13 Nov 2024 – Council Meeting (Minutes)

GREAT SANKEY PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of meeting: Wednesday 13th November 2024
Tim Parry Community Centre

Chair: P. Watson
Councillors: B Simpson S Parish S Pennington
N Catlow H Cooksey A Muqeem
A Morley C Wren C Lynas
M Hussain T Williams

Also present: M Kirkham, PCSO
Cllr Peters, Penketh Parish Council
K Carter, Parish Clerk

1. To receive apologies for unavoidable absence.
No apologies received

2. To approve the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 9th October 2024.
The minutes had been circulated prior to the meeting and were approved as an accurate
record.

PARISH/2024/81: To approve minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 9th September
2024 as a true and accurate record.

3. To receive declarations of interest.
Cllrs Morley and Watson declared for agenda item 8 that she is a Director of Sankey
Station CIC.

4. Police Liaison & PCSO report.
Received and noted. There was discussion about the unauthorised fireworks display that
took place on Vicarage Community Park. This is the 3rd year that such an event has
happened. Last year the council managed to prevent it at Vicarage Park, but it was moved
last minute to Tim Parry Recreation Ground. Events leading up to the day were discussed,
as well as the police response to information given before the night. Options to ensure it
doesn’t happen again were suggested. The main concerns for the council are the
unsuitability of the location, lack of any safety measures for members of the public, the
proximity of residents housing and the debris left behind, both on the park and in residents
gardens. Councillors were disappointed with the police response and agreed to write to the
Warrington West Inspector with their concerns.

PARISH/2024/82: To write to the Warrington West police inspector to express the council’s
disappointment with the response to the unauthorised firework event on 5 November 2024.

5. Community Projects Committee: to be informed of meeting held on 17.10.24
5.1 to receive the draft minutes – noted.
5.2 to consider recommendations and decide whether to approve them.
Approved:

PARISH/2024/83: To agree the date of Sankey Summer Fun Day as 8th June 2025, subject
to the Fairground confirming equipment provision on this date (LGA 1972 s145).

PC/2024/32 11-11-24
GREAT SANKEY PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of meeting: Wednesday 13th November 2024
Tim Parry Community Centre

PARISH/2024/84: To accept the quote of £14,949 from the Fairground which includes an
SEN hour from 11am. The CPC to implement a pre-registration system for the SEN hour
(LGA 19972 s145).

6. Finance Committee: to be informed of meeting held on 5.11.24
6.1 to receive a verbal report of the meeting – noted.
6.2 to consider recommendations and decide whether to approve them
Approved:

PARISH/2024/85: To request input from the GMA to answer queries raised by the Football
Foundation in the tender and evaluation exercise for the drainage project on the Parish
Playing Field (Open Spaces 1906 s9).

PARISH/2024/86: To purchase a combination lock for the access barrier at Tim Parry
Community Centre and provide parking permits on request. Maximum of 2 permits per
group. Permit will be revoked if parking restrictions are disregarded (LG (Misc. Prov.) Act
1976 s19).

PARISH/2024/87: To require formal approval from the Finance Committee for ideas/events
with a financial implication proposed by the Friends of Tim Parry Park. To allow Council
officers to decide on any minor requests with no financial implication.

7. Employment Committee: to be informed of meeting held on 6.11.24
7.1 to receive a verbal report of the meeting – noted.
7.2 to consider recommendations and decide whether to approve them
Approved:

PARISH/2024/88: Staff salaries
Caretakers – increase in line with recommendation from Living Wage Foundation to £12.60
per hour plus holiday entitlement from April 2025.
Key Personnel – implement the pay award for 2024-5 agreed by the NJC of £1290 on each
scale point and back date to April 2024
Apprentice – move the Apprentice Gardener on to the Year 2 wage of £22,498 per annum
(£11.69 per hour) with immediate effect in recognition of the exceptional progress made to
date (LGA 1972 s111).

PARISH/2024/89: To provide support and training to the Apprentice Gardener for the
WorldSkills competition taking place in November 2025 (LGA 19972 s111).

PARISH/2024/90: To support the Head Gardener with time off work to be involved with
Chelsea Flower Show 2026. Details to be agreed if the charity’s application for a garden is
successful (LGA 1972 s111).

PARISH/2024/91: To give a £100 Christmas bonus for all staff (LGA 1972 s111).

PARISH/2024/92: To approve the council’s health and safety documentation and risk
assessments. To review and update the Employee Code of Conduct in consultation with
staff, as well as the Disciplinary Code (LGA 1972 s111).

PC/2024/33 11-11-24
GREAT SANKEY PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of meeting: Wednesday 13th November 2024
Tim Parry Community Centre

8. Sankey Station project update.
The CIC had met with the Conservation Officer from WBC who was very enthusiastic about
the project and gave some good advice regarding planning and potential funding. The issue
with the EPC certificate is being resolved with Arch Co. and discussions are taking place
with Northern Rail to include the garden area in the lease.

The new project manager will meet with the Chair and Vice-Chair shortly to begin the
process of formalizing the relationship between GSPC and Sankey Station CIC. She will
attend the December Parish Council meeting to introduce herself to Councillors and give an
update on the project.

9. Adoption of Social Media & Email Policy: to review draft policy and amend/accept.
The draft policy was circulated. A couple of minor amendments were proposed; these to be
forwarded to the Clerk and the policy was approved.

PARISH/2024/93: To adopt the Social Media and Email Policy subject to the amendments
proposed.

10. To consider planning applications received by the Council and decide if any
objections are to be raised.
Noted with no comments.

11. To consider correspondence received by the Council and decide if any action is
required.
Item 1: thanks were received from Penketh Parish Council for help with the traffic closures
and event planning for Remembrance Sunday. Councillors were pleased to have been
involved and thanked Cllr Peters and PPC for including them.

Items 2 & 3: Consultation notifications – noted with no comments.

12. To receive verbal reports from Parish Councillors and from Borough Councillors on
items of note within the Parish.

Cllr Parish reported that there will be overnight closures on Whittle Avenue/Burtonwood
Road whilst the pedestrian crossing is installed which may cause some traffic delays.

Cllr Hussain informed members of an event at Hood Manor shops by Warrington Housing
Association. A skip will be provided for residents to bring any extra rubbish, and staff will be
on hand to answer any residents’ queries.

Cllr Morley told members about Christmas activities taking place in the town centre on the
weekend of 23/24th November – to be shared on GSPC’s Facebook page.

PC/2024/34 11-11-24