Caldbeck Parish Council
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CALDBECK PARISH COUNCIL Minutes of the annual meeting held at Caldbeck Parish Hall on Monday 12th May 2008. PRESENT Mrs A Cartmell (Chairman) Mr R Knowles Mr W R Cowx Mrs A D R Noble Mr H Hellon Mr A Tyson Mr D Whitson Mr C Smithson Mrs E Auld (Clerk) Mrs A Ward (Clerk designate) One Parishioner attended. 12/05-1 ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN Resolved, proposed Mr Cowx, seconded Mr Smithson to elect Mrs Anne Cartmell as Chairman for the next Council year. 12/05-2 DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE Mrs Cartmell completed and signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office form for 2008/09. 12/05-3 APPOINTMENT OF VICE CHAIRMAN Resolved, proposed Mrs Cartmell, seconded Mrs Noble, to elect Mr Alan Tyson as Vice- Chairman for the next Council year. 12/05-4 APOLOGIES Apologies for absence were received from Messrs A Armstrong (Family matters) and A Savage (Family matters). 12/05-5 MINUTES The minutes of the ordinary meeting held on 7th April 2008 were agreed and signed as a correct record. 12/05-6 DECLARATION OF INTEREST No declarations of personal interest, or personal interests which are prejudicial, were made, relating to any item on the agenda. 12/05-7 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Apologies were received from Inspector Allen who sent a Police Report. The Clerk read out the Police report of incidents from 07.04.08 to 07.05.08 – total 5. 12/05-8 PLANNING DECISIONS AND APPLICATIONS Decisions: 07/2088 Denton House, Hesket Newmarket – garden decking and pergola (retrospective) – appeal refused 4 reasons. 07/2163 The Beeches, Hesket Newmarket – install 2no. conservation roof lights. Replace existing uPVC windows with traditional design wooden windows to be painted white – approved 1 condition. 07/2246 The Old Joiners Workshop, Village Green, Caldbeck – conversion of garage/store into affordable dwelling house – appeal against refusal by Mr and Mrs Heath. Any additional comments to be sent to the Planning Inspectorate by 6th June 2008 – resolved that letter be sent to Planning Inspectorate to reiterate previous concerns and agree with LDNPA’s reasons for refusal. 05/2099 Greenside House, Caldbeck – smaller porch to east elevation permission granted as non material change. 05/2013 & 2014 John Peel Farm, Park End, Caldbeck – conversion of barn to provide ancillary accommodation - update on planning enforcement issue. Applications: 08/2065 Land at Ratten Row, Caldbeck – copy of original plans for a dwelling 1980/2121. Clerk has not yet received copy of original plans from planners. 08/2080/81 Old Brewery, Caldbeck – change of use from holiday accommodation unit to storage and archive facility for applicants business. Works comprise of forming a new single internal door opening (LBC) – no observations. 08/2112 Branthwaite Farm, Caldbeck – change of use from agricultural land to amenity land (retrospective) – no observations. 12/05-9 PARISH MAINTENANCE a) Mrs Cartmell gave an update on the current situation regarding the Hesket Newmarket Allotments. Legal advice was that a meeting with Miss Thompson, Edwin Thompson Chartered Surveyors, would not be useful in progressing the matter, so that meeting did not take place. Five Councillors and the Clerk designate had visited the Allotments on 23rd April 2008 and were shown round by Mrs Sue Braithwaite who also gave a plan of the Allotments and their current holders (plan distributed to Councillors). A letter had been received from Peter Johnston, Secretary to the newly formed Hesket Newmarket Allotment Holders Association, and was read out to Councillors, together with a letter sent to the Allotment Holders by Mr Johnston. The Clerk reported on telephone and email correspondence with Mr Jonathan Whittle, Environment Protection at Allerdale BC – he is monitoring progress on the issue of ‘keeping of chickens in such a manner as to cause strong and unpleasant odours, causing a nuisance to neighbouring properties’. Resolved that a Working Group be set up of Anne Cartmell, Alan Armstrong and Roy Knowles(with the Clerk in attendance) to meet with the Hesket Newmarket Allotment Holders Association and draft suggestions for consideration by the Council at its next meeting on 7th July. b) Mr Knowles reported on the Collapsed Drain between The Beeches and The Green, Hesket Newmarket. The lady who had fallen into the pothole on the Cut in front of the Market Cross had been told that there was a permanent leak from the drain there. The collapse of the drain appears to be causing a deterioration in the road surface above it on the main road in front of The Beeches. It was agreed that a letter should be sent to Andrew Butler to request confirmation that the Cut is Highway, and then the issue of repairing the drain can be followed up with Highways. c) The Council considered the response of Capita Symonds regarding the maintenance costs of the Caldbeck pond area. It was agreed that a letter be sent stating that the Parish Council is disappointed that the contribution by Cumbria County Council is not to be increased for the time being, and that the Parish Council is not interested in negotiating to buy the Caldbeck pond area. d) Arrangements were agreed for the SIDS week beginning 18/05/08. Audrey Noble volunteered for Caldbeck and Alan Armstrong would be asked if he would manage the SID for Hesket Newmarket. e) David Whitson was thanked for putting up the new noticeboard at Fellside. f) A report was received that there is a street light permanently on in Hesket Newmarket. It was agreed that the Clerk should investigate and report it to the relevant authority. g) The overhanging branches at Hanging Acre have been cut back but not sufficiently. It was agreed that a letter should be sent to Mr Mitchell requesting hard cutting back of the dyke and trees. h) Repair and painting of white railings at Riverside. It was agreed that an email be sent to Andrew Butler suggesting that a Caldbeck Parish Councillor is willing to do the work but as the railings belong to the County Council permission would be needed. Also would the County Council contribute towards the cost of time and materials. The Parish Councillor will send an estimate costs to the Clerk. i) The Caldbeck Pond Outflow Culvert. This had been reported on 29 January 08. It was agreed the Highways Hotline would be contacted re progress with this issue. j) Pothole on footpath outside Beech Cottage. It was agreed that this would be reported to the Highways Hotline. 12/05-10 MONTHLY ACOUNTS a) Resolved to approve the following payments and record of income: Payments: Peter Wilson – Internal Audit 60.00 Mrs E Auld – Salary 6 weeks, 354.92; Expenses, 57.38 412.30 Gateway Software – training S/O 100.00 Rosemary Bailey – Squirrel Feeder receipts 29.98 Allianz Insurance 468.81 Receipts: Allerdale Borough Council – half precept 4,600.00 Cumberland County Council – Neighbourhood Forum: Website dev. Grant 300.00 b) Mrs Antoinette Ward signed her Contract of Employment as Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer. Mrs Anne Cartmell, Chairman, also signed the Contract.. c) Resolved, proposed Colin Smithson, seconded David Whitson, that the Accounts with HSBC and the Cumberland Building Society be continued as before, with existing signatories William Cowx and Alan Tyson, and new signatories Anne Cartmell and Audrey Noble, and that the Clerk should have access to HSBC telephone banking to monitor the accounts and move money between the accounts as appropriate. d) The Clerk was authorised to purchase the latest edition of Charles Arnold Baker’s ‘Local Council Administration’. e) The purchase of further training software for the operation of the website was authorised. f) HSBC Current a/c balance 12/05/08 £4917.36 g) Cumberland Building Society Deposit 12/05/08 £3763.69 12/05-11 ANNUAL AUDIT a) The Assets Register was checked and approved. b) The Insurance was reviewed and approved. The Risk Assessment was reviewed and No 6 amended to read that the Fidelity Bond Guarantee is for £8,000. c) The Standing Orders were reviewed and approved with no amendments. d) The Internal Audit procedures were amended and approved as effective. e) The Annual Report for the year ended 31st March 2008 was received from the Internal Auditor. f) The Annual Return Statement of Accounts 2007/2008 and the Cashbook were approved and signed. g) The Statement of Assurance was completed approved and signed. The Clerk reminded the Council that the external audit had been set for 27th June 2008. The notice to be displayed from 12th – 25th May had been put up on each of the Parish’s five noticeboards and the records will be available for inspection from 27th May – 23rd June 2008. Caldbeck had been selected in a 5% random sample to complete an intermediate audit questionnaire in addition to the normal audit returns. 12/05-12 CORRESPONDENCE a) Penny Bibby letter re Cycle Caldbeck Initiative – Agreed that letter be sent to Penny Bibby naming Colin Smithson as the Parish Council representative. b) Notification of Code of Conduct training 18th June, 6pm at Wigton – doubtful that any Councillors would be free to attend. c) Meeting of Lake District Parish Councils meeting 28th April – the new Clerk had attended and would circulate CALC’s excellent notes of the meeting by email. d) CALC Allerdale District/Cumbria CC joint meeting 9th April copy of minutes – Emergency Planning and Highways Locality Working – noted. e) Cumbria CC Highway Stewards and Working Together literature and explanations – noted and the plan for Highway Stewards welcomed. f) Allerdale BC comments requested on a proposed Dog Control Order – agreed that letter be sent requesting that Hesket Newmarket Play Area be included in proposed Dog Control Order.