Winter 2008-2009 News Articles:
We are all
used to self-help and volunteering in Colton Parish and we know that
our rural roads are not usually gritted, so when the icy Finally, after many phone calls from parishioners, Councillors and Clerk, some routes were gritted and salt bins and heaps replenished, although some places, e.g. Rusland, have only just been visited. The problem seems to be unclear procedures, a lack of forward-planning for the winter, along with a budget overspend. Needless to say, your Council has written to Cumbria Highways, as we are determined to have an improved service with a procedure that checks the provision of salt/grit every year before the winter starts. A joint letter is also being sent from Colton, Satterthwaite, Blawith and Egton-with-Newland parishes. We are also mapping the location of salt bins and heaps in Colton to send to Highways to help them plan for next winter. The good news is that our County Councillor, Ted Walsh, arranged for Colton to have two more salt bins, and these have just been installed below Bent Hawes and at Rusland Cross. What's more, their contents have also been delivered!
2009 is to be the year of the new Colton Parish Plan. We are told that Parish Plans are to be an important source of information and local opinion for the principal authorities to use in determining policy. You may remember that an excellent Parish Plan (available from the website) was produced in 2003. The Plan contained a number of Actions which the Parish Council has done its best to achieve over the years and, indeed, this Action Plan has been updated on several occasions. However, time moves on and some of the information in the original Plan is well out of date. It is time to have a fresh look at the Parish. In particular, the Plan needs to focus on policies that the Parish feels are appropriate for its area (and which could, for example, guide the Council's response to planning applications), and actions that are achievable by everybody working together, led by your Council. We need a clear statement of What? Why? How? and When? as the basis for the Action Plan. A Parish Plan Working Group is being set up: it is to include members from the original group, some Parish Councillors, and some new faces. If you would like to become involved, please contact the Clerk. We will be inviting contributions from community groups and other organisations within the Parish but, meanwhile, if you have views on any matters that you feel might be relevant to the new Plan, please contact the Clerk. The Parish is undoubtedly benefiting from the services of its Parish Lengthsman, Chris Slater, and the local Highway Steward, Adam Tyson. During the poor weather over autumn and early winter, both were busy clearing roadside drains and grids of leaves and other debris. However, in some parts of the Parish, highway drainage is in an advances state of disrepair and serious engineering is needed to sort things out. The more people that ring the Highways Hotline (0845 609 6609) and report problems, the better. Meanwhile, the Council is undertaking a proper mapping exercise of trouble spots and will use the Highway Steward's working contacts to try and make progress with the Highways Authority. Well-known locations include: below Tanyards near Rusland Cross, Froxe Beck Bridge near Stony Hazel, the dip south of Oxen Park, near the entrance to high Dam at Finsthwaite and on the road opposite Finsthwaite House. If you know of other persistent problem areas, please inform your local Parish Councillor, or the Clerk. The Council's Working Group on Affordable Housing has continued its work over the autumn. It had held discussions with other groups and local parishes. What is becoming clear is that one of the best ways forward is to identify land which can be donated to a Housing Trust and made available for self-build projects. The Trust can then ensure that the housing remains dedicated to local use only and cannot, for example, be sold on for profit. If anyone is aware of any land-owner that might consider helping with this approach, please contact the Clerk, or the Chairman of the Working Group, Chris Potts (015395 31735). CRIME REPORTING, HELP AND ADVICE
To report a crime, any suspicious activity, or to get advice, call PC Baldwin on 0845 3300 247 (Headquarters), 01229 848535 (Ulverston Police Station) or on his mobile number: 07971 140533 (when on duty), or if not urgent, then you can also email him on: john.baldwin@cumbria.police.uk .
PROPOSED WIND FARM AT STRIBERS Your Council has received presentations from the wind farm company, Energia in Natura (proposing the development) and the STOP campaign (opposing the development). Mr Bob Ayres (Energia in Natura) explained that the company was currently monitoring the site with a wind mast, assessing the 'visual influence' of the proposed turbines and estimating noise levels. He said that ecological surveys had indicated that significant harm was unlikely and tourism studies had shown no likely negative effects. He explained that wind-farms were compatible with hill-farming and supported income through lease agreements. The company had not considered off-shore wind-farms, being too expensive to connect to the grid. Mr Malcolm Leadbetter (STOP campaign) presented photomontages and maps showing the degree of visual impact of the planned turbines. He presented figures for energy output and CO2-saving considerably lower than those published. He explained that the plans for access via the Cartmel Valley were likely to be damaging and that there were proposals for significant alteration of the narrow roads to accommodate the large vehicles needed to carry the turbines. There were serious concerns about the likely effects on tourism, heritage, the natural beauty of the area, wildlife and hydrology. More information from both organisations is available from the Clerk. The Council has already expressed its concerns to SLDC about the visual impact of the wind-farm. A formal planning application is expected in the spring. Lakeside Notice Board repair: Many of you will have noticed the poor state of some of our less robustly-made notice-boards. A repaid has now been made to the Lakeside board in the attempt to keep the rain out - we'll be monitoring its condition. Nibthwaite will be next in line. Access to Parish Council information: The Council has produced its 'Publication Scheme' (under the Freedom of Information Act) that explains how to access information about the Parish Council and its activities. This document will be up on the website shortly, or can be obtained from the Clerk. As much information as possible will be posted on the website for free download. Spark Bridge speed limit: We are pleased to report that a 30mph zone has now been agreed for Spark Bridge. Councillor's Great North Run: Penny Lovegrove sends her thanks to all who sponsored her and reports that £663 was raised for Cancer Research. Forthcoming Parish Council Meetings All meetings begin at 7.30pm.. The Chairman, Colin Barr, is available from 7.00 before each meeting for a 'surgery session'.
Agendas and authorised minutes of meetings are
available from the Clerk,
Your Councillors
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weather arrived at the start of December, we visited our salt-bins
and heaps as usual to find.... nothing! Our local salt depots
have been closed, so none could be fetched either. The consequence
was a spate of accidents and demolished walls, with local farmers
pulling vehicles out of ditches and clearing roads.
Our
Local Community Police Officer, PC John Baldwin (pictured) is urging
people to contact him if they have any suspicions about criminal
activity. Deer poaching, in particular, is on the increase (causing
a lot of suffering for the deer and danger to the public), and the
police are conducting patrols whenever possible. There is some
suspicion that doorstep fish-sellers have been linked to oil/diesel
thefts, so please notify him if you are visited by anyone selling
fish door-to-door. Lastly, contact him if you would like to have
your quad-bike 'smart-watered'.