Flashing road signs debate on, off, on, off

Saddleworth Parish Council meeting reports by BEATRIZ AYALA
DISCUSSIONS over the introduction of flashing road signs in Saddleworth have been put on hold.

Parish Councillor Royce Franklin said Oldham Council had £80,000 for flashing road safety signs, which currently cost £5,000 each.

He said the cost would drop to £4,000 each if the council managed to get £100,000 funding and suggested the parish council consider buying one which they could then locate.

However, parish councillor John Hudson said: “It is not the job of the Parish Council to charge ratepayers double for signs.

“Everyone else in the borough will get the signs for free, so it is morally wrong to pay.”

Councillor Brian Lord said there was the potential for the parish council to put a sign at a point they knew was dangerous.

But he said the locations would have to be identified by District Partnerships and the Highways Department would see if they were suitable.

Councillor Franklin said the parish council should not buy a sign if it did not have control over its location.

The matter was adjourned until the September meeting while more is found out about signage control.


Neighbours in hall plans discussion

PLANS for the modernisation of the civic hall will be put before neighbours and then go to planning officers for approval. Once passed, the parish council will get estimates as to how much the modernisation will cost.

Tony Marlor, clerk of the council, said a new fold-away stage extension had been ordered and will be delivered in six weeks, and they were awaiting quotes on relaying and cleaning the current stage.