Meeting October 2023

LOWCA PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the parish council meeting held on Wednesday 18^th October 2023 at 7.30pm in Lowca Village Hall.

The chair declared the meeting open at 7.30pm.

Present: Cllrs M Oliver(chair), R Barwise (vice-chair), C Egan, B Ennis, S McNee, T Milligan, H Thinnesen, K Thinnesen.

Cumberland Councillor, Mrs Gillian Troughton (from 7.38pm).

Apologies.

Clerks, M Milner & J Coltman.

Members of the public: None

222.00 Apologies.  Cllr Egan would need to leave the meeting for a period, but would return.

223.00 Declaration of interest. None

224.00 To approve and accept the minutes of the last meeting held on Wednesday 20^th September 2023, as a true record.

224.01 Minutes had been circulated to Cllrs before the meeting, approved by the Council and signed by Chair.

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

226.00 Police Matters.

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

227.00 Matters concerning Cumberland Councillor.

227.01 Councillor G T was not present.

228.00 Applications for development.

228.01 4/23/2283/OF1 Agricultural Shed, Highview, Mill Lonning. Resolved to offer no objections.

229.00 Receive and approve the audited half-year accounts for 2023/24.

229.01 Resolved to approve the accounts.

230.00 Arrangements for November 12^th Remembrance Day wreath laying.

230.01 The Clerk had ordered and paid for the wreaths. The Chair would give a wreath to the school who would lay it on 10^th. The Chair would lay the Council’s wreath on 12^th.

(7.38pm Cllr G Troughton arrived)

Page 338 (1 of 3) signed chairman……………….………………………………………….20^th Dec’ 2023.

231.00 New Clerk and Chair to sign the contract of employment.

231.01 The new Clerk and the Chair both signed copies of the contract of employment. One for retention by the Clerk, the other to be held in the Council’s records.

231.02 The Chair welcomed the new Clerk to the Council.

231.02 Clerk (MM) confirmed that he had brought all records, laptop and printer to be handed over at the end of the meeting.

232.00 Platinum Garden and Millenium Garden Updates

232.01 RB thanked BE for cutting the Platinum Garden

233.00 Parish Councillor Vacancy.

233.01 No poll had been requested so the Council could co-opt.

233.02 An expression of interest had been made to the Chair. They would need to email the Clerk.

234.00 Report on Village Hall table top sale.

234.01 SM said that they had raised £154.35 which was good considering the bad weather on the day. Footfall was down and the stall holders wanted another one for November 26^th, as Christmas Fayre. The income had been boosted by teas and coffees, raffle and tombola. They planned additional advertising for the next event.

234.02 The hall AGM was on 30^th October.

235.00 Progress Report, Clerk.

235.01 The Clerk had written to Sarah Mitchell to request that funds from the Howgate partnership be released for the play area but had received no response. Resolved the new Clerk would write to Moresby Parish Council who were holding the funds, to request a share is released for the project.

236.00 Lowca Parish Councillor Reports.

236.01 RB asked who had cut the path from the A595 to the church, as the church had not been cut. New Clerk would check with Open Spaces.

236.02 RB asked about bank signatories, the Clerk said that it should be sorted within 14 days.

236.03 RB said that due to problems at the church hall they had been helped by Stephen at the village hall and groups had used their facility instead. She hoped that this would increase awareness and usage of the village hall in future.

236.04 SM said that the lamp post by the Old Chapel was out again and it was a dangerous area. It would be reported by the Clerk.

(7.56pm Cllr CE left the meeting)

236.05 SM asked when the road from the A595 would be fixed.

236.06 BE said that his privet hedge had been affected when it had been cut back. There were gaps and something needed to be done. The Clerk said that we would need to contact Mark Bell who had done the work.

236.07 TM said that there was no flag up at the war memorial and there should be one for 11^th November. BE said that he would be very surprised if David didn’t get one up for then. The Chair said that she was sure that there would be a flag up and she takes her hat off to

Page 339 (2 of 3) signed chairman……………….………………………………………….20^th Dec’ 2023.

David who has paid for them himself. BE added that David had also paid for the flag pole himself. BE offered to put a Union Flag up. The Clerk asked the Chair to contact David to let him know that it had been raised at the meeting. SM said that it may be that due to the bad weather the flag had been taken down.

237.00 Correspondence.

237.01 Email regarding the Holiday Park. A new home owner had not been aware that there was a holiday park when he bought the house. They had been advised to speak to their solicitor as this was not a Parish Council matter.

237.02 50% of the footbridge insurance had been paid by Parton Parish Council.

237.03 The clerk had suggested that the traffic survey in East Road should be carried out in the spring.

237.04 Sustrans have some suggested track changes but have no funds for this year, they will look again at next year’s budget.

237.05 Invoice received for £100 towards the contribution towards work carried out on the footpath and hedges.

237.06 Invoice for April-Oct room hire for £144

237.07 Email offering training on a Climate and Carbon Literacy Course at £115 per delegate.

237.08 Fibrus email regarding work being carried out.

237.09 Invoice for £30 from the internal auditor.

237.10 Email from the head of the School regarding the laying the wreaths which has been responded to.

237.11 BE asked if the contractors (A E Yates) could be asked to do something with the lonning, even rough stone. The new Clerk would ask if there was any left over hardcore or similar that could be left. BE said that there was fly tipping on Wardle lonning that he would report.

238.00 Payments for Approval

Intpay M Milner: £348.44 Salary, £115.75 expenses, Total £464.19.

Intpay HMRC: £67.40

Intpay Lowca Village Hall: Room Hire £144.00, Contribution to Community Payback Team £100.00, Total £244.00

Intpay Simone Morgan: Internal Audit £30.00

Resolved to approve the payments.

239.00 Date and time of next meeting.

Confirmed as Wednesday 15^th November 2023, 7.30pm in the Village Hall.

The meeting closed at 8.06pm

After the close of the meeting, Michael Milner was thanked for his nine years of service to the parish and presented with cards and gifts from the Councillors.

Page 340 (3 of 3) signed chairman……………….………………………………………….20^th Dec’ 2023.