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. You can also submit via the Council’s website at www.stockport.gov.uk/publicquestions.
Minutes:
Members of the public were invited to submit 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.
Four public questions were submitted.
(a) Questions 1 and 2 related to the problems caused by Stepping Hill Hospital staff parking and asked what the Council would do now that the plans of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust that had been shared at the Area Committee for a multi storey car park on the Stepping Hill Hospital site were now not being pursued. The all-day parking of hospital staff on nearby residential streets was causing misery to local people.
The Chair read a statement from the Council and Stockport NHS Foundation Trust. The statement:-
· acknowledged the problems caused by staff and visitors to the hospital and the frustration this caused to residents;
· acknowledged that suggestions had been made in the past of a multi-storey car park but stated that due to the financial pressures facing the Trust this would not be pursued in the foreseeable future
· set out a range of measures undertaken by the Trust in response to the public meeting in 2017 including reducing parking costs for staff; introducing flexible working to reduce the number of staff on site needing parking; improved facilities for staff who choose to use other forms of transport; written to all staff reminding them to be considerate neighbours and consider more appropriate parking options;
· recognised that the measures undertaken may not completely resolve the issues being faced;
· stated that the Council would implement appropriate measures where a consensus amongst residents could be reached and they were willing to pay for parking permits;
· gave assurance that enforcement officers would continue to take action against illegal parking and the blocking of driveways.
Councillors expressed disappointment that the Trust and the Council had been unable to put forward a resolution to this issue, and concerns were expressed about that the abandonment of the plans for the multi storey car park had not been communicated to local councillors.
Councillors commented that previous plans for residents permit schemes on nearby residential streets had not come to fruition because insufficient support could be garnered from local residents as part of the consultations. A lack of effective enforcement of existing restrictions was identified as a further cause of concern.
Councillors expressed sympathy with residents about the ongoing difficulties they were facing and the frustration that even after the Trust had reduced its parking charges that staff continued to park inconsiderately on residential roads.
RESOLVED – That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to make arrangements for the joint Ward Committee of the Offerton and Stepping Hill Wards to consider the issue of Stepping Hill Hospital Parking and to invite appropriate Council officers and senior representatives of the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust.
(b) The third question related to a specific problem caused to a resident on Beauford Road, Offerton by Stepping Hill Hospital staff parking on the road and either restricting access to the residnets driveway or blocking his car in when parked on the road. The question asked the Council to reconsider its decision to refuse a dropped kerb.
Councillor Booth explained that she had been in discussion with the questioner about his problems and had received a verbal indication that an application for a dropped kerb at this location was unlikely to be successful. In light of the difficulties this caused the resident, caused in part by the installation of No Waiting Restrictions very close to the frontage of his property, Councillor Booth suggested the Council reconsider its position in relation to a dropped kerb.
A representative of the Democratic Services Manager confirmed that no formal decision had been taken on a dropped kerb at this location as no formal application had been received. Having discussed the matter with officers, and following a superficial assessment of the site based on information available on the internet, officers had suggested that a dropped kerb in this location was unlikely to be installed due to the close proximity of a lamp post.
RESOLVED – That the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration be requested to investigate the issues raised by the questioner and report back on the feasibility of installing a dropped kerb outside the questioner’s residence on Beauford Road, Offerton.
(c) The fourth question related to a previous discussion at the Stepping Hill Area Committee in January 2018 about the United Utilities drainage facilities on Boothby Street/ Bonis Crescent and the impact of smells from the site, anti-social behaviour associated with the equipment cabinets, and the loss of usable playing area by the installation. The question asked whether responses had been received from United Utilities in relation to the investigations they undertook to make into these issues.
A representative of the Democratic Services Manager confirmed that no response had been received by the Area Committee.
Councillors reiterated previous views about the loss of playing space for local young people and expressed disappointment at the lack of progress with the undertakings made by United Utilities.
Councillor Wright referred to additional correspondence he had had from residents adjacent to the park complaining about young people using the equipment cabins to access back gardens.
RESOLVED – That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to write to United Utilities expressing in the strongest terms the Area Committee’s disappointment that no progress had been made in addressing the issues raised by residents about their drainage facility at Boothby Street/ Bonis Crescent and requesting that they attend the next meeting to report back on progress with actions they had undertaken to do at the meeting of the Area Committee in January 2018.