Parish Council – 18 March 2026

Somerford Parish Council meets on the third Wednesday of each month, 7pm.
Holmes Chapel Community Centre, Station Road, Holmes Chapel, CW4 8AA.

All are welcome.

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Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on 18 March 2026

 

Present

• Councillor Geoff Bell (Chair)
• Councillor Jeanette Hardman (vice-Chair)
• Councillor Trevor Massey
• Councillor Simon Hughes
• Mr Carlton Evans – Clerk

Declarations of Interest. None

Part 1 Public Forum. No members of the public were present.

018/26 – Apologies  The Council resolved to accept and approve apologies from:

• Cllr J Saxton – personal reasons
• Cllr B Chorlton – personal reasons

 

019/26 – Minutes  The Council resolved that the minutes of the Council meeting held on 21 January 2026 be agreed and signed as a true and accurate record.

 

020/26 – Cheshire East Ward Councillor report

Councillor Wray spoke about the Council’s failure to secure a precept increase of more than 4.99%; the failed motion of no confidence in the leadership; and the continued absence of the Chief Executive.

 

021/26 – Accounts

See Annex 1

022/26 – Councillor Vacancies

The Council resolved to further publicise the current Councillor vacancies.

 

023/26 – Planning Applications

 

26/0537/VOC

Plot 3, Green Tree Farm (land Rear Of, 2 Chelford Road)

The Council resolved to support the application.

 

024/26 – Bank Mandate Changes

The Council resolved to add Cllr Hardman as a signatory to the Nat West current account and remove former Cllr Crompton.

 

025/26 – Policies to review

The Council resolved to approve the amended Grants Policy, and the unchanged Equality Policy. The Council deferred consideration of the Data Protection and Document Retention and Disposal Policies to a future meeting. The Council noted the Asset Register, unchanged from last year.

 

026/26 – Tree surveys

The Council resolved to engage the services of an arboriculturist (Eden Arboriculture) to survey the trees at both Blackfirs Wood and Rhead’s Meadows.

 

027/26 – Rhead’s Meadows

The Chairman reported that Streetscape had provided a quote for annual maintenance of Rhead’s Meadows and Blackfirs Wood. The Council felt the quote was excessive and noted the Chair had requested additional detail to justify it. The Council resolved to set a budget of £10,000 for the works in the first instance, depending on a revised Streetscape schedule and then take stock of what further works might be needed.

 

028/26 – Blackfirs Wood

See Rhead’s Meadows item above.

 

029/26 – Blackfirs Lane verge

Councillors discussed the state of the triangle of land between Blackfirs Lane and the Holmes Chapel road. The Chair will arrange for the Jubilee bench to be removed and refurbished.

 

030/26 – Cheshire East Planning Portal and TRACE system

The Council discussed these new systems, the Clerk will write to Cheshire East Council with some suggested improvements.

 

031/26 – Highways

Councillors discussed the speed indicator device on the Holmes Chapel Road and asked the Clerk to look into whether the data recording function of the existing SID there could be reinstated. Cllr Hughes also undertook to turn the SID round to face in the opposite direction.

Councillors also noted the significant flyposting at the Congleton Link Road roundabouts and litter along the CLR itself.

 

032/26 – Housing Developments

Cllr Hardman had circulated an update from Sarah Russell MP about actions she is taking about housing developments generally.

 

033/26 – Chairman and Members’ Reports

The Chairman noted that a piece of the Public Open Space between Blackfirs Wood and Yew Crescent appears to have been sold by the developers and will investigate further.

 

034/26 – Clerk’s Report

Nothing further to report.

 

The meeting ended at  2034 hrs.

  

 

Annex 1 – Accounts

 

Finances as of 01 March 2026: Current Account Balance: £70,906.85 Receipts since 01 February 2026: ·       £nil Payments noted since 01 February 2026 ·       £54.00 – Parish Online mapping service ·       £49.98 – Nest, Clerk’s Pension ·       £188.25 – HMRC ·       £191.69 – HMRC ·       £187.35 – HMRC ·       £489.60 – SCRIBE Accounting Package ·       £436.50 – Mosswood, Fencing by Goodwins Pool ·       £568.64 – Clerk’s February Salary Payments approved: ·       £386.40 – Streetscape for Blackfirs Wood ·       £110.40 – Streetscape for Rhead’s Meadows