SHAW & CROMPTON PARISH COUNCIL – ANNUAL REPORT

SHAW & CROMPTON PARISH COUNCIL
Council Offices, 23 High Street, Shaw, Oldham OL2 8RF
Tel: 01706 847590 e-mail: clerk.shawcrompc@btconnect.com

ANNUAL REPORT
The Parish Council met ten times during the civic year 2011-12 (monthly except August and April). In addition to its routine business, the Council:
• Opposed the closure of Beal Hey Recycling Centre
• Opposed the closure of Crompton Pool
• Requested that a bus stop be moved in Market Street, Shaw
• Received presentations on: Old Osram site, Refuge Street, Shaw; Laurel Bank Day Centre; a housing insulation scheme;

Much of the work of the Council is carried out by its Committees and Sub-Committees. The Planning and Finance & General Purposes Committees normally meet every month and the six sub-committees each meet between four and ten times during the year. All meetings are open to the public.

Planning
Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council (OMBC) has a duty to consult the Parish Council on planning applications within Shaw and Crompton. Residents are able to make representation to the Parish Council; public participation is encouraged as views from people living and working in the area are important to the decision making process. The Parish Council Planning Committee makes a recommendation to OMBC who make the final decision.

The Parish Council Planning Committee considered 106 applications during the year of which 19 were recommended for refusal.

Community Events
The Communications & Promotions Sub-Committee is responsible for organising activities and events, many of which have become regular features of the town’s life. These include the Family Weekend and Vehicle Rally, held in summer each year, and which was its usual success in 2011. This year the Family Weekend will be held on Saturday & Sunday 23 & 24 June 2012, and planning is already well advanced.

Other events arranged by the Sub-Committee were: Parish Council Chairman’s Civic Service; Civic Reception; Crompton Circuit walk; Lancashire Day proclamation; Christmas Charity Market; Schools’ Christmas Music Festival; Spring Charity Market. Hanging baskets were placed along High Street, Market Street, and parts of Milnrow Road and Crompton Way; a decorated Christmas Tree was placed at Wren’s Nest, where the lights were switched on at the end of November.

An archaeological survey of Crompton Moor was completed during Summer 2011. A 20 page newsletter – “The Parish Matters” – was distributed to every house in the Parish.

Environment
A major aspect of the Council’s work is in the field of environmental improvement. The Council thanks all those who give their time, expertise and effort to assist the Parish through working with the Environment Sub-Committee. One of the many areas that has been concentrated on is invasive species that are threatening the ecology of the local environment, buildings and infrastructure.

There has been considerable effort put into the maintenance of public footpaths and bridleways and the refurbishment/replacement of stiles, or their substitution by Kissing Gates, while attempting to establish new, or to re-establish old, public footpaths. The maintenance and clearance of public areas for the benefit of the community has been another main focus.

Grants
During the year the Council was able to make 10 grants, with a total value of £2,144. The grant scheme will continue during 2012/2013.

Premises
There has been a steady increase of third parties using the building, eg Friends of Dunwood Park. New premises for use as Council Offices were identified and a recommendation for purchase of the leasehold was approved by the Council.

Approval to borrow sufficient funds for the purchase was obtained from DCLG. Negotiations have taken place regarding the terms of the lease. It was agreed to update the software used on the Council Office’s PC.

Staffing & Pay
The Sub-Committee met on two occasions (October 2011 and January 2012). The main work of the sub-committee is to oversee the Clerk’s appraisal and other associated matters such as pay award, annual increments, pension provision, and the Sickness Contingency Fund.

Law and Order
The Council continues to have great concern for law and order issues, in particular the policing of the area and the town centre, and takes all opportunities to bring these matters to the attention of the responsible bodies.

The Council is represented on the Royton, Shaw and Crompton Area Action Team.

Citizens Advice Bureau
The Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) is an established part of the township. Previously based at the Council Offices, the Shaw Outreach deals with a wide range of queries from many Shaw and Crompton residents.

The Parish Council is happy to continue to fund this valuable service, which means that residents can receive advice locally. The service has been re-located to Crompton Library and is available every Thursday (9.30am-12.30pm & 1.30-4.00pm); no appointment is necessary.

Conclusion
During the year, residents have made enquiries at the Council Offices about a variety of issues. Depending on their nature, these have been taken up with Oldham MBC, or referred to Parish or Metropolitan Borough councillors. Matters taken up on behalf of residents have included things such as planning issues, housing issues or roads.

The Council seeks to continue the development of a pattern of civic life to benefit the whole community, by fostering different types of activities. It does not have the resources to organise and run all the varied events and projects which make Shaw and Crompton into a thriving community. Its policy is to assist other organisations within the Parish as much as it can.

For instance, many local charities are able to raise money through having stalls at Charity Markets; a wide range of organisations benefit from the grants that the Council is able to make to them; a number of groups use the Council Offices for meetings in the evenings. Other groups requiring help are encouraged to ask and, where possible, the Council will try to assist.

Dr Ray Hughes
Clerk to the Council

Questions asked at last Oldham Council meeting on 7th November 2012

Metrolink
It is a source of great regret and disappointment that the next phase of the Metrolink line through to Shaw and on to Rochdale will not be open as previously promised by December, some 12 months late!

Would the Leader join with me in expressing concern that the delay will lead to a further loss of goodwill from the public and significant potential revenue loss for Oldham Town centre and the conurbation of Greater Manchester by failing to latch on to the busy pre-Christmas retail period.

Would the Leader also agree that it had been possible for the line to be opened before Christmas and that it appears to me a policy decision has clearly been taken to delay the opening until the New Year, when it is clear that the line to Shaw and Crompton could even have been opened later this month?

Coliseum theatre refurbishment
The refurbished Coliseum has recently re-opened its doors to the public of this Borough and I would like to take this opportunity, as I am sure the Leader would also like to do, in welcoming the return of the Coliseum back to its home.

The Leader will remember and I am sure welcome, the actions of the previous administration which had the foresight and political will to set aside more than £1.4 million in 2010 for the refurbishment of the Coliseum Theatre.

Would he also remember that when the investment in the theatre refurbishment was announced, he responded publicly in less than enthusiastic fashion saying “Is this value for money — for the investment you are making?”

His sceptical tone was echoed by his Shadow Cabinet colleague responsible for Leisure who said “We still support the Coliseum but we have to look at the real price of it in the light of severe council cuts. We should be looking at a building or a site somewhere else in the town.”

Indeed the Leader may also remember that in September 2008 he called for the Coliseum to be located in the Oldham Town hall, a suggestion which only a year later, was described as a ‘pipe dream’, a sentiment, echoed by a former Labour Cabinet Member who said: “it was always a pipe dream.”

Would the Leader now accept that the proposals put in place by the previous administration to refurbish the Coliseum, therefore maintaining and retaining one of Oldham’s crown jewels was right and correct?

Oldham Town Hall
The re-use and redevelopment of Oldham Town Hall continues to receive a very positive response from all quarters.

I am sure the Leader would recognise the role of the previous Administration which, in 2009/10 set aside more than £700k to stabilise the crumbling building and make it watertight.

Would he also agree that the urgent actions we took some three years ago have provided the foundation for the current administration to take rejuvenation of the building to the next stage?

Something that was always in our long term vision and in fact I spoke in this chamber some time ago – and specifically about a cinema being located in the old Town Hall.
That vital investment of a little under three quarter of a million pounds turned back the tide of decades of neglect under successive Labour administrations.

In fact without that cash there would have been no prospect of using the building, because it was in imminent danger of major roof collapse – causing the whole structure to become unsafe – then it would have gone the way of the Park Road Warehouse – that is demolition!

Britannia Avenue – Residents Only Parking Scheme – LATEST

Due to some technical issues – the fact that there appears to be no provision for visitors passes in the scheme – its introduction date has been delayed a few weeks so I can have discussions with Highway officers to try and resolve this matter.

The whole point of this scheme is so that residents and their visitors can park, without that what is the point! To say I am unhappy would be a MAJOR understatement.

Hopefully I will get the Council to agree to a scheme that will work for all residents. Rest assured I am trying my best for this outcome.

Britannia Avenue – Residents Only Parking Scheme – Approved!

At long last and after many, many, months (and years) of continuing to pursue the above on behalf of residents – we now have a positive result – the Britannia Avenue residents parking scheme should become operative from Monday 29 October 2012, according to highways officers.

I am absolutely delighted that with the help and support of residents that we have finally got this scheme approved and most importantly prior to the Metrolink arriving in Shaw.

Hopefully this will help address some of the parking difficulties local residents have been concerned about with the former railway (and future Metrolink) stop being nearby and it will also prevent workers from Littlewoods/Yodel/Shop Direct and other nearby places of work/business from occupying spaces meant for residents.

Over the next couple of weeks new signs will be erected regarding the residents parking scheme.

Council officers will be writing directly to residents on how to obtain a residents parking permit.

Metrolink works starting 14th October

I just thought I would let you know that MPT has applied for permission to do 9am -5pm working on Sundays starting from this weekend until 25th November to enable them to carry out the testing of the line from Mumps to Shaw

The works are classified as “quiet” in respect of the fact that they are running and testing trams rather than using heavy construction equipment. There might be hand tools and smaller equipment used so should not be too much of a problem (noise wise) for local residents.

Many rumours continue about the opening date which I try and seek some clarity on every week.

The ‘public promise’ is still Autumn, which I eventually managed to pin down as before 21st December!

I will do my very best to keep local residents informed – Howard Sykes.

OLDHAM ROAD SAFETY SCHEME

Shaw and Crompton’s Liberal Democrat Councillors highlighted an issue to the Highways Department and we are pleased to report that funding has been secured to address serious road safety issues that have been identified along Oldham Road.

The frequency and severity of road traffic accidents, coupled with the average speed of vehicles, was a serious cause of concern for us and as such, measures will now be taken to address these issues.

Over the last couple of months you will have noticed the vehicle detector cables across the road. The reason for this is that a new speed survey was required. It looks very likely that this section of Oldham Road could qualify for the introduction of safety cameras. The data has now been collected and the report has been sent to the Safety Camera Partnership for approval.

Obviously, if we have any further information about when the speed cameras will be installed or any other issues relating to the road safety scheme, we will let you know.

SALTS STREET ROAD MARKINGS

Shaw and Crompton’s Liberal Democrat Councillors recently highlighted an issue to the Highways Department about the road markings in this area.

The area was a major concern, not only for local residents, but for your local Councillors, because of the close proximity to the two primary schools and sheltered/warden-controlled accommodation.

For us it was essential that the works were completed, so as to minimise traffic chaos before pupils started back at Beal Vale and East Crompton St James’ schools. The road markings had deteriorated to such an extent that it became a significant safety problem, not only for drivers, but pedestrians as well.

We are pleased to report, as you have no doubt noticed, that this has resulted in some road markings being painted on Salts Street and some of the surrounding streets; the two mini-roundabouts have also been repainted.