GENERAL MEETING

The MINUTES of a GENERAL MEETING held in the Board Room, Town Hall, Derby Road, Peel on Tuesday 20^th May 2008 at 7.00p.m.

Present Mrs. T M Birkett (Chairman)

Mr. E Beale

Mr. R M Gimbert

Mrs. J O’Halloran

Ms. P Hardman

Mr. A Jones

Mr. D J Lace

Mrs. C A Moughtin

Mr. I Skidmore

In attendance Mr. P G Leadley (Town Clerk)

CHAIRMAN’S 08/021 The Chairman welcomed the public to the meeting

WELCOME and wished to extend her congratulations to Mr. Alan Jones on being elected a Commissioner following the local authority election on the 15^th May 2008.

Mr. Jones signed the Declaration Book in the presence of the Town Clerk.

MINUTES 08/022 The Minutes of the meeting held on 17^th April 2008 were taken as read and CONFIRMED.

WARD LIBRARY 08/023 Reference was made back to Minute 07/467 and the Town Clerk advised that the upstairs former flat was in poor condition with evidence of wide spread damp. The rooms were currently used for storage purposes and it was AGREED that the Commissioners would give further consideration to the future use of this property. It was noted that substantial expenditure would be required to eradicate the damp problem.

STREET 08/024 Mr. Lace referred back to Minute 07/472 and

CLEANING indicated that the decision to acquire an attachment to the street cleaning vehicle to enable better cleaning behind shelters and under seats was still outstanding. The Town Clerk undertook to investigate the delay in acquiring the attachment.

Mr. Gimbert referred to the road gully cleaning regime exercise by the Department of Transport and requested whether the Department would be prepared to fund a gully sucker.

HEAVY GOODS 08/025 Mr. Skidmore referred to the Minute 07/470

VEHICLES concerning the Board’s wish for HGV traffic to be re-routed away from Peel. Mr. Skidmore enquired as to the suggestions that a link road would entail traffic travelling through the Ballawattleworth Estate, in particular Oak Road. It was indicated that the planning approval for the development of thirty six dwellings on land owned by Mr. Daly behind the Loades Factory included provision for a link road from the existing Ramsey Road down through the estate at Ballawattleworth. NOTED

BALLAQUANE 08/026 Mr. Lace referred back to Minute 07/490 and

ROUNDABOUT requested that the Headteacher at Peel Clothworkers School be advised of the mirror erected at the junction of Ballaquane Road with a view to advising pupils of this safety feature.

CASTLE STREET 08/027 Mr. Gimbert referred back to Minute 07/489 and the

GARDENS Town Clerk reported that an assessment of the benefits of the solar light had yet to be undertaken. It was indicated that a light meter would have to be sourced before any assessment could be undertaken. It was also indicated that the previous light and column was still situated in the gardens and it was AGREED that this light be disconnected.

BALLAWATTLE- 08/028 Reference was back to Minute 07/491 and it was

WORTH ESTATE AGREED that a reminder be sent to the Department of Transport to ascertain when the proposed reduction in the height of the speed humps would be undertaken to enable bus access.

BOARD 08/029 Consideration was given to a Motion from Mr.

MEETINGS Gimbert that the regular meetings of the Board in future be held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. Mr. Lace seconded the Motion and it was unanimously AGREED to accept the proposed Motion.

REGISTERED 08/030 Consideration was given to a letter from Peel

BUILDINGS Heritage Trust which outlined a list of buildings within the Town that the Trust members deemed suitable for registration. It was noted that the list submitted included some buildings that were already registered and it was AGREED that a letter be sent to the Secretary asking for the justification and reasoning why these buildings should be treated as such.

FRIENDS OF 08/031 Members noted a letter addressed to the Town

THE CORRIN HOME Clerk from the Friends of the Corrin Home which thanked the Commissioners for allowing the inclusion of registered charities on the Commissioners Peelonline website. NOTED

MUNICIPAL 08/032 Members considered a letter from the Chairman of

ASSOCIATION the Isle of Man Municipal Association which indicated that its annual general meeting was scheduled for 26^th June 2008 at the Glen Mona Hotel, Maughold at 7.30p.m. The Chairman indicated that there was no will on the part of the Commissioners to join the association. It was noted that no-one wished to accept the invitation to attend the Association’s annual general meeting.

HOUSING (FLATS) 08/033 Upon recommendation from the Environmental

REGULATIONS 1982 Health Officer the Board AGREED to register Bay View Flat, Peveril Road, Peel in accordance with the 1982 regulations.

MANX NATIONAL 08/034 Members noted receipt of a letter from the President

WEEK of Tynwald, Noel Cringle, concerning Manx National Week commencing Monday 7^th July 2008. As in previous years a number of events had been planned for the week including the Sunset Festival arranged for 6^th July 2008 and the regular Viking Longboat Races arranged for the Saturday 5^th July 2008.

AMENDMENT TO 08/035 Reference was made to the previous draft

STANDING ORDERS amendment to the Standing Orders and it was AGREED that this matter be held over to the next meeting scheduled for 2^nd June 2008 for approval.

FENELLA BEACH 08/036 Members noted receipt of a letter from Mr.

CAR PARK Christopher, Director of Properties at the Department of Transport concerning the Fenella Beach car park. Mr. Lace’s proposal that part of the adjacent hill be blasted to extend the car park did not find favour with the Department as it was deemed not to be a cost effective solution to provide additional car parking spaces in this area. Mr. Lace deemed the response short sighted as in his opinion there was an acute shortage of parking during the summer period.

Arising therefrom reference was made to the issue of pay and display car parking and it was AGREED that the Town Clerk forward the draft Order to all Members prior to arranging a meeting with the Department of Transport to discuss the issue of pay and display car parking. Reference was made to the traffic management plan which currently lay with the Department of Transport for input.

TYNWALD ROAD 08/037 Members noted receipt of a further letter from Mr.

BUS SHELTER Redmayne concerning his continued opposition to the placement of a bus shelter on Tynwald Road outside his property “Thie Corneil”. Despite his view that the shelter was under used Members were of the opinion that the bus shelter was utilised by the travelling public and that whilst there was no existing policy as to the situation of placement of bus shelters in the Town this particular shelter had the full support of Members and Mr. Redmayne would be advised that the Commissioners did not wish to see it removed,

SHAMYR HEY 08/038 Consideration was given to a request from Mrs.

TEA ROOMS Lace, Proprietor of the Shamyr Hey Tearooms, 41 Michael Street, Peel who sought permission to place two tables and eight chairs on the pavement immediately in front of 33 Factory Lane. The application was considered in detail and Members expressed concern that customers using the proposed facility would have to cross the road from the café to these two tables. The health and safety implications were discussed and as the area immediately in front of the proposed location included parking spaces for vehicles it was deemed inappropriate. By a majority of five Members to two it was AGREED to REFUSE the application on health and safety and traffic grounds.

RENT AND 08/039 Members noted receipt of letters forwarded by the

RATING APPEAL Rent and Rating Appeal Commissioners from

COMMISSIONERS residents seeking a reduction in rates for various reasons. The four applications sought reductions on the basis of disruption and nuisance through nearby building works. Members had no comment or wish to object to the applications made to the Appeal Commissioners.

PEEL BEACH 08/040 The Town Clerk advised that the regular visit of the

MISSION Peel Beach Mission would take place over the two weeks from 26^th July to 9^th August 2008. NOTED

VIKINGS OF 08/041 The Town Clerk read out a letter of thanks from the

MANN Secretary to the Vikings of Mann for the Commissioners permission to use the campsite for their Viking Day on 10^th May 2008. The day was successful with a good attendance of spectators.

PROPOSED 08/042 Mr. Lace indicated that in his opinion the

SPORTS/AMENITY HALL Commissioners should give consideration to the acquisition or building of a suitable recreational hall that could be used for a variety of purposes. It was AGREED that this matter could be considered at a future budget meeting.

FLUORIDATION 08/043 The Chairman indicated that she had been contacted

OF WATER by Mr. McPherson concerning the fluoride debate. The matter had been discussed at public meetings and other locations on the Island and it was suggested that a meeting in the West was warranted. It was AGREED that a public meeting be arranged by the end of June 2008 to discuss this important issue. In addition to the lobby against fluoridation of water an invitation would have to be extended to Dr. Emerson the Government Health Advisor to enable a balanced debate to take place.

LOCAL 08/044 Mrs. Moughtin referred to comments she had

AUTHORITY ELECTION received concerning the election held on 15^th May 2008. It had been stated that a Notice of Poll had not appeared in the local press prior to the election day. The Town Clerk advised that this was not a requirement. The election rules provided for the poll to be made public and this was accomplished with a Notice on the Town Hall notice board and at other locations throughout the Town. In addition all registered voters received a Poll card indicated an election was due to take place. NOTED

PROMENADE 08/045 Mr. Jones referred to a complaint he had received

BENCHS regarding the lack of cleaning behind the benchs. Ms. Hardman also indicated that sections of Peveril Road were also less clean than desirable. Mrs. Moughtin indicated that with limited resources by way of staff and machinery the Town was cleaned as best it could with the financial resources available. If residents made more use of their own wheelie bins as opposed to dumping household rubbish in the public waste bins the problem would not be so severe.

GRASS 08/046 Mr. Gimbert referred to a complaint from residents

CUTTING CONTRACT that the contractor cutting the grass at Ballawattleworth Estate recently did not collect the grass. This would have occurred through the strimming operation only as opposed to the grass cutting when the cut grass was collected.

PUBLIC 08/047 Members discussed the advantages of holding a

MEETING public meeting so that the residents of the Town could meet the new Commissioners and discuss a range of subject. The Chairman felt that such a meeting should be on an informal basis and Ms. Hardman suggested that it was important for the Commissioners to put forward their vision for the future and that a lead be taken in the meeting as opposed to it being centred on items of particular concern to residents.

BEACH 08/048 The Town Clerk advised that he had been informed

SHOWER AND WATER by the Technical Officer that the beach shower and

FOUNTAIN water fountain would shortly be installed and erected on Peel Beach.

Mrs. O’Halloran left the meeting at 8.10p.m.

This part of the meeting ended at 8.10p.m.