Author: R Greenwood

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF BILLINGTON AND LANGHO PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON

 Monday,  23rd February 2026 at 7.15pm

 AT THE COMMUNITY HALL

 

PRESENT

 

Parish Councillors. Brian Haworth, Martin Hincks, Eva McPrice,  Katie Swingewood, Michael Collins, John Aspden, Cllr Tony Austin. 

 

In attendance –PCSO Pemberton  and R Greenwood clerk

 

ITEM 1 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

 

1.1 There were  no apologies for absence 

 

ITEM 2        DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST  

 

1.    Register of Interests – Councillors were reminded of the need to update their register of interests.  

 

1.  No  members disclosed a personal interest in any matter to be discussed at the meeting. 

 

ITEM 3 ACCEPTANCE OF THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING 

 

3.1  Minutes of the meeting held January 2026 were accepted and signed as a true record. 

 

ITEM 4 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

 

4.1 There has been a report of dog poo bags being hung in the trees at Billington Playground. Discussion was around CCTV and warning signs. The spend was proposed by MH and seconded by JA. All in favour. 

 

4.2  PCSO Pemberton attended the meeting and gave her verbal report. Councillors reported incidences of drink driving, littering and drug driving. Vehicle registration numbers are to be emailed to PCSO Pemberton. 

 

 ITEM  5 PLAYGROUNDS

 

5.1 No report was received from the Lengthsman. 

 

5.2 Quotes were considered for the repair of the crazy paving at Billington Playground. The quote for the removal of the crazy paving to be replaced with safety surface was accepted. Proposed MC, seconded EM all in favour. It was resolved to replace the crazy paving. 

 

5.3 A man and his child have been seen using the area under the two swings to practice golf. The golf tee’s were pressed into the play safety surface under the swings which has caused damage to the surface. Golf is prohibited from being played and the male is being asked to desist.. This play surface is being repaired and continuing to push a golf tee into the surface will cause it to be damaged. 

 

ITEM 6 ACCOUNTS

 

6.1 The following cheques were presented for payment.

 

Cheque 202714	Lengthsman invoice	£276.92
Cheque 202715	Employers NICO	£20.97
Cheque 202716	Employee’s PAYE	£10.40
Cheque 202717	Clerk Salary	£546.43
Cheque 202718	Travel	£25.46
Cheque 202719	ESP Play surface at Langho Playground	£1788.00
Cheque 202720	ESP Play surface at Billington Playground	£948.20
Cheque 202721	Lengthsman invoice	£276.92

 

6.2 The bank reconciliation, bank statement  and cash flow were presented and signed. 

 

6.3 LALC are offering the CILCA course to all clerks, the cost of the course is £450 and the cost of accessing the portal is £495. The cost to the parish council would be £472.50 Proposed KS, seconded JA, all in favour. It was resolved to pay for the CILCA course. 

 

ITEM 7 PLANNING

 

7.1 The following applications were received and considered. 

 

3/2026/0074 Land at Elker Meadows – objections are to be submitted for this application. 

 

3/2026/0048 The Barn, Old Langho Road, objections are submitted. 

 

3/2026/0043 Springfield Road – no objections were raised. 

 

3/2025/0733 St Marys Drive – no objections were raised. 

 

Borough Councillor Tony Austin advised the parish council that it will be more difficult to raise  objections to planning now that RVBC have published their 5 year land supply details. This can be found at www.ribblevalley.gov.uk/housing-land-availability-surveys/housing-land-availability-surveys-reports

 

ITEM 8 HIGHWAY

 

8.1  Following the last meeting the clerk wrote to C, Cllr Stephen Atkinson, C. Cllr Warren Goldsworth and  Matt Townsend about the state of the A59 on the approach to the roundabout.  The answering response was immediate but the work has not been done, the clerk is to write again to them. Further damage to the road surface has been reported with the length of road now needing urgent repair is approx. quarter of a mile. The parish council have expressed their disappointment in the lack of action from LCC Highways. 

 

8.2 Snodworth Road, the tarmac surface of the road is breaking up, this is causing vehicles to lose traction as they set off from the junction, particularly in icy or wet conditions. 

 

8.3 The litterbin on Whalley Old Road has not been replaced, this is the bin adjacent to the station and the Jubilee bench, the clerk to report. 

 

ITEM 9  OFFICERS REPORT  

 

9.1 Cllr Austin reported that the flooding at the end of Bank Cottages has been investigated and found to be a leak belonging to United Utilities, this is scheduled for repair. 

 

9.2 The telephone kiosk at York Village is in  need of maintenance, the clerk writing to the volunteer offering support and asking if the Lengthsman is needed for some of the heavy work. 

 

9.3 Repeated littering was reported at the pull in on Whalley Old Road 

 

9.4 Following the last meeting the clerk has written to the Black Bull Pub regarding damage to the verges outside Old Langho Church, the pub has changed the existing car park into a beer garden and pizza area with additional parking in the field at the back of the pub. The Black Bull have corresponded that the additional car park is not suitable for cars and the pub is not in a position to make it so at the moment. 

 

ITEM 10 FLOOD CONCERNS AND UPDATE

 

10.1 No reports have been received.    

 

 ITEM 11 DEVOLUTION

 

11.1. Discussion around the  woodlands and common lands within the parish boundary took place. The clerk to request a map from both RVBC and LCC of lands they own within the parish. 

 

.ITEM 12 DATES OF NEXT MEETING. All at 7.15pm. 

 

, 30th March 2026, 27th April 2026  AGM is 25th May 2026, 29th June 2026, 27th July 2026, 28th September 2026, 26th October 2026 and 30th November 2026

 

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF BILLINGTON AND LANGHO PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON

 Monday,  26th January 2026 at 7.15pm

 AT THE COMMUNITY HALL

 

PRESENT

 

Parish Councillors. Brian Haworth, Martin Hincks, Eva McPrice,  Katie Swingewood, Michael Collins, Dennis Johnson, Cllr Tony Austin and  Cllr Steve Farmer. 

 

In attendance –2 members of the public and R Greenwood clerk

 

ITEM 1 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

 

1.1 There were  apologies for absence from John Aspden

 

ITEM 2        DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST  

 

1.    Register of Interests – Councillors were reminded of the need to update their register of interests.  

 

1.  No  members disclosed a personal interest in any matter to be discussed at the meeting. 

 

ITEM 3 ACCEPTANCE OF THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING 

 

3.1  Minutes of the meeting held November  2025 were accepted and signed as a true record. 

 

ITEM 4 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

 

4.1 Two members from Mytton Fold Dog Daycare attended the meeting to talk about their planning application. 3/2025/0926. They gave a history of the business stating that they have been in business for 4 years and at the moment are one of the only  licenced dog premises in the Ribble Valley. Questions were asked about the number of dogs, noise, dog waste and traffic. All these were allayed – the dogs are subject to noise management, the dog waste is collected by a licenced contractor and the dogs are all picked up and dropped off at home. There will be one vehicle per day increase only. The Parish Council were reassured and will not be lodging any objections. 

 

 ITEM  5 PLAYGROUNDS

 

5.1 No report was received from the Lengthsman. 

 

5.2 A quote has been received to repair the crazy paving at Billington Playground. A further two quotes will be sought. 

 

5.3 A quote has been received to jet wash the drive at Langho Playground, given the state of the tarmac it was felt that a better use of money and maintenance would be to ask the Lengthsman to undertake this work with a brush. 

 

5.4 A quote to undertake the repair of two pieces of play equipment at Billington Playground was accepted at £370

 

5.5 Langho Playground – Dogs are not permitted on the playground. This is a Public Safety Protection Order that was renewed in 2023 for three years. All playgrounds in the Ribble Valley are subject to this. Residents are concerned about the number of dogs being exercised in the playground. The clerk to remove the RVBC signs requesting residents pick up after their dogs as dog are not allowed and the signs are causing some confusion. 

 

ITEM 6 ACCOUNTS

 

6.1 The following cheques were presented for payment.

 

Cheque 202701	C Walton Lengthsman – December	£276.92
Cheque 202702	Ribble Valley Restorers for Billington Playground	£1750.00
Cheque 202703	N Haworth Old Langho Church Groundsman	£200.00
Cheque 202704	James O Garnett Ltd Billington Playground hedge works	£120.00
Cheque 202705	Employer NICO for December 2025	£20.97
Cheque 202706	Employee PAYE for December 2025	£10.40
Cheque 202707	December Salary	£546.43
Cheque 202708	C Walton Lengthsman – January	£276.92
Cheque 202709	Travel and parking	£64.30
Cheque 202710	Ribble Valley Restorers for Langho Playground	£2700.00
Cheque 202711	Employer NICO for January 2026	£20.97
Cheque 202712	Employee PAYE January 2026	£10.40
Cheque 202713	January 2026 Salary	£546.43

 

6.2 The bank reconciliation, bank statement  and cash flow were presented and signed. 

 

ITEM 7 PLANNING

 

7.1 The following applications were received and considered. 

 

6002485 Land off Longsight Road, this has gone to appeal The Parish Council has lodged its objections to this at the time of the planning application and were advised by Cllr Tony Austin that no further action would be needed. The Planning Inspectorate would be given access to those objections. 

 

3/2026/0019 Land adjacent to Miles Hill, Moor Lane, this is an amendment to an existing application, the clerk to write to RVBC planning to ask what the detail of those  amendments are.

 

3/2025/0926 Land Mytton Fold – Dog Day Care as discussed under Public Participation. 

 

Raja Farm, the enforcement order has been appealed. A caravan parked there has been reported for removal. 

 

ITEM 8 HIGHWAY

 

8.1  The clerk to write to C, Cllr Stephen Atkinson, C. Cllr Warren Goldsworth and  Matt Townsend about the state of the A59 on the approach to the roundabout.  The potholes are dangerous and drivers are having to swerve to avoid them. Concerns were raised regarding the state of the nearby layby and those potholes. 

 

8.2 Cllr Steve Farmer has reported, on numerous occasions, the drainage issues on Northcote Road. It only takes 1.5inches of water to aquaplane and the water levels on Northcote Road are up to 6 inches. 

 

8.3 A complaint has been received by the owner of Clarkson Farm. This is regarding the drains that are overflowing from the culvert. C.Cllr Atkinson has been asked to investigate this. 

 

8.4 Cllr Farmer has requested a crossing person be employed for St. Leonards School. 

 

8.5 The clerk to report the puddle that covers three quarters of the road on Whitehalgh Lane and the need to repaint the white lines on York Lane / Snodworth Road. 

 

8.6 Cllr Farmer is looking to replace the broken stile on the A59, on the footpath leading from the Railway Station. PROW have offered to purchase a metal accessibility style stile and the parish council to install it. The clerk to seek quotes for the installation. Proposed SF, Seconded EM and all in favour. 

 

8.7 Footpath 35 which leads from Swindells Wood to the main road near the Cenotaph has had the gate removed when the stile and steps were repaired. This footpath is used by the school children to get to St Augustine. There is no barrier to stop the school children running into the road on this blind bend.  The clerk to write to PROW and LCC to reinstall the barrier. 

 

ITEM 9  OFFICERS REPORT  

 

9.1 The clerk to write to St. Augustine School and PCSO Pemberton as parent are parking on the grass verge opposite the Cenotaph. This is causing damage to the grass verges and is a dangerous parking place. 

 

ITEM 10 FLOOD CONCERNS AND UPDATE

 

10.1 There has been a complaint regarding flooding at the end of Bank Cottages. Since the building of the houses there has been issues with surface water. United Utilities have repaired a blocked drain but the flooding still happens with under the railway bridge being a problematic area. There are worries that the flooding could impact on the houses.   

 

 ITEM 11 DEVOLUTION

 

11.1.There is no decision from Government regarding the division of Lancashire. 

 

11.2 It was reported that each district council have asked to postpone the elections in May 2026

 

.ITEM 12 DATES OF NEXT MEETING. All at 7.15pm. 

 

23rd February 2026, 30th March 2026, 27th April 2026

AGM is 25th May 2026, 29th June 2026, 27th July 2026, 28th September 2026, 26th October 2026 and 30th November 2026