Follow us:
News Flash: 1). Our MP Karen Bradley has sent a letter dated 14th November to the Committee Members who met her about a year ago drawing our attention to a review into England's designated landscapes. The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP has asked Julian Glover (Defra) to carry out this review which covers National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). This is part of the Govt fulfilling it's 25 year Plan for the Environment.
Defra are asking everyone with a view to be able to set it out and have therefore opened a call for evidence consultation which is now available and will close on the 18th December 2018. The consultation can be accessed through the following link:
https://consult.defra.gov.uk/land-use/landscapes-review-call-for-evidence
Your committee urges you to respond to this review answering as many questions as you feel able but in any case closing with a plea for recognition of the Churnet Valley as an AONB. As you know our bid, which meets all the necessary criteria, is just stuck in the recognition process.
Karen Bradley assures us that she, and our District Council Leader Sybil Ralphs, support our bid.
Note that the Govt may also support the enlargement of National Parks, it may be that if AONB status is not afforded to the Churnet Valley then an enlargement of the Peak District National Park to encompass the valley might achieve the same benefits.
these issues are on the Agenda for our December Meeting at which the official CVCS response to the Review will be determined.
2). The Public Enquiry into the Staffs Moorlands
District Council's Local Plan held at Moorlands House in Leek
finished on the 23rd October 2018. At this stage the Council
has been obliged by the Government Planning Inspector to make a
number of Modifications both Major and Minor to the Plan. The
Inspector expects to have concluded his report in early 2019.
It would appear that yet further Public Consultation on the
changes may be involved!
Latest news via Twitter
Churnet Valley Conservation Society dates back to the early 1980s and is a recognised stakeholder by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council. We are concerned with the whole of the Churnet Valley and wish to represent the interests of local inhabitants, human and wildlife. Join our growing membership so that our collective voice is even louder. Please help us in "keeping an eye on the valley" to protect it from undesirable development.
The valley must be an excellent rural living environment which also attracts countryside visitors to enjoy the pleasures of the landscape and appreciate the fascination of its industrial heritage. We do not expect the valley to be frozen in time, it must evolve in line with modern living but at the same time preserve the tranquility of this unique area. Many projects and developments will be proposed on both a large and small scale, all of these must support our vision. We hope that future generations will look back at what is decided now and thank us for the care and effort involved in sustaining and evolving this part of North Staffordshire.
Below are the minutes of Octobers Open Meeting and the Agenda for November's EGM and Open Meeting. The EGM is intended to address the following issues.
1) The Society has unfortunately become less involved with the practical, hands-on issues of conservation in the Churnet Valley. And although having the Society undertake active work in the valley is not precluded the changes at item 3a below in the EGM address the campaigning the Society now does day to day. Also, the changes at item 3b address the need to ensure the Society can function in all foreseeable circumstances by ensuring there is corate committee.
2) Item 3c of the EGM addresses the Society's future financing. CVCS is currently financially solvent, and the committee intends to keep CVCS membership free for the foreseeable future, there may come a day when funds will need to be raised to ensure the society's continuance or to fight a particular issue. The new paragraph enables fund raising for specific needs following a voted upon resolution at a prior CVCS meeting.
The committee commends these changes to you and invite you to attend the November meeting to put your views forward and vote on these changes as well as those of the regular open meeting.
----------------------------------------------
CVCS - Open Meeting – Minutes
7:30pm, Wednesday 3 October 2018 - Fox & Goose, Foxt.
Present: J. Steele, C. Skitt, D. Walters, D. Fowler, G. Mason, J. Williams
1) Apologies: G. Smallwood, L. Valentine, R. Moseley
2) Matters arising from minutes of previous meeting:
3) Treasurer's report: £1435.96 - £27.00 (Printer Ink 2 Pack) = £1408.96 New Balance
3.1) Banking Issues: Covered this month in AGM Minutes.
3.2) Future Financing of the Society: Covered this month in AGM Minutes.
4) Churnet Valley Living Landscape Partnership feedback:
a) Proposed River Dove weirs and visitor footpath: No new activity to report on.
b) Churnet Valley Way: Proposed footpath/cycleway being planned/prepared in Oakamoor (Staffordshire Moorlands Riders interest): No new activity to report on.
b1) Blocked footpath adjacent to Riverside, Oakamoor - J.Steele to monitor and write to SCC.
5) Invite to talk to a CVCS meeting regards valley’s history - D.Fowler: continuing.
6) SMDC Local Plan: The Inquiry is being held in the Churnet Room in SMDC’s offices in Stockwell Street, Leek under Mark Dakeyne, H.M. Inspector. It is scheduled to start Tuesday 9th October & run till Tuesday 23rd October (Mondays excepted). Cut and paste the following link into your browser for details: -www.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/media/3404/Preliminary---Matters-Issues-and-Soundness./pdf/Preliminary_-_Matters__Issues_and_Soundness_final.pdf
7) Countryside Estates Review: No new news regard this item.
8) SMDC Planning - Major Planning Applications:
a) Moneystone Quarry/Holiday Camp: [COM/17] inconsistancy and failure to apply procedures in the Planning Department of SMDC. J.Steele.
The Waste Transfer Station (dismantling) activity currently taking place have been referred to SCC due to the importation of waste above a beyond the agreed dismantling on site of the old quarry structures. Neil Goodwin of SCC is looking into this.
b) Alton Towers: No new applications.
c) Bolton Copperworks: No new applications.
d) Whiston Golf Course re-profiling: No new applications.
9) Recruiting New Members: Covered this month in AGM Minutes.
10) CVCS Facebook page: Covered this month in AGM Minutes.
a) Comments:
b) New developments:
11) General Data Protection Record: Society's agreed statement to be posted on the CVCS website - J.Steele:
12) Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Govt. statement. Letter to M.Gove - J.Williams: Awaiting response from Mr Gove.
13) A.O.B.:
a) Proposed Caravan Site, Sutherland Rd., Longsdon (SMD/2018/0549):
Advice was given by CVCS to residents local on how to respond to such applications. It was agreed that CVCS would write to SMDC to object to the proposal and to advise members of the application and for them to then judge if they wished to respond to the application. J.Steele.
14) Date of next open meeting:
Monday 12th November 2018, 7:30pm Fox & Goose public house, Foxt, Staffs. ST10 2HN.
-----------------------------------------------------
7:30pm, 5th December 2018 - Fox & Goose, Foxt.
Extraordinary General Meeting - Agenda
Present:
1) Apologies:
2) Background and Purpose of EGM: Due to the reduced numbers attending meetings, subsequent to the granting of the planning application for Moneystone Quarry, it continues to prove difficult to manage society business within the terms of the current constitution. Therefore, the following amendments to the constitution are proposed to be changed.
3) Discussion & Vote on Constitutional Amendments (Changes in red)
3a) Changes to Paragraph 3A and 3B Our Objectives: -
A) TO CAMPAIGN TO PROTECT AND NURTURE THE LIVING ENVIRONMENT FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS AND VISITORS.
B) TO CAMPAIGN TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE THE BIODIVERSITY OF THE VALLEY.
VOTE: -
3b) Changes to Paragraph 4 Management: -
4. MANAGEMENT: THE AFFAIRS OF THE SOCIETY SHALL BE MANAGED BY A COMMITTEE CONSISTING OF THE OFFICERS THESE BEING CHAIRPERSON, SECRETARY AND TREASURER WITH OTHER COMMITEE MEMBERS TO MAKE A TOTAL OF SEVEN. IN THE EVENT OF RESIGNATIONS / RETIREMENTS, THE COMMITEE HAS THE POWER TO CO-OPT REPLACEMENT MEMBERS.
VOTE: -
3b) New Paragraph, Additional To Paragraph 4 Management: -
THE COMMITTEE ALSO HAS THE POWER TO CO-OPT ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES AND TOO COVER LONG PERIODS OF ABSENCE OF OTHER EXISTING COMMITTEE MEMBERS, OR TO OTHERWISE INCREASE THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE COMMITTEE.
.
VOTE: -
3c) Changes and Additional Paragraphs To Paragraph 13. FINANCE:
A) THE ORGANISATION SHALL HAVE A CURRENT ACCOUNT AT THE CO-OP BANK. CHEQUES SHALL BE DRAWN ON THE SIGNATURES OF TWO OF THE FOLLOWING OFFICERS: CHAIRPERSON, SECRETARY OR TREASURER.
B) THE COMMITTEE WILL HAVE THE POWER TO CALL FOR ADDITIONAL OPERATING FUNDS FOR THE SOCIETY BY BRINGING TO EITHER AN AGM, EGM OR OPEN MEETING, A RESOLUTION TO BE VOTED ON BY ALL MEMBERS THERE PRESENT. SUCH ADDITONAL FUNDS SHOULD HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY DETERMINED AND ESTIMATED FOR BY THE COMMITTEE TO BE NECESSARY FOR THE SOCIETY TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE IN ACCORDANCE WITH TERMS OF ITS CONSTITUTION. 21 DAYS NOTICE OF SUCH A FUND-RAISING RESOLUTION WILL BE GIVEN TO THE MEMBERSHIP.
C) THE NATURE OF ANY FUND-RAISING ACTIVITIES WILL NOT BE RESTRICTED TO ANY PARTICULAR TYPE, OR TYPES. THE EXACT NATURE OF ANY SUCH ACTIVITIES WILL BE PART OF ANY FUND-RAISING RESOLUTION TO BE VOTED ON.
VOTE: -
4) Any other business. –
5) Closure of meeting
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Approx - 8:30pm, 5th December 2018 - Fox & Goose, Foxt.
CVCS - Committee Meeting - Agenda
Present:
1) Apologies:
2) Matters arising from minutes of previous meeting:
3) Treasurer's report:
4) Churnet Valley Living Landscape Partnership feedback:
a) Proposed River Dove weirs and visitor footpath:
b) Churnet Valley Way: Proposed footpath/cycleway being planned/prepared in Oakamoor (Staffordshire Moorlands Riders interest):
b1) Blocked footpath adjacent to Riverside, Oakamoor:- J.Steele to monitor and write to SCC.
5) Invite to talk to a CVCS meeting regards valley’s history - D.Fowler: continuing.
6) SMDC Local Plan – Report on Govt. Inquiry:
7) Countryside Estates Review:
8) SMDC Planning - Major Planning Applications:
a) Moneystone Quarry/Holiday Camp: -
a1) Waste Transfer Station (dismantling of):-
b) Alton Towers:
c) Bolton Copperworks:
d) Whiston Golf Course re-profiling:
e) Proposed Caravan Site, Sutherland Rd., Longsdon (SMD/2018/0549):
9) Recruiting New Members:
10) CVCS Facebook page:
a) Comments:
b) New developments:
11) General Data Protection Record: Society's agreed statement to be posted on the CVCS website - J.Steele:
12) Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Govt. statement. Letter to M.Gove - J.Williams: Still awaiting response from Mr Gove.
13) A.O.B.:
14) Date of next open meeting
Copyright: Churnet Valley Conservation Society 2015