Present:                                                       Councillors; G. Wilson, Chairman,

1375. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies were received from County Cllr. V. Wilson.

Councillors disclosed personal or prejudicial interest in matters to be discussed at this meeting.

Cllr. D. Sharples declared a personal interest as a member of Wyre Borough Council’s planning committee.

The meeting was adjourned to allow the public to speak.

A resident was concerned about the light on the Playing Field that is not working, new arms are being sourced, taking a side out of the Youth Shelter and providing a litter bin, this will be discussed by the Parish Council at the next meeting. He also raised the amount of dog fouling seen in the Village. Although Wyre Borough Council is taking a stronger line they rely on the public to give evidence to bring about a prosecution.

The Chairman reported on the PACT meeting held prior to this meeting. P C Simon Jones introduced the new PCSO Geoff Mole, who will be based in Catterall. There have been no reported crimes in the past month and only two anti-social incidents including a malicious text. P C Jones reported on the work he does in schools teaching children about behaviour in the community. All the primary schools in the area have been visited and he is part of the curriculum and visits Garstang High School each week.

Councillors reported speeding cars on Garstang Road at the weekends. This had been reported and passed to the traffic section to deal with. At the recent Green Spaces Committee meeting it was raised if a total ban on alcohol on the Playing Field, except by Parish Council permission, would be enforceable or helpful to the Police? It is a long process, but would cut down on the glass smashed into the grass. This will be sought through the legal department at Wyre Borough Council initially.

The meeting was resumed

The last date for an election has passed without request. Therefore the election rules require Parish Council members to co-opt a person to fill the vacancy as soon as possible.

Now that the Clerk is qualified the Parish Council should be looking to become quality registered. Resolved: The criteria required for QPCS will be reviewed by the Finance Committee.

Councillors considered the state of the roads in Catterall resulting from apparent lack of control of utility companies who make cuttings into the roads when installing pipe work. Many years ago the contractors returned to re-instate the cuttings within eighteen months; this practice seems not to be pursued now. It was noted that the costs for these re-instatements is borne by the contractor and not Lancashire County Council.

Cllr. D. Harvey was concerned at the routine damage to the Memorial Garden. He suggested a budget to cover planting should be set. The Councillors again discussed the installation of railings.

Replies have been received from United Utilities, Wyre Borough Council and The MP concerning the stench of sewage cake being stock piled in Catterall Lane. United Utilities state that further supplies will be delivered, but these will be nearer to the time of spreading to minimise potential odour. Wyre Borough Council state that due to the wet weather the pile could not form a crust and the odour was not contained until it was capped. Ben Wallace MP is looking into the effectiveness of the code of conduct set out be DEFRA in regulating smells and has written to Lord Rooker, the farming minister for response.

Lancashire County Council is holding a seminar on Saturday 12^th April at County Hall from 10.00 to 3.00pm to discuss the Parish Charter. Cllr. D. Sharples added that he and Cllr. Fowler from Great Eccleston are discussing the Charter on behalf of Wyre Strategic Partnership.

At the Partnership meeting it was resolved that each Parish Council should form a policy by which they would view wind turbines. The Clerk offered a policy which was discussed.

Lancashire County Council is looking to produce a ‘Local List’ to validate planning applications submitted to Lancashire County Council. These proposals can be viewed at www.lancashire.gov.uk

The following planning applications have been granted:

Proposal: Vehicular access onto Garstang Road

Location: Highfield, Stones Lane, Catterall

Proposal: Erection of 4.5m Pole mounted CCTV camera

Location: Pickerings Park Country House, Garstang Road, Catterall

The following planning application has been refused:

Proposal: Erection of an agricultural storage building

Location: Rylstone House, Catterall Lane, Catterall

Proposal: Replacement garage/hobby room

Location: 148, Garstang Road, Catterall

Proposal: Installation of 60m anemometry mast

Location: Dewlay the Traditional Cheesemakers, Garstang By-Pass Road, Kirkland

Proposal: Front and rear dormers

Location: 36, Baylton Drive, Catterall

Proposal: Conversion of 4 barns into 6 dwellings (amendments to previous application 02/03/00769)

Location: Roe Farm, Catterall Lane, Catterall

Wyre Borough Cllr. D. Sharples reported that the Council Tax has been set for this coming year and band D will pay £1,475.26 in Catterall. An independent member from Garstang has been elected to sit on the Standards Committee and the two Parish Council representatives are Cllr. A. Humphries and Cllr. J. Jackson. He reported that car park charges were to be increased from £1 for two hours to £1.10 and an increase of £1 for resident passes.

Report of the representative on Kirkland and Catterall St. Helen's Primary School

The new Chairman of the School Governors is Peter Hall and the planning permission for the canopy was granted in record time.

*A Stagecoach bus damaged the grass verge to the service road on Garstang Road, Catterall and the Clerk tendered for the remedial work and won the contract.

The report successfully signs off the accounts for the third quarter. The Clerk’s salary will be increased by one point in line with the contract of employment, the CCTV funding bid is being chased in Wyre Borough Council and delivery of the Parish Newsletter will be paid for to ensure distribution.

It was reported that work has started on the second residential development on the Brierley’s site. Planning conditions stated access would be via Nightingale Way and no use was to be made of the bridleway. Further investigations are to be made.