Agenda and minutes

To elect a chair of the Area Committee for the period until the next Annual Council Meeting

RESOLVED – That Councillor Tom Grundy be elected Chair of the Area Committee for the period until the next Annual Council Meeting.

To appoint a Vice-Chair of the Area Committee for the period until the next Annual Council Meeting.

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

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on Monday 16 April 2012.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 16 April 2012 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

No declarations of interest were made.

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

·                     The Chair presented a commemorative photograph to former councillor Anne Graham in recognition of her service as ward councillor for Reddish North. Miss Graham thanked the Area Committee for the gift.

·                     Councillor Paul Moss reminded members of the public that the Redd Fest arts festival would take place in Reddish District Centre on 9 June 2012.

·                     A representative of the Democratic Services Manager reported that the Olympic Torch would be passing through the borough on Sunday 24 June 2012.

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 representatives 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.

Members of the public were invited to submit questions to the Area Committee on any matters within its powers and duties.

One question was submitted asking about the frequency of maintenance of the communal grass areas in the vicinity of Simon Freeman Close.

A representative of the Public Realm Service undertook to respond to the questioner directly.

The local Public Realm Inspector 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 and the condition of the highway.

Robin Boardman, Chris Pollitt and Janet 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 the Heatons & Reddish Area Committee.

The Area Committee were updated on changes to Council services which had resulted in the creation of the Public Realm Service, bringing together Environment Services, Highway Services and the Parks Service.

The following issues were raised:-

·         Completion of annual Highway Safety Inspection in a number of location in the area and the information gathered would be available on the Council’s website. Councillors discussed the inspection procedures and the need to ensure that potential problems and emerging defects were noted.

·         The road markings in Houldsworth Square needed to be reinstated.

·         Priority needed to be given to clearing gullies and areas of pooling closest to crossing facilities, particularly those used by school children.

RESOLVED – That Robin Boardman, Chris Pollitt and Janet Sadgrove be thanked for their attendance.

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

Councillor Fitzpatrick submitted a petition on behalf of local young people calling for more to be done to ensure that dog fouling was removed/ prevented on local areas of greenspace.

Councillors commented that the Council provided a good dog warden service but that it was not resourced to provide its service during unsocial hours when most enforcement was needed.

RESOLVED – (1) That the petition be received and referred to the Service Director (Place Management) for further investigation.

(2) That the Executive Councillor (Public Realm) be informed of this Area Committee’s concerns over the decline in the number of Council staff who were empowered to issue fixed penalty notices/ carry out enforcement activity in relation to dog fouling and request that this be reviewed as part of the development of the Public Realm Service.

(3) That the Head of Public Protection Services be requested to attend the next meeting to provide the Area Committee with an update on the work of the Dog Warden Service.

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.

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager reported that no organisation had indicated 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.

(i)            Arts for Recovery in the Community (Arc)

(i)            ARC

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted an application for Area Flexibility Funding from Arts Recovery in the Community (ARC) for funding toward the cost of an arts project for vulnerable young people.

RESOLVED – That the Democratic Services Manager be recommended to make a grant of £500 (£250 each from the Reddish North and South Ward allocations) to ARC for a youth arts project.

(ii)          Didsbury Road Estate Residents’ Association

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted an application for Area Flexibility Funding from Didsbury Road Estate Residents’ Association for funding toward the cost of a shrub planting project.

RESOLVED – That the Democratic Services Manager be recommended to make a grant of £200 from the Heatons South Ward allocation to the Didsbury Road Estate Residents’ Association toward the cost of a shrub planting project.

The following development application will be considered by the Area Committee:-

DC049282     Site of Micro Direct, Weybrook Road, Heaton Chapel

Variation of condition 22 of planning permission DC046007 to allow extension of opening hours from 8am to 9pm, Monday to Friday, from 8am to 9pm on Saturday and from 9am to 6pm on Sunday and Bank Holidays.

The Area Committee is recommended to grant planning permission.

The following development applications will be considered by the Area Committee:-

A development application was 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 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).

In respect of plan no.49282 for the variation of condition 22 of planning permission DC046007 to allow extension of opening hours from 8.00am to 9.00pm on Monday to Friday, from 8.00am to 9.00pm on Saturday and from 9.00am to 6.00pm pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays at the site of Micro Direct, Weybrook Road, Heaton Chapel (Aldi Supermarket)

a member of the public spoke against the application on behalf of local residents, and

the applicant’s agent spoke in support of the application.

It was then

MOVED AND SECONDED

That the application be refused on the grounds that the proposal would be detrimental to residential amenity.

AMENDMENT MOVED AND SECONDED

That the Planning & Highways Regulation Committee be recommended to undertake a site visit in view of the Area Committee’s concerns about the impact of the proposal on residential amenity and that the Committee be informed that this Area Committee recommends that the application be refused on the grounds that the proposal would be detrimental to residential amenity.

In favour of the amendment 5, against 2.

It was then

RESOLVED - (5 in favour, 2 against) That the Planning & Highways Regulation Committee be recommended to undertake a site visit in view of the Area Committee’s concerns about the impact of the proposal on residential amenity and that the Committee be informed that this Area Committee recommends that the application be refused on the grounds that the proposal would be detrimental to residential amenity.

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 Democratic Services Manager submitted a report of the Service Director (Legal & Democratic Services) (copies of which had been circulated) listing any outstanding or recently determined planning appeals and enforcements within the area represented by the Heatons & Reddish Area Committee.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

The report provides the Area Committee with an opportunity to comment on the inclusion of Local Employment & Training benefits within the planning obligations (s106) in Stockport.

The Area Committee is recommended to comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Nick Hill on 0161 474 3736 or email: nick.hill@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report of the Service Director (Place Development) (copies of which had been circulated) informing the Area Committee of the start of a consultation on the Supplementary Planning Document to support policy AED5 of the Core Strategy to seek to maximise local employment and skills benefits from commercial developments through planning obligations attached to planning permissions.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

The report details and application received from Reddish Business forum for an Arts and Crafts Market as part of the “ReddFest” Arts and Crafts festival to take place at Houldsworth Square and part of Leamington Road, Reddish.

The Area Committee is requested to approve the application.

Officer Contact: Kevin Lydon on 0161 218 1535 or email: kevin.lydon@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report of the Service Director (Place Management) summarising an application received from the Reddish Business Forum requesting permission to hold an Arts and Crafts Market on Houldsworth Square and part of Leamington Road, Reddish.

RESOLVED – That the application to hold an Arts and Crafts Market on Houldsworth Square and part of Leamington Road, Reddish on 9 June 2012 be approved.

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

The report provides details of grit bins in the Heatons & Reddish area currently included in the Winter Maintenance Plan.

The Area Committee is recommended to comment on and note the report.

Officer Contact: Robin Boardman on tell 0161 474 2428 or email: robin.boardman@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report of the Service Director (Place Management) (copies of which had been circulated) providing the Area Committee with the locations of grit bins in the area covered by the Heatons & Reddish Area Committee, including details of the criterion of the Winter Maintenance Policy each location met to have a grit bin placed there.

RESOLVED – That the Service Director (Place Management) be requested to investigate whether the following sites meet the Winter Maintenance Policy criteria for grit bins and submit a further report to the next meeting:-

·         Craig Close

·         Elm Tree Drive

·         St Martin’s Drive

·         Bluestone Drive

·         Seven Oaks

·         Buckingham Road West         

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

The report outlines a proposed highway maintenance scheme of the pathway from St John’s Road to Harwood Road, Heaton Mersey.

The Area Committee is recommended to approve the scheme as outlined in the report.

Officer contact: Chris Pollitt on 0161 474 2419 or email: chris.pollitt@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report of the Service Director (Place Management) inviting the Area Committee to consider a local highway improvement scheme.

RESOLVED – That the following local initiative scheme be approved, at a cost of £19,000 to be funded from the Area Committee’s Highway Maintenance and Traffic Management Delegated Budget (Heatons South Ward allocation):-

Pathway from St John’s School playing field to Harwood Road, Heaton Mersey – install 9 no. drop down standard lighting columns with 150 metres of duct and cable work.

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

The report requests the Area Committee to approve an order for upgraded and additional parking restrictions on the commercial estate at Sparthfield Road and Vaughan Road, Heaton Norris.

The Area Committee is requested to approve the proposals contained in the report.

Officer Contact: Max Townsend on 0161 474 4861 or email: max.townsend@stockport.gov.uk

The Area Committee has approved the following Traffic Regulation Order be approved, at a cost of £750 to be funded from the Area Committee’s Highway Maintenance and Traffic Management Delegated Budget (Heatons South Ward allocation):-

Revoke No Waiting Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm:

Sparthfield Road

South East side from a point 5 metres South West of the projected South Westerly kerb line of Vaughan Road for a distance of 48.5 metres in a North Easterly direction.

North West side from a point 10 metres South West of the projected South Westerly kerb line of Vaughan Road for a distance of 18 metres in a South Westerly direction.

Cul-de-sac end from the South Easterly kerb line for a distance of 5 metres in a North Westerly direction.

Vaughan Road

North East side from the South Easterly kerb line of Heaton Road for a distance of 62 metres in a South Easterly direction.

South East side from the South Easterly kerb line of Heaton Road for a distance of 19 metres in a South Easterly direction.

Heaton Road

South East side from a point 10 metres South West of the South Westerly kerb line of Vaughan Road to a point 5 metres North East of the North Easterly kerb line of Vaughan Road.

Introduce No Waiting at Any Time:

Sparthfield Road

South East side from the projected South Westerly kerb line of Vaughan Road for a distance of 43 metres in a North Easterly direction; from the projected South Westerly kerb line of Vaughan in a South Westerly direction up to and including the cul-de-sac end.

North Westerly side from a point 10 metres South West of the projected South Westerly kerb line of Vaughan Road in a South Westerly direction up to and including the cul-de-sac end.

Vaughan Road

North East side from the South Easterly kerb line of Heaton Road for a distance of 62 metres in a South Easterly direction.

South West side from the South Easterly kerb line of Heaton Road for a distance of 19 metres in a South Easterly direction.

Heaton Road

South East side from a point 10 metres South West of the South Westerly kerb line of Vaughan Road to a point 5 metres North East of the North Easterly kerb line of Vaughan Road.

The Area Committee is requested to note the current arrangements in relation to the role of Highway Ward Spokesperson and the monitoring of the Highway Maintenance and Local Initiatives Delegated Budget.

The Area Committee is requested to note the report and nominate a spokesperson for each ward.

Officer Contact: Stephen Fox 0161 474 3206 email: stephen.fox@stockport.gov.uk

The Area Committee was invited to nominate Ward Spokespersons with whom the Service Director (Place Management) could consult on highway maintenance and traffic management matters.

RESOLVED –That the following Councillors be appointed as Ward Spokespersons for highways and traffic issues:-

Heatons North – Alexander Ganotis/ Anthony O’Neill

Heatons South – Colin Foster

Reddish North – David Wilson

Reddish South – Walter Brett

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.

The Area Committee is requested to consider the appointment of Councillors to outside bodies.

The Area Committee is recommended to make nominations to the Outside Bodies identified in the report.

Officer Contact: Stephen Fox 0161 474 3206 email: stephen.fox@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Area Committee to make nominations of representatives of the Council on outside bodies.

RESOLVED – (1) That the following be nominated as representatives of the Council on outside bodies for 2012/13:-

(2) That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to confirm whether the Heaton Chapel Community Association was still active.

There are currently no vacancies to consider.

There were no governor vacancies to consider.

This item has been placed on the agenda at the request of Councillor David Sedgwick.

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

Councillor Sedgwick referred to the recent decision to close the leisure facilities at the Peel Moat Recreation Centre. He invited the Area Committee to consider making a request for the Centre to be reopened in partnership with the local community, and that the site should be properly secured in the meantime.

Councillors expressed concerns about the consultation process and that despite a clear response by the public in favour of keeping the Centre the decision was taken to close this facility.

RESOLVED – That the Executive Councillors (Economic Development & Regeneration) and (Governance & Corporate Services) be requested to:-

·         as a matter of urgency, reopen the Peel Moat Recreation Centre as a leisure facility and community facility, working in partnership with local community groups and sports clubs

·         explore with the community and local sports clubs innovative uses for the facility to ensure its sustainability.

·         until the facility is reopened, ensure that the premises are adequately secured to prevent damage and minimise further future costs.

 To agree a date for the Pride in the Heatons & Reddish Awards 2012.

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager invited the Area Committee to agree a date for the Heatons & Reddish Pride Awards for 2012.

RESOLVED – That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to make arrangements for the Heatons & Reddish Pride Awards to take place on 1 October 2012.

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: Damian Eaton, 0161 474 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 and the current position on the Area Flexibility and Highway Maintenance and Traffic Management delegated budgets.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the Service Director (Place Management) be requested to provide an update on measures to prevent traveller incursions onto the fields at Penny Lane and the Democratic Services Manager be requested to ensure this item is reinstated to the progress report.

(3) That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to place an item on a future agenda in relation to Borough Care and their activity in the Heatons & Reddish area, in particular the changes to services at Mobury Court, the closure of Belmont Court and the concerns of the Area Committee in relation to the consultation that has been undertaken in respect of these changes.

(NOTE: The Chair was of the opinion that this item, although not included on the agenda for the meeting, should be considered as a matter of urgency in accordance with Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972 in order to prevent any unnecessary inconvenience to the applicant)

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report of the Service Director (Place Management) (copies of which had been circulated) summarising an application received for the use of Thornfield Park on 30 June 2012 for a Family Fun Day.

RESOLVED – That the application from the Heatons Church Partnership to use Thornfield Park on 30 June 2012 for a Family Fun Day be approved.

(NOTE: The Chair was of the opinion that this item, although not included on the agenda for the meeting, should be considered as a matter of urgency in accordance with Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972 in order to prevent any unnecessary inconvenience to the applicant)

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report of the Service Director (Place Management) (copies of which had been circulated) summarising an application received for the use of Heaton Moor Park on 8 July 2012 for a Fun Day.

RESOLVED – That the application from the Four Heatons Trading Association to use Heaton Moor Park on 8 July 2012 for a Fun Day be approved.