To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Allonby, Councillor Burke, Councillor Rowbotham and Councillor West.

Members are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary, personal or personal and prejudicial interests they may have and the nature of those interests relating to items on this agenda and/or indicate if S106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.   

There were no declarations of interest.

To determine whether there are any additional items of business which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chair decides should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items of business.

The following matters were raised as part of the Open Forum:

a)         Planting on Traffic Islands/Roadside Verges

In response to a question from a local resident asking if the tarmac/paving on on traffic islands and roadside verges could be replaced with planting, the Service Manager, Environmental Management informed the Committee that a trial project on this was currently taking place in Kirklees. Officers would monitor the trial over the next couple of years to see if it may be suitable and would report back to the Committee in due course on the outcome.

b)         Heritage at Risk Register

In response to a question from a local resident about the Council’s plans for the Middleton Conservation Area after it was put on Historic England’s At Risk Register, the Committee were informed that the decision to put on the register was made with the agreement of the Council and gave an opportunity to bid for further grant funding. The Middleton Masterplan was also clear about the importance of heritage in Middleton.

c)         Section 106 Funding in Middleton

A local resident had asked about Section 106 funding in Middleton and where this had been spent. The Committee were informed of the amounts of Section 106 funding that had been allocated by service area and an indication of the types of schemes that had been funded. A more detailed answer would be sent direct to the resident who had asked the question.

d)         Shops Selling Vapes in Middleton Town Centre

A local resident asked a question following up on previous concerns raised about the amount of shops that had opened in Middleton Town Centre selling vapes. The Committee were advised of the work being undertaken by Trading Standards and Greater Manchester Police in relation to the sale of vapes. Residents were encouraged to report any specific concerns direct.

Issues regarding traffic flow and enforcement of the one way system in the Town Centre were also raised.

e)         Affordable Housing

In response to a question about affordable rents, specifically in relation to the Eden Park development on Langley, the Committee were informed that rents had been established by an independent valuer, calculated at 80% of open market rental value. A breakdown of the affordable rents and rent to buy rents was outlined.

f)          Street Lighting

A local resident raised a number of issues with street lighting that wasn’t working on various streets. The Head of Highways agreed to look into this matter.

g)         Education Budgets

A local resident asked about the announcement from government in relation to a reduction in the budgets for schools in the area and the impact this would have on schools. The Director of Children’s Services would be asked to provide a response.

h)        Alkrington Area – Proposed Play Area

In response to a question from a local resident about the timeframe for a report relating to a proposed play area in the Alkrington area, the Committee were informed that once the report had been finalised, it would be submitted to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

Members are requested to approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 14^th September 2023.

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Middleton Township Committee held on 14^th September 2023 be approved as a correct record.

To consider objections to proposed Traffic Order – Prohibition of Waiting, Nowell Rise & Nowell Road, Middleton.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Neighbourhoods which advised residents have reported issues of vehicular access and constrained visibility arising from current parking arrangements along Nowell Rise and at its junction with Nowell Road.

In accordance with the commissioning brief, Highways have developed and promoted a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) scheme for the proposed implementation of a prohibition of waiting restriction to protect width over 40 metres along the south-eastern side of Nowell Rise from its junction with Nowell Road. The same restriction was also proposed for Nowell Road to enhance visibility, extending 10 metres north-west from its junction with Nowell Rise and circa 30 metres in a south-easterly direction.

The approved scheme was advertised formally through a Notice of Intent posted between 13th April and 4^th May 2023 and seven individual written representations on behalf of 14 signatories were received by Highways, all in objection to the proposed TRO.

In considering the submitted report, the Committee also heard representations from local residents objecting to the proposed scheme.

Alternatives considered:

Highways are unable to sufficiently mitigate the nature and scale of objections received and recommended that the proposed scheme either be reduced in scale through an amended design and a process of legal re-advertisement or be abandoned and withdrawn.

Resolved:

That the (Borough of Rochdale, ((Civil Enforcement of Traffic Contraventions) (Various Streets) (Middleton Township) Order 2008) (Amendment) (No. 83) Order 2023, be abandoned.

Reasons for the decision:

During the formal advertisement period, signatory objections were received from ten individual residents of Nowell Road, two residents of Nowell House, and a single resident of Sherbourne Road. No specific representations were received in-support of the proposed scheme.

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To consider a report of the Operation Manager Highways Maintenance.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Neighbourhoods which sought approval of the Highways Work Programmes for 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years. The programmes included the two year local transport plan (LTP) funded carriageway and footway capital programme and the two year bridges and structures LTP funded capital maintenance programme.

Resolved:

That the proposed work programmes to be delivered in 2024/25 and 2025/26 be noted and approved.

Reasons for the decision:

The schemes that have been selected have been put together based on the principles of asset management which use network condition data, engineer inspections, life cycle planning and cost efficiency to produce the most efficient highway improvement over the course of the programmes. Using Asset management techniques for scheme selection ensures that we are in line with recommendations from the Department for Transport (DfT) enables us to continue to receive the full funding allocation from the DfT incentive fund scheme. Authorities that are deemed not to be carrying out efficient highway improvements can have funding reduced.

Alternatives considered:

No alternatives have been considered. The programme has been developed according to DfT guidance and in line with other GM Authorities. However, members should note that in addition to the LTP programme there is the steady state programme of works worth approximately £3.2m annually over 5 years which may include schemes not identified in this proposed programme.