Tatham Parish Council

Present: District Cllr Joyce Prichard, Parish Cllrs Bill Deller, Jim Harrison, Melanie Winstanley, Andrew Taylor, Ruby Murray and Sue Dawson, Member of the Parish Plan Steering Group Bronwen Osborne, Police Constable Carl Wood, the clerk and two members of the public John and Anne Day.

Public Time: The clerk must inform the chairman in advance if she knows of any members of the public who intend to attend the meeting.

Thorns on the roads from hedge cutting are a problem causing burst tyres; the LALC are to be contacted as to any action the Parish Council can take.

Six 8 metre telegraph poles have been erected at Parkside Farm; it is thought that these will possibly be for flood lights for a domestic ménage; the application permitted in 2008 states that flood lights are not allowed. Public footpaths are also blocked at Parkside Farm.

1. Apologies: Cllr Mason who is attending another meeting.

2. Minutes: of September 15 have been circulated. The chairman signed them as a true and correct record, proposed by Cllr Winstanley seconded by Cllr Harrison.

3. Police And Community Together: There is to be a Partnership Challenge Discussion meeting in Lancaster Town Hall on 23 November 5pm for 6pm. PC Wood reported that a large quantity of diesel had been stolen in Tatham and boy racers had caused a problem near Lowgill: A Farm Watch Scheme is being implemented, this is free: A PACT meeting is to be arranged for 2 February in the Old School, Tatham Fells.

4. Lengthsman: Cllr Harrison reported on two meetings regarding the Lengthsman; the first at Melling Institute with the Lengthsman and representatives of Melling and Wray Parish Councils; and the second at Wray tea rooms with Melling and Wray representatives and a representative from the County Council. At this meeting a strengthened contract was drawn up, this will be put out to tender for the year beginning April 2010.

Cllr Winstanley had inspected Parish Council seats; the Lengthsman is to be asked to repair the one on Trinket Lane.

5. Finance: The accounts book and quarterly report were inspected.

(a) Bank Statements –the chairman signed the bank statements.

Current – 24 July – 24 Sept £1,442.92

24 Sept – 23 Oct £1,418.92

(b) Requests for funding were received from Friends of Tatham Fells School, Tatham Fells Old School and the Air Ambulance.

(c) The budget was discussed: Cllr Dawson proposed and Cllr Murray seconded that the decision should be deferred to the next meeting as to whether money should be taken from reserve of put on the precept for Tatham History Society expenses, Cllrs Winstanley, Taylor and Deller declared an interest.

6. Plans:

New: 09/00976/CU – change of use of land to form extension to domestic curtilage and erection of a single storey extension between bungalow and garage and single storey extension to the rear, for Mr G Baines, Oak head Bank Bungalow.

New: 09/01068/FUL – wind farm of 20 turbines 126.5m high on Claughton Moor and Whitmore for Mrs Gillian Cropper.

The Parish Council had no objections; the application was given to Cllr Murray to study.

It has been brought to the notice of the Parish Council that a block built structure has been built at Cowking Coppice Farm; the Planners are to be informed.

7. City Council: Comments are invited on how the City Council should spend next years budget, exhibition and workshop at Lancaster on 6 January: Views are to be sought on the building of a further nuclear power station at Heysham, at Lancaster Town Hall on 26 -28 November.

8. County Council: Lancashire Local – Lancaster District agendas and minutes.

Highways: Highways Bulletin: The problem of flooding at Millhouses has not yet been solved; letters from Mr & Mrs Hitch and Mr Winstanley are to be forwarded to Highways.

Lancaster – minutes & agendas: Cllr Taylor reported on the last meeting - Mr Robson from Highways had mentioned the Lengthsman scheme and locality focus where by Parish Councils were listened to more; he also said that there is a higher budget for gritting but the number of grit bins in lower areas is being reduced; the road side verges had been mown; he also mentioned the farm watch scheme

County – Sept newsletter; Annual report.

National – magazine.

10. Parish Plan – Bronwen Osborne, speaking on health matters, reported that there had been no more developments from the NHS. A further letter is to be sent. She said that an elderly lady in Tatham was being very well looked after.

Broad band was also discussed; this has been taken up by the government. Cllr Taylor had spoken on Radio Lancashire regarding the lack of broadband in outlying areas.

11. Correspondence: LASRUG: SELRAP: Forest of Bowland newsletter: One Voice, Cllrs agreed to continue with this publication.

12. Next Meeting: 19 January, 2010 in the Old School, Tatham Fells at 7.30pm; the budget meeting.

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