Beckermet Village Newsletter March 2018 Published by the Beckermet Village Association Printed on the DeLucy Centre Press Chairman’s Report prove a valuable addition on the village green Welcome to the first issue of the Beckermet for both residents and villagers alike. Village Association newsletter of 2018. Concerns were expressed by a number of those Although we may be into March I would like who attended the meeting about car parking in to take this opportunity to wish you all the the village especially in the narrows on Main very best for the coming year. Our recent Street as on some days the problem is so bad meeting held on the 1st February saw me that any emergency service vehicles would complete my first year as chair of the BVA, a have difficulty getting through thus possibly post I have enjoyed undertaking and meeting putting people’s lives at risk in an emergency. members of our community. Our latest Please park your cars responsibly. meeting held in the Reading Room was There was also concern expressed about the attended by 17 local residents, most of who number of Sellafield workers who are parking attend on a regular basis while occasionally we in the village car park thus preventing it being get some new faces. Such meetings are an used as it was designed for, local residents and opportunity for you to attend and discover visitors to the village. what is happening within the community As a resident of Beckermet you are together with the opportunity to express your automatically a member of the BVA & views. It would be good to see more new faces therefore not only entitled but actively at these meetings in order to get a wider encouraged to come along to these meetings perspective of how others feel about what is which are held in the Reading Room. As happening or indeed what they would like to previously stated it is important that we gain happen in Beckermet. as wide and variety of views from as many The position regarding the project at Moorside residents as possible so please make every is still uncertain. Ongoing negotiations are effort to come along to one of our meetings taking place with possible new investors which are held approximately every three which may enable the development to go months. ahead. When there is something of substance The dates for the remaining meetings this year to report we will no doubt be informed. Until are: - then it is a case of wait and see. Thurs 26th April, Thurs 12th July (AGM), With regards to the consultation on road Thurs 11th Oct all at 7.30pm in the Reading closures within the village they received a Room. higher number of objections than anticipated John McKay (Chairman) and following the closure of Main Street in December which caused increased traffic on Parish Council Mill Lane it is most unlikely any closures will The Parish Council has once again not take place before the matter is reviewed by the requested an increase in the precept and as a highways and local community groups in consequence expects there will be no change March when further discussions will take in the council tax charged for the parish. place. A new addition to the village will be NuGen forthcoming once the weather improves. The Trudy Harrison MP arranged a meeting with local history group has designed a new display NuGen on 11th January to discuss concerns board depicting historical aspects of the raised by the Parish Council, RAM and some village with information and maps. This will local residents. This was about improving Page 1 communications, the technical concerns raised Other Parish Council Matters during the 2016 consultation, and property The Parish Council has responded to the blight in the village arising from the Moorside following public consultations in the last few project. months: There was a frank and open discussion, and • The Copeland Local plan NuGen agreed to address the communication • Boundary Commission proposals for issues immediately, and to issue Newsletters to new Copeland Ward Areas all residents. They also agreed to arrange a • The Highways England Strategic Road public meeting towards the end of March. Consultation • The Government Consultation on the The need to provide a property support scheme as a matter of some urgency to address the siting of new nuclear reactors. blight issue was stressed. However, NuGen were not sympathetic to putting a property support scheme in place now, and questioned whether there really was much blight. NuGen made it clear that until they had a new owner they were not in a position to address this matter, although they were prepared to meet individuals to discuss their personal We have agreed to participate in the circumstances. Further actions are planned, to “Copeland Pride of Place” initiative promoted push this issue forward. by the Mayor of Copeland Mike Starkie. The Contact details for anyone wishing to discuss aim of the initiative is to make the community their own circumstances are in the NuGen item proud of Copeland and the area where they on the last page live by encouraging people to eliminate issues such as fly tipping, dog fouling on pavements, Road Consultation and dropping litter. The CCC consultation concerning the proposed Experimental Traffic Regulation CCC has accepted responsibility for the Order for Beckermet closed in mid-December. Middlebank ‘swing’ bridge and it is A decision on whether or not the proposed consequently considering how to carry out changes will be implemented has not yet been essential maintenance. approved by CCC. A formal response may not be available until March or possibly April. The Council has purchased new picnic tables and seats for School Green that will be The Parish Council has also written to CCC installed as soon as the weather allows, and requesting information from the digital traffic has given the History Group support to erect monitoring devices that were located in the an information board adjacent to the green. village. The Parish Council, together with RAM, are Conservation Area Design Guide keen to develop a Community Led Plan for Following the consultation held in 2017, CBC Beckermet; so that it is clear what has finalized the Conservation Area Design improvements/changes residents would like to Guide. Whilst the same part of Beckermet be made in the village if Moorside and/or any remains a conservation area the Parish Council other developments go ahead. If you would was disappointed to find that its like to be involved in the development of the representation, compiled from residents’ plan please contact any of your Parish comments, had been rejected- except for one Councilors or RAM representatives. item regarding slate roofs. It should be noted that there has been a significant clarification of Finally, Sian Tucker has decided to stand the rules that already applied, so enforcement down as our Clerk. We would like to express by CBC could now be stricter. our thanks for her hard work, dedication and support over several years. John Edwards Chairman, Beckermet with Thornhill Parish Council Page 2 From our MP Trudy Harrison Reading Room As the calls for road and rail improvements The AGM for the above will take place on increase, and the many organisations involved WEDNESDAY 7TH MARCH @ 7PM--please with our transport network launch their try to come and support the committee. We consultations – I was pleased to meet with need new members and fundraising ideas in Network Rail to discuss progress on the order to keep going. Membership is only £1 Cumbria Coastal Line this month. per year and the rooms can be hired for £9 per The demand on our coastal line for both hour for meetings, parties etc. passenger and freight rail will necessitate DIARY hundreds of millions of pounds being invested MARCH in the line to create continuous rail tracks, 5 ART CLASS 1000 replace signalling and points systems and 6 RAINBOWS upgrade stretches of single line. Thousands of 7 READING ROOM AGM training and employment opportunities will be 12 ART CLASS created over the next few years as huge 13 RAINBOWS projects move towards construction, these 14 W.I. 1900 economic opportunities can only be realised 19 ART CLASS with a suitably modernised transport capability 20 RAINBOWS - and to avoid complete chaos, the networks 21 SOUP LUNCH ST JOHNS must be improved before construction starts. 26 RAINBOWS During my election campaign, one year ago, I APRIL campaigned on a programme for road, rail and 4 READING ROOMS COMMITTEE digital improvements. My response to the 11 W.I. Major Road consultation will urge for progress 17 RAINBOWS on the Whitehaven Relief Road, junction improvements and of course a road fit for the AND FINALLY 21 century at Dove Ford. I will also highlight THE COMMITTEE IS HAPPY TO PUT UP the reality that frustration kills. Safer passing POSTERS FOR OTHER ORGANISATIONS places, crawler lanes and sections of dual BUT PLEASE DO NOT SELLOTAPE THEM carriage way would surely prevent ON THE NOTICE BOARD ITSELF. IT HAS desperation, avoiding the inconvenience TAKEN A LONG TIME TO CLEAN THE caused by roads being closed and ultimately, SURFACE OF THE BOARD WITHOUT and most importantly, saving lives. DAMAGING IT. LAMINATED POSTERS CAN BE STAPLED TO THE WOODEN I have been reassured by recent meetings with POSTS OR PUT THROUGH THE POSTPOX my Cumbrian MP colleagues and Cumbria OF NO 11 HOLYOAKE TERRACE County Council’s leader, Stewart Young that Thank you for your co-operation. progress will come before politics when Kathleen Cook booking secretary 841363 advocating for improved road and rail infrastructure, this, I feel, is essential.