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DRAFT MINUTES OF THE FULL COUNCIL
MEETING
17 FEBRUARY 2015
MEETING 9
Prior to the meeting at 6pm Sgt Daniel Greenhalgh and Chief Inspector Deborah
Dodd (Cheshire Police) met with councillors to provide an update and overview of the
current local activities. The presentation was followed by a questions & answers
session. A separate record of the pre-meeting has been kept.
Present: Cllrs Griffiths (Mayor), Carter, Cox, Cummins, Derraugh, Hughes, Kynaston,
C Lloyd, P Lloyd, Loch, Marlow, Sharkey, Shipman and Wilkie and Miss A Duncan
(Assistant Town Clerk)
In attendance: Mr Ewan McHenry (CWaC Senior Locality Manager – Rural
Communities Locality Working Directorate) and two members of the public.
PART 1: Items to be considered in the presence of the press and public
109 Questions to Council
Mrs Jolliffe stated that the speed bumps that had been removed when Raby Park
Road was resurfaced had not be replaced. Mrs Jolliffe felt that the road was extremely
dangerous, particularly so for pedestrians and for residents trying to get in and out of
driveways, and that motorists were not observing the 20mph speed limit. Mrs Jolliffe
handed over a petition with 25 names demonstrating local support for the
reinstatement of speed bumps on Raby Park Road.
110 Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Eccleston and were accepted.
111 Declarations of Interest
None.
112 Minutes of the last meeting
A typing error was amended for minute 93 of the Council meeting held on
16.12.14 – 170 responses had been received to the speed limit consultation at
Parkgate Parade. The Chair amended the minutes accordingly. The Chair then
proposed and the Council
RESOLVED that the amended minutes of the Council Meeting held on 16.12.14
and the minutes of the Council Meeting held on 06.01.15 be approved as a true
and correct record. The Mayor signed the minutes.
It was suggested that future pre-meetings be held earlier to avoid members of the
public having to wait outside or, if the subject matter would be of interest to
residents, then the pre-meeting subject could be the first item on the Council
agenda.
113 Town Councillor Items
113.1 Raby Park Road – Speed Bumps (Cllr P Lloyd)
Council received the Speed Bumps on Raby Park Road report REF/FC001.
Mr McHenry confirmed that speed bumps would be reinstated in the next financial
year.
An amendment to the proposal was proposed, seconded and Council
RESOLVED to write to CWaC as follows:
a) NTC welcomes the CWaC announcement that speed bumps will be reinstated in
Raby Park Road in the next financial year. NTC would urge CWaC to carry out this
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work as a matter of urgency and would request that the new speed bumps be
cycle-friendly.
b) NTC also calls for better speed limit signage in the area and asks that
consideration be given to illuminated signs.
Mr McHenry made a note of these requests for future action.
Two members of the public left the meeting.
114 CWaC Senior Locality Manager, Ewan McHenry – CWaC Updates
114.1 Speed Limit at Parkgate Parade (item 93)
Mr McHenry explained that the Parkgate Improvement Group had made a
suggestion that the speed limit be reduced to 20mph. CWaC had discussions with
NTC about this on 11 November and 16 December. The formal consultation had
resulted in 20 objections which were being evaluated.
114.2 Parking in Parkgate (item 100.5)
Mr McHenry informed Councillors that the parking survey would need to be put
back to May due to purdah and that the total cost of the survey would be £7,000.
It was confirmed that NTC’s contribution would be £1,500. Councillors requested
input into the wording of the survey. Mr McHenry agreed to share the survey with
NTC.
114.3 Updates – other items
There was discussion about various local issues and Mr McHenry responded as
follows:
Upper Raby Road speed limit – will feed back following consultation.
State of the road outside St Winifred’s school – will report to CWaC.
Bridge Street/High Street traffic markings – programmed to be reinstated to
previous line.
S106 money (Mostyn House) – no update at present. Will be discussing with the
local community. It was noted that Neston Nomads had not so far been
consulted.
Redevelopment of the recreation centre – Councillors informed Mr McHenry that
an assurance had been given by Steve Robinson that NTC would be consulted
about the redevelopment. Mr McHenry noted this information.
114.4 Council agreed to make a request to CWaC that Neston Nomads be included
in any working group established to consider proposals for S106 money (Mostyn
House).
115 Mayor’s Report
Council noted the Mayor’s report.
116 Clerk’s Report
The Town Clerk would be attending an SLCC Practitioners’ Conference on 5 and 6
March.
Nomination packs available to download from the Electoral Commission website.
Completed forms could be returned by appointment to either CWaC offices in
Ellesmere Port or the HQ building in Chester and must be returned by 4pm on
9/4/15.
117 Minutes and Recommendations of Committees & Working Groups
117.1 Planning and Environment Committee (Cllr Derraugh)
Council noted the minutes of the meetings held on the 17.12.14, 13.01.15 &
03.02.15.
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117.2 Society and Culture Committee (Cllr Carter)
Council noted the minutes of the meeting held on 10.02.15 and approved the
following recommendations:
1. Website (item 96)
That neston.org.uk be the publicised website address for NTC but that Council
documentation should point to the domain nestontowncouncil.org.uk where
appropriate in order to simplify the process of locating information.
2. Cycling Event: (item 101)
a) That the Town Council should support the rerouting of the event through
Neston up to a maximum budget of £4,000 (£3000 from TC and £1000 from S&C)
b) That the Town Hall and Market Square be used as a feeding/service station
for participants.
c) That the Town Council make the necessary arrangements to provide the
feeding/service station and marshalling of the venue.
It was confirmed that project management of this event would be outsourced.
117.3 Finance and General Purposes Committee (Cllr Shipman)
Council noted the minutes of the meetings held on 16.12.14 & 20.01.15 and
approved the following recommendations:
i. Fixed Rate Deposit (item 87)
Reinvestment by the Council of the Fixed Rate Deposit Account of £50,000 at
maturity for a further 12 month term.
ii. Expenses policy (item 88)
a) That the name of the policy be amended to ‘Policy on reimbursement of
expenditure and expenses’.
b) That the upper limit for reimbursement of expenditure for costs incurred for
the purchase of goods, materials and services be £300.
c) That reimbursement of expenses incurred by Members in travelling on
authorised Council business, including accommodation and subsistence, shall
not exceed limits currently agreed by Cheshire West & Chester Council for
reimbursement of its Members.
117.4 Town Centre Committee (Cllr Barker)
Council noted the minutes of the meeting on 27.01.15.
117.5 S106 Working Group (Cllr Barker)
Council received an oral report of the S106 working group meeting 03.02.15 and
noted Cllr Barker’s view that the group needed to be reinvigorated.
With regard to the Town Council’s approach to S106 money, it was agreed that
there was a need for the Council to act collectively. Whilst the legislation does not
oblige consultation with Town and Parish Councils, NTC takes a generic interest in
developments within the area. It was agreed that a proposal would be made to
the next Council meeting regarding a request to CWaC for consultation as a
matter of course for any future S106 money and a protocol for NTC’s responses.
118 Finance
118.1 The Chair proposed and Council
RESOLVED that the expenditure of £23,710.66 net since 13.01.15 be
approved.
118.2 Council noted the income of £22,005.82 since 13.01.15.
118.3 The Chair proposed and Council
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RESOLVED that the reconciliation of the Neston Town Council current
account statement and the 12 month investment account to the 31.01.15
was correct. The Mayor signed the balancing figures
119 Grants Table
Council received the grants table and noted that further grants had been approved
since distribution of the table. It was noted that in the next financial year
Developing Community Links would be merged with the main grants programme.
120 Allotments- Marshlands Road and Raby Park Road (Cllr Shipman)
a) Council approved the wish to instruct the solicitor to complete the Deed of
variation for;

The allotment gardens at Marshlands Road and

Land on the south side of Raby Park Road
b) The Chair proposed and Council
RESOLVED to authorise the signing by any two members of the Council the
execution of the legal deeds of variation, for the allotment gardens at
Marshlands Road and the land on the south side of Raby Park Road. Both
signatures on the deeds will be witnessed by the Proper Officer in accordance
with the Council’s Standing Orders.
121 Cheshire Fire Authority
Council considered the draft the response to the consultation on the Cheshire Fire
Authority 5 year Strategy plan 2015-2020. Acceptance of the draft response was
proposed, seconded and approved.
122 Local Council Excellence Awards
There were no nominations for this award.
123 CWaC Local Plan (Part One) Strategic Policies
Council noted that the CWaC Local Plan (Part One) Strategic Policies had been
adopted by CWaC on 29.01.2015 and received the CWaC Local Plan (Part One)
Strategic Policies adoption statement.
124 Nat West Bank (Cllr Barker) (F/C meeting 16.12.14 item 100.4)
Council was informed that a meeting had been arranged with Nat West
representatives but they were unwilling reconsider their decision and the branch
was scheduled to close in March. A petition containing 760 signatures had been
submitted to the Nat West.
125 Elections 2015

Council noted that the Clerk and Cllr Kynaston would be attending at the UK
Local government elections 2015 workshops.

Council received the timetable for the UK Local government elections 07.05.15
and noted that the Clerk could make enquiries on the day to establish how many
nominations had been received for a particular Ward but not by whom.

Council received the ‘Publicity in the pre-election period (Purdah)’ guidance.

Council requested that copies of the Nomination Pack should be available in
reception.
126 Meeting with CWaC Ward Councillors
Council noted that the joint meeting with Neston and CWaC Councillors scheduled
for 18th February 2015 had been postponed.
127 Any other Items
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It was clarified that the meeting to be held following Council was not an NTC
meeting and normal room hire charges would apply.
128 Date and time of next meeting:
Council noted the date and time of the next meeting of the Council would be held
on Tuesday 21st April at 6.30pm.
Mr McHenry left the meeting at 7.55pm.
129 Exclusion of the Press and Public
The Chair proposed and the Committee
RESOLVED under the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 (as
extended by s.100 of the Local Government Act 1972) to exclude the press and
public from the remainder of the meeting on the grounds that it involved the likely
disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of the Schedule 12A of the
Local Government Act 1972 was proposed by the Chair.
Part Two: Items considered in the absence of the press and public
130 Appointments Staff
130.1 Council agreed to confirm the appointment of the NTC Assistant Town Clerk.
130.2 Council agreed to confirm the appointment of the NTC Support Officer.
131 Date and time of next meeting: Members noted that the next Full Council
meeting would be held on Tuesday 21st April at 6.30pm.
Meeting closed at 7.58pm.
Signed ____________________________________ Date _____________________
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