Broughton Town Hall

Duddon Parish Council

Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 22 January 2004 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 D Hoggarth, Cllr Mrs J Johnson, Cllr Mrs E Knowles

Apologies None. All present.

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

Re132/03 iv) Cllr Batten reported that Capita had stopped cable-laying work in the Duddon Valley on safety grounds. The work would cease for at least six weeks pending a road closure order and was not likely to be completed before Easter. Local residents were concerned at this and felt the work should be allowed to continue, albeit with necessary lengthy delays caused to traffic. The clerk was instructed to contact SLDC and Copeland Borough Council in this respect.

The clerk was instructed to write to the Highways Agency, with a copy to Roger Mallett, Traffic Management Officer, requesting a 30 mph speed restriction on the A595 at Foxfield from Sandgap through to the straight section of road the other side of Foxfield station.

PC Howson reported the theft of a child’s white and pink coloured Yamaha PW 50cc off-road trials motorcycle from premises in Broughton between 16 and 17 December 2003 and appealed for any information. On the subject of police matters, Cllr Curwen reported that the Neighbourhood Watch scheme now had a dedicated paid part-time administrator.

Mrs Morgan noted the bad flooding across the road in Rilstone Lane, Broughton Mills, and was concerned about the danger if it froze over. Cllr Curwen undertook to draw this to the authority’s attention.

Item 10 was moved up the agenda to allow PC Howson to input. The clerk reported that the signs to be displayed on the approach roads and the portable ones to mark the Speed Watch sites had been ordered, and passed round sample designs for each. A pro-forma invoice indicated that the cost would be lower than first estimated. A likely delivery date could not be ascertained, but once this was known Cllr Curwen would contact SLDC to request the signs be put up. PC Howson reported that other areas were considering a similar scheme and there was great interest in seeing how the Broughton ‘trailblazer’ scheme went.

Item 8 was moved up the agenda to allow Peter Clucas, as responsible architect, to update the Council on plans. Cllrs Barker and Curwen fed back on the site visit which they and Cllr Burch had attended and at which they had contributed comments. The Highways Agency had rejected original access plans but this issue had now been resolved. Also the potential risk of flooding had been addressed. Mr Clucas was confident that planning permission would be granted subject to the entrance issue being sorted. In answer to Cllr Batten, Mr Clucas said it would be several months before all approvals could be secured, given that the existing application was for outline permission only. Completion would be some time into 2005 but it was impossible to predict when. The poor quality of the ground was a fundamental problem but modern ground consolidation techniques would be used to overcome this.

The clerk presented the following correspondence received:

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

734 Clerk to contact residents close to Shop Bridge and feed back their views to Mr Elson.

740 Encourage good attendance at the Neighbourhood Forum meeting as important highways issues were to be discussed.

746 Cllr Barker to attend the seminar in Kendal, if possible.

749 Permission to be granted to use image from DPC website.

750 Clerk to explain reasons for precept increase as follows: budget for non-standard capital expenditure for essential new Parish notice board and to implement Community Speed Watch scheme; last year’s figure was lower than usual due to previous over-budgeting/under-spending, whilst this year’s precept is comparable to the 2002-2003 figure; normal year-on-year expenditure remains fairly steady

751 Cllr Curwen to contact engineer, Jeff Hill, to discuss the issue of blocked drains which were causing maintenance problems for the Victory Hall. Cllr Barker suggested Mr Weeks applied to the CGP Duddon Parish Trust Fund and explored other sources of grant to help meet costs.

Applications were considered and decisions made as follows:

6/04 Financial Matters

It was RESOLVED to pay the following from the main account:

The clerk reported that Council was at liberty to take whatever action it saw fit to fill the vacancy by co-option. It was RESOLVED to place this item on the agenda for discussion at next month’s meeting.

8/04 Fingerpost in Broughton

Cllr Burch had attended a site visit to discuss the siting of the fingerpost proposed by the Broughton Marketing Group and the Council had been asked to comment on options. It was RESOLVED to recommend the fingerpost be sited on the corner of The Square by the Manor Arms but inside the curtilage of stones to avoid possible damage from vehicles.

The clerk had been contacted by EnCams, which had received complaints about dog fouling at the start of the railway bridleway. It was RESOLVED to distribute booklets sent by EnCams and to display posters downloaded from its website. It was further RESOLVED to contact LDNPA to ask if the authority could put up anti dog fouling signs.

Cllr Knowles reported that applications for funding had been sent to the Sports and Arts Foundation and Living Spaces. The meeting with Edward Mills of Cumbria Woodlands had been postponed until 23 January.

It was RESOLVED to apply to the CGP Duddon Parish Trust Fund for the full amount to pay for remedial fencing work. An application would be made to the Neighbourhood Forum for funding towards the cost of repairing the embankment slide. The clerk noted that two quotes were needed to support an application. It was noted that the work was unlikely to be carried out before May. A further application to the CGP Fund would be considered.

Cllr Barker reported on a useful meeting with Forestry Commission officer, Nigel Williams, who had outlined design plans and proposals for Broughton Moor Forest. The policy of planting spruce had been changed to planting broadleaf trees, larch etc and plans included a packhorse bridge. He further reported that the Garner Grave Trust had accumulated funds which could be spent on behalf of the Parish once new trustee appointments had been made.

Cllr Curwen reported that Broughton Marketing Group’s new website launch had been well attended by business people. He further reported that the EP Barker grave needed attention.

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

i) Clerk to write to Mr Atkinson advising him that if he did not remove the fence he had erected within 28 days the Council would take action to do so.

ii) Clerk to contact Stuart Pate requesting tree branches which were blocking the street light opposite 2 Foxfield Road be cut.

iii) Clerk to contact Stuart Pate requesting reinstatement of the verge opposite Donkey Rocks. Cllr Curwen to follow up.

12/04 Date of Next Meeting

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 10.00pm and the next meeting set for Thursday 26 February 2004.