Agenda and minutes

To elect a chair for the period until the next Annual Council Meeting.

RESOLVED – That Councillor Chris Murphy be elected Chair for the period until the next Annual Council meeting.

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 12 February 2018.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 12 February 2018 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.

No declarations of interest were made.

No announcements were made.

Members of the public are invited to put questions to the Chair of the Ward Committee on any matters within the powers and duties of the 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 the meeting.  You can also submit via the Council’s website at www.stockport.gov.uk/publicquestions.

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

No public questions were submitted.

No petitions were submitted.

To consider an application for Ward Flexibility Funding from the Heaton Norris Community Centre.

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a ward funding application on behalf of the Heaton Norris Community Centre (copies of which had been circulated) requesting funding towards the purchase of equipment to support activities being undertaken at the centre.

RESOLVED – (1) That a grant of £500.00 (Brinnington & Central ward) be made to the Heaton Norris Community Centre.

(2) That the application be referred for consideration to the Heatons and Reddish Area Committee to enable the Heatons North and Reddish South wards to determine if they wish to make a grant.

To consider a funding from the Frank Bramwell Legacy Fund from the Friends of Reddish Vale.

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted an application on behalf of the Friends of Reddish Vale (copies of which had been circulated) who were seeking funding from the Frank Bramwell Legacy Fund to support a project to provide cast iron signage in the park.

RESOLVED – That the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration be requested to make a grant of £6,000 from the Frank Bramwell Lagacy Fund to the Friends of Reddish Vale.

(2) That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to place an item

Representatives of the Friends of Reddish Vale Country Park will attend the meeting and provide an update on the activities of the group.

Representative of the Friends of Reddish Vale attended the meeting and provided an update on matters relating to Reddish Vale Country Park.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         Problems persisted with individuals illegally fishing during the night with vandalism and anti-social behaviour blighting the area.

·         The number of professional dog walkers was on the increase and the associated increase in dog fouling was a major concern.

·         The hunting of rabbits at the Tiviot Dale end of the park – the issue had been drawn to the attention of Greater Manchester Police and Committee members asked that the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration investigates the concerns raised as a matter of urgency and report back to the next meeting. It was also suggested that representatives of Greater Manchester Police be invited to attend the next meeting to discuss the concerns raised in more detail.

·         The new toilet facility in the Visitors Centre was now fully operational however issues persisted with a blocked drain.

·         The fruit and vegetable garden has been fully transformed and was now a extremely valued asset to the park.

·         A potential project for the future was improving the wetlands which would be a major undertaking.

·         It was suggested that the Friends group work in conjunction with Stockport Homes who were regularly looking for schemes to support and volunteers.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted and the representatives of the Friends of Reddish Vale be thanked for their attendance and presentation.

(2) That the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration be requested to investigate as a matter of urgency the concerns raised in respect to the killing of rabbits in Reddish Vale Country Park and to submit a report to the next meeting of the Committee outlining what action was taken.

(3) That representatives of Greater Manchester Police be invited to attend the next meeting of the joint ward Committee to discuss issues relating to anti-social behaviour in the Park.

Councillors and members of the public are invited to suggest items for inclusion on future agendas and the Committee is requested to approve the following dates for meetings in 2018/2019.

·         Monday 15 October 2018 at 6.00pm

·         Monday 11 February 2019 at 6.00pm

RESOLVED – That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to liaise with the Chair to identify a date for the Area Committee during the autumn of 2018 and that a meeting of the Area Committee be held on Monday 11 February 2019 at 6.00pm.

To consider an application from the Friends of Stockport Cemeteries.

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted an Area Funding application (copies of which had been circulated) on behalf of the Friends of Stockport Cemeteries requesting funding to undertake work in the Brunswick graveyard to reduce littering and anti-social behaviour.

RESOLVED – That a grant of £1000.00 (Brinnington & Central £500; Reddish North £250 and Reddish South £250) be made to the Friends of Stockport Cemeteries to support a project in the Brunswick graveyard to help reduce littering and anti-social behaviour