Minutes
Ordinary
4th March 2026
Whicham Parish Council – Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Parish Council held on Wednesday 4 March 2026 at Kirksanton Village Hall Commencing at 7.30 pm
Present: Cllr Fell (Chair), Cllr S Millar, Cllr M Cumming, Cllr M Sharp, Cllr S Wilson, Cllr N Tyson, Cllr L Thomson
Lesley Cooper Clerk
140/25 Apologies for Absence
C Lowery (working), Cllr R Jopson (working), Cllr A Pratt – Cumberland Council
141/25 Exclusions of Press and Public
None
142/25 Declarations of Interest
None
143/25 To approve the Minutes of the meetings 4 February 2026
The Chair was authorized to sign the minutes as a true record of the meetings.
144/25 Police Liaison Report
Previously circulated – no comments
145/25 Clerks Report
None
146/25 Public Participation
None
147/25 Report from Unitary Authority Councillor
In the absence of Cllr Pratt, the Clerk gave the following report on his behalf:
Whicham Valley road works had been extended for another week.
Application to Secretary of State to be submitted by March for permission to drill boreholes.
Contract awarded for Impact study and pros/cons of a GDF.
148/25 Applications for Development
148/25.1 To examine applications for development and submit observations to the Planning Authority
7/2026/4009 Beckside, Silecroft
Three stand alone Anaerobic Digester plants comprising three above ground tanks located within three shipping containers. Separator to be housed in new portal frame building.
For information only
148/25.2 To ratify the observations submitted by the Clerk under devolved powers
None
148/25.3 To note the decisions of the statutory planning authority with regard to recent applications
None.
149/25 Financial Records
149/25.1 Payment of invoices
The following payments are presented for payment.
| Waterplus direct Debit | £132.23 |
| L Cooper Clerks salary & expenses | £301.80 |
| HMRC PAYE | £66.60 |
| J Hillier Toilet Cleaning February | £384.00 |
| Information Commissioner Data Protection payment | £52.00 |
| WHamos refund of test payments | £12.00 |
| KMC Grafix Ltd New QR codes | £15.00 |
| Whamos Ltd Unlocking laptop | £45.00 |
149/25.2 Receipts
| Beach car park | £214.27 |
| Church car park | £82.47 |
| Scripe – Motorhome overnight fees | £101.74 |
| Paypal car park donations | £54.13 |
149/25.3 To receive and note the bank reconciliation statement dated 31 January 2026
Checked and verified by Cllr Millar
149/25.4 To consider the Budget Comparison Report as at 28 February 2026 and determine action need to address deviations from the budget
Current A/c £30567.80 Deposit A/c £11229.97 Committed reserves £4154.60
Resolved to commit £7k to reserves for play areas.
149/25.5 To approve the following donations
| Silecroft Village Hall | £250 |
| Kirksanton Village Hall | £250 |
| Whicham PCC for the upkeep of the churchyard | £700 |
150/25 Village Matters
150/25.1 Silecroft car park
Works still requiring completion – elsan point and levelling of banking for bays 1 and 2.
Motorhome bookings – received 21 bookings and the system working well.
150/25.2 Toilets
Concerns raised re cleanliness of toilets after receiving complaints. To undertake a review of cleaning schedule and discuss appointment of relief cleaner(s) at April meeting.
150/25.3 Café
Clerk to contact solicitor to draft a long-term lease. To chase Mark Walshe re changing places being still open.
150/25.4 Proposed artwork location by Cumberland Council
Cllrs Miller and Cumming to attend online meeting to represent WPC objection
150/25.5 Play inspection reports and actions
Clerk to obtain quotes for the resurfacing of the tennis court at Silecroft
150/25.6 Defib – Silecroft
Cllr Sharp to send photo through of defib. To see if a thermal bag will work
150/25.7 Environmental issues
Still awaiting banking scraping. Cllr Millar to order some spring native bulbs to plant around war memorial.
150/25.8 Fallen Soldier statue
Clerk to order a pair from Royal British Legion
150/25.9 Date for Annual Parish Meeting
14 May 2026 7pm, Speaker David Savage on Millom Town Deal
150/25.10 Data Protection Training
Clerk reminded all councillors to complete the Data Protection training
151/25 To receive reports from representatives on outside bodies
None
152/25 Correspondence
To discuss any correspondence received for open discussion:
All other correspondence to be circulated in the normal manner for Council’s perusal.
- A letter has been received from the Pensions Regulator
- Grass contractor increasing price by £60 (approved by the Council)
153/25 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 Fell stated that the track onto the Combe was bad with dog fouling. Clerk to contact dog warden for help/advice. Signs to be made to be placed on fell gate.
- Cllr Tyson reported that there was an increase in dog fouling on the way to the beach and also on the beach car park. Clerk to order signs to be placed over current no overnight parking signs to clean up after your dog.
- Cllr Thomson reported that the Po House Road had been used as a rat run during the Whicham Valley closure and the verges and road was breaking up and increase in potholes.
- Cllr Millar reported that she had received complaints re holes in wall opposite Silecroft Village Hall and on some slurry dropped on the path towards the beach.
- Cllr Millar had received a request for disabled signs on the beach car park.
154/25 Date of Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on 8 April 2026 at Silecroft Village Hall commencing at 7.30pm
There being no further business, the meeting closed at 2220 hours.
155/25 Human Resources
Cllr Fell reported that the Clerk’s appraisal had been undertaken and she had met all standards.
Signed………………………………………………… Dated………………………………………