The Marple Area Committee met on Wednesday, 3 December 2025. Key discussions included neighbourhood policing updates, a parks event application, and road safety measures around Mellor Primary School. The committee also received an update from Stockport Homes Group and discussed issues raised by the Canal and River Trust.

Neighbourhood Policing

Inspector Amrik Singh provided an update on neighbourhood policing across Hazel Grove, Marple, and Werneth. He highlighted ongoing challenges with staffing vacancies but noted that Marple itself was fully staffed. Inspector Singh detailed Operation Hutton, a response to a terrorist attack in North Manchester, which involved high-visibility patrols across various community sites. He reported a reduction in anti-social behaviour incidents compared to the previous year, attributing this partly to dedicated patrols. A sad incident of vandalism at the War Memorial in Marple Memorial Park was also mentioned, with ongoing investigations and increased patrols in the area. Operation Nordstar, a winter period of action focusing on violence prevention and drink/drug driving, was also discussed, with planned deployments in Marple and Werneth. Inspector Singh also highlighted Operation Valiant, a targeted crime car initiative to combat burglary, noting a significant reduction in burglaries and an increase in detections. He also mentioned the success of community speed watch initiatives in the High Lane area, which had led to a decrease in speeding offences.

Councillor Miko raised concerns about the public's ability to report issues, and Inspector Singh confirmed that the standard routes of 101, 999, Crimestoppers, and the online reporting tool were available. He also addressed concerns about the use of mobile phones while driving, stating that the team regularly stops vehicles for this offence and that it is a focus of Operation Limit. The issue of electric scooter use was also discussed, with Inspector Singh confirming that while GMP focuses on criminal use, local teams will stop and seize scooters involved in anti-social behaviour.

Road Safety Around Mellor Primary School

The committee considered proposals for road safety measures around Mellor Primary School, Marple Bridge. These included the installation of traffic regulation orders, road markings, signage, and bollards. The proposals aimed to improve safety for children and parents travelling to and from the school. Following a public consultation, which revealed a split in community support, amendments were made to the original proposals. These included replacing pencil bollards with Middleton-style bollards on Longhurst Lane and adjusting the timings for waiting and loading restrictions to align with school hours. The committee recommended that the Cabinet Member for Parks, Highways and Transport Services approve the legal advertising of the Traffic Regulation Orders.

Parks Event Application - Stockport Trail Half Marathon

The Marple Area Committee considered an application from Crazy Legs Events to hold the Stockport Trail Half Marathon on Sunday, 22 February 2026. The event would start at Wood Lane car park, Marple, and take place along Middlewood Way. The organisers agreed to ensure all litter is removed after the event, subject to providing necessary paperwork and paying agreed fees.

Canal and River Trust - Aqueduct Marple

Neil Holiday, Area Operations Manager for the Canal and River Trust, presented issues concerning abandoned vehicles and nuisance parking on an access road near the Aqueduct Industrial Estate in Marple. He explained that despite previous attempts to engage with the landlord and tenants, the problem persists. The Canal and River Trust had previously incurred significant costs removing vehicles, and had faced aggression from some tenants. Councillor Steve Gribbon suggested the installation of retractable bollards as a potential solution to deter illegal parking and fly-tipping in the area. Mr. Holiday expressed willingness to form a working group with council representatives and local policing to address these ongoing issues. Councillor Colin MacAlister raised concerns about the Canal and River Trust advising boaters to park in a residents' lay-by on Lockside Road, and requested that this advice be removed from their literature. Mr. Holiday confirmed he would investigate this and ensure it is removed if present.

Stockport Homes Group Update

Eva Holt, Head of Independent Living for Stockport Homes, and Sam Conroy, Independent Living Operations Manager, provided an update on the group's work and key data relating to the Marple area. They discussed feedback received, including issues related to damp, mould, and condensation, and tenancy visits. The report highlighted that while overall complaint volumes in Marple were lower than the Stockport Homes Group average, a higher proportion of complaints escalated to Stage 2. The committee noted the development and new build updates, including planned schemes for extra care and autism support. Performance and satisfaction data were presented, showing that overall satisfaction in Marple was slightly lower than the Stockport average, with Marple North having particularly low satisfaction scores. Councillor Geoff Abell inquired about the overlap between Stockport Homes' work and social services, and was assured of a strong working relationship between the two organisations.

Progress on Area Committee Decisions

Councillor Colin MacAlister raised a question regarding the progress of a Quiet Lane decision, which had been agreed by the committee approximately three years prior. He sought clarification on what Section 106 money had been received in the locality and how it had been allocated, expressing a desire for such funds to be used for the Quiet Lane project. Charles Yankiah, from Democratic Services, agreed to take this question back to the relevant officers and provide a response before the next meeting.

Other Matters

The committee also noted reports on appeal decisions, current planning appeals, and enforcement actions. There were no development applications to consider. A public question was submitted regarding inclusive swim sessions for children with disabilities at the new Marple swimming pool, and the Director of Place Management was requested to respond in writing. A petition regarding residents' parking in Goyt Avenue was also to be considered.