Minutes from "January Parish Council Meeting" on 8 Jan 2008 - 6:15pm

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF CATON-WITH-LITTLEDALE PARISH COUNCIL HELD AT THE VICTORIA INSTITUTE ON TUESDAY 8th January 2008

PRESENT:

Councillors PM Quinton, J Pritchard, R Elvis, V Williams, J Jackson, J Parkinson, R Gibbons, CEC Kynch, Dr DB Coltman and P Marshall.

County Councillor Mrs S Charles, PC K Collins and CPSO Peter Wood attended by invitation.

08/100 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE:

Councillor S Langhorn and M Williams sent their apologies.

08/101 OPEN SESSION

No members of the Public attended

08/102 MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING HELD ON 11th DECEMBER 2007

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 11th December were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

08/103 MATTERS ARISING

• 07/159 - County Cllr Atkinson has chased up the items as requested at the previous meeting but there has been no response from the Depts. yet.
• 07/159 - Brookhouse Road. County’s initial response was that they could do nothing, however I have been in discussion with them to try and implement some form of ‘calming’ to stop drivers mounting the pavement. It was also suggested that restrictions to parking on the corner to improve sight lines or a ‘gateway’ be considered.
• 07/152 - Littledale Road. I am advised that the problems should be rectified by Friday 11th January !!
• 07/061 - Fell View. A meeting has been held and a sketch landscape proposal circulated. It is planned to submit grant applications to the March round.
• 07/ - Millennium Park signs. LCC Environment Service has placed an order. Draft layouts will be available for comment shortly. Cllrs. J Parkinson, J Pritchard and C Kynch agreed to be involved

08/104 POLICE AND COMMUNITY TOGETHER (PACT).

There had been an attempted theft of lead from the roof of the Victoria Institute, a vehicle had been identified.

Six motorists had been cautioned with regard to parking on the Zebra Crossing and twenty six reported – They were not from the Village !

The white markings at the Zebra Crossing require attention.

Bollards by the crossing will be installed with funding from the Moor Platt Developers and Lancashire Locals.

The ‘Shock Board’ at Bull Beck is going ahead.

The old Scout Hut has undergone a ‘rebuild’ with generous support from local businesses. Final usage is still under discussion. PC Johnson will provide information at a future meeting.

08/105 PLANNING

The Following Applications had been Received :-

• 07/01758/FUL - Erection of single storey rear extension
  Mr & Mrs P Maudsley, Tequesta, Lancaster Road, Caton
  No Comments
• 07/01775/FUL - Erection of Agricultural building
  Field 2357, Caton Green Road, Brookhouse
  Questioned the need for the building, access in a blind junction and restoration of field where the previous track had been made.

The Following Applications had been Granted :-

• 07/01375/CU - Conversion of cartshed to dwelling
  Mr S Ashby, The Cartshed, Greenfields Yard, Copy Lane, Caton

08/106 COUNTY & DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORTS

Cllr Mrs S Charles was to be Deputy Mayor next year. She reported that railings by the Zebra Crossing would be funded from next year’s budget.

Following a review of Polling Stations, Quernmore (part) would continue to vote at the Victoria Institute and the Poling Station at Brookhouse would move to the Methodist Church.

Following the Schools Review the use of the pool at Hornby was being reviewed. The City Council Overview and Scrutiny Committee had produced a long report on the Review and had presented it to the County Council.

The decision on the Inquiry into the M6 link road was expected at the end of January.

08/107 LENGTHSMAN, HIGHWAYS & FOOTPATHS

The ‘Bin Wagons’ are damaging the grass verges on Copy Lane and a letter of complaint would be sent.

There is a drainage problem at the end of Station Lane where it meets the Millennium Park.

The Road sign at St Paul’s Drive had been damaged. It was suggested that it should be moved out of the way of turning busses.

A lighting post at the Round-about was corroded and the Croft was full of pot holes once again. Flooding was making it dangerous.

Sign posts on Littledale Road have gone missing

08/108 BUDGET AND PRECEPT

The Budget for 2008/2009 was agreed and a copy is attached for information.

It was resolved in accordance with Section 50 of the Local Government Act 1992 that the Budget requirement for the Parish was :-

Accordingly the BUDGET requirement for the Parish being £ 17,000 the Clerk was authorised to issue a PRECEPT on Lancaster City Council for that amount.

08/109 FINANCE

It was resolved to pay £800 to St Paul’s Church as a grant for the maintenance of the Church Yard. We agreed to write to request that other options for keeping costs down be considered.

Proposed Cllr P Quinton, seconded Cllr R Elvis and resolved that the following payments be made:-

08/110 CLERK’S SALARY

Following the National Salary agreement 2007-2008 the Clerk’s Salary was set at scale point SP 18 with the hours remaining the same. All to be backdated to April 2007.

08/111 REPORTS OF MEMBERS ON OUTSIDE BODIES

Youth Club

A letter for Link from the Youth Club committee was circulated and Survey of the needs of Youth Organisations and venues was to be undertaken. Details to be agreed.

Twinning

• Event Sat 12th Jan 7.30 Victoria Institute Free Wine and Cheese
• Visit from Socx 11-14th April 2008 to sign Charter.

Victoria Institute

There had been instances of vandalism and the VI were investigating the provision of CCTV at a cost of £ 3,500. It was agreed that the Parish Council write to Cllr Atkinson to request his help in funding the system. It was considered to be a matter of urgency that a system be installed as soon as possible.

08/112 LAPTC AND CORRESPONDANCE

####   Please request from Clerk if interested   ####

• Parish Charter – Working schedule
• Police Authority Community Meetings – Tuesday 15th January 7.00 p.m. The Gregson Centre, Moorgate, Lancaster
• LAPTC Newsletter etc. It was agreed that Cllr J Pritchard attend the Chairmanship Workshop and Cllr C Kynch the Planning Course.

08/113 ITEMS / DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Tuesday 12th February 2008. Agenda closes 7th February 2008

The Council Dinner will be held at the Black Bull on Sunday 20th January 7.00pm.

The meeting closed at   9.30 pm.