1 Feb 2026 – Council Meeting (Minutes)

GREAT SANKEY PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of meeting: Wednesday 11th February 2026
Tim Parry Community Centre

Chair: P. Watson
Councillors: B Simpson S Pennington A Muqeem
N Catlow C Wren C Lynas
L Hussain M Hussain

Other: K. Carter (Parish Clerk)
3 members of public

1. To receive apologies for unavoidable absence.
Apologies were received from Cllrs Morley, Cotter, Cameron, Parish, Cooksey & Williams.

2. To approve the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 14th January 2026.
PARISH/2026/02/12: To approve minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 14th January
2026 as a true and accurate record (LGA 1972, Sch 12, para41(1)).
3. To receive any declarations of interest.
Agenda item 7.2: Personal interest declared by Cllr Pennington as a member of the
Friends of Westbrook Library and Cllr Catlow as a member of Burtonwood & Westbrook
Parish Council.
4. To elect the following positions on the Council (vacant through resignation)
4.1 Vice-Chair of the Council – Cllr Cooksey
4.2 Chair of Finance Committee – Cllr Pennington
4.3 Additional member of Finance Committee – Cllrs M Hussain & Wren
4.4 Chair of Parish Estates Committee – Cllr Pennington

PARISH/2026/02/13: To approve Cllr Cooksey as Vice-Chair, Cllr Pennington as Chair of
the Finance Committee and Chair of the Parish Estates Committee and Cllrs M Hussain
and Wren as members of the Finance Committee.

5. Community Policing.
5.1 to receive the PCSO report for January 2026, request further information or raise
additional queries with the PCSO.
January had been a quiet month and the report was noted. The lack of public attendance at
Police Surgeries was commented on and a query raised about how they are advertised. It
was stated that surgeries are posted through the Cheshire Police website & Facebook
pages; GSPC has also previously offered to share any information sent.

Members were advised that there was no further update from Cheshire Constabulary on the
PCSO review or whether a Parish-funded option will still be available. It was confirmed that
the current SLA finishes on 31 March 2026. There is budget provision for the continuation
of the post from April 2026, but it was noted that if this is an option, the SLA would need
reviewing and renegotiating.

6. Community Projects Committee:
6.1 to receive the draft minutes of the meeting held on 8.1.26 and note decisions made
under delegated authority.
6.2 to consider and decide on recommendations requiring full Council approval

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GREAT SANKEY PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of meeting: Wednesday 11th February 2026
Tim Parry Community Centre

The minutes had been circulated prior to the meeting. It was explained that the
recommendations, which all related to Sankey Fun Day, were still under consideration and
weren’t final decisions. The committee is still considering including a bar at the event which
would be within a fenced off area with additional security staff. The committee had
acknowledged that Full Council had not appeared to fully support this, but are currently
proceeding with the idea, noting that any profit generated from a bar could help offset event
costs. This decision was questioned and the council member advised to write directly to the
Chair of the Community Projects Committee with their concerns. The committee is also
looking at options to reduce the cost of the fairground, possibly by removing the bouncy
castle as this requires extra staff to be run and can be problematic in poor weather
conditions.

7. Finance Committee
7.1 to receive the draft minutes of the meeting held on 3.2.26 and note decisions
made under delegated authority
Received and noted with no questions.

7.2 to consider and decide on recommendations requiring full Council approval.
Wildflowers: This is a service bought in by the Parish Council from WBC to plant multiple
areas throughout the parish with wildflowers. Residents are always appreciative of the
displays and the planting both improves biodiversity and reduces carbon footprint through
reduced mowing regimes. The service is good value for money, and the recommendation
was to continue with the planting. It was requested that a quote is obtained for an additional
site off Park Road and that a query is raised against one of the listed sites which didn’t
appear to have been planted last year. It was also requested that quotes are obtained for
areas within Sankey South; Councillors were advised to email the Clerk with locations.

PARISH/2026/02/14: To continue the contract with WBC for wildflower planting in the
parish and request quotes for additional areas identified by Councillors (Environment Act
2021, s102).

The council was informed that there are actions required following a Health and Safety
Review by the council’s consultant to ensure the council remains compliant with current
standards and legislation. There are also updates required to employee contracts and
working practices arising from the Employee Rights Act 2025 which need HR advice for
which quotes are being sought.

PARISH/2026/02/15: To implement the work identified by the H&S review with necessary
quotes to go to the Finance Committee (LGA 1972 s111).

Financial assistance for Westbrook Library Friends CIC. This request follows from the
presentation received in January. The Finance Committee recommended a donation of
£5,000 conditional on it being spent on the improvements necessary to adapt the building
for concurrent use as a library and community space. This was agreed.

PARISH/2026/02/16: To give a donation of £5,000 to Westbrook Library Friends CIC for the
sole purpose of internal improvements to the library space to enhance the community
provision and enable the continuation of a dedicated library offer. Confirmation of
expenditure and an update on progress to be requested (LGA 1972, s137).

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GREAT SANKEY PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of meeting: Wednesday 11th February 2026
Tim Parry Community Centre

8. Parish Playing Field Drainage Project: to be advised of status regarding the
Discharge of Planning Conditions and decide on next steps as required.
There are 3 conditions that need to be met before work can start on the Parish Playing
Field. These are the Landscape Management plan and Contaminated Land report, both of
which have been discharged. The third is the Construction Management Plan which,
despite revision, has not been discharged. WBC have requested more details, particularly
relating to the number and types of vehicles and their movements and wheel washing.
WBC Highways have agreed to liaise directly with the contractor for advice. It is hoped a
revised plan can be submitted to the Planning Department as soon as possible as the
Football Foundation has said it needs to have some confirmation of the project going ahead
by 31 March 2026.

9. To decide whether to comment on the Local Government Boundary Commission for
England consultation on Borough Council ward boundaries.
The deadline for comments is 16th March. It was noted that both Great Sankey and
Burtonwood & Westbrook Parish Councils have previously asked for a review of their parish
boundaries and this was due to happen. Whilst this consultation on Borough Ward
boundaries takes precedence, there may be some scope to comment on both as GSPC’s
main aim is to align areas where current boundaries are not concomitant for the borough
and parish wards. It was agreed that a working group of Cllrs Parish, Watson and
Pennington would look at the details of the boundaries and provide a paper for the council
to consider at the March meeting.

10. To consider planning applications received by the Council and decide if any
objections are to be raised.
None for consideration.

11. To consider correspondence received by the Council and decide if any action is
required.
1. Consultation update on Intermodal Logistics Park North Rail Freight Interchange – noted.
2. Request from Nantwich Town Council to support motion for legislative change and use of
fireworks. Members expressed sympathy for the motion to prevent the private sale of
fireworks but felt this would be largely unenforceable and it was therefore decided not to
write in support.

PARISH/2026/02/17: Not to write in support of the motion put forward by Nantwich Town
Council for legislative change on the sale and use of fireworks as this would be
unenforceable.

12. To hear verbal reports from Parish Councillors and from Borough Councillors on
items of note within the Parish.
Cllr Hussain informed members that the drainage work to prevent future flooding in Sankey
Bridges is progressing well and is on target to be finished by April 2026.

Cllr Catlow queried the flooding on Tim Parry Recreation Ground which had been reported
on Facebook. It was clarified that this was on the MUGA (multi-use games area) on the field
and not the footpaths. The cause of the flooding was being investigated. Members were
reassured that the flooding had not been on the footpaths through the site which are heavily
used by the public. The drains alongside these had been cleared around three weeks ago
and were running smoothly, however, it should be noted that in extended periods of heavy

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GREAT SANKEY PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of meeting: Wednesday 11th February 2026
Tim Parry Community Centre

rain, temporary flooding can occur if the drainage pipes in the surrounding roads become
full preventing those on the field from emptying.

Cllr Simpson reported that he had received a query from a member of the public relating to
overgrown trees on private property. He had provided an answer but was clarifying whether
there were any other options for the homeowner. The Clerk will investigate and provide
further information if possible.

13. PARISH/2026/02/18: Resolved to exclude the Press and Public from the meeting during
consideration of the item in Part 2 of the Agenda because of the confidential nature of the
business to be discussed.

Part 2

14. To receive response from solicitor on queries raised on the draft Licence for
Alterations and draft Licence to Underlet for Sankey Station house.

Sankey Station CIC have requested that the time frame for completing the necessary works
under the Licence for Alterations is extended to 9-12months which the council was happy to
agree to.

PARISH/2026/02/19: Resolved to agree extend the timeframe to up to 12 months to
complete necessary works on the Licence for Alterations for the Station House (LGA 1972
s124).

Concerns were voiced that the CIC does not have its own solicitor to advise them on the
leases and the Clerk was asked to express this to the CIC on the council’s behalf.

PARISH/2026/02/20: Resolved to strongly advise Sankey Station CIC to engage a solicitor
to advise on the leases for Sankey Station (LGA 1972 s124).

The council also agreed that a meeting would be needed with Sankey Station CIC prior to
signing the leases to ensure that the CIC is in a position to achieve the proposed work for
the station house. The council will need to see documentation on the plans, work schedule
and proposed contractors, understand the funding position and the situation with the
intended lessee.

PARISH/2026/02/21: Resolved to meet with Sankey Station CIC prior to signing leases for
the Station House to ensure the CIC is in a strong position to complete the works and
manage the building in the long-term (LGA 1972 s124).

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