MEETING OF STOURPORT-ON-SEVERN TOWN COUNCIL
Tuesday 5th November 2024 6.30pm
Venue: Mayor's Parlour, Civic Centre, Stourport-on-Severn
Present
In the chair: The Town Mayor Councillor J Thomas
Councillors: B Dawes; J Griffiths; P B Harrison; K Henderson; B Jones; D Little; R Lloyd; N Martin; D Morris; C Rogers; I Schmeising-Barnes; T I Schmeising-Barnes; A Sutton;.H Williams;
Minutes
85. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors T Berry; E Burnip; M Freeman
86. MINUTES
It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 1st October 2024 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.
87. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Councillor C Rogers declared an Other Disclosable Interest in Agenda Item No.9 as he was Cabinet Member for Housing, Health & Well Being at Wyre Forest District Council.
88. PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
One member of the public attended the meeting and addressed Council as follows:
Council,
I would like to represent our serious concern over Wyre Forest District Council running a consultation about closing Bridge Street Car Park.
The consultation is part of a multi-stage process, first to remove the car park from the Council’s car park order instead of just renewing its planning consent. Then if the consultation is deemed to favour closure, the Council will have no use for the site so will presumably seek to sell it off. But we don’t know how the consultation will be assessed.
This isn’t about the car park.
THIRTEEN years ago, WFDC bought this site to gain a foothold on Bridge Street for its redevelopment. In that time, it has apparently made little effort to find new developers who can deliver this excellent scheme.
The basins redevelopment remains part of Wyre Forest’s Local Plan (only adopted in 2022) and we want to see it delivered. It would create walkable links between the town centre and the restored basins, improving the area’s vitality, repair the streetscene on Bridge Street and help the economic sustainability of the town centre.
The far side of the basins were redeveloped about 20 years ago. turning it into a very popular, well used area. If the Council sells the car park for a quick buck, it becomes almost impossible to complete that redevelopment. Whatever is built on the car park is likely to be there for at least 50 years. The chance to improve Bridge Street will be lost. And can you imagine the traffic problems from an inappropriate development like a drive-through?
I wrote to Marcus Hart on Friday, asking him to postpone this consultation and meet us to discuss the redevelopment and possible options. I received a terse email back saying that wouldn’t happen and that he wouldn’t meet as a consultation was under way.
Today, I met Mark Garnier MP on site to brief him of the case and implications. He has agreed to speak to Cllr Hart and try to persuade the Council to postpone the consultation and join us round the table to discuss options to safeguard this critical development.
Most importantly, I have been dealing with the Main Board of the Canal and River Trust. On Friday, I spoke with its Chief Operating Officer and this morning, CRT confirmed that it is interested in the redevelopment project and is assembling its Investment Team, Planning Team and their own property development arm, H20, to meet us and look at rejuvenating the Bridge Street and Basin redevelopment project.
In tandem, we have identified 14 other potential developers for whom this project would be a good match.
We have called a public meeting here on Thursday evening at which we’ll be apprising Stourport’s residents of this background and the part they need to play. We will be using both carrot and stick. Let’s hope the Council responds to the carrot because they WILL NOT like the stick.
We now urge you to take a strong interest in this case.
The Civic Movement believes planning should be done with us not to us. We want to help shape our beautiful town, not to have decisions imposed on us by a Council that always seems to favour Kidderminster and always seems to let down Stourport.
We want to find an exit strategy for Wyre Forest to recoup its investment, and we want to enable the development to proceed. There is a WIN to be had for the Council, a WIN for Stourport and a WIN for the developers. BUT not if we don’t work together.
We have professionals who have done the ground work. We have conversations open. We have genuine interest in this scheme. We now need this Council and Wyre Forest District Council to join that conversation and play a constructive not an obstructive part.
89. MAYORS COMMUNICATIONS
The Mayoral engagements were circulated and noted. The Mayor thanked his Deputy for attending the event of 26th October 2024. He also informed Council that his Pink Coffee Morning held on 16th October 2024 had raised £269.40 for his two charities. This morning (5/11/24), he had attended the launch of lottery heritage funding for Stourport Forward.
90. MOTIONS SUBMITTED UNDER STANDING ORDERS
No motions had been received in accordance with Section 9 and 10 of the Council’s Standing Orders.
91. PLANNING COMMITTEE MINUTES – 29TH OCTOBER 2024
In the absence of the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Councillor Lloyd informed Council of the planning application recommendations to be made to Wyre Forest District Council. The minutes of the meeting held on 29th October 2024 were approved.
92. COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE FOR POWER GENERATION MIDLANDS BOARD
Council agreed that Councillor I Schmeising-Barnes be appointed as the Council representation on the board for Power Generation Midlands.
93. CONSULTATION – ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984, THE WYRE FOREST DISTRICT COUNCIL (OFF STREET PLACES) ORDER 2024
Members received a consultation on the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, The Wyre Forest District Council (Off Street Places) Order 2024 relating to Bridge Street Surface Vehicle Park. It was proposed that Wyre Forest District Council prepare the land for potential disposal. They did not believe that the loss of the temporary parking spaces would lead to a shortage of parking spaces within the town of Stourport-on-Severn and was surplus to requirement.
A robust discussion took place.
Members felt that if the car park was disposed of, then the original idea of the link to the basis/canal area would not happen. It was important to keep the pressure up for the area to be regenerated, as detailed in the Wyre Forest District Council Local Plan.
In addition, a lot of work had been carried out by the Stourport Forward Working Party in recent months, which had included a public survey asking for feedback on how people saw the future of Stourport-on-Severn and it was important that this work was not jeopardised with the proposed disposal of the car park.
Decision: Stourport-on-Severn Town Council urgently ask Wyre Forest District Council for their support to find a suitable partner/s to regenerate the area on the Bridge Street Car Park and not to remove it from the Car Parking Order. Stourport Town Council also let the residents and local businesses know that Stourport-on-Severn Town Council had not been consulted on the closure of the Bridge Street Car Park prior to the public notification being published.
94. TOWN TWINNING WITH VILLENEUVE-LE-ROI
Councillor Thomas asked Council to consider seeking a Stourport organisation, separate from the Town Council, to rebuild a relationship with Villeneuve-Le-Roi and look at the twinning for the two towns.
It was agreed that Councillor Thomas look into the idea of an organisation to run the Town Twinning Association.
95 UPDATES FROM COUNCILLOR REPRESENTATIVES ON OUTSIDE BODIES
The following updates were received:
Councillor Lloyd – Areley Kings Village Hall
The current Chairman had resigned. The committee were still looking for trustees and were asking the users of the hall. The AGM would be held in January 2025.
Councillor T Schmeising-Barnes – Stourport Heritage Port
At the last meeting, Members were looking into potential development around the basin area.
Councillor Lloyd – Stourport Carnival
A donations meeting had been held. Members were informed that £4,000 had been distributed to local groups/charities
Councillor Lloyd – Youth Network
This was the first meeting Councillor Lloyd had been able to attend. Discussions were held on Youth Mayors but this had been put on hold for the time being.
96. VERBAL UPDATE FROM CHAIRMAN OF STOURPORT FUTURE WORKING PARTY
Councillor Griffiths informed Council that there had been approximately 1,200 responses to the Stourport Future online survey, together with approximately 12,000 comments. Several members of the working party were working through these. The next meeting would be held on 6th November 2024.
At the last meeting, Councillor M Bayliss (Worcestershire County Council) and Ostap Paparega (Wyre Forest District Council) had been in attendance.
It was also noted that the working party would arrange for ongoing consultation and face-to-face meetings with people.
97. UPDATE ON RIVERSIDE PADDLING POOL
The Town Clerk informed Members that GoAqua had confirmed they were working with the contractor regarding the surface of the paddling pool and Council should receive a report in due course.
98. UPDATE FROM COUNCILLOR C ROGERS ON SAFER NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
Councillor Rogers informed Council that he had not met with the Safer Neighbourhood Watch representative but Members were receiving updates, via email, from the Town Clerk.
99. UPDATES FROM COUNCILLOR C ROGERS (CABINET MEMBER OF WYRE FOREST DISTRICT COUNCIL) AND P HARRISON AND C ROGERS (STOURPORT COUNTY COUNCIL OUNCILLORS
Councillor Rogers informed Council of the following:
Wyre Forest District Council were offering Christmas free parking in their car parks from 3-6pm Monday to Friday in December 2024.
A list of warm places was being compiled and he would pass the information onto the Town Clerk for distribution.
Inclusive play equipment had been installed at the Riverside playground, Stourport-on-Severn.
Councillor Rogers also reported that a temporary Highways Liaison Officer had been appointed as the previous officer had left the role. Discussions were being held on the Worcester Road/Hartlebury Road roundabout but Worcestershire County Council (WCC) were reluctant to put anything on the site. Councillor Rogers had asked WCC what would be acceptable for the height of the plants and containers. Councillor Rogers was thanked for his ongoing support.
A speed survey had been carried out on Wilden Lane, Stourport-on-Severn but no speed problems had been highlighted in the area. He agreed to supply the data.
In response to a question from Councillor Martin, Councillor Rogers stated that he would again raise the issue on a yellow box at the junction of Severn Road/Mitton Street, Stourport-on-Severn.
Members were also informed that on 9th November 2024 there was a Veterans Breakfast at the Old Rose & Crown between the hours of 9.30am – midday raising funds for Cheers for Heros.
100. ACCOUNTS
The Town Clerk reported that Accounts for October 2024 totalling £48,850.14 and had been paid since the last meeting and it was RESOLVED that the report be noted and approved. A Schedule of the Accounts paid was appended at the end of these Minutes, in the Council’s Minute Book, and was available for general inspection.
101. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Members were reminded that poppy pins were on sale and the Remembrance Sunday Parade & Service would be held on 10th November 2024. The Three Kings Parade & Christmas Light Switch-On would be held on 22nd November 2024.
Town Mayor
The meeting closed at 7.21pm.