LEVENS PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held in the Methodist Meeting Room
on Tuesday 12 July 2011 at 7:30pm
Present: R Mason (Chairman), S Bagot, D Martin, C Hammond, R Atfield, J Watson, County Cllr J Bland, District Cllr Orr, A Kerr (Clerk) and 3 members of the public
123/11 To receive apologies for absence
Cllr Watson, Cllr Burrow
Resolved that the apologies be noted.
124/11 To authorise minutes of meeting held on 10 May 2011
Resolved that the Chairman sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 10 May 2011 as a true record.
125/11 To receive any declarations of interest in items on the Agenda
Correspondence item PFK Planning Consultants –
Cllr Mason declared a personal interest in correspondence item 128/11 item 2
Cllr Bagot declared a prejudicial interest in correspondence item 128/11 item 2
126/11 Adjournment of meeting to receive any matters from the public
None at this time
127/11 To receive any police matters
No update received.
128/11 To consider correspondence received
The following items were discussed:
- Levens Playing Fields - Letter of thank to Levens Charity for grant of £2000
- PFK Planning consultants – Letter about Parish Council procedures while discussing planning application SL/2011/0045 Poultry Unit at High Sampool – the clerk will advise Mr Winter that correct procedures will be followed when this item is discussed at a Parish Council meeting.
- SLCC – Clerk’s report on Society of Local Council Clerks conference held 18/5/11
- S Read – Levens Local History Group – loan of record office item ref WPC 36/3, it was resolved to allow the history group to borrow the plan
Update on correspondence items from the last meeting:
- Allan Steward – water problems on Greengate, the repair work has now been completed, thanks were given to Mr Steward for his efforts in fixing the problem.
- Andrew Taylor – Sizergh Quarry – ongoing, Cllr Mason will meet with all users of Sizergh Quarry.
Email correspondence
- SLDC – Code of Conduct training, Councillors did not feel that training is required at this time.
- J Riley – giving up allotment – clerk will write to Mr Johnson to advise him of the vacant allotment.
All other correspondence will be circulated.
129/11 To receive County/District matters
District Cllr Mary Orr advised that she has been asked about the Bowkers property in Levens and councilors asked that she raise this with the District Council.
County Cllr Bland advised that the parish should have a broadband champion – this will be advertised the next newsletter.
130/11 To consider planning applications
a)To consider the following planning applications:
SL/2011/0532 Inglewood, Levens: side extension to form wet room – no objections
SL/2011/0518 Whinthwaite Cottage, Levens: Extensions over existing utility and garage undercroft etc – no objections
SL/2011/0463 1 Woodside Cottages, Heaves: replacement side conservatory – no objections
SL/2011/0430 Rose Croft, Levens: installation of solar photovoltaic panels on garage roof – no objections
a) To be informed of the following granted planning application:
SL/2011/0006 – Two Acres, Force Lane, Levens: erection of detached storage building
SL/2011/0267 – Post Office, Main St, Levens: change of use
SL/2011/0263 – PV Dobson & Sons, Levens: erection of free standing signNone to date
131/11 Registering Parish Land
The clerk will write to Naomi Fell at Hayton Winkely to ask for clarification on what has been paid for so far as £500 + VAT and disbursements was the original quote given. The clerk will also ask for an update on the outstanding parcels of land which are still to be registered.
132/11 Local Development Framework
No update to report
133/11 Levens Post Office
The service is now up and running and the new phone line has been installed. Positive comments have been received on feedback forms. Levens Parish Council resolved to pay £520 to the Methodist Church this year to help to cover their costs for running the Post Office service.
134/11 Localism Bill and Future Plans for the Parish Council
More detail needs to be known on the Localism bill for the Parish Council to be sure what it entails.
135/11 Parish Council Walk & Maintenance Plans
Parish Walk
a) A site visit to High Sampool farm took place, councillors Bagot and Mason did not take part in any discussion on site. The plans were not discussed at this meeting and will only be discussed again when any further plans are re-submitted.
b) Allotments – Cllr Mason has spoken to Levens School who have advised of their plans for their allotment for the following year.
c) Japanese knotweed – Cllr Mason will speak to the owners of the Heaves Hotel and the clerk will advise Cumbria Highways.
Maintenance Schedule
The clerk will send this to all councillors for their comments and will be discussed further at the next meeting.
136/11 Local Area Partnerships
The next meeting of the LAP will be held on 26 July 2011. County Cllr Bland advised that Parish Councils could provide funding for a weekly bus service to Milnthorpe, the Parish Council decided that an article would be placed in the next newsletter to ask residents about the current bus services
137/11 Highway Matters
a) Better Highways – County Cllr Bland advised that this is being re-launched
b) Levens Lane – slip road off A590, cars not stopping, vegetation has been cut back on the right side but now the left side needs attention, the clerk will report to Highways
c) Maintenance of bushes around Beathwaite Close substation, this is not on Parish Land
d) Pot hole on Hutton Lane – outside Black Castle, this has now been completed.
e) Dyke on Lords Plain - Cllrs Martin and Mason to arrange a meeting with Natural England
f) White lines at the top of Hutton Lane, County Cllr Bland will report
g) Signs on Levens Lane – it was resolved to remove these signs
h) Footpath on Levens Lane – this would not be an option due to the costs involved.
i) To discuss any further problems that need reporting
138/11 Review of Standing Orders
These will be looked at by councilors over the summer and decided on at the next meeting.
139/11 Finance
a) Resolved that the following accounts be approved:
A Kerr – Charity salary £125.00
A Kerr – Salary, broadband, travel exp & ½ cost of mobile phone £538.22
A Kerr – Petty Cash £20.00
SLDC – Street lighting costs £707.73
SLCC - Membership – ½ share cost £39.00
Methodist Church – towards costs of running PO service £520.00
Hayton Winkley – solicitor costs for registering Parish Land £642* to be discussed – no payment made at this meeting
b)To review bank balances.
c) To consider a standing order payment monthly for clerk’s salary – it was resolved to set up a Standing Order to pay the clerk’s salary monthly.
140/11 Matters of information and agenda items for the next meeting
a) The following items will be put on the next agenda:
Diamond Jubilee celebrations
Brownie competition for drawing a plan of where the time capsule is buried
b) The following matters of information were reported:
None
141/11 Date of next meeting
The next meeting of the Parish Council will take place on Tuesday 13 September 2011 at 7:30pm in the Methodist Meeting Room.
The meeting closed at 9:26pm.
Signed……………………………………………………….Date…………………
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