Minutes of a Meeting held on Thursday 13th March 2008 in Newbiggin-on-Lune Public Hall
Present
Councillor John Bull (Chairman) Councillors, James Richardson, Hilary Law, Ernest Leach and Caroline Morris.
Clerk, Chris Elphick.
County Councillor Tim Stoddard
Declarations of Interest
Cllr Law declared a personal interest in works on the Scandal Beck project as a director of T A Law Ltd.
Cllr Morris declared an interest in Planning Application 08/0101 as she is related to the applicant.
Apologies for absence had been received from Cllr Paul Capstick, District Councillor George Boustead.
Minutes of the Meeting held on Thursday 14th February 2008 had been circulated and were signed by the Chairman as a correct record.
Children’s Playgrounds
Newbiggin-on-Lune
Final details which are required by the Lottery, such as the planning condition for archaeological attendance on site, are being addressed.
Ravenstonedale - Scandal Beck
Installation of the SMP Action Unit has commenced. Replacements for missing parts are ordered. Awaiting installation of footbridge but weather is not helping.
Proposed Ravenstonedale to Newbiggin-on-Lune Cycleway
This proposal was explored as a Millennium project and a scheme drawn up by Capita. The project was shelved due to lack of funds but in 2008, with new transport and environmental issues, funding may now be available. Clerk has contacted Capita and awaits a response.
Highway Matters
A footbridge near the at Chantry has been reported to highways as in need of repair.
The green road junction triangle at Chantry has been severely damaged by vehicles and has been reported to highways as a hazard
CALC is negotiating with CCC Highways over proposals for Highways Stewards & Lengthsmen.
Finance
Accounts paid prior to meeting
T A Law Ltd (payment on account) £10,000.00
Accounts for payment
T A Law Ltd (Playground and Beckside Works) £10,733.94
N-o-L Public Hall (Rental) £ 129.00
SMP Playgrounds (Spares) £ 201.28
C J Elphick (Admin Expenses to 31/03/08) £ 213.70
Resolved that the foregoing five items be approved for payment
Great North Air Ambulance
It was resolved that a donation of £100.00 be made towards the upkeep of the “Pride of Cumbria” air ambulance.
Ravenstonedale High Chapel
A draft Lease has been received from URC Synod. Terms are to be considered.
Structural Survey Grants have been applied for from EDC and Neighbourhood Forum.
Planning Applications
No. 08/0101 RE-SLATING OF FORMER STABLE AT WEST END OF FARMHOUSE INCLUDING REPLACEMENT OF CORRUGATED ASBESTOS ON SOUTH SLOPE WITH NATURAL SLATES
Type Listed Building
Location Tarn House Farm, Ravenstonedale, CA17 4LJ
Applicant Mr M T Metcalfe-Gibson
Parish Council No objections. New roof considered to be an improvement
No. 08/0156 VARIATION OF SECTION 52 AGREEMENT TO ALLOW USE OF PREMISES FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN ADDITION TO THE APPROVED HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION,
Type Full Application
Location Snowdrop and Holly Garth Cottages, Ashfell Farm, R-dale, CA17 4NL
Applicant Mr P Blezard & Ms A Dawson
Parish Council Support this application.
Notification has been received from EDC of new national format for Planning Applications Online.
Upper Eden Community Plan
It was reported that the final version of the plan would be circulated imminently.
Notification of Trailquest event in aid of School Funds
The Council has received advance notification of a Cycle Trailquest event to take lace in June in aid of school funds.
CALC Survey of Parish Council Activity
Clerk has responded to a survey by CALC into parish council activity. Of the twenty-eight activities listed, Ravenstonedale was able to respond positively to twenty-six.
Parish Paths Initiative
Two further volunteers have joined the footpaths inspectors group.
Eden District Association of Local Councils
The Chairman and Clerk had attended a Meeting on Wednesday 12th March at Penrith Town Hall where the new Parish/District/County Charter was adopted and signed.
Presentations were given explaining the proposed re-structuring of Eden District Council and its committees. Consultation options had been circulated to all councillors and are appended to these minutes. The Parish Council’s recommendation to be decided at the April meeting.
Public Participation
There were no contributions from members of the public
Correspondence Received
CALC – Circular March 2008
NALC – Local Council Review
Clerks & Councils Direct
The foregoing publications were circulated or noted as appropriate
Date of next meeting (& Annual Parish Meeting): Thursday 10th April 2008
Signed Chairman Date 10th April 2008
Appendix 1 to Ravenstonedale PC Minutes for 13th March 2008
From Eden District Council – 8th March 2008
Eden District Council - Options for New Political Arrangements
At its meeting on 21 February 2008, Eden District Council indicated that it was 'minded to change' the way it conducts its political business by moving from a Modernised Committee System to a Cabinet with Leader Model.
The reasons for the proposed change are to speed up decision making, to provide clearer and greater accountability for Councillors and Officers and better scrutiny of decisions.
In order to make this change, the Council is undertaking formal consultation with local residents, key partners and other interested parties including Parish Councils and Parish Meetings within the District. A response can be made by individuals and/or on behalf of Parish Councils using the methods as detailed at the end of this letter. Parishes also have the opportunity to ask questions at the annual District/Parish liaison meeting on Wednesday 12 March at 7.30pm in the Town Hall, Penrith. In responding there are four options from which you can choose. Each of the options is listed below with some facts that underpin the options. Please consider each one and choose the one you feel would be your preference. You may wish to comment upon the reasons for your choice. The deadline for responses is 14 April 2008.
Option 1 A Cabinet with Leader, Elected By the Council
One of the existing Councillors would be elected as Leader by the Council.
A Cabinet of up to seven members would be appointed by the Leader.
The Cabinet members would have responsibility for specific activities such as the environment.
The Cabinet could be drawn from a single party or coalition - it would not necessarily have to reflect the political make-up of the Council.
Decisions would be made by the Cabinet or the Cabinet Members.
Overview and Scrutiny Committees would monitor decisions and help with policy formulation and development.
These committees could also include co-opted advisors
There would also be 'regulatory' committees for Planning and Licensing, and a 'Standards Committee.
The Leader would serve for a four year term.
Option 2 A Directly-Elected Mayor with Cabinet
A Mayor would be elected by Eden voters for a four-year term.
The Mayor would be a political leader for the community, proposing policy for approval by the Council.
He or she would select a Cabinet of no more than seven members from among the Councillors.
The Cabinet could be drawn from a single party or a coalition - it would not have to reflect the political make-up of the Council.
The Mayor would decide how the Cabinet would take decisions - decisions could be taken either by the Cabinet as a whole, or the Mayor could give individual Cabinet members responsibility for particular services.
Overview and Scrutiny committees would monitor Cabinet decisions and help with policy formulation and development.
There would also be 'regulatory' committees for Planning and Licensing, and a Standards Committee.
This option will require a referendum.
Option 3 Elected Executive
This option arises under the new 2007 Local Government Act.
There would be seven members of the Executive who would be directly elected as Cabinet members.
In most respects this option is the same as Option 1.
Option 4 'Stay the Same'
A Modernised Committee System with Joint Leaders (the current system)
Decisions are taken in Committees. Individual councillors have no powers to act or take decisions.
There will continue to be four decision-making committees.
There is a Scrutiny Committee which monitors decisions and helps with policy formulation and development.
There are also 'regulatory' committees for Planning and Licensing, and a Standards Committee which is concerned with probity issues.
All Committees would have to reflect the political make-up of the Council
Appendix 2 to Ravenstonedale PC Agenda 13th March 2008
From C & W Herald – 8th March 2008
“Future shape of Eden Council should be put to public debate”
Yet again, it is only through your reports and letters pages that we learn of significant activities within Eden District Council that impact on all residents of the area.
This time we learn that there are plans to restructure the organisation and I would submit that from the reports to date the decision appears to be "cut and dried". I must agree with Brian Nicholls (Herald, 1st March) that the decision appears to be a rushed one and that politicians are seeking a way that will probably best serve their own (and party political) interests rather than the community they are supposed to serve.
This latter view is strengthened by the disingenuous letter in the same issue of the Herald from the joint, group and party political leaders where they seek to assure us all that all business will normally be conducted in open and public session.
This assertion would hold more credibility if the signatories were not those individuals perhaps having most to gain from the new structure.
The authors must also know that we are well aware that although meetings might indeed be open to public witness, group and party political stances are often formed ahead of meetings.
In many cases decisions are indeed "cut and dried" before either public consultation or debate.
We are repeatedly told that we face the highest possible district council required increase to our council tax bills, continued cuts to our services and yet we the taxpayers (not the district council) own excessive and seemingly sacrosanct financial reserves that are of no defined use.
Whilst, services reduce, there is no perception of consequent reductions in staff or associated costs.
I submit that a root and branch review of service delivery should precede the rush to any restructure. Presently Eden District Council includes within its role that of pseudo town council for Penrith and by doing so provides ample suspicions about its even handedness when dealing with urban and rural needs. It seems hard to credit that in a region where the majority of the population is rural, that only of, recent origin all decisions taken by the council now have to be tested for rural effects.
Comparison of services in urban and rural areas require little study to see the hitherto clear bias in favour of the urban communities and how long overdue is the safeguard to delivery of equitable services to our remote communities. The two responsibilities — pseudo town council and district council — should always have been very clearly segregated, especially financially, so that all suspicions of unfair bias could have been easily identified or allayed.
We still await Eden District Council to honour its promises of delivering closer working relationships between our county, district and parish councils consequent to the decision not to adopt the unitary Cumbria proposal. Whilst we have heard of various possible initiatives for improved partnership working from Cumbria County Council, Eden District Council remains ominously (predictably?) quiet on the subject — as it was when considering the original unitary Cumbria proposal.
The proposed tinkering with the structure might well produce some improvements to service delivery but I suggest that there is a more fundamental weakness in the make up of our district council — for example, the attraction of high quality and innovative thinking individuals to serve as district councillors.
At the last election, in 2007, people were hardly falling over themselves to join. Of the 38 wards, 14 returned nominees unopposed, meaning almost half of our councillors only had to put their names forward for them to represent their ward and to act on our behalf.
Party politics also played an unwelcome role. I suggest that any future change to the structure should have as one of its aims to make the role of district councillor much more attractive and appealing to a broad range of potential candidates. All organisations need new blood to flourish and this is certainly the case within EDC.
The proposed change to put the bulk of decisions in the hands of a single leader and a very small number of other councillors might well prove counterproductive when it comes to attracting this much needed and hopefully younger "new blood". Who would want to serve if they felt unable to have an effective voice?
I very strongly support councillor Mike Eyles and Brian Nicholls that the decision to restructure EDC should be put to the public for debate, that the decision should not be rushed and that various fundamentals need prior review.
Yours etc, DERICK COTTON Glebe Byre, Bolton.