Meeting July Agenda

LOWCA PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the parish council meeting held on Wednesday 19^th July 2023 7.30pm at Lowca Village Hall.

The vice-chair declared the meeting open at 7.30pm in the absence of the chair.

Present: Cllrs Mrs R Barwise (vice-chair) acting chair, S McNee, B Ennis, T Milligan.

Cumberland Councillor, not present.

Apologises. Cllrs Miss M Oliver(chair), D Wrench (LPC), Mrs Gillian Troughton.

Clerk, M Milner. No members of the public.

184.00 Apologises.  As noted above.

185.00 Declaration of interest. None

186.00 To approve and accept the minutes of the last meeting held on Wednesday 21^st June 2023, as a true record.

186.01 Minutes had been circulated to Cllrs before the meeting. Chair asked for a show of hands for those in favour of acceptance, unanimous vote in favour, duly approved and signed by chair.

187.00 Public Participation.  No reports from last meeting and no public present tonight.

188.00 Police Matters.

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

189.00 Matters concerning Cumberland Councillor.  Not present.

190.00 Applications for development. None.

191.00 Receive and approve first quarter parish accounts 1^st April – 30^th June 2023. Documents circulated prior to the meeting.

191.01 Clerk confirmed all docs’ circulated before the meeting and no questions had been raised by any councillors present or absent. Clerk provided the bank statements confirming the opening and closing balances were as per the ledger figures, vice chair initialled the statement to confirm her agreement and Cllrs approved the accounts unanimously.

192.00 Latest update on Moresby Viaduct completion. Footpath refurbishment between the church and A595.

192.01 Vice-chair Cllr R B had attended a presentation at Moresby WI at which Steve Mason, National Highways, the project manager for the Moresby Viaduct, had provided an update on the projects progress. He had confirmed that the weekend road closures would cease after this coming weekend 22/23 July. Cllr R B had thanked him for the new fence by the grass pathway and tried to get confirmation that the road down from the A595 down past Moresby Hall, the church and down the hill to the Lowca and Parton road junction, which has been damaged by lorries turning to approach the Moresby Hall site entrance track from the easier approach, would be resurfaced. At the meeting he had only committed to resurface from the A595 to the church. Cllr felt that he and his team were not making proper reparation of the carriageway.

Page 329 (1 of 4) signed chairman……………….………………………………………….20^th Sept’ 2023.

192.02 There was an exchange about the damage and that the clerk should obtain images of the problems and make appropriate representation to National Highways about the damage and whose responsibility it was to repair. Cllr B E asked if it was OK for him to visit the site over the next couple of days to seek a meeting with the project team there. Cllrs thought that would be appropriate.

192.03 Cllr R B confirmed that during the presentation by S M he did confirm that widening road junctions and providing a pedestrian crossing were part of an ongoing study of the road.

193.00 Millenium Garden play area refurbishment by Playdale, progress report.

193.01 clerk confirmed he had paid 50% of the repair cost £1430.10 to Playdale for the Millenium Garden equipment repair. It was scheduled to be undertaken this week; from the phone conversation he had had with Playdale staff. He would be chasing for the repair’s early completion.

194.00 Lowca Show 26^th August update.

194.01 Cllr S M confirmed that he would promote on the community page and clerk confirmed that he would be putting in the promotion in the Lowdown he was compiling. The clerk confirmed he had ordered the required rosettes and gold, silver and bronze award certificates. He had not ordered any judges rosettes this year. Cost £60.47 to be reclaimed in clerk’s expenses.

194.02 Cllr S M also advised that the Village Hall Committee were organising a Table Top sale for 24^th September, which a promotion had been created and he would forward to the clerk for the next edition of the Lowdown.

195.00 Platinum Garden report.

195.01 Cllr R B advised that Cllr B E had cut the various edge areas of the wild flower meadow on the corner of Stamford Hill, and also the other areas that were suitable for his tractor mower. Now he knew what was required cutting, he would undertake the tasks when he cut his own grassed areas. Cllr R B thanked him for his contribution and also the fact he had as promised cut down the three tree stumps.

195.02 Cllr R B said that the area needed more yellow rattle seeds to reduce the amount of grass. Which she would organise when sowing was appropriate. Seeds sown earlier this year had suffered from the unusual prolonged drought period, not west Cumbria weather.

196.00 Lowca Lowdown. Summer edition.

196.01 clerk has the majority of the material received. He just has to compile it. Cllr G T (CC) had provided a distribution list for the local church magazine. There was a discussion about who would distribute to which areas. Acting chair Cllr R B made notes as to who would undertake what and would forward to Cllr M O to aid her with the distribution when they were received from the printer.

197.00 Progress reports, clerk.

197.01 Clerk confirmed that he had responded to the Highgate/Distington Locality Funds immediately after the last meeting, email had been circulated to all Cllrs. He was still awaiting a response.

Page 330 (2 of 4) signed chairman……………….………………………………………….20^th Sept’ 2023.

197.02 clerk had again for the second time requested from the parish insurers, Zurich, for the breakdown of the premium cost for the footbridge insurance to split 50/50 with Parton Parish council.

197.03 The fallen school warning opposite 10 Ghyll Grove, minute 179.02 refers, was still awaiting repair, which had been promised by end of June. Clerk to continue chasing.

197.04 Clerk had received further Pecuniary Interest forms, which he would send to Cumberland Council, Copeland office.

197.05 Further to minute 180.02, the clerk had investigated Stamford Hill, unadopted road ownership. It is not Cumberland Council’s. He had advised Cllrs by email of his results on 30^th  June and that it was not a parish council issue. Owners of the properties must make their own investigations through appropriate legal channels.

197.00 Lowca Parish Cllrs reports.

197.01 Cllr B E raised the issue of a “temporary” car park for use by the school parents. It was something discussed many years ago. Clerk advised certainly pre-July 2014 when he took over. Cllr T M advised that this has been discussed since then, he had the record on his phone and would provide the information to the clerk. Who would then investigate and update Cllrs.

197.02 Acting chair Cllr R B advised that the “unofficial” waste bin in the entrance to the holiday park had disappeared. Clerk reminded Cllrs it was on private property, that Copeland Council as it was had advised that the parish council were actually encouraging fly tipping, so although it had remained for some months and had been emptied, the parish council could take no further action. Cllrs to monitor rubbish being dumped in that area, but currently clean.

197.03 Clerk read a brief update from Chair Cllr M O, and she is chasing the repositioning of the deer signs and the replacement Lowca village sign.

198.00 Correspondence.

198.01 Moores, government auditors, have acknowledged the receipt of the year end accounts for 2022/23.

198.02 Clerk had received a notice of resignation from Cllr D W, he is moving back to Anglesey. Acting chair wished minutes to record his successful contribution to the community whilst he has been a councillor.

198.03 clerk had received an email concerning the Civility and Respect campaign. He had circulated the email and it will be an agenda item for September meeting. It will reinforce the new Code of Conduct and be a public face to indicate the parish council was aware of such thinking and adopting it.

198.04 Nalc and Calc, the bodies that represent the parish councils across England and Wales are keen to see a partial return of virtual meetings.

198.05 The clerk had that afternoon circulated an email about Connecting Cumbria and had drawn all councillor’s attention to the phone landline changes that are being implemented in 2025. It will affect everyone with a physical phone line and phone in their property, not mobile phones.

198.06 Clerk pointed out that no meeting in August, but there was a requirement by HMRC PAYE legislation that a submission has to be made, in August he will make a payment for 10 hours worked.

Page 331 (3 of 4) signed chairman……………….………………………………………….20^th Sept’ 2023.

198.07 Clerk announced that he and his wife were in the process of buying a property in Carlisle. This decision had been brought about by his wife’s medical issues and being closer to their daughter. He had been Lowca clerk since July 2014 but to continue would mean a one-hour journey in both directions plus a mileage cost of 70 miles rather than the current 14 miles. He had an experienced clerk who was prepared to take on the position later in 2023.

198.08 Cllr B E pointed out only 4 councillors at the meeting, an opportunity to meet the proposed new clerk and attended by my councillors would be appropriate. Clerk did not disagree, he just wanted to ensure that the parish council were not left with no clerk or an inexperienced individual as current clerking was no longer the case of taking notes and writing them up. Legislation now dictated it was a more arduous commitment than a simple part-time occupation.

199.00 Payments for approval

IntPay 281 M Milner, clerk, £332.71, salary £253.34, expenses £79.77

IntPay 282 HMRC clerk’s PAYE £43.60

Bank charges from HSBC for July £5.00.

All approved.

200.00 Date and time of next meeting Wednesday 20^th September 2023, 7.30pm in Lowca Village Hall.

Meeting closed 8.26pm.

Page 332 (4 of 4) signed chairman……………….………………………………………….20^th Sept’ 2023.

Text content to come.