Drigg & Carleton Parish Council – Minutes – September 2024

MINUTES OF THE SEPTEMBER 2024 ORDINARY MEETING OF THE

DRIGG & CARLETON PARISH COUNCIL

Held in Drigg Village Hall on 10^th September 2024 at 6.30 pm

Attended: Chris Gigg CG (Chair)

Andy Pratt AP (Ward Councillor)

Jimmy Naylor JN

Keith Murray KM

Martin Clayton MC

Sadie Clarke SC

Karen Warmoth (Clerk / RFO)

Apologies: John Jennings JJ (Vice-Chair)

Andy McMillan AMcM

Minutes of the previous Ordinary Meeting
1. Resolution to approve the minutes of the meeting on 9^th July 2024 with one amendment. Approval as a true and accurate record proposed by KM and seconded by CG with all in favour; minutes signed by the Chair

Apologies for absence: John Jennings, Andy McMillan

Declarations of interest relating to this agenda: none
Financial matters
1. Finance report
  1. Balance: the balance of the Parish Council account is £3,252.10 (£227 remains outstanding to HMRC, less £200 fine)
2. Outstanding payments
  1. First Responders: a CPR / defibrillator training session was provided for the benefit of representatives of numerous village hall user groups; a donation of £100 to the First Responders was proposed by CG and seconded by SC with all in favour
    - “Small Annies”: CPR training dummies bought by the DCCF nine years ago donated to the First Responders for training purposes (to be returned if needed)
  2. Lake District National Park: invoice for the repair of two gates next to the Drigg Holme Packhorse bridge to protect it and keep people safe when using it. To be charged to Parish Maintenance as the bridge is a Parish Scheduled Monument. Cost of materials and labour £1,190 with £238 VAT; total £1,428. Payment proposed by KM, seconded by SC with all in favour

Actions and matters arising
1. Action 7/1: JJ to obtain dimensions of the new screen to ensure the shutters fit round it; JJ confirmed by email that the screen will be made to fit around the shutters – action closed
2. Action 7/2: Clerk to contact First Responders with dates for Defib / CPR training (7^th / 21^st Sept); training took place on 8^th September 2024 – action completed
3. Action 7/3: Clerk to set up new Gmail accounts for Cllrs for DCPC business in case of FoI requests; four Cllrs requested gmail accounts which hare now set up – action completed
4. Action 7/4: Clerk to contact Highways regarding the village grass cutting schedule – email sent – action completed

Cumberland Council
1. Report
  1. Cumberland Council next meeting is on 27^th September 2024
  2. South Cumberland Community Panel meets on 11^th September 2024
2. Highways
  1. Road closures: work begins on the A595 from Holmrook to Muncaster on Monday 30^th September 2024 for up to 7 weeks; remedial work between New Mill and Gosforth from 16^th September 2024 to 21^st September 2024
  2. Wasdale: traffic being monitored in Wasdale by the Lake District National Park Authority to assess whether the shuttle bus scheme has been successful in reducing traffic; AP to feedback results at the next meeting

Public Participation: no members of the public came forward

Main Business
1. Boats for sale in the estuary
  1. Boats for sale have been moored at Ravenglass without permission; the Police are aware and have interviewed the owner
  2. One boat is now submerged and is now a Marine agency matter (danger of leakage of diesel polluting the estuary). No visible leak but diesel smell. Police to follow up with the owner of the moorings

One boat moored on the Drigg & Carleton side without permission; it could be battered against a bridge at high tide / bad weather (risk of pollution of Drigg SSSI). Marine agency have been informed but no response as yet

Cumberland Council “Licence to Grow” contract
1. Cumberland scheme to pass areas of land to the management of local Parish Councils
2. DCPC would licence the Council yard for five years at a peppercorn rent and thereafter hope to benefit from an asset transfer

Plans to use the site as a community garden with raised planters for growing plants and veg, and a covered seating area to view the estuary or use for educational visits

Three sides of the plot covered by the LLWR fence; final roadside fence has 6 ft chain link and posts; some old trees edging the site may need to be pruned back or removed
Site consists of 9.2 acres with ¼ acre of hard standing
Suggested that the project should be managed by a sub-group which reports back to the DCPC; sub-group of interested parishioners already numbers 25 so far

Proposed that the DCPC should sign a licence to take over the site for this project by AP, seconded by SC with all in favour

Solar panels and battery storage
1. AP / SC obtained quotes for a new invertor and new solar panels / zoning the building / battery storage to improve energy efficiency and reduce the Hall’s carbon footprint
2. Project should save £2k per annum in energy costs; cost benefit is positive in 6 – 7 years

Total cost of the project is £13k, of which £4.5k to be sourced from Haverigg 2 funding

If Haverigg 2 funding is refused, possible funding available from ACTion Cumbria
Hall did not qualify for Storm Arwen funding
Permission sought from DCPC as legal owner to implement these changes to the Hall

Project support proposed by JN, seconded by CG with all in favour

Action 9/1: Clerk to draft a letter from DCPC to the Village Hall Management Cttee giving permission to make improvements to the Village Hall

Greengarth
1. Currently up for sale for £3.5m
2. Confirmed that planning application for use as a travel hub for five years by Graham’s contractors is embedded in the sale particulars
Overnight parking at the beach car park
1. Email from a parishioner about anti-social and insanitary behaviour at the beach car park by people staying overnight in camper vans
2. Police Community Support Police Officer Simon Kane will add this area to his patrol and liaise with Sellafield Estates and CNC to increase police visibility to deter such behaviour
Drigg Holme gate
1. Gates at the Drigg Holme Packhorse bridge have been replaced
Shutters
1. The project to replace the shutters over the main hall screen may go ahead
2. Any potential new screen by Cine North will be made to fit around the shutters
Hall Loft project
1. Cost of a loft ladder and/or stairs disproportionate to the small number of heavy items
2. Suggestion that heavy items are stored at the back of the hall in a shed – away from fire doors – so that they don’t need to be carried upstairs

Possibility of a bespoke shed from Haverigg Enterprises to fit the exact space?

Review cost of outside storage – must be weatherproof
SC to measure the space and review timber costs

Action 9/2: SC to obtain a quote from a builder / Haverigg Enterprises regarding a storage shed

Newsletter
1. Draft Newsletter No.3 – Autumn 2024 approved
2. To be sent to Barneys for printing, 300 copies agreed
Tubs round the village
1. SC costed four planter tubs to place around the village: Stubble Green, Saltcoats, church dip and Holmrook bridge layby – total cost of tubs £1,281
2. JN offered to supply flagstones for tubs to rest on for free

DCPC to pay for the tubs embossed with DCPC name and DCCF to fund the plants and compost under the Village Maintenance budget head

Proposed to order the tubs ready for March 2025 by CG, seconded by AP with all in favour

Action 9/3: Clerk to order new planters from Earth Anchors

Beach benches
1. Debbie Pearce of NDA Properties asked to meet to discuss the beach benches
VE80 Day: 8^th May 2025
1. AP to ask a parishioner if he would be willing to arrange a beacon for VE80 Day
2. AP to ask Drigg Young Farmers Club to be involved

Resolved not to buy a VE80 flag; use the generic Remembrance flag instead

Action 9/4: AP to approach Drigg YFC and a parishioner regarding VE80 celebrations

Any other Parish matters: none raised

Received communications
1. Letter from NWS to CALC: NWS working arrangements with Town and Parish Councils in Cumbria
  1. Agreement that if NWS ask Parish Councils to do any work, NWS will fund it
2. NDA Properties: email from Ponsonby Clerk re NDA demolition proposals
  1. Five parishes concerned about the poor stewardship of NDA properties
  2. NDA was asked to list all their properties and indicate their plans

New House Farm and Sandy Acre are the relevant properties in DCPC

Planning Consultation: Proposed Reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the Planning System. Consultation closes on 24^th September 2024
1. Proposals include: increasing planning fees, local plan intervention criteria, appropriate thresholds for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects
2. Some matters not relevant to rural areas

Proposed that Councillors may reply individually

AP and CG invite other interested Councillors to meet to form a Parish reply at Drigg Village Hall on 23^rd September 2024 at 6.30 pm
https://consult.communities.gov.uk/planning/planning-reform/consultation/subpage.2024-07-25.4848821611/
NALC: survey seeking views on this Government consultation (closed 9^th Sept 2024)
- https://www.nalc.gov.uk/news/entry/2977-nalc-seeks-views-on-government%E2%80%99s-nppf-consultation
Cumberland Council Planning policy update
1. Cumberland Local Plan: email received to indicate work beginning on a review of the local plan
  - https://www.cumberland.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/planning-policy/local-plan
2. Copeland Local Plan 2021-2038: expected to be adopted later this year
Lord Lieutenant – 50^th Anniversary of Cumbria – guest list nominations
1. Letter requesting nominated guests for celebration at Carlisle Cathedral, 4^th Oct 2024
2. Local person suggested as a potential nominee – Clerk to contact that person
Property Valuation Protection Scheme: launched 30^th August 2024
1. Guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/property-value-protection-scheme
2. Scheme ends when a site is chosen for the GDF headworks

Scheme is intended for those with a compelling need to sell (both Community Partnerships will have presentations on this scheme and will report back)

Cumbrian White-tailed Eagle project: materials relating to this project available on the website
1. Information placed on the website drigg.org.uk

Action 9/5: Clerk to contact the nominated parishioner regarding the Lord Lieutenant’s celebration

Planning Applications
1. Cumberland Council:
  1. 4/24/2281/O01 – Outline application for the erection of two modern agricultural sheds and farmhouse building (all matters reserved except for access), New House Farm, Drigg. Application by the NDA
    - Only an outline, detailed plan is to follow; no indication of the materials to be used
    - The SSSI at Drigg Dunes has been omitted from the application
    - Suggests an agricultural usage but there is no restrictive covenant to that effect
    - The ecology report provided expired in May 2024; a new one is required
  2. 4/24/2293/ON1 – Prior notification of agricultural development – creation of handling pens, Land at Shore Road, Drigg. Application by Mr Ireland
    - To be situated near Sandy Acre, so not on the Drigg SSSI
    - Clarification needed on whether sheep will be dipped on this site, and if so, what will happen to the effluent afterwards?
    - What drainage provision will be made for the run off?
    - If these issues resolved, DCPC would have no objection

Cumbria Association of Local Councils
1. Training
  1. Chair’s role: no convenient dates at present. To review when the next tranche of training dates is published
  2. New Councillors: SC and MC are able to attend on 21^st November 2024 and 28^th November 2024 – Clerk to register both for this training

Free Clerk training: CALC are offering free training for Clerks on 22^nd October 2024 and 5^th November 2024; Clerk has registered

CALC AGM: Saturday 12^th October 2024 at 10.30 am at Newbiggin Village Hall, Penrith
1. All Cllrs welcome to attend. Booking required
CALC Board members: Andy Pratt (DCPC) and Doug Sim (St Bees PC) elected uncontested
Report: next meeting the AGM on 12^th October 2024

Action 9/6: Clerk to register MC and SC for CALC training

Reports from Representatives
1. GDF Mid Copeland Community Partnership
  1. Next meeting: to take place on 11^th September 2024
  2. Property Valuation Protection Scheme: launched by NWS according to the same principles employed by other large construction projects
2. GDF South Copeland Community Partnership
  1. CG submitted a report from the 14^th August meeting
  2. Non Parish Council members no longer have an expiring term of office

Presentation outlining the Development Consent Order (DCO) process

Target date of 2029 to start borehole drilling (3 years collecting data, 2 years review)
DCO process then to be repeated for the GDF itself
CG has been accepted onto the CIF Panel

Next meetings
- 18^th September 2024 online only (but the minutes will be on the website)
- 16^th October 2024 at 6.30 pm at the Guide Hall, Millom

NWS / DCPC Liaison meeting
1. Grahams contractors want to bring 25 lorry loads of aggregate through the village
2. Starts week beginning 16^th September 2024 with 2-3 days per week of five loads per day, total 25 loads

Contractors asked to avoid curfew times, eg school bus time

Why by road, not by rail? Quantities involved not large enough to justify rail transport
MC asked about his proposed LLWR site visit – AP to follow up with arranging this

Action 9/7: AP to arrange a LLWR site visit for MC

Matters to be considered at the next Ordinary Meeting of the Parish Council
1. Community Led Plan: actions to be circulated
Date of next meeting
1. Close: meeting closed 8.37 pm
2. Next meeting: to be held on 8^th October 2024 at Drigg Village Hall at 6.30 pm

Karen Warmoth
Parish Clerk
Drigg & Carleton Parish Council
15^th September 2024

Summary of Actions