rd

Minutes of the New Hutton Parish Council meeting on Wednesday 3 December, 2014 at the Institute
141203-1 Present
Pat Bell, Tony Ellis, Hazel Hodgson, Henry Robinson, Tony Porter (Chairman) and Arthur Robinson (clerk)
141203-2 Apologies
Peter Thornton (SLDC) and Stan Collins (CCC)
141203-3 Acceptance of the minutes of the previous meeting
The minutes of the parish council meeting held on 15-10-2014 were approved and signed as a true record.
141203-4 Chairmans announcements
a) CCC will not now be able to erect a footbridge over St.Sundays Beck on the footpath from Rawhead to
Millrigg Lane until next year.
b) At the last meeting it was noted that the footpath sign at Greenmoor Bank to Old Croft incorrectly states that
the path goes to Millholme. The correction is now on the CCC work list.
c) Following another accident at the A684/Hawkrigg Lane junction involving a single vehicle, an e-mail was sent
to CCC Highways to urge that something be done about the road surface.
d) The issue of whether there is a public right of way at Old Croft has been placed number 8 on CCCs list. This
means it will be dealt with in the next 6 months to 5 years.
e) The problem of the excessive speed of some cyclists down Fairthorns Lane from Roan Edge is being dealt
with by Mark Brierley, CCCs Cycling Development Coordinator.
141203-5 Declaration of interests

none

141203-6 Open session

a) Concern was expressed about the poor visibility for traffic exiting New Hutton Lane on to the A684. The clerk
will write to CCC about it.
b) At its next meeting the Armistead Funding Committee will consider an application by the Western Dales
Community Bus for a grant of 5000 towards the cost of a bus service on Saturdays and Sundays. Some
concern was expressed that the route is not known. It was decided that the decision as to whether to support
the application should be left to the parishs representative.
c) A fibre-optic cable has been laid underground from the main electricity post across the parish field to the
Lambrigg wind farm building. Some drains have been broken, three ditches blocked and sub-surface clay left
on the surface. The Parish Council thanked Hazel Hodgson for monitoring the rectification of these problems.
The electricity poles will be replaced by ENW in 2015.
141203-7 Planning applications
a) Applications submitted requiring council comments:

none

b) The progress of applications since the last meeting was reported:

SL/2013/0159 conversion of a garage to an affordable dwelling at Birks permission granted subject to the
receipt of a section 106 agreement about affordability
SL/2014/0833 extension and alteration of a wall on land opposite Fisher Tarn the Parish Council had no
objection to this application permission granted on 28-10-2014
SL/2014/0966 installation of a flue for a wood-burning stove at Toll Bar Cottage. The Council had no
objection to this. Permission refused by SLDC on 03-12-2014
c) The progress of appeals:
SL/2013/0435 erection of a single wind turbine at Old Croft appeal dismissed on 20-10-2014
141203-8 Payment of accounts
The following payment was authorised:
882.00 to GreenUrban Technologies Ltd for a defibrillator box to be fitted to the exterior of the Institute
141203-9 Financial report
a) It was reported that the Community Account balance was 1275.21 and is expected to be about 1050 by the
end of March 2015, the same figure as at the end of March 2014
b) A grant of 735.00 has been received from First Responders for the purchase of a defibrillator box.
c) The budget and precept for 2015/16 were determined (see below) [proposed by Tony Porter, seconded by Pat
Bell; agreed unanimously]. The precept is the part of the Council Tax which is used by the Parish Council. It
will rise from 900 to 1310 and will remain one of the lowest for a parish council in Cumbria. As there will be
th
a parish council election on the same day as the general election on the 7 May, the rise is caused by the
need to meet the cost of it as well as the replacement of fence posts in the parish field, some costs in next
years parish plan and the establishment of a small contingency fund.

141203-10 Correspondence
The following items of correspondence were received since the last meeting:
05-11-2014 from CALC November newsletter [forwarded to councillors]
06-11-2014 from CCC 2015/16 budget consultation [forwarded to parishioners]
13-11-2014 from CALC summary of Community Infrastructure Levy [forwarded to councillors]
03-12-2014 from CALC Dec/Jan newsletter [forwarded to councillors]
141203-11 Invasive species
a) It was decided to continue support for South Cumbria Rivers Trust in its applications for funding for the control
of invasive species and to provide a letter of support.
b) A letter will be sent to residents of Hawkrigg Lane to ask them not to cut the patch of Japanese knotweed on
the roadside verge at Strawberry Bank so that it can be sprayed. A similar letter will go to neighbours of the
patch on the verge at Dubside. Under new legislation homeowners could be fined up to 2500 and
businesses up to 25000 for failure to take reasonable steps to control the plant on their land. Cutting it
causes it to spread as it can grow from stems only one centimetre long, so it must be sprayed. Cut plants and
the soil it grows in are classified as controlled waste for which a special licence and facilities are needed.
141203-12 Parish plan developments
a) A welcome pack for new residents in the parish - all the information which new residents of the parish need is
on the parish website and they can be kept up to date through The Grapevine and the parish e-mail system. It
was agreed that an attractive leaflet kindly designed by the website manager fulfilled the requirements of
listing the website address, and contact details for ordering The Grapevine and joining the e-mail system. The
intention is that newcomers will be given the leaflet by parish councillors or by the clerk. Parishioners are
asked to inform them when new neighbours arrive. The leaflet will also be permanently displayed on the
notice boards.
b) Parishioners will be asked to inform the clerk about where there are exposed BT lines.
c) The Parish Council will ask landowners whether they would like to have native trees planted in gaps in their
hedges to replace the many old declining trees. The new trees and protective guards will be free and
volunteers will be sought for their planting and care once sites have been identified.
141203-13 CCC budget consultation
The Parish Council compiled a response to CCCs budget consultation. Parishioners can submit their own at
www.cumbria.gov.uk/budgetconsultation
141203-14 Date of the next meeting
st
The next Parish Council meeting will be at 7.30pm on Wednesday 21 January 2015 at the Institute.
Arthur Robinson, parish clerk, Over Bleaze, Old Hutton, Kendal, LA8 0LU
Telephone 01539-725955
e-mail nhpclerk@googlemail.com
www.newhutton.org.uk

Community Account balance on 1st April

INCOME

Budget
2014-15

BUDGET
2015-16

930.00

1050.00

SLDC Parish Precept

900.00

1310.00

Parish Field Rent

150.00

150.00

23.84

23.84

9.22
1083.06

9.22
1493.06

Insurance

260

250.00

CALC annual subscription

130

130.00

Hire of Institute

200

250.00

90

90.00

Bank charges

8.00

Internal Audit

60

Electricity North West Limited Wayleave

Interest from war stock
Total income
EXPENDITURE

General expenses/paper/ink/postage/parish plan

Election Costs
Training courses
Parish plan - "no HGV" signs

60.00
750.00

50

50.00

200

Parish Plan - affordable housing survey

200.00

Parish field - repair of fence

200.00

Contingency fund
Total Expenditure
Community Account balance

998.00

50.00
2038.00

1015.06

505.06

Notes:
Budgets should have a contingency fund of 25-100% of the annual gross budget. If the reserves are more than 2.0x
the precept, the external auditor will require an explanation.