Meeting April Agenda

OUGHTERSIDE AND ALLERBY PARISH COUNCIL

The minutes of Oughterside and Allerby Parish Council meeting

held on Tuesday 8^th April 2025 commencing at 7.00pm.

Chair declared the meeting open at 7.00pm

Present: Chair’ Lyndsey Preston-Miller, Cllrs Linda Snowdon, Gladys Hunter, Pam Marriot,

Julie Gingell.

Cumberland Councillor. Cllr Martin Harris.

Clerk: Mike Milner.  3 members of the public.

431.00 Apologies for absence: Cllr Gary Bolton.

432.00 Declaration of interests: None.

433.00 To read and approve the minutes of the last meeting held on Tuesday 11^th March 2025.

433.01 Resolved to approve the minutes as a true and accurate record by those who were present at that meeting.

434.00 Public Participation/open session.

434.01 2 members of the public present and supported by the third member, were raising serious issues and concerns about the location of the Juke Box Rap Plus item of play equipment, located on Pond Green, which is adjacent to their property. Cllrs listened to the issues which actually related to antisocial behaviour from teenagers who should not have been on the equipment.

434.02 Clerk to investigate legislation and report back about the stated guidance on distance from a boundary fence and also from existing buildings. He did not have that detail too hand. Contact details were exchanged.

434.03 the police have been involved in respect of the antisocial behaviour aspects of the complaint and were to attend complainants’ property at 11am Wednesday morning.

435.00 Police Matters.

435.01 clerk had circulated the police e-newsletter. Clerks had also attended a Police Teams meeting the previous evening and had obtained the details of the Maryport based community liaison officer.

436.00 Matters concerning Cumberland Councillor.

419.01 Cllr Martin Harris, who was present, had provided a report which clerk had circulated and it was taken as read. He then confirmed he was still chasing the replacement Give Way signs and also footpath cleaning.

436.02 Cllrs aired their concerns about the suitability of the pavement cleaning vehicle and also asked why Highways having had numerous complaints about well used footpaths being the issue chose to clean a little used path by comparison down to Beech Hill. At the end of the agenda item the chair invited Cllr MH to stay, which he accepted.

437.00 Applications for development.  None.

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438.00 Bus shelter repair and Red Phone Box refurbishment, Allerby.

438.01 clerk advised that at the third attempt he had received a quotation for the Prospect bus shelter roof. It was £740.00 ex VAT, which was to remove the current roof structure and replace with new timbers and sheeting. Clerk advised in April 2017 a new shelter at Allerby Rd end was £2748, in April 2023 the bus shelter in Prospect with the now storm damaged roof, had cost £820 to open the shelter frontage to stop it being used as an unauthorised public convenience. Figures provided for cost comparison purposes. Cllrs unanimously resolved to authorise the roof repair.

438.02 chair Cllr LP-M was still having problems contacting the individual about repair of the Allerby phone box. All cllrs acknowledged the difficulty in getting contractors.

439.00 Vandalism and antisocial behaviour and replacement defib sign.

439.01 Cllr PM had been involved with recent issues of vandalism and antisocial behaviour, the Pond Green issues already discussed. Damage to newly erected lamppost had been repaired by Highways. It was agreed by Cllrs that clerk email the community liaison officer, whose details he had and enter into a dialogue about a greater visible police presence in the parish.

439.02 Cllr JG had the vandalised defib’ sign and would hand to the clerk who would, if possible, instigate a repair and replace the sign.

440.00 Resolve to renew Picnic Field annual rental with tenant, due 1^st May 2025

440.01 clerk advised the annual picnic field rental agreement was due for renewal 1^st May 2025 and enquired whether Cllrs happy that he renewed the agreement with the current long-term tenant at the same annual fee of £200. Unanimously resolved clerk renews the agreement.

441.00 Highways response to verge parking.

441.01 following discussions at the last meeting about perhaps turning verges, if appropriate, into tarmacked areas for additional parking clerk had contacted the appropriate Highways officer. That reply had been circulated to all Cllrs and there would be no further action on the proposal.

442.00 Pavement conditions and pothole repair issues.

442.01 Cllr LM had contacted Highways about recent pothole repairs, their standard of repair workmanship and that potholes in the immediate vicinity of a pothole being repaired obviously in need of filling not being repaired at the same time, although vehicles carried sufficient material to undertake such a task. Cllr MH, CC, acknowledged the frustration of the Cllrs.

443.00 Progress reports, clerk.

443.01 clerk had made contact with North West Ambulance Service trust Charity and as authorised made a £50 donation to the charity. A letter of thanks would be sent to the parish council. Cllr PM requested a copy be placed in the noticeboards.

443.02 clerk is still attempting to get the fly tipped wire and fencing poles removed from Beech Hill.

443.03 clerk had put a VE Day flyer in the noticeboard. Cllr PM to resize to A4 and clerk would print additional 30 off.

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 443.04 the end of year HMRC PAYE roll over from 2024/25 to 2025/26 has been completed and relevant e files submitted.

443.05 the latest edition of the INSIDE magazine had been collected by the clerk and was available this evening for distribution.

444.00 Councillors reports.

444.01 Cllr GH mentioned refurbishment and freshening of the parish planter boxes. Appropriate requirements to be purchased and receipts presented to clerk for reimbursement.

444.02 Cllr PM had recently attended a “scam talk” advising attendees of scams via email, or phone and the speaker would be more than happy to organise one in Oughterside and Allerby Parish at Prospect Hall if there was enough interest.

444.03 Cllr PM would contact the old Allerdale council office by telephone and make arrangements for a litter pick, provision of purple bags and litter picking sticks.

445.00 Correspondence.

445.01 Invoice received from Prospect Hall for VE Day hire charge, £36.00

445.02 Government auditor’s Moore had provided criteria and deadline dates for 2024/25 accounts submission. Clerk already organising.

445.03 Cumberland Council had confirmed precept payment by bank transfer was authorised, £11440.

445.04 Prospect Village Hall had provided invoice for 3 months hire Jan-March 2025, total of £24. No meeting in Jan’ and no heating at February meeting so only March charged.

445.05 Various notices about changes to Bin Collection and opportunity to change bin size if appropriate.

445.06 Email from Fibrus about fibre optic update across Cumberland.

445.07 Email from school headmistress advising marker pegs originally marking wild flower meadow area in parish playing field at Oughterside had been thrown into the school yard.

445.08 invoice received from Printpoint to cover the Spring INSIDE, £132.00

445.09 the annual ENW cheque for wayleave payment for poles and lines across parish land had been received £34.87 and banked on 1^st April.

446.00 Payments for approval.

Intpay 335, £344.88, salary £258.48 expenses £86.40.

Intpay 336, HMRC £64.60, PAYE.

Intpay 337, Printpoint £132.00, Spring INSIDE 2025

Intpay 338, Prospect Village Hall, £24.00, parish hall hire charge, Jan’-March 2025

Intpay 339, Prospect Village Hall, £36.00, VE Day dance hire charge 5^th May 2025.

Intpay 340, NW Ambulance Service Charity. £50.00, donation for CPR training. Paid 4^th April.

April HSBC bank charge £5.00 per month

All Payments approved.

Meeting closed 8.30pm.

447.00 Date and time of next meeting Tuesday 13^th May 2025 at 7.00pm at Prospect village hall. The parish council AGM will be held before the meeting.

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ext content to come.