in forthcoming years.

·         Councillors welcomed the excellent work carried out in the Coronation Street area of South Reddish.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted and the Chief Executive (Stockport Homes Ltd) be requested to circulate the Rechargeable Repair Policy to Councillors and offer a briefing to the those councillors who wish to attend.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

The report requests the Area Committee to consider a proposed Highway Maintenance Scheme on Longford Road West.

The Area Committee is recommended to approve the Scheme as detailed in the report.

Officer Contact: Chris Pollitt on Tel: 281 1492 or email: chris.pollitt@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) requesting the Area Committee to consider a highway maintenance scheme on Longford Road West, Reddish.

RESOLVED - That the following improvement scheme be approved at an approximate cost of £23,000 to be funded via the Highway Maintenance and Traffic Management Delegated budget (Reddish North Ward allocation) :-

Longford Road West, Reddish – To plane and resurface carriageway on pedestrian crossing approaches – in front of shops near to junction of Ruskin Road.

To consider a report of the Service Director (Education).

The Area Committee is requested to provide nominations for the Authority vacancies at St John’s CE Primary and Moat House.

Officer contact: Libby Evans on 474 3847 or email: libby.evans@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report of the Service Director (Education) (copies of which had been circulated) requesting the Area Committee to make a nomination to the vacancy at Moat House PRU and to approve a number of re-appointments.

RESOLVED – That the Executive Councillor (Children and Young People) be recommended to approve the following nomination and reappointments:-

Nomination

Name                         School                                   Party Affiliation

Cllr Kate Butler         Moat House PRU                 Labour

Reappointments

Name                         School                                   Party Affiliation

Mrs P Lloyd               Abingdon Primary                Conservative

Mr I Bates                  All Saints CE Primary         Labour

This item has been placed on the agenda at the request of Councillor Alexander Ganotis.

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager reported that this item had been placed on the agenda at the request of Councillor Alexander Ganotis.

Councillor Ganotis expressed concern at the failure of the Council to replace No Ball Games signs when signs were vandalised or stolen and that he was aware of a number of instances where no ball games signs had not been replaced.

RESOLVED – That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to circulate the current policy in respect to No Ball Games Signs and that an item be placed on the agenda for the next meeting of the Area Committee to enable further discussion to take place in respect to this issue.

This item has been placed on the agenda at the request of Councillor Alexander Ganotis.

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager reported that this item had been placed on the agenda at the request of Councillor Alexander Ganotis.

Councillor Ganotis expressed concern at the increase in anti-social behaviour and incident of criminal behaviour which included graffiti, drug dealing and dog fouling in the passageway between Alan Road and Kings Drive.

RESOLVED – That the concerns of the Area Committee be conveyed to the Head of the Community Safety Unit for consideration and that an update be submitted to the next meeting of the Area Committee on actions taken to address the problems identified.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.

The report provides an update on progress since the last meeting on decisions taken by the Area Committee and details the current position on area flexibility funding. The report also includes the current position on the highway and traffic management delegated budget.

The Area Committee is recommended to note the report.

Officer contact: Stephen Fox on Tel: 0161 474 3206 or email: stephen.fox@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) updating the Area Committee on progress since the last meeting on decisions taken by the Area Committee the current position on Area Flexibility Funding and the Highway Maintenance and Traffic Management delegated budget.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

(Note: The Chair was of the opinion that this item although not included on the agenda should be considered as a matter of urgency in accordance with Section 100B (4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972 to enable the Area Committee to promptly discuss the issues of potential residential development in Reddish.)

Councillor Walter Brett expressed grave concerns that the Area Committee had not been consulted on the Brinnington Regeneration Master Plan and specifically those elements which related to Reddish Vale Country Park.

RESOLVED – That the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration be requested to ensure that in the future the Area Committee was consulted on all proposals which affect Reddish Vale Country Park.