Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chair of the Joint Ward Committee until the next Annual Council meeting.

RESOLVED – That Councillor Walter Brett be elected Chair of the Joint Ward Committee until the next Annual Council Meeting.

Councillor Walter Brett in the Chair

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 7 February 2011.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 7 February 2011 were approved as a correct record subject to the inclusion under Minute 5 of the following comment:-

That the Brinnington & Reddish Joint Ward Committee categorically reject the option to use the Frank Bramwell Legacy money to build a new Visitor Centre in Reddish Vale Country Park. 

Councillors and Officers to declare any interests which they may have in any of the items on the agenda for this meeting.

No declarations were made.

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

The Chair reported that a representative of the Service Director (Legal & Property) had been unable to attend the meeting to report on issues in respect to Reddish Vale Road due to ill health and that the item would be deferred to the next meeting of the Brinnington & Reddish Joint Ward Committee.

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

Police Constable Jane Rendell (Greater Manchester Police) attended the meeting to answer questions from councillors and members of the public in relation to Neighbourhood Policing issues within the area represented by the Brinnington & Reddish Joint Ward Committee.  The following issues were raised / comments made:-

·         Concerns were raised in respect to off road motor biking in the vicinity of Brinnington and Reddish Vale and what action the Council and Greater Manchester Police were taking to resolve the problem.

·         Confiscated off road bikes would be crushed as part of a public ‘crushing event’ in July to raise public awareness of impact of illegal off road bike riding. 

·         The cost of restoring footpaths damaged by off road motorbikes was a significant expense to the Parks and Recreation Service.

·         A request was made for the ‘Off Road Bike Team’ to be deployed in Reddish Vale Country Park during the summer.

·         Reports of dog fighting in Reddish Vale Country Park.

·         Reports of horse riding on pavements and the potential hazard to the general public.

·         Anticipated antisocial behaviour in Reddish Vale Country Park due to the lighter evenings during the summer months.

RESOLVED – (1) That Police Constable Jane Rendell be thanked for her attendance.

(2) That Police Constable Jane Rendell be requested to investigate possible solutions to combat off road biking and report back at the next meeting.

(3) That Police Constable Jane Rendell be requested to inform local councillors of the scheduled date of the public ‘crushing bike event’ in July.

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 at the meeting and at local libraries and Information and Advice Centres)

Members of the public were invited to put questions to the Chair on any matters in the powers or duties of the Joint Ward Committee, subject to the exclusions set out in the Code of Practice.

One question was submitted relating to the congestion of traffic and the parking of contractors’s private vechicles who were currently working on the new school in Brinnington.

RESOLVED - That the Service Director (Environment) be requested to investigate this issue and provide a written response to the questioner within seven days.

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

(a) Two applications from the Friends of the Vale

(a)       Stockport Junior Blues AFC

Angie O’Reilly, Club Secretary attended the meeting and provided feedback on receiving their grant for funding towards football kits and equipment.  On behalf of Stockport Junior Blues she thanked the Joint Ward Committee for their support and explained how the money had been spent. 

RESOLVED – That Angie O’Reilly be thanked for her attendance.

(b)       Friends of the Vale

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted an application of the Friends of the Vale for funding towards the cost of two notice boards.

RESOLVED – That the Democratic Services Manager be recommended to make a grant of £527.13 to the Friends of the Vale towards the cost of two notice boards (£175.71 Reddish North Ward, £175.71 Reddish South Ward and £175.71 Brinnington & Central Ward).

(c)        Friends of the Vale

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted an application of the Friends of the Vale for funding towards the cost of a map.

RESOLVED – That the Democratic Services Manager be recommended to make a grant of £400.00 to the Friends of the Vale towards the cost of a map (£133.34 Reddish North Ward, £133.34 Reddish South Ward and £133.34 Brinnington & Central Ward).

No organisation has indicated that they wish to address the Joint Ward Committee as part of the Open Forum arrangements.

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

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

No petitions were submitted.

This item has been placed on the agenda at the request of representatives of Tame Valley Defence Group.

A hard copy of information previously collated pertaining to the previous review will be circulated to councillors prior to the meeting.

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

Pat Ruaune, a representative of the Tame Valley Defence Group submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing issues affecting users of Reddish Vale Country Park.   The report highlighted that in March 2008 councillors discussed issues affecting Reddish Vale Country Park and that some of the problems and issues persisted to date. 

A copy of information previously collated by the Tame Valley Defence Group was circulated to Councillors and members of the public.  The following issues were raised / comments made:-

·         Raised concern in respect to the ‘park status’.  The Parks Department had been actively marketing and promoting Reddish Vale Country Park for a ‘Green Flag Award’ scheme which was a benchmark for national standard of parks and green spaces in the UK.

·         The logistics and level of staffing at Reddish Vale Country Park and the perception of the number of staff when compared to other parks in the borough. 

·         Improving biodiversity programmes and vandalism affecting biodiversity on Sunnyside Woods.

·         Pond habitat and the composition of the woodland area and the associated landscaping costs. 

·         The nature reserve was only a section of Reddish Vale Country Park and not the whole park itself. 

·         Balancing the relationship between wildlife, recreation and members of the public was complicated but paramount.

·         Access links along Reddish Vale Road and issues relating to signposting of the park.

·         Welcomed alternative or additional ideas, options and programmes in the near future to develop and enhance Reddish Vale Country Park. 

·         Issues relating to angling at Reddish Vale Country Park.

·         Concerns were raised in respect to anticipated local government budget cuts and how this would affect local services and departments in the future.  Councillors stated that it was highly unlikely that Reddish Vale Country park proposals that had been discussed in 2008 would be carried out in the near future.

·         Councillors asked that the staff at Reddish Vale Country Park be praised for their hard work and commitment and commended the results they had achieve within a tight budget.  It was essential that local groups, Councillors and the Council work together as everyone had an interest in preserving Reddish Vale Country Park. It was important to value and support the Ranger service and council officers who had extensive ecological and recreation knowledge and experience.

·         The possibility of whether an arts festival could be promoted at Reddish Vale Country Park and which locations in the park would be best suited to advertise the event.

·         The number of people visiting Reddish Vale Country Park was unknown but estimates were in the region of hundreds of thousands of visitors. The park had 57 entrances and in 2008 a visitor counter near the ponds recorded that from only one entrance 92,000 people had visited Reddish Vale Country Park.

·         Praise for the Rangers for their hard work as the Senior Ranger’s support had been acknowledged at the Princess Trust Awards at Edgeley Park.  

RESOLVED – (1) That Tame Valley Defence Group be thanked for their attendance.

(2) That Alexandra Krause and the Reddish Vale Country Park staff and volunteers be thanked for their hard work at the park.  

(3) That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to write to NPS Ltd expressing the Brinnington & Reddish Joint Ward Committee’s disappointment that an update in respect to the licence agreement to Stockport and District Angling Federation to manage the angling activities at Reddish Vale reservoirs had not been submitted to the Joint Ward Committee.

(4) That the Managing Director, NPS be requested to submit a report to the next meeting of the Brinnington & Reddish Joint Ward Committee in respect to an update on the licence agreement to Stockport and District Angling Federation to manage the angling activities at Reddish Vale reservoirs.

To consider a report of the Service Director (Communities)

The report summarises the public events that took place at Reddish Vale Country Park and the number of visitors that visited the centre during the period from 1 January to 20 May 2011.

The Joint Ward Committee is requested to consider and comment in the report.

Officer Contact: Alexandra Krause 477 5637

A representative of the Service Director (Communities) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) summarising the public events that took place at Reddish Vale Country Park and the number of visitors that visited the centre during the period from 1 January to 20 May 2011. The report highlighted the following:-

• 6,989 visitors had attended Reddish Vale Country Park from 1 January to 20 May 2011.
• 604 volunteers had volunteered 3894.5 hours at Reddish Vale Country Park, which included activities such as woodland management.
• Successful partnership working with Children Services delivering monthly activities.
• Several ‘Education Sessions’ were held, which included wetland restoration and path works on Trivot End.
• Promoting Reddish Vale Country Park – Annual Reddish Vale Folk Day would take place at Reddish Vale Country Park on Sunday 26 June 2011 from 12 noon till 4.00pm.  The event would include music, games, activities for children and wildlife displays.  
• Grant secured as part of the ‘You Say We Pay by the ‘Friends of the Vale’ for a free bus service for Brinnington residents to visit Reddish Vale Country Park.
• Involvement with local schools and youth centres in the vicinity of Reddish Vale Country Park was important to raise awareness of the park.  

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

• Ongoing incidents with off road biking and anti social behaviour in the vicinity of Reddish Vale Country Park.
• The possibility of periodically locating a skip in the park to address fly tipping.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted and that Alexandra Krause be thanked for her attendance.

(2) That the Service Director (Communities) be requested to invite the Brinnington & Reddish Joint Ward Committee to the Reddish Vale Folk Day on Sunday, 26 June 2011.

This item has been placed on the Agenda at the request of Councillor Andrew Verdeille.

The Service Director (Communities) will submit a report at the meeting.

A representative of the Service Director (Communities) reported that the legacy left to the Council by Mr Bramwell had been received.  £140,000 would be spent equally in South Reddish Park and Reddish Vale County Park and on finalisation of the estate, an additional amount would be released to the Council.

A public consultation had taken place from 21 April to 21 May 2011 to survey how visitors / local residents would prefer the legacy bequest spent at Reddish Vale County Park and to give feedback to local councillors. 

The public consultation took place at the Visitor Centre at Reddish Vale County Park and on the Internet.  435 responses had been received and a third of the voters lived in the vicinity of Reddish and Brinnington area and 10% of votes lived in Manchester Local Authority area. 

Results revealed that 22.5% voted for a new visitors’ centre, 15% voted for a Frank Bramwell Memorial Trail and 11% voted for the creation of a wetland project.

The following issues were raised / comments made:-

• The potential cost of a new visitors’ centre and that the legacy bequest would not be suffice to facilitate a new visitors’ centre.  It had been estimated that the cost would be in the region of £250,000 - £500,000.
• The possibility of applying to organisations for match funding for the cost of the visitors’ centre.
• Concern was raised due to the location and age of the centre. Fear that if money was spent on the centre the result would not be long term due to the age and condition of the building.
• The need for all local groups and local councillors to work together to locate funding streams.
• The possibility of applying for funding through the Heritage Lottery Funding (HLF) body. The Heritage Lottery Fund had a range of programmes designed for heritage projects of different types and sizes.  The HLF offered grants from £3,000 to multi-million-pound grants. 
• The possibility of securing private contractors to carry out work on the visitors’ centre.
• Concern was raised that the legacy bequest should not be spent on a new visitors’ centre and that other options should be investigated to fund this.
• The possibility of whether the money could be split between match funding for the visitors’ centre and the Frank Bramwell trail.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted and Neil Oxley be thanked for his attendance.

(2) That the Service Director (Communities) be requested to organise a meeting with the Funding Officer, the Brinnington & Reddish Joint Ward Committee, Frank Bramwell’s family and friends of local support groups to discuss the Frank Bramwell legacy bequest and the various funding bodies.

This item has been placed on the Agenda at the request of Councillor Andrew Verdeille.

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

A representative of the Service Director (Communities) provided an update in respect to applications that had been submitted to the Environment Agency fund.  She reported that the application in respect to the creation of disabled fishing pegs and improvements to the reservoir had been unsuccessful. 

The Environment Agency had said that they would support Reddish Vale County Park to become a Regional ‘Centre of Excellence’ for angling, but this would be dependent on local partnerships being implemented as well as funding being made available to carry out the necessary investment in facilities.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted. 

A representative of the Service Director (Communities) provided an update in respect to the CBeebies filming of the television programme ‘Mr Bloom’s Nursery’ which would take place from early July till August 2011 at Reddish Vale Country Park.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted. 

To agree dates for future meetings of the Ward Committee.

RESOLVED – That the Democratic Services Manager in consultation with the Chair be requested to identify a suitable date for the next meeting of the Brinnington & Reddish Joint Ward Committee and that the date be circulated to members at the earliest opportunity.

RESOLVED – That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to include the following items on the agenda for the next meeting:-

·                      Reddish Vale Road

·                      Angling Licence Agreement For Reddish Vale Reservoirs