Meeting May 2025

OUGHTERSIDE AND ALLERBY PARISH COUNCIL

The minutes of Oughterside and Allerby Parish Council Annual General Meeting

held on Tuesday 13^th May 2025 commencing at 7.00pm immediately followed by the May 2025 Parish Council meeting.

Chairman declared the meeting open at 7.00pm

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

Julie Gingell.

Cumberland Councillor. Not present.

Clerk: Mike Milner.  1 members of the public plus PC Alex Ostle, PCSO Pete Nichol.

448.00 Apologies for absence: Cllr Gary Bolton. Cllr Martin Harris, Cumberland Councillor

449.00 To appoint a chair and vice-chair for the coming year.

449.01 clerk advised Cllrs that he had established prior to the meeting that Cllr L P-M was prepared to continue as chair if they so wished as was vice chair Cllr G H.

449.02 Cllr P M proposed that Cllr L P-M continue as chair seconded by Cllr J G, they were no other proposal, therefore Cllr L P-M returned unanimously.

449.03 Cllr L S proposed Cllr G H for vice-chair seconded by Cllr J G and with no other proposals Cllr G H was unanimously elected to office of vice-chair. Clerk obtained both Cllrs signatures on the appropriate acceptance of declaration of office form.

Meeting closed 7.05pm

Oughterside and Allerby May 2025 Parish Council Meeting.

Meeting of the Oughterside and Allerby Council Parish Council was declared open at 7.06pm by chair.

450.00 Apologises for absence. As above at 448.00.

451.00 Declaration of interests.  None.

452.00 To read and approve the minutes of the last meeting held on Tuesday 8^th April 2025.

452.01 Resolved unanimously to approve the minutes as a true and accurate record by those who were present at that meeting. Chair signed the True Copy.

The chair then in her powers brought agenda item 5 forward as the next item and welcomed the two police officers to the meeting.

453.00 Police report with local community officers report.

453.01 The chair thanked the officers for attending and making their report in person. There followed a very informative exchange between the police officers and councillors. There was an update on the recent issues of antisocial behaviour in the parish. The A596 speed issues were discussed and the use of speed cameras and the speed camera van unit.

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The interaction between police and schools in the area. Both officers stressed the importance of reporting crimes or issues using either the 101 phone line or 101emails@cumbria.police.uk otherwise they and senior officers did not fully understand local issues and gained a false impression of an area. It was a very informative exchange of information for half an hour, at the end of which the chair again thanked both the local area officers for attending putting a face to the local police team.

Chair resumed at agenda item 4.

454.00 Public Participation/open session.

454.01 The member of the public wished to discuss the location of the Pond Green play equipment at this point of the meeting; therefore, the clerk updated the council on his investigations. Minute 434.02 was his reference point. Investigations with Playdale the equipment providers and other internet sources indicated that there were no specific criteria for distances from boundary fences or local properties. Playdale had made the observation that the equipment was for those up to 12 years of age. If older children or adults climbed on the equipment then that would change a view from towers, but that was not who the installation was designed for. One source of information approached by the clerk advised it could be likened to a double decker bus passing a property those on the upper deck could look inside properties they were passing.

454.02. having referenced the police officers’ comments and that an apology had been given to the local property residents and that it appeared there had been no further occurrence of antisocial behaviour councillors agreed no further action was required at this time. However, all agreed a notice at the equipment site entrance should be displayed advising of the age limits on the play area equipment. Obviously, the basketball hoop could be used by teenagers so that would need to be incorporated. Clerk to circulate options.

455.00 Matters concerning Cumberland Councillor.

455.01 Cllr M H was not present but clerk had circulated his written report. No comments by councillors.

456.00 Applications for development.  None.

457.00 Renewal Of Oughterside Picnic Field annual rental agreement.

457.01 clerk confirmed that prior to the meeting he met with Michael Rooke, who had signed the 12 month rental agreement from 1^st April 2025 to 31^st March 2026 and paid £200 in cash, the clerk produced the signed agreement and then the £200 cash. Clerk would use the cash towards his May remuneration package, therefore no petty cash to be dealt with.

458.00 Receive and approve the parish accounts for the financial year 2024/25. Internal auditors report, Annual Governance Statement, Accounting Statement for the year all to be resolved. Bank reconciliation and variance report. Draft documents distributed electronically before meeting date.

458.01 Certificate of Exemption, AGAR 2024/25 Part 2. This confirms that the parish has neither income nor expenditure exceeding £25k. Inspected by councillors and duly signed by clerk and chair

458.02 clerk had circulated the signed Annual Internal Audit Report. Internal audit had taken place 2/11/2024 and 29/04/25. All boxes correctly ticked, and no issues or recommendations raised.

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458.03 Annual Governance Statement. Clerk read out the content of the 9 boxes on the form and at each statement he ticked Yes box with Cllrs approval. Form then signed by chair and clerk.

458.04 Finally the accounting statement, which had been circulated was approved by councillors and duly receive signed by RFO and chair.

458.05 Clerk concluded by confirming that he would make the appropriate returns to the external government auditor, placing necessary document required for the appropriate periods on the parish council website pages. Displaying in the noticeboards the appropriate details of how accounts could be inspected.

458.06 Cllr L S noted pump heads now stated in Asset register, but wondered about planter boxes. Clerk advised that not included in any other council asset register he clerked for, so no further action.

459.00 Resolve to accept Zurich annual insurance renewal.

459.01 clerk advised renewal premium documents received, new renewal premium £784.83 for year 2025/26, last year was £930.33, no reduction in cover and new playground equipment included.

459.02 councillors resolved unanimously to approve the renewal and payment.

459.00 Reaffirm the Finance Code.

459.01 Cllrs unanimously resolved to reaffirm the Parish Finance Code.

460.00 The maintenance of St James graveyard, resolve to make a contribution.

460.01 clerk advised in recent years the parish council had made a £500 contribution towards the maintenance. The graveyard is used by local parish residents. Councillors resolved unanimously to make a £500 contribution. Clerk to obtain bank details.

461.00 VE Day celebration report.

461.01 all councillors who had been involved reported an excellent afternoon, very successful, they had catered for 50 and over 40 attended. Choice of food was splendid and the raffle was well supported. £125 was raised and donated to the Royal British Legion who had sent an email of acknowledgement. The parish council had agreed to support the beverage expenses and had been provided with receipts totalling £20.04, councillors agreed to reimburse Cllr G H for that figure.

462.00 Progress reports, clerk.

462.01 playground equipment, dealt with at minute 454.00.

462.02 WW Building will arrange to repair the bus shelter roof in the work schedule.

462.03 Damaged road signs by Oughterside School, E1/242567 repaired by Highways.

462.04 clerk had repaired and replaced the defib’ location signs. Cost £46.51 for new brackets and fixing bars.

462.05 Highways had responded to pavement repairs E1/236068 raised in Feb’ 2025 advising pavements on cleared May – October.

463.00 Councillors reports.

463.01 Cllr G H pointed out to clerk NO apostrophe in Gladys. Noted and apology from clerk.

463.02 request for a street light by resident in New Row, Oughterside. Clerk to enquire.

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463.03 Request for more poo bins by Cllr L S, locations discussed, clerk to request.

463.04 Cllr L S also raised the issue of A596 speed limit and parking that was restricting access on to A596.

463.05 chair requested a waste bin by Allerby Road End bus shelter.

464.00 Correspondence.

464.01 Invoice from Tivoli April Grass cutting contract, £659.84.

464.02 Invoice from Tivoli May Grass cutting contract, £659.84.

464.03 letter received from Wigton Baths, requesting a donation towards their up keep. Clerk advised council had donated £100 in past and Cllr unanimously agreed that sum again.

465.00 Payments for approval.

Intpay 341, £379.54, salary £279.03 expenses £100.51.

Intpay 342, HMRC £69.60, PAYE.

Intpay 343, Tivoli, £659.84, April grass contract.

Intpay 344, Tivoli, £659.84, May grass contract.

Intpay 345, Wigton Baths, £100.00 annual donations.

Intpay 346, St James Church, £500 graveyard maintenance donation.

Intpay 347, Gladys Hunter, £20.04, VE Day beverage costs.

Intpay 348, Zurich, £784.83. Annual Parish Insurance.

May HSBC bank charge £5.00 per month

All Payments approved.

Meeting closed 8.29pm.

466.00 Date and time of next meeting Tuesday 10^th June 2025 at 7.00pm at Prospect village hall. The parish council AGM will be held before the meeting.

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