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Drigg & Carleton Parish Council – Minutes – February 2024

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MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 2024 ORDINARY MEETING OF THE

DRIGG & CARLETON PARISH COUNCIL

Held in Drigg Village Hall on 13th February 2024 at 6.30 pm

 

 

Attended:          John Jennings                                 JJ            (Chair)

Andy Pratt                                       AP          (Vice-Chair)

Sadie Clarke                                    SC

Chris Gigg                                        CG

Suey Browne                                  SB

Keith Murray                                  KM

Karen Warmoth                             (Clerk / RFO)

 

Apologies:          Jimmy Naylor                                 JN

 

Parishioners:     6 members of the public attended

 

 

  • Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on 9th January 2024
    1. Resolution to approve the minutes of the meeting on 9th January 2024 as a true and accurate record proposed by KM and seconded by AP with all in favour; minutes signed by the Chair

 

  • Apologies for absence: JN

 

  • Declarations of interest relating to this agenda: none

 

  • Financial matters
    1. Finance report
      1. Balance: the balance of the Parish Council account is £4,223.25
      2. HMRC Fine: HMRC have accepted the appeal against the £200 fine from October 2023
  • Expenditure limit 2024-25: the new s.137 LGA 1972 limit is £10.81
  1. Consideration of payments
    1. HMRC Tax: Clerk owed £449.07 gross in back tax (correcting an administrative error where 20% tax was deducted when tax code indicated much less tax was due); payment approved by AP, seconded by SB, with all in favour
    2. PAYE Basic Tools: professional advice on correcting tax admin errors at a cost of £40 approved by KM, seconded by SC, with all in favour
  • PAYE Training: Clerk to attend a CALC training seminar on 26th February 2024 at 7 pm via Teams, costing £20; payment approved by AP, seconded by SB, with all in favour
  1. Voluntary Action Cumbria: £505 to be remitted to Village Hall account to pay the costs of the Warm Hub; payment approved by KM, seconded by SC, with all in favour
  • Actions and matters arising
    1. Action 11/4: quote received from an alternate builder – action closed
    2. Action 11/5: Stewart Kenyon has quoted for the mowing and hedging tender – action closed
    3. Action 11/6: AP arranged for LLWR to supply a block – action closed
    4. Action 1/1: CG showed video of electric loft ladder – action closed
    5. Action 1/2: Clerk to produce Newsletter Issue 1, Spring 2024 by early Feb – action closed
    6. Action 1/3: JJ to search for the original Charity application for the Information Boards – action completed
    7. Action 1/4: Clerk to contact Highways to recommend reducing the speed limit through Stubble Green to 30 mph – action completed
    8. Action 1/5: Clerk to draft a response to the NDA Social Impact consultation for the February meeting; draft approved – action completed
    9. Action 1/6: Clerk to respond to the NFLA – action completed

 

  • Cumberland Council
    1. Highways
      1. Dropped kerb: requested by residents, to be installed on Old Shore Road shortly
      2. Resurfacing: Highways confirm that the road from Holmrook to Stubble Green will be resurfaced in the 2024-25 financial year
  • Markings: New white lining; speed bumps to be painted to highlight their position
  1. Potholes: Holmrook Hill potholes have been reported and will be repaired
  2. Street lights: those lights which are not working have been logged
  3. Pavements: teams coming to strip back vegetation encroaching on pavements at Saltcoats, near the garage
    • Drigg to Stubble Green has similar pavement problem; AP to report to Highways
  • Corney Fell: unsafe bridge to be removed shortly and new bridge installed this summer
  • Traffic survey: no results data provided as yet; AP to chase Highways
  1. Gun club: notice to quit by April 2024 extended to April 2025; possibility of leasing an NDA owned building at New Mill
  2. Funding: an extra £1,000 of funding supplied for the Warm Hub by Cumberland Council

 

  • Public Participation
    1. Four members of the public attended in total
    2. Three members of the public came forward to discuss planning matters
      1. One raised the possibility of extending the 40mph limit from Stubble Green to Seascale
      2. Holmrook Hill is a traffic hazard when so many parked cars reduce visibility on the bend
    3. One other member of the public attended as an observer expressing interest in the current PC vacancy

 

Action 2/1: Clerk to ask Highways to extend the 40 mph speed limit from Stubble Green to Seascale

 

Action 2/2: Clerk to send materials to a parishioner re eligibility to become a Parish Councillor

 

  • Main Business
    1. Hall Stairs project:
      1. Fully comprehensive quote received from a competent professional builder for £17k
        • Stairs would take up space in the hall
        • The stairs are designed to facilitate carrying tables downstairs and comply with the required width in the building regulations
      2. Other potential options to access the Village Hall loft also to be explored
        • CG showed a video of an electric loft ladder with bannisters
        • theelectricloftladdercompany.com
        • Benefit of ladder taking up space in the loft, not the hall
        • Eaglesfield Village Hall has a bespoke loft ladder; CG to review quality and cost
        • Ladder would need survey: CG to send contractors dimensions / structure of hall
        • Estimated cost around £9k + VAT + installation
        • CG to enquire re maintenance costs
      3. Jubilee Oak tree: NWS can provide a block of granite for the oak. AP to liaise with them to install it
      4. Parish Natural Assets: software on free app iNaturalist can store information on the parish
        1. Map with highlighted items, eg listed buildings, building data, flora and fauna
      5. Drigg Information Board: possible forthcoming application by parishioner to the Charity as a funded project
      6. Newsletter: all in favour of continuing with the Newsletter
        1. Summer issue: due 1st May 2024, before the Annual Parish meeting (due 16th May 2024)
        2. Copy deadline: articles to be submitted by 7th April 2024 for inclusion
      7. Greengarth: plans for hotel not yet submitted; no update from the LDNP. AP to follow up with LDNP to establish whether and when plans are likely to progress
      8. Benches
        1. Shore Road: Stewart Kenyon to add flagstones around the bench on Shore Road to improve accessibility for those with mobility problems
        2. Beach: bench is a hazard with rotten boards and poor foundations
  • Needs to be removed but it is not a PC bench; report to Cumberland Council?
  1. NDA have the lease on the land; AP to ask them to remove and/or replace it
  1. Warm Hub
    1. AgeUK attending on 1st March 2024 10 am to 12 noon to give advice on benefits, etc
    2. Social Prescribing to attend at the end of March to give advice
  2. Interpretation Board: info submitted by Charlotte Rankin of Cumbria Wildlife Trust. CG submitted wording from DCPC with all in favour. SC to pass on to Wildlife Trust
  3. Road to Low Moor: resident complained about the poor state of the road
    1. Road is unadopted; onus falls on residents to repair and maintain it
    2. Parish boundary runs down the centre of the road

 

Action 2/3: CG to establish if the Eaglesfield loft ladder example might meet our requirements and then liaise with the contractors re physical requirements at Drigg with a view to obtaining a quote

Action 2/4: AP to follow up with LDNP to establish whether and when plans for Greengarth are likely to progress

 

Action 2/5: AP to liaise with NDA about removing and /or replacing beach bench

 

  • Drafted response approved

 

 

  • Planning Applications
    1. Scheme of Delegation: approval of document
      1. Clerk to consult the nearest Councillor to the Planning Application site as local residents are most likely to contact their nearest Councillor
      2. Better to share Planning responsibilities among different Councillors
  • Approval proposed by KM, seconded by SC, with all in favour; Chair to sign document
  1. Lake District National Park Authority
    1. 7/2023/4108: Saltcoats Caravan Site, Saltcoats, Holmrook, CA19 1YY. Secondary and emergency access
    2. Secondary access: suggests it will be used all the time
      • Constant usage would be unacceptable as it would cause a legal nuisance to local houses: light pollution, more traffic along narrow roads, noise
  • Emergency access: suggests it will be used only when the extreme high tides prevent cars from using the main entrance and exit, with barrier to stop routine use
    • Emergency access would be acceptable as this should be rarely used
  1. Access can be either secondary or emergency access, not both
  2. Plan fails to show the full extent of the caravan park (more caravans approved to use it)
  3. The house opposite the junction is slightly offset from it but vehicles turning left would cause a light pollution nuisance when their headlights swept around and across the property
  • Resolution that the access should be strictly emergency access only – approved by AP, seconded by SB, with all in favour
  1. Cumberland Council
    1. 4/24/2008/0F1: New House Farm, Drigg. Demolish house, cattle shed, Dutch barn, piggery, stone barn, outbuilding – no details regarding a replacement
      • Application has already been considered
      • DCPC remains opposed to the demolition
      • DCPC wishes to have the stone retained and used to reface a replacement building
    2. 4/24/2020/0F1: Shepherd’s Views Holidays, Drigg. Siting of a static caravan for use of Wardens on site
      • AP declared an interest as he had discussed this matter with the Planning Dept
      • Not a permanent but seasonal residence, not visible from the road
      • Not a greenfield site but outside the permitted development area
      • Mainly to ensure the safety of guests and security of the site
      • DCPC in support of this application with 1 abstention
  • 4/24/2027/0F1: Hawkrigg, Holmrook. Replacement dwelling
    • Dwelling situated behind the Riverside Motor repair garage on a rising plot
    • Rebuild of a house on the same plot as previous house
    • Garage integrated into the new building – lack of space due to being a narrow plot
    • Small windows on the east side to prevent overlooking other properties
    • Drainage system is in place
    • Overall improvement to the property: DCPC in support, with all in favour
  1. 4/24/2029/0F1: Hill Farm, Holmrook. Prior notification application for hay and feed storage associated with farm
    • Situated at the bottom of a bank, not visible from the road
    • Intended for hay/feed storage
    • Specifically not for housing livestock (too close to residents’ housing)
    • DCPC has no objection if the store is not used for livestock, as agreed
      • Occupier has till end of February to apply for retrospective planning permission for buildings to house livestock to amend a previous planning application
  1. 4/23/2365/0F1: Erection of roof over existing midden area, Hill Green, Holmrook
    • Previously discussed application has been updated – arrived too late for this agenda
    • No material difference to the application
    • Document on Surface Water drainage arrangements added to the application
    • No change to the DCPC resolution of January 2024: no objection
  • Cumbria Association of Local Councils
    1. Training: Charitable Trusts and Parish Councils, two webinars on Tuesday 19th and Tuesday 26th March at 7 pm to 8.30 pm via Teams, cost £30 per person
      1. AP to request slides for reference
    2. No new matters: next meeting 14th February 2024

 

  • Reports from Representatives
    1. GDF Mid Copeland Community Partnership
      1. Mid Copeland Rep: DCPC gave permission for the Clerk to continue representing it on the Mid Copeland Community Partnership
      2. Withdrawal sub-group: a sub-committee reviewing the exit strategy applied to the Allerdale Community Partnership exit and how it might be improved, to:
        • Develop an exit strategy which leaves a lasting legacy
        • Recognise the special status of Mid Copeland as the current site of the nuclear waste, regardless of whether the GDF is finally sited here
  • Next meeting: to take place on 6th March 2024 at Calderbridge Village Hall at 7 pm
  1. GDF South Copeland Community Partnership
    1. Withdrawal sub-group: similar aims to the Mid Copeland sub-group
    2. Meetings: reduced to 5 x pa, with Workshops, sub-groups in between
  • New Head of Operations sub-group: John Sutton (Rep for Sustainable Duddon)
    • Governance: Operations sub-group make plans for governance
    • CG a member of the Operations sub-group
  1. Engagement: changing format, more Community Forums planned
  2. Next South Copeland meeting: to take place on 22nd February 2024 at Drigg Village Hall at 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm. The public are welcome to ask questions – see Drigg website

 

  1. NWS / DCPC Liaison
    1. Rebranding: LLWR will officially rebrand as Nuclear Waste Services on 1st April 2024
      • NWS governs the GDF project as well as the LLWR site
      • Proposal to refresh the angled information board outside the Village Hall with new NWS branding and an update of the local information
    2. Minutes: January 2024 draft minutes to be circulated to attendees; to be approved at the next liaison meeting
  • November meeting minutes: available on the Drigg community website
  1. Next NWS / DCPC Liaison meeting: to take place on Tuesday 5th March 2024
  • Agenda for next meeting
    1. Annual Parish Meeting: date agreed 16th May 2024
      1. Potential speaker: ideas invited
    2. AGAR: prepare for the end of the financial year
    3. Co-option of New Councillor

 

  • Date of next meeting
    1. Close: meeting closed 8.30 pm
    2. Next meeting: to be held on 12th March 2024 at Drigg Village Hall at 6.30 pm
    3. Apologies: CG will not be able to attend this meeting and sends apologies

 

 

Karen Warmoth
Parish Clerk
Drigg & Carleton Parish Council
19th February 2024

 

 

Summary of New Actions


Action 2/1: Clerk to ask Highways to extend the 40 mph speed limit from Stubble Green to Seascale

 

Action 2/2: Clerk to send materials to a parishioner re eligibility to become a Parish Councillor


Action 2/3: CG to establish if the Eaglesfield loft ladder example might meet our requirements and then liaise with the contractors re physical requirements at Drigg with a view to obtaining a quote

Action 2/4: AP to follow up with LDNP to establish whether and when plans for Greengarth are likely to progress

 

Action 2/5: AP to liaise with NDA about removing and /or replacing beach bench