Tatham Parish Council

Present: District Cllr Joyce Pritchard, Cllrs Melany Winstanley, Ruby Murray, Andrew Taylor, Bill Deller & Michael Mason and the Clerk.

Public Time: Cllr Deller gave a report on the progress of the Parish Plan, he and Cllr Dawson aided by Mark Chappelhow have filled in the application form. Cllr Deller gave out copies of the completed form. We have been awarded the maximum grant of £2,000.

The election on May 3 of District and Parish Councillors was discussed.

The notice board is difficult to open, Cllr Taylor volunteered to have a look at it.

1. Apologies: District Cllrs Quinton, Parish Cllrs Dawson who is away, Cllr Whitfield who is working and PC Ian Johnston.

2. Minutes: of 16/01/07 including the budget has been circulated. Cllr Winstanley, vice chairman signed them as a true and correct record, proposed by Cllr Deller seconded by Cllr Mason.

3. Police & Community Together: nothing to report

4. Web site: Funding for the site has come to an end. The meeting resolved to continue with the site and to pay Northern Rural Training to host the web site.

5. Lengthsman: Simon Armistead has been informed of a misleading footpath sign. Road sweeping was discussed; a list is to be obtained from the City Council regarding timing and location of road sweeping in the Parish.

6. Risk Assessment: Insurance and the state of Parish Council property was discussed at length and no problems found.

7. Finance: The up to date Receipts & Payments book was inspected.

(a) Bank Statements Current Dec. 24 – Jan 24 £2,030.04

Reserve – Interest Oct 24 – Jan 24 £4.30 £740.08

The vice chairman signed the bank statements.

(b) Received: February 13 VAT repayment £16.63

(c) Cllr Murray proposed and Cllr Winstanley seconded that the following be paid

Cheque No 282 Clerk’s salary £375; clerk’s expenses £75.81 £450.81

Cheque No 283 Northern Rural Training (hosting website) £70.50

(d) Requests for funding, along with latest balance sheets have been received from the Good Shepherd Church and St James the Less Church.

8. Plans:

No further details required for Agricultural Determination for erection of a storage building at Fleet Green.

Granted 06/01482/FUL erection of a gazebo to the rear of the Bridge Inn for use by customers.

9. Highways: (a) Mr Craven has left. Reply from Mr Robson; a lifted kerb stone in Lowgill village has been re instated.

Reply from Sarah Wood re cattle grid request for Ringstones Road/Craggs Lane, this has been refused; Cllr Taylor is in contact with residents of this road re a private grid.

A letter has been received from Mr Neilson, Senior Engineer Bridges at Preston, Mill Bridge is to be strengthened which will probably involve road closure, he is to be asked if the work can be done during the school holidays.

Mr Robson is to be informed of holes in the road on Ivah Great Hill road and on the Church road in Higher Tatham these are caused by water running onto the road; also of a blocked culvert on Mewith Lane near the junction with Cross Road.

Bentham Town Council is to be informed of the bad state of Long Lane near Eskew Bridge.

10. City Council: (a) A meeting re the election of District and Parish Councillors is to be held in Lancaster Town Hall on Wednesday, March 21 at 5.30pm followed by the Mayors reception at 7pm.–no one is able to attend, the nomination papers are to be posted to the clerk, completed forms have to be at the Town Hall by Noon on April 4. (b) Annual Monitory report 2006 on Local Development framework (c) Proposal fro Unitary Structure (d) Register of electors (e) Standards committee meeting also received street lighting and play strategy.

11. County Council: (a) Community Transport Guide to Dial a Bus & Community Car Schemes leaflets have been distributed (b) Bus shelter questionnaire (c) Lancashire Local – Lancaster District meetings Jan 30 & March 13 (d) consultation re shaping the future of your neighbourhood (e) playing fields newsletter.

12. LAPTC: Lancaster – Agenda March, Minutes Jan

County – (a) Conference details May11-13 (b) The chairman’s name has been forwarded for the Palace Garden Party on July 17 (c) Best kept Village conpetiton.

National- Magazines & leaflets, Disability Discrimination Act; Local Government & Public Involvement in Health Bill; Freedom of Information consultation; Review of quality Parish Councils.

13. Community Futures: The Parish Plan steering group are Cllr Deller, Cllr Dawson, Cllr Taylor, Bronwen Osborne and Mike Winstanley.

14.Code of Conduct: Consultation re revised code and a letter from the City Council.

15. Correspondence: (a) Post Watch, it is planned to close many Post Offices, letters have been sent in favour of keeping open Wray and High Bentham Post Offices. (b) STILE newsletter, a proposal has been made to site more windmills in the Lune Valley (c) Questionnaire re disabled people.

16. Next meeting: May 15 at 7.30pm in the Old School, Tatham Fells, Annual Parish Assembly/Meeting, Annual Parish Council meeting & May meeting.

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