Broughton Town Hall

Duddon Parish Council

Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 18 December 2003 in the Green Room, Victory Hall, Broughton-in-Furness

Present Cllr Mrs L Burch (Chairman), Cllr H J Barker Cllr J Batten, Cllr J W Curwen, Cllr Mrs V Glessal, Cllr B Hadwin, Cllr Mrs J Johnson, Cllr Mrs E Knowles

Apologies Cllr D Hoggarth

It was RESOLVED that the Chairman sign the minutes as a correct record.

Re116/03 iii) the Clerk reported that she had contacted Robert Wiseman Dairies and identified the contractor operating the milk delivery wagon (Mr Coates at Ulpha Farm, Meathop). Wiseman’s Deputy Area Manager was very co-operative and responsive and undertook to contact Mr Coates about the standard of driving.

Re116/03 iv) the Clerk reported that enquiries had revealed that the land from which tree branches were overhanging Five Arches Road was owned by Cumbria County Council and let to a Mr Hays who lived outside the area. It was RESOLVED that the Clerk would contact Stuart Pate with this information.

Re 117/03 (696) Cllr Curwen reported that he had completed the Capita ‘rural roads’ questionnaire and that it was a very worthwhile exercise.

Adjournment of meeting for Public Discussion

No issues were raised by members of the public. PC Livingston reported that there had been no reports of petty vandalism, other crimes or anti-social behaviour. He drew the Council’s attention to an abandoned vehicle near the quarry at Broughton Moor which needed to be removed and enquired who the landowner was. It was thought to be a Mr Cooper. Cllr Curwen undertook to contact the relevant Enforcement Officer. Cllr Curwen raised with PC Livingston the need for traffic speed monitoring following a bad accident at the Foxfield crossing recently.

The clerk presented the following correspondence received:

After considering the correspondence it was decided to take the following action:

708 Clerk to write to the Boundary Committee and CALC in support of two unitary authorities for Cumbria (North and South) with a centrally located seat of administration for the southern authority (ie not Lancaster).

The following applications and amendments were recommended for approval:

5/03/0642         Warehouse at Foxfield Various amendments to structure, tank bund and fencing

128/03 Financial Matters

It was further RESOLVED to open a new deposit account with Barclays Bank PLC, to be called the Duddon Parish Council Victory Hall Structural Fund account, and to transfer £1000 into this account. Signatories to be Cllr Burch, Cllr Knowles and Elaine Essery, with decisions on the operation of the account to be made by the full Council.

Quotes from Lakeland Construction Services and Play Safe were considerd for remedial fencing work to the play area in Wilson Park and repairs to the embankment slide, respectively. It was RESOLVED to accept the quote for fencing as a priority. Cllr Batten suggested submitting an application to the CGP Duddon Parish Trust Fund to enable both jobs to be pursued. This was generally agreed. It was RESOLVED that the Clerk would report on expenditure to date against budget for Wilson Park and that she would investigate the possibility of applying for a Neighbourhood Forum grant.

Cllr Knowles reported that she was progressing the ‘Living Spaces’ grant application. She and Cllr Hadwin agreed to meet Edward Mills of Cumbria Woodlands on Friday 9 January 2004 to discuss grant possibilities for improvements to the park.

130/03 Land at Woodland

It was RESOLVED to support Mr Miller’s application for an ESA grant to improve the land he rented from the Council and the authorisation form was signed by the Chairman.

131/03 CGP Duddon Parish Trust Fund

Cllr Hadwin was proposed as a member of the Trust Fund’s sub-committee by Cllr Curwen, seconded by Cllr Knowles and elected unanimously.

After reports from each councillor, the following actions were agreed:

i) Calor Gas Village of the Year calendars featuring Broughton to go on sale in the TIC at £1.00 each.

ii) Cllr Curwen to follow up the need for a pothole to be fixed at Croft End, Woodland, and for drain covers to be cleared.

iii) Clerk to write to David Roe to thank him for his work in clearing The Square.

iv) Cllr Curwen to investigate BT plans to dig up the Duddon Valley road for the purpose of renewing cable.

v) Clerk to write to Stuart Pate, stating objections to proposed vehicle width restrictions between Grizebeck and Askam and complaining that the Parish Council had not been consulted.

Cllr Curwen further reported that the Broughton Marketing Group was to launch its new website at the Square Café on 21 January 2004. The Chairman and Vice Chairman were to be invited. Funding had been secured for encapsulated local maps in The Square and at Foxfield station.

133/03 Date of Next Meeting

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 9.00pm and the next meeting set for Thursday 22 January 2004.