Questions are invited from members of the public present at the meeting on issues of concern relating to the provision of local services. Approximately 30 minutes will be set aside for Public Question Time if required.
Minutes:
The Chair, Councillor Holt, 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.
· Melanie Waters stated there have been a number of sightings of rats within Moorside Ward, in particular Chaffinch Drive and the Fern Grove areas. Melanie explained that a number of trees had been chopped down and also that there were issues with refuse and re-cycling and it would be more helpful for the residents if there were hard standing areas to put their bins rather than just grass areas.
Councillor Cassidy asked if this issue had been reported and Councillor Walmsley stated that 3 subways were flooded near Fern Grove on Boxing Day which could have disturbed the rats. Councillor Tariq explained that he had dealt with a similar problem in Redvales Ward and the information he had received from pest control was that they would deal with issues within someone’s property but not on public property or in back streets or on highways.
Councillor Holt stated that if you should find a dead rat you were advised to put on protective gloves to pick it up and then wrap it well and put it in the grey bin.
· Melanie reported that there was a lot of fly tipping in the area of Chesham and Chesham Fold Estate andnearly every cut through is full of rubbish which is particularly hazardous to the elderly and children.
Councillor Cassidy stated that this should be reported to Six Town Housing and Councillor Walmsley said this was a habitual problem, although there was a difference between bulky waste and people just not re-cycling properly, however the local Councillors would look into this issue.
Jimmy Hill reported that the issue of fly tipping and the problem of rats was something he has been fighting for over 5 years. It was reported in the minutes of the last meeting of the cost to the Council of £135,000 for the 3061 incidents of fly tipping. This was a serious problem.
Councillor Smith stated there were certain areas such as Craven Street where there was private land. Although people got a derisory fine, for fly tipping, it cost the Council a fortune to take them to Court.
· Tim Boaden explained that he had been absent from a number of previous meetings of the Township Forum as he felt that he raised issues that had not been addressed, including the bus lane on Bolton Road and the double yellow parking on Walmersley Road. Tim said he had attended the Bury East Locality Workshop in the Peel room of the Town Hall the day before and it was reported that the Township Forums would be changing and he asked what those changes would be made.
Dave Thomas, the Township Co-ordinator, explained that all Services would be delivered at a neighbourhood level but it was hard to say at this time what the changes will be over the next 18 months. In terms of the Forums, there would be participating budgeting in trying to get local communities involved on how money is spent and delivering projects. In relation to the issues not being addressed, it was important for the public to raise issues, although a satisfactory conclusion could not always be reached, all members of the public are encouraged to attend the Forums to raise any problems they may have.
· Kath Bond stated that she had been attending the Forum meetings for a long time but was never satisfied with the answers she was given. Kath asked that Highways would definitely be present at the next meeting of the Forum and the Township Co-ordinator confirmed they had agreed to attend the March meeting.
· Melanie stated that she used to live on the Littlewood Estate some years ago and the Council used to provide a couple of skips in order for people to get rid of large unwanted items. Could money within the Community funding not be used for this again.
Councillor Cassidy stated that it should be Six Town Housing that were contacted in relation to skips, however, they too had budget cuts. Councillor Kelly stated that she had been involved in local community clear ups in the past. Dave Thomas informed the Forum that the Township Funding had strict criteria and constituted groups would need to make an application for funding which would be considered at a Panel.