Minutes of a meeting of Cockermouth Town Council held in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Cockermouth on Wednesday 25 November 2009 at 7.00pm

Members

S Coates (Mayor)

I Burns

A Kennon D Newton E Nicholson A Smith C Smith S Standage A Tyson M Wood

Apologies: C M Jackson, L G Lytollis

Also present: 3 press representatives and 1 police representative.

91 Flooding

The Mayor gave the following announcement:-

I am sure that you will all agree that the flooding has had a terrible effect on our

beautiful gem town.

Our thoughts are with the residents whose homes have been tragically affected,

Many of them have lost everything. A huge proportion of businesses have also been

Affected this is particularly devastating as we are so close to Christmas. We wish

Them well through the recovery stage.

I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the town council to thank:-

All of the emergency services

Officers from Allerdale Borough Council, Cumbria County Council and the

Environment Agency

Cockermouth Mountain Rescue

RNLI

RAF

RSPCA

Sheep and Wool Centre

Cockermouth School

Sainsburys

Asda

Tesco

Various churches within the Town

All other volunteers

We have received letters of sympathy and donations from far and wide.

I am certain that the community will come through this and prevail.

We will win through by working together in partnership towards a common goal –

The regeneration of our lovely town!

The Town Clerk briefly outlined the damage to property owned by the Town Council:-

Flood damage to the basement of the Town Hall including boiler room

Flood damage to Victoria Hall

Severe Flood damage to the Memorial Gardens & allotments

The lack of electricity/heating/telephones was making working on a day to day basis

very difficult.

Mr I Payne, Allerdale Borough Council informed those present that a County wide

Recovery Plan was drawn up after the Carlisle Floods in 2005.

A recovery co-ordination group chaired by Marie Fallon was implementing the plan.

Four sub groups had been formed.

Infrastructure Sub Group - dealing with communication, transport, bridges, roads etc.

Bridge inspection was now a major priority.

Economic Recovery Sub Group – concentrating on getting people back to work,

encouraging visitors and getting businesses up and running as soon as possible.

Money was available from the NWDA. The Chamber of Trade was being reformed in

Cockermouth and they were due to meet tomorrow.

Environmental Issues Sub Group – concentrating on cleaning up the waste

generated during the clean up, animal welfare, removal of fallen stock and looking

after the built and natural environment. Cockermouth has a large conservation area

and a number of listed buildings which needed sensitive restoration.

Welfare Sub Group – looking at housing issues e.g. getting people back into their

houses or temporary accommodation and helping them with benefit issues and

people’s physical and mental health.

This structure was supplemented by 3 flood recovery committees based in

Cockermouth, Keswick and Workington, these recovery committees would link what

was needed at a local level to County level.

92 To authorise the Mayor to sign as a correct record the minutes of the

last meeting held on 21 October 2009.

Resolved – That the minutes of the last meeting held on 21 October 2009 be

signed as a correct record.

93 Declaration of Interest

Councillors A Tyson and A Smith declared a personal interest with regard to item 6a

due being members of the development panel.

Councillor Tyson also declared a personal interest in item 9b and a prejudicial interest

in item 9h.

94 Mayors Announcements

The Town Mayor gave details of the events he had attended since the last meeting.

These included:-

Royal British Legion pea and pie supper
Opening of the Food Bank
Remembrance Service
Allerdale Mayors Charity Concert

95 Attendance by Police

The Community Police informed those present that due to recent events he was

unable to give us his usual report.

He wished to thank all the townspeople for their support.

Extra patrols were in force around the town centre. A Patrol Strategy was being

drawn up.

The Police were hoping to return to the top floor of the Police Station shortly.

96 Public Participation

No questions or petitions were received from members of the public.

97a Planning Applications

Resolved - That the Council’s observations on the following planning

Applications received to date be forwarded to the Chief Planning Officer:-

2/2009/0735

Replacement of wooden windows with double glazed single sliding sash timber

windows and timber panelled door

6 Bridge Street, Cockermouth

Recommend approval

2/2009/0739

Demolition of single storey extension and replacement with new single –storey

extension to the rear

12 Fern Bank

Recommend approval

2/2009/0740

Demolition of existing radio mast and replacement with new latticed mast on

concrete base.

Resevoir Site, Towers Lane, Cockermouth

Recommend approval

2/2009/0747

Replace existing clear glazed rooflight with new clear glazed rooflight to side

elevation.

Muscat, Fern bank, Cockermouth

Recommend approval

2/2009/0749

Erection of single dwelling house

Land at Strawberry How, Lorton Road, Cockermouth

Recommend refusal – site should be retained for industrial use.

2/2009/0755

Demolish existing garage/utility and rebuild two storey extension to side

19 Towers Lane, Cockermouth

Recommend Approval

2/2009/0761

Replacement of flat roof with pitched roof on existing kitchen extension. Replace

existing wooden kitchen window with upvc window.

The Corner House, 19 Mountain View, Cockermouth

Recommend refusal, contrary to conservation area design guide.

2/2009/0763

Replacement of timber windows with pvc-u windows to front and rear elevation

23 South Street, Cockermouth

Recommend refusal, contrary to conservation area design guide

2/2009/0769

New enclosed entrance porch to front

5 Deer Orchard Close, Cockermouth

Recommend approval

2/2009/0770

Use of land for the siting of two holiday caravans

Simonscales Mill, Simonscales Lane, Cockermouth

Recommend refusal, the two holiday caravans are out of character and harmful to the

visual amenity, there is also a lack of screening.

2/2009/0781

Alterations and conversions to provide 10 no. properties comprising 4no. ground floor

apartments and 6 no. duplex units to first and second floors

The Globe Hotel, Main Street, Cockermouth

Recommend Approval

2/2009/0791

Listed building consent to re-roof the building using the existing slates.

17 Gote Road, Cockermouth

Recommend Approval

2/2009/0228

Amended plans for 19 additional car parking spaces

Former highway and gas holder site, sullart street, Cockermouth

Recommend Refusal – parking still insufficient.

97b Notification of decisions from Allerdale Borough Council and Cumbria County

Council

Agreed - That the various notifications of planning decisions as received from the Borough Council and County Council be noted.

97c Tree Works

Resolved – That no objection be raised to the removal of a sycamore tree, land at the River Cocker, Cockermouth.

98 Highways Matters

98a Highway Response Team

Agreed – That there were no matters to forward to the team.

99 Financial Matters

99a Schedule of Payments

Resolved – (a) That the schedule of payments in the sum of £17,030.22 as set out

In the amended expenditure transactions approval list be formally approved for

payment.

99b Festival Accounts

Resolved – That the festival accounts be noted and endorsed.

99c Europe Prize Scholarship Fund

Resolved – That a grant of £400.00 be given to the Fund.

99d West Cumbria HF

Resolved – That a grant of £50 be given to West Cumbria HF.

99e Allerdale Disability Association

Agreed – That the letter of thanks be noted.

99f Georgian Fair

Resolved – That a grant of £200.00 be given to the Organising Group.

99g Cockermouth Amateur Dramatic Society (CADS)

Resolved – That a grant of £300.00 be given towards the CADS pantomime in

January 2010.

99h Solway Arts

Resolved – That a meeting be held with Solway Arts regarding the payment of

their budget allocation.

100 Schedule of correspondence, notices and publications

100a Draft Amended Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)

Allerdale Borough Council is inviting representations on the draft amended

Statement of Community Involvement. The document had been amended to reflect

recent changes in Planning Regulations.

The SCI sets out Allerdale Borough Council’s approach for involving the community

and stakeholders in the preparation of Local Development Documents and the

determination of planning applications.

Resolved – That no comment be made with regard to the draft amended Statement

of Community Involvement.

100b Low Carbon Communities Challenge

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment are launching the Low Carbon

Communities Challenge, a two year programme to provide financial and advisory

support to communites which are seeking to cut carbon emissions, support inward

Investment and foster community leadership.

The Challenge will be run in two phases, phase 1 ‘first mover’ applications only

applies to green exemplar communities which already have integrated community

plans to tackle climate change and phase 2 ‘second mover’ applications are

suitable for communities already taking some action with an interest in developing

integrated plans for cutting carbon emissions. The deadlines for both phases were

incredibly tight.

Resolved – That the programme be noted.

100c Fair Trade Road Signs for Cockermouth

Cockermouth Fair Trade Group were requesting that the Town Council re-consider

their decision to only allow fair trade signage to be attached to brown tourist signs.

However, upon investigation the matter further with Capita, the fair trade message

cannot be prescribed for tourist signs.

Resolved – That Fair Trade Group be allowed to affix Fair Trade signs to our

Cockermouth signage.

100d Cumbria Association of Local Councils

Agreed – That the minutes of the General Meeting held on 24 September 2009 be

noted.

100e CALC Circular

Agreed – That the contents of the circular be noted.

100f Cumbria in Control User Involvement Consortium

The way social care is organised in Cumbria will be changing later this year with

the introduction of individual budgets for adults who receive care. The Town

Council has been invited to comment on the proposed changes.

Agreed – That due to differing opinions, councillors reply direct to the consultation.

100g Derwent Owners Association

The Derwent Owners Association are consulting its members regarding

introducing or extending catch and release methods for salmon and sea trout as a

means of conserving or improving stocks on the River Derwent.

Resolved – That further progress should be made to progress voluntary

arrangements.

100h Cumbria Highways – Issue 15

Agreed – That the contents be noted.

100i Cumbria in Bloom

Agreed – That the date of the AGM be noted.

100j Building Schools for the future

The County Council is seeking to improve its secondary schools by seeking

funding through the Building Schools for the Future Initiative. Views on the

options suggested were sought by the 5^th December 2009.

Agreed - That no comment be made.

100k Parking Refunds

Following a brief email conversation with the Parking Services Manager at

Allerdale, the proprietors of Firns Home Hardware were suggesting that

participating traders could refund their customers 1 hours free parking fee in store

just as Sainsbury’s do. Each store could set its own level of spend required by the

customer to qualify for this refund.

Resolved – That the scheme be supported.

100l Spadework

Spadework are in the process of acquiring the lease on The Walled Garden to

provide education and skills for growing food in an ecological and ethical way.

Spadework urgently required letters of support to assist with funding applications

and secondly for some financial support towards the legal costs of the lease.

Resolved – That a letter of support and a donation of £50.00 be given.

101 Clerks Report

Those present considered the content of the Clerks report.

Resolved – (a) That the refund of £1715.39 in respect of overcharged electricity

costs in Victoria Hall be noted.

(b) That the replacement of the roof on the toilet extension and the fixing of the main roof be retrospectively authorised.

(d) That our offices close on 24 December 2009 and re-open on Monday 4 January 2010.

102 Meeting Dates 2010

Resolved – (a) That the meeting dates for 2010 be endorsed.

(b) That other key dates for 2010 be provided at the next meeting.

103 Locality Working

Allerdale Borough Council has a duty to inform, consult and involve local people in

decisions that affect them. Allerdale Borough Council was now suggesting spending

the £50,000 ringfenced as sucession planning spend from the previous Market Town

Initiative on the production of a locality plan.

Resolved – That the production of a locality plan be supported.

105 Date of next meeting

Resolved- That the next meeting be held on Thursday 17 December 2009.

The meeting closed at 9.35pm