Agenda and minutes

PC Pete Eccleston Sue Ecksersley and Shelly Flitcroft, Police Community Support Officers provided members of the Township Forum with a verbal update in relation to police issues in Bury West, the update contained the following information:

PC Pete Eccleston reported that there had been an increase in the number of reported burglaries in the Tottington Road area.

PC Pete Eccleston informed the meeting that reported instances of anti social behaviour in Whitehead Park had reduced.

PC Pete Eccleston reported that the police are stepping up uniform and covert patrols in the Bury West area, the police are also targeting known offenders to help reduce crime.

It was agreed:

PC Pete Eccleston, Sue Ecksersley and Shelly Flitcroft be thanked for there attendance.

Apologies were detailed above.

Members of Bury west Township Forum are asked to consider if they have an interest in any matters on the agenda and, if so, to formally declare that interest.

Councillor S. Nuttall declared a personal interest in respect of minute BWTF.547

The Minutes of the last meeting held on 10 September 2013 are attached.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Bury West Township Forum held on
10 September 2013 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair, subject to an amendment to minute number BWTF.332 to change the agenda item title to Purpeck Park and BWTF.333 to change the agenda item to Whitehead Park.

A presentation will be given at the meeting.

The Bury West Township Forum considered a verbal presentation from the Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor John Smith, and the Executive Director of Resources setting out details of revised financial savings requirements for 2014/2015 along with details of how the proposed savings will be met. The presentation provided a breakdown of internal savings that would contribute towards the additional £2.2m savings target for 2014/2015.

With regard to 2015/2016, the Deputy Leader of the Council outlined the scale of the challenge facing the Council that would mean £16m being cut from the budget.  In planning for this, the Deputy Leader explained that the aim would be to minimise the effect on residents and employees but stressed that all options would need to be explored, including:

•  Service Changes – closures and/or a reduced range of services

•  Explore alternative ways of delivering services

•  Increased waiting times and/or reduced quality of service

•  Severe limits to what the Council can afford to do

•  Review how the Council is structured.

Questions and comments were invited from the Township Forum and members of the public present at the meeting and the following issues were raised:

In response to a question from a Member of the public, the Executive Director of Resources reported that Bury’s funding allocation remains disproportionately low compared to other Local Authorities; the Deputy Council Leader encouraged members of the public to get involved in Bury’s fair deal campaign.

In response to a question from a Member of the public, the Executive Director reported that the council has a very good record for collecting Council Tax, the second best in Greater Manchester.

The Executive Director of Resources reported that the Council would procure services jointly with other Local Authorities.   The Deputy Leader reported in order to help generate the local economy, any contract put out to tender for less than £25,000, would require four quotes, one of which would be from a local business.

In response to a question from Councillor Walker, the Deputy Leader reported that four thousand residents responded to the library review consultation and the decision to include a sculpture trial in the central library would increase visitor numbers.

In response to a question from the Member of the Public, the Deputy Leader reported that he was not aware of any plans to change Whitefield’s sensory library service.

The Executive Director of Resources reported that the money transferred from the NHS into the Local Authority would be ringfenced.

It was agreed:

The Deputy Leader and the Executive Director of Resources be thanked for their attendance.

A response would be provided in relation to any proposed changes to the sensory library service at Whitefield library.

A verbal presentation will be given at the meeting.

The Bury West Township Forum considered a verbal presentation from Zoe Edmonds, Senior Practitioner, Children’s Services in relation to the Council recruitment drive to increase the number of foster carers within the Borough.

The Senior Practitioner reported that nationally, there are more children coming into care and this is true in Bury, especially teenagers and siblings.

The Senior Practitioner reported that the Council needs foster carers from all different backgrounds because children come into care from a variety of homes and communities and the council will try to place children in an environment as similar to their home as possible.

The Senior Practitioner reported that foster carers will be supported by a team of dedicated supervising social workers and support workers. The team will make sure that Bury’s foster carers are ready to foster and training is offered to all potential foster carers.

It was agreed:

Zoe Edmonds, Senior Practitioner Children’s Services be thanked for her attendance.

A verbal presentation will be given at the meeting.

It was agreed:

This item would be deferred to a future meeting.

The Community Activator Team will provide some activities and information at the meeting.

Maria Folan from the Community Activator Team was introduced to the meeting.  The sports development team will be working in Bury to promote sports initiatives in the area.  Maria informed the meeting of the Sport England initiative ‘I Will if You Will’, a ?2.4m nationally funded year-long programme aimed at encouraging local women and girls aged 14+ to take up some form of sporting activity classes in Bury, to try and tackle the gender gap in sport.  Some classes were starting to get underway in Bury Leisure sports centres and other community venues. 

Details of events were available on the Council’s website. Maria welcomed ideas from local community groups to get involved in this and other sport activities.  The Team were in the process of working on a borough-wide bursary scheme and further details on applying for funding to support sports activities would be available on the Council’s website in the very near future.

It was agreed:

Maria Folan be thanked for her attendance.

Councillor Walker, Chair of the Bury West Highways sub group will report at the meeting.

Councillor Walker provided members of the Township Forum with an update in relation to issues discussed at the Highways sub group.

With regards to 20 mph speed limits on Watling Street and Hunstanton Drive the Principal Engineer had reported that provisional ideas would be formulated by the end of the year and these arrangements would be discussed with members of the public.

Councillor Walker informed the meeting that an initiative providing part time advisory 20mph signs at schools sited on or close to main roads.  It was reported that of the seven sites chosen in the Borough, one was in Bury West (Chantlers). The signs will be introduced early next year and, if successful, considered for introduction at other sites.  As part of the wider initiative, education projects were being undertaken which included the use of parking banners outside schools.

The ongoing speed limit review of A and B Roads is to be completed within this financial year. Proposed alterations will then be advertised. The Principal Engineer highlighted the fact that TfGM funding would not cover the cost of all alterations and a shortfall would exist.

Members discussed the introduction of new LED street lighting within Bury West and concerns were raised in relation to the new street lighting.

It was agreed:

The report be noted.

Christine Maksymowski, Bury West Township Co-ordinator will provide an update at the meeting.  

Christine Maksymowski, Township Co-ordinator, provided an overview of the Bury West Township Forum Area Plan. The plan outlines how the Council and its partners will continue to make progress towards the vision for Bury West to promote better outcomes for the social, health, economic and environmental wellbeing of people in the community.

The Township Co-ordinator reported that monthly meetings will now take place between Inspector Williams and other partner agencies in relation to anti social behaviour in the Bury West area.

The “Be safe be cool” training had been successfully delivered to all year nine pupils in Bury.

The Township Co-ordinator reported that a street safe initiative had commenced at local primary schools and green, amber and red banners will be placed outside local schools.

Lucy Salisbury, Daisyfield Children’s Centre reported that the centre would be involved in the Sport England “I will if you will,” development programme.  Children’s centre staff will also continue to work with St. Stephens and Chantlers Primary School as part of the school readiness programme.

It was agreed:

The Bury West Area Plan would be a standing agenda item.

Philip Jones, Brandlesholme Residents Association informed the meeting that the association had been awarded a grant of £75,000 from Viridor to build a children’s playground on Purpeck Park.  Representatives from the residents association have also approached Asda for an additional £25,000 grant, to fund other maintenance work at the park.

It was agreed:

A further update would be provided by the Brandlesholme residents Association at the next meeting of the Bury West Township Forum.

A period of 30 minutes has been set aside for members of the public to ask questions or raise issues of concern relating to the provision of local services.

The Chair, Councillor M Hankey, invited questions, comments and representations from members of the public present at the meeting.  Questions were asked and comments made on the issues detailed below.  The Township Forum Co-ordinator undertook to obtain a reply to matters which could not be dealt with at the meeting.

·         A Member of the public raised concerns in relation to the Bus lane on Bury/Bolton Road.  Councillor Southworth reported that she would highlight the safety concerns with the Executive Director of DCN at her next portfolio meeting.

·         In response to a question from a member of the public, Councillor Walker reported that the Lidil planning application had been unsuccessful, the company are however planning to appeal the decision.

Report is attached for information.

The Township Co-ordinator reported that funding was still available in Elton and Church Wards.

It was agreed:

The report be noted.

The next meeting of the Township Forum will be held on 16January 2014 at Elton Youth Centre.

It was agreed:

The next meeting of the Township Forum will be held on 16 January 2014 at Elton Youth Centre.