Tatham Parish Council

Present: Parish Councillors Melanie Winstanley, Bill Deller, Michael Mason, Andrew Taylor, Sue Dawson and Jim Harrison, PCSO Peter Wood, the clerk and 5 members of the public, John Holt, Sue Clements, Chris Hewitt and Mr Philip & Mrs Kate Stone.

PUBLIC TIME: Steve Loy, clerk for Melling has arranged training at Melling Institute, due to start in September.

Mr Holt thanked the Parish Council for the litter bin on the Church car park.

Mr Stones planning application was discussed.

Following Public Time Mrs Clements, Mrs Hewitt and Mr & Mrs Stone left the meeting.

1. Apologies: Cllr Murray who is ill.

2. Minutes: of 20/05/08 have been circulated; they were signed as a true and correct record, proposed by Cllr Deller seconded by Cllr Harrison.

3. Police & Community Together: PCSO Wood showed temporary road signs from Operation Pasture, these are warning signs which can be used by farmers for example Mud on the Road and are free from Lancaster Auction Mart. Any donations will be given to a farmers charity. He warned everyone to be vigilant as thieves are operating even during the day, targeting anything which they can sell for scrap, adding that anything clearly identifiable would be less likely to be stolen.

4. Tree Warden: Cllr Winstanley read a report from Tree Warden Lyn Hitch on the Variation on Tree Preservation Order. The position of the two oak trees near Raw Ridding farm had been wrongly sited on the original order.

5. Lengthsman: The Lengthsman time sheet for April has been received but it is not clear on which lengths of road he is working, he is to be asked for more detail. Cllr Harrison has spoken to the Chairman of Wray PC on the subject. A report from the Lengthsman on blocked drains has been passed on to Highways and he has fixed the Old Moor Road sign.

6. Telephone Box: Cllr Winstanley reported that in response to the proposed closure of the Telephone Box in Lowgill village, she has applied to have this K6 Box listed.

7. Footpath Diversion: Cllr Taylor reported that Mr Paul Taylor at Parkside Farm, Lower Tatham has disputed the line of a footpath as it is in different places on different maps. Two ladies from Preston had been to Cllr Taylor’s Home to inspect the old minute books and are to decide on the correct route.

8. Refuse Collections: Clls Winstanley and Deller had attended a meeting at Melling where Abi Cox had spoken of the new wheelie bins which are to be delivered in September.

9. Finance: The receipts & payments book was open for inspection.

Cllr Harrison RFO signed the bank statement.

(a) Bank Statement: Current account 24 April – 23 May £6,929.24

(b) Thank you letters have been received from NW Air Ambulance, Wray Institute Committee, St James the Less Church, The Good shepherd Church, Tatham Fells School and Tatham Fells Old School.

(c) Cllr Mason proposed and Cllr Dawson seconded that the following be paid –

Cheque No. 311 Membership fee for One Voice £2.00

(d) AUDIT FORM – This was checked, approved and signed (Notice of Audit is on the notice board)

10. Plans: received a letter from Mr Higgin re application for Ivah Great Hill.

New & Permitted 08/00605/FUL demolition of attached outbuilding & erection of kitchen extension, Clintsfield, Old Moor Road for Mr Jeremy Hartley.

New TPO 433(2008) variation on Tree Preservation Order – 2 oak trees – land to west of Raw Ridding.

New 08/00737/CU change of use of land to equestrian area, Parkside Farm, Russells Lane for Mr Paul Taylor.

New 08/00724/FUL erection of garage, workshop & garden room, Snap Cottage, Lowgill for Mr Philip Stone. Objections have been sent in to the size and height of the workshop and garden room.

New 08/00708/FUL erection of a first floor extension above existing single storey at Low Wood, Fairheath Road for Mr & Mrs Wattam.

11. City Council: (a) Road Names: John Deacon, Street Furniture Technician has sent information re new road signs. These were discussed and all agreed to ask him to fix five signs including a replacement Old Moor Road sign. (b) Spring bulb order (c) code of conduct posters and information.

12. County Council: (a) Lancashire Local- Lancaster District May minutes, June

agenda (b) Report on Parish and Town Council Seminar on 12 April. (c) Road side finger posts: Martin Charlesworth, Community Projects Officer, Forest of Bowland AONB would like to replace two finger posts – one that points to Botton Head and one that points to Lowgill with an older style. All were in favour.

Highways: A waste paper bin has been sited in the car park at Low Tatham church. A reply had been received from Mr Bowden re overhanging trees; he has been ill and not able to cut them back. Mr Brian Abraham, Highways Manager has replied, the hole at Whitray Bridge has been repaired. He is to be informed of blocked gullies on Agnes Ing Lane and is to be asked what is the Highways policy to gullies and how often they are cleaned, also roadside trimming, and how the work is supervised as to whether it has been done or not.

Lancaster Area – Minutes May, Agenda July. Provisional Outcomes of Lancaster District Local Strategic Partnership.

County – Newsletter, planning aid & information re Conference 4 October.

National –magazines.

14. Community Futures: Cllr Deller reported that the Parish Plan has been finalised and is at the printers. The chairman thanked all who had put so much work into the plan and for Peter Osborne for the painting on the front cover. Mike Winstanley has suggested a series of history meetings in the parish.

15. Correspondence: (a) One Voice (b) Local Council update (c) SELRAP (d) LASRUG

16. Next Meeting: September 16, at 7.30pm in the Old School, Tatham Fells.

Pictures kindly donated by Mike Winstanley and ICTMatrix Project
Parish Information provided by Mary Taylor - Clerk to the Parish Council