DRAFT MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL HELD
ON WEDNESDAY 2 JUNE 2021 AT SILECROFT VILLAGE HALL
COMMENCING AT 07.30PM
PRESENT: Cllr A Fell (Chair), Cllr S Wilson, Cllr M Sharp, Cllr M. Cumming, Cllr R
Jopson, Cllr S Millar, Cllr P Rand and Cllr C Lowery
4 members of the public
24/21: APOLOGIES: Cty Cllr K Hitchen
25/21 Exclusions of Press and Public
A letter had been received which identified a HR issue. This would be dealt with
under correspondence and would require the public and press to be excluded.
26/21 Declarations of Interest
None
27/21 Minutes of the meeting held on 5 May 2021 and 19 May 2021
The minutes of the meeting held on 5 May 2021 were approved and was signed
by the Chair
Proposed by Cllr Rand, Seconded by Cllr Millar
The minutes of the meeting held on 19 May 2021 were approved and was
signed by the Chair
Proposed by Cllr Sharp, seconded by Cllr Cumming
The Chair signed all the minutes that had been approved during the period
when only remote meetings were permitted.
28/21 Police Liaison Report
A report had been previously circulated
29/21 PROGRESS REPORTS
None
30/21 Public Participation Session
A member of the public wished to express their support of the Parish Council
and the CIC for the closure of the Pop-up Café. When asked for any additional
comments by the Chair, the member of the public stated that she had returned
from holiday today to a number of complaints from residents about the amount
of traffic on the road and parking on the road side. For the last 3 years she had
along with others been picking up rubbish off the beach and the car park and
this had got worse despite requests to the café to manage the waste and she
was fed up of picking up their rubbish. She was astounded that during the first
lockdown that the café remained open when all other businesses in the area
had been forced to close and found that disregard for public safety worrying.
Benches had suddenly appeared and had taken over limited parking space and
had heard the fishermen complaining about the take over of the spaces they
would normally occupy. Concern was expressed about the building chaos once
the build of the new café commenced which would further reduce the parking
capacity and may deter local people from visiting to enjoy dog walking, fishing
and bird watching
Another member of the public stated that it had been a split decision within the
CIC regarding the vote to closure on 21 June or extend to 31 August which
seemed a more logical end to summer trading and it seemed mean spirited by
the Parish Council
The Chair explained that the planning consent ceased on 28 June, and the café
had served its purpose. The Parish Council had not received any data from the
café despite numerous requests. The onset of Covid etc had delayed the start
date for the build. The council would be discussing alternative options for the
rest of the summer.
31/21 County Councilor and Borough Councilor Report
Cty Cllr Hitchen had left a written report with the Clerk, that the proposed plans
for the footpath had been discussed by the Local Committee at a meeting on 25
May 2021 and is being discussed at a further meeting, along with other projects,
the result of the outcome of this meeting will be known by the end of July.
32/21 Applications for Development
32/21.1 To examine applications for development and submit observations to
the Planning Authority
7/2021/4058 The Beach Hut, Silecroft
Replacement timber framed and clad “garden room” and associated works
Cllr Rand had taken photographs of the damage caused to the SSSI site when a
wagon delivering some wood to the site had driven across the site to access the
Beach Hut contrary as to what had been presented to the Planning Authority ie
access via a footpath.
The council resolved that access to the site was a priority, were concerned about
how a large structure could be safely brought onto the site, No details with the
application of the dimensions of the replacement hut, the colour of the wood
nor what it would be used for. The Council was sympathetic and agreed that
the current hut required replacement but had concerns
7/2021/4057 Lachra, The Shore, Silecroft
Installation of 9m squared array of PV solar panels on south facing slope of
garden land
The council would not support this application as it set a precedent and was not
in keeping with the landscape.
4/21/2175 Field adjoining to Raceside, Kirksanton
Reserved Matters Application for Detached Dwelling & Garage (Following Grant
of Outline Approval 4/19/2314/0O1) additional information received
The council resolved to support the application and expect previous comments
to be taken into consideration
32/21.2 To ratify the observations submitted by the Clerk under devolved
None Undertaken
32/21.3 To note the decisions of the statutory planning authority with regards to
recent applications:
None
33/21.1 The following payments were approved:
J Hillier Toilet Cleaning May £398.97
L Cooper Clerks salary & expenses £570.14
HMRC PAYE £124.40
V E Falconer Internal audit fees £ 75.00
CALC Village Green Course £ 20.00
Blackcombe PCC grass cutting May £ 75.00
Copeland BC Trade waste – toilets £144.00
Mr M Sharpe re-imburse matls for benches £ 48.80
Proposed by Cllr Rand, seconded by Cllr Jopson
33/21.2 To note the receipt of payments
Beach car park £ 220.78
Church car park £ 202.62
33/21.3 To receive and note the bank reconciliation statement dated 5 May 2021
This had not been verified
33/21.4 To consider the Budget Comparison Report as at 31 May 2021 and
determine action need to address deviations from the budget.
It was agreed that £20000 of reserves be allocated for the proposed footpath
33/21.5 To approve the Accounting Statement for the financial year 2020/21
The Clerk presented the accounting statement for approval
Proposed by Cllr Sharpe, Seconded by Cllr Rand
33/21.6 To receive the report from the Internal Auditor and note any actions
The Clerk read out the report which identified 2 actions
a) There had been an overpayment on Clerks Salary/expenses for December
2020 of £12.58 this was to be corrected in the June payment
b) Not all cheque subs had been countersigned and this to be brought to the
attention of the bank signatories.
34/21.1 Silecroft Beach Front car park and toilets
Cllr Rand reported that one toilet was blocked and had been closed off pending
repair. The toilets had been left open all the time over the bank holiday period
which had created issues. The new commercial bin had arrived and it was noted
that it was being filled up with café related rubbish, which is not its purpose.
Cllr Rand to review its location and also construct a screen around it.
There had been problems of car parking along the road over the bank holiday
period. The issue of car parking to be placed on the July agenda
It was resolved to advertise for tenders for a mobile ice cream van that can
provide hot/cold drinks between 1 July and 30 September
Proposed by Cllr Lowery, Seconded by Cllr Wilson
34/21.2 Proposed Silecroft Beach Cafe
The Clerk reported that additional agreement documents had been received
from CBC. It was resolved that an extra-ordinary meeting be held on 9 June
2021 at 7.30pm to discuss the documents and sign off.
34/21.3 Community Plan
This is a work in progress. Information to be supplied to be put up on notice
boards and website.
34/21.4 EV Charge Points
Cllr Cumming had attended at meeting with Trudy Harrison MP who was
interested in local community plans and issues surrounding them. The problem
of not having 3 phase electricity which would support EV charge points on the
shore front and the café was raised. Suggested sites in the village Miners Arms
car Park and Sharpes yard
Cllr Lowery apologized and left the meeting at 2050hours
34/21.5 Play Inspection report
There had been a complaint regarding old fence posts being left on site. The
fencing had not been put back up. Cllr Sharpe to investigate. The Clerk to chase
CBC for the removal of the vegetation waste that had been cleared by the
prison.
34/21.6 Church car park
Still awaiting the contractor
34/21.7 Tree Planting
Nothing to report
34/21.8 LDNP consultation document
All councillors to submit responses to the Clerk by 20 June 2021
35/21 Reports from outside bodies
Cllr Rand reported that he had received information from the Seaside Awards
Body and the information required. It included water quality checks and
environmental management of the beach area. To be discussed at the next
meeting.
36/21 CORRESPONDENCE All correspondence had been circulated to councilors. The
following had not been circulated.
36/21.1 Letter from an individual requesting a private meeting to discuss the
reasons behind the closure of the pop-up café. It was agreed that the response
would be by letter only and the following reasons for the none renewal of the
Licence would be contained within that letter
a) There was no new evidence to change the decision of 19 May 2021and that
the planning consent expired on 28 June 2021
b) Over the period of the Licence there had been numerous breaches of the
Licence agreement by the CIC and the café operator and an apparent failure
of the CIC to manage or enforce the terms of the Licence agreement on the
café operator who appeared to have no desire or willingness to abide by
contractual agreements.
c) The purpose of the temporary Pop-up Cafe had served its purpose which
was to secure funding and building consent for a permanent café.
A Freedom of Information request to be submitted to the CIC and the café
operator for the data that had been a condition of the Licence agreement and is
required for the tender process for the permanent café
36/21.2 A complaint had been received from a resident complaining about anti-
social behaviour at a holiday let. The Clerk had responded that all anti-social
behaviour be reported to the police.
Cllr Fell left the meeting to attend to a family emergency at 9.30pm Cllr
Cumming took over the chair and continued with correspondence
36/21.3 An email had been received from the grass cutting contractor who had
forwarded on a request from residents for the now cleared area on Kirksanton
Village Green to be included in the grass cutting. The Clerk to contact the
contractor for a quote for the additional work and to ascertain the ownership of
the land in question.
36/21.4 A complaint had been received about the Clerk’s conduct. Members of
the public were requested to leave the meeting so that this complaint could be
discussed.
36/21 Councilor Matters
• Cllr Millar had received complaints regarding the number of potholes on the
road through the village and down to the beach. The Clerk to report.
37/21 DATE OF NEXT MEETING – to confirm the next meeting will be Wednesday 14th
July 2021 commencing at 7.30pm in Kirksanton Village Hall.
There being no further business the meeting closed at 2200 hrs
Signed………………………………………………… Dated………………………………………