11. Draft March Minutes 24.03.2025_
Minutes of a meeting of
RAINFORD PARISH COUNCIL
held on Monday 24 March 2025 commencing at 7pm in the Council Chamber
Present: Councillors: Allan, Bardsley, Bowden, Denton, Dodson, Lee, Long, Roberts, Robinson, Reynolds, Shearon, Stockton-Pugh, Taylor, Whalley
In attendance: Jacqueline Hughes (Clerk)
Sally Powell (Clerk)
Lisa Roxby (Event Manager)
Paul Melling (Secretary, Rainford Table Tennis Club)
Jim Mulvanney (Rainford Table Tennis Club)
1. Apologies for Absence:
Councillor Bimpson (away)
2. Declaration of Acceptance of Office, of Interest, and Updating of the Register:
None
3. Formal announcements from the Chairwoman:
The Chairwoman informed members that since the last meeting she had:
i. Attended the Rainford Youth Council meeting. It is pleasing to see that this organisation is going from strength to strength.
ii. Attended the launch of the Young Carers professional information manual. It is intended that in time, every school will have a Young Carers Champion. Rainford High School has one already.
iii. Attended the Band Concert which was her final fundraising event for the St Helens Young Carers. A final figure is not yet available, but so far over £2500 has been raised.
4. To hear and respond to any questions/deputations by members of the public:
Paul Melling, secretary of Rainford Table Tennis Club (RTTC) addressed the meeting.
He informed members about the new RTTC clubhouse which is to be named the ‘Jim Bell Community Centre’, although Mr Melling referred to the new building as a “mini leisure centre”. A local entrepreneur has donated the funds for the building through a charitable trust and 10 hours per week must be given over free of charge for use by charitable good causes. At other times the room will be hired out for other activities which may include a knitting group, choir and activities for young children. Rainford High School have shown an interest in using the building regularly. Only members will be able to play table tennis, pickleball and badminton. There are currently 90 members, but it is hoped that there will be a lot more when applications for membership reopen when the building is finished.
Councillors asked questions regarding:
Control of drug and alcohol abuse – This will be the Health and Safety officer’s responsibility
Advice sought from established Leisure Centres – No
How people can sign up for membership – Not yet available
Will there be adult and paediatric defibrillators on the premises – Yes
5. To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Rainford Parish Council meeting held on Monday 24 February 2025:
The minutes of the meeting held on 24 March 2025 were approved a s a true and accurate record, proposed by Councillor Long, seconded by Councillor Stockton-Pugh and carried unanimously.
Action: The Clerk
6. Financial Matters:
Income & Expenditure for February 2025:
Receipts £10,551.96
Payments £10,868.12
Bank balances @ 28.02.2025:
Current Account: £1,403.75
Business Savings Account: £48,970.27
Payments do not include staff costs but do include most of the expenses from the Beer Festival. The income does not include the receipts from the Beer Festival. See Appendix 1 for details of the Income and Expenditure from the Beer Festival.
Quotes had been received for replacing the carpet in the entrance hall, stairs and landing.
Councillor Long asked about the payments to St Helens Council for staff costs. The Clerk informed the meeting that the documentation for February has not yet been received.
7. Clerk’s Report:
The following report was circulated with the agenda. Additions are in italics.
i. The decorating of the hall, stairs and landing is complete, and the new noticeboard has been installed. At the February FPA committee meeting there was a short discussion about whether the curtains should be put back up. It was agreed that the curtains should not be replaced.
ii. A quote has been received for decorating the Clerk’s office for the ceiling walls and all woodwork £560 plus VAT. It was agreed that this work should be completed as soon as possible, but the work to the lighting needs to be completed first.
iii. At the FPA Committee meeting on 12 March, it was agreed to purchase carpet at the cost of £2201.26. Since the meeting it has been determined that this was not of sufficient quality for the area. A quote for £3100 excluding VAT was also received for Carpet Tiles. There is a possibility of a donation to cover part of the cost. There was a discussion and it was decided that this should be discussed further at the next Finance, Planning & Administration Committee meeting.
Action: The Clerk
iv. Paula Blellock has requested another EPC assessment for the Village Hall. The Energy Surveyor has suggested that this is not appropriate. Steve Littler, Head of Estates at St Helens Council has requested to see works carried out. At meeting on 27 February with Steve Littler, Paula Blellock, and members of the FPA Committee, Councillor Long, Councillor Bimpson, Councillor Bardsley and Councillor Denton, there was a discussion about the possibility of a 99-year lease, as the energy surveyor advised that it would not be possible to achieve the EPC standard required for a 25-year lease. Currently no further information is available. The Clerk informed the meeting that no further information had been received from Paula Blellock, despite requests for an update.
There was an in depth and lengthy discussion regarding the lease for the Village Hall, with a particular emphasis on the land on Pilkington Street that forms part of the Village Hall lease, which has been left unused for many years. In the past there has been opposition from one of the neighbours to various ideas for use of the land, such as allotments. Councillor Denton gave a resume of the meeting that had taken place with Steve Littler and Paula Blellock on 27.03.2025. During this meeting, there was a discussion about removing the piece of land from the Village Hall lease, and the possibility of St Helens Council selling all the land at the rear of the hall for development. However, because of the covenant on the land, Lord Derby would need to approve any alterations to the footprint of the Village Hall lease and a change of use for the land contained within it. The following points/suggestions were made:
a) The Rainford community should be asked what the land should be used for
b) The allotments project could be revived
c) The possibility of a 99-year lease should be further considered
d) The possibility of the Parish Council purchasing the Village Hall should be considered and a request for the cost made to St Helens Council, if applicable.
Action: The Clerk
e) The possibility of St Helens Council giving the Village Hall to the Parish Council should be looked into as it was thought that if residents had voted for the creation of an Earlestown Town Council, then St Helens Council would have given Earlestown Town Hall to the newly formed Town Council.
Action: The Clerk
f) The possibility of creating a charitable trust for the Village Hall should be considered
Action: The Clerk
g) Without a lease, grant applications cannot be made.
RESOLVED: Councillor Reynolds proposed that legal advice is sought, to find out the options available to the Parish Council regarding the lease renewal and what would be the recommended course of action. This was seconded by Councillor Whalley and carried by a majority of 10 votes for the motion, with 1 against and 3 abstentions.
Action: The Clerk
It was agreed that there would be a further discussion at the next full Council meeting on 28.04.2025.
Action: The Clerk
iv. The Annual Meeting of the Parish Council will take place on 01.05.2025 at 6pm.
v. The Annual Parish Meeting will take place at 6pm on 19.05.2024 before the Full Council meeting at 7pm. This meeting has been brought forward due the bank holiday.
vi. A resident with a waste management company has approached the Parish Council about taking over the contact. This would be a cheaper and more flexible option. See xiv.
vii. A trial planter for Rainford in Bloom is now in situ outside Eve’s of Rainford.
viii. An invitation for Councillors to take part in the Walking Day procession 21 June has been received, please inform the Clerk if you are planning to attend.
ix. A battery box has been ordered. People can drop off spent batteries and the box will be emptied free of charge.
x. Donna Mooney CPSO has supplied the following crime statistics for Rainford for February
xi. Merseyside Police rent remains outstanding for the current year. Discussions are on-going, for payment to be made before the end of the financial year. The Clerk read out an email from Lynn Drohan received after an amended invoice had been sent at £510 pcm, which stated that this amount can be paid immediately, with the difference for the increased backdated rent being paid once the licence is agreed.
xii. New 50mph speed restrictions are to be placed on further sections of the A570 and on Catchdale Moss Lane.
xiii. A local firm has provided a lower quote for removing waste and glass from the Village Hall. There would be greater flexibility for additional collections with this company. It was agreed that this should be pursued.
xiv. The Deputy Lieutenant of Merseyside, Anne Morris has sent an email detailing how to nominate individuals for award. This has been put on the notice boards and the Parish Council social media pages and website.
xv. A replacement tap in the ladies toilets was needed. The work has been completed. The stop cock will need replacing at some point. Councillor Denton suggested obtaining a quote for the replacement, so that the work could be done pro-actively.
Action: The Clerk
8. Committee & Working Party Reports
Borough Councillors: No report
Community Liaison Committee: See Appendix 2 for the draft minutes of the meeting held on
03.03.2025
Councillor Whalley informed the meeting of the following discussions that took place at the
meeting on 03.03.2025:
As School Liaison Councillor, she had not yet been able to meet with the head teachers in Rainford due to their lack of availability.
• The Easter Bonnet Making Community Support Hub was not well attended, but was enjoyed by those who were there and people had also attended with young children. The May meeting will be a film showing.
• The Heritage and Knifesaver projects are now complete.
• Rainford Youth Council are holding a Table Top sale from Noon to 3pm on Saturday 29.03.2025 as part of the Great British Spring Clean. Please come along and support them if you can. The May meeting has been altered to coincide with the 80th Anniversary of VE Day, so that the Youth Council can be involved in the afternoon in some way.
• Volunteers are needed for the upcoming events, the first being the Tea Dance on 27.03.2025. 22 tickets have been sold so far. The VE Anniversary Tea Dance is proving to be very popular.
Action: All Members
• The Beer Festival was a great success. See Appendix 1 for Income & Expenditure details
• Residents interested in the land where the garages were need to contact St Helens Council.
Finance, Planning & Administration Committee: See Appendix 1 for the draft minutes of the meeting held on 12.03.2025
Councillor Long informed the meeting of the following:
• 2 sets of plans which had been sent after the FPA committee meeting on 12.03.2025
• A quote has been received for installing air-conditioning units in the Main Hall and Bar area for just under £13k. A new boiler, which could be needed in the near future, would be more expensive, and the running costs will be lower as it is a more instant heat. Additionally, the precept money will be higher for 2025/26. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the FPA committee that the Parish Council install air-conditioning units in the Main Hall and Bar Area and pay for them outright. Further quotes will be obtained.
Action: The Clerk
• The laptop that the Clerk uses is 8 years old and has a resale value of no more than £25. It was agreed that the Clerk should take the laptop with her when she retires, as the office has a much newer one.
Action: The Clerk
• The Clerk’s office will be decorated when the electrician has sorted out the lights.
Action: The Clerk
• The invoice for Merseyside Police remains outstanding, but it should be paid before the end of the financial year on 31.03.2025
Health & Safety Committee: The Health & Safety Committee have not met since the last full
Council Meeting
VIP Working Party:
Councillor Stockton-Pugh and the Event Manager informed the meeting of the following:
• The last VIP meeting reflected on the success of the Beer Festival and discussed ideas for next year.
• The Event Manager had been working on a collaborative Easter event with the Labour Club, but this had not been possible on this occasion. The next events are the Easter Community Cinema showing of ‘Peter Rabbit’ on 10.04.2025 and the 80th VE Day Anniversary Tea Dance on 08.05.2025. Councillor Denton asked for posters.
Action: Councillor Denton/The Event Manager
9. Parish/Neighbourhood Plan:
Councillor Roberts informed the meeting that the results from the survey were still being collated.
Action: Councillor Stockton-Pugh/The Clerk
10. Miller Homes Development:
Councillor Denton informed the meeting that residents had raised issues regarding the moving of the Bus Stop on Rookery Lane. This had been referred to the Borough Councillors. Additionally, a resident has an on-going issue following damage to their property.
Lastly, someone who has purchased a Miller Home put a post on social media indicating how excited they were to be moving to Rainford, only to have several existing residents make very negative comments. Councillors are requested to speak to anyone they know about the inappropriateness of such comments.
Action: Councillors Bimpson & Denton/All Members
11. DBS Checks for members of the Parish Council:
There was a short discussion. It was agreed that this item should be deferred to the next Full Council Meeting. Councillor Denton will send all Councillors a detailed email with further information. The cost for a basic check would be £18 per person. Councillor Taylor suggested that the enhanced check would be more appropriate.
Action: Councillor Denton/The Clerk
13. Rainford Youth Council:
This item was deferred until the next full Council meeting as the Youth Council will be submitting their ideas at the meeting on 27.03.2025.
Arrangements for income and expenditure from Rainford Youth Council will be considered at the next FPA committee meeting.
Action: The Clerk
14. Library Service in Rainford:
Paula Blellock has provided information relating to activities previously taking place at Rainford Library. This averages approximately 148 per year, averages at 4 hours per week. Potential lost revenue for this use of the Reception Room would be approximately £2220.00 per annum. Additional costs would also be incurred for Caretaker time and utilities. There was a lengthy and lively discussion, with a wide range of views and opinions. Councillor Bowden informed members that she had not yet received a reply to her Freedom of Information request regarding information about the library service, submitted on 24.02.2025. Concerns were raised over the practical issues of having a community library at the Village Hall; how volunteers would be managed and access issues etc. Others thought further information should be sought from St Helens Council.
RESOLVED: Councillor Dodson proposed that Rainford Parish Council does not allow free use of the Reception Room for activities that previously took place in Rainford library. This was seconded by Councillor Long and carried by a majority, with 7 voting for the motion, 6 against and 1 abstention.
15. Village Hall Air Conditioning/Heating:
This item was dealt with under Item 8.
16. Free Use of the Village Hall Policy:
The draft policy document was circulated with the agenda. There was a discussion and the following amendments were agreed:
a) The proceeds from the bar will always be kept by Rainford Parish Council
b) If an organisation cancels its event within 6 weeks of it taking place, it will not be allowed to book another event during that financial year
c) Bookings must be made at least 6 weeks in advance
d) If 2 organisations share an event, it will count as the event for both the organisations for that financial year
RESOLVED: Councillor Denton proposed that with the above amendments, the policy for free use of the Village Hall by Rainford organisations is accepted. This was seconded by Councillor Robinson and carried unanimously
Action: The Event Manager
17. Village Christmas Tree Lights: Cllr Allan
This item was deferred to the next meeting.
Action: The Clerk
18. Police Liaison Councillor: Cllr Allan
This item was deferred to the next meeting.
Action: The Clerk
There being no other business, the meeting closed at 8.55pm
_____________________________
Councillor Liz Dodson
Chairwoman
Rainford Parish Council 2024/25
APPENDIX 1: Draft Minutes of the FPA meeting held on 12.03.2025
APPENDIX 2: Draft Minutes of the CLC meeting on 03.03.2025