Please find below the minutes for the latest Formby Parish Council meeting. A copy of the minutes is available to download at the bottom of the page.
MINUTES OF MEETING
Present: Councillors: Bob McCann (Chairman), Maria Bennett, Dawn Brodie, David Dutton, David Irving, Yvonne Irving, Susan McCann, Carol Richards, Joe Riley and Paul Wiencke.
In Attendance: Claire Jenkins (Clerk) and 2 members of public.
85.0 Apologies for Absence
Apologies were received from Cllrs Appleton, D. Baxter, S. Baxter, Prescott and Weild.
86.0 Members Declaration of Interest
There were no declarations of interest.
87.0 Public Forum
The meeting was adjourned for this item.
A resident reported that he had attended a Sefton Council Planning Committee meeting, on behalf of the residents of Harebell Close and the Ravens, regarding application DC/2021/01762. The application was approved subject to several conditions. The resident expressed concern that the conditions may not be met as may be waved or diluted. The residents would like the Parish Council to engage with the planners to ensure that the trees are replaced and to protect as much of the woodland as possible. It was suggested by a member of the Planning Committee that the replacement trees for those existing trees with TPO status should be given identical TPO status as a commitment and practical measure to protecting the biodiversity of this site which the planning department confirmed they wish to achieve. This proposal to give replacement trees TPO status was confirmed at the planning meeting to be in the gift of the Planning Department, but no such commitment was given.
The resident further reported that the developer on the evening of the Planning Committee made an offer of £2,000 to the Parish Council, so that replacement trees can be provided at the Parish Councils discretion. The resident asked that the offer be taken up by the Parish Council and trees preferably planted at this site next to remaining TPO trees and equally be given identical preservation protection.
The Chairman thanked the resident and advised that the planning application was to be discussed further later in the meeting.
The meeting was reconvened.
88.0 Minutes of the Previous Meeting
88.1 Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on 7 December 2021
It was resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 7 December 2021 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.
89.0 Matters of Report from Previous Meeting
89.1 Cllr Richards reported on the online conference that she attended. It was noted that the average age of Parish Councillors is 59+ and there are not enough women. Younger people need to be on the Parish Councils, but it is difficult to attract them due to work and/or childcare commitments. Party politics in Parish Councils is not acceptable. There is need to engage in robust debate not bullying and harassment and hostility. Jackie Weaver, Chief Officer at the Cheshire Association of Local Councils, recommends reading standing orders and understanding them. Good governance is important and should be kept up to date. She also recommended increasing the precept to benefit the community and noted that there is expected to be an increasing amount of devolution of services to Parish Councils.
Notes from the conference will be made available to Cllrs.
90.0 Chairman’s Report
The Chairman reported he had met with Lonsdale Road Sports Club to discuss their plans and advised that they need to engage with Sefton Council Estates manager who will present their case for an extended/modified lease agreement.
A meeting is scheduled with the police at Duke Street Park following their attendance at the December Parish Council Meeting.
Cllr Bennett reported on a scheme in the Midlands using chaperones to provide safe routes for children to walk to school. This is now being extended to provide safe times for children to enjoy the parks.
Cllr McCann reported that the lighting in the Nativity was resolved and looked very good.
It was reported that the Landowner of land adjacent to Formby Football Club has been taken to court by SMBC for failure to return the land to green belt. The Landowner has pleaded not guilty and the case is going to Birkenhead magistrates court in March.
91.0 Planning Applications
91.1 Powerhouse site – permission to build 7 houses approved and work now commenced.
91.2 Application for the building on the corner of Duke Street and Freshfield Road, for conversion to ground floor apartment noted.
92.0 To discuss and approve the following:
92.1 To consider whether funds should be made available for legal advice in relation to the planning application DC/2021/01762 to determine if the new Environment legislation has been adhered to.
Members discussed the planning application decision notice and noted that the new Environment legislation provides for a net gain for biodiversity because of new development. It was argued that there is no protection for the trees at Harebell Close, in what is a wooded area, as they will be in someone’s garden and could later be cut down without the benefit of TPO status.
It was further noted that the Environment Act, whilst having received Royal Assent, has still various sections that are not yet in force or have time to be implemented, however, planners should abide by the spirit of it.
After listening to the views of the residents, Members agreed to review the legislation and start a dialogue with the planning officers regarding the conditions and biodiversity net gain for the site.
93.0 Payments
- employer expenses – £1,641.28
- office lease, Sefton MBC – £250
- office phone and broadband, BT – £56.39
- supply, install and decorate Xmas tree, Illumidex UK ltd – £1,920
- removal of 460m festoon and supply and install new cabling, Illumidex UK ltd – £1,842
Total – £5,709.67
It was resolved to make the payments as listed above.
94.0 Date of Next Meeting:
The next Ordinary Meeting of Formby Parish Council will be held on Tuesday 1 February 2022, 7pm, at Formby Library, Duke Street, Formby.
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