For the last decade the Brookfield Shiers Family Trust has been managed by the Council under the direction of councillors from the Cheadle Area Committee for the benefit of residents. The original bequest was £191,100. That investment has grown to £245,548, but is still a real-terms fall in value.

The councillors have always taken the view that this money was not to be frittered away and the informal policy has been not to spend any until it was growing in real terms (i.e. above inflation).

However, we took the view this time that, in light of the economic problems we all face, it was right to release a small amount and invite local voluntary organisations to bid for the money. That decision was not unanimous, though I felt it was the right approach on balance.

We’ve decided to make up to £5,000 available. Local organisations will be able to bid for the money in a similar way to how local flexibility funding is bid for. There will probably be a maximum set for any single bid - I’d think around £1,000.

I’ll publish more information when I have it. For now, consider if you’d like to bid for some money but nothing’s going to happen immediately so no rush.

Kevin Melling, from Stockport Council, and Cllr Dave White have been visiting every Local Area Committee meeting to get feedback from councillors on how Stockport can improve its response to freezing weather conditions as we saw for nearly a month from around 18th December.

The Tories have been attacking the Council for not gritting more pavements.  Odd when you consider that Stockport did better than most and that you can’t just scatter grit on pavements like you can on roads.  It’s the action of cars grinding the grit into the ice on busy roads that actually does the job.

That doesn’t happen on pavements - you need to clear the snow and ice first and - as many of us found over the cold period - that can be a very slow and laborious process.

But I guess making that sort of attack is easier than understanding the issues and coming up with serious suggestions.

I had two comments:

1. If we can get more business owners to clear in front of their premises, the people clearing pavements could focus on those used by elderly people: paths from sheltered accommodation and old peoples’ homes, and to medical centres and doctors’surgeries for example.  We need to counter the misinformation being spread in the media about the risk of being sued.
2. Where residential roads have steep slopes (e.g. Kendal Drive, Eskdale, Rydal Close, Airedale Close), they should be given higher priority on the gritting list.

Overall, and having seen and heard from many other areas around the country, I believe Stockport did better than most at keeping the roads clear, resuming refuse and recycling services as quickly as possible and getting help to the most vulnerable.

Many Council staff went above and beyond the call of duty in working to keep everything moving.

But, of course, that doesn’t mean no improvements can be made and I was very pleased to see Cllr White and Kevin Melling taking the initiative to go out and ask for feedback.

Who checks that restaurants prepare food safely, take action against off-licences selling alcohol to children and act against shops using dodgy scales to con customers?  That would be the Council’s Environmental Health and Trading Standards section, who presented their annual report to our Cheadle Area Committee on Tuesday.

You can read the report in full on pages 64 to 75 of the agenda (PDF, 2MB).

Some of the work the teams undertake include;

• Investigating reports of food poisoning and infectious diseases
• Delivering a wide range of CIEH (Chartered Institute of Environmental Health) approved training courses in food and health & safety
• Provision of a Pest control service
• Offering a Graffiti removal service
• Administering fixed penalty notices from issue up to and including court action
• Monitoring farms and small holdings to ensure they keep records of the transfer of animals and check that animals are transported humanely
• Investigating and advising on problems with drainage
• Ensuring public safety by licensing and carrying out checks on private hire vehicles, taxis and their drivers
• Licensing all premises requiring a licence to operate, such as those selling alcohol, gambling and lotteries
• Licensing pet shops, boarding kennels, riding schools, dog breeders and owners of dangerous wild animals
• Providing advice and information on fair trading, consumer rights and trading standards legislation to the public and business
• Enforcing the law on counterfeiting, trade marks and copyright
• Enforcing the law on weights and measures, pricing, overloaded vehicles and hallmarking
• Investigating complaints about dangerous products and conduct regular inspections and surveys
•  Investigating complaints about the sale of clocked or unroadworthy vehicles

Amongst many other activites, the environmental health and trading standards people gave awards like the Curry Chef  Competition and the Fair Play Charter (the second to the retail motor trade).

They also tackle pest control, and have seen reports of rats drop  significantly in the last two years.  They issued 14 Fixed Penalty Notices to dog owners who failed to remove their pets’ faece, and provide free dog bags to all Stockport residents via libraries and information centres.

They’ve been looking at the wall around the old cemetary in Gatley, and provided burial space for Muslim burials at Mill Lane Cemetary in Cheadle.

They deal with noisy pubs (something they suggest may have been made worse by the smoking ban - more people congregate outside our pubs now).

They’ve promoted and run Pub Watch, starting in Four Heatons and learning the lessons for the more recent schemes in Gatley, Edgeley, Bramhall and Cheadle.

The service has developed a rapid response approach to rogue traders, and have been pro-active in  holding “rogue trader days” in conjunction with police.

On alcohol sales to children, a survey suggests that the number of young people saying they’re able to purchase alcohol has fallen 23% in the last two years.  The team send out young people to make test purchases: vendors should refuse to sell them alcohol.  In Cheadle, two warnings were given to businesses.

There’s lots more in the report, so why not take a look.

The Cheadle Area Committee meets on Tuesday 1st December, 6pm at the Ladybridge Residents Club, Edenbridge Road, Cheadle Hulme. All welcome to come along.

There’s one planning application up for consideration: DC043046, the erection of 5 no. three-storey mews houses at 176 Kingsway (this is on the Kingsway service road, South Park Road Estate).

Other issues on the agenda include amending the parking restrictions on Chapel Street, Cheadle and discussion about parking on pavements.

You can view and download the agenda here (PDF, 2.2MB) .

Last night I tweeted from Full Council, to give anyone who’s interested a flavour of what was going on in the meeting.  Here are those tweets

#stockportmbc Full Council Starting shortly. Lamb curry was nice.

#stockportmbc Full Council Shouty mayoral entrance & prayer.

#stockportmbc Full Council Mayor kindly welcomes me to the council.

#stockportmbc Full Council Half the councillors seem to be declaring an interest.

#stockportmbc Full Council some confusion about questions over questions.

#stockportmbc Full Council Leader explaining English Heritage propose protected sites, not smbc, in response to public question.

#stockportmbc Full Council Powerpoint presentation from and about the mayor.

#stockportmbc Full Council Cllr John Pantall & Ian Ratcliffe outlining ‘kill the winter chill’ campaign.

#stockportmbc Full Council Cllr Pantall reminds us the late Maggie Clay founded ‘Kill the Chill’ last year.

#stockportmbc Full Council Before dvla, coucils issued car reg plates. Stockport’s were all JJA, hence mayoral plate JJA1.

#stockportmbc Full Council ‘kill the chill’ cut deaths from cold last year, now being adopted across Greater Manchester.

#stockportmbc Full Council No questions on joint authorities (fire, transport, police & waste)

#stockportmbc Full Council Leader talks about Boost campaign for more jobs.

#stockportmbc Full Council: Leader thanks all parties for sensible approach to future of BAE site in Woodford.

#stockportmbc Full Council: exec reports in flow, seems like time for some cllrs to catch up on those newspapers & magazines.

#stockportmbc Full Council: recycling bins rollout complete ahead of time & budget. Recyling now 43% but Trafford just ahead.

#stockportmbc Full Council: Cllr Candler attacks Tories across country for slash-and-burn approach to local services.

#stockportmbc Full Council: our business services team does work for other local authorities - brings in £250k, won award.

#stockportmbc Full Council: cllr porgess says Tory plans to reward people recycling would require surveillance chips in bins.

#stockportmbc Full Council: cllr bodsworth - installing chips in our bins would cost £2m if George Osborne forced us to do it.

#stockportmbc Full Council: Cllr Bodsworth 10:10 is very tough target. We might not meet it; we’ll try, & encourage others too.

#stockportmbc Full Council: Entertaining political grandstanding from lab cllr verdeille. Tories aren’t in Govt yet, apparently.

#stockportmbc Full Council: cllr foster-grime has to sit down. she’s now an exec member so can’t ask exec members questions. Shame.

#stockportmbc Full Council: Tory Cllr Syd Lloyd attacks ld’s for lack of principles. Good fun, but loosly connected to reality.

#stockportmbc Full Council: Cllr Weldon responds to Tory baiting with some baiting of his own. Two hours gone.

#stockportmbc Full Council: motion time. Cllr weldon: Govt expands nursery provision but doesn’t give enough funding.

#stockportmbc Full Council: half the tories have left the chamber - loo/fag break, I assume.

#stockportmbc Full Council: cllr maureen walsh supporting nursery motion for Tories.

#stockportmbc Full Council: lab cllr foster says lib dems trying to blame gov for council failings.

#stockportmbc Full Council: Lab Cllr Foster now on secondary schools - really not sure how this relates to the motion.

#stockportmbc Full Council: nursery motion carried 45-11. Lab voted against.

#stockportmbc Full Council: Lab cllr scott proposes free leisure provision for armed forces & their families in Stockport.

#stockportmbc Full Council: cllr bodsworth supports army leisure motion & wants govt to promote idea across country.

#stockportmbc Full Council: Con cllr jones supports motion & attacks gov record on military covenent, gurkhas, etc.

#stockportmbc Full Council: army leisure motion passed unanimously.

#stockportmbc Full Council: now considering whether we move to strong leader or mayoral leadership model. Strong leader it is.

#stockportmbc Full Council: charging through dull but worthy stuff. And we’re all done at 8.50, bar the raffle.

Tonight is Stockport’s Full Council meeting (there’s one roughly every 2-3 months, and this is the first I’ll have been to).

I’m hoping to tweet from the meeting, so everyone can see what’s going on as it happens.

The meeting starts at 6pm and will probably finish between 9 and 10pm.  To see my tweets (assuming nothing goes wrong!), visit my Twitter page or search on Twitter for hashtag #stockportmbc.

The House of Commons Communities and Local Government Committee, which is tasked by the House of Commons to scrutinise the Department for Communities and Local Government, is conducting an inquiry into the Government’s Decent Homes Programme. 

As part of that inquiry, the Committee are visiting Stockport on Monday 23 November 2009 to find out more about how the programme is working on the ground, and how councils and ALMOs are handling the funding and management challenges of the programme.

The Committee is particularly interested in views on how the programme should look after 2010, given the lessons which have been learnt so far. Stockport Homes are hosting the day’s proceedings.

As part of the meeting there will be an evidence session, when the following will give evidence to the meeting:

●     East Durham Homes

●     The NFA (National Federation of ALMOs)

●     Residential Landlord Association

●     Dr Julie Rugg (University of York)

This will take place from 2.30pm – 4.00pm, in the Council Chamber at Stockport Town Hall.  There will be a public gallery at this session, and if you would like to witness the evidence session, please arrive at the Stockport Town Hall reception at 2.15pm promptly.

Next Thursday, 26th November, is my first Full Council meeting since being elected, and the notes for the meeting - in the form of a bound 302-page book - dropped onto my doormat this afternoon. You can download it in PDF format here.

I’m reliably informed that I don’t need to read most of it - the first five pages are the most important: the agenda for the meeting and the text of two motions submitted (one on the funding of nursery educaton, the other on “Leisure and Cultural Services - provision to Armed forces Personnel and Veterans”).

The rest is mostly the minutes of other Council meetings that have happened in the last two months - mostly local area committees and scrutiny committees.

Thanks to everyone at last night’s Cheadle Village Partnership.  We had an excellent discussion about Stockport’s Core Strategy (12 days to go to register your opinions wih the Council).  I was impressed that more than one person had made the heroic effort to read the strategy document, and people had some excellent questions and points.

Other than that, I spent too much time speaking to take notes (sorry!) so I’ll have to wait for the AboutMyArea report.

At the Cheadle Area Committee meeting, Inspector Dave Turner reported good news on burglary.  Three arrests have been made of known burglars in the Cheadle and Gatley area, with the burglary rate dropping sharply as a result.

Of the three, one has been convicted and is in prison.  One was convicted and given a non-custodial sentence, and is receiving nightly visits from the police.  The third is awaiting trial.

Inspector Turner also mentioned a cannabis factory having been found on South Park Road in Gatley.  It held around 250 plants, which was estimated at a street value of £25,000.

Inspector Turner spoke of a heavy police presence at Halloween a few days ago, and that it seemed to have passed relatively peacefully.

The next Cheadle Area Committee meeting is at 6pm on Tuesday 3rd November.

This is a meeting open to the public (we’d love more people to come along) and held at the Ladybridge Residents Club, Edenbridge Road, Cheadle Hulme.

You can hopefully access the agenda here (83 pages this time, but most of that’s supporting information, like all the minute details of planning applications).

As well as considering planning applications, both councillors and members of the public can raise issues directly with the police, with the area conditions officer (who deals with issues like litter and graffiti), we’re being asked for our thoughts on the Council’s core strategy - it’s approach to development in the borough over the next 17 years - and on whether Stockport should have an elected mayor.

I wrote about the mayor issue yesterday and I’ll post more about the core strategy soon (when I’ve read the document myself!).

This was introduced at the Cheadle Area Committee last night (and all the other area committees over the week).

I’ll just quote from the Stockport website.

Have you a ‘Big Idea’ about how your local area can be improved?

What would make your community flourish and do well? If you had the power, how would you make this happen?

However  big or small your idea might be Stockport Council wants to hear from you.

For your ‘Big Idea’ to be successful it has to improve your local area in one of the following ways:

• Improve your local economy.
• Improve the local environment.
• Encourage people to get more involved in society.
• Encourage people to get involved in the decisions that affect their lives.

Councillor Sue Derbyshire, Executive Member for Communities, said: “We really want to hear what residents think could be done to improve their neighbourhood and I encourage people to send us their ‘Big Ideas’. I look forward to reviewing these ideas and making as many improvements as possible.”

To submit your ‘Big Idea’ for your local area, visit the Council’s website www.stockport.gov.uk/haveyoursay

Alternatively, send your idea, to FREEPOST CE/CorpPol/ EM, Stockport Town Hall, Edward Street, SK1 3XE.

More information on the Council site.

The Cheadle Area Committee meets next Tuesday (6th October).  It covers Gatley, Cheadle, Heald Green and the northern part of Cheadle Hulme and can make planning decisions, spent money and all sorts of other things.

The Area Committee is open to all to attend, and to speak.

You can download the agenda here.  It includes lots of extra information, including where the committee meets and how to get there, but be warned - it’s a 2.5MB PDF document.

Another Cheadle Village Partnership item.

We were updated on the latest plans for Christmas displays in Cheadle & Gatley.

In addition to Christmas lights, there will be a large Christmas tree on Cheadle Green, another in Church gardens and trees available for shop fronts.  Gatley will have three large trees.

I have to say I think this is the right way to go.  In Gatley. local residents wanted to try a sustainable tree.  Instead of getting big cut trees each year, the idea was to grow a Christmas tree on Gatley Green that we could use every year.

Unfortunately, there were problems with trees dying and, whilst the latest one does seem to be doing OK, it just hasn’t grown to be very big.

So now seems to be a good time to say that it was worth a go, but just hasn’t worked so back to Plan A.

In Cheadle, the recurring issue of Christmas lights for Massie Street was discussed.  The problem seems to be one of health & safety with concerns that the street lamps can’t carry the lights.  I won’t claim to understand this one, but that seems to be the answer at the moment.

It was also noted that a new streetlamp costs £5,000.

Another item from the Cheadle Village Partnership meeting.

There’s a small area you probably know near to the White Hart pub in Cheadle.  By Gatley Road, there’s a nice flagged area with a few benches and the flagstones were stolen a while ago.

Since 2005, this area has actually been privately owned and maintained by the owners of North House (the building directly behind it).  It is not currently maintained or owned by the Council.

There was some discussion at the meeting of whether the Council should take over maintance again.   This is something I’ll be looking into.

An item from Cheadle Village Partnership:

For some time, the Cheadle Green Focus Group have been looking at how to improve the Green and make it, once a again, more of a focal point for the village.  This has had full backing from the Area Committee (i.e. the local councillors).

There is now a detailed plan which  Cheadle residents are being consulted on.  Click on the thumbnail images for more details.

I attended the meeting of the Acorn, Ash and Chestnut Avenues Residents Association at Cheadle Library yesterday evening.

Among discussions of anti-social behaviour (not too much at the moment, thankfully) and dog mess there were a couple I’d like to mention in more detail.

Young people in the area are currently being consulted over whether they’d like to see a games facility of some sort on the park - over near the allotments.

Everyone’s talking about a MUGA - Multi-User Games Area.  I didn’t know what a MUGA was, but now I know - it’s one of those areas with a hard surface, fencing around the outside and lines/nets/facilities for things like football and basketball - all designed to be hard-wearing and long-lasting.

To go ahead, young people in the area will be involved in both deciding what happens and applying for a large chunk of the money.  The idea is that, rather than dropping something from on high, young people get what they want and have a sense of ownership.

The experience we have from elsewhere  - including other sites around Stockport Borough, is that it leads to facilities that are better used and less vandalised.

Another issue that came up is street signs, which are both confusing and misleading as you enter the avenues.  The suggestion has been made to position street signs on the side of houses (one is already).  This will be looked at.

The next meeting will be on Tuesday 13th October, 6.30pm in the Community Room at Cheadle Library.  All residents of Acorn, Ash and Chestnut Avenues in Cheadle are welcome to attend.   The Association is also looking for more people interested to sit on the committee - not too time-consuming.