Meeting December 2025

The minutes of Oughterside and Allerby Parish Council meeting

held on Tuesday 9^th December 2025 commencing at 7.00pm.

Chair declared the meeting open at 7.00pm

Present: Cllrs Chair Lyndsey Preston-Miller, Gladys Hunter (vice chair), Julie Gingell,       Gary Bolton, Pam Marriot.

Cumberland Councillor. Cllr Martin Harris.

Clerk: Mike Milner, no members of the public.

553.00 Apologies for absence: none

554.00 Declaration of interests: None.

555.00 To read and approve the minutes of the last meeting held on Tuesday11^th November 2025.

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

556.00 Public Participation/open session.

556.01 no members of the public present, no reports.

557.00 Police Matters.

538.01 clerk confirmed police e newsletter duly circulated. Clerk confirmed email from local beat bobby and it advised new speed cameras had been delivered and should be in use shortly.

558.00 Matters concerning Cumberland Councillor.

558.01 Cllr Martin Harris was present and read his report as requested by the chair. Then asked if he would like to remain, an invitation, due to the gale blowing outside, he accepted.

559.00 Applications for development. 

559.01 clerk had circulated a revised specification for application FUL/2025/0083. The council had previously approved the refurbishment of the barn building for a dwelling. The latest application was to demolish the existing barn building and rebuild. The new build would be on the existing footprint and due attention to current bats and other wild life would be undertaken. Cllrs agreed to the change of proposal.

560.00 To consider and resolve to set the Oughterside and Allerby parish council precept for financial year 2026/27. All documents circulated at November meeting. Precept figure submission date Friday 9^th Jan’ 2026.

560.01 clerk handed out budget figures and then ran through them with appropriate explanation. He concluded by stating that based on his calculations he proposed a 5% increase for the coming year to £12012. Cllr P.M advised Cllrs that although she  agreed with the proposed budget, she felt that all three of the parish council noticeboards were in need of replacement not just refurbishment.

560.02 a discussion about the boards followed, a quick reference to online websites during the discussion indicated that the purchase and installation of new boards would cost approx. £2500. One solution would be to reduce the donations to charity, GNAA, Wigton Baths and St James for the graveyard maintenance, but this was rejected. It was finally agreed that the parish council for this year would increase the precept by inflation and also the cost of the new noticeboards, to £14500. It can be reduced next year if appropriate. Unanimously resolved to set precept at £14500.

Page 355 (1 of 2) chairman…………………………………………………………..10^th February 2026.

561.00 Parish Council vacancies.

56.01 councillors agreed that as not all the INSIDE magazines had been delivered, they would postpone the discussion until the next meeting in February. Vacancies advertised.

562.00 Update on gov.uk adoption for email addresses for use by clerk and councillors. Possible website changes.

562.01 clerk explained that he had had contact with the individual who originally created the website www.oughtersideallerbypc.org and he was happy to pass on the login details to Macintosh Electronics of Manchester, who would maintain the website in future and provide the new gov.uk webname and registration and maintain the website going forwards. Clerk confirmed that councillors would all have individual email address’s for their parish business. Clerk had received a final email from the current web host for hosting the website.

563.00 Update Cumberland Community Governance Review 2026.

563.01 clerk confirmed that the Cumberland Boundary Review had been extended, which meant the CGR would have to be delayed until May 2026. No further information, clerk hoped to have more detail for the February meeting.

564.00 Progress reports, clerk.

564.01 clerk had contacted Allerdale Planning Office about the trees on Salterwath Beck edge, which have TPO on them, but the tree officer has not yet made any contact as promised, so no further action until tree officer’s input received.

564.02 INSIDE mag produced and in process of being distributed.

564.03 clerk had advised Prospect hall treasurer to bill council for Remembrance Day hire.

565.00 Councillors reports.

565.01 Cllr P.M raised issue of hedge growth blocking the footpath from Osborne Place down to Bank End Cottages, in areas, images to be provided and clerk to take action with owners.

565.02 Cllr P.M drains again blocked by low bridge on Arkleby road. Clerk to tackle Highways.

566.00 Correspondence.

566.01 Calc had done website audit and pointed out Asset register omitted this year.

566.02 Invoice received from Printpoint £132.00 for December INSIDE.

566.03 Invoice from Andy Ward, web hosting £150.00

567.00 Payments for approval.

M Milner Intpay 374, £370.20, salary £282.90 December, £87.30 expenses.

HMRC Intpay 375, HMRC £70.60, PAYE. December

Printpoint Intpay 376, £132.00, December INSIDE.

Andy Ward IntPay 377, £120.00 outstanding web hosting charges.

All Payments approved.

Meeting closed 8.10pm.

568.00 Date and time of next meeting Tuesday 10^th February 2026 at 7.00pm at Prospect village hall.

Page 356 (1 of 2) chairman………………………………………………………….10^th February 2026.

ext content to come.