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.

To appoint a Vice-Chair of the Joint Ward Committee until the next Annual Council Meeting.

RESOLVED – That Councillor Paul Moss be appointed Vice-Chair of the Joint Ward Committee until the next Annual Council Meeting.

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 7 March 2012.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 7 March 2012 were approved as a correct record.

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 Interests

On behalf of the Joint Ward Committee the Chair welcomed Councillors Kate Butler and Andy Sorton who had been elected to the Council in the Local Government Elections in May 2012.  He also welcomed Jane Bardsley (Senior Ranger – Reddish Vale Country Park, Stockport Council) to the meeting.

The Chair reported that a representative of the Neighbourhood Policing Team had been unable to attend the meeting.

Members of the public are invited to put questions to the Chair of the Joint Ward Committee on any matters within the powers and duties of the Joint Ward 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 Information Centres).

No questions were submitted.

In accordance with the Code of Practice no organisation has indicated that they wished 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.

No petitions were submitted.

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

There were no Joint Ward Flexibility Funding applications to consider.

A representative of the Service Director (Place Management) will attend the meeting and make a presentation on the Pass the Baton Relay Olympic event at Reddish Vale County Park.

A representative of the Service Director (Place Management) attended the meeting and gave a presentation in respect of the Pass the Baton event which would be held in Reddish Vale Country Park on Saturday 7 July 2012 from 2.00pm until 6.00pm.  The event organised by Stockport Greenspace Forum was a celebration of Stockport’s Greenspaces and the legacy of the Olympics Games 2012.

Five batons had been designed by local school children and would set off from five different green spaces across Stockport. The batons would be carried along the five routes finishing at Reddish Vale Country Park to be received by the Mayor of Stockport.

The following issues were raised/ comments made:-

• Concerns were expressed about a number of parks in Stockport which required landscaping and it was requested that action be taken prior to the ‘Pass the Baton’ event.
• Questions were asked in relation to the traffic management plan for the event and how many cars were anticipated to park in the vicinity of Reddish Vale Country Park.
• Councillors praised the proposed event and wished Stockport Greenspace Forum the best of luck for the event.

RESOLVED – That Richard Booker be thanked for his attendance and presentation.

To consider a report of the Service Director (Place Development)

The report details the Communities Living Sustainably Big Lottery Programme.

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

Officer contact: Darren Pegram, Tel: 0161 474 3171, email: darren.pegram@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Service Director (Place Development) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) summarising the Communities Living Sustainably Big Lottery Programme.

‘Communities Living Sustainably’ was a Big Lottery programme which funded partnerships that brought together the public, private, voluntary and community sectors to build up to ten sustainable and resilient communities to help combat the impact of climate change.

The Stockport bid focused on Brinnington, North Reddish, South Reddish, Heaton Norris and the Lancashire Hill area and was successfully shortlisted in February 2012.  Funding would be provided by the Big Lottery Fund up to a maximum of £1 million.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The importance of involving and strengthening ties with young people, community groups, partners and the wider community effectively within the project.

·         The outcome of the programme would benefit Stockport partners by living and working more sustainably. 

·         Members praised the project as innovative and all those involved in the work of the project should be commended for their hard work.

·         A suggestion was made that young people be invited to a future Joint Ward Committee to discuss their involvement with the Communities Living Sustainably programme and other local community projects.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That Darren Pegram (Sustainability Manager) be requested to report back in September 2012 to provide an update on the Communities Living Sustainably - Big Lottery programme and that a number of young people involved with the programme be invited to the Joint Ward Committee to discuss their participation and experiences.

A representative of the Service Director (Place Management) will attend the meeting and provide an update on matters raised in relation to dog fouling at the last Joint Ward Committee meeting.

Representatives of the Service Director (Place Management) attended the meeting to answer questions from Councillors and members of the public in relation to dog fouling in the vicinity of Brinnington and Reddish.  An overview of the Dog Warden Service, complaints and number of fixed penalties notices was circulated at the meeting.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         Concern was expressed that only two Dog Wardens were employed by the Council and that the level of service was inadequate.

·         Questions were asked in relation to the intelligence required from residents in order to identify a dog fouling offender.

·         Whether the decision to no longer provide free dog fouling bags had increased the workload of the Dog Warden Service and whether communications made by members of the public to the service were treated as confidential.

·         How the Dog Warden Service engaged with local schools and the local community.

·         The number of Fixed Penalty Notices that had been served by PCSOs and Area Conditions Officers.

·         Members thanked officers from the Dog Warden Service for their hard work and commitment.

RESOLVED – (1) That Nicola Hurst and Angela Cockcroft be thanked for their attendance.

(2) That Darren Pegram be recommended to consider a sustainable project idea of turning dog waste into energy as part of the Sustainable Reddish - Communities Living Sustainably - Big Lottery Programme.

(3) That the Executive Councillor (Public Realm) be requested to note the comments made in relation to the Dog Warden service and the number of Dog Wardens employed by the Council and to investigate the potential for a strategic approach to increase the number of Dog Warden Officers employed by the Council.

This item has been placed on the Agenda at the request of the Joint Ward Committee.

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager reported that this item was placed on the agenda at the request of the Joint Ward Committee.

Concern was expressed in relation to the extension and the enforcement of the current provisions within the lease for Reddish Vale Farm. Discussion took place in respect of the pony riding parties and the working relationship between the Rangers at Reddish Vale Country Park and the tenant of Reddish Vale Farm.

 RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the Service Director (Place Management) be requested to submit a report to the next meeting of the Brinnington & Reddish Joint Ward Committee outlining the terms of the current lease in respect of the number of horses kept on the farm, the use of the Bridleway by horses as opposed to Reddish Vale Road and an update in respect of highway issues in the area surrounding Reddish Vale Farm.

(3) That the Managing Director, NPS Stockport Ltd be requested to provide Jane Bardsley - Senior Ranger: Reddish Vale Country Park, with a copy of the lease for Reddish Vale Farm.

This item has been placed on the Agenda at the request of the Joint Ward Committee.

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager reported that this item was placed on the agenda at the request of the Joint Ward Committee.

A representative of the Service Director (Place Management) updated the Joint Ward Committee on the Angling Licence agreement for the Reddish Vale Reservoirs.  She explained that the licence agreement had been delayed however Officers were working closely with the Stockport Federation and it was anticipated that it would be completed shortly.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

This item has been placed on the Agenda at the request of the Joint Ward Committee.

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager reported that this item was placed on the agenda at the request of the Joint Ward Committee.

Jane Bardsley - Senior Ranger: Reddish Vale Country Park reported that the fence had not been replaced or repaired yet, however the new tenants had been requested to carry out the work in due course.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

July 2012 Meeting

• The Lease for Reddish Vale Farm, Reddish Vale Road, Reddish
• Angling Licence Agreement For Reddish Vale Reservoirs
• Frank Bramwell Legacy

September 2012 Meeting

• Invite tenants of Reddish Vale Farm / local businesses.
• Sustainable Reddish - Communities Living Sustainably - Big Lottery Programme

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 and Reddish Joint Ward Committee and that the date be circulated to members at the earliest opportunity.