Minutes of the Old Hutton and Holmescales Parish Council meeting on the 30th September 2019

190930-1 Present
Simon Gray, John Heap (Chairman), Chris Nelson, Ruth Rigg, John Shorrock, Hazel Hodgson (SLDC), Arthur
Robinson (clerk) and five parishioners

190930-2 Apologies
Anne and Anthony Fitzherbert

190930-3 Acceptance of the minutes of the previous meeting

The minutes of the parish council meeting held on 07-08-2019 were signed as a true and accurate record [see the
document on the parish website]

190930-4 Chairman’s announcements none

190930-5 Declaration of interests

Hazel Hodgson – item 11

190930-6 Open session

a) It was reported that there are potholes and blocked drains along Beckside Lane. CCC has been informed.
b) The re-tarred surface on Middleshaw Lane will be sealed to make it last longer. The work will involve raising
two gutters and will take only one day. CCC will issue a closure notice nearer the date.
c) Preston Richard Parish Council has learned that Killington dam is of the same construction as the recently
failed dam at Whaley Bridge. They have been assured that it will be inspected soon. Failure of the dam will be
included in the forthcoming parish council emergency plan.
d) A question was raised about Himalayan Balsam along the becks. It was reported that a scheme to pull out the
weeds using volunteers started a few years ago but was ended due to lack of interest. The South Cumbria
Rivers Trust employed a contractor this year to cut the weed along sections of some becks.

190930-7 Planning applications

a) Applications submitted requiring council comments: none
b) The progress of the following applications was noted:
SL/2019/0611 - Use of agricultural land for keeping horses on a field north of Holmescales Cottages. The
Council had no objection to this application. Permission granted on 23-09-2019.
SL/2019/0651 - Alterations to a layby to form an access and an agricultural access track (all retrospective)
near the entrance to Holmescales Quarry. The Council had no objection to this application.

190930-8 Payment of accounts none

190930-9 Financial report

a) The Community Account balance remains at £3,659.97 and the Business Account is £640.91.
b) The mandate has been changed; all parish councillors can now sign cheques.

190930-10 Financial regulations

Updated financial regulations were adopted (proposed by Chris Nelson, seconded by Ruth Rigg) [see the document
on the parish website]

190930-11 Correspondence
17-08-2019 – from SLDC – Becoming an effective member/Code of conduct briefing [forwarded to councillors]. The
Code of Conduct is likely to be updated in the coming months.
30-08-2019 – from the Planning Inspectorate – Notice of the proposal to include the ford in the public right of way
through Old Croft yard and notice that the period for submission of objections is 12-09-2019 to 10-10-2019 [forwarded
to councillors]. The planning process is likely to take a long time.
07-09-2019 – from CALC – September newsletter [forwarded to councillors]

190930-12 UU pipeline project update

At the Parish Council meeting in August, the level to which UU were increasing the environmental surface water
measures on site and the various techniques used were discussed. Since then several changes have been made,
including extra areas of land to increase the capacity for storing surface water.

The rain last Friday (27-09-2019) was the most recent challenge for the team. In some areas there was a significant
amount of surface water coming from upstream of our works, passing though parts of the site. UU are waiting for data
from the Met. Office of how much rain fell in that period. UU usually gets that information from the on-site weather
station but it seems the levels were beyond the upper limit of the equipment implying that it was around a 1-in-10-year
storm event.
UU continues to have a 24-hour rota in place so that the team can be on top of these events as much as possible. In
periods where the rain lets off, they are working to help reduce the levels of the surface water held in the lagoons to
maximise the retention capacity for future heavy rain. Over the weekend the team also did some work clearing drains
on Fairthorns Road to help with water moving away from site and prevent flooding

With respect to construction, UU are still transporting pipes to the compound near the motorway bridge and down to
the working areas through the road closure on Fairthorns Road. About 400 pipes and fittings are now in place.

In order to install the pipes across Reservoir and Millrigg Roads further road closures are needed additional to that on
Fairthorns Road. UU originally scheduled the next one to be in October but are now looking for this to be sometime
after Christmas. UU will write to local residents with an exact date closer to the time.

Please pass on any questions or comments, either by email or phone on 07867 902223.

190930-13 Tour of Britain cycle race

Formal thanks were recorded to all those who created and erected banners and bicycles along the route of the cycle
race.

190930-14 Maintenance of boundary stones and milestones

It was agreed that maintenance work on the boundary and milestones should be part of a Working Together
agreement between CCC and the Parish Council. The agreement will ensure that volunteers and contractors have the
correct training, competence, risk assessments and insurance in place. The Working Together initiative is currently
being trialled elsewhere in the county. Some of the stones have been damaged by CCC’s contractors who cut the
verges and will need to be repaired with concrete before being painted.

190930-15 Maintenance of benches and notice boards

a) It was agreed that the benches should be repaired using planks made from recycled plastic, the finance to
come from the contingency fund in the budget (proposed by John Heap, seconded by Simon Gray). An
estimate of £250 had been obtained.
b) It was agreed that the Parish Council notice board will be varnished in the next few weeks. The replacement
of the notice boards at Middleshaw, the Public Hall and Bridge End will be discussed at the next Parish
Council meeting.

190930-16 Street lighting

a) SLDC has asked the Council whether it wants to take over ownership of one or all of the street lights at Bridge
End, St.John’s View and Middleshaw. It was resolved that the Council would not take over ownership of them
(proposed by John Shorrock, seconded by John Heap)
b) SLDC has agreed to pay the full cost of replacing the street light at Bridge End with a heritage fitting.

190930-17 Speed Indicator Devices

Progress in the project to install speed indicator devices on Middleshaw Hill and near Hutton Gate has been delayed
for several months. CCC Highways reported that their contractor who sets up traffic counter devices had an accident
and has been off work for some time. They will pursue the issue.

190930-18 Parking at the school

A reply is awaited from CCC Highways about meeting an officer on site to discuss the problems of safety and parking
at the school.

190930-19 Parish emergency plan

The construction of an emergency plan was further postponed until New Hutton has completed its plan.

190930-20 Date of the next meeting

The next meeting which will be after the 11th November and will include discussion of the budget for 2020/21

Arthur Robinson, parish clerk, Over Bleaze, Old Hutton, Kendal, LA8 0LU
Telephone – 01539-725955 e-mail – ohpclerk@gmail.com www.oldhutton.org.uk