Minutes of Shevington Parish Council Meeting
Held Thursday 29 March 2012
7.30 pm Shevington Library
Present: Councillor J Ball (Chair), Cllrs Miles, Whiteley, McKnight, Horridge, Bridge,
Chadwick and Shaw and Clerk (Pilkington).
Dist Cllr Liptrot and 9 members of the public.
239 Apologies for Absence
Cllr Bland.
Dist Cllr Crosby.
240 Declaration of Interests
Cllr Horridge w.r.t. Item 253 (personal & prejudicial).
Standing Orders were suspended.
241 Matters Introduced by Members of the Public
The following matters were raised or reported by members of the public:
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An error in the January 2012 Accounts on the website required correction.
A request that Minutes of Council meetings be published within seven
working days of the meeting.
There had been a great deal of litter on both the Recreation Ground and in
Memorial Park this week and only two members of the litter picking group had
come along on Monday to deal with it. More volunteers were needed.
People had again walked all over Shevington car park border, which had
recently been tidied up by the caretaker.
242 District Councillors’ Reports
District Councillor Liptrot reported:
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The dates on which the ‘Beat It’ Team would be in the area.
That the ‘Beat It’ Team would try to liaise with the volunteer litter pickers, so
that both teams would not be picking litter in the same area on the same day.
That litter picking would be carried out on the Z-bends in Wigan Road on a
Sunday morning.
That Wigan’s Highways Department were carrying out feasibility studies with
regard to the provision of a) advance signage warning HGVs of the Z-bends
in Wigan Road and b) mini roundabouts at the junction of Church Lane with
Old Lane and at other junctions in the area. The Department were also
looking into the possibility of designing signage that was simpler and more
user-friendly.
Standing Orders were reinstated.
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Shevington Parish Council Meeting – 29 March 2012
243
Minutes of the Last Meeting of the Council (23 February 2012)
The previously circulated Minutes were considered.
Resolved: The Minutes of the last Ordinary Meeting of the Parish Council held on
23 February 2012 were approved as a true and correct record.
A councillor requested a recorded vote.
FOR: Cllrs Ball, McKnight, Miles, Whiteley
244
AGAINST: Cllrs Bridge, Shaw
ABSTAIN: Cllrs Horridge, Chadwick
Minutes of the Extra-Ordinary Meeting of the Council (7 March
2012)
The previously circulated Minutes were considered.
Resolved: The Minutes of the Extra-Ordinary Meeting of the Parish Council held on
7 March 2012 were approved as a true and correct record.
245
Jubilee Initiatives
Memorial Stone
The Council received a presentation by Mrs Hiliary Douglas-Brown and discussed
the options laid before them.
RESOLVED: The Council approved the options listed below for the memorial stone a. Finish = natural as cut;
b. Inscription = ‘Diamond Jubilee, 1952 – 2012’ and Logo A;
c. Size = 750 mm x 600 mm;
d. Contractor = Option 2 @ £897.50
e. Location = on the left hand side grass verge (as seen from the Church Lane
entrance) in the Memorial Garden with a diamond-shaped surrounding flower
bed and pebbles. The cost of peripheral planting would be approximately
£350, including labour and materials.
Jubilee Shop-Front Competition
The Council discussed the options proposed for the 1st Prize in the Jubilee ShopFront Competition.
RESOLVED: The Council agreed that a glass paperweight in the shape of a
diamond and costing £18, including the inscription, should be awarded to the winner
of the 1st Prize in the competition.
246
A 5 Year Rolling Programme of Refurbishment for the Memorial
Play Park
The Clerk reported that the Council had received the following quotes from WLCT:
 DDA bucket swing (provision and fitting) = £5,500
 Super nova roundabout (provision and fitting) = £5,500
 Removal of picnic bench and see-saw = no charge.
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Shevington Parish Council Meeting – 29 March 2012
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Re-location of slide to make room for new equipment = £200
The project was discussed.
RESOLVED: The Forward Planning Working Party would need to meet to discuss
the matter further and provide additional information.
247
Bin Matters
New Bins for West Ward
The Council discussed proposals for bins and their locations in West Ward.
RESOLVED: Three Broxap Derby Hybrid bins, logos and sets of bolts should be
ordered and their fitting should be arranged in the following locations:
 the junction of the footpath to Forest Fold Farm with Miles Lane, Shevington;
 the junction of the footpath with Broomholme;
 across the road from the junction of The Nook with Miles Lane, Appley
Bridge.
The Litter Bin Emptying contract should be extended accordingly.
Re-Positioning of the Bin at the Entrance to the Recreation Ground
RESOLVED: The bin at the rear of Shevington Methodist Car Park would be moved
to the other side of the footpath on the Recreation Ground.
Re-Positioning of the Bin in the Memorial Garden
This item was withdrawn.
Dog Litter Bin Stickers
Further research was needed with regard to this item.
248
Chairman’s Report
There was no report from the Chairman.
249
Reports from Councillors
Letter to Highway’s Department
In response to a question from a member about whether the Council had received a
reply from the Highway’s Department at Wigan to their letter asking that warning
signage to HGV’s about the z-bends in Wigan Road be erected, the Clerk advised
that none had been received to date and that she had recently written again.
Lamp Post 23 in Shevington Lane
In reply to a question from a member about progress in relation to the transfer of
lamp post 23 from one side of Shevington Lane to the other, the Clerk advised that
Wigan Council’s Access Committee had been willing to fund the project on the
proviso that it could be invoiced before the end of the financial year. As the Street
Lighting Department could not deliver in such a short space of time, the matter had
been deferred for further discussion at the Committee’s April meeting.
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Shevington Parish Council Meeting – 29 March 2012
Orica Development
A member reported that nesting kingfishers had been spotted on the South site at
Orica and were being observed. The member requested that the Council write to
Wigan Council to ask whether the developments at the end of Vicarage Lane were
being properly policed and whether a check for birds’ nests had been carried out.
The same member also reported that he had heard that Orica had asked owners of
properties in Edgewood to return any land belonging to Orica that they had enclosed.
Issues at Back Lane, Appley Bridge
A member had received complaints from residents that HGV’s using Back Lane
regularly cut the corners as they turned into Miles Lane.
Another member reported that he had received complaints that children on BMX
bikes were using Back Lane because they had nowhere else to go and was advised
to contact the District Councillors about this.
Dog Fouling
In response to an observation by a member that dog fouling issues continued to
prevail everywhere, the Clerk advised that the dog wardens were currently running a
campaign in the area.
Plant Border at Shevington Car Park
A member observed that the future of the border at Shevington Car Park needed to
be discussed. Attempts to date to develop it had not been very successful. The
member suggested that perhaps, instead of being planted up, it should be tiled over
with tiles that had been designed by local school children.
The Clerk read out an email from a member who was absent and wished to raise the
following matters:
Resident Bomb Expert
The member had been informed that there was a bomb expert present on the Orica
site at all times. The expert’s job was to assess whether any suspicious items found
were live and to make a decision on whether or not to call the bomb disposal team.
The member considered this a matter of great concern and wondered what, if any,
action the Parish Council should take on behalf of its residents.
The Council took the view that the presence of a bomb expert constituted a very
re-assuring state of affairs and that no action was necessary.
Hanging Baskets for Terraced Housing in Shevington Moor
The member had concerns about the Council’s providing hanging baskets for
privately-owned terraced housing in Shevingon Moor Road on the grounds that this
could lead to requests from other residents to be treated in the same way.
Financial Aid Application from the CVRA
The CVRA had applied for grant funding for the provision of a Diamond Jubilee
Memorial Stone for Crooke Village. The member took the view that more information
should have been provided about the project and opposed the award of a grant on
the grounds that a Memorial Stone was already being installed at the Parish
Council’s expense in Memorial Park, which was the flagship of the Parish.
The Chair advised that the member’s views in relation to the latter two items would
be taken into account later during the meeting when they were discussed.
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Shevington Parish Council Meeting – 29 March 2012
250
Reports from Representatives
Shevington & District Community Association
The Community Association had prepared a three-year development plan and it had
been suggested that the Parish Council and the Association members should get
together to agree the best way forward.
The planted area at the boundary of the Recreation Ground was to be tidied up on 22
April. Anyone willing to help with the work was invited to come along between 9 am
and 3 pm. Donations of plants would also be welcome.
More volunteers were invited to come forward to help with the weekly litter pick.
Crooke Village Residents’ Association
The Council were thanked for holding the Annual Parish Meeting at Crooke this year
and those councillors who attended were thanked for coming. At present the village
residents were busy preparing for this year’s North West in Bloom competition.
Shevington Youth Club
The Youth Club was functioning very smoothly at present. The old youth workers
were no longer there and new ones needed to be trained. New user groups were
providing additional funding, thereby ensuring future sustainability of the building.
Shevington Recreation Ground Trustees
The Trustees had met on Tuesday and had discussed the tenders for the
maintenance of the field. One had been accepted in principle. Dist Cllr Collins had
attended the meeting to provide advice about future sources of funding.
Standards Committee
Cllr Chadwick had attended Tuesday’s meeting of the Committee and reported on
the statistical status quo of complaints.
Shevington in Bloom
Shop-keepers had been approached about the possibility of displaying hanging
baskets on the walls outside their shops and a number had agreed to take up the
opportunity.
The group would be running a stall at St Anne’s Craft Fayre on 30 March to raise
funds for the project and would also be attending the official launch of Wigan in
Bloom’s entry into Britain in Bloom on 14 April.
251
DRAFT Minutes of the General Purposes & Finance Committee
Meetings (1 March)
The Minutes of the General Purposes and Finance Committee meetings on 1 March
were received.
252
Bowling Green
This item was withdrawn until further notice.
253
Shevington Fete and Show Matters
Parish Council Stall
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Shevington Parish Council Meeting – 29 March 2012
RESOLVED: The Council would have an information stall at the fete on 4 August.
Usage of Storage Container in the Allotment Car Park
Shevington Fete and Garden Club Committees had written to the Council to seek
permission to use the container in the allotment car park for the purpose of storing
their equipment.
RESOLVED:
The Council agreed that Shevington Fete and Garden Club
Committees could store equipment in the container in the allotment car park.
254
Shevington in Bloom Matters
PC Logos
RESOLVED: The Council approved the provision of two plaques carrying Parish
Council logos at a cost of £16 per plaque, one to be attached with a product such as
‘No Nails’ to each of the square planters in front of the Co-op by the Parish
Caretaker.
A councillor requested a recorded vote.
FOR: Cllrs Ball, Miles, Whiteley, Chadwick, Horridge
ABSTAIN: Cllrs Shaw, McKnight
AGAINST: Cllr Bridge
Hanging Baskets for Terraced Housing in Shevington Moor Road
The suggestion that the Parish Council provide hanging baskets, at a cost of £15 per
basket, for each of the privately-owned terraced houses in Shevington Moor Road
was discussed.
RESOLVED: The Council agreed that this should not go ahead.
255
Clerk’s Report
The Clerk’s report was received. See Appendix A.
256
Financial Aid Applications
Crooke Village Residents’ Association
The Clerk advised that sufficient funds remained in the current financial year’s
Financial Aid cost centre to cover the amount applied for.
RESOLVED: That the CVRA be awarded a s137 grant of £360 towards the cost of
purchasing and fitting a Diamond Jubilee Memorial Stone on Crooke Green.
A councillor requested a recorded vote.
FOR: Cllrs Ball, Miles, Whiteley, Chadwick, Horridge, McKnight
AGAINST: Cllrs Shaw, Bridge
257
Audit Information
Audit information sent by BDO, the external auditors, was received.
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Shevington Parish Council Meeting – 29 March 2012
258
Virements
None.
259
Accounts
See Appendix B.
Resolved: That the Accounts be approved and the cheques signed in payment, due
notice being given to the bank statements exhibited.
260
Planning Applications
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A/12/76680: Equestrian menage with associated boundary fencing –
stables to rear of 5 Lyndon Avenue, Shevington.
A decision on this item was referred to the Policy Committee meeting on
5 April, pending the receipt of further information.
261
New Premises Licence: Romeo’s Pizza
Correspondence had been received from the Licensing Department at Wigan Council
advising that only some of the Council’s representations had been considered legally
valid with regard to this case and that a hearing had been arranged for 10 am on
Tuesday, 3 April.
RESOLVED: Cllr Whiteley would represent the Parish Council at the Licensing
Committee Hearing at Wigan Town Hall.
262
Dates of Meetings
Policy: 5 April; Council: 26 April.
CONFIDENTIAL ITEMS
Resolved: That, in view of the confidential nature of the business about to be
transacted, it is advisable in the public interest that the press and public be excluded
and they are instructed to withdraw.
Cllr Bridge and members of the public left the meeting.
263
Orica Land Sale
No further information had been received from the agents.
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Shevington Parish Council Meeting – 29 March 2012
264
Planter Maintenance Contract
RESOLVED: The Planter maintenance contract for 2012/13 was awarded to Moss
Bank Nurseries. Additionally, Moss Bank Nurseries would also paint the remaining
unpainted concrete planters outside Crooke Village black. Paint would be provided
by the Parish Council.
265
Bowling Green Peripheral Area and Raised Bed Allotment Maintenance
Contract Specification
RESOLVED: The Bowling Green Garden and Raised Bed Allotment Maintenance contract
specification was approved.
There being no further business, the Chairman closed the Meeting at 10:40 pm.
Chairman
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Shevington Parish Council Meeting – 29 March 2012