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Work has now commenced on diverting services in preparation for the construction of a mini-roundabout to gain access to the new Booths Store and a pedestrian crossing to improve road safety. In addition the Southport bound bus stop will be moved back into Hesketh Lane. The road surface will be completely renewed from Moss Lane to the brow of the old railway bridge and new street lighting installed. The scheme forms part of the planning consent granted to Booths who will be responsible for close on £200,000 of work. Lancashire County Council intend to reduce the
disruption to the local community by completing the road planning, surfacing,
road markings and antiskid application on Sunday 5 September and the subsequent
following evening / night time closure detailed below:
Sunday 5 September 2010 08:00 hrs - Monday 6 September 2010
06:00 hrs
Monday 6 September 2010 19:00 hrs - Tuesday 7 September 2010 06:00
hrs
Tuesday 7 September 2010 19:00 hrs - Wednesday 8 September 2010 06:00
hrs
Wednesday 8 September 2010 19:00 hrs - Thursday 9 September 2010 06:00
hrs
Thursday 9 September 2010 19:00 hrs - Friday 10 September 2010 06:00 hrs
Friday 10 September 2010 19:00 hrs - Saturday 11 September 2010 06:00 hrs
Saturday 11 September 2010 19:00 hrs - Sunday 12 September 2010 06:00 hrs
During times when the road closure is necessary (within the
above window) the diversion shall be as follows. A signed diversion route will
be via Station Road, Shore Road, Hundred End Lane, Taylors Meanygate, Gorse
Lane, Church Road and back to Hesketh Lane.
Following intense lobying from the Parish Council, LCC have agreed for a trial period of 3 months to run a Thursday only special bus to Ormskirk Market departing from Chapel Rd/Shore Rd at 9:38am with a return service leaving Ormskirk at 1:00pm. Once again, like the 202 service which was scrapped, it's USE it or LOSE it.
Mr David Maughan was co-opted as a Member of the Parish Council at the May meeting. Click here to see his contact details.
The Annual Parish Assembly will be held on Monday 17th May at 7:30pm in the new 3G Sports Centre on Station Road; Coffee from 7:00pm.
Presentations will be given, with an opportunity to ask questions, by:-
Lancashire Constabulary - PC Phil Corrigan.
WLBC Environmental Protection Officer - Mr Paul Charlson.
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds - Mr Tony
Baker.
All Saints C. of E. Primary School - Mr Laurence Smye-Rumsby.
Civil Parish Council - Parish Cllr. Paul Sergeant,
Chairman.
West Lancashire Borough Council - Borough Cllr. Martin Forshaw.
Lancashire County Council - County Cllr. Malcolm Barron.
There will also be the first opportunity to elect a local resident to the Police PACT Panel.
All Residents of the Parish are warmly invited.
As a result of the resignation of former Councillor Christine McLeod, a vacancy was formally declared at the Parish Council meeting on the 1st March 2010. Under the statutory rules, an election has not been called and the Council therefore will consider co-opting a replacement Member to serve until the regular elections in May 2012.
If you would like to be considered for co-option, please write to the Clerk either by post or email giving brief details and a CV of yourself stating why you wish to be considered and as to what attributes you feel you can bring to the work of the Council.
Applications should be with the Clerk by the 16th of April 2010.
At the February meeting of the Parish Council, the Budget for 2010/2011 was set with a nil increase on the Parish Precept; this follows on from a 10.9% decrease in the last fianacial year which effectively takes the current Precept back to 2005 levels.
Some confusion seems to exist regarding the proposal to
erect a fenced "Ball Court" between the old Library Building and the Band Room
at the Village Hall site on Station Road, Hesketh Bank.
In October 2008, the possible opportunity arose to build a
Ball-Court in Hesketh Bank through a partnership with West Lancashire District
Council and a £58,000 grant from the Big-Lottery; as such a Ball-Court had been
envisaged in the Village Hall Committee's plans for the redevelopment of the
complete site, a bid was put in which subsequently proved successful.
As mentioned above, a Ball Court had been featured in the
Village Hall plans and when an exhibition was staged at the hall two years ago,
the plans were viewed with enthusiasm by many members of the public. The
inclusion of a Ball Court by the Village Hall Committee had been in response to
an identified need for a facility for younger teenagers.
The "REAL" survey carried out in 2004 and the "Parish Plan"
survey carried out in 2007 both identified a total absence of facilities for
younger teenagers.
The Police, at a PACT meeting at the time, showed their
general support for the scheme acknowledging that it would be a useful asset
although a formal request for support was not requested or received.
In view of the above, the Parish Council were delighted to
have secured the Grant on behalf of the Village Hall and started to determine a
way to proceed. It was decided that a consultation exercise should be carried
out and the residents of Station Road between Chapel Road and The Nurseries
were written to by hand delivered letters; in addition, an article asking for
comments and/or help was placed in the Council's newsletter which is
distributed to 92% of Hesketh Bank households and is also made available in
"Top Shop" and the Shore Road Post Office. The consultation letter clearly
stated that as well as informal use, play workers would visit the site to
assist in managed sessions and also train local volunteers. The letter also
stated that should the scheme proceed, lighting and CCTV would be installed.
A total of four objections were received from the whole
village; sadly, no offers of help were received despite the large number of
responders to the Parish Survey who believed that Hesketh Bank was short of
such facilities.
The objections can be summarised as follows:-
Facility not needed
because of the new nearby Sports Centre being built - The Sports Centre is for organised
sport and training: The proposed
Ball Court is for play and recreation.
The Ball Court will
bring people together - This is
the purpose of the Scheme.
General complaint
re the existing condition of the site - The proposed Ball Court is part of the Village Hall's ambitious
plan to radically improve the site.
The scheme will
generate noise in the evening -It
has already been agreed that the site would be closed at 9:00pm. The
possibility of fencing the complete frontage is being looked into with a
view to locking gates at 9:00pm
Existing nuisance
from youths with bikes, scooters etc. - By tidying the site, adding facilities, increasing security with
fencing and gates and monitoring (including the adjacent football ground)
with CCTV, the Village Hall would hope to turn a problem area into a
village asset.
Car Parking spaces
will be lost - The designated
car park (18 spaces) is to the rear of the Band Room and is untouched by
the proposed Ball Court. In addition, it is planned to place additional
car parking at the front of the building.
Another site should
be used - Neither the Council
nor Village Hall Committee have other sites available and none have been
suggested by objectors.
At present, the Parish Council has, on behalf of the Village
Hall, applied for Planning Permission to install the facility. Members of the
public are now free to notify their views or concerns to the Planning Officer
at West Lancashire District Council (Application number 2009/0314/FUL).
If Planning Permission is granted, the minutiae of managing
the facility will be fully reviewed in the light of comments received before
any work is undertaken.
In offering to
provide and manage this facility at considerable personal commitment, the
Village Hall Committee have willingly responded to the need expressed by a
large number of residents of all ages and the Parish Council has similarly
responded by agreeing to provide financial backing.
From 30 March 2009
Lancashire County Council will revise the timetable in order to better
coordinate with train departures at Burscough Bridge Interchange and still
maintain the half-hourly service between Ormskirk and Burscough in conjunction
with Service 203. On behalf of Lancashire County Council, Cumfybus Ltd
will take over running this route with modern Low Floor Easy Access buses.
At the February meeting, Councillors set a Parish Precept for 2009/2010 of £55,000 representing a reduction of nearly 11% over the previous year. This will represent a cost of £38.33 on a Band D property.
Hesketh with Becconsall Parish Council have been successful in securing "BIG Lottery" funding of £58,000 for the provision of a Multi-Use Sports Facility in Hesketh Bank; the Parish Council fought off the other twenty Parish Councils in West Lancashire to win this significant grant for the benefit of the Village. Parish Clerk, Ian Cropper commented "We are extremely grateful to West Lancashire District Council for giving us the opportunity to be partners in their Play Lottery project portfolio."
"It has been part of the Village Hall Committee's long term plan to provide such a facility on the land between the Front Hall and the Band Room on Station Road and it is hoped that through the partnership of West Lancashire District Council, Hesketh with Becconsall Parish Council and the Village Hall Committee, this can now be realised."
As well as informal sessions, Play Workers from the West Lancashire Sports Development Team will visit on a regular basis to assist in managed sessions and also train local volunteers to continue the work.
The Parish Council believe that this is a unique opportunity to provide facilities for all ages which at present the Village does not have. Following the success at the Shore Road Park and Station Road Play Area, the Council would also provide £7,000 of CCTV equipment to monitor the site.
A Consultation process with local residents is being carried out before any work proceeds.
The Parish Council have put in a bid, in conjunction with The Village Hall Committee and West Lancashire District Council, for the installation of a £50,000 Multi Use Games Facilty on land to the rear of the Village Hall. If successful, the facilty will be made available 2 or 3 times per week staffed by play workers as part of the Sports Development team as well as informal local sessions. The eventual aim is a sustainable local voluntary youth/play group that can operate independently.
District and Parish Councillor Iain Ashcroft with David Tilleray, Executive Manager for Community Services at West Lancs District Council wait for the breach in the sea wall to be completed.
168-hectares of farmland at Hesketh Outmarsh has been flooded to return
it to wildlife-friendly saltmarshes and provide a natural flood defence. The project, which involves breaching the sea wall in three places around part of Hesketh Out
Marsh in the Ribble Estuary is the biggest of its kind in the UK. The Environment Agency and RSPB scheme is aimed at enabling the saltmarsh to
absorb the energy of the tide and will also create a habitat for birds and wildlife.
It is hoped that the area will become a breeding ground for waders such as
lapwing, avocet and redshank.
Due to other commitments, Cllr Lesley Jackson has resigned from the Council.
A bye-election will be held if within 14 days (not counting Saturdays and Sundays) from Monday 1st of September, ten electors for the Parish give notice in writing claiming such an election to the Returning Officer. If no such election is called, the Parish Council will fill the vacancy by co-option.
Click here to view the completed Parish Plan
Total Ballots Cast = 891 giving a turnout of 28.8%.
THE River Douglas at Hesketh Bank is to become the focus of
attention for some of the country's best architects as Lancashire County
Council launches a search for an inspirational bridge design.
The REMADE in Lancashire land reclamation programme has commissioned
the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) to run an architectural design
competition for a new landmark bridge to span the River Douglas at Hesketh Bank,
Becconsall in West Lancashire. Architects are being invited to submit designs for a bridge
for use by walkers, cyclists and horse riders which will be located at the site
of the former Preston to Southport railway
bridge.
The design competition, funded by the Northwest Regional
Development Agency, will result in six designs being short listed by the
judging panel in July 2008 with a final winner being chosen in October 2008.
The public and key stakeholders will be invited to express their views on the
short listed entries during the summer.
County
Councillor Matthew
Tomlinson, Cabinet member for Environment and Transportation, said: "We are
looking for something really special that will make a big statement about the
area. "This design competition forms the first stage of a REMADE
proposal to create a new linear greenway linking the villages and communities
of West Lancashire and South Ribble districts. "However the designs look, the simple aim of the river
crossing will be to provide a safe off-road sustainable travel and leisure
route for use by local residents, schoolchildren and people commuting between
Southport and Preston.
"I hope to see some inspirational designs that will help us
when it comes to seeking the necessary funding to turn the ideas into reality."
The Ribble
Coast is a popular
location for enjoying the landscape and the important wildlife of the estuary.
The proposed greenway will provide a key access route to attractions within the
emerging Ribble Coast
and Wetlands Regional Park
including Martin Mere Wetland Centre and the RSPB Hesketh Outmarsh reserve
which is currently under development.
Peter White, Executive Director of Development at the NWDA,
said: "Building a bridge at this location would be an important first step in
opening up the area for walkers, cyclists and riders. This scheme will explore
the potential to create a fantastic
new facility for local people and visitors to enjoy. It will be a clear signal
of our intent to see the coordination of NWDA funded land regeneration
programmes in implementing regional park aspirations."
Bob Allen, Executive Director of Groundwork Lancashire West
and Wigan and member of the Ribble Coast and Wetlands Regional Park Steering Group,
said: "The Douglas Bridge crossing is seen as a flagship project for the
Ribble Coast
and Wetlands Regional Park
that will make a substantial contribution to our access strategy. The design
competition is an exciting opportunity to develop a high quality structure in
keeping with the natural environment."
Click here to see details of the RIBA competition.
Under a new "Dog Control Order" it will be an offence from the 1st of May 2008 not to clean up after your dog. It will be an offence, carrying a £75 Fixed Penalty Notice, not to remove faeces deposited by a dog in your charge. The order applies throughout the whole of West Lancashire. Failure to pay will result in a fine of up to £1,000 on summary conviction in a Magistrates Court.
Regretably, owing to the substantial delay caused by the
enforced hunt for endangered species on
the site, the planned building and opening date for the new Food Store has been
put back, possibly to 2010. Booths management however, always mindful of their
altruistic heritage, are endeavouring to start work on the infrastructure,
including the roads and some of the car-park later this year in order to
improve the overall appearance of the site and offer improved parking facilities
for residents.
Following a "Recognition and Software" upgrade, the Council's Speed Indicating and Recording Device (SPIRD) was out in action from the 15th to 19th of October, monitoring traffic passing the 30mph restriction sign on Moss Lane. Speeding appears to have dramatically increased since the last tests in March this year. During the four day period, some 5,124 vehicles had their details recorded with 27% exceeding 35mph and 12% exceeding 40mph. If you were the bright spark going at 65mph at 7:15pm on the 18th of October - you were logged as well.
The unit is still undergoing trials and so the current data will remain confidential; future recordings will however be passed on to the Police to assist them in enforcement.
Lancashire County
Council - Tuesday 6 November 2007 at
7:15pm
Our Lady's Parish
Centre, Hesketh Lane, Tarleton
Join BBC TV's Dave
Guest for an informal Question Time event. Put county council leaders under
the spotlight. Tell them about the issues that concern you. Let them know
what they should be doing to improve the quality of life in Lancashire.
Residents of Hesketh Bank are invited to attend a presentation which will be held in the Village Hall on Tuesday 30th October at which the results of the Parish Plan questionnaire survey recently completed by local residents will be made known. These results will inform the content of the Parish Plan which will be produced early in 2008 along with action plans to meet the needs of local residents as identified through the questionnaires. If you would like to join the discussion on what needs to be done in Hesketh Bank with regard to traffic, crime and safety, road safety, the environment, youth facilities, future development, village amenities, conservation and heritage, please come along on the night and join in the debate. The presentation will start at 7:15pm and light refreshments will be served from 7:00pm onwards. For more information, please contact Cllr. Steve Kirby, Chairman of the Parish Plan Steering Group on 07766 367550.
Two new Councillors were co-opted by the Parish Council at a special meeting last Monday. They are Mrs Lesley Jackson and Mr Chris Jones both from Marsh Road. Their contact details can be found on the Councillors page; we wish them every good fortune in their new positions.
Please note that the telephone number for the Parish Clerk has changed to 01704-778005. The Office is only manned part time; voice mail may be left when the Clerk is unavailable.
The Parish Council office will be closed from the 11th August until the 27th of August for the summer recess. Matters of extreme urgency should be passed to the chairman during this period.
The Accreditation Board for Lancashire
and Merseyside has just announced that Hesketh with Becconsall Parish Council has
been awarded the status of "Quality Parish Council".
This is great news for the Council and the Village alike and is
a clear statement to all that the Council is operating efficiently and to the
highest practical and ethical standards. Credit goes to all the Councillors and
the Parish Clerk who have worked hard over the last few years to bring the Council's
systems and workings up to the level necessary to receive this award.
A formal presentation of the
award will take place in the near future.
Hesketh Bank launched its First Annual Scarecrow Festival from the 2th to the 7th of July 2007. It's Free, Fun and open to everyone. Download an application form today by clicking HERE.
The Parish Plan Questionnaires out at the end of May.
Mrs Christine McLeod was formally co-opted to fill the current vacancy on the Parish Council this month. Christine takes up her position at the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council on Monday 14th May 2007.
The new CCTV Security system is now operational at the Shore Road park.
Applause from members of the public greeted the decision at the April Council Meeting to abandon plans to install a skateboard ramp at the Shore Road Recreation Ground. The Proposition to install the ramp to the rear of the school was lost on a majority decision. Members will however, carry on their search to find suitable land within the Parish for the facility and discuss the matter again at the June meeting.
After concerted efforts over the last two years by the Parish Council, the speed limit on Shore Road is being reduced to 50mph. This week saw the start of the erection of the numerous signs neccessary from the junction with Chapel Road through to the far end where the road turns into New Lane Pace, Banks.
The reduced speed limit is part of the Parish Council's overall strategy to make Shore Road safer. In addition to the speed reduction, a major repair of much of the wearing surface was recently completed and work on lighting the whole stretch from Chapel Road to Hundred End Lane is due to start shortly.
An exhibition will be held at Alty's Offices
on Station Road from 26th - 31st March to give members of the public a chance to
see the proposed development of Booths Supermarkets in Hesketh Bank. Plans will
also be available at the April meeting of the Parish Council.
Booths expect to apply for detailed planning
permission late in April although work is not expected to start before the end
of the year.
Plastic disposable bags for animal faeces have been available FREE for some time from West Lancashire District Council. Arrangements have now been made for these to be available at Parish Council Meetings or by contacting the Parish Clerk. It will soon become an offence not to clear up after your dog when new Dog Control Orders come into effect. If you have a complaint, contact the Dog Warden at West Lancs District Council - help keep our streets and parks cleaner!
Following the resignation of Cllr Mrs Joan Witter, the Council declared a vacancy at the February meeting. It is the Council's intention to co-opt a new Member unless an election is called. If you would like to be considered for co-option, please speak with the Clerk as soon as possible.
A bye-election to fill the vacancy will be held if within 14 days (not
counting a Saturday or Sunday) from the 6th of February ten electors for the Parish
give notice in writing claiming such an election to the Returning Officer.
At the February Meeting of the Parish Council, the precept for 2007 / 2008 was set at £60,929; this represents an increase of 4.56% over the previous year.
In actual terms this equates to an increase of approximately 3.5 pence per week for a Band D Council Tax payer. Scaremongering rumours earlier in the year had suggested that the increase would be nearer to £1 per week.
A re-launch of the Parish Plan project is being spear-headed by Parish Councillor Steve Kirby. If you would like to be involved in shaping the future of the village, come along to an open meeting at 7:30pm in the Village Hall on Station Road on Thursday 15th of February.
West Lancashire District Council Planning Committee have postponed consideration of the Guide Road Planning Application until the January Meeting.
Hesketh with Becconsall Parish
Council Planning Committee unanimously confirmed that they had no objections to
the Planning Application to convert premises at 1A Guide Road Hesketh Bank to a
home for the residential care of up to six autistic children. The decision was
given following assurances from Positive Childcare Limited, that no staff
parking would be permitted on the highway and that the home would only be used
for autistic children. The Parish Council have also asked the Planning Authority
at West Lancashire District Council to consider requiring the applicants to
conduct a public review of the operation after five
years.
A public meeting with Lancashire Police Authority will be held at The High School Tarleton on Monday 25th September 2006 at 7:00pm. Topics for discussion will include "Policing Priorities 2007/2008"
West Lancashire District Council have launched two special grant schemes for first time buyers. Click here to find out more.
Hesketh with Becconsall Parish
Council has launched the fundraising for an ambitious plan for 21st
century Community Sporting Facilities within the village with a conditional pledge
of £50,000.
Spearheaded by Hesketh Bank
Football Club, the plan is to secure funding of £1.5m that will provide a
modern community sporting facility for the village and surrounding area. "The
need for such facilities was identified in a survey consultation carried out within
the village some four years ago" commented the Parish Clerk, "The Council are
delighted that the Club are taking the initiative in providing this much needed
facility".
The Football Club currently has
four senior and seven junior teams and over the last few years has held a
highly successful "Mini
Soccer School"
in conjunction with Everton Football Club for boys and girls aged 5-15yrs. "The
addition of the new facilities on land adjacent to the Centenary Sports Ground
will address some of the concerns that local residents have and give the young
people of the village a new focal point. The facilities will include a floodlit
multi-use games area with "all-weather" surfaces, which will allow the
development of sports such as hockey, netball and tennis."
The Council's pledge amongst
other conditions, is subject to the balance of the required phase one funding
being in place; it is hoped that work on the £800,000 first phase will start in
2007. The second phase will include a community social room, fitness suites and
an extension to the car park.
Mrs Margaret Saynor of Dunkirk Farm, Shore Road was unanimously elected to fill the current vacancy on the Parish Council. Mrs Saynor should take office from the April meeting of the Council.
As a result of Mr Tony Murphy resigning as a
member of the Council, a vacancy was declared at the Parish Council meeting on the 6th of February. A bye-election
to fill the vacancy will be held if within fourteen days from the Tuesday 7th February 2006 (excluding Saturdays and Sundays), ten electors of the
Parish give notice in writing, claiming such an election, to the
Returning Officer at West Lancashire District Council, 52 Derby Street,
Ormskirk. L39 2DF. If no such notice is given, the Parish Council will
fill the vacancy by co-option.
Mr Gerard Twigger of Guide Road, Hesketh Bank was unanimously elected to fill the current vacancy on the Parish Council. Mr Twigger should be taking up his position at the February meeting of the Council.
Gorse Lane Tarleton (C143) will be closed to traffic for carriageway repairs from its junction with Church Road to New Lane from 8:00am on Monday the 21st November until 5:00pm on Friday the 2nd December.
The Planning Inspectorate has allowed an appeal against West Lancashire District Council's decision to refuse planning permission at 8-10 Station Road. The plans propose an additional storey with a pitched roof and four new dwellings.
After over twelve months with the Auditors and the Audit Commission, the Council's Audit for the year ended 31st March 2004 has now been concluded. All the items of concern were addressed by the Council and the present Clerk during the year to March 2005. The Audit report for 2005 will give the Council a clean bill of health. Click here to see the reports.
The Environment Agency and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) have put plans foward for consultation, in a Scoping Report prepared by the Halcrow Group. Details can be downloaded below.
Work is expected to start during the first week of October on the major refurbishment of the Play Area on Shore Road. In addition the pathway from Delta Park to the Shore Road Carpark will be completely replaced with a new, wider tarmac path to improve accessibility. The work is being carried out and financed by the Parish Council assisted by grants from WLDC.
New Tree Preservation Orders (55 (2005)) have been put on the two large trees on each side of the junction of Moss Lane and Station Road by Tree Preservation Officer at West Lancashire District Council.
Congratulations to our neighbours, Tarleton, for winning the 'Large Village Class' in this year's competition. A good acheivement.
West Lancashire District Council Planning Committee, at their meeting on the 28th of July 2005, refused Planning permission for the mixed redevelopment of the Alty site. This was in line with the recommendations of the Planning Officer.
From Monday 25th July 2005, The Accident and Emergency department for Adults will close at Ormskirk District General Hospital. Click here for further details.
The West Lancashire District Council Planning Committee will consider the above application (which includes the erection of 83 dwellings) at their meeting on the 28th July 2005. This is a public meeting which will be held in the Council Chamber at 52 Derby Street Ormskirk at 7:30pm. Following a public meeting held in Hesketh Bank in August 2004, the Parish Council objected to the deveopment. The recommendation of the planning officer is that the application should be refused.
The contract for a major upgrade of the Shore Road Play Area has been awarded to "Yates Playgrounds" of Holmeswood, tenders were also submitted by "Wicksteed Play Equipment" and "Record Playgrounds". The contract was awarded by the Recreation and Playgrounds committee of the Council, under the chairmanship of Councillor Tony Murphy, on the basis of best value. Work is scheduled to start in late September and will last approximately four weeks. The area when complete will be completely fenced for safety and to help exclude dogs. All equipment will be set on impact absorbing safety surfaces and will be interconnected by tarmac paths. The total cost of the works will be in the region of £33,000.
After years of lobbying, the Parish Council have succeeded in persuading Lancashire County Council to add Chapel Road to the precautionary winter list. This means that the road should be treated prior to icy weather with salt and grit. The Council have been concerned for some time that a serious accident was waiting to happen especially as this is the main bus route through the village.
