Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED:That the Minutes of the Meeting held on the 6^th November 2019 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

·         Disclosable Pecuniary Interests:

·         Other Interests

At this point in the meeting, Joanne Brookes advised, that to avoid duplication of information, she would present the financial review and summary of projects, rather than a member of the Finance Team.

Members were in agreement with this, and it was noted that a member of the Finance Team would attend the Board should the need arise.

The Board received a report which provided a financial summary of funding available to the Partnership to allocate during the financial year. Tables 1 and 2 contained within the report provided a summary of the allocation of grant funding. 

Discussion took place around the amount of funding the Board had to allocate and it was decided that the Board would not pursue additional funding this year.

RESOLVED - That the report be noted.

The Board received a report and presentation on the current status of projects at:-

·         Gazebo, Whitehough, Ipstones – Scheme completed once the doors had been installed.

·         The Trough, Biddulph – Awaiting commencement.

·         Cheddleton Station – Recommended that the grant be reallocated against the repair of the surface of the platform.

·         Funerary Monuments – additional grant funding had allowed the repair of all the remaining listed and at risk funerary monuments to be completed. Works to commence shortly.

·         Biddulph Town Council Projects:

o   Railings A527 – Railings installed and grant paid.

o   Gillow Heath Station - A small working group had been formed and this ha turned into a four phase project: Stage 1: SMDC Assets Team to arrange the removal of the fence before the benches could be installed. Stage 2: Restoration of the edge of the platform stones. The stones had now been sourced. Stage 3: was the installation of signage and interpretation boards – No update. Stage 4: Was to repair the nearby footbridge. 

·         Foxlowe, Leek – Repair works to the roof completed.  Final payment of grant to be paid once window and render repairs were completed.     

·         1 High Street, Cheadle – Works delayed pending planning permission

·         Leekbrook Interpretation Panels - Historic photographs and text were in the process of being sourced.

·         Victoria Buildings - Little interest from the owners to progress their respective grant, therefore, it was recommended that the £20,000 is used against other grant projects.

·         Mill House Pool, Biddulph – due to commence on the 6^th April.

·         St Peters Church, Alton – works completed and grant to be paid

·         Market Cross, Cheadle – awaiting commencement

·         Halls Road Community Notice Board, Biddulph - Preferred option for the noticeboard has been selected and the map was nearly complete.      

RESOLVED:

(Councillors Gledhill, Hart and Riley had declared interests and did not vote on the item relating to Cheddleton Station.)

1)            That the update report be NOTED.

2)            That the £4,000 grant offered against the repair of Cheddleton Station building was reallocated against the reinstatement of diamond cut blue bricks to allow the original brick pattern to be restored be APPROVED.

3)            The Board APPROVED the ‘in principle’ allocation of £20,000 against the Victoria Buildings to be reallocated against other grant applications.

The purpose of the report was to seek member’s approval to allocate grant funding from the Moorlands Partnership Board. The budget for this year was £50,000. The table below showed the allocations to date.

RESOLVED:

(Councillors Gledhill, Hart and Riley declared an ‘other’ interest and took no part in the vote for the grant funding towards the re-instatement of track and bed at Leekbrook.)

1)    That Members APPROVED a grant of £3,000 towards the reinstatement of traditional sliding sash windows at 42 Crompton, Leek, with the cost of eligible works totalling £6,000 (inc VAT). The work would be subject to the standard grant scheme conditions and the following technical conditions:

·         Agree exact dimension and profile of glazing bar.

·         Replacement windows are decorated to an agreed colour scheme.

·         Planning permission is obtained for the replacement windows.

2)    That Members APPROVED a maximum grant of £4,000 for the repair and renovation of the retail frontage at 55 Chorley Street, Leek with the cost of eligible works totalling £8,180 (VAT inc). The work would be subject to the standard grant scheme conditions and the following technical conditions;

·         The works must comply with the planning approval SMD/2019/0673 including the discharge of all conditions relating to joinery details pertaining to the renovation of the existing timber shopfront.

·         Any variations must be agreed with both the conservation officer and grants officer.

3)     That Members APPROVED a maximum grant of £4,000towards the reinstatement of a collapsed wall at St Johns Church, Hollington with the cost of eligible works totalling £8,660 (VAT not applicable). The work would be subject to the standard grant scheme conditions and the following technical conditions:

·         Any new stone required is to match the existing stone

·         The wall to be reinstated to the same height and profile as the existing wall

·         Pointing specification to be agreed

4)     That Members APPROVED a maximum grant of £4,000 towards the repair of the Kingsley and Froghall Station (Platform 1), with the cost of the eligible works totalling £25,276 (plus VAT). The works would be subject to the standards grant conditions.

5)     That Members APPROVED the allocation of remaining funds of £12,791 towards the reinstatement of track bed at Leekbrook, with the cost of eligible works totalling £25,180 (+ VAT). The works would be subject to standard grant conditions.

The Board was advised that it was anticipated than an application for grant funding would be received from Cheadle Cards, High Street in Cheadle.

Members were also reminded that the next meeting date hadn’t been agreed but it was likely to be held in July 2020.