Minutes of a meeting of Holme Low Parish Council
Held on 13 February 2018 at Silloth Community Hall
Present:- Cllrs. J. Graham, M. Wright, N. Dainton, M. Pearson, D. Findlay & A. Sowden.
Also Wendy Jameson (Parish Clerk), Cllr. A.J. Markley, Cllr. J. Cook & 2 members of the public.
1. Apologies
None.
2. Declarations of Interests
None.
3. Exclusion of Press & Public
None.
4. Minutes
Minutes of the meeting held on 14 November 2017 were approved and signed by the Chairman as a true record.
5. Matters Arising
Lights at Barracks Bridge – Currently waiting for the wayleave to be signed by Solway Holiday Village but the new cable in now in at the bridge.
Overhanging hedges at Windmill – Hedges still need to be cut back. A fence was put up to protect the hedge and has encroached onto the road. Vehicles can’t get around the corner now with a trailer. The condition of the road is horrendous. Scaffolding is still there that was put up 10-12 years ago which is also encroaching onto the public highway. Maximum width sign has still not been done and artic wagons still try to go up there having been sent down that road by their sat navs which has caused damage to gutters.
West Causewayhead – Armstrong’s wagons are still using West Causewayhead lane when they’re not allowed to.
Road between Armstrong’s and Oakline – Some potholes have been filled but are coming out again. Lonning between Blackdyke and Middle farm is also breaking up, particularly at the ends.
Land West of Longwood – It was questioned who is building the house. The question regarding the clause in relation to the chicken shed has never been answered by Allerdale and needs to be followed up on.
Harrison’s at former Johnson Controls building – Concerns were raised about the new development taking place at the front of the building which Allerdale have said is permitted development. There will be an increase in noise, traffic and dust etc and yet no planning application submitted or consultation taken place. It was questioned whether it was actually in accordance with the permitted development rights, as according to 1.1(a) it would not be permitted if it materially affects the outside appearance of the premises. It was questioned whether this should have been considered by the County Council rather than Allerdale with it being an industrial development. A bore hole has been drilled to get access to a water supply. It was also questioned whether an environmental risk assessment should have been done considering the amount of dust it will create. No-one is against businesses developing but it has to be done right. RESOLVED that a letter be sent to Kevin Kerrigan to get more information and confirm whether they are abiding by the necessary legislation. Concerns were expressed about the speed of wagons along the main road, with drivers often seen using their mobile phones. Email to be sent to the Police. County Council have already been consulted on the speed limit and they have suggested the speed limit should be increased rather than reduced. The starting and finishing times of the development where questioned as they are currently starting at 7.00am. Also the volumes of traffic.
6. Police Report
None.
7. Financial Report
The Clerk provided an up to date financial report which showed a balance of £1,969.40 in the bank.
8. Requests for Financial Assistance
None.
9. Payment of Accounts
Cheque payments to 13 February 2018 were approved for payment by the Parish Council.
10. Correspondence
a) ACT Gazette – Issue 28 Autumn/Winter 2017.
b) CALC Circular – December/January 2018.
c) Connecting Cumbria Christmas Newsletter.
d) Clerks & Councils Direct – January 2018.
e) Wigton Baths Newsletter to Parish Councils 2018
f) CALC Circular – February 2018.
g) Police & Crime Commissioner’s survey regarding Council Tax precepts for the Police. Comments required by 8 December 2017.
h) NALC – Legal Briefing L09-17 – General data processing regulation and subject access requests.
i) NALC – Legal Briefing L08-17 – Privacy Notes and the legal basis for processing personal data.
j) Cumbria Highways – re: The Windmill, Blackdyke. The highways steward contacted the landowner and asked for the stones to be moved and cut back the hedge. As this has not been done, the team will be going out to reassess the overgrown hedge tomorrow.
k) Cumbria Highways – re: manhole cover on main road near Pond Farm, Calvo. Highway team will take a look at it. (W172927704)
l) Cumbria Highways – re: Road to Seaville – Team will attend and deal with any safety related defects that meet intervention levels and will inspect the road to see what longer terms repairs may need to be considered. (W172927701)
m) Cumbria Highways – re: damage to road between Armstrong’s and Oakline at Blackdyke. Highway team will take a look at it. (W172927671)
n) Cumbria Highways – re: overhanging bushes and trees – Balladoyle on the B5301 to B5302 Silloth. Highway team will take a look at it. (W172927657)
o) Cumbria Highways – re: manhole cover. Issue has been assessed and the defect is on private land and therefore the issue has been closed. (W172927704)
p) Allerdale Local Plan (Part 2): Site Allocations. Focused consultation: Additional sites submitted and policy options 2017. Comments to be received by 22 January 2018. Cllrs. to send individual responses in.
q) Notification of external auditor appointments for the 2017/18 financial year. Smaller Authorities Audit Appointments Ltd (SAAA) was appointed by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.
r) Royal Air Force Centenary Celebrations – Email from Heidi Garstang to say they are delighted that the Parish Council is looking into the possibility of creating a raised flower bed.
s) CALC – Information about the new General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) 2018. Legal Briefing L04-17 – Reform of data protection legislation – General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Bill. Legal Briefing L05-17 – General Data Protection Regulation – summary of main provisions.
t) Cumbria Highways – re: overgrowing hedge. Issue has been assessed and the defect is on private land and therefore the issue has been closed. (W172927657)
u) Church of England Church Commissioners – re: St Paul’s Church, Causewayhead. Pastoral Church Buildings Scheme was made on 23rd November 2017 and an Instrument of Determination made on 30th November 2017. Copy of the Scheme and Instrument provided. The church of St Paul, Causewayhead is declared closed for regular public worship from 11 December 2017.
v) Great North Air Ambulance – Letter of thanks for the donation of £100 from the Town Council.
w) CALC – Information about a new lottery funded project from Kew Gardens called Grow Wild – for anyone interested in developing community projects around flowers, plants or fungi
x) Allerdale Borough Council – Land West of Longwood – The caravan can remain on site whilst the approved dwelling is constructed. There have been ongoing emails about the matter but no resolution. Write to Kevin Kerrigan and Allerdale councillors to follow up on.
y) Planning Branch Ltd – re: Erection of Broiler Unit and associated infrastructure at Firtree Farm, Seaville. Letter in response to the point raised by Holme Low PC in objection to the application.
z) Allerdale Borough Council – re: silos at former Johnson Controls. Allerdale were advised of the works prior to commencement and the proposal was within the land owners permitted development limits. They intend to check to ensure that what is being built is per the details they provided.
aa) Cumbria Children’s Dyslexia Project – Information about the charity, whose aim it is to screen all children in Cumbria aged 6 to 11 for dyslexia.
bb) Allerdale Borough Council – Annual Budget Consultation. Comments required by 19 January 2018.
cc) Allerdale Borough Council – Notification that a representative from the Parish Council could speak at the Development Panel meeting on 9 January 2018 in relation to:- Ref No: 2/2017/0247 Applicant: Mr Storr Proposal: Erection of broiler unit and associated infrastructure (Resubmission) Location: Fir Tree Farm, Seaville, Silloth
dd) Citizen’s Advice – Email thanking the Parish Council for the kind donation.
ee) United Utilities Stakeholder Update December 2017.
ff) Department of Transport’s public consultation on future spending on the Strategic Road Network.
gg) CALC – Information about the United Utilities Legacy Fund which will be available throughout 2018 to 2020.
hh) Details of a Mental Wellbeing session to support National Time to Talk Day 2018 which will be held at Moorclose Community Centre on 1 February 10am to 12pm.
ii) Information about Brain Tumour Research charity and the Wear a Hat Day in March to raise funds.
jj) Cumbria Highways – re: Seaville road – Fault has now been resolved. (W172927701). The road is breaking up and nothing has been done. Wagons are going down to Whinclose and the road is breaking up, including at the crossroads. Letter to be sent to Amber Sykes and a copy sent to Cllr. Markley.
kk) Information about free cookery courses being offered by Cockermouth WI members from April 2018.
ll) CALC – Press release highlighting the NHS North Cumbria CCG’s next Governing Body meeting to take place on Wed 7 February 2018.
mm) Information about free ‘The Right Structure for You’ workshops which CVS are running on 27 February in Workington.
nn) Cumbria Alcohol and Drug Advisory Service – Vacancies for Trustee/Board of Directors.
oo) Information about the ACT F.A.S.T. campaign which is launching on 1 February. The campaign highlights that a stroke is a medical emergency.
pp) Cumbria Highways – re: manhole cover. The matter has been passed to BT as it is their manhole cover. (W172927704)
qq) Cumbria County Council – Details of a temporary 30mph speed limit which has been put in place to allow Gallagher Ltd to carry out utility works. Expected to commence 12th February 2018 with an approximate duration of 5 weeks. Location: B5301 Silloth, from its junction with the C2055 extending in a north easterly then southerly direction for a total distance of approx. 2.8km. Abbeytown road will be getting resurfaced next week hopefully on an emergency order.
rr) Allerdale Borough Council – Email regarding Community Governance reviews and the possibility of the Parish Council requesting that a review take place. Not a problem.
ss) United Utilities – Raby Cote Outfall Pipeline & Wigton Wastewater Treatment Works Project. Work is proposed to start on the Innovia, Wigton to Raby Cote pipeline in March. A representative from the project team can attend one of the parish council meetings to carry out a presentation if required. Not necessary.
13. Planning Applications
The Parish Council objected to the following:-
Ref No: 2/2017/0247 Applicant: Mr Storr Proposal: Erection of broiler unit and associated infrastructure (resubmission) Location: Fir Tree Farm, Seaville, Silloth
Allerdale Borough Council approved the following:-
Ref No: 2/2017/0482 Applicant: Messrs Fisher Proposal: Renewal of hardcore track with concrete Location: The Close, Silloth
Ref No: 2/2017/0247 Applicant: Mr Storr Proposal: Erection of broiler unit and associated infrastructure (Resubmission) Location: Fir Tree Farm, Seaville, Silloth
14. Reports from Representatives on Outside Bodies
Longcake Education Meeting took place on 8 February. Three Sunday schools were given £90 each and four schools given £300 each.
Seadyke Charity The tenant at Swinsty has got robots in now and 110 milking cows. Workshop is to be built shortly and the little byre to be removed. Also hoping to replace two walls of the silage pit when the committee have considered it.
15. Cumbria County Council
Budget meeting on Thursday. Received over £1m for healthcare from the Government and will be amending the budget. Schools got ‘good’ in the Ofsted report. Highways have £105m from Storm Desmond to spend. Concerned that the B5300 road will go which has been highlighted at Allerdale and County. The road to Aspatria wouldn’t manage the additional traffic. County Council needs to save £31m again this year. A lot of restructuring has taken place to save money. A reduction in the number of Councillors would save money.
Road at the Windmill is in a terrible state. A sign is needed to stop HGV’s from going down there at the Blackdyke end of the road. Copy of emails to be sent to Cllr. Markley re: windmill. Information used by sat navs is incorrect and needs updated.
16. Parish Plan
Nothing to report.
17. Reports from Councillors
Daffodils have been planted from Nab corner to Calvo but there are a few more needed.
Wolsty road – potholes and flooding is an issue. Road at Sharp’s corner is now rubble. Work is going on in a couple of fields and the road is covered in muck and mud. No signage on the roads re: floods. Tractors start at 5.00am leading slurry into the fields. Letter to be sent to Amber Sykes with concerns about the state and cleanliness of the road.
Footpath between Maralinga and Victor Barnes house needs to be cleaned as it is covered with dirt from the road making it slippery – Request to be sent to Highways to ask for it to be cleaned.
West Causewayhead lane – More vehicles will be using since the work has been done at Harrisons (former Johnson Controls). Vehicles are causing damage to the front of properties. Request to be sent to Cumbria Highways for a width restriction.
Sign at 4 road ends has rusted off and needs replaced.
Sign at either end of West Causewayhead have been pushed back.
Cemetery – prices are in to have the building taken down. Mr Hislop is now the Portfolio holder. Building to be taken down at end of Feb/March if no asbestos is found.
18. Chairman’s Announcements
The Chairman thanked everyone for coming to the meeting. He also thanked the Clerk for all that she does.
19. Date of next meeting
Next Parish Council meeting will be held on Tuesday 8 May 2018 at 7.30pm in the Community Hall.