Agenda and minutes

Members of the public are welcome to attend our meetings to watch them in person at any of the venues across the County. Publicly accessible meetings held in County Hall will be webcast, which means they are available to be watched live or recorded on our website. Please see our webcasting notice here. The Committee may, in certain circumstances, resolve to hold part of the meeting in private. If this is the case, you will be required to leave the meeting.

Venue: Committee Room 1 at the Town Hall, Market Street, Chorley

Contact: Mike Neville  Tel: 01772 533431, Email:  mike.neville@lancashire.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

Also in attendance

 

Mr J Carson, Director for People and Places, Chorley Borough Council.

Ms C Russell, Democratic Services Manager, Chorley Borough Council.

Ms S Palmer, Locality Officer, Lancashire County Council, Environment Directorate.

Mr M Neville, Senior Committee Support Officer, Lancashire County Council, Office of the Chief Executive.

 

1.

Protocol on Public Speaking pdf icon PDF 19 KB

A copy of the agreed Protocol in relation to public speaking at meetings of the Forum is attached for information.

Minutes:

The current Protocol in relation to public speaking at meetings was presented for information.

 

2.

Apologies.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence at the meeting were presented on behalf of County Councillor K Iddon.

 

3.

Note of the Last Meeting. pdf icon PDF 71 KB

Minutes:

Agreed: That the Note of the meeting held on the 18th November 2013 is confirmed as an accurate record and signed by the Chair.

 

4.

Action Sheet update from the last meeting. pdf icon PDF 74 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The following points were raised in relation to the updates presented in the Action Sheet from the last meeting

 

·  With regard to the statistical information on potholes it was reported that the intention was for the new format to be included in the Dashboard at the next meeting. In response to a suggestion that the statistical information would be more meaningful if it could be presented in relation to smaller areas such as Electoral Divisions or Wards the Chair asked that Officers explore the feasibility of such an approach and report back.

 

·  The Chair informed the meeting that the County Council was developing a new approach in relation to the allocation of Government capital funding for highway assets. The Environment Directorate has developed a Transport Asset Management Plan which sets out the basis for allocating future capital investment in relation to highways related assets based on asset condition.

 

·  The commercial decision by a bus operator to stop running the 125 service was discussed as it was noted that the decision had been in response to concerns that the service was being severely delayed by calling at the hospital. Whilst acknowledging that the County Council had little influence over the operator several members of the Forum expressed their concern that rather than cancellation the operator could have explored rescheduling the service to accommodate calling at the hospital.

It was suggested that the Borough Council Champion for Older People write to the County Councils Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation regarding the service and ask him to explore the provision of some form of service to the hospital when existing bus contracts came up for renewal.

 

·  The update regarding the work undertaken by officers in relation to highway adoptions was noted and it was suggested that a further update be presented to a future meeting.

 

Agreed: That the comments of the Forum set out above be noted and where appropriate further updates provided via the Action Sheet for this meeting.

 

5.

Developing the 3 Tier Forum pdf icon PDF 28 KB

An update on the current position in relation to the review of 3 Tier Forums will be presented at the meeting.

Minutes:

It was reported that following the consultation on the future development of the Forum the Borough Council had suggested a new format where the consultative meetings between the three tiers of local government within the Borough to consider strategic issues would continue to be held in public but with an increased membership as set out below

 

·  All seven County Councillors with Electoral Divisions in the Borough.

·  One Borough Councillor from each of the eight Neighbourhood Areas.

·  One additional Borough Councillor to represent Chorley town area 

·  One Parish or Town Councillor from each of the 22 Parish/Town Councils in the Borough

 

It was noted that the proposed new format had been presented to the Borough Councils Cabinet on the 20th March and was due to be considered by the County Councils Cabinet in mid May.

 

Agreed: That the new format of the Forum, as proposed by the Borough Council and set out in the draft Terms of Reference presented at the meeting, is noted.

 

6.

Quarter 3 Environment Directorate Performance Dashboard. pdf icon PDF 112 KB

The Dashboard details the performance of the County Council's Environment Directorate between October and December, 2013, in relation to delivery of the approved Chorley Commissioning Plan for 2013/14.

Minutes:

The delay to footway resurfacing and slurry sealing works on Back Lane, from the A6 to Carleton Avenue (Chorley North) was noted and it was suggested that a developer had established a temporary construction yard without planning permission in the vicinity of Back Lane and that vehicles associated with the site were leaving mud along lengths of carriageway on Back Lane and Fiddlers Lane.

 

Agreed:

 

1.  That the updates set out in the Dashboard for Quarter 3 (October/December 2013) be noted

 

2.  That Officers from the County Councils Environment Directorate contact the developer concerned regarding the operation of the temporary construction yard in the vicinity of Back Lane/Fiddlers Lane and take any necessary action to ensure that the site has the required planning permission and complies with any conditions regarding the cleaning of vehicles leaving the site.

 

7.

2014/15 Environment Capital Programme. pdf icon PDF 110 KB

A list of capital schemes to be delivered in Chorley District in 2014/15 is attached.

Minutes:

The Forum was presented with a list of schemes which had been approved by the County Councils Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation in relation to the Capital Programme for 2014/15.

 

·  With regard to the Local Priorities Fund it was noted that the footway improvement schemes on Pilling Lane, Park Road and on footpaths along the A674 at Wheeton, which the Forum had recommended at the last meeting had been included in the final programme. However, it was also noted that the proposed scheme to top dress pavements in Pear Tree Road, Clayton le Woods which had been considered to be a top priority, had not been included in the list and Ms Palmer undertook to look into the matter and report back via the Action Sheet

 

·  Whilst the inclusion of the scheme on the A674 at Wheelton was welcomed clarification was sought as to the location and extent of the proposed footway improvements which were shown in the list as being on 'sections along the southern side' of the road.

 

·  It was noted that the scheme for surface dressing on Whinney Lane in Euxton was in the Electoral Division of Chorley North and not Chorley Rural West as stated in the list.

 

·  The list of proposed schemes was welcomed though there was some concern about the lifetime of some of the works as it was felt that current methods often involved skimming a new surface over the existing one, rather than more significant maintenance. In response the Chair informed the meeting that the County Council was in the process of considering an alternative approach to such works.

 

Agreed: That the comments of the Forum in relation to the list of schemes approved for the 2014/15 capital programme be noted and where appropriate necessary action taken and further updates provided via the Action Sheet.

 

8.

Neighbourhood working pdf icon PDF 447 KB

Minutes:

The Forum received a copy of a report which had been considered by the Borough Councils Executive Cabinet on the 20th March 2014 in relation to the successful delivery of the neighbourhood priorities for 2013/14 and seeking approval for new priorities for 2014/15. It was noted that the Appendices referred to in the report had not been circulated as part of the agenda and so Mr Neville suggested that the information be included in the Note of the meeting.

 

Agreed: That the report is noted and the information set out in the missing Appendices 1 and 2 regarding neighbourhood priorities and actions be added to this Note as an Annex.

 

9.

Items raised by members of the Forum. pdf icon PDF 2 MB

  a)  Sustainable food - opportunities for the three tiers of government in Chorley to engage with this agenda (County Councillor Holgate).

 

  b)  The allocation of the Disabled Facilities Grant for 2015/16 – an update on the establishment of a County Council Overview and Scrutiny Task Group (County Councillor Holgate).

Minutes:

a)  Sustainable Food

 

The Chair referred to the slides from a presentation which had been given to County Councillors in March regarding the above and suggested that the information should be circulated to Parish and Town Councils. There was some discussion about a number of schemes across the Borough which involved growing vegetables and there was general agreement amongst the members of the Forum that the information would be of benefit to Schools, Allotment Associations and other community groups.

 

Agreed: That the presentation set out at item 9 on the agenda is circulated to Parish and Town Councils for information and dissemination to any schools, community groups or local organisations who may find it of interest.

 

b)  Disabled Facilities Grant 2015/16.

 

It was reported that from 2015/16 the Governments Disabled Facilities Grant would be sent to the County Council rather that District Councils. The Chair reported that in view of the change the County Council was to establish an Overview and Scrutiny Task Group to consider with the Borough Council and other stakeholders the best way of distributing the grant in the future and whether any additional benefits, such as economies of scale, could be identified.

 

Agreed: That the report is noted.

10.

2014/15 programme of meetings.

As this is the last scheduled meeting of the Forum consideration has been given to potential dates for a programme of meetings for 2014/15. Using the existing programme as a starting point potential dates have been discussed with Officers in the Environment Directorate and at the Borough Council and the following dates are suggested for consideration.

 

Wednesday 16th July 2014

Wednesday 17th September 2014

Wednesday 21st January 2015

Wednesday 15th April 2015

 

All meetings to be held at 6.00pm at the Town Hall, Market Street, Chorley.

Minutes:

The proposed programme of meetings for 2014/15 was presented and in response to a query it was confirmed that the four suggested dates would accommodate the future requirements of the Forum in terms of the frequency of meetings, as specified in the draft Terms of Reference presented elsewhere on the agenda.

 

With regard to the venue for future meetings it was noted that the Council Chamber and the larger Lancastrian Suite within the Town Hall had both been provisionally booked so that the most appropriate room could be used once the format of future meetings had been agreed and the potential number of attendees clarified.

 

Agreed: That meetings be held at 6.00pm at the Town Hall, Market Street, Chorley, on the following dates.

 

16th July 2014

17th September 2014

21st January 2015

15th April 2015

 

11.

Themes for future meetings.

Any suggestions for themes to be discussed at future meetings should be forwarded to the Chair and Sarah Palmer, Localities Officer, Environment Directorate, Strategy and Policy on 07766 991872 or by email to sarah.palmer@lancashire.gov.uk

Minutes:

Agreed:

 

1.  That a report on the likely impact of the shortage of school places for both primary and secondary schools in the Borough be presented to the next meeting.

 

2.  That an update report in relation to the adoption of highways across the Borough be presented to the meeting scheduled for the 17th September 2014.

 

3.  That the members of the Forum submit any additional suggestions for future items of business to the Chair and Locality Officer for consideration.

 

12.

Urgent Business.

An item of urgent business may only be considered under this heading where, by reason of special circumstances to be recorded in the minutes, the Chair of the meeting is of the opinion that the item should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business for discussion at the meeting.

 

13.

Date of Next Meeting .

Subject to the agreement of the Forum the next meeting will be held at 6.00pm on the 16th July 2014 at the Town Hall, Market Street, Chorley.

Minutes:

It was noted that in accordance with an earlier decision the next scheduled meeting of the Forum would be held at 6.00pm on the 16th July 2014 in either the Council Chamber or Lancastrian Suite at the Town Hall, Market Street, Chorley.

 

ANNEX pdf icon PDF 121 KB