The Heatons & Reddish Area Committee approved several applications for Ward Flexibility Funding, including grants for a day trip for Feel Good Fridays at Heaton Norris Community Centre, a family fun day for Heaton Mersey Village Cricket Club, and acting workshops for Odyssey Art Academy. The committee also made appointments to outside bodies and designated Ward Highway Spokespersons.

Ward Flexibility Funding

The committee approved grants from the Ward Flexibility Funding budget for several community initiatives.

• Feel Good Fridays @ Heaton Norris Community Centre received £700 towards the cost of a day trip to Buxton for members of the group. The funding was allocated from across the four wards: £200 from Heatons North, £100 from Heatons South, £100 from Reddish North, and £200 from Reddish South.
• Heaton Mersey Village Cricket Club was granted £850 to host a family fun day open to the community. The funding was distributed as £300 from Heatons North, £300 from Heatons South, £150 from Reddish North, and £100 from Reddish South. The club aims to promote cricket and build community links, with the event planned for 24 August 2025.
• Odyssey Art Academy received £100, with £50 from Heatons North and £50 from Heatons South, towards the cost of hosting acting workshops. These workshops are designed to empower individuals, particularly those from marginalised or vulnerable backgrounds, and will culminate in a public performance.

Traffic Regulation Orders

Several decisions were made regarding traffic regulation orders to improve road safety and manage parking.

• Moston Street & Williamson Street, Reddish: Approval was given for the legal advertising of No Waiting at Any Time restrictions on parts of Moston Street and Williamson Street. This measure, costing £850 and funded from the Delegated Ward Budget (North Reddish), aims to improve safety and visibility at the junction.
• Ashbrook Farm Close & Criterion Street, Reddish: Approval was given for the legal advertising of No Waiting at Any Time restrictions on parts of Ashbrook Farm Close and Criterion Street. The cost of £1,000, funded from the Delegated Ward Budget (North Reddish), is intended to address issues with parked vehicles hindering safe turning movements into Ashbrook Farm Close.
• Wilkinson Road, Heaton Norris: Funding of £1,800 was approved for the installation of a pedestrian safety barrier on Wilkinson Road, opposite Heaton Towers, at the entrance to Heaton Norris Recreation Area. This will be funded from the Delegated Ward Budget (Reddish South).
• Road Safety around Schools - Whitehill Primary School - Amendment: The committee recommended approval for the legal advertisement of amended Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) for Whitehill Primary School. These amendments are administrative to correct errors in the original order and ensure effective enforcement.

Appointments and Spokespersons

The committee made several appointments and nominations.

• Appointment to Outside Bodies: Councillor James Frizzell and Councillor Gary Lawson were appointed as representatives of the Council on Prescotts Charity for the 2025/2026 period.
• Area Committee Ward Highway Spokesperson: The following councillors were appointed as Ward Spokespersons to consult with the Director of Place Management on highway maintenance and traffic management matters:
  • Heatons North – Councillor John Taylor
  • Heatons South – Councillor Dean Fitzpatrick
  • Reddish North – Councillor Rachel Wise
  • Reddish South – Councillor Liz Crix

Parking Review

The committee received a report on the Free to Charged Parking project, which reviewed car parks currently free of charge to assess their viability for introducing charges. The report detailed the criteria used for these assessments, including proximity to district centres, commuter use, and operational impacts. The proposals aim to align parking charges across the borough and support the council's Climate Action Now plan by encouraging active travel. The report noted that the proposals were not skewed towards any particular cohort of deprivation and outlined mitigation measures such as discounted permits for residents and contract users, and free parking for blue-badge holders for up to three hours.

Development Application

• DC/094897 - 12 Station Road, North Reddish: The committee considered an application for the change of use of a residential dwelling to an 8-bedroom House in Multiple Occupation (HMO). Despite 16 letters of objection and a departure from the Development Plan regarding parking, the recommendation was to grant planning permission subject to conditions and a Section 106 legal agreement for financial contributions towards public open space provision and maintenance. The decision was based on the council's housing land supply position and the tilted balance under the National Planning Policy Framework, which favours sustainable development. The report highlighted that the property could be converted to a 6-bedroom HMO under permitted development rights, making the proposed 8-bedroom HMO a marginal increase.

Other Matters

• Mauldeth Road, Heaton Moor: The committee was asked to approve funding of £7,500 from the Heatons North Delegated Ward Budget for a feasibility study into speed control measures