Minutes of a Meeting held on Thursday 14th June in Ravenstonedale High Chapel Room
Present
Councillor John Bull (Chairman) Councillors Caroline Morris, Ernest Leach, Hilary Mirrey, Paul Capstick, James Richardson and Alison Morriss. Clerk, Chris Elphick. Two members of the public.
Declarations of Interest
Cllr Mirrey declared an interest in the Scandal Beck playground project as a partner in T A Law, contractors.
Cllr Morriss declared an interest in planning application No. 07/0425 as a contractor.
Apologies for absence were received from District Councillor George Boustead
Minutes of Meeting held on Thursday 10th May 2007 had been circulated and were signed by the Chairman as a correct record.
Children’s Playgrounds
An award of £10,000 had been received from the BBC’s Breathing Places/Big Lottery fund. This will enable work to start on the beckside wall and new footbridge.
Finance
Sum Received
HMRC VAT reclaim £445.90
Accounts for Payment
Clerk’s admin. expenses (details supplied) £112.10
Viking Direct (Stationery) £ 46.67
A Kirby (Grasscutting) £470.00
CALC (Councillors training) £ 30.00
A new bank mandate was signed to include new councillors as signatories.
Mandate reads “Any two of Chairman, Vice-chairman or councillor” to sign cheques or orders.
Ravenstonedale High Chapel
A public meeting had been held on Thursday 8th June 2007 to consider a business plan demonstrating the probable costs of setting up and running the former High Chapel building as a community and heritage centre. It was decided that further consultation was needed to determine how to fund the initial costs.
Shortly after the meeting the Clerk had received the offer, from an anonymous benefactor, to fund the setting up costs and estimated first year’s running costs to the sum of £3,000.
The Chairman proposed the motion, seconded by Cllr Mirrey, that Ravenstonedale Parish Council requests the North-West Synod of the United Reformed Church to grant a lease for a period of twenty-five years on the property, formerly Ravenstonedale High Chapel, for community use. The lease to contain a severance clause of twelve months notice from either party.
The motion was carried without opposition.
Bus Services
Complaints had been received that Cumbria County Council was to reduce the number of daily buses to R-dale and N-o-L. The Clerk was instructed to write a letter of protest and request re-consideration of this policy.
Standards Board
Copies of the new Code of Conduct for Councillors had been received from the Standards Board.
Councillors’ Information Pack
The Clerk had prepared an Information Pack, a copy of which was given to each councillor. The contents include the Council’s Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, Code of Conduct, Powers and Duties of parish councils, etc.
The two new councillors, Alison Morris and James Richardson agreed to attend a training course run by CALC at Appleby on 21st June.
Upper Eden Community Plan
Cllrs Mirrey and Morris reported on the progress of the plan following analysis of the survey. Cllr Morriss is to contact Ravenstonedale School for input to the plan.
Appleby New Fair
It was reported that Travellers had arrived on Cote Moor in unprecedented numbers, peaking at an estimated two hundred motor and horse-drawn caravans. Cumbria Police had maintained a greater than usual presence including a mobile police station from 3pm to midnight. Damage to property was slightly less than in past years.
CALC e-mail list
CALC had offered to add any councillor who wished to its e-mail list to receive information direct. Councillors expressed a preference for the clerk to filter out extraneous matter and forward the most relevant items only.
Annual Review of Parish Council Representatives on Other Bodies.
This item was deferred to a later meeting.
Planning Applications
No. 07/0458 NEW EXTENSION AND INTERNAL ALTERATIONS
Type Full Application
Location The Manse, Ravenstonedale
Applicant Mr J De Jong
Parish Council No objections
No. 07/0390 ALTERATIONS TO EXISTING GARAGE/STORE TO INCLUDE RAISING THE HEIGHT OF THE ROOF
Type Full Application
Location Hill Crest, Ravenstonedale
Applicant Mr & Mrs Robinson
Parish Council No objections
No. 07/0425 SITING OF NON-ILLUMINATED FASCIA AND BOARD SIGNS ANCILLARY TO PROPOSED SHOP
Type Advertisement
Location Black Swan Hotel, Ravenstonedale
Applicant Mr A Dinnes
Parish Council No objections
No. 07/0424 CHANGE OF USE OF LETTING BEDROOM TO SHOP
Type Full Application
Location Black Swan Hotel, Ravenstonedale
Applicant Mr A Dinnes
Parish Council No objections
Unitary Cumbria County Council
There was no further information on this item
Public Participation
Mr Frank Chalmers expressed his appreciation at the Council’s decision to apply for a lease on High Chapel.
Correspondence received
CALC – County Circular June 2007
Cumbria Funding Links – June 2007
FoLD – Accounts & notice of “Mystery Tour” 2nd June
Standards Board for England – New Model Code from 3rd May 2007.
Cumbria Housing Trust Update April 2007
Open Spaces Society Magazine
FoLD - Workshop for Green Space Managers
The foregoing items were circulated or noted as appropriate.
Date of next meeting: It was agreed that the next meeting should be held on Wednesday 11th July 2007 to enable the Chairman to be present.
Signed Chairman Date 11th July 2007