Village Hall at Mungrisdale Parish Council
Troutbeck Camping and Caravanning Club Site, Hutton Moor end, Troutbeck, Penrith, CA11 0SX
Tel: 017687 79149
Minutes of the Mungrisdale Parish Council held on Monday 14th September 2009 in Mungrisdale Village Hall .
Present
Chair Lesley Smith
Councillors Adam Beeston, David Huxley, Jennifer Stevenson, Ernie Teasdale, Bob Watt, Ronnie Wilson
Cumbria County Council Roy Fisher
09/075 Apologies for absence
Cumbria Police Andy Holliday Mike Bohling
Eden District Council Roy Fisher
09/076 Minutes
Resolved by unanimous agreement that the minutes of the meeting held on 13th July 2009 be signed by the Chair as a true record
09/077 News from EDC / CCC / Cumbria Police
i.) Bert Richardson announced Cumbria County Council is recruiting a new chief executive
ii.) A new multi-million pound mechanical bio-treatment works is being planned for Cumbria which uses state of the technology and should save considerably on landfill costs
iii.) The Carlisle Northern Development Route has been agreed
iv.) Eden District Council has a new leader, Mr Keith Phillips
v.) There have been a number of calls to the police regarding scrap men operating in the area
vi.) Swineside continues to be an issue for the police, weather depending
vii.) The recent breakdown of reports reaching the Neighbourhood Watch system appears to have been an oversight and should hopefully not recur
09/078 Public Participation
The Chairman adjourned the meeting to allow electors present an opportunity to raise issues of concern or interest. The following matters were raised:
i.) How does the Neighbourhood Watch scheme operate? What happens if the local contacts are on holiday at the time?
ii.) A parishioner referred to item 09/088 on the agenda and urged the Parish Council to get all three telephone boxes in the parish listed with National Heritage
iii.) Referring to item 09/084 it was explained that in the early stages of the Pinfold project the subject of planning permission to turn the pinfold into a community garden was raised but deemed unnecessary as it was already a community area.
iv.) The subject of the fell ponies was raised by a concerned parishioner. There have been a lot of foals born this year but the castration process is in progress.
v.) Councillor Bert Richardson requested feedback on the Highways Steward and was told that the steward is very effective in what he manages to achieve but he has far too big an area to cover. Mr Richardson explained that the areas covered are constrained by budget but he would support any proposals for an increase.
vi.) It was reported to the council that the area on the corner of the bungalow leading to the postbox in Mungrisdale floods immediately after rain.
vii.) The question was asked as to why there was no boon night in Mungrisdale this year and the response was that there was no enthusiasm for it. A suggestion was made that the council put an item on the March 2010 agenda to discuss employing a contractor to maintain the parish land next summer.
09/079 Declaration of interest
Councillor Jennifer Stevenson declared an interest in item 09/088 as a commoner.
Councillor Lesley Smith declared an interest in item 09/081 as a member of the Northern Fells committee.
09/080 Accounts
Payments
Resolved that the following accounts be paid:
United Utilities Mungrisdale Garden Ground
Field 7264 (Direct Debit) £20.77
United Utilities Liscow (Direct Debit) £12.75
Councillors agreed that a quote from Alan Tiffin Joinery of £450.00 for a replacement noticeboard and header should be accepted. There was some confusion as to which noticeboard was next on the list to be replaced as the agenda referred to Bowscale but some councillors believed Berrier had been the agreed location. The clerk will refer back to previous minutes but the project can go ahead and Andrew Tiffin can be commissioned to commence work on the noticeboard.
Report on income received and current financial position
Income Received:
Monies received from car parks £314.00
Financial Update
An update was given on the financial position of the parish council and the council bank balance – including the reported transactions - currently stands at just over £6,000.
09/081 Northern Fells Group
A request was made from the Northern Fells Group for increased funding which would not be specifically for the minibus. The parish council felt that the recent budgeted increase from £200 to £300 was generous and it was unanimously agreed that this amount should be granted to the charity.
09/082 Planning Applications Received
· 09/0432 – Mr and Mrs R Wilson, application for Scales Plantation – Erection of 2 timber lodges, associated facilities and use of land for the stationing of shepherds huts. There were no objections from the council.
09/083 Planning Applications Decisions
· 7/2009/3065 – Mr Damien Millar, application for Eycott Farm, Berrier – roof over existing midden. Permission granted with 4 conditions.
· 7/2009/3043 – Mr D Scott, application for Stewart Hill Cottage, Hesket Newmarket – extension to provide sun room. Granted with 2 conditions.
09/084 Pinfold Planning Enforcement Issue
An e-mail was read out from Bill Murray, the Planning Enforcement Officer at the Lake District National Park Authority regarding the area known as the Pinfold in Mungrisdale. There has been an allegation of a change of use from a field to a community garden without planning permission and Mr Murray was investigating the complaint. Prior to the meeting the Chairman had received a telephone call from a long-standing parishioner and ex-clerk of the parish council who was of the opinion that the area has been used as a garden in some form or another for at least the past thirty years. The clerk will respond to Mr Murray with as much documentary evidence as can be provided, including photographs, to dispute there has been a change of use.
09/085 Eycott Farm Update
Lesley Smith and Michael Bohling attended the appeal hearing regarding the enforcement order on the static caravan sited at Eycot Farm in Berrier and within a few days the appeal was dismissed. The owner has until midnight on 15th September to remove the caravan which at the time of the meeting was still in situ. The Enforcement Officer for Eden District Council will visit the site on the morning of September 16th to see if the order has been complied with and if not will take ensuing action. He is hoping the owner will respond without the need for the District Council to remove the caravan.
09/086 Berrier Hill Wind Farm Public Enquiry
Lesley Smith on behalf of the parish council will be presenting a statement opposing the wind farm on Wednesday 16th September – a draft is available for councillors. The enquiry is not going according to plan for the opposing parties as the key landscape architect for Eden District Council and the Lake District National Park Authority is ill and will be unable to continue with the case at present. The Inspector will have to decide whether the enquiry is to be deferred as the landscape architect’s evidence will be unavailable. It is unclear whether Eden District Council will appoint a replacement.
09/087 Highways Update
i.) Work has not yet been undertaken on the drainage at Syke’s Brow and the step at the top of the road in Bowscale
ii.) The constructional work at the narrows cannot be carried out without closing the road but this should only be for a few days. The work is scheduled for towards the beginning of October
iii.) The work on the Scales road is ongoing
iv.) Hedgecutting needs to be done along the narrows
v.) The drainage problem at Hutton Roof has a job number but is not a high priority
vi.) Various potholes need filling
vii.) The railing needs repairing at the corner near the village hall
The steward’s next visit is week commencing 12th October. David Huxley will meet with him.
09/088 BT Proposal to Remove Phone Boxes at Mosedale and Hutton Roof
A notice recently appeared in the phone boxes at Mosedale and Hutton Roof advising that the box was up for adoption by the local Town, Parish or Community Council due to its lack of use. The adoption scheme involves paying £1 to retain just the kiosk without accompanying telephony. Alternatively there is a sponsorship scheme which for £300 + VAT per year will maintain the kiosk with telephony. No sooner had the notice appeared than the cash box at the Mosedale kiosk was removed and replaced by card payment mechanism. Alan Houghton, Eden District Council’s Economic Regeneration Officer, has requested the Parish Council:
i.) Send a request to English Heritage to get the boxes listed (including Mungrisdale)
ii.) Suggest any additional reason other than being in a tourist spot why the phone box should be retained in full working order
iii.) Explain how a kiosk would be maintained if it were adopted
A letter from a parishioner was read out outlining several reasons why the Mosedale telephone box was essential, including the use by emergency services when their own equipment has struggled with a reception and the downtime suffered by local residents of household lines after periods of heavy rain. The last time this issue arose about five years ago the parish council sent out letters to various people petitioning they support keeping the telephone boxes. Some residents of Hutton Roof have expressed a wish to adopt their telephone box, covering any cost and resource required to maintain it. It is felt the kiosk is a focal point for the area and the mobile reception is poor.
Councillors unanimously agreed the clerk should send letters to the same contacts as last time round and that Alan Houghton should be asked to get all three telephone boxes listed.
09/089 Hutton Roof Footpath
The Lake District National Park ranger has replaced the gate across the road to the stile and has reinforced some fencing. Due to the recent poor weather any work on the path has been impossible.
09/090 Correspondence
09/091 Next meeting – Monday 10th November 2009 Mungrisdale 7.30pm