Meeting documents

Ramsbottom, Tottington and North Manor Township Forum
Wednesday, 30th May, 2012 7.00 pm

Date:
Wednesday, 30th May, 2012
Time:
7.00pm
Place:
Tottington Methodist Church, Market Street, Tottington
 

Attendance Details

Present:
Councillor D Gunther (In the Chair)
Councillors I Bevan, J Columbine, I Gartside and K Hussain.
Co-opted:
Gina Ball - Ramsbottom Traders’ Association
Dr Falmai Binns - BRIF/Hawkshaw Residents' Association
Judith Kelly - Incredible Edible, Tottington
Alistair Waddell - Greenmount Village Community Group
16 members of the public were in attendance
Apologies for absence:
Councillors S Carter, L Fitzwalter and J Taylor
Inspector Bryn Williams - G M Police
Buttons
Item Description Decision
Open
RTNM.58 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Preamble for item RTNM.58
 
RTNM.59 NOMINATIONS OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR
Preamble for item RTNM.59
It was agreed:

1. That Councillor Dorothy Gunther be appointed Chair of the Ramsbottom, Tottington and North Manor Township Forum for the 2012/2013 Municipal Year.

2. That Gina Ball be appointed Vice Chair of the Ramsbottom, Tottington and North Manor Township Forum for the 2012/2013 Municipal Year.
RTNM.60 Minutes of the Meeting held on Thursday, 8th March, 2012 7.00pm
 It was agreed:

That the Minutes of the last Meeting of the Township Forum held on 8 March 2012 be approved.
RTNM.61 MATTERS ARISING
 • Dr Binns referred to advertising for the Township forums and asked that posters be sent either by post or e-mail to all relevant people so they can advertise the meetings in their local areas.

• Councillor Gunther referred to the issue of the 476 bus no longer running through Greenmount and asked whether the bus company had been in touch regarding this concern.

It was reported that as yet there had been no contact with the service provider and this would be followed up.

• Councillor Gunther referred to the problem of cars parking outside the village shop in Hawkshaw and asked whether this issue had been resolved.

David Thomas explained that parking had been intermittent but the shop keeper had been asked to keep a log of the incidents.

• Dr Bins referred to the wind turbines that had been mentioned at the last meeting. Dr Binns explained that she had been in touch with the Planning Department at the Council to ask if there could be a cross authority integrated policy relating to the erection of wind turbines. It was explained that the Council had reported that they were following national planning policy guidelines around this issue.

Dr Binns then explained that there had been an article in a national newspaper relating to a court case involving the issue of a wind turbine. The judge had thrown out an appeal from a developer who wanted to erect a wind turbine. Dr Binns hoped that this may set a precedent for future applications.

Councillor Columbine explained that at their last meeting, the Planning Committee had received a report relating to a wind turbine application submitted to Bolton Council.

Councillor Gartside stated that he had not been informed that the report was being presented to the Planning Committee and he felt aggrieved by this.

• Judith Kelly referred to the £13,000 cross ward funding that was reported at the last meeting and asked whether this had all been allocated.

Dave stated that the report read as if all of the money had been allocated. He would confirm this with the officer that issued the grants.

• Alistair Waddell explained that the Greenmount Village signs had been ordered had still not been erected by the Council as promised. The village Jubilee Celebrations were scheduled for the bank holiday weekend and there were concerns that the signs would not be erected in time.

Councillor Gunther reported that she had followed up on this issue with the relevant officers and she would continue to monitor the situation.
RTNM.62 TOWNSHIP FORUM UPDATE
Preamble for item RTNM.62
 
RTNM.63 POLICE REPORT
Preamble for item RTNM.63
It was agreed:

That the update be noted and the Inspector Williams and his team be thanked for their hard work.
RTNM.64 TOWNSHIP FORUM AREA PLAN
Preamble for item RTNM.64
It was agreed:

That Dave be thanked for his presentation.
RTNM.65 PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
Preamble for item RTNM.65
 
RTNM.66 DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING
Preamble for item RTNM.66
 
The meeting started at 7.00pm and ended at 8.50pm

Preamble

Preamble
ItemPreamble
RTNM.58There were no declarations of interest made at the meeting.
RTNM.59It was reported that Nominations for the positions of Chair and Vice Chair had been received as follows:-

Chair - Councillor Dorothy Gunther
Vice Chair - Gina Ball
RTNM.62David Thomas, Township Co-ordinator gave an update on the work that had been carried out to date in relation to the Township Forums across the borough.

It was explained that a six month consultation had been carried out and following the collation of the information received the operating framework had been updated. The Township Forum web-pages were in the process of being updated and it was anticipated that they would contain relevant up to date information and good news stories.

Work was being done to promote the Township Forum and it was hoped that attendance at the meetings would rise and a youth representative would be identified and start attending.
RTNM.63David Thomas explained that Inspector Williams had been unable to attend the meeting but he had updated David on the incidents of vehicle damage in Ramsbottom.

It was reported that a local male had been arrested and was denying the charges. He had opted for trial by jury which was scheduled to be held in July 2012.

There had been no other reported incidents of vehicle damage in Ramsbottom since the arrest.

RTNM.64Dave Thomas the Township Co-ordinator gave an update on the area plan for Ramsbottom, Tottington and North Manor and the next steps.

The plan had been formulated and contained a number of key issues. The next stage was explained as themed workshops and working groups involving the Advisory Group Members.
RTNM.65• Dr Binns explained that the 20mph measures at Affetside had still not been completed, the order had been placed in January for the work to be done and so far the only thing to happen was the marking up for the pinch points.

Councillor Gunther reported that she had a number of issues that she would be discussing with the Executive Director of Environment and Development Services and she would add this to the list.

• Bob Walker reported that there was an issue with speeding traffic on Nuttall Lane in Ramsbottom. The issue had been reported to the police but nothing was ever done. Speed bumps had been requested in the area as well as 20mph enforcement.

• Mr Walker also reported that the police had not been aware of the emergency access from Lancaster Avenue through to Ripon Hall Avenue.

• A representative from the TWIGS group attended the meeting to thank the forum for the funding they had receibed.

• A resident of Tottington asked whether it would be possible to install a crossing on Market Street near to the library as this was a very busy road which was difficult to cross at most times.

Councillor Gartside asked that this be considered.

• A resident reported that there were issues with road safety around the Mulberry Bush Nursery in the Centre of Tottington. He had witnessed on a number of occasions parents taking their children out of the car and standing them in the middle of Kirklees Street. This was very dangerous as the street was very busy.

• A resident also suggested that a crossing should be considered on Bridge Street in Ramsbottom.

• Gina Ball representing Ramsbottom Traders explained that there was an ongoing issue with the traders and Bury Councils Markets. The traders had, in the past 20 years held a number of markets in Ramsbottom which were always well attending and brought visitors to the town. The Markets Department was now refusing to allow the traders more than 1 market per year. As there had already been the chocolate festival it would not now be possible to hold another market.
There was also an issue relating to the cost of the stalls. In previous years’ the traders had registered as a charity and been able to pay reduced rates, this was now being stopped and the traders had been informed that they would have to pay commercial rates for stalls.

Gina asked that this issue be looked into as a matter of urgency as people’s livelihoods were being negatively affected.

• A member of the public referred to the demolition of the paper mill on Bridge Street and asked why the chimney was being retained.

It was explained that the site were obliged to keep the chimney.

• A resident referred to the Morrison’s car park in Ramsbottom and the fact that this was the largest car park in the town. It was explained that the staff from Morrison’s used the public car park which was taking up valuable spaces. Why did the staff from Morrison’s not use their own car park?

• Mrs Greenhalgh of Rhine Close asked that her thanks be forwarded onto Environment and Development Services; Rhine Close were holding a street party to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee, the Council’s street cleaners had visited and done a fantastic job in cleaning the street ready for the party.
RTNM.66It was reported that the next meeting of the Ramsbottom, Tottington and North Manor Township Forum would be held on Monday 16 July at Summerseat Methodist Church, Rowlands Road Summerseat from 7pm