To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 10 September 2018 .

The minutes of the meeting on 10 September 2018 were submitted for consideration as a correct record.

Decision

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 10 September 2018.

The report of the Head of Planning, Building Control and Licensing is attached.

The Committee were presented with the report of the Head of Planning, Building Control and Licensing which provided the outcome of a non-statutory public enquiry into the Application to register land known as Godfrey Ermen Playing Field, Abbey Hey as a Town or Village Green (Application TG18).

The Committee was advised that a letter had been received from the solicitors acting on behalf of the owners of the land concerned. The letter requested that consideration of the matter be adjourned for three months before the Committee took a final decision to enable the land owner to consult with the Council and local residents about possible alternatives which would be consistent with the Trustees’ charitable objective and would provide a sustainable asset for the benefit of the local area.

The Committee received submissions from Councillor Reid and Councillor Hughes and a member of the public present in response to the request.

The Chair requested members of the public and Councillor Reid and Councillor Hughes to leave the meeting while the Committee considered the request.

The Committee unanimously decided that consideration of the application would not be adjourned for a period of three months.

The members of the public and Councillor Reid and Councillor Hughes were invited back into the meeting room.

The Chair proceeded with the meeting and invited the Principal Licensing Officer to introduce the report.

The Committee was informed that in May 2016, the Council as Registration Authority, received an application under Section 15(1) of the Commons Act 2006 to register as a Town or Village Green land known as Godfrey Ermen Playing Field, Abbey Hey. Following the advertisement of the application, two objections were received, one from the Greater Manchester Trust for Recreation and one from a local resident. A non-statutory inquiry took place in Manchester between 22 and 25 May 2018 where both the applicants and the Trust (as objector) were represented by counsel. The report prepared by the inspector was attached to the report submitted (Appendix 2).

Decisions

1. To approve the application to register land known as Godfrey Ermen Playing Field, Abbey Hey, Manchester (as detailed in the plan in Appendix 1 of the report submitted) for the reasons as set out in the report.

2. To note that the Council is to take all necessary steps to confirm the registration of the land.

(Councillor Hughes and Councillor Reid each declared a prejudicial interest in respect of the Item and took no part in voting on the item.)