Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 9 December 2013.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 9 December 2013 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

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

The following interest was declared:-

Personal & Prejudicial Interest

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

No announcements were made.

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 Chair of the Area Committee on matters within the powers and duties of the Area Committee subject to the exclusions set out in the Code of Practice.

Three questions were submitted concerning the plans for the regeneration of Brinnington and how the proposals affect Reddish Vale Country Park.

The questions were answered at the meeting.

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.

Janette Sadgrove and Robin Boardman (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:-

·         Fly tipping in North Reddish.

·         A large number of notices have been served in relation to A boards and goods for sale on the highway.

·         The serving of a section 92a notice on the owner of a piece of land on Jersey Street and Sandy Lane.

·         Highway safety inspections were soon to be carried out on the dark green routes in the Heatons and part re-surfacing works were currently being carried out on Station Road.

·         A local initiative scheme to take up footway flags and replace with bitmac from Broadstone Hall Road South to Alderley Road was due to be carried out week commencing the 17 February 2014.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted and Janette Sadgrove and Robin Boardman be thanked for their attendance.

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

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager reported the receipt of a petition from the Friends of the Vale concerning staffing at Reddish Vale Country Park.

RESOLVED – That the petition be referred to the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration for consideration and that a response be submitted to a future meeting of the Area Committee.

(a)  Stockport Homes. – Mark Hudson from Stockport Homes will attend the meeting to outline the maintenance recharge policy.

(b)  Planned Changes to the Learning Disability Service – To consider a presentation by Austin Broomhead, Service Manager, Disability Provider Service

(c)  Community Project, St Elizabeth’s Church.  – This item has been placed on the agenda at the request of Councillor Kate Butler. Angie Stanton from St Elizabeth’s Church will attend the meeting and make a presentation.

(a) Stockport Homes

Carl Collier and Maria Lindars (Stockport Homes) attended the meeting and answered Councillors questions in relation to the maintenance recharge policy. They explained that the recharge standards were available to view on the internet and that the standards had been informed and revised following a number of consultation events with tenants that had taken place over a number of years. They acknowledged that the policy could not deal with every circumstance and that it would continue to evolve.

RESOLVED – That Carl Collier and Maria Lindars be thanked for their attendance and presentation.

(b) Planned Changes to the Learning Disability Service

Austin Broomhead, Service Manager, Disability Provider Service attended the meeting and provided an update in respect to planned changes to the Learning Disability Service.

RESOLVED – That Austin Broomhead be thanked for his attendance and presentation.

(c) Community Project, St Elizabeth’s Church

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

Angie Stanton, St Elizabeth’s Church, attended the meeting and made a presentation in respect to “re:dish” – a group of stakeholders in Reddish (churches, secondary and primary schools, local businesses and community groups) who had embarked on a project to redistribute food, goods and knowledge around Reddish as a catalyst for neighbourhood renemwal and community regeneration.

RESOLVED – That Angie Stanton be thanked for her attendance and presentation and that all those individuals and groups involved in the re:dish project be commended for their efforts.

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

a) Stockport Building Preservation Trust.

b) Friends of the Vale

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted applications on behalf of the following groups:-

(a) Stockport Building Preservation Trust

An application for funding towards the restoration of Woodbank Hall.

RESOLVED – That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to make a grant of £400.00 to the Stockport Building Preservation Trust (to be divided equally between the four wards)

(b) Friends of the Vale

An application for funding towards the purchase of photographic equipment for taking pictures of wildlife in Reddish Vale Country Park to be shown in the Visitors Centre.

RESOLVED – That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to make a grant of £550.74 to the Friends of the Vale (to be divided equally between the Reddish North and South wards)

(c) St Elizabeth’s Church, Reddish

An application for funding towards the re:dish project.

RESOLVED – That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to make a grant of £1,500 to St Elizabeth’s Church, Reddish towards the re:dish project (the grant to be divided equally between Heatons North, Reddish North and Reddish South wards)

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

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

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 for 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 Services to Place Directorate upon payment of the Council’s reasonable charges).

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager outlined the procedure approved by the Council for public speaking on planning applications.

To replace and erect a new boundary fence with 1.8mt black traditional railings on Rothay Drive side of fishing pond.

The Area Committee are recommended to grant planning permission.

In respect of plan no.54046 for the replacement and erection of a new boundary fence with 1.8mt black traditional railings on Rothay Drive side of fishing pond at Rothay Drive, North Reddish,

a member of the public spoke against the application,

it was then

RESOLVED – That consideration of the application be deferred to enable further discussions to take place between the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration and the applicant.

Construction of a 2 storey 3 bedroom Passiv Haus on land adjacent to 40 Alexandra Road, Stockport, including demolition of existing garage and associated external landscaping and provision of new parking spaced.

The Area Committee are recommended to grant planning permission.

In respect of plan no. 54017 for construction of a two storey, 3 bedroom Passic Haus on land adjacent to 40 Alexandra Road, Stockport including demolition of existing garage and associated external landscaping and provision of new parking space at 40 Alexandra Road, Heaton Norris,

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

it was then

RESOLVED – That the Planning and Highways Regulation Committee be requested to undertake a site visit in order to assess the impact of the proposed development on the residential amenity of local residents and the character of the street scene.

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 Head of Legal and Democratic Services (copies of which had been circulated) summarising recent appeals decisions, listing current planning appeals and dates for local enquiries, informal hearings for planning appeals and enforcement action within the Heatons and Reddish Area Committee area.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

The report details proposed amendments to the delegation arrangements for the consideration of Street Trading Consents.

That Area Committees and the Constitution Working Party be consulted on amending the Scheme of Delegation to reflect the current practice detailed in Section 3 of the report. Such that the determination of Street Trading Consents be delegated to the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration, save in those instances where there have been two or more applicants for a single pitch; where there have been objections or an appeal against the decision of the Corporate Director.

Officer contact: Ian O’Donnell / Damian Eaton on 474 4175 / 3207 or email: ian.odonnell@stockport.gov.uk / damian.eaton@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a joint report (copies of which had been circulated) of the Council Solicitor and the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration. The report detailed proposed amendments to the delegation arrangements for the consideration of Street Trading Consents.

RESOLVED – That the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration be informed that the Area Committee supports the proposed amendments to the delegation arrangements for the consideration of Street Trading Consents.

This item has been placed on the agenda at the request of Councillor Tom McGee.

a) Green Lane to Wittenbury Road

b) Didsbury Road to Valley Road

c) The involvement of the Community Payback Team in the Heatons area.

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

Councillor McGee identified the footpaths form Green Lane to Wittenbury Road and Didsbury Road to Valley Road as ones which were heavily overgrown and suggested the possible involvement of the Community Payback Team in to help clear and maintain them along with other public rights of way. Councillor McGee further explained that a tree to the rear of 26, Wittenbury Road was causing damage to the househoulders property and requested that they Council take immediate action to prevent this.

RESOLVED – That the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration be requested to :-

a) Take immediate action to prevent the tree to the rear of 26 Wittenbury Road from causing any further damage to that property.

b) Investigate the potential for the Community Pay Back Team to help clear and maintain public rights of way and footpaths such as those between Green Lane to Wittenbury Road and Didsbury Road to Valley Road.

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 expressed concern that Heaton Moor Road had suffered from problems of pooling water for a number of years and requested that the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration be requested to undertake a survey of the drains in the area to assess if a long term solution could be identified as opposed to the jetting of gullies.

RESOLVED – That the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration be requested to undertake a survey of the drains in the Heaton Moor Road area to assess if a long term solution to the problem of pooling of water could be identified as opposed to the jetting of gullies.

There are no vacancies to consider.

There were no vacancies to consider.

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 on Area Flixibility Funding.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration be requested to report to the next meeting identifying what can be and is being done to protect the war memorial.