Guilden Sutton Parish Council

Newsletter No 105

February 2005

Mobile phone mast  Last Summer, the Council was consulted on plans by T Mobile for a 22.5m mast near trees on land at Tile Farm. It was hoped a public meeting would have been possible involving T Mobile and Guilden Sutton and Littleton Parish Councils, Guilden Sutton City Cllrs Brian Bailey and John Boughton and residents.

T Mobile said the mast was needed to fill a gap in its coverage. As a first step, the Parish Council sought a site meeting to clarify the effect of the installation on nearby trees and requested information on the extent of coverage from existing installations in the area.

The Council has now been informed the application has been withdrawn as the trees were incorrectly shown.  It is likely a new application will be submitted with an accurate tree survey and assessment and also a slight change to the siting of the proposed mast.  The height of the trees had been significantly underestimated and the revised plans would show their correct height. As a result the proposed mast would also need to be higher.

The Parish Council will be notified when the expected new application is submitted. The City Council, which is the local planning authority, is not able to take health issues into account but can consider matters such as the visual impact of the installation.

Parish Play Area  The new children's play area is now in use having been officially opened by the Sheriff of Chester, Cllr John Boughton, who is also one of Guilden Sutton's two city councillors.  Following the successful opening, guests were able to enjoy light refreshments in the primary school by kind permission of the acting Headteacher Kath Dawson for which the Parish Council was most grateful.

The provision of the new equipment followed successful applications for grants by the Parish Council including a grant of almost £9,000 in landfill tax credit from WREN, two separate grants totalling £4,500 from Chester City Council's Gowy North Area Committee, a £5,000 grant from Awards for All and £2,000 generously donated by local Party of the Year fund raisers. 

The new equipment for the play area replaces that for both pre school and primary school age groups which had been in use for a number of years.  New seating has also been installed. 

The concept of providing a play area for the village goes back to the late 1980s when the Parish Council started negotiations with the education authority to acquire a site within the grounds of the then relatively new primary school.

The land was purchased for £500 and although fund raising was in progress people were absolutely delighted when it was possible to provide the original playground in 1991 thanks to a magnificent £15,000 grant from the City Council. That play area was opened by Chester's first Lord Mayor, Cllr Sue Proctor.

The original equipment did sterling service but times move on and thought began to be given to providing new equipment on a phased basis which would provide greater play value for both age groups and meet up to date safety standards and disability requirements. 

As a first stage, the original bark type safety surfacing was replaced with wet pour with the help of grants from WREN and the City Council and that improvement was also opened by a Lord Mayor, this time Cllr Graham Proctor.

Countless hours were spent by Parish Cllr Julie Proudlove in researching the options and alternatives for new and improved equipment. Although the ambition was always to provide this in one phase, in reality two phases depending on funding often appeared the more likely outcome.

However, all’s well that ends well and thanks to the extremely generous funding from the organisations mentioned and support from the Parish Council itself, the village now has a magnificent new playground with new seating and a new gate.

The Council is sure the playground will be much enjoyed by the children who use it and greatly appreciated by their parents and grandparents.

A41/Guilden Sutton Lane The minority of drivers who are unwisely tempted to join another vehicle already waiting in the gap in the central reservation at this junction might like to take note that it is an offence to park on the white chevron markings laid down as part of a safety scheme to reduce accidents at this point.

Readers may recall that until a few years ago, traffic travelling northwards on the A41 was permitted to turn right into Guilden Sutton Lane, but the high accident rate persuaded the Parish Council to back the present modifications to the junction. 

Vehicles turning right from Guilden Sutton Lane which are doubling up in the gap can protrude into the fast lane of the A41 where they represent a dangerous hazard for rapidly oncoming traffic and have resulted in an unfortunately high rate of collisions at this point.

Freedom of information  Freedom of information is in the news nationally and also applies to the Parish Council.  The Council signed up to a publication code several years ago which formally sets out which information is available to the public. 

The code actually required little or no change to the Council's practice which has always been to make virtually all its information available on request and to make all its decisions in public unless these clearly fall within certain specified restrictions. Full minutes of the Council's proceedings are included, for example on its web site (see below.) 

There is no need to explain why the information is being requested and requests can be made in any written form. The Council has 20 working days to respond and can charge a reasonable fee. There is also a provision which allow requests to be declined if the cost of complying would be more than £450.

Policing Interested in having your say on Police matters?  The next meeting of the Chester Police Forum will take place on Monday 18 April at 7.00pm in the Town Hall.

The City Council's Gowy North Area Committee, which covers Guilden Sutton, has been told by the rural sergeant that statistically, the levels of crime in Chester's rural areas are well below those elsewhere. The Constabulary is in the process of restructuring but it has been said staffing levels in the rural areas will remain the same.

Cheshire Fire Service  Cheshire Fire Service says it wishes to offer its services to rural communities.  The service will fit smoke detectors in houses and offer free advice on fire safety matters, particularly about having a domestic fire plan.  This advises people of the actions they should take should they be unfortunate enough to become involved in a fire.  The fire service can do this on a house to house basis or would be happy to talk to any local organisation. 

Free home safety checks are available on 0800 389 0053.

Citizens Advice Bureau The City Council agreed a grant of £2,000 to enable the Citizens Advice Bureau Rural Outreach service, which operates in the Gowy North Area from Elton and Tarvin, to continue for a further year.

Footway repair  A trip hazard in the footway between Oaklands and Orchard Croft was repaired by the highway authority following a request by the Parish Council.

Parish Council Budget  The Council has agreed a budget of £12,000 for the 2005/06 financial year. This is a modest increase on this year's budget of £11,388. The precept will be equivalent to about £1.50 a month for an average band D property.

The main headings include:

Subscriptions:

Cheshire Association of Local Councils                       275

CPRE                                                                              25

Cheshire Community Council                                         50

Mid Cheshire Footpath Society                                       10

Conservation Volunteers                                                25

County Playing Fields Association                                 15                                                   

Salaries           )

Postages         )

Photocopies    )

Stationery        )                                                           3705

Telephone       )

Mileage            )

Parish car park rates                                                     650

Insurance                                                                    1250

Auditing                                                                          200

Grounds maintenance                                                   825

Village Lengthsman                                                    1300

Playing field rent                                                             550

Footpath Group grant                                                     350

Newsletter                                                                      375

Room hire                                                                        20

Memorial garden                                                              50

Cllrs expenses outside the parish                                   25  

Bulb planting                                                                  100

Contingency                                                                1475

Public seat                                                                     350

Web site                                                                           25  

Bus shelter cleaning                                                        50

CCTV system                                                                250

Christmas arrangements                                                50

Credit card fraud  Homewatch groups in the parish have been made aware of potential credit card scams.  The advice from the cardwatch organisation is to put your personal safety first when using cash machines. Look around.  Check for obvious signs of tampering or unusual attachments to the machine.  If you are suspicious do not use the ATM and report it to the bank as soon as possible.  Shield the key pad when entering your PIN.  

Banks will never ask for PIN numbers on the phone or the internet.  Your own bank will not ask for your address if they are phoning you, they know it already.  Your own bank does not need to contact you to ask for details of your credit or debit cards.  They know them.  Most internet shopping is safe, especially when dealing with the big, high street stores, but you do need to be wary of less known sites who ask too many questions.    

Bus services  Guilden Sutton's Sunday bus service involving a diversion of the 84 Chester to Crewe bus has been discontinued, Chester district public transport liaison committee was told in a report. The service has operated for a number of years following an initiative by parish councillors and Christleton ward City Cllr John Boughton.

Due to the major maintenance scheme on the A51 and the closure of Wicker Lane to enable a water main to be laid it has not run through the village on a regular basis since last July. 

County Transport coordinators say that new low floor buses were introduced by operator Arriva in November and access through Guilden Sutton with the buses was proving difficult. 

Information suggested the service was being used by as few as one passenger a day and after notifying the parish council, the service was withdrawn. 

The Parish Council says it regrets the loss of the service but given its cost and the low number of passengers, its retention could not be justified. 

Don’t forget the early morning 80 services to the Business Park both stop in the city centre.

Wicker Lane  Concern has been expressed at the continuing damage to and erosion of verges in Wicker Lane with pedestrians being forced to walk within the carriageway despite the increase in traffic using the road.  A site meeting is to be held with the highway authority to discuss the position and also a request by the Parish Council for the provision of slow markings on both approaches to Annie Hughes Hill where there is no footway. 

Problems caused by large vehicles negotiating the junction of Wicker Lane, Station Lane and School Lane will also be raised.

Guilden Sutton Lane  Damage caused to the grass verge opposite the parish playing field by work to divert a water main was brought to the attention of the highway authority.  It has also been pointed out the edge of the highway on the opposite side the road is in a very poor condition particularly where excavations have previously been carried out in order to repair bursts to the main.

A site inspection has been requested of the condition of the footway from Heath Bank towards the A41.

Green Waste  Green gardeners will know the most efficient method of recycling garden waste is to compost in one's own garden.  However, this is not always possible, especially when pruning shrubs. When trimmings are too awkward and too plentiful to fit into the brown wheelie bin, this problem can be solved by making neat bundles, preferably tied with natural string, which can be left beside the wheelie on collection day.

The collectors cannot handle wheelies which are overfull with twigs and branches.

Christmas lights competition   The competition, judged by an independent public figure, was won by the display at 72 Guilden Sutton Lane which received congratulations and a modest prize voucher from the Parish Council.

Arrowcroft Road  Although welcome resurfacing was carried out by the highway authority in Arrowcroft Road, it has been pointed out there is still some pooling of water which could freeze in cold weather.  An inspection has been requested.

Protected trees The Tree and Woodlands Officer at the Town Hall has kindly provide the Parish Council with an up-to-date list of protected trees in the parish

Information. The Council's email address is info@guildensutton.org.uk and its web site is at www.guildensutton.org.uk

Future meetings: Future meetings of the Council are due to be held in the Village Hall on Mondays 7 March, 11 April, 16 May, 20 June, 25 July, 12 September, 10 October, 7 November and 12 December, 2005. All are preceded by public speaking time.

Contact Councillors Bob Armitage 300528, Pat Astbury 318276, Ron Bayton 301286, Danny Fisher 301398, Derek Hughes 300185, Trisha Paterson 300307, Julie Proudlove 300318 and Gail Young 301558 or the Clerk, David Norbury, 1 Orchard Croft, Guilden Sutton, CHESTER, CH3 7SL, 300783. Cllr Astbury 318276 is the Local Bus User Contact and Brian Lewin 301501 is the Parish Paths Warden.