Minutes of the New Hutton Parish Council meeting held on Monday 1st November 2010
101101-1 Present
Tony Porter (Chairman), Pat Bell, Ann Thompson, Tony Ellis, Henry Robinson, Stan Collins (CCC councillor), three members of the public and Arthur Robinson (clerk)
101101-2 Apologies:
Peter Thornton, Martyn Welch
101101-3 Acceptance of the minutes of the last meeting
The minutes of the council meeting held on 20-09-2010 were signed as a true record.
101101-4 Chairman’s announcements
(a) SLDC Planning Department reported that it is to take action over an infringement of planning permission regulations at a site adjoining the A684 in the parish.
(b) The parish council decided to take part in stage 2 of the Cumbria County Council Electoral Review which is being conducted by the Boundary Commission from 11-01-2011.
101101-5 Declaration of interests: none
101101-6 Open session
There was a brief discussion about what the LAP (Local Area Partnership of parish councils and parish meetings) is doing about upgrading broadband. In the near future a questionnaire will be distributed throughout the LAP area to survey what provision households have and to estimate the likely demand for an improved service.
101101-7 Planning applications
(a) Applications submitted requiring council comments: none
(b) The progress of the following applications submitted since the last meeting was noted:
SL/2010/0786 – Big Park Farm - two storey extension for a farm office and garage/generator; sited visited on 30-09-10; the parish council had no objections to the proposal
SL/2010/0703 – extension and alterations to Raw Green Cottage – permission granted
SL/2010/0822 – Erection of a building over the Haweswater aqueduct by United Utilities at Greenriggs South Well; no objections were made but screening of the building was suggested.
(c) It was reported that a copy of the South Lakeland Local Development Framework Core Strategy had been received. It is the framework within which planning applications are judged.
101101-8 Payment of accounts
The following payments were authorised:
To AON (insurance brokers) £341.72 for the insurance premium for the year from 07-10-2010 to 06-10-2011
To L&W.Wilson (Endmoor) Ltd £338.40 for 150m of drainage pipe for the parish field
101101-9 Financial report
(a) The financial report as at 01-11-10 was discussed. It was resolved unanimously that £550 should be moved from the reserve account [the Business Saver Account] to the Community Account.
(b) It was resolved that the parish precept for 2011/12 should be increased to £900. This is equivalent to £5.36p for a band D property occupied by two people. The parish council has had one of the lowest precepts in Cumbria but the rising cost of insurance and other necessary expenses, especially work on the parish field, have made the increase inevitable.
101101-10 Correspondence
The following items of correspondence received since the last meeting were noted:
18-09-2010 - from LAP – minutes and papers from the meeting on 15-09-2010 [forwarded to councillors]
22-09-2010 - from CCC – request for report about Upper Kent Forum grant for the parish plan [replied stating it had not yet been finished]
22-09-2010 - from Upper Kent Forum – agenda for the meeting on 05-10-2010 [forwarded to councillors]
22-09-2010 - from ACT – autumn newsletter [forwarded to councillors]
22-09-2010 - from CALC – Cumbria public spending review [forwarded to councillors]
24-09-2010 – from CCC – paper and DVD copy of the first edition of the newsletter for parish councils “Local News and Views” [circulated to councillors but the letter says they have already received e-mail copies]
27-09-2010 – from LAP - Accessing funding to deliver Upper Kent's projects [forwarded to chairman to check provisional replies to the questionnaire and then sent to the LAP]
28-09-2010 – from CALC – notification that the Boundary Commission is to review boundaries in Cumbria [forwarded to chairman]
29-09-2010 – from Musiclinks charity – asking whether the parish wishes to hire the facilities of this Kendal-based charity [reply from chairman to say they have been noted]
04-10-2010 – from CALC – circular for October [forwarded to councillors]
06-10-2010 – from Friends of the Lake District – information about the ‘Our Green Space’ campaign [forwarded to councillors]
06-10-2010 – from SLDC - consultation on the budget and corporate plan [forwarded to councillors]
06-10-2010 – from CALC – reminder that precept requests do not have to be sent to SLDC until the end of February [forwarded to councillors]
08-10-2010 – from SLDC – update on public toilet closures [forwarded to councillors]
13-10-2010 – from SLDC – agenda for the Standards Committee meeting on 19-10-2010 [forwarded to chairman]
15-10-2010 – from Upper Kent Forum – summary of the meeting held on 05-10-2010 [forwarded to councillors]
15-10-2010 – from LAP – confirmation that the broadband survey will go ahead [forwarded to councillors]
18-10-2010 - from CALC – agenda for the meeting on 25-11-2010 [circulated at the meeting]
18-10-2010 – from SLDC – parish council precept form for 2011/2012
20-10-2010 – from SLDC – notification that the core planning strategy has been approved and adopted [forwarded to councillors]
20-10-2010 – from CALC – CALC is concerned about the community right to build and requests discuss of the proposed legislation [see item 101101-15]
23-10-2010 – from Managing Radioactive Waste Safely – notice of a community drop-in event at Kendal Town Hall from noon to 8pm on Tuesday 30th November about a waste repository in West Cumbria [poster placed on notice board]
29-10-2010 – from CALC – agenda for AGM on 06-11-2010 [circulated at the meeting]
29-10-2010 – from SLDC – South Lakeland Local Development Framework Core Strategy [circulated at the meeting]
01-11-2010 – from SLDC – briefing note to parish councillors about declaration of interests concerning site allocations in SLDC’s development plan [forwarded to councillors]
101101-11 Recreation Ground/Parish Field
(a) It was reported that the registration of the parish field was completed on 29-09-2010. The registered title number is CU256542
(b) It was decided that Barclay’s storage facility should continue to be used for valuable documents: title deeds and other documents pertaining to the parish field and War Stock documents.
(c) It was reported that more than 130m of new drains were installed in the field on the 7th and 8th October under 23.5 tonnes of gravel donated by L & W Wilson (Endmoor) Ltd (gravel which had originally been dredged from the bed of the River Kent below the Stramongate weir). More than 100m of open ditches were dug and a wall gap was repaired. A map of the new drains has been surveyed and copies placed in the relevant file and with the title deeds. The Parish Council recorded its thanks to the following who gave their labour (and machines) for two days: Tony Ellis, Oliver Hodgson, Tony Porter, and Henry, James and Arthur Robinson.
(d) It was noted that, following the advertising of the tenancy of the parish field earlier in the year, Mr Oliver Hodgson had submitted a tender. It was decided that he should be offered agreements for two periods to bring the tenancy into line with farming practice: one for the period 1st December 2010 to 25th March 2011 and the second from 1st April 2011 for a minimum of 3 years to 25th March 2014, he to claim the single-farm payment entitlement for the field.
101101-12 Council Insurance policy
(a) It was reported that it had been discovered that the council had no insurance from 01-06-2010 due to the company sending the renewal notice and two reminders to the wrong address but that a three-year policy was in place from 7th October. The bus stop had never been insured and was now included. Addition of this and the commencement of a new three-year policy substantially increased the premium.
(b) In view of the fact that the millennium statue was created by a sculptor (Daniel Clahane) whose fame is increasing, it was decided that it should continue to be included on the insurance policy.
101101-13 Closed footpath at Holme Park
Some parishioners raised the issue of the closure of a footpath from the drive at Holme Park via the western side of the building to the public footpath running from Speight Bridge to The Hagg. However, the council noted that the path now crosses private gardens and there has never been a public right of way across the land and along the drive to Holme Park. This was confirmed by a solicitor for the development company (copy attached). Consequently, the parish council decided to take no action.
101101-14 Maintenance of footpaths
(a) Overgrown public footpaths have now been identified near: Butterbent, Hayclose and Old Croft. The last of these was cleared last week by the chairman of the council. It was noted that the maintenance of paths across open fields is the responsibility of the landowner. Hedges and walls along enclosed paths are also the responsibility of the owners of the adjoining land but the path itself is the responsibility of the Highways Authority, Cumbria County Council. In view of the fact that CCC has no resources for such work, other solutions for the maintenance of public footpaths are needed so it was decided to refer the issue to the meeting to be held on 30th November at the Institute to discuss other important matters raised by the parish plan process.
(b) It was decided to send the clerk to a meeting about paths in Cumbria to be held in Kendal on Wednesday 10th November.
101101-15 Community Right To Build
The parish council declared its support for CALC’s concerns about proposed legislation for a community right to build if 75% of the people voting in a referendum support it. There was support for the general idea of the devolution of powers to local communities but it was affirmed that a proposal within a parish to build at a site should have the support of the council, should be part of a parish plan agreed by the community and should have regard to considerations such as local infrastructure, flood risk etc.
101101-16 Date of the next meeting
The next meeting of the parish council will be held on Monday 17th January, 2011 at 7.30pm at the Institute.
101101-1 Present
Tony Porter (Chairman), Pat Bell, Ann Thompson, Tony Ellis, Henry Robinson, Stan Collins (CCC councillor), three members of the public and Arthur Robinson (clerk)
101101-2 Apologies:
Peter Thornton, Martyn Welch
101101-3 Acceptance of the minutes of the last meeting
The minutes of the council meeting held on 20-09-2010 were signed as a true record.
101101-4 Chairman’s announcements
(a) SLDC Planning Department reported that it is to take action over an infringement of planning permission regulations at a site adjoining the A684 in the parish.
(b) The parish council decided to take part in stage 2 of the Cumbria County Council Electoral Review which is being conducted by the Boundary Commission from 11-01-2011.
101101-5 Declaration of interests: none
101101-6 Open session
There was a brief discussion about what the LAP (Local Area Partnership of parish councils and parish meetings) is doing about upgrading broadband. In the near future a questionnaire will be distributed throughout the LAP area to survey what provision households have and to estimate the likely demand for an improved service.
101101-7 Planning applications
(a) Applications submitted requiring council comments: none
(b) The progress of the following applications submitted since the last meeting was noted:
SL/2010/0786 – Big Park Farm - two storey extension for a farm office and garage/generator; sited visited on 30-09-10; the parish council had no objections to the proposal
SL/2010/0703 – extension and alterations to Raw Green Cottage – permission granted
SL/2010/0822 – Erection of a building over the Haweswater aqueduct by United Utilities at Greenriggs South Well; no objections were made but screening of the building was suggested.
(c) It was reported that a copy of the South Lakeland Local Development Framework Core Strategy had been received. It is the framework within which planning applications are judged.
101101-8 Payment of accounts
The following payments were authorised:
To AON (insurance brokers) £341.72 for the insurance premium for the year from 07-10-2010 to 06-10-2011
To L&W.Wilson (Endmoor) Ltd £338.40 for 150m of drainage pipe for the parish field
101101-9 Financial report
(a) The financial report as at 01-11-10 was discussed. It was resolved unanimously that £550 should be moved from the reserve account [the Business Saver Account] to the Community Account.
(b) It was resolved that the parish precept for 2011/12 should be increased to £900. This is equivalent to £5.36p for a band D property occupied by two people. The parish council has had one of the lowest precepts in Cumbria but the rising cost of insurance and other necessary expenses, especially work on the parish field, have made the increase inevitable.
101101-10 Correspondence
The following items of correspondence received since the last meeting were noted:
18-09-2010 - from LAP – minutes and papers from the meeting on 15-09-2010 [forwarded to councillors]
22-09-2010 - from CCC – request for report about Upper Kent Forum grant for the parish plan [replied stating it had not yet been finished]
22-09-2010 - from Upper Kent Forum – agenda for the meeting on 05-10-2010 [forwarded to councillors]
22-09-2010 - from ACT – autumn newsletter [forwarded to councillors]
22-09-2010 - from CALC – Cumbria public spending review [forwarded to councillors]
24-09-2010 – from CCC – paper and DVD copy of the first edition of the newsletter for parish councils “Local News and Views” [circulated to councillors but the letter says they have already received e-mail copies]
27-09-2010 – from LAP - Accessing funding to deliver Upper Kent's projects [forwarded to chairman to check provisional replies to the questionnaire and then sent to the LAP]
28-09-2010 – from CALC – notification that the Boundary Commission is to review boundaries in Cumbria [forwarded to chairman]
29-09-2010 – from Musiclinks charity – asking whether the parish wishes to hire the facilities of this Kendal-based charity [reply from chairman to say they have been noted]
04-10-2010 – from CALC – circular for October [forwarded to councillors]
06-10-2010 – from Friends of the Lake District – information about the ‘Our Green Space’ campaign [forwarded to councillors]
06-10-2010 – from SLDC - consultation on the budget and corporate plan [forwarded to councillors]
06-10-2010 – from CALC – reminder that precept requests do not have to be sent to SLDC until the end of February [forwarded to councillors]
08-10-2010 – from SLDC – update on public toilet closures [forwarded to councillors]
13-10-2010 – from SLDC – agenda for the Standards Committee meeting on 19-10-2010 [forwarded to chairman]
15-10-2010 – from Upper Kent Forum – summary of the meeting held on 05-10-2010 [forwarded to councillors]
15-10-2010 – from LAP – confirmation that the broadband survey will go ahead [forwarded to councillors]
18-10-2010 - from CALC – agenda for the meeting on 25-11-2010 [circulated at the meeting]
18-10-2010 – from SLDC – parish council precept form for 2011/2012
20-10-2010 – from SLDC – notification that the core planning strategy has been approved and adopted [forwarded to councillors]
20-10-2010 – from CALC – CALC is concerned about the community right to build and requests discuss of the proposed legislation [see item 101101-15]
23-10-2010 – from Managing Radioactive Waste Safely – notice of a community drop-in event at Kendal Town Hall from noon to 8pm on Tuesday 30th November about a waste repository in West Cumbria [poster placed on notice board]
29-10-2010 – from CALC – agenda for AGM on 06-11-2010 [circulated at the meeting]
29-10-2010 – from SLDC – South Lakeland Local Development Framework Core Strategy [circulated at the meeting]
01-11-2010 – from SLDC – briefing note to parish councillors about declaration of interests concerning site allocations in SLDC’s development plan [forwarded to councillors]
101101-11 Recreation Ground/Parish Field
(a) It was reported that the registration of the parish field was completed on 29-09-2010. The registered title number is CU256542
(b) It was decided that Barclay’s storage facility should continue to be used for valuable documents: title deeds and other documents pertaining to the parish field and War Stock documents.
(c) It was reported that more than 130m of new drains were installed in the field on the 7th and 8th October under 23.5 tonnes of gravel donated by L & W Wilson (Endmoor) Ltd (gravel which had originally been dredged from the bed of the River Kent below the Stramongate weir). More than 100m of open ditches were dug and a wall gap was repaired. A map of the new drains has been surveyed and copies placed in the relevant file and with the title deeds. The Parish Council recorded its thanks to the following who gave their labour (and machines) for two days: Tony Ellis, Oliver Hodgson, Tony Porter, and Henry, James and Arthur Robinson.
(d) It was noted that, following the advertising of the tenancy of the parish field earlier in the year, Mr Oliver Hodgson had submitted a tender. It was decided that he should be offered agreements for two periods to bring the tenancy into line with farming practice: one for the period 1st December 2010 to 25th March 2011 and the second from 1st April 2011 for a minimum of 3 years to 25th March 2014, he to claim the single-farm payment entitlement for the field.
101101-12 Council Insurance policy
(a) It was reported that it had been discovered that the council had no insurance from 01-06-2010 due to the company sending the renewal notice and two reminders to the wrong address but that a three-year policy was in place from 7th October. The bus stop had never been insured and was now included. Addition of this and the commencement of a new three-year policy substantially increased the premium.
(b) In view of the fact that the millennium statue was created by a sculptor (Daniel Clahane) whose fame is increasing, it was decided that it should continue to be included on the insurance policy.
101101-13 Closed footpath at Holme Park
Some parishioners raised the issue of the closure of a footpath from the drive at Holme Park via the western side of the building to the public footpath running from Speight Bridge to The Hagg. However, the council noted that the path now crosses private gardens and there has never been a public right of way across the land and along the drive to Holme Park. This was confirmed by a solicitor for the development company (copy attached). Consequently, the parish council decided to take no action.
101101-14 Maintenance of footpaths
(a) Overgrown public footpaths have now been identified near: Butterbent, Hayclose and Old Croft. The last of these was cleared last week by the chairman of the council. It was noted that the maintenance of paths across open fields is the responsibility of the landowner. Hedges and walls along enclosed paths are also the responsibility of the owners of the adjoining land but the path itself is the responsibility of the Highways Authority, Cumbria County Council. In view of the fact that CCC has no resources for such work, other solutions for the maintenance of public footpaths are needed so it was decided to refer the issue to the meeting to be held on 30th November at the Institute to discuss other important matters raised by the parish plan process.
(b) It was decided to send the clerk to a meeting about paths in Cumbria to be held in Kendal on Wednesday 10th November.
101101-15 Community Right To Build
The parish council declared its support for CALC’s concerns about proposed legislation for a community right to build if 75% of the people voting in a referendum support it. There was support for the general idea of the devolution of powers to local communities but it was affirmed that a proposal within a parish to build at a site should have the support of the council, should be part of a parish plan agreed by the community and should have regard to considerations such as local infrastructure, flood risk etc.
101101-16 Date of the next meeting
The next meeting of the parish council will be held on Monday 17th January, 2011 at 7.30pm at the Institute.
