Minutes of the New Hutton Parish Council meeting held on Wednesday 21st January, 2015

Present
Pat Bell, Henry Robinson, Tony Porter (Chairman), Arthur Robinson (clerk) and one parishioner
Apologies
Tony Ellis, Hazel Hodgson and Peter Thornton (SLDC)
Acceptance of the minutes of the previous meetings
The minutes of the parish council meetings held on 03-12-2014 and 11-01-2015 were approved and signed as true
records.
Chairmans announcements
a) Gynn Cottage cross roads A CCC inspection showed that the exit from New Hutton Lane turning east onto
the A684 is not ideal but there is very little that can be done to rectify the problem. Branches have been cut
back to within the cottages curtilage and, therefore, are not contravening the levels of visibility as stipulated in
the Councils service level procedures.
b) CCC Highways Department maps and deals with Japanese knotweed when it is reported. Their team has
significant experience in dealing with invasive species and ensures that contractors are aware that it must not
be cut when verges are trimmed.
c) In 1964 the Bendrigg Estate consisting of ten farms was sold. A map showing their boundaries has been
placed in the history section of the parish website. A map showing farm boundaries and field names in 1836
will be placed on the website in a few weeks time.
d) A few comments have been received from parishioners about exposed BT lines.
e) Tentative enquiries have been received from two landowners about the planting of native trees in hedgerows.
Declaration of interests

none

Open session
A questionnaire about street cleaning from SLDC was completed.
Planning applications
a) Applications submitted requiring council comments: none
b) There has been no progress in the following application:
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
Payment of accounts
Payment of the following amount was authorised:
100 to New Hutton Institute for the hire of the Supper Room for meetings from 01-04-2014 to 31-12-2014
Financial report
a) An application has been made for a VAT refund of 217.08
b) The Government is going to redeem all war stock loans in March. The necessary forms were signed for the
two parish council war stocks.
Correspondence:

none

Transparency code for smaller authorities

By March 2015, all parish councils will be required to publish on a website details of items of expenditure above 100,
end of year accounts, the annual governance statement, the internal audit report, a list of councillors responsibilities,
the location of public land and building assets, and agendas, papers and minutes of formal meetings. The Parish
Council already publishes most of these on its website.
Government consultation on parish polls
The law governing parish polls is not working well. The Parish Council supported the Governments proposals to raise
the trigger at which they can be instituted, to modernise voting arrangements and to confine them to strictly parish
issues.
Drainage problems on roads
The locations of drainage problems were identified.
Date of the next meeting
The next meeting will be at 7.30pm on Wednesday 4th March 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