Meeting September 2026

The minutes of Oughterside and Allerby Parish Council meeting

held on Tuesday 8^th September 2026 commencing at 7.00pm.

Chair declared the meeting open at 7.00pm

Present: Chair Cllr Lyndsey Preston-Miller, Gladys Hunter (vice chair), Pam Marriott,       Julie Gingell.

Cumberland Councillor. Not Present

Clerk: Mike Milner. five members of the public present

677.00 Apologies for absence: Cllr Martin Harris (CC)

678.00 Declaration of interests: None.

679.00 To read and approve the minutes of the last meeting held on Tuesday14^th July 2026.

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

Clerk requested the chair if he may enquire of the members of public present what they were here to raise issue with. 4 confirmed the BMX track and dog park, the other gentlemen the result of July minute observation 663.02. Clerk very much aware of recent social media content concerning the BMX track/dog park and emails and phone calls to himself, he suggested chair moved agenda item 8 to next item and permit pubic contribution during the discussion. Chair agreed and commenced the meeting as suggested.

680.00 Consider the use of the Oughterside Playing Field for an activity other than a total children’s recreation area, i.e. possible installation of Dog Park. Report on recent damage/changes to the BMX track. Play equipment removal and update of existing equipment.

680.01 chair invited a member of the public to make a statement to which parish council could respond. The comment was made that the Oughterside Playing Field had been donated to the parish of Oughterside and Allerby for the sole purpose as a children’s recreation area. That was 30 years ago and the concern was that with the passage of time that that had been forgotten and it needed re-establishing, for future generations.

680.02 clerk advised the meeting that over the past few days he had undertaken research on the topic and was able to confirm that the appropriate Land Registry Deed was CU117885 and that clearly indicated the owner was the parish council registered on 17^th Jan 1996 and as the clerk pointed out the transfer “contains restrictive covenants.” The clerk had been unable to find any copy of those covenants, however from his dealings at Lorton Parish Council, who have a similar parish field, and he had seen those documents, he would have to agree that the covenants would probably restrict the use to children’s recreation activities.

680.03 there followed a brief discussion by councillors and the members of the public present and councillors agreed that the clerk should obtain a copy of the covenants document and that until that was available for inspection, there would be no further of discussion about the area being used for anything other than children’s activities.

680.04 Councillors and members encouraged by the chair discussed the BMX bike track, it appears it was originally a dirt track, but over the years the lack of use as BMX biking fell out of favour with youngsters as a pastime, nature took over the track.

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680.05 clerk pointed out that last year the council had in the Summer 2025 parish magazine  devoted over half a page to requesting feedback from residents and children about what they would like to see undertaken to improve the current track. There had even been a special email address created for responses, not one response was forthcoming. It was agreed the clerk should contact the school head, engage with the children and that a BMX steering group should be formed to see the project through to a final conclusion rather than let the situation continue to drift and adults and children make inappropriate alterations to the current track. Such unauthorised alterations may cause injury to third parties. Clerk to look at alternative play equipment options, such as a basketball hoop and that could be part of the steering group’s consideration.

680.06 a positive conclusion for all concerned and no further consideration at this moment in time, the area is a children’s play area and as indicated at all entrances a dog free area.

Chair resumed the meeting at agenda item 4.

681.00 Public Participation/open session. 15 minutes allowed including the clerks update.

681.01 the clerk was able to advise that he had requested the attention of Highways on the matter raised at minute note 663.02, he had as promised investigated the issue immediately after previous meeting and taken pictures, he considered the problem was most prevalent just before Well Road. The member of public doubted that observation and discussed the issue with Cllrs who walk the area regularly. Clerk proposed that as it was difficult to get action from Highways and it would soon be the hedge trimming season, followed by the problem of “brash” on pavements and roads, he would with Cllrs agreement engage the services, if possible, of the Community Payback Team. He had used them very successfully at Lowca, but reminded Cllrs that if he had to hire a skip to remove rubbish that would be chargeable to the council.

681.02 clerk requested to make the contact and the member of public thought it was an excellent solution.

682.00 Police Matters.

682.01 clerk confirmed police e newsletter duly circulated. He had also attended the police TEAMs meeting on 20^th July 2026 at 6pm. Meetings had been hosted by the beat bobby, but now the new Inspector, John Bradley, was the host and he actually hosted the Cockermouth based meeting 2 weeks later. The officer was straight out of 4 years in the Carlisle Police Control Room, so his local knowledge was limited. Clerk had made the request for the county’s mobile SID units to be made available at Prospect A596 as they had been used recently down at Crosby. Request was noted. No other local information other than new legislation now empowered the police to stop and impound at time of any antisocial nuisance involving a vehicle, no longer chasing after a registered owner and attempting too impound at a later date.

683.00 Matters concerning Cumberland Councillor.

683.01 Cllr Harris had provided a report which had been circulated. Part of his report concerned the requested A596 Hidden Dip signage and for the benefit of the members of the public clerk read out that section. Like Cllrs there was utter derision from the public when clerk read the wording, “Connect Roads want many thousands of £’s (possibly tens of thousands) to erect the signs. This had been deemed a necessity back in Feb’ 2024, clerk read out that email.

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684.00 Applications for development.

684.01 no applications to consider, but clerk had circulated application HOU/2026/0108, Ellendale, Oughterside, Wigton, CA7 2PY, which required consultees comments during August. Cllrs raised no objections and clerk had advised accordingly.

685.00 Councillors’ observations on the comments by Tivoli of council’s report on the June 2026 tree survey and revised costs. Email circulated.

685.01 Cllrs consider the revised Tivoli quotation circulated and considered that the revised quotation now £1073.36, reduced from £1610.04 was acceptable for the revised specification as discussed at the previous meeting. The chippings would be put back into the hedge for composting and the logs left on site for locals to help themselves. Work would be undertaken after a sharp frost, due to wet ground in the field by that hedge.

686.00 Consider feedback of Summer INSIDE magazine. Possible changes to presentation and compilation of future editions of the INSIDE.

686.01 Cllr P.M proposed that for future editions that the Cllrs contributed material and pictures. Clerk would be delighted as the latest edition had taken 7 hours to compile and layout. He advised that if the last edition had 2500 words across 4 pages, therefore Cllrs needed to consider at least 250 words of content per article.

686.02 a member of the public pointed out that the school was still under the headship of Sarah Kirkbride and it was celebrating its 150 years of existence, founded in 1876, so perhaps school could provide an excellent local history piece. Clerk would contact Sarah and it was suggested that the next newsletter should be circulated late November.

687.00 Placement of new parish noticeboards, update.

687.01 clerk is still waiting confirmation from Home Group about locating one of the new boards on the grass area at the gully area entrance to Osborne Place. Cllrs were aware of recent social media comments about removing the one of the boards from opposite the Miners Arms on A596 to the Osborne Place location. Cllrs and members of the public present were unanimous that the proposed location was far safer and quieter than on the A596. Clerk reminded all that Connect Roads would consider the replacement as “new street furniture” and require their approval to do the installation. That was not guaranteed and he had had no response from Highways to his initial request to swap the boards. Clerk to chase Home Group contact.

687.02 until Home Group issue resolved no action to order the new boards.

688.00 Resolve to cut the Gholic passageway once in July each summer.

688.01 Unanimously resolved to cut the passageway, clerk to organise.

689.00 Replacement picnic table or a seat at Allerby play area.

689.01 brief discussion cllrs resolved to replace with a recycled plastic picnic table as clerk had suggested and circulated £403.00 excluding VAT.

690.00 Wording on plaque for Allerby K6 telephone box.

690.01 clerk had circulated a suggestion for the location of the plaque to provide future residents and visitors of the history of the iconic K6 phone box. He ran through the history he could put on the plaque. Cllrs after a discussion agreed it should be on the outside of the front facing road door not either side panel. Clerk would confirm wording and circulate.

691.00 Pond Green play slide repair, slide safety matting and chicken. 

691.01 clerk read a letter from EA at Allerdale office of Cumberland Council and advised clerk to spend his time on more important issues than a chicken. The safety matting would be ordered and installed now that the children had finished their school holidays. Clerk would see if he could utilise timber from the Oughterside play bridge to make the repair.

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692.00 Transfer of website to gov.uk domain and activation and use of emails associated with new domain.

692.01 the www.oughtersideallerby-pc.gov.uk domain registered and clerk now officially using clerk@oughtersideallerby-pc.gov.uk for all email and will transfer all Cllrs to that system, but he is contemplating an IT Policy and that is causing some thought as agendas and minutes which is basically all Cllrs receive are public domain documents anyway.

693.00 Progress reports, clerk.

693.01 Gholic Passage cut.

693.02 the defib pads for Gro West have been delivered.

693.03 clerk still chasing the trees that are growing over the carriageway on road adjacent to River Ellen.

693.04 still awaiting action on the Give Way sign at Oughterside.

694.00 Councillors reports.

694.01 Cllr G.S questioned who received the draft minutes and hi what order. Clerk confirmed he initially sought approval from Cllr who chaired the meeting concerned, then they were watermarked Draft and circulated to the Cllrs. At the same time he then added a copy to the parish council website and finally as soon as possible after that drove across and placed copies in the three noticeboards. No individual saw sight of any minutes prior to the Cllrs being sent their copy and them going into the public domain by the website.

694.02 Cllr P.M was concerned that the bus seat on A596 just below the Arkleby turning on A596 has been vandalised. Clerk to check and measure and see about repairs or could a recycled plastic seat be fitted between the current two concrete upright ends.

694.03 Cllr P.M also enquired about village halls having wifi connectivity. Clerk did confirm other buildings that he used for parish meetings did have the facility. The clerk to ask Prospect Village Hall committee for their comments.

694.04 Cllr J.G pointed out that the hedge by bus stop on A596 was over grown. Cllr P.M and J.G agreed to tackle the issue themselves. Litter pick was also discussed same Cllrs to organise.

695.00 Correspondence.

695.01 clerk has been sent a copy of recent SAP Ecology & Environmental Ltd Great Crested Newt report.

695.02 Tivoli Gholic Passage Way invoice £143.18 inc Vat 117008 received

695.03 Request from Allerby Play Park Group for new picnic Table (minute 689.00 refers)

695.04 Email exchange with Home Group. (minute 687.00 refers)

695.05 New AGAR Digital Portal for Smaller Authorities Audit Appointment. New Digital AGAR portal. Clerk to sign up to the facility. Should be available for 2027, Mandatory by 2009. Join sooner rather than later clerk to organise.

695.06 Tivoli August invoice ground maintenance £577.36 ex VAT

695.07 WW Builders could have opportunity to fit noticeboards, can’t organise as not finalised locations.

695.08 2 emails received indicating interest in council vacancies by co-option.

695.09 various email and WhatsApp messages with screenshots from social media posts about BMX track and Dog Park.

695.10 email about relocation of noticeboard from opposite Miners Arms to Osborne Place, clerk had replied and approved his response going on social media page.

695.11 Nalc/Calc have approved 55p/hr pay award for clerk, will be October agenda item.

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696.00 Payments for approval.

Intpay 411, £266.00, August salary contribution, no expenses, no August meeting

Intpay 412, HMRC £66.40, PAYE. August

Intpay 413, M Milner £448.70, salary Sept’ £361.70, £87.00 expenses

Intpay 414, HMRC £90.40, September PAYE.

Intpay 415, Printpoint £132.00 Summer INSIDE

Intpay 416, Tivoli £692.83 August grass contract.

Intpay 362, Tivoli, £143.18, July Gholic Gulley cut.

All Payments approved.

Meeting closed 8.31pm.

697.00 Date and time of next meeting Tuesday 13^th October 2026 at 7.00pm at Prospect village hall.

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