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Drigg & Carleton Parish Council – Minutes – October 2024

Minutes Uploaded on October 17, 2024

MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 2024 ORDINARY MEETING OF THE

DRIGG & CARLETON PARISH COUNCIL

Held in Drigg Village Hall on 8th October 2024 at 6.30 pm

Attended:          Chris Gigg                                        CG         (Chair)

John Jennings                                 JJ            (Vice-Chair)

Andy Pratt                                       AP          (Ward Councillor)

Jimmy Naylor                                 JN

Keith Murray                                  KM

Martin Clayton                               MC

Sadie Clarke                                    SC

Karen Warmoth                             (Clerk / RFO)

 

Apologies:          Andy McMillan                              AMcM

 

  • Minutes of the previous Ordinary Meeting
    1. Resolution to approve the minutes of the meeting on 10th September 2024. Approval as a true and accurate record proposed by KM and seconded by SC with all in favour; minutes signed by the Chair
  • Apologies for absence: Andy McMillan

 

  • Declarations of interest relating to this agenda
    1. CG declared he had been approached for advice by the Planning applicant’s wife
    2. Otherwise none

 

  • Financial matters
    1. Finance report
      1. Balance: the balance of the Parish Council account is £1,724.10
      2. First Responders: acknowledged receipt of the payment for their CPR training
    2. Consideration of payments
      1. NetWise invoice #3736: payment of £330 + £66 VAT for a total of £396 for website hosting and maintenance from 3 November 2024 to 2 November 2025; approved by AP, seconded by JN with all in favour
      2. Clerk/RFO invoice: invoice for the services of the Clerk/RFO from July to September 2024, gross salary £293.04 (plus a payment of £415.14 for services to the Drigg Charity for which DCPC will be reimbursed by the Drigg Charity). Payment approval proposed by SC, seconded by KM with all in favour
    3. Payments outstanding
      1. DCPC Invoice sent: Drigg Charity billed £415.14 for the services of the Clerk July – September 2024

 

  • Actions and matters arising
    1. 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 – action completed
    2. Action 9/2: SC to obtain a quote from a builder / Haverigg Enterprises regarding a storage shed – action ongoing
    3. Action 9/3: Clerk to order new planters from Earth Anchors (delivery to 1 Boadle Ground, Carleton) – action completed
    4. Action 9/4: AP to approach Drigg YFC and a parishioner regarding VE80 beacon and celebrations – action completed
    5. Action 9/5: Clerk to contact the nominated parishioner regarding the Lord Lieutenant’s celebration – action completed
    6. Action 9/6: Clerk to register MC and SC for CALC training – action completed
    7. Action 9/7: AP to arrange a LLWR site visit for MC – Clerk currently arranging a site visit for all DCPC – action completed

 

Action 10/1: Clerk to co-ordinate a site visit to LLWR for all Councillors

 

  • Cumberland Council
    1. Report
      1. Cumberland Council: nothing to report
      2. South Cumberland Community Panel
        • List of projects which have been funded announced
        • Your Countryside: event on 3rd October 2024 was well attended
      3. Highways
        1. Road closures: currently a major issue
          • Holmrook Hill: closed from Monday 14th October 2024 from 9 am – 3 pm for three days. AP seeking ways to mitigate the traffic disruption
          • LLWR: delivery of large crane postponed due to adverse weather conditions
          • Street lighting: lights replaced in Stubble Green
        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; no data available to share as yet
  • Public Participation: no members of the public came forward

 

  • Main Business
    1. Clerk’s pay: currently paid at Level LC1 – 5 (£12.21 per hour) on the NALC Pay Scales
      1. Resolved that from 1st April 2025 that the Clerk’s pay shall be moved up to Level LC1 – 7 (£12.63 per hour), proposed by JN and seconded by SC with all in favour
      2. Net increase to the DCPC, based on 2023-2024 hours worked, would be £93; increase to be factored into the budget proposals in the November 2024 meeting
  • Clerk’s pay Level to be reviewed annually according to the NALC Pay Scales at the Parish Council AGM from 2026
  1. Community Led Plan: a live document under regular review as the situation changes and actions are completed
    1. Actions: Cllrs to review the CLP actions and comment by email, reporting briefly to the Parish Council only when changes take place
    2. Community support: the actions shall be raised at the Annual Parish meeting for review
  • CG to collate amendments by 15th October 2024

 

Action 10/2: Clerk to circulate the CLP Actions again

 

  1. Overgrown hedge: partially blocking the footpath and the line of sight for cars on the road
    1. AP established that the house is owned by Home Group
    2. Hedge has not been cut for some years and will soon block the footpath
  • Home Group will approach the tenant to ask for the hedge to be cut
  1. Cumberland Council “Licence to Grow” contract
    1. Site visit on 20th September 2024: the site visit went very well
    2. Cumberland Council officials impressed with the site and DCPC plans
  • Five year licence agreed for the concreted area; the rest of the site will take longer
  1. Pre-existing planning condition was for County to remediate the site to grass
  2. DCPC must take care that no residual liabilities fall on the licensee
  3. Ecology considerations may forbid the site being dug over, so it could remain as a conservation site – to be considered by Cumberland Planning Dept
  • Possibility of liaising with NWS to use the site for their ecology credits
  1. Solar panels and battery storage
    1. Application to Haverigg 2 was unsuccessful; the energy audit preparatory work will be used to apply for funds from other sources
    2. Action with Communities application is on a shortlist of three
      • Must be delivered by December to qualify
      • Must be over £25k of energy efficient improvements
      • Consists of: solar panels on the roof, battery back up, thermal black out blinds, automatic doors, push button taps, zoning of heated areas, new thermostats on radiators, insulated doors, etc
      • AP to get two quotes for all goods and installation work, including 10% contingency
  • If this applications fails, South Copeland Community Fund will be considered for funding
  1. Hall Loft project: good idea overall but not currently moving forward
    1. Proposal to form a Working Group to review the many ideas, their costs, pros/cons, etc
    2. Important to exploit the space but also to get long term value for money
  • New suggestion of a spiral staircase from the Gents toilets (showers are rarely used)
    • Suitable for light items and people but not for heavy items
    • Would it be worth buying new, lighter equipment to make storage easier (cheaper than building stairs)?
  1. Can the space provide a return on investment, eg hiring space to external bodies?
  2. Working Group shall explore every idea and compare the pros / cons / costs
  3. Anyone who wishes to be part of the Working Group should contact CG
  • The Working Group will report back to the DCPC

 

Action 10/3: CG to set up a Working Group to progress the Hall Loft project

 

  1. Newsletter: the 2023-24 agreed funding for three issues has now been exhausted
    1. Discussed whether to produce additional issues this financial year
    2. Cost for one page of A4 is £165 for 300 copies; for two pages of A4 £330
  • Feedback on the Newsletter has been very good; it is reaching all parish households
  1. Resolved to seek additional funding to continue producing Newsletters this year
  1. Tubs round the village
    1. Planters on order from Earth Anchors with DCPC name embossed on them
    2. To be delivered to Boadle Ground for storage till March 2025 when ready
  2. Beach benches
    1. Debbie Pearce of NDA Properties met SC to discuss this issue
    2. Benches may be replaced, possibly with a fence to keep the cattle out
      • NDA Properties to liaise with the tenant
  • Turret boarding has gone; turrets in poor condition (the roof is cracked, subsidence)
  1. Turrets to be re-assessed for safety

 

 

  1. VE80 Day: 8th May 2025
    1. AP has arranged with a parishioner to provide a beacon for VE80 Day (DYF to assist)
    2. Resolved not to buy a VE80 flag; use the generic Remembrance flag instead
  2. Any other Parish matters: none raised
  • Received communications
    1. Polling Review sent by Cumberland Council – no change for this parish
    2. Statement of Community Involvement Consultation – 13thSeptember– 25th October 2024
      1. https://www.cumberland.gov.uk/your-council/have-your-say/statement-community-involvement-sci-consultation
      2. Councillors are invited to make individual responses
    3. In response to letter from NWS to CALC (see September 2024 minutes)
      1. Copy of letter from Millom Without Parish to CALC
      2. Copy of letter from Millom Without to NWS
        • Any parishes in the National Park are not in the search area and therefore not eligible to sit on the Community Partnership (though may be affected)
        • AP is the CALC Representative for parishes in the National Park
      3. South Copeland CP: Letter from the Chair regarding payment of Honorarium
        1. The South Copeland Community Partnership Agreement forbids the Chair from receiving payment; a vote on this clause is due at the non-public meeting in Millom
          • CG is unable to attend and delegated his place temporarily to the Clerk
        2. Proposed Honorarium is in lieu of expenses; agreed that the Honorarium should be available to the Chair, even if unclaimed
  • Mid Copeland Community Partnership proposes to put the Chair on the NWS payroll but this would compromise the independence of the role
  1. Response from Cumberland Planning Dept re 4/24/2281/O01, New House Farm, Drigg
    1. No further comment from DCPC
  2. Response from Planning Agent re Ref. 4/24/2293/ON1, Land at Shore Road, Drigg
    1. DCPC happy with clarification provided and support the application; no further comment
  3. NALC: new website from 7th October 2024 – new login procedure required
    1. Details of login procedure sent to all Councillors

 

  • Planning Applications
    1. Cumberland Council:
      1. 4/24/2330/OF1 – Creation of a handling system, Land at Shore Road, Drigg Application by Mr Ireland
        • Clarification provided to DCPC after the prior notification application
        • No further comment; DCPC supports this application
  • Cumbria Association of Local Councils
    1. CALC AGM: Saturday 12th October 2024 at 10.30 am at Newbiggin Village Hall, Penrith
      1. All Cllrs welcome to attend. Booking required

  • Reports from Representatives
    1. GDF Mid Copeland Community Partnership
      1. Refreshed logo and branding, with a demo of the new website to be launched shortly
      2. NWS Property Valuation Protection Scheme (PVP) details presented
        • Those eligible will be recompensed for the actual loss in value on sale
        • The PVP panel will assess applications: 2 NWS members, 3 non-NWS
        • The CEO of NWS will review the Panel’s recommendations and decide on approval
        • PVP scheme remains in place till the Site is chosen or the Partnership is dissolved
  • Single UK-wide policy framework recently published
    • GDF siting process remains unchanged and is an appendix to the policy
    • NWS asked by NDA to consider Near Surface Disposal opportunities
  1. Business: the Community Partnership aims to engage with local businesses
  2. Community Visioning: forums held in the search area, plus a drop-in at the Beacon
  3. Community Investment Fund: total awarded to date is £545,177 (£179,496 pending)
  • NWS asked to confirm NDA position on land holdings around Sellafield regarding GDF
  • Next meeting: to take place on 14th October 2024, 3 pm, St Mary’s Room, Gosforth
  1. GDF South Copeland Community Partnership
    1. CG submitted a report from the 18th September 2024 meeting
    2. Discussion of PVP deferred
  • Flip chart list of points: considered that this system did not reflect what was discussed
    • Suggested that a round up of bullet points be approved at the end of the meeting
  1. CALC: NWS letter to CALC resented by some parishes (see correspondence minute 9.c)
  2. CALC Rep: AP nominated as CALC Rep to SCCP (he is already Ward Cllr)
  3. Visioning: to be given a higher priority with a sub-group to be formed
  • Honorarium: amending the Agreement to permit it to be discussed at the next meeting
  • Next meeting: 16th October 2024 at 5.30 pm at the Guide Hall, Millom
  1. NWS / DCPC Liaison meeting
    1. LLWR propose to do more community engagement in January 2025
    2. Environmental survey to be repeated every 4 months and the report copied to DCPC
  • Site visit agreed for all DCPC Cllrs
  1. Still no clarification on the armed training at Drigg station (CNC / police not involved)
  • Matters to be considered at the next Ordinary Meeting of the Parish Council
    1. Community Led Plan: actions to be reviewed. Brief updates to DCPC
    2. Hall loft project: update from the Working Group
    3. Budget proposals: to be approved for submission to Cumberland Council in January
  • Date of next meeting
    1. Close: meeting closed 8.43 pm
    2. Next meeting: to be held on 12th November 2024 at Drigg Village Hall at 6.30 pm

Karen Warmoth
Parish Clerk
Drigg & Carleton Parish Council
12th October 2023

Summary of Actions

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

Action 10/1: Clerk to co-ordinate a site visit to LLWR for all Councillors

Action 10/2: Clerk to circulate the CLP Actions again

Action 10/3: CG to set up a Working Group to progress the Hall Loft project