PRESENT: Cllr Fell (Chair) Cllr S Millar, Cllr M Sharp, Cllr N Tyson, Cllr M Cumming, Cllr S Wilson, Cllr R Jopson, Cllr C Lowery
Cllr A Pratt – Cumberland Council
Lesley Cooper Clerk
1/26 Apologies for Absence
Cllr L Thomson (personal)
2/26 Election of Chair
Cllr A Fell was elected as Chair for the year Proposed Cllr Cumming, Seconded Cllr Tyson. Cllr Fell signed the acceptance of office in the presence of the clerk.
3/26 Election of Vice Chair
Cllr Cumming was elected as Vice Chair, proposed by Cllr Sharp, Seconded Cllr Lowery. Cllr Cumming signed the acceptance of office in the presence of the clerk.
4/26 Minutes of the Annual Meeting on 7 May 2025 were approved.
5/26 APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO SERVE ON OUTSIDE BODIES – To appoint members of the Council to serve on the following outside bodies:
6/26 GENERAL POWER OF COMPETENCE
To reaffirm that the Parish Council meets the conditions under section 8(2) of the Localism Act 2011 and The Parish Councils (General Power of Competence) (Prescribed Conditions) Order 2012 and therefore may act under the General Power of Competence.
There being no other business, the normal meeting commenced.
7/26 Exclusions of Press and Public
None
8/26 Declarations of Interest
Cllr Sharp declared an interest in Agenda item 16.9 To discuss and approve the quotation for the installation of electrical supply to EV charge points and the toilets.
9/26 To approve the Minutes of the meetings 1 April 2026
The Chair was authorized to sign the minutes as a true record of the meetings.
10/26 Police Liaison Report
Previously circulated – no comments
11/26 Clerks report
None
12/26 Public Participation
None
13/26 Report from Unitary Authority Councillor
Cllr Pratt gave the following report:
Consultation boundary review has now been published increase councillors to 55.
A595 Whicham Valley road repairs will be starting shortly. Any areas which have standing water to be reported.
Emailed Michael Barry and received no response re the café.
Tenant for the old Bank in Millom has been approved.
GDF submission to Secretary of State for the drilling of bore holes to be submitted next week and a decision hopefully by July 2026.
The chair thanked Cllr Pratt for his report.
14/26 Applications for Development
14/26.1 To examine applications for development and submit observations to the Planning Authority
7/2025/4098 Woodhouse Farm, Silecroft
Construction of a 730sqm extension to an existing Hen Shed
Supported
14/26.2 To ratify the observations submitted by the Clerk under devolved powers.
None
14/26.3 To note the decisions of the statutory planning authority with regard to recent applications:
None.
15/26 Financial Records
15/26.1 Payment of invoices
The following payments are presented for payment.
| Waterplus direct Debit | £36.68 |
| Thomas Graham Cleaning supplies | £18.65 |
| L Cooper Clerks salary & expenses | £514.01 |
| HMRC PAYE | £66.40 |
| L Cooper Clerks o/time payments | £252.25 |
| HMRC PAYE | £63.20 |
| J Hillier Toilet Cleaning April | £390.00 |
| Community Heartbeat (VH&café) Annual support defibs | £324.00 |
| V Falconer Internal Audit fee | £100.00 |
| Community Heartbeat Thermal bag | £68.34 |
| Scribe 1off set up fee | £298.80 |
| Cumberland Council waste management | £108.00 |
| S Millar reimburse purchase spring bulbs | £31.75 |
| Scribe monthly fee Direct Debit | £39.60 |
15/26.2 Receipts
| Beach car park | £325.94 |
| Church car park | £124.00 |
| Stripe – Motorhome overnight fees | £670.04 |
15/26.3 To receive and note the bank reconciliation statement dated 30 April 2026
Not received
15/26.4 To consider the Budget Comparison Report as at 30 April 2026 and determine action need to address deviations from the budget.
Current A/c £30357.03 Deposit A/c £31229.47 Committed reserves £21138 General Reserves £18470.
15/26.5 To receive and accept the Internal Auditors Report for the Financial Year 2025/26 and act on recommendations.
The recommendations were noted.
15/26.6 To approve Annual Governance Statement for the financial year 2025/26.
Each point was noted and agreed upon. Resolved to approve.
15/26.7 To approve the Annual Accounting Statement for the financial year 2025/26.
Resolved to approve.
15/26.8 To approve the clerk’s overtime payment from 1/10/25-31/3/26 of 18.98 hours.
Approved
15/26.10 To discuss and approve the quotation for the installation of electricity supply to EV charge points and the installation of an electrical supply to toilets and electric hook ups.
Resolved to accept the quote from S&B electrics for the installation of 2 no EV charge points.
Resolved to accept the quotation for the installation of electricity supply to the toilets and to include 4 electric hook-ups for motorhomes.
Clerk to apply for funding from GDF for £4950 towards the cost of electrical supply.
16/26 Village Matters
16/26.1 Silecroft car park
Works still requiring completion –levelling of banking for bays 1 and 2. Elsan point installed. Better signage required. Chaining off of Motorhome bays to prevent cars parking. Signage on shore front “no unauthorised overnight parking allowed. Signage for horse box parking and fisherman’s tractors. Move disabled signs x 3 to other side of café and keep 1.
Motorhome bookings – Clerk reported that in April there had been 48 bookings for April + 8 pre bookings for May
16/26.2 Toilets
To advertise for relief cleaner. Cleaning cupboard installed in ladies’ toilets. To repaint internally in September. To contact contractor to repair toilets in ladies.
16/26.3 Café
Details sent to solicitor to pursue licence. No response from Michael Barry
16/26.4 Play inspection reports and actions
Clerk to obtain quotes for the resurfacing of the tennis court at Silecroft. Cllr Sharp to repair spring on gate at Kirksanton. To replace large access gate with a field gate.
16/26.5 Defib – Silecroft
Thermal bag ordered.
16/25.6 Environmental issues
Banking scraping delayed to October
16/26.7 Date for Annual Parish Meeting
14 May 2026 7pm, Speaker David Savage on Millom Town Deal. Cllr Millar to source projector & screen
Light refreshments to be provided by Cllr Wilson
16/26.8 Potholes Kirksanton
To be filled.
17/26 To receive reports from representatives on outside bodies.
18/26 CORRESPONDENCE:
To discuss any correspondence received for open discussion:
All other correspondence to be circulated in the normal manner for Council’s perusal.
19/26 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.
20/26 DATE OF NEXT MEETING:
The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on 3 June 2026 at Silecroft Village Hall commencing at 7.30p
There being no further business, the meeting closed at 2130 hours.
Signed………………………………………………… Dated………………………………………