Hale Parish Council held their monthly parish meeting on Monday evening, 20th February, in Hale Village Hall - on the High Street at 7.30pm.

Below we have a breif account of the meeting.

The meeting was opened by the Chairperson Alison Jones, just on 7.30pm. The first 5 items of the agenda were swiftly completed: Members Present, Apologies, Declarations of Interest, Minutes of the previous meeting and the Clerks report.

The next items on the agenda were the Public Forum and Police report. The village now has a new PCSO, his name is Colin Marples and is now on Patrol around the village on a daily basis. As no Police were present, it was on to the Public Forum.

During the public forum, the following was discussed:

*Drinking and Drugs and Anti Social Behaviour are now being targeted in Hale Village Park.

*Halton Borough Council have issued a number of Fixed Penalty Fines on the spot in the park, to irresponsible dog owners, who do not clean up after their dog - or have been seen not to clear their dogs mess up.

*Dog fouling is still taking place,, on the football pitches.

*The Heskeths/Hale Park Estates/Smiths Gore are to be made aware, of continued public -misuse of their land around the parkland and the farmland...

*Visitors to the park are deficating and urinating in the bushes and around the base of the Lime trees.

*One visitor to the park was seen throwiwing a dispposable babies nappy from their car, into the small woodland by the gates. This has been reported to the necessary authority.

*Heather Charles the Hale Heritage Champion, reported that a clean up has been taking place in the park on the right hand side. Volunteers have been cutting and pruning the hedgerow on the boundry between the park and Home Farm, so that you will be able to see through it and to stop unwanted use.

*Alison Jones reported that a mini orchard will be planted on the greenspace infront of the shops-opposite the car park. A number of fruit trees are awaiting to be planted.

After the Public Forum, the meeting agenda resumed, with the Financial report, Planning Report, etc etc.

Other items included:

*A number of small grants were awarded to several village groups and individuals.

*Councillor Ambrose is in the process of establishing a Parish Council website, which will include the minutes of meetings etc.

*The next Parish Council meeting will take place on Monday 19th March at 7.30pm in the village hall.