LYMM PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held in the Parish Council Chamber, Village Hall,
Pepper Street, Lymm on Tuesday 13 January 2009 at 7.30 pm
______________________________________________________________________________

Present Councillor Mrs S E Woodyatt (Chairman)
" R Barr
" Mrs C Coupe
" L Gallimore
" Mrs P Gaster
" June Gittins
" J Griffiths
" Mrs P Hunter
" Mrs P Marks
" I G Marks
" D Openshaw
" W N Woodyatt

110. Code of Conduct

Members were reminded of their responsibility to declare any personal interest or prejudicial interest that they may have in any item of business on the agenda no later than when the item is reached.

111. Minutes

RESOLVED : That the minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 15 December 2008 be signed as a correct record.

112. Proceedings of the Committees of the Council

1. Planning and Development Committee on 15 December 2008
2. Plans Sub – Committee on 15 December and 7 January 2008

RESOLVED : That such of the proceedings of these committees as require the confirmation and adoption of the Council be confirmed and adopted.

113. Policing in Lymm

Standing Orders were suspended for PCSO Glover to give an update on the policing in Lymm. PCSO Glover said that there had been problems with a resident on Oldfield Road. The Police had spoken to local residents and the situation was being monitored. The Police had carried out speeding checks on Cherry Lane and Mill Lane. Cllr Marks asked if the Homewatch Scheme was still in operation. PCSO Glover said that it was still active in Lymm where two new schemes had recently started and the Police would publicise the Homewatch Scheme.

114. Area Co-ordination

Ruth Whitworth said that she had recently been appointed as the Area Co-ordinator for South Warrington Neighbourhood Area. Neighbourhood working has been set up to enable local communities to have a say about local needs and priorities. A Neighbourhood Area Board, comprising of representatives from local community groups, will be set up for each area and each Parish Council will have a representative on the board. Police Community Action meetings will be widened to encompass more issues and will be renamed Community Engagement meetings.

RESOLVED : Cllr Griffiths to be nominated as the Lymm Parish Council representative on the South Warrington Neighbourhood Board with Cllr Mrs Gaster to deputise as necessary.

Standing Orders were re-instated


115. Matters Arising

1. LPC 98.3. Parish Council Notice Board. Mr Ackerley has submitted a quote of £100.00 to supply and erect a notice board on the wall of Lymm Village Hall adjacent to Pepper Street. This would be an open notice board for use by members of the public.

RESOLVED : Mr Ackerley be asked to supply and erect a notice board on the exterior of the Village Hall at a cost of £100.00

2. LPC 101. Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund. A letter has been received from the Community Trust Fund Administrator advising that the boundaries for the Area of Benefit have been sanctioned by Cheshire County Council, Manchester City Council and Manchester Airport. Currently there are no plans to change the Area of Benefit. Cllr Marks said that this matter would be pursued by Warrington Borough Council

3. LPC 102. Allotment Rent Rises. The Clerk has forwarded a list of the allotment rents in the Warrington Area to all members of the Parish Council. It can be seen that the rents for allotments in Lymm are much lower than the rents charged by Warrington Borough Council.

RESOLVED : The rent rises for the allotments to be discussed at item 11 on the agenda – Budgets 2009/2010.

4. LPC 105. Lock at Sowbrook Allotments. A meeting will be held between the Allotments Sub-Committee and representatives from Sowbrook Allotments on Tuesday 27 January 2009 at 6.30 p.m. in the Council Chamber to discuss the lock at Sowbrook Allotments.

116. Chairman's Communications

1. The Chairman said that the Lymm Sorting Office would be closing on 19 January 2009. There had been no communication from the Royal Mail about this closure. Cllr Mrs Woodyatt said that any problems with the delivery of mail in Lymm after 19 January 2009 should be reported to the Clerk.

RESOLVED : A letter be sent to Adam Crozier, Allan Leighton and Christine Nolan, with a copy to Helen Southworth, MP, stressing the Parish Council’s concerns about the lack of consultation and information relating to the closure of the Sorting Office

2. The Chairman has been invited to a consultation event by the Fire Service on the Draft Corporate Plan to be held on 22 January 2009. Cllr Mrs Woodyatt said that she was unable to attend this event.

3. The Chairman said that Warrington Borough Council would be holding a public consultation on the budget proposals and there would be a meeting for local businesses to discuss the proposals on 22 January 2009 between 6 p.m and 8 p.m.

RESOLVED : Cllr June Gittins to advise Elastomer Ltd and the Clerk to advise the Lymm Traders about this meeting.

117. Clerk's Communications

1. The Steps Charity will be holding a Fun Day in Lymm Village Hall on Saturday 28 February 2009. They will be putting some balloons around the village and may have a character walking the streets to attract some publicity.

2. Mike Wood, Lymm Rotary Club has contacted the Clerk advising that the Rotary Club would like to hold a Polio Eradication Day in Lymm on 21 February 2009. They would like to have a gazebo on The Cross to raise public awareness and have various collectors to raise money for this cause.

RESOLVED : The Parish Council has no objections to the Rotary Club holding a Polio Eradication Day on The Cross on 21 February 2009

3. Cllr Mrs Marks has contacted the Clerk about the planning application at Caddick’s Nursery as no further information had been sent by Warrington Borough Council. Cllr Barr said that he had asked for a plan and details of enforcement action at Caddick’s Nursery.

4. The North West Air Ambulance has written asking if the Parish Council could give a grant towards the £3.5 million costs per year to keep the service operating

RESOLVED : Under the provisions of Section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972 Lymm Parish Council to make a grant of £100 to the North West Air Ambulance

5. A letter of thanks for grant aid has been received from Hope House Children’s Hospices.

6. The Cheshire Association of Local Councils newsletter 125, Grapevine December 2008 and Warrington South Neighbourhood Policing Unit Newsletter 10 have been distributed to all members of the Parish Council.

7. The Clerk has a draft corporate plan and integrated risk plan consultation document for the Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service and a consultation document ‘Communities in Control’.

118. Budgets 2009/2010

RESOLVED : 1. That the precept for the year 2009/2010 is £135,200.00 and the budget detailed in Appendix A and summarised below be adopted

RECEIPTS Precept £135,200
Other Income £ 14,200
Balance brought forward £ 22,506

Total £171,906


PAYMENTS Administration £ 28,632
Village Hall £ 20,280
Allotments £ 1,690
Community Funding £ 4,500
Lymm CAB £ 8,610
Oughtrington Community Association £ 5,140
May Queen, Dickensian, Festival & Festivities £ 10,325
Community Support Officers £ 32,000
Youth Provision £ 3,000
Other Items £ 57,729




Total £171,906





2. With effect from 6 April 2009 the following allotment garden rents will apply :

Location Rent per year

Elms Farm & Ashcroft Road £18.00
Star Lane £24.00
Sowbrook £30.00
Registration fee £15.00

50% reduction, on rents, for over 65's

Allotment Plot Holders to be advised that these increases have been applied to bring the allotment rents in Lymm closer to the rates applicable in Warrington.

119. Reports From Outside Bodies

1. Cllrs Mrs Woodyatt and Woodyatt had attended the Housebound Club Christmas Party

2. Cllr Griffiths said the Festivities Group had helped at Carols at The Cross on Christmas Eve and would like to erect some permanent stands in the village for the speakers for this event.

3. Cllr Barr said that the new boiler had been fitted at Oughtrington Community Centre and in excess of £7000 had been raised as a result of the public appeal for funding. Cllr Mrs Hunter said that donations were still being received from this appeal.

4. Cllr Marks said that there were thought to be about 3500 people at Carols at The Cross on Christmas Eve. Cllr Marks had helped put up and take down the Christmas decorations in the Village Hall.

5. Cllr Mrs Marks had attended the Christmas Lunch at Oughtrington Community Centre, Carols at The Cross and helped with the Christmas decorations in the Village Hall.

120. Schedule of Accounts for Payment

RESOLVED : That the schedule of accounts for payment in January 2009 in the sum of £5643.33 be passed for payment.

121. Date of Next Parish Council Meeting

Tuesday 10 February 2009 in the Parish Council Chamber, Village Hall, Pepper Street, Lymm at 7.30pm.

122. Public Open Forum

1. Mr Dobson said that Warrington Borough Council had undertaken work at the Sunken Gardens to prevent further flooding in this area. The drains that had been inserted were now blocked following the flow of sewage through the village.

RESOLVED : Warrington Borough Council be asked to clear the drains

2. Mr Dobson said that there was a lot of graffiti on the old pumping station, owned by United Utilities, in The Dingle

RESOLVED : United Utilities be asked to remove the graffiti at the old pumping station or give permission for the Village Handyman to undertake this work.

3. Mr Dobson said that he was surprised no-one had asked the Police Officers about the recent raids in Lymm at Parry’s Garage and the shop on The Crescent.

4. Mr Dyble asked why the lighting was not working on the Canal Bank. Cllr Marks said that this had been caused by vandalism and he would forward a report concerning these lights to Mr Dyble

5. Mr Dyble said that the Golden Fleece Car Park was used by the general public and was in a poor state of repair.

RESOLVED : Cllr Barr to ask the Estates Department at Warrington Borough Council to establish ownership of this car park

123. Part Two Matters

RESOLVED : That the Press and Public be excluded from this part of the proceedings