Secretary: Mike Rooke, Sycamore Mount, Higher Arthurs, Greenfield, OL3 7BE

Feb ’06

Dear Everyone,

Open to all Greenfield and Grasscroft residents, our next meeting is on Tuesday 21st March ’06 at 7.30 p.m. at the King Bill, Chew Valley Road, Greenfield.

AGENDA

Minutes of our last meeting held on Tues February 14th ‘06

Present: Graham Andrews, Mavis Bingley, Tony & Pat Bywater, David Clarke, Joan Frost, Peter Gallagher, Mike Howarth, Jacky Knight, David & Kath McNeeney, Des O’Brien, Graham Parker, Sarah Plevin, Mike Rooke Dave Sanders.

Apologies: Barbara Andrews, John Frost, Vince & Sybil Hill, Edith Howarth.

1. Matters Arising

	Census Data – OMBC have agreed in future not to refer people to the AGMA Unit whose figures are misleading. Councillor Richard Knowles is following up this matter, as it’s still not quite clear whether the council’s population data is strictly accurate
	OS Maps – Mike Howarth will now pursue the elusive Mr Hindle (OMBC) via our ex-Treasurer George Bennett
	Website – Having submitted an invoice, Anthony Chiu will be paid the remaining £173.80 Community Chest grant money.
	Knoll – David had good news to report. Nobody has said “No” yet to a Health centre and community facilities – i.e. the owners, the developer, OMBC or the PCT. Indeed Saddleworth Health Centre has already sent a letter to Gail Richards (PCT) positively endorsing GGRA’s campaign. We are also pursuing OMBC following a claim in the Chron. that binding legal documents existed. The legal dep’t have promised to get back to us. Mike H. and Graham A. both alluded to the building of a health clinic (with NHS dentist), a community and leisure centre on the old Mossley Woolcombing site for 120 new home. If Tameside can create such facilities, why not Oldham we wondered? It was agreed that GGRA should support the PCT’s stated and preferred option of creating a mobile NHS Dental Unit until a site was found at Knoll, centrally placed and convenient to the majority of Saddleworth residents.
	Recycling - We’d had no written response from Tom Flanagan. It was agreed that we should now send our letter to Andrew Kilburn.
	Ancient Watercourses – Cliff Jackson will address this matter at March’s Area C’tee.
	147, Manchester Rd – Now that planning permission had formally been granted by OMBC, it was agreed that we should write to Derek Richards ( Greater Manchester Ecology Unit) urging his organisation to liase with OMBC to connect the sewage system to an adequate outlet rather than with older inadequate ones, and prevent local fields being used as filter beds.
	Holmfirth Rd – Traffic Dangers. Steve Palk (OMBC) has confirmed that a census is being undertaken to determine the traffic levels and speeding levels. He should have the results by our next meeting.
	Dovestones’ Fencing - Chris Thompson (Peak District National Park Authority) has indicated that the United Utilities had erected fencing to protect the moorland above from sheep grazing and allow the heather to grow again, as part of U.U.’s “duty of care” for English Nature.

2. Correspondence and Communications

	Nut Bottom – Mike R. had spoken on behalf of GGRA at OMBC’s recent Planning Meeting. He was pleased to report that the application to build holiday lets at the site was unanimously rejected by the committee, on grounds a). Of the building(s)’ strategic position beside the National Park and within the curtilage of the Fletchers Mill site and b). the pending appeal hearing for Greenfield Social Club.
	Wellington Road – A copy of a letter from the Wellington Road/Halls Way Homewatch group had been received, complaining to OMBC about traffic levels in this area. As Greenfield & Grasscroft Residents Association, we agreed to send a letter broadly in support of traffic calming measures.
	Local Area Agreement We’ll respond to an OMBC Questionnaire, listing our areas of interest and our preferred method of communication from the council.
	We were grateful to Parish Councillor Ken Hulme for sending us a list of e-mail addresses for OMBC Planning C’tee councillors.
	A questionnaire from a Lees-based Wheelie Bin Action Group was circulated for members to sign, should they wish to. Mavis complained that older residents in Clough Lane were encountering great difficulty with moving their bins under the new arrangements. We agree to contact C’lor Richard Knowles about this.
	Saddleworth’s Civic Trust ’06 Programme and Vo. Action’s Community Network Bulletin had been received.
	A sheet giving contact details for the Neighbourhood Policing Team has reached us. It was agreed to post this on our website.

3. Treasurer’s Report

Our present total balance is £417.97.
Subs received since last meeting - £6.00, plus a donation of £3.00
Many thanks to recent subscribers – Mrs M.A. Hairsine and Tony & Pat Bywater.
Further subs. were submitted at this meeting. Please send your subs (£3.00 per household) to our Treasurer Graham Parker at 15, Hey Top, Greenfield OL3 7NB

4. CPRE Discussion.

Mike R. introduced David Clarke, Vice Chairman of Lancashire Campaign for the Preservation of Rural England CPRE.

David explained that although CPRE had managed to establish branches in 21 planning authorities in the region in the past few years, 4 areas were still to form branches – Burnley, Salford, Blackpool and Oldham. An effective CPRE branch can help different resident/pressure groups speak from the same hymn sheet, enabling their voice to be more effectively heard. A CPRE branch will co-ordinate liaison with the council on a range of fronts. For example, now public access issues have arisen at Werneth Park to which the PCT is planning to move their HQ, parallels could be drawn with the land use at Fletchers.

David explained that CPRE has 3 priority concerns: Changes to the planning system, local transport and energy production/conservation. Based at Southwark, national officers had the close ear of ministers – specifically in Transport and the ODPM.
It was important to realise that regional assemblies were being planned for our own area – i.e. Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Central Lancashire.

Currently, there is an 18 strong cross-party group of N.West MP’s committed to support the countryside. Mike R. promised to ask Phil Woolas if he was a member, and if not, would he be interested in joining.

In the context of Fletchers’ Mill, Mike R. circulated Notes from the Group Meeting held on Jan 21 st. David C. was impressed with our progress on Fletchers’ Mill, in our strategy of liasing closely with our council, MP and Civic Trust. As our Chair explained, it was encouraging that so many interested parties were of a similar opinion that this major site should be used for community facilities.

The Chair thanked David for his useful talk and answering our questions. We hoped to build a mutually useful relationship in the coming months and years.

5. Report on January’s Area Committee Meeting

We received a unanimous supportive response to our question about a health centre and community facilities on the Knoll Mill site.

In response to our NHS Dentistry question, Clinical Services Director Shauna Dixon had explained that the PCT were currently looking into the possibility of attractingdentists to Oldham, providing a Mobile Service to Saddleworth villages. She was asked to write back to us once the matter was resolved. On leaving the meeting, she promised to phone us. 10 days later she contacted us to confirm that the PCT was actively trying to resolve the problem. She also asked us to inform her Chief Executive, Gail Richards, to inform her of any developments on the Knoll site. (NB: Mavis said a Lib Dem meeting was planned for March 10 th to discuss provision of a Saddleworth Dentist.)

As a result of our question concerning access to relevant planning information for housebound residents, OMBC ‘s Planning Dep’t have formalised procedures. Upon request, all such house dwellers will have plans and documents brought to their door.
If this policy isn’t put into effect, OMBC will surely be in breach of the Disability Discrimination Act.

6. A. O. B.

	Regarding Springfield Farm at the bottom of Freizland Lane, Mike H. said that land had been taken out of the greenbelt. Mike R. would ring OMBC Planning to find out exactly what had happened. Meanwhile, the farmhouse itself is now for sale with 5 acres of land, which appears to be newly fenced around the boundary.
	Improvements to the terraced properties up at Hey Top have never taken place, despite assurances from Phil Woolas that he would liase with the owner on behalf of tenants. Once Graham & Jacky have spoken to Alan Cooper and other residents, they’ll report back to next month’s meeting. Given that we’re now in regular contact with our MP, Mike R. felt there was a chance we could rally his support again.
	Kath said that the first entry on the Rights of Way Website featured Shadworth Lane.
	Mike R. said he’d contact Transco about the danger and inconvenience caused by the delayed road-works at the junction of Kinders Lane and Chew Valley Road (Road End)

Date of our Next Meeting – Tuesday 21 st March - 7.30 p.m.

For past minutes, please visit the minutes archive.