Meeting of the Environmental
Initiatives Committee of the
Present: Cllr. Robert
Thompson (Chairman), Cllr David Capstick,
Cllr
Daphne Coles, Cllr. Geoff Edwards, Cllr Gerald Grant,
Cllr Peter Griffiths, Cllr Phil Pearn and Cllr Liz Warrington.
1.
APOLOGIES:
Apologies were received
from Cllr Gill Jordan, Cllr Jean Evans and Cllr Bryan Smith.
Resolved: that the apologies be noted.
2. TO ELECT A CHAIRMAN:
Cllr
Gerald Grant moved that Cllr Robert Thompson be elected Chairman of the
Committee. This was seconded by Cllr Liz
Warrington. No further nominations were
received.
Resolved: that Cllr Robert Thompson be appointed Chairman of the
Committee for the ensing year.
3. DECLARATIONS OF
INTEREST:
None
received.
4. BEST KEPT GARDEN COMPETITION:
The
Chairman reported that there were now 32 entrants to the competition and that Keith
Robertshaw of Sycamore Garden Centre had agreed to
judge the gardens on 6th July.
The
Chairman also reported that Royal British Legion had donated £20, Chester Zoo
had donated 4 admission tickets and Upton Horticultural Society had donated a
year’s membership and £10 voucher.
Members
discussed the categories which included:
Best Overall, Best
Containers/Baskets, Best Shrubs/Bedding Plants and Best Community garden.
The
Clerk reported that taking into account the prizes that had been donated, the
total value of prizes the Parish Council would have to give would be £105.
The
Clerk asked Members to confirm that the criteria for judging
the gardens was:
Gardens that are
outstanding, enhance their local area and are pleasing to the eye, rather than
judged on horticultural merit.
Members
discussed ensuring that all gardens entered were acknowledged even if no prize
was won.
Resolved: (a) that the Clerk
go ahead with the judging using the above criteria.
(b) that the Clerk
send a letter to all garden entrants acknowledging the Parish Council’s thanks
for their efforts.
5. BULB/TREE PLANTING 2005/06:
The
Clerk reported that she had taken advice from Francis Langman
of Upton Horticultural Society and also Duncan Henderson of Chester City
Council. They had both indicated that
daffodils were ideal for along the boundary fencing of the playing field at Wealstone Lane, but that bluebells would not work in that
area. It was also felt that crocus would
be ideal around the base of the trees at the
The
Clerk reported that if the guides/brownies and Members were going to do the
planting of the bulbs that some ground preparation work was necessary. She told Members that a meeting had been arranged
with Duncan Henderson in July to look at what needed doing and to get a costing
for the work. Duncan Henderson had
offered to order the bulbs through the City Council.
The
Clerk reported that Autumn half-term was an ideal time
to do the planting.
Resolved: that the Clerk go ahead with the arrangements for
the bulb planting, so long as the costs stayed within the £300 allocated in the
budget.
6. OTHER MATTERS:
Cllr
Gerald Grant reported that the station area at the Bache
between the platform and Morrison’s Supermarket was
extremely untidy with litter and that he felt it was a health hazard. Members discussed how they should tackle this
problem as there were various options available including:
a. Write to the owners of the station to
request that they remove the litter.
b. Write to Morrisons
to ask them to put pressure on the station owners.
c. Inform Environmental Health and request
that they visit and assess the site.
Resolved: that the Clerk contact Environmental Health to request they
assess the area before contacting the station owners or Morrisons.
7. DATE OF NEXT MEETING:
Resolved: that the next meeting be held at