Parish Council Report from February 2013

There were 2 members of the public present, together with PCSO Dave Martin, District Councillor Oakley and County Councillor Perry. District Councillor Atkinson sent his apologies.

Mr McKenzie came to address the Parish Council about a planning application, 13/00330/FUL, which he has submitted for his property in Bates Lane called Newburn. The proposal is to divide the bungalow back into two bungalows as originally erected. Mr McKenzie explained that the property has been on the market for a considerable time and is not selling because it is too large. If it were to return to 2 bungalows as it was originally it would be more marketable. Both already have separate utilities and have their own entrance on to Bates Lane. The only work needed would be the bricking up of an internal doorway and the insertion of a front door. There would be no impact on the street scene.

Report from County Councillor Perry Councillor Perry said that there has been a delay with the contractor and there is no start

date for the work at Earlswood crossroads. A resident has complained about the plan for the crossroads improvements due to concern

over noise levels and the fact that the splay will make the road nearer to her property. Councillor Perry said that Warwickshire County Council is arranging a meeting to discuss the matters with the resident.

The work which is currently occurring at the crossroads is being carried out by a utilities company. The temporary traffic lights have been causing problems for people accessing their properties and it may be that the lights have to be operated manually.

Simon Prescott from Warwickshire County Council is liaising with Jenny Buckley from the Earlswood and Forshaw Heath Residents Association about the siting of the new community noticeboard.

The County Council are considering putting another No Entry sign on the island in Umberslade Road to try and stop people leaving the shops and going the wrong way.

The 30mph electronic signs are on order for The Common. Lorries that miss the motorway exit are churning up the verge on Forshaw Heath Road.

Residents wanted bollards but the County Council say that lorries will just knock them over. They are going to grass screed the verge.

Malthouse Lane ‘keyhole’ is on the priority list to install the yellow lines to the park gate. County Councillor Perry confirmed that once the yellow lines are in place there will be enforcement officers out to carry out spot checks. They are duty bound to do this. The matter of whether bollards could be placed on the verges was discussed and Councillor Willmott asked Councillor Perry that if the Parish Council were minded to purchase bollards for the keyhole in Malthouse Lane would WCC be prepared to install them due to the electricity cables which run under the verges. Councillor Perry said that he would make enquiries in to this.

County Councillor Perry reported that he has secured the money to go ahead with getting a reduction in the speed limit in Cut Throat Lane.

After 2 lorries which took a wrong turning and ended up blocking the road on The Green the possibility of imposing a weight restriction was considered. However, Councillor Perry said that having made enquiries it is too costly to put a weight restriction in place. Councillor Perry said that the Parish Council could purchase a blue sign for approx. £200 saying ‘Unsuitable For Heavy Goods Vehicles’. PCSO Martin said that the lorries which got stuck were not able to turn around which was the cause of the problem.

The warning sign by Mill Lane is now in place. There has been no increase in Council Tax. An extra £ ½ m has been put in to the Highways budget.

A new scheme has been introduced to promote tourism in market towns 11,000 miles of roads were gritted this winter.

Jenny Buckley informed County Councillor Perry that Malthouse Lane, Small Lane, The Causeway and Springbrook Lane were impassable during the spell of cold weather and residents were unable to get out. She said that the helpline was called on Monday and the gritting lorry did not come until Wednesday. Jenny Buckley suggested that these roads should be gritted routinely as the criteria for having the roads gritted are being on a bus route or being served by a school bus. Springbrook Lane and Malthouse Lane have both a bus service and a school bus. District Councillor Oakley confirmed that the single most common reason for residents to be contacting him during the bad weather was the impassable roads around Malthouse Lane. Jenny Buckley also reported that Dyers Lane needs a warning sign for black ice.

Report from District Councillor OakleyCouncillor Oakley said that he was at a planning meeting for 5 hours until 11.15pm recently. The Limes in Forshaw Heath was discussed at the Planning Committee Meeting (West). The banners/flags were not permitted but the erection of 4 directional signs to car park and 2 illuminated signs at pedestrian access were permitted. Councillor Oakley reported that he is still trying to understand Stratford District Council’s Greenbelt policy.

Councillor O’Brien expressed concern that the NPPF is the dominant planning policy until there is a Core Strategy adopted by the District Council or a Neighbourhood Plan prepared. A Neighbourhood Plan cannot be put in to place until the Core Strategy is in place. The Clerk was asked to send a letter to Chris Saint asking that in the absence of a Core Strategy and Neighbourhood Plan they would like assurances on certain matters – i.e. the 30% rule, the Greenbelt and the Conservation Area. When a response is received, Councillor O’Brien would like this as an agenda item for further discussion.

Councillor O’Brien thanked Councillor Keogh for attending the Planning Committee (West) for 5 hours in connection with the planning application for The Limes in Forshaw Heath Road. Although the directional signs to the car park and the illuminated signs to the pedestrian access were granted, the erection of flagpoles was refused.

The following decisions were noted:

Planning Number Address Decision13/00037/LDPRendering of property

Ivanhoe, Broad Lane, Tanworth In Arden

Certificate of lawful proposed use or development

12/02285/ADVErection of 4 directional signs to car park and 2 illuminated signs at pedestrian access

he Limes Country Lodge, Forshaw Heath Road

Consent Granted with conditions

To consider the following planning applications:

Application Number

Address Proposal

13/00216/FUL Driftwood, Broad Lane Proposed erection of first floor front extension and insertion of roof lantern to existing single storey rear extension.

13/00270/LDE Arnolds Wood House, Cut Throat Lane

Out-building has been erected and used as ancillary accommodation to main house for over 4 years.

13/00330/FUL Newburn, Bates Lane Division of bungalow in to two bungalows (as originally erected

There is still a vacancy for a parish councillor. The Clerk was asked to advertise it on the notice boards and also put in an advert in the parish magazine. The recommendation of the Finance and General Purpose Committee was accepted and the grass cutting contract was awarded to Access Diggers. They would be offered a 3 year contract with no price increase in that 3 years. This contract will be subject to an annual review. Following a request from Gill Glenwright, the Parish Council gave permission for a cross to be erected on the Village Green during the Easter period. Councillor Oakley reminded members that there is the facility to vote on-line for police priorities.Work identified around the Parish as requiring attention was:

The Causeway needs resurfacing Collapsed verges around the parish Bollard on The Common/Broad Lane not illuminated Top of Penn Lane off A435 getting flooded – spillways into ditch have been

destroyed Phone box in Wood End requires attention Dyers Lane – deep pothole at edge of road

The full minutes are available on our website www.tanworth-pc.org.uk or from the Parish Office rear of Earlswood Village Hall, Shutt Lane. The next meeting will be on 18th April at Earlswood Village Hall and then on 16th May at Tanworth Village Hall. Anyone is welcome to come and listen or if you have an issue that you would like to raise, there is a Public Forum held at 7.30pm. If you would like us to start e-mailing a Parish Newsletter, please e-mail the parish office at office@tanworth-pc.org.uk and we will add you to our circulation list. If anyone has a matter which they would like us to pass on to PCSO Dave Martin, please give us the details and we will pass them on. You are welcome to leave a sealed envelope in the Parish office addressed to PCSO Dave Martin and we will hand it over unopened. Don’t forget that PCSO Dave Martin will be giving crime prevention advice or addressing local concerns at his mobile police surgeries which are held on the first Friday of each month. You can contact PCSO Martin on 07923 288641. You can now follow us on Twitter @Tanworthpc. If anyone is interested in becoming a Parish Councillor please contact the Clerk

Julie WhiteParish Clerk - 01564 703200