Operations and Improvements

Minutes of the Operations and Improvements Committee Weds 19th May 2021

Present:
Cllr Jamie Messent, Cllr Benn Minshall, Cllr Nan Walton, Cllr Ben Wye, Cllr Dennis Straine-Francis, Cllr Joe Cosby and Cllr Gary Palin

Also Present
Cllr Emma Angier, Cllr Jill Rhodes and Cllr Hazel Faddes

1 To elect a Committee Chair and Vice Chair
Resolved:
i. That Cllr Jamie Messent is elected Chair of the committee.
ii. That Cllr Benn Minshall is elected Deputy Chair of the committee.

The Chair then welcomed Cllr Ben Wye as a new council member and the Heritage Project Development Officer to the meeting.

2 To receive apologies for absence.
Apology was received from Cllr Morrissey.

3 To note declarations of members interests.
Declarations were made by the following:
Cllr Coiley, Cllr Messent, Cllr Palin and Cllr Wye for Item 10 as members of the Nantwich Road Action Group.
Cllr Rhodes for Item 13 as a Cheshire East Councillor.

4 Public Participation

Cllr Faddes spoke with regard to item 8. Cllr Faddes explained that she had sent a short report to the Regeneration Manager on play areas. She asked for support from the Town Council for parks and for additional grant applications to be made. Cllr Faddes asked for investment in Lansdowne Park, which has not received investment for 40 years and had little vandalism, and for further investment in MUGAs for older young people.

5 To confirm and sign the minutes of the Operations and Improvements Committee meeting held on 16th March 2021.

RESOLVED: That the minutes are approved as a true record of the meeting

6 To note the year-to-date financial position for the Operations and Improvements Committee.

The Financial position was duly noted.

7 To consider a matters relating to heritage development.
I. To consider adoption of the Heritage Strategy and approval of steps to progress a delivery plan.
II. To consider matters relating to the Christ Church project, development of a Trust, asset transfer and potential development.

RESOLVED:
i. To support adoption of the Heritage Strategy and to approve steps to progress the delivery plan (adoption of the strategy to be approved by Council).
ii. To support development of the trust with the wider remit of the trust to include potential development of other buildings.

8 To consider a report on parks and play areas, with a view to prioritising areas for improvements and investment of budget.

RESOLVED: To invest £100,000 in Lansdowne Park in 2021/22 financial year with future consideration of needs and investment for following years to be advised through a parks strategy.

9 To consider matters relating to purchase of two re-deployable CCTV cameras.
Resolved: To invest in the purchase of two cameras as proposed.

(Note: Cllr Palin left the meeting at this point.)

10 To consider purchasing additional waste bins for use on Nantwich Road.

RESOLVED: That officers ensure that 3 new bins are purchased and that they are fit for purpose.

11 Member Item submitted by Cllr Tom Dunlop – To consider the provision of a commemorative plaque at Crewe Leighton Hospital to represent the thanks of the residents of Crewe to the NHS workers’ professional response to the Covid 19 pandemic in caring for those affected by the pandemic.

RESOLVED: To support the provision of a plaque with details and spend to be delegated to officers.

12 It is recommended that Committee considers a resolution under Section 1 of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 to exclude the public and representatives of the press from the meeting during the consideration of Item 13 on the grounds that matter contains sensitive information and by reason of the confidential nature of the business being transacted.

RESOLVED: to consider the item with exclusion of the press and public on the grounds of commercial sensitivity.

(Note: Cllr Wye left the meeting at this point.)

13 To consider matters relating to the Ly2 Project development for consideration and onward recommendation.

The meeting discussion was generally positive and supportive of the project and scheme.

RESOLVED: Grant support funding was approved (subject to council ratification on 29/6/21) to the value of £64,000

Members identified some key conditions which were:

• That Crewe Town Council is recognised as a funder and partner in the project.
• The value is £64,000 to be focussed on capital works rather than contingency or revenue internal costs/externalised highways service
• That progress towards comprehensive cobble repairs on Hill Street is demonstrated
• That it is demonstrated that other sources of funding have been sought from, for example, local businesses.
• That it is demonstrated that repairs to traffic control barriers and signage at the western access to Lyceum Square are progressed for traffic management and control of the pedestrianised area.
• That Crewe Town Council is consulted on any changes to the details of the scheme as defined at this time.
• The chair of the committee is delegated to review the details of the CEC response to the above.

14 To note the date of the next meeting:

Wednesday 21st July 2021 at 6.00pm

The date of the next meeting was Noted.

Meeting closed at 7.37 pm.

Chair: Cllr Jamie Messent
Clerk: Lindsay Lewis

Meeting documents

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