Skelsmergh and Scalthwaiterigg Parish Council

Skelsmergh and Scalthwaiterigg Parish Council

Chair: Councillor Lucien Procter

Annual Report 2013 / 2014

Membership

The Parish Council has had one change to the membership of Councillors during the year - Councillor Kearon McNicol stood down in September 2013 and Janet Taylor-Heyswas co-optedonto the Council in November 2013. The Parish Council membership at the end of the year is:

Councillor: / Ward / Tel No. / Address
Lucien Procter (Chair) / Skelsmergh / 723341 / Hipshow Farm, Patton
John Chapman (Vice Chair) / Skelsmergh / 731863 / 1 Oakbank House, Skelsmergh
Mary Chapman / Skelsmergh / 731863 / 1 Oakbank House, Skelsmergh
Tim Maggs / Skelsmergh / 823611 / Brantrigg, Skelsmergh
Hermann Moisl / Scalthwaiterigg / 232339 / 24 Mealbank
Alison Semple / Skelsmergh / 726121 / 1 Kilncroft, Skelsmergh
Janet Taylor-Heys / Scalthwaiterigg / 739809 / Upper House
1 Mealbank Old School
Clerk to the Council:
Karen Little  01539 823706 

Councillors take a lead for the various committees and work groups – details on the progress made for each of the work areas is given below. A new Clerk joined the Council in January 2014, when Dave Clarke retired from the post to focus on his career as a solicitor.

Meetings

The Council has met seven times including the AGM. At all ordinary meetings members of the public are able to raise issues and ask questions to the Council during the Open Forum agenda item. The issues raised this year concerned: planning applications, highways/footpath, street lighting, hedge heights and possible sites for allotments.

We are grateful to our Police Community Support Officer (PCSO, Cumbria Constabulary) Martin Boak

for his continued attendance and updates on local police matters; to Chris Holland (District Councillor – SLDC) for his ongoing support and contribution to Parish business; and also to Vanessa Eaves –Butterworth (Age UK South Lakeland) for her information (July 2013)on her role and offer of help to residents who may fell socially isolated.

Finance

The major spend this year was onwoodland repairs (fencing and new gate), street lighting and,a new undertaking this year, the parish walk leaflets. Additional income was generated through the sale ofhoney, firewood, bean pole and pea sticks from the parish woodlands. The financial report for the year ending 31 March 2014will be made available once the external audit process is complete.The balance/carry forward may seem relatively high, however, this arises from some delayed payments in the transition between two clerks.The Council is considering contributing to the cost of remedial works to restore two Parish World War One memorials (agenda item at the May meeting). The Council has agreed a precept of £3,462.24 for 2014 /2015.

Planning

The Council is consulted by both the District Council and County Council on planning issues affecting the Parish. All applications to the District Council in the Parish are reported to the Council at its meetings and are recorded in the minutes. There was a total of 28planning applications discussed by the council during this year. The Council passed on their, and local residents’ concerns (mostly this related to light pollution) or support/no objections, as appropriate.

Community

• Skelsmergh Community Hall

The community report once again concentrates around the community hall - it continues to be widely used by the local community as well as those from out with. There are a number of regular classes which are well attended by local residents as well as those from Kendal and further. In addition, regular functions and events have occurred for all ages. Comments and feedback received is positive and our facilities are considered good value for money as well as of the highest standard. A familiar group of people volunteer to maintain and run the hall, no one is paid and some give a great deal of time to provide this service to the community.

Financially - accounts completed but as AGM yet to be held have not been issued - the income generated has been steady comparative to previous years, majority from rental with additional from grants, fundraising and donations. The facility still remains dependant on grants for large maintenance and work.

• New joint website

This year the management committee, led by Neil MacKenzie, have led a project to redevelop the Community Hall and Parish Council joint website. Employing a developer - an easily accessible,user friendly and group linked facility has been created. This combined with an online booking system for hall rental should ensure community communication and information is easily reached by all. It is hoped ‘Go-live’ date will be soon, a delay has been incurred due to some technical challenges. The new website has been funded by the Community Hall with a grant from the Local Area Partnership (LAP).

• Future plans

Plans for the coming year includes a continuation of regular fixtures, classes and events open to all; the completion of the website (to include an online booking system for hall hire); general maintenance keeping facilities up to scratch and in good working order and painting and decorating.

Communications

Work has been undertaken to initiate and progress towards the creation of a Neighbourhood Plan for the parish, as documented in the Parish Council (PC) minutes for the past year. An application to be designated as a Neighbourhood Area has been lodged with the SLDC, and a draft Neighbourhood Plan which has been discussed by the PC and revised in the light of those discussions has been compiled and will be available for consultation by parish residents once Neighbourhood Area status has been granted.Arrangements are being made to discuss the process and details with the District Council as soon as possible.

Councillor Moisl has offered to be webmaster of the new/joint Community Hall and Parish Council website. As soon as the technical details are resolved by the designer, Councillor Moisl will be configuring the site to best serve the needs of the parish, and will thenceforth be responsible for maintaining it.

Environment

• Group membership

There are nine members who meet regularly to plan and discuss matters concerned with the parish environment, the parish woodlands and wider issues, as identified in the Community Plan 2009. Two parish councillors attend all meetings. This group forms the core of volunteers who help to keep the parish clear of litter, maintain the footpaths and report problems with footpaths, wildlife or pollution. The group is grateful to the PC for financial support with projects.

• Litter Clearing

We have had the usual autumn and spring litter clearing days, combining with Selside Parish again to make sure that the A6 verges and laybys were comprehensively cleaned. A small group of regular volunteers turn out to do a very worthwhile job. On Sunday 23rd March the total amount collected in the two parishes was 40 bags of litter mostly flung from passing cars. There is a continuing problem of fly tipping on Paddy Lane, which we are monitoring.

• Footpaths

Footpaths in the parish are generally in a good state; the notable exception are usually caused by flooding. Action to repair fingerposts and stiles no longer takes place promptly, if at all. Countryside Action team are less proactive than they used to be. Stiles which are broken are not repaired after notification. This leaves us with a difficulty about the level of voluntary work required to tackle small scale maintenance e.g. overgrown brambles. The next footpath maintenance walk will be on Sunday 1st June 2014.

• Parish Walks

This year’s walk took place on Sunday 13th April 2014. Tony Cousins led this walk which is featured in the Five Parish Walks leaflet. We had a good turnout on a bright but blustery day, finishing with refreshments at the Community Hall. This event celebrated the publication of the walks - leaflets have now been distributed to all households in the parish. They provide an excellent encouragement for our parishioners to explore and understand the local environment. We are grateful to Tony Cousins for his research and inspiration in producing The Walks.

• Allotments

We continue to press for the provision of allotments in the vicinity of Mealbank, awaiting a response from the Stephenson Trust with interest.

• Parish Bird survey

We are carrying out a small scale bird survey, asking parishioners who are subscribers to the Community News to note and identify garden birds spotted this spring. The information from their returns will be reported on in the News and on the website.

Highways

• Priority Areas

In accord with the Upper Kent LAP protocol 6 items were identified as priority action areas for CCC Highways department. Two have been dealt with: burst drain at Garth Row crossroads and re-surfacing in Garth Row Lane, Oakbank. The other four items were either said to be responsibility of adjoining owner or incapable of resolution. Parish Councillors will revise the priority action areas in May and then submit them to the Highways Department. We have been offered an onsite meeting and discussion with Engineer/Highways officers, if required.

• Kiln Croft Footpath

The footway extension project is ongoing: consultants are said to be finalising a report and estimate but early indications are that the cost for the whole length will be prohibitive ( £53-67,000). SLDC have set aside just over £20,000 as a grant towards the cost. Once formal notification of the estimate is received it will be necessary to begin negotiations with Cumbria County Council for an affordable scheme.

• Reporting highways Faults

A meeting between the local Better Highways team and local parish councillors took place in December 2013 which aimed to clarify procedures for reporting and promptly dealing with faults. Councillor’s personal experience of the telephone and on-line reporting systems has been generally favourable.

• Dry Lane

The right of way through Dry Lane continues due to a flooding problem. Consultation with CCC Highways has reached a stalemate because of lack of funding and CCC commitment. A diversion on private adjoining land for walkers is a possibility but only likely to be pursued as a local initiative.

• Winter salt

All the supplies were delivered in good time but no need for them arose.

Woodland

It has been a quiet year: one school visit took place but none is scheduled for this year. An Open Day attracted very few. Some hazel coppicing has taken place and a small revenue has accrued from sale of bean poles pea sticks and a small quantity of firewood.At Gurnal Bridge a large tree came down and has been removed. The Millennium seat was damaged and repairs are being planned.

At Coldharbour the recent planting is taking well.

Residents’ Involvement

The Council and its Councillors are always keen to hear your views and priorities, please feel welcome to contact a Councillor/Clerk directly (details given above) or to attend the Open Forum session at each of the Parish Council ordinary meetings, dates as follows:

• Tuesday 8th July 2014
• Tuesday 9th September 2014
• Tuesday 4th November 2014
• Tuesday 13th January 2015
• Tuesday 10th March 2015

All commence at 7.30pm, tea & biscuits from 7pm.

Councillor Lucien Procter

Chair Skelsmergh and Scalthwaiterigg Parish Council

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