9 Apr 2025 – Council Meeting (Minutes)

GREAT SANKEY PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of meeting: Wednesday 9th April 2025
Tim Parry Community Centre

Chair: P. Watson
Councillors: B Simpson S Pennington M Hussain
N Catlow T Williams L Hussain
H Cooksey C Lynas S Parish
N Cotter A Muqeem Chris W

Also present: K. Carter, Clerk
PCSO M Kirkham
4 members of public

1. To receive apologies for unavoidable absence.
Apologies had been received from Cllrs Morley and Cameron.

2. To approve the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 12th March 2025.
The minutes had been circulated prior to the meeting and were approved as an accurate
record.

PARISH/2025/34: To approve minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 12th March 2025
as a true and accurate record.

3. To receive any declarations of interest.

Cllr Catlow declared an interest in the item for Westbrook Library as he is also a Parish
Council for Burtonwood and Westbrook Parish Council and stated that he would not take part
in the item.
4. Community Policing: to receive the PCSO report for March 2025
The PCSO’s report was tabled at the meeting. Councillors noted the high number of
speeding instances recorded by the Speed Indicator Device on Liverpool Road and Lingley
Green Avenue which is disappointing. Cllr Parish had received concerns from residents
about vehicle speeds between Washington Drive and Twenty Acre Road; the PCSO will look
at deploying the camera here. Cllr Catlow asked if the roads near McDonalds/Lidl are within
the PCSO’s patrol area as this is also a location where vehicles speed. This falls on a
boundary line and the responsibility for this will be checked.

Police Liaison meeting: notes from the meeting were tabled for members and Cllr Wren gave
a brief verbal report as follows:
− Police surgeries. The council had queried the low attendance figures at the surgeries and
whether these were therefore a goo use of the PCSO’s time. Cheshire Police have a
policy of maintaining in-person local police surgeries and this requirement is written into
the SLA. The PCSO has also stated that even if members of the public do not attend, the
time allows him to conduct other work and is not wasted.
− Parking issues at St Gregory’s High School. This is currently an enforcement matter for
WBC. It was noted that an extension of the parking facilities for the school is under
consideration which would alleviate the issues, along with a possible Clearway for
Cromwell Avenue which the Police would be able to enforce.

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GREAT SANKEY PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of meeting: Wednesday 9th April 2025
Tim Parry Community Centre

− Illegal Firework displays. The PCSO will work with GSPC in September ahead of Bonfire
Night to discuss mitigation activities to prevent Parish land being used without permission.
− Dissemination of information to the public. GSPC has been asked to share information on
local police initiatives and crime reduction activities which is often not reported elsewhere.

5. Finance Committee: to be informed of the meeting held on 1.4.25
5.1 to receive the draft minutes of the meeting.

The minutes were received and noted with no questions.

5.2 to be informed of decisions under delegated authority and consider recommendations
for approval

The decisions under delegated authority were noted; recommendations related to the
following agenda item and are dealt with there.

5.3 to consider adoption of the draft Reserves Policy and draft Investment and Borrowing
Policy

The council’s Internal Auditor had advised that GSPC should have policies for investments
and reserves. An explanation was given regarding the various sums of money the council
holds for operating costs, earmarked reserves and the emergency general reserve. The
Parish Council is able to utilise specified investments in accordance with guidance from the
DCLG under the Local Government Act 2003. The only investment GSPC currently holds is
the general reserve of £100,000 which is held with WBC with an interest rate of 3.6%. The
other sums are not currently invested, and the Finance Committee had discussed options for
these to give a return on the council’s money whilst still retaining access to the funds when
necessary. The policies were adopted; the Finance Committee will consider the detail of
suitable investment opportunities for earmarked reserves and operating funds. The level of
general reserve will also be reviewed during the next budget-setting process later in the year.

PARISH/2025/35: To adopt the draft Reserves Policy and draft Investment and Borrowing
Policy.

PARISH/2025/36: To consider investment options for earmarked reserves and operating
funds and review the level of general reserve.

6. To discuss proposals for Westbrook Library.

WBC are consulting on proposals for Warrington Libraries as part of a necessary cost-cutting
process. Those proposals include the closure of Westbrook Library. WBC state the reasons
for this are that it is the only building not owned by the council and therefore attracts a rental
cost; performance figures are lower than other libraries in the town and there is not sufficient
community interest in the use of the community space to draw in income. GSPC were
involved in discussion with WBC and Burtonwood and Westbrook Parish Council a few years
ago regarding the long-term future of the library and a brief recap of these discussion was
given. The item was debated at length. Members were informed that Borough Councillors for
Chapelford and Old Hall ward were due to meet with WBC officers to request more detail on
the proposals and reasons. It was suggested and agreed that GSPC should wait until after

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GREAT SANKEY PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of meeting: Wednesday 9th April 2025
Tim Parry Community Centre

this meeting and then request a meeting with WBC council officers, Borough Councillors and
Burtonwood & Westbrook Parish Council before deciding on any comment or contribution.

7. To be informed of local events to mark VE Day organised by Penketh & Sankey Royal
British Legion.

The local branch of the RBL have organised several events across both Great Sankey and
Penketh to mark the 80th Anniversary of VE Day. It will start with a Flag Raising event at the
Parish Office (Whittle Hall Community Centre) at 9am. Various organisations, including
Scouts, Cadets, Great Sankey High School and Barrow Hall Primary School have been
invited. It was proposed and agreed that refreshments would be provided after the flag
raising for attendees. Later in the day the church bells will sound, and a beacon will be lit at
9.30pm in Honiton Square, Penketh. There are also celebrations on Saturday 10th May for
families to join in with at the Conservative Club in Penketh. These will be advertised via
Facebook as the day draws nearer.

PARISH/2025/37: To provide refreshments after the Flag Raising event for VE Day on 8th
May (LGA 1972 s145).

8. To consider planning applications received by the Council and decide if any
objections are to be raised.

No objections or comments.

9. To consider correspondence received by the Council and decide if any action is
required.

i. Brentnall Boat Park
At the last Parish Council meeting the proposal from Your Housing for the transfer of
responsibility for the Boat Park to the Parish Council was discussed. The offer had
included the perimeter area of trees and shrubs, and the council had resolved that it was
unable to take on the costs for the park and landscaping (PARISH/2025/32). Your
Housing had previously refused to transfer the play area alone but have now made this
offer. Members discussed whether revisiting the decision was acceptable under
Standing Orders and the Chair made the final decision that the discussion could
continue since the basis on which the original decision had been made had now
changed. It was agreed that Councillors should discuss the new proposal further and a
paper provided to full council for a future decision.

ii. Devolution Consultation – noted

iii. Climate Training – noted

iv. Clarence Avenue (tabled at meeting). Notification of Public Path Creation. This is the first
step towards efforts to re-tarmac the path and make it safe for all who use it.

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GREAT SANKEY PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of meeting: Wednesday 9th April 2025
Tim Parry Community Centre

10. To receive verbal reports from Parish Councillors and from Borough Councillors on
items of note within the Parish.
Cllr M Hussain informed members that there would be a ‘Skip Day’ organised by Your
Housing in the Brentnall Park area of Hood Manor. Also, that ‘The Bread and Butter’ Thing
has found a home within Warrington Disability Partnership on Evelyn Street following the
closure of Sankey Bridges Community Centre.

Cllr Pennington voiced concerns that the members of public had been constantly talking
throughout the meeting making it difficult for councillors to concentrate and hear the
discussions taking place. Other councillors agreed with his comment; the Chair stated he
would address this at the next meeting if they were in attendance again.

Part 2

PARISH/2025/38: Pursuant to section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act
1960 it is resolved that the public and press leave the meeting during consideration of the
following item due to the commercial nature of the business relating to lease negotiations.

11. Sankey Station Project update
A brief update had been emailed to the Chair prior to the meeting and this was read out.
Sankey Station CIC is hoping that the parish council will agree to sign the lease for the
station house with Arch Co at the May meeting. A full written proposal from the CIC is
expected for that meeting, detailing any amendments to the draft lease and outcomes from
recent discussions with Arch Co, as well as answers to the queries raised in February, for the
council’s consideration.

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