Silverdale Parish Council

Monday 4th January 2021
12706. Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Silverdale Parish Council held online using jit.si on
Monday 4th January 2021 at 7pm
12707. Present – Councillors:12707. Present – Councillors:
Chairman – M.J Fletcher (Mike), Vice Chairman – J. Bennett (John), City and Parish Councillor – J. Greenwell (June),
County Councillor – P. Williamson (Phillippa), T.G Bond (Terry), A.J Houghton (Tony), E. Unsworth (Liz),
J. Ferguson (Jim), S. Higham (Sue), Clerk – L.D Challenor (Denise), Deputy Clerk – K.J Lambert (Katie)
Cllr Fletcher experienced technical difficulties. It was agreed for the meeting to continue and for Vice Chairman Cllr
Bennett to chair the meeting. Cllr Fletcher participated at times via telephone call with Cllr Bennett
12708. Apologies for Absence – Apologies received from Sergeant Lindsey Brown who was unable to attend due to a
prior commitment.
12709. Declarations of Members’ Interests Relating to any Items Appearing on the Agenda – None
12710. Approve Minutes of the Previous Ordinary Council Meeting – The minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held
online on Monday 7th December were approved and will be signed by the Chairman.
12711. Matters arising from the Minutes of Previous Meetings, not Covered by the Agenda – No matters arising
12712. Police Report – No crimes have been recorded and a total of 7 incidents were reported to the Police
throughout December. Of these incidents 2 were reports of suspected Covid regulation breaches, 2 were hoax calls
and 1 was police generated. Over the coming month the police will be continuing to support the rollout of the Covid
vaccine via the Lancashire Resilience Forum.
12713. Report from City Councillor June Greenwell –
• Covid 19 Response – Parish Council receive the same information as Cllr Greenwell. It was AGREED that
Councillors did not require any further details from Cllr Greenwell.
• Grassland Management Strategy – Cllr Greenwell is to attend a presentation next week to discuss the use /
management of council owned grassland. Currently only the area on Lindeth Road has been identified in
Silverdale however Cllr Bennett and Cllr Bond also identified potential patches in both the turning area at the
top of St Johns Avenue and on Gaskell Close. Cllr Greenwell to ascertain confirmation with City Council on
this. It was agreed that the areas to be included in the initiative to be discussed after the presentation as
there are no time pressures on the matter.
Cllr Bennett raised the issue of the maintenance of the grass verges and for Cllr Greenwell to restart the
positive communications with the department at City Council which unfortunately ended abruptly following
the Covid outbreak.
• Social Housing – Cllr Greenwell is to attend a conference on Social Housing on Thursday 21st January to help
draft the Homes Strategy 2020-2025. As there is only a relatively small number of Council and Housing
Association properties in Silverdale, she feels the meeting will mainly concern the more urban areas of the
district but will report in the next meeting should any issues relating to Silverdale be raised.
• Budgets – Only issues to be raised with Cllr Greenwell this month is with regards to the decrease in council
income and the increase in its costs. Cllr Greenwell to attend a budget meeting next week and will report
discussion back to Parish Council at the next meeting.
12714. Report from County Councillor Phillippa Williamson –
• Covid – Main discussions have revolved are around schools reopening after the Christmas break. Cllr
Ferguson raised a concern about the available facilities for children if they are to be home-schooled
following the government announcements this evening. Cllr Williamson assured Cllr’s that funding is
available and that laptops and other resources are in adequate supply and is confident that they have been
and will be made available to those who need it. Lessons have been learnt since the first lockdown and extra
provisions / guidance has been given to schools to provide lessons online.
• Highways and Capital Improvements Programme – Cllr Williamson has been pushing for the resurfacing of
Nineteen Acre Lane to be included in this years programme. Cllrs AGREED for Cllr Williamson to continue to
push this item. Cllr Houghton and Cllr Bennett gave thanks for the improvements already made at its
junctions with the A6.
• Lancashire Family Safeguarding – A new £7million initiative to help group together support services to offer
wrap around care to vulnerable families earlier on with a view to reducing the number of children ending up
in care, which is currently over 2,000 in Lancashire. This number is to be reduced by 10% each year over the
next 4 years with changes to the way the service operates as well as offering improved financial packages
and support for foster carers to enable more children to live in a family environment over a residential
children’s home.
12715. Reports on any Meetings Attended by Members or the Clerk –. Cllr Ferguson has been in discussion with the
AONB to ascertain a map of all the footpaths in the Silverdale area and a contact to work alongside to inspect and
formulate a realistic programme of maintenance works. Cllr Fletcher (via telephone) proposed a footpath survey
working with residents to help compile a report on their condition. Matter to carry forward to the next meeting.
12716. Matters Raised by Members of the Public for Future Consideration – no members of the public were in
attendance.
12717. Correspondence – Receipt of the following items of correspondence were noted:
a) SLDC weekly update. (Emailed 3/12/20, 24/12/20)
b) AONB update. (Emailed 3/12/20)
c) SELRAP news. (Emailed 3/12/20) Audio of meeting on 7/12/20. (Emailed 8/12/20)
d) An invitation to join the Nurturing a Nation of Innovators: The Virtual Government Technology Conference on
April 20th 2021. (Emailed 3/12/20)
e) Information on who to contact about any potholes that need repair. (Emailed 4/12/20)
f) A letter from a visitor expressing her trauma when a bird injured in a “shoot” near Middlebarrow Wood touched
her as it landed squawking. (Emailed 7/12/20)
Complex issue and needs to be raised with the AONB who are familiar with the landowners. Await their
response
g) Part of the team who deliver the Rural Community Energy Fund, has offered to give a talk about renewable
energy and the ‘community energy’ model of communities owning assets. The purpose of the Rural Community
Energy Fund is to provide feasibility and project development grant funding to rural community groups that
want to develop their own renewable energy projects (See email of 9/12/20)
Cllr’s questioned whether the initiative was commercial or government led. Details to be checked then matter
to be carried forward to next month’s Council meeting for discussion.
h) A copy of a letter to Natural England acknowledging receipt of the grazed habitats management plan for Gait
Barrows. (Emailed 13/12/20)
i) Notice that a public consultation on the draft Homes Strategy 2020 – 2025 has just been launched with local
people being asked for their views to help shape the final document. A key focus of the consultation is
a conference on social housing taking place on Thursday 21 January 2021 between 10am and 1pm. The
conference has been arranged through a partnership between Lancaster City Council and Lancaster
Vision. More details can be found on the council website: Homes strategy consultation – Lancaster City
Council. For further details contact Planning and Housing Strategy Team: planningpolicy@lancaster.gov.uk
Cllr Greenwell will be in attendance and will report in next months meeting any issues which may concern /
affect the Silverdale parish.
j) The Rural Bulletin. (Emailed 15/12/20)
k) An invitation to register for the online event as part of the development of the parish-level carbon footprint
tool. This will be held from 2pm – 4pm on Tuesday the 12th January. (Emailed 17/12/20)
l) A visitor makes contact to complain about the imposition of restrictions on footpaths at Gait Barrows; that Gait
Barrows has removed access for dogs in some locations; to the removal of healthy Beech trees and the erection
of what appears to be unnecessary fencing. (Emailed 21/12/20)
Cllr Ferguson to take the matter forward, will instigate discussions with Roger Cartwright for background
information first then discuss at the next meeting how to proceed with Natural England.
m) An invitation to an online presentation on Lancaster City Council’s new Grassland Management Strategy on
7/1/20. (Emailed 21/12/20)
n) Northern Gas Networks News update. (Emailed 21/12/20)
12718. Planning Matters
• It was noted that the following Planning Applications were dealt with under the provisions of Standing Order
25;
a) 20/001130/FUL 15 Lindeth Road – Demolition of existing store and erection of a single storey extension
to the south-east elevation. No objections
b) 20/01299/LB 19 Shore Road – Listed building app for the installation of two rooflights. (Emailed
4/12/20) – No objections
c) 20/01302/FUL Ap.1, Hazelwood Hall, Hollins Lane – Change of use of holiday apartment to unrestricted
residential use. (C3) – Cllr Greenwell to enquire why one apartment in isolation. No objections to
change of use on the block as a whole as preferable to receiving individual applications.
• The following Planning Applications were considered;
a) 20/01155/FUL Hazelwood Hall, Hollins Lane – Installation of lightning conductor to the East wing.
(Emailed 21/12/20) – No objections
• Cllr Bennett has received numerous grievances as to the length of time planning applications are taking and
the lack of communication from the department when the decision exceeds the 8 week timeline as to when
one can be expected. Cllr Greenwell agrees that Covid has only exacerbated the delays and it is a nationwide
problem of recruiting within the sector. However, communication from the department is an admin issue
and should be improved. Cllr Greenwell and Cllr Bennett to discuss the matter further and draft an
appropriate email.
12719. Clerks Report of any Action (other than consideration of Planning Applications) Taken Under the Provisions
of Standing Order 25 -nothing further to report
12720. Public Toilet – Cllrs AGREED for the toilets to remain open whilst the working group (Cllrs – Fletcher, Bennett,
Higham, Ferguson) work on formal proposals ahead of the next meeting. It was AGREED for the tender document to
be published as is and for quotations to be gathered in preparation of a final decision as amendment can always be
requested.
Cllrs Bennett and Ferguson to meet at the toilets to try and resolve the grievance reported over the lights.
12721. Finance
a) The monthly check of all money received by the Council – none for this meeting. Last month’s receipts were
recorded but not checked. The statement has now been circulated to verify receipts of £357 and £374 for the
donated benches.
b) The payments to the following accounts were approved and required cheques signed:
• British Gas (clock) – £17.43 BACS
• British Gas (toilets) – £25.39 BACS
• Katie Lambert (salary & expenses) – £154.73 CHQ 22203
• D Challenor (salary & expenses) – £ 1149.80 CHQ 22205
• HMRC (PAYE for LDC) – £259.56 CHQ 22206
• Great Oaks Tree Services (contractor) – £585.60 CHQ 22207
• D Wain (contractor) – £520 CHQ 22208
• i-clean (toilets) £244 CHQ 22209
• Thomas Graham & Sons Ltd (toilets) – £7.30 CHQ 22210
• Lancaster City Council (AONB – under Section 137) – £350 CHQ 22211
• North West Air Ambulance (donation under Section 137) – £300 CHQ 22212
• E Unsworth (reimbursement for Survey Monkey, authorised in Minute 12696) – £384 CHQ 22213
c) The sum of £54,557.00 was confirmed as the sum required as the precept request for 2021/2022. Council
authorised the signing of the request to Lancaster City Council.
d) Mr Malcolm Richardson will act as Internal Auditor for 2020-2021 for a fee of £100 plus expenses.
e) The Financial Summary of Accounts for January 2021 were approved by Council.
12722. Covid Information Received – The need for clarity on the distance allowed to travel for exercise has been
raised due the number of cars now parking around the village, particularly at Eves Wood. Cllr Bennett explains that
whilst we have been advised to stay local, legislation does not set any limits on travel in England. Cllrs agreed this
matter needs to be pushed with our MP and Cllr Greenwell happy to do so.
Cllr Unsworth comments there is a meeting taking place this week to discuss the Lancashire wide testing programme
and that in preparation she will be requesting for volunteers in the Parish Magazine to assist.
12723. Working Parties / Streetscape –
a) SPIDS – Alan Cox has passed the information onto the relevant department and awaits the quotations which could
take up.to 4 weeks.
b) Provision of Village Christmas Decorations – AGREED for public consultation to be held for feedback on last year’s
decorations before deciding on decorations for 2021.
c) Memorial Benches – have now arrived. Cllr Houghton to liaise with D Wain to get them installed. D Challenor to
provide contact details to Cllr Houghton.
d) Emergency Plan – Work in progress. The generator has been tested and found to be in working order but more
work is needed on other provisions in the plan, mainly documenting how to contact the volunteer drivers in the
village should anyone require transportation and the organisation of the kitchen. Cllr Greenwell to take this matter
forward.
e) Parking – Cllr Unsworth reported the village survey should be ready for launch on the 1st March to gather the
opinions of the village. FOSS and Bill Robinson ready to begin the clearing at the station car park ready for the Spring.
f) Mobile Coverage – contact names and number have now been ascertained within Mobile UK and Cllr Unsworth
will pick the matter up again now that the holidays are over and report progress at the next meeting.
12724. Playground Matters
a) Urgent Actions Taken – none
b) Issues noted on Contractors Weekly Report – unavailable for the meeting, Cllr Bennett to circulate in a few days
c) New Issues Noted on L.C.C Quarterly Reports – nothing urgent to report, issues which need to be addressed soon
is the cleaning of the concrete and wet pour to avoid any slips and potentially a new safety chain on the zip wire. Cllr
Bennett to liaise with D Wain.
d) Other Issues – Cllr Ferguson wanted clarification on the insurance at the play park. Cllr Bennett assured councillors
that should any urgent safety concerns arise in the playpark then the contractor has the authority to act immediately
to render either the park, area, or equipment out of use without consultation with the council. Once this has been
done, then he is to inform the council on what further action is to be taken. These measures, along with the weekly
and quarterly inspection should be sufficient for the public liability insurance that the council is taking reasonable
care and cover any claims which may arise.
12725. Consideration for an Annual Assembly – all Cllr’s in agreement an Annual Assembly is not required.
12726. Communication
a) Parish Magazine – as there are no events currently running in the village, the magazine has offered the space to
the council free of charge and until this changes, the fee will not be payable. In the meantime, it was agreed for an
informal working group to discuss all the viable options available to disseminate the news and to reach an
agreement. The matter to carried forward to March’s agenda.
b) Survey Monkey – Mobile Phone Coverage survey ready to go live on the 1st February and plans ready for the
Parking survey to launch on the 1st March.
12727. Road Sweeping – communication with the department needs to be improved and a schedule of works
agreed and monitored. Cllr Greenwell to contact the department at City Council to start discussions again.
12728. Suggestions for Future Agenda Items
• Drug dealing in the village – reports have been mentioned to various councillors, a working group to meet to
collate information with a view to raising the issue with Sergeant Brown for comment.
• Allotments – Cllr Bond has explored this topic before, will collate his previous finding ahead of the next
meeting.
12729. Date and Time of Next Meeting – The date of the next meeting is to be Monday 1st February 2021 at 7pm.
Items for the agenda and copies of reports to reach the Clerk by 10am on Monday 25th February 2021

AGENDA SILVERDALE PARISH COUNCIL
Councillors are hereby summoned, and members of the public are invited, to attend a
Parish Council Meeting on 4th January 2021 at 7pm by a video link obtained from the Clerk, for the purposes detailed in the following Agenda:

1 To receive apologies for absence.

2 To receive declarations of Members’ interests relating to any items appearing on the agenda.

3 To approve the Minutes of an Ordinary Council Meeting held on 7th December 2020

4 To receive information about matters arising from the Minutes of previous meetings, not covered by the Agenda.

5 To receive a Police Report if available.

6 To receive a report of any relevant matters by City Councillor June Greenwell.

7 To receive a report of any relevant matters by County Cllr. Phillippa Williamson.

8 To receive verbal reports from any meetings attended by Members, or the Clerk (verbal reports are only acceptable where no decision, or action, is required):
• Cllr. Ferguson liaises with AONB about footpaths (See email of 18/12/20)

9 To hear matters raised by Members of the Public for future consideration. Note: Members of the Council are not permitted to respond, except to ask questions for the purposes of clarification only.

10 To consider the following items of correspondence received since the last meeting and to determine what, if any, action should be taken:
a) SLDC weekly update, (emailed 3/12/20, 24/12/20)
b) AONB Update. (Emailed 3/12/20)
c) SELRAP news. (Emailed 3/12/20) Audio of meeting on 7/12 (Emailed 8/12/20)
d) An invitation to join the Nurturing a Nation of Innovators: The Virtual Government Technology Conference on April 20th, 2021. (Emailed to Cllrs. 3/12/20)
e) Information on who to contact about any potholes that need repair.(Emailed 4/12/20)
f) A letter from a visitor, expressing her trauma, when a bird injured in a “shoot” near Middlebarrow Wood, touched her as it landed squawking. (Emailed 7/12/20)
g) Part of the team who deliver the Rural Community Energy Fund, has offered to give a talk about renewable energy and the ‘community energy’ model of communities owning assets. The purpose of the Rural Community Energy Fund is to provide feasibility and project development grant funding to rural community groups that want to develop their own renewable energy projects (See email of 9/12/20)
h) A copy of a letter to Natural England acknowledging receipt of the grazed habitats management plan for Gait Barrows. ( Emailed to Cllr.s 13/12/20)
i) Notice that a public consultation on the draft Homes Strategy 2020 – 2025 has just been launched, with local people being asked for their views to help shape the final document. A key focus of the consultation is a conference on social housing taking place on Thursday 21 January 2021 between 10am and 1pm. The conference has been arranged through a partnership between Lancaster City Council and Lancaster Vision. More details can be found on the council website: Homes strategy consultation – Lancaster City Council. For further details contact Planning and Housing Strategy Team: planningpolicy@lancaster.gov.uk
j) The Rural Bulletin. (Emailed to Cllrs. 15/12/20)
k) An invitation to register for the online event as part of the development of the parish-level carbon footprint tool. This will be held from 2pm – 4pm on Tuesday the 12th January. (Emailed 17/12/20)
l) A visitor makes contact to complain about the imposition of restrictions on footpaths at Gait Barrows; that Gait Barrows has removed access for dogs in some locations; to the removal of healthy beech trees and the erection of what appears to be unnecessary fencing. (Emailed 21/12/20)
m) An invitation to an online presentation on Lancaster City Council’s new Grassland Management Strategy on 7/1/20. (Emailed 21/12/20)
n) Northern Gas Networks News update. (Emailed 21/12/20)

11 Planning Matters:
(a) To note that the following Planning Applications were dealt with under the provisions of Standing Order 25:
• 20/001130/FUL 15 Lindeth Road. Demolition of existing store and erection of a single storey extension to the south-east elevation.
• 20/01299/LB 19 Shore Road. Listed building app for the installation of two rooflights. (Emailed 4/12/20)
• 20/01302/FUL Ap.1, Hazelwood Hall, Hollins Lane. Change of use of holiday apartment to unrestricted residential use. (C3)

(b) Planning Applications:
20/01155/FUL Hazelwood Hall, Hollins Lane. Installation of lightning conductor to the East wing. (Emailed 21/12/20)

12 To receive the Clerk’s report of any action (other than consideration of Planning Applications) taken under the provisions of Standing Order 25:

13 Toilets
• To acknowledge there have been requests to continue running the public toilets both from residents and visitors. (Emails 28/10, 1/12, 7/12)
• To consider whether the need is sufficient to continue providing the public toilets in Silverdale.
• If then the toilets are to continue, to consider the Tender document.
• To consider erecting some signage giving the toilets location.
• To list maintenance issues, needing attention, if appropriate.

14 Finance
(a) To conduct the monthly check of all money received by the Council (bank statements to be inspected by a Member who is not a Bank Signatory, or more than one such Member). Last month receipts recorded; statement now been circulated £357 and £374 to verify.
(b) To authorise payments and sign cheques for the following accounts:
• British Gas, clock, £17.43 bacs
• British Gas, toilets, £25.39, bacs
• Katie Lambert, salary & expenses, £154.73 cheque 22203
• D Challenor, salary & expenses £ 1149.80 cheque 22205
• HMRC, paye for LDC, £259.56 cheque 22206
• Great Oaks Tree Services, contractor, £585.60 cheque 22207
• D Wain, contractor, £520 cheque 22208
• i-clean, toilets, £244 cheque 22209
• Thomas Graham & Sons Ltd, toilets, £7.30, cheque 22210
• Lancaster City Council, AONB, under Section 137, £350, cheque 22211
• North West Air Ambulance, donation under Section 137, £300 cheque 22212

(c) To confirm and authorise the signing of the precept request for 2021/222.

(d) To record that Mr Malcolm Richardson will act as Internal Auditor for 2020-2021 for a fee of £100 plus expenses.

(e) To receive the Financial Summary of Accounts for January, 2021. (Emailed 23/12)

15 Communication
To receive any relevant COVID 19 information.

16 Working Parties/Streetscape
a) Spids. To update on the provision of new ones.
b) To review the provision of Christmas decorations in the village.
c) Benches – Updates and information regarding the donated ones.
d) To consider any actions required regarding the Emergency Plan
e) To update on the Parking investigations.
f) To update on Mobile provision.

17 Playground
• To receive a report on any urgent actions that have been taken and to consider any other issues raised in either the Lancaster CC quarterly, or Parish weekly inspections.
• To consider the quarterly City Council’s Inspection report. (Emailed 21/12/20)

18 To consider whether to hold an Annual Assembly and who to invite to speak at it. (see email 11g on Agenda)

19 Communication.
To update on the proposal to use the Parish Magazine for keeping the village informed and approve any expenditure.
To update on using Survey Monkey.

20 Road Sweeping. To decided whether there is still an issue to be pursued regarding inadequate road sweeping.

21 To receive items for consideration for a future agenda
.
22 To note any “Items for Information” (no decisions or action permitted)

23 To note that the date of the next meeting is at the on 1st February 2021 at 7.00pm Items for the agenda, to reach the Clerk before 26th January.

Signed:

L D Challenor

Mrs Denise Challenor, Clerk to the Council, Tel. 01524 761824