Minutes of the meeting of Gosforth Parish Council held on 10th April 2024 at 6.30pm at Gosforth Library.
Present: Cllrs. Unsworth, Atkinson, Gray, Owens, Norman, Plent, Hatton, Graham and Elizabeth Hutson
Also present: Cllr. David Moore (Cumberland) and Jacqueline Williams (Clerk)
658/24 Apologies for Absence – all present.
659/24 Declarations of Interest – none received.
660/24 Minutes of the meeting held on 13th March 2024
Actions from the minutes; Cllrs. Hatton and Plent had confronted the youths responsible for the anti-social behaviour and told them to stop and no reports of anti-social behaviour since. Cllr. Elizabeth Hutson noted the grass at the entrance to Denton Park had not been cut.
All other actions completed. Cllr. Gray proposed accept minutes, seconded by Cllr. Owens.
RESOLVED that the minutes of the last Parish Council Meeting held on 13th March 2024, pages 209 to 212 be accepted as a true record and signed by the Chair.
661/24 Public Participation – no members of the public present.
662/24Cumberland Councillor Report
Cllr. Moore reported that a new streetlight had been installed but requires connection. Yellow lines at Petton Place and outside the school are still to come. A meeting is being arranged to discuss the planned road improvements. They are still looking for a local venue with a screen as Drigg is already booked. If they hold it at Lillyhall it will be possible to join online. Two Councillors from each Parish have been invited and the meeting is scheduled for 18th April at 10am. Cllrs. Gray and Norman said they would attend if held locally. The Clerk has sent contact details for St. Mary’s Room.
663/24 Planning Applications:
Applications:
RESOLVED that the following applications have been considered and the Planning Authority be advised of the Council’s observations as follows:
7/2024/4032 Harecroft Hall, Gosforth – approval of details reserved by condition on planning application for 3 local occupancy dwellings in front of hall (conditions 5, 6, 7, 8) – not consultation
Planning Decisions: – none received.
Other planning matters:
The following applications were received after the agenda had been circulated:
7/2024/4033 Roundstone Lodge, Wellington – removal of conditions 1 and 2 (plans) from application 7/2017/4078 re landscaping. The Clerk to request an extension to the response date and prepare a letter for neighbours.
4/24/2109/0F1 Sellafield – improvements to main gate – no objections.
4/24/2105/0F1 Sellafield – single storey building – no objections.
4/24/2107/0F1 Sellafield – 2 storey modular building (SEAP) – no objections.
664/24 Financial Reports
The Clerk presented a bank reconciliation and reported that the Annual Governance & Accountability Return has been completed and is with the Internal Auditor.
RESOLVED that the Bank Reconciliation to 31st March 2024 be received and noted.
RESOLVED that the schedule of payments plus two late invoices be approved for payment.
RESOLVED that the updated Asset Register be accepted.
665/24 Geological Disposal Facility
Cllr. Norman had attended the visioning workshop where there were lots of ideas and blue sky thinking. They are looking for ideas that benefit the wider community of Mid Copeland rather than just within Parishes, such as local transport, heath service provision, exhibition spaces, non-nuclear training facilities etc. Once they have a list of ideas, they will prioritize them using a colour code. A discussion took place on how that would fit within a Parish Plan.
666/24 Car Park &Toilets
Cllr. Unsworth said that the Ladies toilets were currently closed as we had a blocked toilet that was filling up and the water had to be turned off whilst a plumber is called to replace a seal. The Clerk had phoned a plumber who had collected the keys but not returned them. Cllr. Unsworth said she would phone the plumber.
Cllr. Unsworth had been surprised to hear that Cllr. Norman clears the toilet drains once a week in Summer and once a fortnight in Winter. All Cllrs. thanked Cllr. Norman for this work.
Cllr. Unsworth had received correspondence from a local resident about re-lining the car park. Cllr. Gray had drawn a plan as the space between cars do not meet current standards. After a short discussion it was decided that the Clerk should draft a letter to Cumberland requesting assistance with relining the car park and for improving the drains to the toilets.
Cllrs. Unsworth, Hutson, Gray and Norman had met with Howard Rooms and the Transport Manager of Sellafield to discuss parking issues. They thought the bus system was working well and said they were still looking for land for a park and ride. They have offered to work with the Parish Council to put more people on the ground and to survey usage of the car park. Sellafield will be sending a communication to all staff to say that they should not be parking on the playing field car park as this is for playing field users only. Cllr. Unsworth will circulate a list of requirements and asked others to comment and add their ideas.
667/24 Playground
Cllr. Unsworth reported that the Clerk had completed the final report although the project had been delayed by poor weather. Cllr. Unsworth had been called out on Monday as it was discovered that Playdale were marking up an area 4 metres outside the allocated area for the play park. They are now in the process of re-jigging the design. Cllr. Unsworth has a quote for resurfacing the playing field car park and for installing the picnic benches. All Cllrs. agreed to go ahead. Cllr. Hatton offered to look at the installation of the picnic benches and Cllr. Unsworth said she would email to arrange.
668/24 Public Hall
The Clerk reported that South Cumberland Community Panel have awarded a grant of £2,000 towards the detailed design phase of the refurbishment project. The Clerk has submitted a funding application for the balance of the costs to Copeland Community Fund and hopes to hear the outcome shortly.
669/24 NDA Properties
Cllr. Norman said that a letter had been sent but no response has been received. They are sending a hard copy of the letter and if there is no response we should consider contacting our MP. There was a suggestion that this could be raised at a WCSSG meeting. Cllr. Norman will feedback any developments.
670/24 Connecting Communities
Cllr. Norman said that work was going on in the background. They have been in touch with Sustrans and there is some sensitivity between the landlords, NDA and the Seascale beech path. Cllr. Norman will continue to monitor progress.
671/24 Parish Plan
Cllr. Owens said he would press for a date for the first workshop. He suggested a sub-committee be formed to work on the Parish Plan. Cllrs. Atkinson, Owens, Unsworth and Gray agreed to form the sub-committee.
672/24 Road Closures
There had been concerns that Meadowfield will be isolated during the road closure and Cllr. Unsworth had obtained the following comment:
Fibrus confirms the road will be closed from 9.15am to 3pm each day but access is to be maintained at all times for residents and businesses, when it is safe to do so.
673/24 Correspondence & Communications
Cllr. Unsworth had been approached by a resident who enquired what had happened to the brass memorial plaque and silhouette by the Oak tree. Cllr. Gray said he found the silhouette lying in the mud and retrieved it and the brass plaque had been replaced by a carved stone.
Cllr. Hutson asked for a volunteer to write a piece for the May edition of the Parish Magazine as he will be away for the deadline which is 15th May. Cllr. Unsworth offered.
674/24 Meetings
Cllrs. Gray, Hatton and Plent had attended a Pollinators event and reported that a lot of work had been done in Copeland. The funding is now exhausted but we could fund it ourselves. Cllr. Plent said they were particularly interested in the idea of corridor routes being created. Fibrus are working with Cumbria Wildlife Trust to help to create or restore valuable sites for pollinators.
Cllr. Unsworth is unable to attend the next Parish Forum meeting. Cllr. Owens agreed to join the online meeting.
675/24 Councillor Administration
The Clerk had received confirmation that Cllr. Owens DOI had been submitted.
676/24 Councillor Matters
Cllr. Norman said the Calderbridge and Ponsonby Parish Council had been notified of an extension of the 40MPH speed limit from New Mill to Calderbridge and they would support a request to extend the speed limit to Gosforth.
677/24 Items in Camera – none
Items in camera are dealt with in private in accordance with The Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960.
678/24 Date of Next Meeting
The next meeting of Gosforth Parish Council is the Annual Parish Meeting and Annual General Meeting scheduled for 8th May 2024 at 7pm at Gosforth Library.
The meeting closed at 9pm.