Parish Council Meeting October 2023

Meeting Minutes

CALDBECK PARISH COUNCIL

 Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Parish Council held in the Parish Hall on Monday 23^rd October at 7:30pm.

Councillors present: Tim Cartmell (Chairman), Norman Atkinson, Paul Doherty, Angela Glendinning, Sue Robson, David Sutherland, Mark Telford, Alan Tyson, Mike Warren, Alison Young

Also Present: Mike Johnson (Cumberland Councillor), David McGuffie (Clerk)

1. Apologies

None.

2. Minutes

The Chairman was authorised to sign the minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Parish Council held on 11^th September 2023 as a true record.

3. Declaration of Interest

None.

4. Public Participation

Report by Mike Johnson – Mike explained that Cumberland Council is currently £29M over budget and as a result of that is only filling vacancies that are a legal or H&S requirement. He anticipated that it would lead to increases in Council Tax next year. He then mentioned that there had been a community panel meeting in Wigton – the Fells and Solway panel which covers 5 council wards including his. The panel has £66k to spend on local priorities.

1. High Pike – The Council has been advised that the mould for a resin viewmaster would be £210+VAT and that the casts would be £60+VAT each. The Clerk was asked to contact the LDNPA donor to see if they would pay for the mould and 2x casts. The casts would be bronze coloured. Alan indicated that he would prefer a bronze cast rather than a resin one.
2. Dog waste bin at Nether Row – Clerk to check if Tivoli would be willing to empty a bin there.
3. Electrical Vehicle charging – Tim explained that he had met with a firm that wanted to partner with the Council in the running of an electric vehicle charge point in Caldbeck. He was trying to understand the outlay, ongoing costs and potential revenue that an installation would bring so that the Council could make an informed decision. The Clerk had contacted Cumberland Council about their car park EV charge points and was awaiting a reply. Mike Johnson agreed to speak to the Cumberland Council team. The Council agreed that Tim should continue to collect information. Two sites were being considered – on the current Caldbeck car park or near the Old Map Shop.
4. Muddy Duck Xmas Elf event – Mike informed the Council that the Muddy Duck was asking the community about this event. The Council agreed that it had no objections to the event in principle as it benefitted the community but hoped that the Muddy Duck would advise their patrons against littering. The Council wondered if the Muddy Duck toilet would be operational by then as there was a significant increase in the consumables usage at the public toilets during the Easter event. Clerk to contact the Muddy Duck.

5. Caldbeck Public Toilets

Norman advised that donation boxes could be purchased at £35 each inc VAT and the Council agreed their purchase. It was also agreed to include a QR code on the laminated notice that would be put up near the boxes. It was agreed that the Remuneration group would review the rate in the toilet cleaning contract.

6. Street Lighting

a) Beech Cottage update – Mike Johnson said he had been told everything had been completed. Sue to confirm with the owners if that is the case.

7. Sub groups, jobs and roles

The Council reviewed which sub groups, jobs and roles there were and which Councillors were carrying them out. Non-councillors are in bold.

Sub groups

Property Working Group – Tim, Paul, Mark and Alison

Footpath Working Group – Tim, Norman, David and Alan

Biodiversity Working Group – Alison, Elspeth Mackenzie, Caroline Knox, Liz Mounsey and Ian Shaw

Remuneration – Norman, Paul and Angela

Jobs/Roles

Allotment inspection – Mike, Alison and Alan

Building Inspections – David and Norman

Car park donation collection – Alison, Paul and Mark

Financial reconciliation – John Brown

Lengthsman – Norman and Alison

Petty Cash Officer – Paul

Trees – Alison with help from Paul Graham

8. Caldbeck and Hesket Greens

a) Update on Caldbeck Green – Grass cutting complete for the year. Alison confirmed that the school was interested in helping with the interpretation board for the common.

b) Update on Hesket Newmarket Pond – The bench for near the Hesket pond has been delivered and will be installed shortly. A traffic style review of the trees on the Millennium plot will be undertaken to advise the Council what works need to be undertaken.

c) Commons deregistration of part of Hesket Green – The Council reviewed the draft letter to the Brewery and agreed that it should be sent.

d) The planning application for the trees in Hesket Newmarket has been granted. The Council agreed to accept the offer of a donation towards the tree works and help with the wood disposal from the pub. Alison would check whether the brush could be chipped and used to landscape round the pond.

9. Property Matters

a) Car parks – QR codes for electronic payments are operational. Addition of PayPal ongoing. Signage with the new payment methods will be installed shortly. Car park maintenance start date to be confirmed.

b) Property Working Group – Hesket BT wayleave payment has been increased by ~£65 thanks to Tim’s queries. Still awaiting Highways response about cables under land that the PC maintains. To be chased up.

c) Fellside car park – Quotes for work on the car park are to be obtained prior to advertising the intention to undertake the work in a local paper. The H&H specification for parking spaces received on 14^th July is to be used as is for quotes. A waste exemption would be required for the top soil – this would be free.

d) Land at Hesket Newmarket. The Council noted our solicitor costs were an issue for the potential purchasers but agreed that it wasn’t prepared to take the risks associated with not using an indemnified solicitor to prepare the documentation.

e) Maidens Hill Garage – The construction planning application states that the land was leased. Egremont records have no record of the lease.

10. Footpath Working Group

Tim explained the issues with the path to Waters Meet – a 75m muddy section and bank slip near the river bank. The path in the muddy section could either be raised or the path could be diverted round the mud. The bank slip is within 8m of the river bank and as such would need SSSI consents from Natural England and the Environment Agency as would any other work within 8m of the river.

He continued by saying that as the path has been used as a public right of way for over 20 years without consent or license it is a public right of way but no-one has the duty to maintain it. Welton and Sebergham PC has the right (but not the duty) to maintain it. Forestry England initially said that Caldbeck PC could use their own contractors to undertake any work but has since said that it would need to be undertaken by them or Cumberland Council or their contractors.

Forestry England proposed an alternative route to remove these sections of the path which is approximately 100m longer and climbs over 100 feet. They did say that they would dedicate it and Cumberland Council be responsible for its maintenance.

The Council agreed the following

• To contact Welton and Sebergham PC to seek their cooperation
• To go back to Forestry England to explain our position and proposals
• To determine what is feasible to cure the bank slip.
• To contact Natural England and the Environment Agency to see what work they would approve to either repair the bank slip or move the path at that point.
• To re-consult Forestry England, and the donor,  about the possible options
• Anyway: to apply to register the existing riverside footpath as a public right of way.”

11. Speeding Traffic in Hesket Newmarket and Caldbeck

Enforcement actions undertaken in October showed no speeding traffic at that time. Highways to be asked to carry out another speed check.

12. Parish Maintenance (updates since last meeting in bold)

EI/21838– Sign on road near Park End. Requested: 26/10/21, Last followed up: 23/1/23. Progress reported: 23/1/23 New sign installed – Keswick finger to fix

EI/49466 – Pothole opposite Old Rectory. Requested: 21/2/22, Last followed up: 28/3/22. Progress reported: 28/3/22 Already aware task assigned.

EI/83028 – Blocked gully on The Street, Watery Lonning, Nether Row crossroads. Requested: 26/8/22, Last followed up: 26/8/22.

EI/94247 – Blocked Drain on road near Green Close. Requested: 3/11/22 Last followed up 8/3/23: Progress reported – Report received awaiting further assessment.

EI/132671 – Broken sign, nr Muddy Duck. Requested 13/3/23 Last followed up: 3/6/23 Progress reported – broken sign removed, to be either fixed and reinstated or replaced.

EI/155774 – Fly tipping between Parkend and Whelpo – Requested 8/6/23, Last followed up: 9/23. Been collected – Complete

EI/170136 Broken sign – Highways have collected it – Complete

EI/172074 Repaint road marking at give way near Caldbeck Village shop – Requested 18/10/23

EI/172596 Streetlights 003A and 010A not working – Complete

Notice boards – New boards installed. Cork tiles need fixed better – double sided tape to be tried. Paul has ordered a notice board for Fellside with similar dimensions to the current board (600x750mm).

Woodhall lonning – Dog waste bin – ask Mark B to move it back from the road a little so less likely to be hit.

Fibrus Cable – Mark to send photos to the Clerk who’ll ask Fibrus to remove the cable drum from the B5299 roadside near Ratten Row.

Blue Gates post box – Royal Mail have said they won’t replace it. Mike J is looking into it.

Footpath Park End to Branthwaite – ask LDNPA to repair.

Howk storyboard – ask LDNPA about it.

13. Planning applications and decisions

a) Applications

i) 7/2023/2177 at Howbeck School House, Hesket Newmarket, Wigton, CA7 8JN- replacing garden shed – The Council had no objections.

ii) 7/2023/2186 at The Cottage, Pasture Lane, Hesket Newmarket, Cumbria, CA7 8JP – alterations, extension – The Council objected to the revised plan for similar reasons to the previous application 7/2022/2225 in that there will be insufficient parking resulting on vehicles parking on the road, it will detract from the appearance of a grade 2 listed building and the diversion of the public footpath.

b) Decisions notified

None

14. Lengthmans Activities

Norman has generated an activities list. It was noted that the grass had been cut less frequently than normal due to bad weather.

15. Monthly Accounts 2022-23

a) Approved the receipts and payments since the last meeting, noted bank balances, reviewed budget monitoring report.

b) The Council noted the draft 24-25 budget presented and accepted that a 24-25 budget and the 24-25 precept will need to be agreed at the December meeting.

c) Financial limit for 3x quotes – the Council approved the revision to the Standing Orders as discussed at the September meeting.

Receipts

18 September 2023 – VAT refund £1,332.72

21 September 2023 – Car Park £115.06

26 September 2023 – Wayleave £175.26 (Caldbeck only)

26 September 2023 – Rent £75.00 (3x£25/yr for Browns garden)

29 September 2023 – Precept £9,165

8 October 2023 – Interest £47.76

11 October 2023 – Donation £100 (Lakes in a Day)

Payments

29 September 2023 – Clerk salary £606.85

29 September 2023 – Bank Charges £5.00

10 October 2023 – Water £156.44

13 October 2023 – Clerk expenses £89.10

13 October 2023 – Grass Cutting £1,729.50

Bank Balances as at 20/10/23

Current Account £1,125.06

Deposit account £37,500.80

The receipts and payment account is here: https://www.caldbeck.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/10/rp-oct-23.pdf

The budget monitoring report is here: https://www.caldbeck.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/10/bm-oct-23.pdf

16. Correspondence

To note items of correspondence received since the last meeting:

1. Cumbria Constabulary reports.
2. CALC: newsletters, updates.
3. Lake District National Park: Peter Walter report
4. Cumberland response to FOI review request and new FOI application to Info Commissioner submitted.

17. Meeting Dates

Upcoming meeting Dates – 2023 meeting dates – 4^th December.

2024 meeting dates 8^th January, 19^th February, 25^th March, 13^th May, 17^th June, 29^th July, 9^th September, 21^st October, 2^nd December

 The meeting ended at 9:50pm