Minutes
Ordinary
7th February 2024

Minutes 7/2/24

25

DRAFT MINUTES OF THE GENERAL MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON WEDNESDAY 7 FEBRUARY 2024 AT KIRKSANTON VILLAGE HALL COMMENCING AT 07.30PM

PRESENT Cllr A Fell(Chair), Cllr M Cumming, Cllr M Sharp, Cllr N Tyson, Cllr S Millar, Cllr R Jopson, Cllr S Wilson
Cty Cllr Pratt (Cumberland Council)
Lesley Cooper, Clerk
3 members of the public

134/23 Apologies for Absence
Cllr C Lowery (family), approved

135/23 Exclusions of Press and Public
Agenda item 16 Closed Session

136/23 Declarations of Interest
None

137/23 To approve the Minutes of the meetings 11 January 2024
The Chair was authorized to sign the minutes as a true record of the meeting.

138/23 Police Liaison Report
Previously circulated. Cllr Fell had reported dogs running loose and chasing sheep on the fell to the police

139/23 Clerks report
Clerk reported that no response had been received from Trudy Harrison MP re digital switchover. Cllr Cumming reported that Kirksanton Village Hall had a battery back up as an emergency response

140/23 Public Participation

• A Representative of Black Combe fell running club stated that the annual fell race would be on 9 March 2024 between 12-3pm with approx. 200 runners. Parking had been arranged for haulage yard, beach car park in attempt to keep cars from parking on the road. The PC was presented with a donation of £1200 towards play equipment. The Chair thanked them for the donation.
• The Cleaner reported that there were leaks on the outside taps. A new box was required for the cleaners tap. He thought that there had been some interference by the new café to the PC water supply.
• A member of the public raised concerns Community Partnership providing misleading information and asked why the PC continued to support this and why they had not considered withdrawing their support. Councilor Cumming re-iterated that the PC continued to represent the community’s stance on the GDF project and the PC considered it was easier to put the community’s views from within the Community Partnership.
  The complaint by member of the public of misinformation by GDF has been raised by Councillor Cumming to the Communications Lead NWS and will be discussed at the next SCCP meeting.

141/23 Report from Unitary Authority Councillor
Cllr Pratt reported that Whicham Valley road would reopen on 16 February 2024
The planned road works at Castle Cottages had been postponed
Kirksanton crossing would be closed 18/19 February
Corney Fell Road will be closed for another 6 months whilst a replacement bridge was installed
He was chasing for the gritter to go down Main St Silecroft or the placing of grit bins.
Councillors requested that temporary traffic lights be placed at the narrows, the next time Whicham Valley road was closed to reduce the number of accidents that occurred during this closure.

142/23 Applications for Development

Minutes 7/2/24
26

142/23.1 To examine applications for development and submit observations to the Planning Authority
7/2024/4003 Kellbank Cottage, Silecroft
Removal of defective and obsolete chimney
Supported

142/23.2 To ratify the observations submitted by the Clerk under devolved powers
None

142/23.3 To note the decisions of the statutory planning authority with regards to recent applications:
None

143/23 Financial Records

143/23.1 Payment of invoices
The following invoices were approved for payment:

143/23.2 Receipts
Beach car park £ 60.75
Church car park £ 27.32

143/23.3 To receive and note the bank reconciliation statement December 2023
Checked and signed by Cllr Millar

143/23.4 To consider the Budget Comparison Report as at 31 January 2024 and determine action need to address deviations from the budget.
Clerk reported that current acct was £20027.86, Deposit Acct £30606.40 of which £12785.50 were committed reserves.

144/23 Village Matters

144/23.1 Silecroft beach car park, and toilets
New toilet door fitted. Clerk to chase prison re beach car park. Clerk had been speaking to a broker company and provided information to obtain quotes for the installation of EV charge points. Cllr Fell awaiting invoice for tar planings.
Complaints were made to Cllr Pratt re the rubbish left by contractors on the Valley Road. Cllr Pratt to take up with Highways.

144/23.2 Play inspection report
Cllr Sharp to install cradle seats.

144/23.3 Wildflower planting and trees Silecroft
Cllr Millar reported that she had attended a Cafs course called Cold and Cozy Verges – progressing
Trees minimum order is 30, this would need to be a community project for October.

144/23.4 GDF
Discussed in Public Participation

144/23.5 Zero Carbon Actions – Free trees
Cllr Millar still pursuing see 144/23.3

144/23.6 Phone box, Silecroft repairs
Weather dependent for remaining repairs

144/23.7 Emergency Plan
Emergency contact numbers for Village halls to be provided to Clerk

145/23 To receive reports from representatives on outside bodies

• Cllr Sharp had attended meeting on Sustainable Transport, especially cycle routes. The routes around Millom were feasible, the route from Millom to Silecroft problematic.

Minutes 7/2/24
27

• Cllr Wilson had attended Silecroft Village Hall meeting who questioned the lack of donations from the PC. Clerk reminded that the PC had paid all costs relating to their recent planning application.

146/23 CORRESPONDENCE:
To discuss any correspondence received for open discussion:
All other correspondence to be circulated in the normal manner for Council’s perusal

• None

147/23 Councillor Matters
An opportunity for Councillors to raise minor matters, not on this agenda, on behalf of residents
(Note. No discussion or decisions can be made on these matters but the Clerk may make investigations and/or they may be placed on a future agenda of the Council

• Cllr Tyson asked if additional street lights from Silecroft to beach could be installed. Clerk to contact for quote for solar lighting
• Cllr Jopson asked if hedges on roads could be cut. Clerk has reported them.

148/23 DATE OF NEXT MEETING:
The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on 13 March 2024 at Silecroft Village Hall commencing at 7.30p

149/23 Closed Session
(a) Silecroft beach new café
After discussion the council resolved to agree to Option 3 of Cumberland Proposal with the following changes/caveats:
Basic kitchen fit out
Operator tenders go out within next 4 weeks
WPC determines if café is financially viable before hand over
Rent at a commercial rate
Cumberland or LDNP cover costs of operating Changing Places facility

(b) Clerks Review
Cllr Fell fed back to the Council the result of the Clerk’s positive review with a recommendation of an increase in salary back dated to 1 October 2023. This recommendation was proposed by Cllr Cumming Seconded by Cllr Millar and carried

(c) Clerks Overtime
The clerk produced evidence of accumulating 31.47hrs overtime since August 2023. Resolved to pay the overtime Proposed Cllr Cumming, Seconded Cllr Millar
The Clerk to continue to log hours worked and present quarterly returns for overtime payments going forward.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 2200hrs.

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