Broughton Town Hall

Duddon Parish Council

Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 26 September 2002 in the Rankin Room, Victory Hall, Broughton-in-Furness

Present Cllr Mrs L Burch (Chairman), Cllr H J Barker, Cllr J W Curwen, Cllr Mrs V Glessal, Cllr B Hadwin, Cllr D Hoggarth, Cllr Mrs E Knowles, Cllr Mrs R Read

Apologies Cllr J S Batten

RESOLVED that the Chairman sign, as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on 22 August 2002.

It was noted that work on the pavements due to start on 15 September had not begun. Cllr Curwen was pursuing this.

Re 67/02, it was RESOLVED that councillors should visit Wilson Park to determine which trees needed attention or removal.

Re 69/02 (i), Cllr reported, through Cllr Curwen, that there had been no action to fix the defective cattle grids in the Duddon Valley and that bracken had not been cut. Cllr Curwen had further reported these matters to the relevant authorities.

Re 69/02 (ii), Cllr Curwen had contacted the landowner about the offending trees at the Wreaks End junction, who had agreed to cut them as soon as possible.

Re 69/02 (iii), the litter bins had now been emptied.

Mrs Morgan asked if anything had been done about the tree which had died in Wilson Park. The clerk reported that the local National Park Ranger had examined the tree and said the LDNPA could take no action. Mrs Morgan requested that posters fixed to trees be removed immediately after the advertised event had passed. Mrs Morgan drew attention to the state of the Tower Lakes area which had become very overgrown. It was RESOLVED to write to the LDNPA, requesting that the area be cleared and proposing that a ramp be installed to give wheelchair access. In response to Mrs Morgan’s query, Cllr Curwen confirmed that people were keeping an eye on activities at the ‘camp’ erected there.

The clerk presented the following correspondence received:

305 Duddon Estuary Partnership Mike Smith Newsletter and minutes of consultative committee meeting

306 CCC Rural Wheels - flexible transport service (outside parish)

307 PWLB Loan repayment due 19 Sept.

308 Citizens Advice Bureau K Winnard Merger of Ulverston and Kendal CABx

309 Paul Loftus Broughton Festival of Jazz

310 Cumbria Playing Fields Association Technical advisory service

311 CALC County circular; training programme

312 SLDC JF Dyer Draft strategic plan 2003-2006

313 AmeyMouchel Michael Parry M6 & trunk road strategic tourist signing

314 CCC Ken Gordon Cattle grids - Duddon Valley

315 SLDC J Morrison Standards Committee meeting agenda and minutes

316 CRE Beverley Barnard Ethnic monitoring guide

317 CGP Richard Parsons Setting up a charitable trust

318 European Liaison Unit Rosie Mathisen Cumbria Rural Economic Development Zone funding workshop

319 LDNPA David McGowan Landscaping plan - Ulpha water treatment works

320 LDNPA Nick Thorne Closure of public rights of way 7/12/2002 - Grizedale Forest

321 DEFRA Alun Michael Rural services standard 2002

322 Deloitte & Touche Kerry Byrne Internal audit

323 SLDC Update to electoral register

324 LDNPA Alison Lax Sustainable Development Fund

325 LDNPA M Bownes Temporary closure of footpath

326 LDNPA Grant of planning permission - Upper Hawthwaite Farm

327 Tim Collins MP Foxfield traffic lights/proposed motorway signs

328 CALC CCC Highways seminar

329 SLDC Chris Woods Freedom of Information Act 2000

330 Forresters Solicitors Old Kings Head applications

331 Highways Agency Martyn Cox Foxfield traffic lights

332 LDNPA M Bownes Public path diversion - Addistone and Bracelet Hall

333 SLDC Jack Jones Council tax and precepts 2003-2004

334 Information Commissioner Freedom of Information Act – publication scheme

335 SLDC Grant of planning permission – 1 Foxfield Road

336 PWLB Virginia Pretious Direct debit mandate

337 LDNPA Minutes – July/Sept.

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

See 79/02

329/334 Await guidance from CALC before submitting details of publication scheme

5/02/2299 Meanfield Cottage Erect new private garage and store*

7/2002/5493 Hall Dunnerdale Barn conversion for use as holiday cottage approved

7/2002/5507 High Whineray Ground Erect lean-to building and ramp access approved

* It was noted that the planing officer had requested a revised plan. Councillors supported concerns from the owners of the adjacent property about the postitioning of the proposed structure. It was RESOLVED to endorse these concerns in writing and approve the application provided it did not interfere with the neighbours’ free access to their property.

RESOLVED to pay the following from main account:

STRI Ltd advisory visit – Wilson Park £1081.00*

Selwyn Wright lawn mower repair – Wilson Park (reimbursement of Nigel Birkett) £20.00

TXU Energi street lighting £31.54

Technoscript printing and supply of labels – Parish plan £25.85

Elizabeth Cook work completed on Parish plan (final invoice) £2082.00

Public Works Loan Board loan repayment £796.26

Anne Nixon internal audit of DPC acounts £40.00

Neat Ideas Ltd per Victory Hall – office supplies £50.97

Rexel Senate Ltd per Victory Hall – electrical supplies £47.32

Agrilek Ltd per Victory Hall – electrical fault-finding and repairs £103.40

Kelly’s per Victory Hall – paint supplies £20.27

British Gas per Victory Hall – gas supplies £39.75

Play Safe swing seats – Wilson Park £130.00

*It was noted that this item was not budgeted for. Cllr Knowles had a cheque for £850 from the Childrens Playgound Appeal to contribute towards the cost.

76/02 Wilson Park

Cllr Hadwin reported that a meeting had been held to identify sources of grants to help fund the necessary work and applications were being made. There were plans to hold a dance early next year and other fund-raising activities.

New chains and seats had been fitted to the swings at no charge. There was a need to replace the wood chippings surface, for which money would need to be put on the precept.

The grass needed to be cut at least once a week in season and fortnightly otherwise, according to the adviser’s report. A price for the required number of cuts would need to be obtained and money would also need to be put on the precept for this.

Cllrs Barker and Hadwin had visited the site on 22 September, strimmed the boundary and marked it with posts and tape. The following day Mr Atkinson had visited Cllr Barker to complain about the encroachment on his land and about Cllr Hadwin’s attitude. Cllr Barker intended to write to Mr Atkinson ‘without prejudice’ in a personal capacity. It was RESOLVED that the clerk should send a letter advising Mr Atkinson that the councillors were acting in good faith and on behalf of the council, and requesting that any view he had on the matter be put in writing to the clerk.

78/02 Repayment of Public Works Loan Board

The clerk presented estimates supplied by the PWLB indicating that nearly £15,000 could be saved by paying off the loan in full on 1 October 2002, at a cost of £21,649.05. Cllr Barker PROPOSED taking this action, Cllr Curwen SECONDED the proposal, and it was AGREED unanimously.

A proposal from Richard Parsons, chairman of Coordination Group Publications, to set up a charitable trust through his company for the enhancement of Duddon Parish was warmly received. Mr Parsons proposed providing an initial sum and regular donations to be used for the good of the local area at trustees’ discretion and wanted Parish Council members to act as trustees. All councillors AGREED to act as trustees. It was RESOLVED to write to Mr Parsons, thanking him for his kind proposal and accepting.

Cllr Burch reported a good response from those attending the public meeting to launch the Parish plan. Parishioners had signed up to act on various issues and lists had been gathered by the consultant, from whom details were awaited.

Cllr Barker noted that the street lanterns did not appear to have been cleaned. It was RESOLVED that the clerk should write to the CCC Milnness depot, reminding them of their contractual obligations to keep the lanterns clean and at the same time getting a quote for the erection of three more street lanterns at Bush Green, opposite Donkey Rocks, and near the mountain centre.

After reports from each Councillor, the following actions were requested:

Clerk to write to CCC urging for work to be done to rectify serious problems with two cattle grids in the Duddon valley (at Low Winnery Ground and the second one above the Newfield Inn towards Troutal Farm).

Cllr Curwen to contact the landowner about trees causing an obstruction near the Wreaks End junction which needed to be cut.

Cllr Curwen to look into the problem of rubbish not being emptied from the stone bins at Ulpha bridge.

Cllr Curwen to deal with the need to fix the metal grid outside Thos. Butler’s premises.

Cllr Batten drew attention to proposals to direct northbound traffic for the Western Lake District via junction 40 of the M6. This would turn tourists away from our area. Clerk to write to AmeyMouchel and Tim Collins MP opposing the proposals and requesting motorways signs at junction 36 be marked Western Lake District in addition to South Lakes.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 9.55pm and the next meeting set for 24 October 2002.