Minutes
Ordinary
5th October 2016

Whicham Parish Council

Draft Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting

Whicham 5/10/16
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WHICHAM PARISH COUNCIL
DRAFT MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD
ON WEDNESDAY 5th OCTOBER 2016 IN
SILECROFT VILLAGE HALL COMMENCING AT 07.30PM

PRESENT: Cllr A Fell, Cllr V Bradley, Cllr M Sharp, Cllr C Lowery, Cllr P Rand, Cllr S
Wilson, Cllr M. Cumming arrived at 8.30pm after attending another
meeting on behalf of the Council

72/16: APOLOGIES: Cllr R Jopson

73/16: No Exclusions were required

74/16: DECLARATION OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest.

75/16: MINUTES of the Parish Council Meeting held on 7th September 2016
The minutes of the meeting on 7 September 2016 were accepted and signed by
the Chair as a true record.

76/16 Police Liaison Report
PCSO Booth had sent a report and this was accepted..

77/16 PROGRESS REPORTS

77.16.1 Beach Benches
Cllr Sharp reported that the 3 benches had now been fitted in place. He and Cllr
Rand had inspected the other 3 benches and advised that these should be
replaced also as they were in a poor state. It was resolved that the Clerk put an
application into CGP fund for a contribution towards the cost of replacing the
remaining 3 benches.

78/16 Public Participation Session
No other members of the public was present.

79/16 COUNTY COUNCILLOR AND DISTRICT COUNCILLORS’ REPORT
County Cllr Hitchen had sent his apologies and there was no report.
Borough Cllr Scurrah had been invited to attend the meeting but there had
been no response.

80/16: Applications for Development

80/16.1 To examine applications for development and submit
observations to the Planning Authority
None had been received

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80/16.2 To ratify the observations submitted by the Clerk under devolved
powers since the last meeting.
None undertaken

80/16.3 To note the decisions of the statutory planning authority with
regards to recent applications:
None had been received.

81/16: FINANCIAL RECORDS

81/16.1 The following payments were approved:
L Cooper Website domain name £ 11.99
L Cooper Sitebuilder subscription £ 72.00
L Cooper Turf for Kirksanton play area £101.00
L D A Cooper Setting up of website £100.00
L Cooper Turf for Kirksanton play area £111.00
Playsafe Annual Inspection of play areas £159.60

81/16.2 To note the receipt of payments:
None were received

81/16.3 Bank reconciliation – None received

81/16.4 Budget Comparison report – it was RESOLVED to increase the
budget for the website from £50 to £200 to cover the cost of the setting up of
the new web site.
Proposed by Cllr Bradley, Seconded by Cllr Wilson.

Tennis Courts
Cllr Bradley and Cllr Fell reported that 2 suppliers had been to look at the tennis
court with a view to refurbishment. Both companies were of the opinion that
the existing hard surface was in a reasonable state and could form a new
foundation. Now awaiting costings from both companies for football
ends/basketball sets and the cost of marking out.

It was agreed that the end wall of the tennis courts required rendering and it
was RESOLVED to seek quotes from Ron Ellwood, Will Belaney, Mark
Woodhouse and Graham Hartley for the undertaking of the works.

Silecroft Beach Car Park and Toilets
It was unclear whether LDNP were to continue to lease the car park and toilets
from the Parish Council. The Clerk was instructed to write to LDNP and seek
clarification.

It was noted that the car park required some remedial works to fill in pot holes,
in the past LDNP undertook this role as part of the lease. Clerk instructed to
write to Ghykk Scaur Quarry to enquire if they would be able to provide waste
stone.

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81/16.5 External Audit Report
The External audit report for the financial year 2015/16 was presented to the
Council. Proposed by Cllr Fell, Seconded by Cllr Lowery and agreed by the
council to accept the report.

81/16.6 Clerk’s Salary and review
It was agreed to keep the Clerk’s hours at 16 hours per month. It was agreed to
increase the Clerk’s hourly rate by 1% in line with National Payscales from £8.71
to £8.80 per hour commencing 1 April 2017.
Proposed Cllr Fell, Seconded Cllr Sharp

82/16 PARISH MATTERS

1. To receive Feedback from the Joint Parish Meeting
Cllr Rand reported that Cllr Cummings had now taken on this role.

It was reported that it was expected that National Grid would present their
final plan to Copeland BC and LDNP on 12 October, with meetings with
Parish Councils scheduled for 13 October onwards. It was agreed that a
Parish Council meeting would be called after this meeting to inform the rest
of the Council of the outcomes.

Cllr Cumming joined the meeting having attended the joint meeting and
reported that the meeting on 13 October It was expected that only part of
the National Grid document would be released. The total report is expected
to be approx 7 thousand pages.

Concerns were expressed within the Group that there will only be a 8 week
consultation period on this scheme running up to Christmas, whereas other
similar schemes have had a 10 – 12 week consultation period.

Mr Savage, Chair of the group had reported that legally National Grid had an
obligation to consult with Parish Councils and this they had not yet done and
had dismissed parish Councils

ENW were being very evasive and it was feared that there may be a double
corridor of pylons through the Duddon Valley.

The Group had requested a meeting with ENW to discuss the Haverig
scheme and wanted representatives from Millom Town Council, Millom
without and Whicham Parish Councils to discuss their plans.

The Group have requested that CALC hold one of their proposed workshops
on the consulation document in the south of the Borough.

Power without Pylons had paid for an independent study of the off-shore
option that has been dismissed by National Grid with regards to costings
and technical capabilities.

Dan Hunt had met with representatives of UNESCO re the LDNP bid for
World Heritage status and there was concern re the National Grid proposals.
It was noted that the Govillage Hall so that members of the public could be
briefed on the National Grid Consultation document and answer any
questions.

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2. NWCC – attendance at meeting on 13 October 2016
The Council agreed for Cllrs Fell and Cumming to attend this meeting on
behalf of the Council

3. Co-option of Councillors
There had been no response to this vacancy. Clerk instructed to advertise in
Around the Combe magazine

4. Victoria Cross memorial ceremony
It was agreed to keep this on the Agenda. Cllr Fell stated he would speak to
the Community at the Remembrance Day Service to seek assistance and
ideas as to the location of the Commemorative Paving Stone for Tom
Mayson. The Clerk to write to the British Legion to invite their input into the
actual ceremony.

5. Emergency Planning
It was agreed to defer this to the next meeting.

83/16 To receive reports from representatives on outside bodies
See 82/16.1 above

84/16. CORRESPONDENCE All correspondence had been circulated to councilors. The
following had been received:

1.Emaills of concern had been received by the Clerk and Cllr Cumming re the
substantial earth works being carried out at Bankfield. It had been ascertained
that this was to level and grading the field towards the existing ménage and the
digging out for the building at the rear of the property for which prior planning
consent had been approved.

2. An application had been received by CGP Trust for assistance in paying for
the grass cutting of the church yard at St Mary’s Church, Whitbeck. This had
been referred to the Parish Council by CGP as part of their legal duties. After
discussion it was RESOLVED that the Parish Council would take on the
responsibility for ensuring that this work is undertaken and this will be
budgeted for in the next financial year.

3. A letter was handed in at the meeting Dorothy Bowe thanking the Parish
Council for replacing the equipment on the play areas at Kirksanton and
Silecroft and enquiring what plans were being made to renovate the tennis
court at Silecroft. Clerk to respond.

85/16 COUNCILLOR MATTERS
Cllr Fell reported that Silecroft Caravan Park had offered to provide directional
signs to the Play area at Silecroft.

Cllr Bradley reported that she had received complaints from residents of the
state of the track that runs up from Whitbeck Church to Town End Bungalow. It
was unclear who owned or had responsibility for the track.

It was reported that the bank at Kirksanton had not been cut at the end of the
summer. Cllr Bradley to ask James Milbank to cut it on behalf of the Parish
Council.

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Cllr Bradley stated that she had reported to Cumbria Highways the overgrown
trees at the lay bye at Whitbeck which were restricting the view of vehicles
leaving the lay bye and were a potential traffic hazard.

Cllr Wilson reported that the recent road lining by Cumbria Highways had failed
to re line the Silecroft junction with the A595. Clerk to report.

86/16 DATE OF NEXT MEETING – to confirm the next meeting will be Wednesday 9th
November 2016 at 7.30pm in Silecroft Village Hall

There being no other business the meeting closed at 9.45pm

Signed………………………………………………… Dated………………………………………