Broughton Town Hall

Duddon Parish Council

Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 26 June 2003 in the Rankin 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 E Knowles

Apologies Cllr A Harrison

A special meeting was held prior to the normal meeting for the purpose of co-opting a new councillor. The Council met and heard representations from Mr Peter Clucas, Mrs Janice Johnson and Mr Roger Webster. A ballot was held and Mrs Johnson was voted onto the Council by five votes to three.

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

Re 55/03, it was noted that Cllr Hadwin had treated the weeds in Wilson Park.

Re 57/03, since there had still been no improvements to the surfaces of the two new bridges in the Duddon Valley, it was RESOLVED to write a strong letter of complaint to Stuart Pate with a copy to Cllr Oliver Pearson.

Re 57/03, it was noted that the defective drain by Nigel Birkett’s premises had still not been fixed.

PCs Howson and Mogford apologised for the absence of the mobile police office from Broughton that day. It was needed to deal with an incident in Ulverston but an officer had been assigned to the Square to handle any enquiries from the public. The police officers reported that the mobile office was very successful in Broughton, dealing with from eight to 15 people in a two-hour period.

PC Mogford reported that the police had planned to bring a radar gun to check traffic speeds in the area but there had been problems deploying people in the right place at the right time. The Rural Safety Group had lost momentum and needed a kickstart to get it operating independently. If this Group took forward the issue of speeding traffic PC Mogford could press for resources.

PC Howson reported the following crimes: theft of two alloy wheels and tyres from a Peugeot 306 parked in The Square between 10.30pm on Friday 6 June and 8.00am on Saturday 7 June; removal of a lock and plastic post from a garden shed in Foxfield between 5.00pm on Wednesday 4 June and noon on Thursday 5 June. These were later recovered nearby.

The clerk presented the following correspondence received:

519 LDNPA Barney Hill Countryside access improvements

520 LDNPA Tom McMullen Parish Councillors' tours

521 Mrs Sanders Broughton School governors

522 CCC/LDNPA Maxine Bodell Joint Structure Plan 2001-2016

523 SLDC Jack Jones Agenda meeting 3 June

524 LDNPA Nick Thorne Rights of way-Broughton Tower estates 

525 West Coast Mountain Biking Peter Strong Orienteering event 15 June

526 Allianz Cornhill Revised renewal documents

527 Audit Commission Questionnaire re SLDC performance

528 CALC Guy Richardson Good Councillors Guide

529 SLDC John Malyj Play area inspection report

530 Cumbria Contract Services Eric Harper Defective streetlight at Foxfield

531 NW Army Cadet Force Trust Charity appeal

532 English Nature Morecambe Bay cSAC

533 English Nature Other cSACs in Cumbria

534 CALC County Circular

535 CALC Guy Richardson Election of Parish members to LDNPA

536 SLDC Peter Ridgway Planning applications lists

537 Play Safe John Malyj Estimate for repairs to aerial slide

538 LDNPA Grant of planning permission– Hobkinground Farm.

539 LDNPA Grant of planning permission– Croglinhurst Farm

540 SLDC Grant of planning permission-Butts Wood

541 SLDC Grant of planning permission-Furness Supply

542 SLDC John Malyj Play area inspection report

543 Tim Collins MP Broughton surgery/Duddon crossing

544 SLDC Jayne Kendall B'ton Marketing Group - minutes 11 June

545 SLDC Debbie Storr Code of Conduct Regulations

546 SLDC C Woods Registration of interests-Rosemary Read

547 CALC Stan Simpson New councillors events

548 CALC Guy Richardson Appointment of Parish members to LDNPA

549 CCC Jean Flitter Duddon Estuary Directory

550 N’hood Forum Dianne Whitehead Summary meeting 5 June

551 Capita Joanne Galloway Road closure-Bow Bridge, Woodland

552 Allianz Cornhill Kristine Meagher Playground equipment 

553 Tim Miller Purchase of land at Woodland

554 Standards Tony Holland Code of Conduct guidance Board

555 defra Alun Michael Quality Parish Council Scheme

556 Boundary Archie Gall Local Government review Committee

557 Morcambe Bay Mary Choiseul General medical services for Broughton NHS PCT

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

519     Clerk to write to LDNPA suggesting improvements to paths in Occupation Lane and Princes Street and construction of a path between Syke House Farm and the High Cross.

524    Clerk to pass map of routes to TIC and put up a notice inviting interested parties to inspect and comment on it.

552    Clerk to confirm whether actual or replacement values required for playground equipment. Cllr Hadwin to request relevant figures from John Malyj.

557 Cllr Burch to act as observer on the interview panel for GP candidates.

No planning applications had been received.

63/03 Financial Matters

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

VH Management Committee room hire £44.00

TXU Energi street lighting invoice for May £31.22

Anne Nixon internal audit fee £50.00

Clocktower Discount Electrics per Victory Hall fridge £139.95

BT per Victory Hall telephone bill £31.49

BT per Victory Hall telephone bill £31.49

BT per Victory Hall telephone bill £113.03

Neat Ideas Ltd per Victory Hall office supplies £51.62

Rexel Senate per Victory Hall electrical supplies £1.74

Rexel Senate per Victory Hall electrical supplies £43.48

Ward Glass Ltd per Victory Hall services £308.86

Viking Direct per Victory Hall office supplies £44.87

SLDC per Victory Hall TIC commission £370.35

Castle Alarms per Victory Hall installation £434.75

It was RESOLVED to withhold payment of the invoice for £454.02 from Cumbria Contract Services for street lighting maintenance until the discrepancy over the number of street lights had been cleared up.

The Council heard estimates of the costs of organising Dr Bates’ retirement collection and presentation, which included £200 for refreshments at the presentation. It was RESOLVED to contribute £200. It was further suggested that the Victory Hall Management Committee should waive the cost of hiring the hall. This would be put forward by Councillor members at the next VHMC meeting.

65/03 Wilson Park

Cllr Knowles reported that she had raised £600 on her sponsored run and was congratulated by the Council. She also reported that the application to the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers had progressed to stage 2 and could bring a grant of between £3,000 and £10,000.

It was RESOLVED to accept the quote to repair the aerial slide in the children’s play area and have the repair actioned.

The clerk fed back on a telephone conversation with Selwyn Wright about tackling the children’s play area and the following way forward was RESOLVED: 1) from the latest inspection report, clerk to draw up list of tasks members of the public could carry out, agree this with Cllr Hadwin and pass to Selwyn Wright 2) Cllr Hadwin to contact John Malyj with a view to arranging a site visit to explain what was required 3) clerk and Selwyn Wright to attract ‘taskforce’ by putting up notices and personal contact – Selwyn to oversee its operation 4) priorities for council action to be determined on an ongoing basis.

66/03 Land at Woodland

The Council considered an approach from Mr Tim Miller to purchase council-owned land adjacent to his property. It was RESOLVED to offer the land, which was in poor condition, at a peppercorn rent of £1 per annum for an initial three-year period on the condition that Mr Miller secured and maintained the boundary.

The Council considered an approach from Ms Jo McGrath, who has experience as a park ranger, to become voluntary tree warden for the Parish under a scheme run by Cumbria Woodlands. The appointment needed to be sanctioned by the Council but would not incur it any cost. It was noted that background information promised about the scheme had not yet been received. It was RESOLVED to support the appointment of Ms McGrath.

Cllr Curwen noted the instances of crime on the outskirts of the village and problems with speeding traffic. A meeting was to be held shortly to register co-ordinators and set up an official Neighbourhood Watch scheme in Broughton. This would be publicised through notices.

After reports from each councillor the following actions were agreed:

Cllrs Batten and Hadwin to inspect the trees in the Square and attend to them as required.

Cllr Curwen to pursue the problem of potholes on the Five Arches road and in the Duddon Valley, Broughton side of Ulpha Bridge.

Cllr Curwen to deal with need to cut verge on Foxfield side of Wreaks End junction.

Council to monitor verge cutting in general and write to Stuart Pate if no satisfactory progress by the next meeting.

Following a request from AmeyMouchel to remove Village of the Year signs, clerk to write to its traffic office stating the case for their retention and requesting retrospective permission.

70/03 Date of Next Meeting

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 9.30pm and the next meeting set for Thursday 24 July 2003.