Minutes
Ordinary
1st April 2026

WHICHAM PARISH COUNCIL

DRAFT MINUTES OF THE ORDINARY MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON WEDNESDAY 1 APRIL 2026 AT KIRKSANTON VILLAGE HALL COMMENCING AT 7.30 PM

Present: Cllr Fell (Chair), Cllr S Millar, Cllr M Sharp, Cllr N Tyson, Cllr L Thomson, Cllr A Pratt – Cumberland Council, Lesley Cooper Clerk, 1 member of public

156/25 Apologies for Absence

Cllr M Cumming (personal), Cllr S Wilson (working), Cllr R Jopson (working)

157/25 Exclusions of Press and Public

None

158/25 Declarations of Interest

None

159/25 To approve the Minutes of the meetings 4 March 2026

The Chair was authorized to sign the minutes as a true record of the meetings.

160/25 Police Liaison Report

Previously circulated – no comments

161/25 Clerks report

Clean up after your dogs’ signs been placed on fell path to Black Combe.

Reported Po House Road damage to Highways.

Received notification from Pensions Regulator and completed actions for re-declaration.

Received notification that the precept will be paid 1 April.

Clerk reported that she had worked 18.98 hours overtime from 1 October 2025 to 31 March 2026

162/25 Public Participation

A member of the public requested permission to hold yoga classes on Kirksanton Village Green. To be discussed at the May meeting

163/25 Report from Unitary Authority Councillor

Cllr Pratt gave the following report:

• Consultation on yellow lines and 4 hour parking restrictions on all laybys
• Fibrus has been turning up without permission to undertake works, please report if there is no signage showing permission.
• Please report all potholes on HiMs system and copy them in Andy Pratt.

164/25 Applications for Development

164/25.1 To examine applications for development and submit observations to the Planning Authority

None

164/25.2 To ratify the observations submitted by the Clerk under devolved powers.

None

164/25.3 To note the decisions of the statutory planning authority with regard to recent applications:

None.

165/25 Financial Records

165/25.1 Payment of invoices

165/25.2 Receipts

165/25.3 To receive and note the bank reconciliation statement dated 28 February 2026

Checked and verified by Cllr Millar

165/25.4 To consider the Budget Comparison Report as at 31 March 2026 and determine action need to address deviations from the budget.

Current A/c £28360.46 Deposit A/c £11229.97 Committed reserves £11154.60 General Reserves £28360.46

Resolved: to transfer £20000 from current account to deposit account.

Projects requiring funding installation of EV charge points, electric hook up for motorhome parking and electricity supply to toilets (£10000 of reserves to be allocated).

Underspend of £2832.74 on budget to be allocated to general reserve.

165/25.5 To receive and accept the Risk Register and Risk Assessment for 2026

Resolved to accept.

165/25.6 To receive and approve the Asset Register as at 31 March 2026

Resolved to accept and submit.

166/25 Village Matters

166/25.1 Silecroft car park

Works still requiring completion – elsan point and levelling of banking for bays 1 and 2.

Motorhome bookings – booked out for Good Friday and Easter Saturday

Verbal proposal received for the installation of EV charge points on car park. Agreed in principle, awaiting formal agreement.

166/25.2 Toilets

Contract could be a job share as it is constraining for 1 person. To advertise for relief cleaner. To order a cupboard for the storing of cleaning materials to be placed in Ladies toilet.

166/25.3 CafÈ

Details sent to solicitor. No response from John Hall. To Contact Michael Barry

166/25.4 Proposed artwork location by Cumberland Council

Cllrs Miller and Cumming attended online meeting and raised objections and concerns re proposed installation. Stressed no appetite for this project. CafÈ shutters cost £35k

166/25.5 Play inspection reports and actions

Clerk to obtain quotes for the resurfacing of the tennis court at Silecroft

166/25.6 Defib – Silecroft

Clerk to order a thermal bag

166/25.7 Environmental issues

Still awaiting banking scraping. Cllr Millar to attend Climate Action course looking at zero carbon awareness. Details of a possible village heat share to be investigated. Possible speaker for Annual Parish Meeting on Heat pumps.

166/25.8 Fallen Soldier statue

Received and to be installed around war memorial

166/25.9 Date for Annual Parish Meeting

14 May 2026 7pm, Speaker David Savage on Millom Town Deal

Light refreshments

166/25.10 Potholes Kirksanton

To be filled.

167/25 To receive reports from representatives on outside bodies.

• None

168/25 Correspondence

To discuss any correspondence received for open discussion:

All other correspondence to be circulated in the normal manner for Council’s perusal.

• Letter received re support to control number of 2nd homes in LDNP.
• Consultation for the limiting of parking in lay byes to 4 hours – council to support

169/25 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.

• None

170/25 Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on 6 May 2026 at Silecroft Village Hall commencing at 7.30p

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 2135 hours.

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