| RTNM.389 | It was reported that Councillors J Colombine and B Theckston had nominated Councillor D Gunther as Chair of the Ramsbottom, Tottington and North Manor Township Forum and this was seconded by Councillor K Hussain.
There were no nominations for the position of Vice Chair
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| RTNM.390 | The Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor John Smith and the Executive Director of Resources, Mike Owen, gave a presentation at the meeting.
Councillor Smith explained that between April 2011 and March 2015 the Council had to find savings of £32 million. £14.4 million savings in 2011/2012 alone and then £7.9 million in 2012/2013, £4.1 million in 2013/2014 and £5.7 million in 2014/2015.
The Council receives money from Council tax (53%), National non domestic rates (41%) and Government Grants (6%). However, the Government have proposed a Council Tax freeze for 2012/2013 and Bury’s Government grant is being cut by £21 million between 2010 and 2015 which is a larger grant cut than other Councils.
During August and September the Council undertook one of the largest consultation exercises in the Borough to ask residents and visitors to prioritise the range of services that the Council deliver. Over three and a half thousand people took part in the Choices Consultation and identified four of the ten choices that mattered most:
- Supporting vulnerable people
- A strong local economy
- A decent place to live
- Maintaining opportunities for high quality education and training
The Council plan to make savings in the following areas over the next three years:
- Internal Efficiency savings of £10.4 million
- New Proposals in priority areas of £4.1 million
- Savings from existing work which had already been agreed in earlier decisions of £3.2 million
The next step will be the Budget Proposal Consultation, where the Council will consult with residents and stakeholders on the programme of savings, that reflect the priorities identified in the Council Choices Consultation. This will be followed by feedback and analysis which will be fed into the budget setting process for 2012/2013 and 2014/ 2015 and then the Council will discuss and debate the budget and finalise the savings that must be made.
Councillor Smith explained that residents can be involved by viewing the proposals online and submitting feedback and attending public meetings or writing/emailing the Council by 13 January 2012.
Several issues were raised at the meeting including:
• Councillor Wright asked whether there were any plans to close Tottington Library as a saving option.
Councillor Smith explained that a review of the Library Service would be carried out during 2012 and decisions on the service provision would be made at that point. It was explained that if there were changes to services recommended, these would not be undertaken until the review had been completed.
• Councillor Gartside referred to budget areas around vulnerable people and promoting independent travel for people with special educational needs and asked that these areas be left alone when looking at cuts.
Councillor Smith explained that the SEN independent travel scheme will be voluntary and that people can continue with current arrangements for travel if they wish to. The savings mentioned in relation to SEN and promoting independent travel are achievable based on the number of people interested in the scheme.
• Councillor Gartside also asked whether the freeze on council tax would be ruled out.
Councillor Smith explained that the decision on council tax had not been made yet as the Council were still consulting on this issue and asking residents of the borough for their input.
• Councillor Gartside referred to the £90,000 saving that had been identified from the Economic Development budget and asked whether this would impact on the support for groups such as Ramsbottom Business Group.
• Councillor Bevan referred to the reduction in the Highways budget and the review of car parking across the borough and asked whether this would lead to charges for parking being introduced in Ramsbottom.
Councillor Smith explained that there had been no decisions made yet with regard to the proposals. There was still consultation to be carried out but there were no proposals to charge for parking in Ramsbottom.
• Councillor Gartside referred to the fact that there were no figures being announced relating to possible redundancies as asked whether this was fair to employees.
Councillor Smith explained that it would be unfair to announce a specific figure and then for this to reduce in number, as had happened the previous year. This would only add to staff anxiety.
• Councillor Gunther referred to the Plan for Change document and
stated that she found it to be vague about where the savings were. She also stated that there were some savings within the document for EDS that had been earmarked when she was the Executive Member for that area. These savings should have already happened.
• A member of the public asked what was being done in relation to the state of the highways, specifically work that was carried out by utility companies not repaired to a satisfactory standard.
It was explained that the authority was now working in partnership with the other Greater Manchester authorities and the utility companies to ensure that all works carried out were done to a specific agreed standard and timescale. The full year effect of savings previously agreed were included within the figures quoted in the Plan for Change.
• A member of the public asked whether the state of the highways was also a safety issue. Would it be better to resurface larger areas of the highways rather than patching small areas?
Mike Owen explained that the way that highways are maintained would be reviewed along with other services.
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| RTNM.391 | Helen Sigsworth NHS Patient Experience Manager - NHS Bury gave a presentation explaining the Healthy Futures Consultation 2011.
It was explained that during the original Healthy Futures consultation in 2006 recommendations were agreed in relation to heart disease and stroke services. Since the original consultation clinical treatments, diagnostic techniques and rehabilitation practice had advanced dramatically. Healthcare for heart disease and stroke has changed and what was regarded as good solutions in 2006 is now seen as being out of date.
Views were being sought on the proposals which included improving prevention services, maintaining cardiology outpatient clinics at all four hospital sites within the Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and options for where patients could go for less complicated procedures. It was explained that both local and national medical experts had advised that Silver Heart Unit services could no longer be provided at Rochdale Infirmary and it was the view of Healthy Futures that the unit should be transferred to Fairfield General Hospital where essential support services such as intensive care were available.
Helen explained that there were a number of ways to feed into the consultation including a questionnaire - paper and electronic via the website, a 24 hour telephone message line and an e-mail address where feedback could be given.
The questions contained within the consultation document relating to the cardiology proposals were referring to levels of support for the transferring of services to Fairfield, the proposal to maintain outpatient cardiology at all four sites and the development of less complicated procedures at all four sites.
The questions contained within the consultation document relating to the stroke rehabilitation proposals were asking about stroke rehabilitation services for Rochdale patients and improving transport and access to hospital services.
The consultation was due to run from 17 October 2011 to 14 January 2012.
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| RTNM.392 | David Wiggins, Principal Planning Officer gave a presentation setting out the Draft Publication - Core Strategy.
It was explained that the Core Strategy comprised two main elements:-
1) Spatial Development Strategy - which sets out:
• how much development the Borough needs to accommodate to 2028;
• where this development will be focused; and
• areas of the Borough where built development will be restrained.
2) Development Management Policies - which will:
• primarily be used as the basis for determining future planning applications.
David explained that the Strategy was borough wide but there were specific areas to be considered when looking at different parts of the borough. When considering Ramsbottom, Tottington and North Manor, the following points would be considered:-
EMPLOYMENT:
• Limited provision of employment opportunities in this part of the Borough;
• High levels of car-borne out-commuting.
• The Strategy seeks to retain existing employment provision, particularly to the north and east of Ramsbottom town centre.
• Increase employment land provision in the north of the Borough to accommodate around 13% of the Borough’s overall supply which will require an additional 7 hectares of land.
• Opportunities to achieve this within the existing urban area are limited and the Strategy acknowledges that the identification of a site or sites may involve land currently designated as Green Belt.
HOUSING:
• Accommodate around 10% of the Borough’s housing target primarily through smaller infill development on previously-developed sites.
RETAIL:
• Consolidate the retail roles of Ramsbottom town centre, Tottington district centre and other local and neighbourhood centres.
• The Strategy shows that there is limited capacity for additional retail development in this area.
TOURISM AND CULTURE:
• Safeguard and build on tourism assets such as the East Lancashire Railway and the West Pennine Moors.
The Consultation on the draft Publication Core Strategy version will run from 18 November 2011 to 13 January 2012. Copies of the Core Strategy and supporting documents will be available at the Town Hall, Planning Office at Knowsley Place and in all public libraries.
All documents would also be available also available via the Council’s web site.
It was anticipated that there would be Stakeholder Event in early 2012 as
well as meetings with community groups and resident’s associations.
The next steps following the consultation period were explained:-
- Make amendments if necessary, produce final Publication version and invite comments in relation to soundness and legal compliance - scheduled for May 2012.
- Submission to Secretary of State scheduled for July 2012.
- Examination expected to be October 2012
- Adoption in March 2013.
Members of the Township Forum and the public present at the meeting were given the opportunity to ask questions and the following points were raised:-
• Why was the greenbelt land at Gin Hall included within the plan?
It was explained that this site had been put forward by the land owner and would be considered along with any other site that was proposed.
• Why was it important to identify employment land in the north of the borough?
David explained that 7 hectares of employment land were yet to be identified.
• Could existing derelict employment sites be utilised?
Each site would be reviewed for suitability and viability and existing sites would be retained where possible.
• Councillor Bevan referred to the Tetrosyl factory site at Bevis Green in Walmersley and the application to build houses on this site. Councillor Bevan stated that the access to this site should be considered when looking at planning applications as the access was very restricted for plant vehicles etc.
• A member of the public stated that there were already more than enough retail sites in the borough.
David explained that the strategy would identify the land not develop it. It would be up to developers to build on the sites.
• Councillor Wright asked that all comments submitted were considered.
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| RTNM.393 | Les Watts, Principal Engineer presented a report setting out the responses received in relation to an informal public consultation exercise regarding proposals to introduce a 20 mph speed limit on Watling Street.
It was explained that an experimental 20 mph speed limit order had been introduced on Watling Street in Affetside on 7 January 2010 following a request to the Economy Environment and Transport Scrutiny Committee from the Bury Rural Inequalities Forum.
Set out within the report were proposals for the introduction of a southerly and northerly entry point to a 20mph limit of 435 metres through the village.
Consultation packages had been delivered to 57 frontage properties along Watling Street which set out the planned scheme and asked for responses. Of the 57 packages, 28 were completed and returned giving a 49% response rate.
The number of responses received was reported:-
1. Supportive of introducing a permanent 20 mph speed limit - 25 (89%);
2. Supportive of amending the length of the 20 mph speed limit - 17 (61%) and;
3. Supportive of the installation of entry features - 22 (79%).
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| RTNM.394 | • Mr Booth explained that he had attended the LAP’s and the Area Boards prior to the establishment of the Township Forums, at these meetings the Police and other partners had attended. Mr Booth asked whether a representative from the Police would attend future meetings of the Forum.
Dave Thomas explained that the Police and other partners were invited to attend but may not always be available.
• Mrs Jean Lucas explained that there had been signs erected near to Christ Church Primary School in Walshaw stating that yellow lines would be painted on Church Street next to the School. The signs had been there since July and no work had commenced.
Councillor Wright stated that she would find out what was causing the delay.
• A member of the public asked which officer she could contact any local with issues.
It was explained that Dave Thomas was the Township Forum Co-ordinator and could be contacted with issues concerning Ramsbottom, Tottington or North Manor.
• Mr Charles Lucas referred to the issue of cars parking on footways and asked which enforcing agency would deal with that sort of issue.
Les Watts explained blocking driveways was an offence and could be reported to the Police bit it was difficult to stop people from parking on pavements.
• Mr Fitton from Walmersley reported that work had resumed at the Spurr Petroleum building site at the top of Walmersley.
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| RTNM.395 | Dave Thomas, Township Co-ordinator explained that he was in the process of arranging meetings with the Advisory Group Members to discuss the strategic plans of the Forum and how the Advisory Group Members can input into those plans.
Dave also reported that the next meeting of the Forum would include round table discussions that would assist with formulating the area plans with an outcome of 4 or 5 key priorities with achievable outcomes
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| RTNM.396 | It was reported that the next meeting of the Township Forum would take place on Thursday 19 January 2012 at 7 pm at Christ Church Walmersley.
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