Skelsmergh and Scalthwaiterigg Parish Council Clerk to the Council: Karen Little, Nether Bower, Longsleddale, Cumbria LA8 9BB 21 October 2015 To Members of Skelsmergh and Scalthwaiterigg Parish Council You are duly summoned/required to attend the next meeting of the Parish Council to be held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 4 November 2015 at Skelsmergh Community Hall. Refreshments available from 7.00pm. Agenda 1. Apologies: To receive apologies and to note the reasons for absence. 2. Declarations of Interest: a. Register of Interests: Councillors are reminded of the need to update their register of interests. b. To declare any personal interests in items on the agenda and their nature. c. To declare any prejudicial interests in items on the agenda and their nature (Councillors with prejudicial interests must leave the room for the relevant items). 3. Minutes: To consider the approval of the minutes of the last meeting of the Council on 14 September 2015, attached. 4. Open Forum: Residents are invited to give their views and question the Parish Council on issues on this agenda, or raise issues for future consideration at the discretion of the Chairman. 5. Matters Arising from the Minutes. 6. Formal Announcements by the Chair: a. Expression of Interest - Parish Councillor, Scalthwaiterigg ward. 7. Finance: a. To consider payments to be made as per Clerk’s report, attached. b. To receive the current bank reconciliation and consider the budget build for 2015-2016, attached. c. Recommendations for the Parish Council NS&I Investment Account. d. Audit process for 2015-2016. 8. Update on the Community Plan 2015: To receive the draft Community Action Plan from the Steering Group, plan to follow. 9. Community Action Plan: To receive update reports from the following groups/ lead person on the: a. Environment and Community Woodlands 1) Meeting of the Environment Group, 15.09.2015, attached. 2) Countryside Access Team, Scalthwaiterigg Parish Programme 3) Stile repair at Holme House, Skelsmergh 4) Complaint to Openreach, damage to Parish woodland 5) Electricity Wayleave Agreements, Skelsmergh, attached b. Highways and Transport c. Community d. Communications Broadband developments, to consider an update from HM, JC & MC. Page 1 of 2 Page 1 of 16 10. Upper Kent Local Area Partnership (LAP): To receive an overview summary of the meeting on 28.09.2015, attached. 11. Skelsmergh Community Hall Annual General Meeting: To receive an overview summary of the meeting on 15.09.2015. 12. Planning Applications: a. SL/2015/0688 Laneside Farm, Skelsmergh, Kendal, LA9 6NX, one new dwelling (single level) on the site of the existing garage. Comments by 27 August 2015. PC has no objections. Refused: not infilling or rounding off. b. SL/2015/0614 Land north west of Skelsmergh Hall, Skelsmergh, Kendal, CumbriaLA9 6NU, demolition of storage barn and erection of two dwellings. (Full planning application.) PC has no objections. Refused: not infilling or rounding off. c. SL/2015/0825 Goldmire Cottage, Scalthwaiterigg, Kendal, CumbriaLA9 6PL Proposed two storey extension to side elevation. PC has no objections. 13. Correspondence: To consider correspondence highlighted by the Clerk. 14. Dates for next meetings (venue: Skelsmergh Community Hall, commencing 7.30pm): Wednesday 13 January 2016 Wednesday 9 March 2016 Signed: Karen Little Clerk to Skelsmergh and Scalthwaiterigg Parish Council 21 October 2015 Please note that the minutes of the previous meeting (15.07.2015) can be inspected on the Parish Council website: http://www.skelscalpc.org.uk/, or by application to the Clerk. Page 2 of 2 Page 2 of 16 Skelsmergh and Scalthwaiterigg Parish Council Minutes of the meeting held on Monday 14 September 2015 at 7.30pm in Skelsmergh Community Hall Present: Councillor John Chapman (JC) – Chair Parish Councillors: Hermann Moisl (HM), Mary Chapman (MC), Tim Maggs (TM) Local Resident: Liz Robson Clerk: Karen Little (KL) 40/15 Apologies for Absence Councillor Phil Rigby (PR) – accepted. Action: The Clerk is to set convenient Council meeting dates for 2016-17 asap. KL 41/15 Declaration of Interests Councillor John Chapman declared an interest in item 47/15 1. 42/15 Minutes of the Previous Meeting RESOLVED - the minutes of Parish meeting on 15 July 2015 were confirmed as a true and complete record, and the documents were signed by the Chair. 43/15 Open Forum Discussion points: 1. Entrance to the Mealbank Trading Estate Green hoarding has been placed in front of the boundary wall at the entrance to the Mealbank trading estate, put there it was thought to act as a barrier if the wall collapses. This causes a lot of concern, as the hoarding will not be effective to hold back the debris if the wall was to collapse. As well as the potential danger this would be to pedestrians, it would also block access to homeowners and the trading estate. The County Council and SLDC have been made aware of the potential threat to public safety; it is not clear who owns or is responsible for the upkeep of the wall. Cllr Moisl confirmed that Mr Lucien Procter had erected the barriers (as the landowner of the Trading Estate), and suggested that an urgent meeting of the Parish Council Chair and Vice-Chair with Mr Procter would be useful in deciding the best way to resolve the situation. Action: The Clerk to facilitate a meeting. KL 2. Appleby Road to Laverock Bridge A fence has fallen down on the highway from the Appleby Road to Laverock Bridge, and although a barrier remains, there is now open access down to the river. It is not clear who is responsible for the repair, either Highways or the landowner. Action: To send formal notification to the Highways team of the danger. JC 44/15 Formal announcements by the Chair 1. Local Area Partnership (LAP) meeting on 28.09.2015. The Chair asked if there were any issues to raise on behalf of residents at the next LAP meeting. The topic for discussion is rights of way and matters arising from the rural economy meeting. The importance of building up local community cohesion to support the economy, develop assets and maintain residents’ wellbeing was noted. Councillors Signed: ………………………………………. Date…………………………..… 13 Page 3 of 16 considered that the updated Community Plan will identify any areas for possible collaborative working. Councillor Mary Chapman will keep the Council informed of the outcomes of the LAP meeting. 2. Cenacolo occupancy criteria. Councillors had been provided with the conditions on which the planning permission had been granted; it was noted that the age requirements are for residents to be over 18, but there is no upper age limit and no restrictions on the area of origin. The Chair suggested that the complaint may have referenced the guidance (the addendum statements) provided during the planning application. As the information from the guidance relating to an age limit for the residents and their area of origin was not written into the occupancy criteria of the planning permission, they do not apply. It was noted that SLDC do not have any issues of non-compliance with the planning conditions. RESOLVED: That the Chair would write a formal letter to the complainant (Mr Kell) on behalf of the Council to explain that the Council’s view is that the Cenacolo occupancy complies with the required planning conditions and the appropriate response if a local resident holds a different view, would be for them to complete/submit a SLDC planning enforcement form. Action: The Chair to send a formal letter explaining the Council’s view as described above. JC 3. Expressions of interest in the vacant Scalthwaiterigg Councillor position. Councillor Moisl was encouraged to invite a prospective Councillor to attend a forthcoming parish event (e.g the litter pick) to enable the individual to get to know the Councillors and the job remit, and help them to decide whether they want to take on the role. 45/15 Council Finances RESOLVED: a. To make the following payments: Payee Expenses/Services Amount (£) Karen Little Clerk’s salary 01.08.2015 to 281.75 30.09.2015 CVS Payroll - Clerk’s wages 21.00 Skelsmergh Community Hall Community Hall hire, venue for 6 144.00 Management Group meetings/year Mary Chapman, Environment Group. Grant to support annual litter picking 90.00 Minute number: 29/15a events Parochial Church Council of St John Grant to help with the up-keep of 100.00 the Baptist, Skelsmergh. Minute the Church grave yard number: 29/15b TOTAL £636.75 a. b. To note the current bank reconciliation statement and the predicted end of year position (with money accounted for small concessionary grants) is a carry forward credit of just under £1k. A cost of £30 was incurred in the external audit process; this is included in the budget statement. The Clerk will update the Council on the audit arrangements or 2015- 2016 at the next meeting. c. Update on signatories for the council’s accounts. Action: Signed: ………………………………………. Date…………………………..… 14 Page 4 of 16 Councillors Hermann Moisl and Tim Maggs to submit their completed bank forms with HM their ID to Barclays Bank, Kendal – to be authorised as bank signatories for the Parish & TM Council current account. The Clerk to recommend the process/actions at the next meeting to close the NS&I. KL (Minute 15.15i) 46/15 Update on Community Plan The Working Group met last Tuesday (attendance: Tony Cousins and Councillors John Chapman, Mary Chapman and Hermann Moisl), Councillor Mary Chapman reported that: The total responses received has now increased to 72 (40% response rate). A draft Community Action Plan, formulated from the responses, will be presented at the November Parish council meeting for amendments and final sign off.