The Community Infrastructure Levy is a levy paid by developers to improve the infrastructure within the area of their developments.

Parish Councils receive a percentage of the levy to use within the Parish. Between 2015 and 2019 the Council received £5900.83 to improve the local infrastructure.

During 2019-2020 the Council allocated the levy to improve access to local transport support and to repairs at the Village Hall

The statutory report can be downloaded here:

CIL2018-19Scarisbrick

Fortunately, the local flooding experienced at Christmas 2015 was not repeated this year. However, we cannot be complacent as we move into the New Year.

Lancashire County Council has produced some useful advice on its website about how people can be more prepared for flooding. Flooding can never be totally prevented but, if you are prepared, the impact to people and property can usually be reduced.  The information can be accessed at www.lancashire.gov.uk/flooding and includes the following contact information:

Lancashire Police – 999 – If there is an immediate risk to life call the police.

Environment Agency Floodline – 0345 988 1188 – To report a flood or if your property is at risk of flooding from a reservoir, river or coastal water.

United Utilities – 0345 6723 723 – If flooding is from sewers or burst water mains.

Power cuts – 105 – To report a power cut or get updates if your electricity has been cut off. 

Lancashire County Council – 0300 123 6780 – If flooding is from highway drainage, surface water, groundwater or watercourses.

The following video contains some practical advice:

Flood investigation report – December 2015 floods

Lancashire County Council, as Lead Local Flood Authority, has now published district level reports which provide affected communities with information about what the relevant risk management authorities are doing in their areas to help manage the risk of flooding from a variety of sources.

The reports provide information on investigations undertaken at each of the affected locations, flood risk improvements already completed as well as opportunities for further investigation and investment in flood-prevention measures.  They also provide information for concerned homeowners and businesses on what they can do to help protect their own properties from flooding in the future.

The West Lancashire District Flood Report was published in November 2016 and can be found at http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/media/900009/west-lancashire-stage-2-report.pdf

Scarisbrick Parish Council would be interested to hear your views on the report.

Scarisbrick Parish Council is continuing with its rolling programme of bus-shelter replacement. Some of the Council’s current timber shelters are more than 40 years old and maintenance costs are increasing. They are particularly susceptible to rot where the bases make contact with the ground. This often involves the structural framework of the shelters and is difficult to repair.

Timber shelter (Image care of Rept0n1x at Wikimedia Commons).

Although timber bus-shelters have been a distinctive feature of the Parish for many years the decision was taken to replace with modern aluminium framed shelters. These are more durable and cheaper to maintain than their timber counterparts and are therefore more in keeping with the Council’s responsibility to obtain value for money. Visibility is also much improved as buses can be seen from inside the shelter and bus drivers can see waiting passengers. The shelters should also be more resistant to vandalism.

Budget constraints mean that we are able to replace one (possibly two) shelters per year without unacceptable increases in the precept. This is being done in order of priority based upon information from regular asset inspection. Up to now the shelters at Otterstye, St.Mark’s School, New Hall Drive, and Carr Cross (Ormskirk direction) have been replaced. The latter two shelters have recently benefitted from the addition of front panels to protect from prevailing winds.

The shelter at the lower end of Bescar Brow (almost opposite Woodlands Avenue) has been identified as the next priority. This will be a semi-enclosed bus-shelter to protect from the wind. It will have a tinted polycarbonate roof. The front, side and rear panels will be glazed with toughened safety glass which is hard wearing and vandal resistant. Perch seating is included. An order was placed just before Christmas and there is an expected lead time of two to three weeks for installation.

Drawing of proposed bus-shelter on Bescar Brow.

The shelters at Heatons Bridge and the Elephant restaurant have been identified as the next priorities for the new financial year. The shelter on Moorfield Lane has been removed following collision by a vehicle. This is currently subject to an insurance claim and should be replaced soon.

Damage to Moorfield Lane shelter.