Minutes
Annual
10th May 2022

Eskdale Parish Council

Meeting Minutes

Annual Meeting of the Parish Council – 10 May 2022

Reference: EPC/MINUTES/10/5/22

Page: 1

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON TUESDAY 10 MAY 2022 AT ST BEGA’S VILLAGE HALL, ESKDALE GREEN COMMENCING AT 7.30PM

Present: Cllr R Brown (Chair), Cllr I Kirkby, Cllr M Shaftesley, Cllr J Harrington, Cllr T Postlethwaite, Cllr D Porter

3 members of the public

1/22 Election of Chair/Vice Chair

Chair: Cllr R Brown – Proposed Cllr Porter, Seconded Cllr Kirkby

Vice Chair: Cllr M Shaftesley – Proposes Cllr Porter, Seconded Cllr Kirkby

2/22 Acceptance of Office

Acceptance of office duly signed

3/22 Apologies for absence

Apologies were received and accepted from Cllr C Carlin (holiday) and Cllr L Hunt (holiday)

4/22 Minutes of Annual General Meeting held on 4 May 2021

Minutes agreed and signed

5/22 Appointment of Members to serve on Outside Bodies

3 Tier Meeting – Cllr Carlin

Village Hall Committee – Cllrs Postlethwaite, Kirkby and Shaftesley

There being no further business the normal meeting continued

6/22 Exclusion of Press and Public

Agenda item 14 Human Resources requires that press and public be excluded

7/22 Declarations of Interest

There were no Declarations of Interest

8/22 To Approve the Minutes of the meetings held on 19 April 2022

The Minutes of the meeting of the meeting held on 19 April 2022 were approved and signed by the Chair

Proposed by Cllr Porter, Seconded by Cllr Shaftesley

9/22 Police Liaison Report

A report had been previously circulated by the Clerk

10/22 Progress Reports

10/22.1 Giggle Alley

It was noted that the tress had not been felled. Clerk to ask for an update and timeline

10/22.2 Telephone Box – Hard Knott

Possibly an Information Centre. Installation of a defibrillator – need to check for electric supply. Contact Wasdale Mountain Rescue to see if they would be interested.

11/22 Public Participation

Concerns raised of the impact of Local Government Reorganisation and the reduction in number of councillors to serve a larger area.

Reference: EPC/MINUTES/10/5/22

Page: 2

12/22 County Councillor/District Councillor reports

Letter of condolence to be sent to Cty Cllr K Hitchen on the loss of his wife

13/22 Applications for Development

13/22.1 To examine applications for development and submit observations to the Planning Authority

Application: 7/2022/4040 Land at Force Hills, Eskdale

The installation of a 40m lattice tower supporting 6 no. antennas, 4 no. transmission dishes, 2 no. equipment cabinets, 1 no. meter cabinet and ancillary development thereto including a generator and associated fuel tank, a hard standing area, and a fenced compound for the Shared Rural Network project on behalf of Cornerstone.

Decision: Supported

13/22.2 To ratify the observations submitted by the Clerk under devolved powers since last meeting.

None

13/22.3 To note the decisions of the statutory planning authority with regards to recent applications

None

14/22 Financial Records

14/22.1 To approve the following payments:

BHIB Insurance renewal £271.85

CALC Subscription renewal £132.55

V Falconer Internal Audit £40.00

Proposed Cllr Kirkby, Seconded Cllr Shaftesley

14/22.2 To note the receipt of payments

Precept £8760

14/22.3 To receive and note the bank reconciliation statements dated 31 March 2022

This had been checked and verified by the Internal Auditor

14/22.4 To consider the Budget Comparison Report as at 30 April 2022 and determine action need to address deviations from the budget

None Required

14/22.5 To receive the Internal Auditors Report and recommendations

Received and noted

14/22.6 To receive and note the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2021 have been submitted and approved by the internal auditor and that they are a true and correct record.

Approved and accepted

14/22.7 To determine that the Parish Council has met the qualifying criteria to certify them as exempt from a limited assurance review.

Resolved that all criteria was met and to be submitted

Proposed by Cllr Postlethwaite, Seconded by Cllr Kirkby

15/22 Parish Matters

15/22.1 Eskdale Open/Telephone Box

Resolved to apply to Eskdale Open for funding to refurbish the telephone box and use as an Information Centre

Reference: EPC/MINUTES/10/5/22

Page: 3

15/22.2 Fred Whitton Challenge

Noted that there was still a problem with littering. The situation at the King had improved with signage and the number of portaloos had increased.

15/22.3 FOLD Landscape grant fund community Garden – submit plan to Forestry commission

Commemorative woman lest we forget silhouette to be purchased. Proposed Cllr Kirkby, Seconded Cllr Shaftesley

Wildflowers, native bulbs, poppies to be planted.

15/22.4 Queens Jubilee

Help with Muncaster beacon

15/22.5 Environmental projects/climate change

Deferred to next meeting

15/22.6 GDF Project

Speaker invited to Annual Parish meeting to talk about the fund

15/22.7 Highway Issues – Boot

The works had now been completed.

16/22 To receive reports from representatives on outside bodies

Village Hall – It was noted that the Village Hall were holding another meeting regarding the future of the building on 8 June 2022. Suggestions for use Tourist information/Heritage Centre. Parish Council to support Village Hall Committee

17/22 Correspondence

To discuss any correspondence received for open discussion

• None

Members of the public then left the meeting

18/22 Human Resources

The Clerks salary review was agreed the new rate to commence 1 April 2022

Approval given for back pay for national pay rise of 1.75% for 2021/22

Proposed Cllr Kirkby, Seconded Cllr Porter

Resolved to pay travel expenses at HMRC rate of £0.45p per mile

Proposed Cllr Kirkby, Seconded Cllr Shaftesley

19/22 Councillor Matters

• Cllr Brown reported that the kerb at Forge Bridge damaging vehicle tyres
• Cllr Kirkby reported that OpenReach had undertaken a temporary road closure from Outward Bound Centre to Brown House, Eskdale preventing vehicles accessing this route.
• Cllr Kirkby asked for an update on the Japanese Garden
• Cllr Postlethwaite stated that the walls from King George Pub up to Green Station were in a poor state of repair.

20/22 Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Parish Council 12 July 2022 at St Bega’s Village Hall, Eskdale Green

There being no other business the meeting closed at 2056hrs