Stourbridge Township Council meetings

EXTRACTS FROM MINUTES OF THE MEETING (321st Meeting) OF STOURBRIDGE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL HELD IN THE TOWN HALL STOURBRIDGE ON
THURSDAY 13th March 2008 AT 7.15 P.M

PRESENT:
Stourbridge Township Council: Mrs E M D Scott (Chairman of the Council) in the Chair, Mr J B Shepherd (Vice-Chairman & Clerk to the Council), Mrs M Wakelam (Deputy Clerk to the Council), Mr B S Craddock, Mr A C Dawes, Mrs E E Fellows, Mr K C Jones, Mr P J Miles, Mr D M Price, Mrs K C Shepherd, Mr B D Waller and Mrs G P Waller.
Also present; Mr M Caddick, Councillor Mrs J Collins, Police Constable M Griffin and Mr R S Owen.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SESSION (It was agreed that our agenda be structured to allow for a presentation and in order that ‘police matters’ could be heard without delaying our West Midlands police visitor).

The Chairman welcomed our visitors to this 321st meeting and introduced Mr Matthew Caddick the Stourbridge Town Centre Manager. Mr Caddick then gave a presentation of proposals to revitalise the town centre’s ‘northern gateway’. These proposals invite public participation relating to plans for the ‘Stour Bridge’, Lower High Street subway and for a proposed Pocket Park. Members heard of the presented proposals in detail, their questions and comments were invited by Matt Caddick.
Mr R S Owen asked how many pedestrians would be served by the proposed features. He also suggested that the river area should be signed at the “Stour Bridge”. “At present there is little to indicate the fact that this is the river crossing” Mr Owen said.
Mrs G P Waller told the meeting that the area is well used by mothers with pushchairs and also by students entering the town from the Amblecote side of the town.
Cllr J Collins said that the subway area was used by cyclists and at present pedestrians sometimes felt intimidated; this may be improved by eventual pedestrianisation area planning.
Mr B S Craddock commented upon the increased government policy toward pedestrian provisions. Regarding the proposals Mr Craddock thought that subtle lighting highlighting the decorative proposals for the bridge would be an attractive feature.
Mr D M Price voiced the concerns that youths congregating in the evenings in this area intimidated pedestrians. PC M Griffin said that the police were aware of this problem, the youths were being moved on and passing attention was being paid in that area.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from; Mr M D Fellows, Mrs P J Fellows, Miss A Green, Councillor I M Kettle, Mrs J G Kettle and Mr D I West. Apologies were also received from; Ms M James, Police Sergeant T Osborne and Mrs Lynda Waltho MP.

POLICE MATTERS

Item A; PC M Griffin gave details of the PACT meeting to be held at St Thomas Church Hall at 11am on Saturday 26th April.

Item B; Mrs E M D Scott spoke of vehicles causing danger by parking on the Ring Road to access Duke St to collect students.
Mr B D Waller said that vehicles were also parking on the Ring Road to purchase sandwiches from the caravan café.
PC Griffin agreed that this dangerous situation should be prevented; he said that passing attention will be paid by mobile patrol officers, and that the necessary actions will be taken.

Item C; The Chairman thanked PC Griffin for his attendance and extended an open invitation to the police to attend our meetings.

TO ELECT AND TO APPOINT OFFICERS OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE YEAR 2008/2009

(a) The Chairman of the Council; Mrs E Margaret D Scott was re elected unopposed.

(b) The Vice-Chairman of the Council; Mr John B Shepherd was re elected unopposed.

* Clerk to the Council; Mr John B Shepherd was appointed as the Clerk to the Township Council.
* Deputy Clerk to the Council; Mrs Mavis Wakelam was appointed as the Deputy Clerk to the Council.
* Financial Officer; Mrs E Margaret D Scott was appointed as the Financial Officer to the Council.

* Auditors; Mr Kenneth J Jones and Mr David I West were appointed as the Auditors of the Council’s Accounts.

CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATIONS

The Chairman called upon Mr Rodney S Owen who had presented himself for membership to make his Declaration of Acceptance of Office. Mr R S Owen was duly sworn in as a member of Stourbridge Township Council by our Chairman Mrs E M D Scott.

The Chairman invited Councillor J Collins to outline the very unpopular proposal by DMBC officers that, historic Stourbridge artefacts stored safely in the town for decades should be moved to a Coseley archive. Cllr Collins told members that a planned new archive is to be built near the Black Country Living Museum and until then our artefacts should remain here in the town. Our Chairman and members agreed that the moves would put the artefacts at serious risk. Mrs Scott said that a letter should be sent expressing the concerns of our Council and asking that the materials archived at Stourbridge should remain safely stored in the town until a new suitable building has been completed. Cllr Collins thanked the Township Council for its support in this matter.
Mrs Scott hoped that those responsible for the theft of the gifted wooden gates from Norton Covert will soon be caught.

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

The minutes of the 320th meeting of the Township Council held on Thursday 14th February 2008 were received as a correct record and signed by the Chairman Mrs E M D Scott accordingly.

MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

The Vice-Chairman’s monthly bulletin gave details of communications sent and actions taken by the Council since our January meeting. Mr J B Shepherd will provide full details of all communications to any member on request.

ITEMS RAISED UNDER STANDING ORDER NO 13

The item raised here and at recent meetings with regard to our Constitution was moved for debate in ‘closed session’ by the Chairman.

MATTERS RELATING TO PERSONAL SERVICES (Nothing was raised under this item.)

MATTERS RELATING TO TECHNICAL SERVICES

Item A; Communications regarding potholes and kerbstone problems in Wheeler Street and West Street were brought to the notice of the meeting. It was reported by Mrs E E Fellows that some work had been carried out but there was more to be done. A letter had been received by Old Quarter residents including Mrs Fellows and Mr K C Jones from Mrs Lynda Waltho MP inviting residents to discuss traffic problems in their area. Our Council has been responsible for the Sat-Nav warning amendments also for obtaining signs warning heavy vehicles from the area, but residents still hoped to overturn recent decisions against a 20mph speed limit for the area.

Item B; There was nothing further to report on building or redevelopment plans from the town centre areas.

Item C; No reports were received of any increase in drunken/disorderly behaviour in the town centre.

Litter; The results of the litter ticket query received from by Ms M James from the Central Ticket Office, Birmingham, was brought to the notice of members. It was seen that there had been no fixed penalty tickets issued over the given period in our town centre.

Our communications regarding the Grade 2 Listed Gates at Mary Stevens Park are continuing. Copies of all communications resulting from the recent Stourbridge Area Committee discussions had been prepared for members.

FINANCIAL, CIVIC AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT MATTERS

(a) Stourbridge Area Committee Meetings; The dates are yet to be decided and announced.
(b) The Township Council will meet on Thursday 10th April, Thursday 8th May and Thursday 12th June 2008.

CHAIRMAN’S OTHER BUSINESS

The Chairman thanked our visitors for attending; she then formally closed our public meeting in order to discuss matters of interest to members only in closed session.

The Township Council rose at 9.15p.
Chairman, 10th April 2008

320th meeting
319th meeting
318th meeting
317th meeting
316th meeting
315th meeting
314th meeting
313th meeting
312th meeting
311th meeting
310th meeting

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