Meeting January Agenda

LOWCA PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the parish council meeting held on Wednesday 18^th January 2023 at Lowca Village Hall.

The chair declared the meeting open at 7.30pm.

Present: Cllrs Mercia Oliver (chair), Carley Egan, S Southwell, D Wrench, S McNee,

K Thinnesen, H Thinnesen.

Copeland Borough and Cumbria County Councillors: Mrs G Troughton, shadow Cumberland Councillor, D Banks (CBC)

Apologises. Mrs R Barwell,

Clerk: Mike Milner, Stephen Mason, National Highways

Members of the public, 57 were present.

77.00 Highways England Presentation in respect of the proposed A595 road closure for 10 consecutive weekends commencing 10^th May 2023.

77.01 The clerk thanked the 57 members for their attendance, and introduced Stephen Mason of National Highways. This minute note will not quote the 20 minute presentation word for word, however it will record that it was a very comprehensive presentation, listened to intently by those present. S M with the aid a PowerPoint display went through the planning process, then how it would affect the immediate vicinity and the proposed road closures and the dedicated alternative diversion routes. He explained the road marshalling at entrances to Lowca and Parton, which would be of 24 hours duration during the road closure periods. This was to designed to stop the local roads becoming “rat-runs.” Local residents would be issued with windscreen stickers to confirm their right of access to the enclosed marshalled road sections. If they had 3 or 4 vehicles all would have windscreen stickers. The road closures are due to commence 10^th May from 9pm Friday until 3am Monday mornings. There would be a text alert number which locals could sign up to and that would alert users to variations or issues, which he recommended all subscribed to, it was free.

77.02 There followed a 20 minute Q&A session. All questions were answered in a positive manner, S M confirmed he would return every month to Lowca, Parton, and Low Moresby to update locals of the current progress and plans, plus advise of the local liaison contact names and details, so local residents were not dealing with a central call centre. At 8.10pm the Q&A session was concluded and clerk thanked S M for his attendance and invited the 57 members of the public to remain if they so wished for the remainder of the parish council meeting, all but 2 left the room.

The chair resumed the meeting with 2 members of the public present, one of whom was the new Lowca School Head Teacher, Jennifer Walker, who introduced herself to the councillors and expressed her desire to have more involvement at the school with the local community. The chair welcomed her to the meeting and looked forward to future events.

Page 304 (1 of 3) signed chairman…………………………………………………….15^th Feb’ 2023.

78.00 Apologies for Absence. As noted on page 1.

79.00 Declaration of interest. None

80.00 To approve and accept the minutes of the last meeting held on Wednesday 21^st December 2022, as a true record.

80.01 minutes approved as true record, and duly signed by chair.

81.00 Public Participation.

81.01 No reports and no public participation requested.

82.00 Police Matters.

82.01 Clerk had circulated the e-newsletters issued by Cumbria Police.

83.00 Matters concerning District and County Councillors.

83.01 Cllr G T shadow Cumberland councillor provided an update on all acting officers now appointed in anticipation of the hand over on 1^st April. She highlighted various issues.

83.02 Cllr D B advised that at Copeland all decisions were now being undertaken by the mayor and his cabinet. Various Copeland employees were retiring, or taking alternative employment as the amalgamation into Cumberland Council approached.

Chair thanked them for their contribution and invited them to stay which they did.

84.00 Details of Village Hall Management Committee AGM, 31^st January 2023, commencing 6.30pm.

84.01 Cllr S S advised nothing else to add, other than AGM was being widely promoted.

85.00 Progress reports, clerk.

85.01 with reference to minute 65.00 the sale of the carriageway between Blomfield Nursery to East Road, the clerk had submitted the parish council’s objection based on the objections to it, provided by the CBC’s solicitor, that its sale was not appropriate.

85.02 clerk had submitted the Precept request of £8000 to CBC.

85.03 clerk reported he had exchanged emails with new Lowca head teacher, Jennifer Walker.

85.04 There had been no feed back from Sustrans.

85.05 clerk confirmed that Parton clerk had kept him involved with the recent issue of no spares available for the local bus route vehicles, so a double decker had been used. Issues now resolved.

86.00 Lowca parish councillor reports.

86.01 Cllr D W advised that drains at top of Croft Head View were blocked, water was not draining away and in current cold weather dangerous icy patches were forming. Clerk to report.

86.02 Cllr K H had a play area grant application funding form that required an electronic signature from the chair and clerk, prior to submission, which they would do after the meeting.

86.03 Cllr S M reported that the local prison had sent along an individual to photograph the area of fencing requiring replacing behind the village hall. That project was slowly proceeding. He also reported sighting a car that was parked on a public footpath behind the rugby club. He had reported to the police who had investigated why it was parked there. Car now gone but footpath in need of repair. Images to be supplied and the clerk provided with precise location for him to contact CBC.

86.04 Chair showed the councillors the latest school community leaflet.

Page 305 (2 of 3) signed chairman…………………………………………………….15^th Feb’ 2023.

87.00 Correspondence.

87.01 Invoice received from Copeland for 2022 grass cutting contract. It also included the cost of cutting the pathway between St Bridget’s church to the A595. Clerk to split that cost with Parton, a back charge of £50.85 which he would request. Total invoice inc VAT £862.96.

87.02 On 27^th December clerk had received confirmation from Copeland Estates Department of receipt of the carriageway sale objection. Minute 85.01 refers.

87.03 Clerk confirmed that he had received an email from Cllr D B (CBC) apologising for his recent nonattendance, but he had succumbed to the recent bout of flu. (Attending this evening)

88.00 Payments for approval

IntPay 262 M Milner, clerk, £194.46, salary £175.56, expenses £18.90

IntPay 263 HMRC clerk’s PAYE £24.20p.

IntPay 264 Copeland BC, £862.96 Grass cutting contract and pathway between St Bridget’s and A595.

Bank charges from HSBC for January £5.00.

Clerk advised that with Christmas holidays he had only worked 14 hrs 48 min since the last meeting.

All approved.

89.00 Date and time of next meeting Wednesday 15^th February 2023, 7.30pm in Lowca Village Hall.

Meeting closed 8.37pm.

Page 306 (3 of 3) signed chairman…………………………………………………….15^th Feb’ 2023.

Text content to come.