Minutes – 1st August 2012
Present
Councillor Neil Emmott (Chair)
David McKail
Michael White
Audrey Riches
David Lappin
Brenda Stringer
Phil Traynor
Jean Bunner
Jon Davenport
Councillor June West
Councillor Carol Wardle
Councillor Susan Emmott
Councillor Malcolm Boriss
Councillor Mike Holly
Stephen Pyke
Debbie Choularton
Lauren Mason
RMBC
Friends of Wince Brook
Alkrington Resident
Middleton Civic Association
Alkrington Resident
Morton Street Resident
Friends of Wince Brook
Middleton Resident
Environment Agency
RMBC
RMBC
RMBC
RMBC
RMBC
RMBC Environmental Enforcement
RMBC Township Support Officer
RMBC Township Management Officer
Apologies
Geoff Grime
Christine Grime
Carol Geddes
Bob Magee
Julie Simpson
Mick Ripley
Councillor Donna Martin
Councillor Phil Burke
Councillor Alan Godson
Councillor Peter Williams
Councillor Lil Murphy
Councillor Pat Greenall
Councillor Jonathan Burns
Councillor Peter Joinson
Councillor Linda Robinson
Middleton View Resident
Middleton View Resident
Friends of Alkrington Woods
Friends of Wince Brook
RMBC Environmental Enforcement
RMBC Street Services
RMBC
RMBC
RMBC
RMBC
RMBC
RMBC
RMBC
RMBC
RMBC
1. Minutes of the last meeting
The minutes of the meeting on 13th June 2012 were agreed as a true and correct record.
2. Matters Arising
From the Action Points:
d) 24 steps – Brenda Stringer reported that again the area was in a really bad state, lots of
litter, glass, and overgrown weeds. It was also stated that there was a broken safe at the
bottom of the steps and still pieces of an old bench. Lauren Mason explained that although
this was a route between historical buildings in Middleton it was not in the conservation
area. Also, when a land registry search was carried out, the land at the side of the steps is
owned by the pub next door, not the Council. Lauren has forwarded the issue of the
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physical state of the steps themselves to the Asset Management Group of the Council, to
see if anything can be done about that aspect. Councillor Emmott and Councillor West
agreed to raise this area at a meeting they are planning to have with Dennis Pennill
regarding the funding Middleton Township has matched with corporate funding specifically
for use in Middleton.
l) JP Travel – Lodge Street/Morton Street – the group accepted that no planning
permission had been given, but the Chair, Councillor Emmott requested that a planning
enforcement officer go out to the site to check that it is only being used for the purposes
that it has current permission for, and then report back to the next meeting.
o) Litter bins – the Chair asked that Environmental Management explain why the litter bins
have been removed from several places around the area near all the takeaways on Market
Place, specifically ones in the upper and lower car parks at the 24 steps that were paid for
out of North Ward Township Funds, the one on the corner of Lodge Street/Morton Street
and one on Townley Street. The group felt more litter bins were needed in this area, not
less.
3. Grot Spots
a) The land opposite the Cotton Tree pub on Boarshaw Road by the new housing estate is
very overgrown and full of weeds and litter.
b) The land on Bardsley Brew opposite the Old Grammar School by the post box is
overgrown with weeds, full of litter and the remnants of wiring from when the telephone
interchange box was put in.
c) The footpath from Millfold Road to Sunk Lane is becoming almost impassable with
nettles and brambles.
d) When there is heavy rain it is not possible to get to the bridge at the bottom of Sunk
Lane/Ashton Lane as it keeps flooding and there is no drainage. Even when it is not
flooded, it just becomes deep mud. David Lappin suggested this could be solved by
digging to narrow drainage channels either side of the path for the water to run off.
e) On the Whit Brook estate, behind the Royal Oak pub and Embry Close residents are
throwing cut down trees and shrubbery from their gardens over the fence on to the area
down to the brook.
f) The area at the top of Hardfield Road near the shops on Kirkway is full of weeds.
g) The passage between Meadow Road at the cul-de-sac end and Dingle Road is very
overgrown.
h) There are a lot of weeds by the old post office on the corner of Kingsway and
Manchester New Road.
i) Jubilee Park – Jean Bunner reported that the usual gardener Steve, who has done such
a good job for years, has been moved to other duties and immediately the upkeep of the
park has suffered. The 2 people sent in to cut the grass did so after bad weather and the
ground now looks almost like it has been ploughed. The group discussed and understood
the need for the budget cuts and the consequences in general but in this instance when
the work needs doing anyway, why change what has worked for so many years? If there
do need to be changes, who is supervising the new staff to make sure they understand
what is needed and checking the work is to a good standard? If outside contractors are
used to cut costs, who is responsible for ensuring that work is done well?
It was agreed that Debbie will arrange a meeting with Dennis Pennill and the Friends of
Jubilee Park and also the Friends of Boarshaw Cemetery who also have issues with
recent changes.
The Chair and Vice Chair will also raise these issues with Dennis from a Councillor
perspective at the meeting mentioned above regarding the extra Environmental
Management funding.
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4. Transport Issues
a) David Lappin passed round a leaflet he had received from Greater Manchester
Passenger Travel Executive (GMPTE) regarding the consultation about a possible bus
lane from Middleton to Manchester along Manchester New Road.
5. Litterwatch
No report.
6. Langley Environment Group
No report.
7. Friends of Middleton View
No report as Christine and Geoff Grime are on holiday but Christine had reported by email
that the horses are no longer grazing on the wild flower meadow at Tonge Field.
8. Friends of Jubilee Park
Jubilee Park had been discussed earlier under grot spots but Councillor Emmott explained
about the external works due to take place to make the library accessible for disabled
people and the concerns that had been raised at Middleton Regeneration Group the
previous week. Councillors have asked that Chris Ibbott, who is managing the project,
consult with the Friends of Jubilee Park group before any work goes ahead and Councillor
West agreed to chase this up.
On a slightly happier note, it is now hoped the Middleton Tapestry will find a permanent
home in the library and work is ongoing with Sue Wellings (Team Leader in the library),
framers and the Tapestry Group to progress this.
9. Middleton Civic Association
Audrey Riches reported the group have been fairly busy. One new possible project is to
look at the possibility of having a blue plaque placed at the 24 steps to commemorate their
appearance in the famous Lowry painting. If this were to happen, it is hoped it would help
to improve this area which at present is such a large grot spot in the town.
11. Friends of Wince Brook
David McKail and Phil Traynor explained that as the right of way at Ramsden Farm is not
on the definitive map, they are now working with Councillor Donna Martin to see if it will be
possible to reinstate the footpath as a Public Right of Way. Councillor Wardle said she
would provide the group with contact details of a Mr Clutterbuck of the Footpaths
Association, who would be able to provide advice and possibly funding to help.
Debbie was asked to find out from Planning via a Land Registry search who the small strip
of land between Sunk Lane and Roundthorn Road belonged to, as it is important access to
the Wince Brook area for works to be done to the footpaths etc. As far as anyone at the
meeting knew, the land was part of the old Roundthorn Farm and had never belonged to
Ramsden Farm.
12. Recycling Plant on Grimshaw Lane
Jon Davenport from the Environment Agency (EA) gave the following update after the
Chair explained there could be no further discussion at the meeting as a planning
application has been received and this could prejudicial to a decision being made by
members of the Planning Sub-Committee:
Following the audit and odour monitoring in March and April, the company responded
positively with improvements being made and the doors being kept closed. Odour
complaints reduced considerably following this.
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Activities onsite also slowed down in June and little waste was accepted onsite with
operations concentrating on shredding the waste already onsite. At the end of June, there
was a fire onsite – a slow-burning, peat-bog type fire, which the Fire & Rescue Service
attended. Due to the management systems/procedures the company had in place and our
liaison with the FRS, Wince Brook was thankfully unaffected by the firewater run-off.
The waste onsite was soaked through by the FRS, who punched a couple of holes in the
roof to allow the smoke to escape. As a result there is standing water onsite and we have
had an increase in odour complaints in July and reports of flies.
The site has been almost dormant since the fire and consequently the doors have been
closed. Since the roof was repaired and insecticide applied in the building, the reports of
odour and flies have stopped. Site visits have confirmed that there is odour in the building,
but it is being contained.
Following visits in July, we are awaiting the fire investigators report and a timescale from
the company for the complete de-stocking of the buildings. The timescales will be
assessed and we will serve a notice on the company to ensure they are stuck to.
Whether they will bring any more waste back to the site after this hasn’t been confirmed
yet, but we are hoping they will take the opportunity to assess whether the site suitable for
their needs or whether it is better to move operations to a more suitable location.
With regards to Peel Waste Ltd, further down Grimshaw Lane, this site is one that we are
aware of and we have insisted they apply for an Environmental Permit for their skip
operations (mostly metals with some residual waste). In order to apply for a permit they
have had to get appropriate planning permission. The company and the operations are
completely unconnected to The Waste Exchange Ltd.
With regards to burning at the vehicle dismantling facility on Morton Street (called 5 Star
Salvage), this site has an Environmental Permit, so I will ensure that this is looked into and
the burning stopped. Permits do not allow burning onsite and burning of waste is an
offence. Reports of burning should be called in to the free EA hotline 0800 80 70 60.
The Chair thanked Jon Davenport for the update and also all the work he has done
attending the Forum meetings and dealing with this issue.
13. AOB
a) Brenda Stringer reported that the salvage business on Morton Street was burning
rubber and other rubbish on the 31st July. They were doing this about once a month. The
Chair asked that Planning Enforcement check if this was allowed and Jon Davenport of the
EA said that he would also look to see if the company had the relevant permit.
At this point the Councillors and other members of the group discussed the fact hat they
felt Planning Enforcement Officers were not meeting their obligations.
Councillor Wardle asked that members of the public be vigilant at all times and as soon as
they see anything suspicious, report this to Planning immediately. Once buildings have
been demolished or ancient hedgerows removed, nothing can be done and there are only
so many planning enforcement officers to cover a very large area in the Rochdale
Borough.
b) The machine that is cleaning the gutters in Middleton does not seem to be working
properly as it is not picking up debris, only moving it a couple of feet out on to the
carriageway. Is this because there is a fault with the machine or is it just going to fast to
meet targets? Also the weeds in the gutters on Farmway are so bad they are stopping the
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cleaning altogether. Members of the group asked if anyone checked that this sort of work
was done to a proper standard.
c) David Lappin asked why certain plastics that are pep 1 and 2 cannot be put in the
recycling bin if they are not bottles.
d) David Lappin stated that as there had been very heavy rain just before the meeting
started, the Old Grammar School had probably suffered flooding again. As this was one of
the Golden Cluster buildings in Middleton, could anything be done to prevent this flooding,
perhaps deepening the river slightly? Jon Davenport from EA said he would look into this.
e) Michael White asked for an update on what is happening with the following derelict
buildings/sites:
1) the buildings on the corner of Long Street/Durnford Street
2) Providence Chapel
3) the ex-builders yard on the corner of Springvale/Hanson Street
14. Date of next meeting
The next meeting of the Middleton Environment Forum will be on Wednesday 3rd October
2012 after Middleton Planning Sub-Committee (approximately 6:45pm) at either at Council
Offices, Sadler Street, Middleton, M24 5UJ or if the building move has been completed,
Middleton Library, Long Street.
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