MINUTES OF APRIL 2011 MONTHLY MEETING

The Monthly Meeting was held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 20th April 2011 at the Halley MacLiag.   Present were Mr  Berry (Chairman), Mr Rae, Mr Cringle and Mr Cowin.  Apologies for absence were received from Mrs Edds. The Clerk, Mr  Lowey, was in attendance.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 16th March 2011 were  confirmed as a  true record and signed.

The following on-going matters were discussed:-

Risk  Matters

The Clerk advised that the annual review of risk matters with Mr John Edwin of Edwin McGrath, Risk Advisor, was due in May.

Highways Matters

The following highways matters were discussed:-

• the DOI Highways Department advised that repairs to the upland roads would be undertaken before the car rally in early May.
• The DOI Footpaths Officer advised that repairs, including an extension of the boardwalk, would be undertaken during the summer on the wet stretch of footpath below Ballaoates.

Police Matters

Mr Cowin reported that there had been one minor crime in the Parish over the previous period.  The Clerk agreed to attend the April liaison meeting and was instructed to raise again the issue of introducing  Neighbourhood Watch schemes in the Parish.

Municipal Association Matters

Mr Berry reported on Mrs Edds’ behalf on the March Meeting of the Association.

Refuse Disposal

A letter was received from Mr S Taggart, Waste Minimisation and Recycling Officer of the DOI, explaining the current position regarding the collection and recycling of plastic bottles and the difficulties involved.  Mr Taggart mentioned that Buck Recycling might be able to assist, and it was agreed to contact that firm.

Newsletter

It was confirmed that the Newsletter was ready for distribution.  The members agreed to distribute it over the next two weeks.

Future Events 2011

National Week Event:   Details of the event, to be held on Friday 8th July,  were discussed.  It was agreed to include The Friary, Balladoole Viking Burial, the Parish Church, and refreshments in the Parish Hall in the itinerary.

Planning Matters

The following planning applications were received:-

• 1100444 – Field 421507 Ballamaddrell – re-location of barn & revised vehicular access – no comments.
• 1100427 – 5 Ballachrink – alterations, extension & two dormers – no comments.
• 1100389 – Brynwood, Glen Road – replacement dormer – no comments.
• 1100526 – 28 Cronk Cullyn – extension – full plans not received.

The following planning decisions were received and noted:-

• 1100150 – Earystane Chapel – detached garage & private stables – Approved.  The Clerk was instructed to ascertain the exact meaning of one of the conditions relating to the removal of existing sheds on the site.
• 1100162 – Ballacomish – new vehicular access, horse walker, staff accommodation, external revision – Approved.
• 1100156 – Track at Ballagarmin House – surfacing of track – Approved.
• 1100256 – Magher Feailley, Main Road, Colby – extension of domestic cartilage – Approved.

Mr Rae requested that it be minuted that he felt that  it was becoming increasingly obvious  that the Commissioners’ comments on planning applications were being  given very little consideration by the Planning Department, and that he was coming to the conclusion that consideration of  planning applications was a waste of the Board’s time.   The other members present agreed with Mr Rae’s view.  It was decided to seek either a meeting with a senior  planning official or a training session, to try to establish the reasons behind this situation and to seek  means by which the local authority view could be given more serious consideration.

Sundry Correspondence & Other Matters

The following correspondence was received:-

• Douglas Bay Yacht Club – invitation to presentation – noted.

• Children’s Centre re Children’s Week - noted

• Tynwald Annual Report – noted.

• Municipal Association AGM – several members indicated that they would attend.

• Consultation on Office of Fair Trading – no comments.

• Consultation on Health & Safety body – no comments.

• Details of  Douglas Big Tidy-up 2011 – noted.

• Request from Rotary Club for assistance with beach clean in May – agreed to provide bags and gloves and arrange for the Amenity Site to receive the collected material.

• Consultation on re-structuring of the Planning Committee – no comments.

• Advice from Braddan Parish Commissioners on the legal decision regarding the Petition of Doleance re Tel’s Ltd v Braddan Parish Commissioners, and its relevance to access to local authority accounts by the public.

Accounts for Payment

The following accounts were passed for payment:-

Jones Services Ltd - Refuse collection April (5.5% increase agreed) £2,796.90
DOI - Refuse disposal March £1,382.10
Manx Telecom - Office phone £48.90
David Cregeen - Two cuts £850.62
MEA - Streetlight maintenance Jan – March £1,577.27
MEA - Streetlights power to 14 March £1,617.40
S Amenity Site Board - First payment £6,030.72
Quine & Cubbon - Paper & envelopes £28.39                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Sundry Matters Raised

The following issues were raised by members:-

Mr Cowin reported that new potholes were forming on the Glen Road at Glendene and that the state of the  manhole covers in the centre of the Glen Road outside Colby Croft were a matter of serious concern.  It was agreed to bring this to the attention of the Highways Department and to seek a definite response as to whether or not repairs would be undertaken in the near future.

Mr Rae brought the following matters to the attention of the Board:-

• the refurbishment of Round Table House, Ronague, and whether the building materials and scaffolding on the road edges  over a considerable period of time constituted a traffic hazard – agreed to seek advice.
• the state of the two parish noticeboards – Mr Cowin volunteered to repair and re-varnish the noticeboards.
• the verbal request from a ratepayer to hold a family event in the Colby Millennium Wood in July – there was no objection, provided that no damage resulted.

Mr Cringle suggested that a public  Tynwald Election Hustings Meeting should be organized for early September – this was agreed.

The Meeting ended at  9.25pm