Market Place, Chapel-en-le-Frith

Here at the Parish Council, we have been exploring what we can do about the poor state of the flags on the Market square, which have been raised with us as a concern.  With the repair works ongoing on the toilets it seems to us to be a good time to address the wider issues of the paving across the whole area, and perhaps especially around the War memorial as we approach Remembrance Sunday.  

We have been informed by Borough Councillors that limited repair work will be undertaken once the toilet refurbishments are completed but it has also been suggested by some that the Parish Council simply undertakes the rest of the work ourselves.  As is widely known the ownership of the Market place is complicated, with ownership and responsibility divided between the Duchy of Lancaster and the Borough Council.  The Parish Council maintains the War Memorial and the cattle trough.  

We have explored with our insurance company if we might simply repair and relay the flags, as has been suggested.  We have been clearly told that we would then not have public liability insurance for any accident or slip that took place on the Market Place because we do not own the land.  To do so would expose the Parish (and therefore every resident of the Parish Council area) to significant potential costs if anyone were to slip or fall on the square.  We have concluded that rather than expose us all to damaging cost implications we must continue to press the Borough Council and Duchy to resolve their differences and to undertake the work for which they are legally responsible and liable.  We will update the community regularly on any responses we receive. 

We will, however, be organising a working party to tidy and weed the square in advance of Remembrance Sunday.  We'll let you know a date, and it would be good if the community could come together to tidy up and make the Market Place look presentable for Remembrance.