Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Mr J Brook, Mr W Clark, Mrs S Sanderson, Mr P McSweeney, Mrs J Willis

1.    North Lonsdale Road, Ulverston Traffic Regulation Order 20><

Mr Ian Jackson reading his own statement

Mr Mel Milburn – Mr Ian Jackson reading out the statement

2.    A5092 Lowick Green

Mr Steve Neill – an officer to read out Mr Neill’s statement

1.    North Lonsdale Road, Ulverston Traffic Regulation Order 20><

1. Mr Ian Jackson read his own statement

I would like to start with a brief history of the canal so I can lead in to where we are today.

The canal was opened in 1726 and was used for goods in and out and had various businesses including boat builders. This was in the days of the work horse before motor vehicles were around.

In 1876 houses were built along North Lonsdale Road.

During the war years Armstrong Siddley serviced and tested engines at Canal Side, I was told.

And so, 50 years ago R. Ainsworth set up a heavy goods vehicle repair business.

Now, after all that time they have decided they can’t manage with the access they have been using and think that the residents of 8-22 North Lonsdale Road should have to suffer the massive inconvenience of being unable to park anywhere near to their houses due to double yellow lines being applied.

It’s not just residents that will lose out, but I will address that later.

So, let us look at what I contest is a grossly exaggerated access difficulty.

I will agree there has been a few rare occasions when someone from Ainsworth’s has asked us to move our vehicle when an extra-large outsized commercial vehicle required access. And of course, we were happy to agree to this, but in 10 years of living here I wouldn’t need the fingers on both my hands to count when this has happened, so on average less than once a year.

I know Ainsworth’s produced some photos and video footage of vehicles entering Canal Side, but these were staged and proved nothing.

Many places and businesses have large lorries and articulated trucks delivering and collecting goods from their workplaces. I will give two examples, firstly close to and adjacent to Canal Side and on North Lonsdale Road we have Travis Perkins builder’s merchant. Their employees assist the drivers delivering to them by stopping traffic and guiding the lorries in and out of the premises.

Another example is at the other end of North Lonsdale Road where we have our business unit, Cater Kwik and Pipe Production Services have their business premises also, large articulated lorries deliver and collect goods and often have very limited space to manoeuvre but with guidance they manage very well. This is the nature of driving a very large modern truck.

The next point I would like to make is that once a vehicle has entered Canal Side and travelling towards Ainsworth’s it’s not a straight drive into their premises as there is a sharp right turn and a sharp left turn to negotiate to get into their yard.

I have been monitoring the junction of north Lonsdale Road / Canal Side for a number of weeks now and have not seen any problems with trucks or other vehicles having difficulty entering or leaving canal side. I have lots of footage available if anyone would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

RESOLVED that, the press and public not be excluded from the meeting for any item of business.

Members are invited to disclose any disclosable pecuniary interest they have in any item on the agenda which comprises

1          Details of any employment, office, trade, profession or vocation carried on for profit or gain.

2          Details of any payment or provision of any other financial benefit (other than from the authority) made or provided within the relevant period in respect of any expenses incurred by you in carrying out duties as a member, or towards your election expenses.  (This includes any payment or financial benefit from a trade union within the meaning of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.

3          Details of any contract which is made between you (or a body in which you have a beneficial interest) and the authority

(a)       Under which goods or services are to be provided or works are to be           executed; and

            (b)       Which has not been fully discharged.

4          Details of any beneficial interest in land which is within the area of the authority. 

5          Details of any licence (alone or jointly with others) to occupy land in the area of the authority for a month or longer. 

6          Details of any tenancy where (to your knowledge)

            (a)       The landlord is the authority; and

            (b)       The tenant is a body in which you have a beneficial                                                   interest.

7          Details of any beneficial interest in securities of a body where

(a)       That body (to your knowledge) has a place of business or land in the         area of the authority; and

(b)       Either –

(i)      The total nominal value of the securities exceeds £25,000 or one       hundredth of the total issued share capital of that body; or

(ii)     If that share capital of that body is of more than one class, the total nominal value of the shares of any one class in which the relevant person has a beneficial interest exceeds one hundredth of the total issued share capital of that class.

In addition, you must also disclose other non-pecuniary interests set out in the Code of Conduct where these have not already been registered.

Note

A “disclosable pecuniary interest” is an interest of a councillor or their partner (which means spouse or civil partner, a person with whom they are living as husband or wife, or a person with whom they are living as if they are civil partners).

Mr Hogg declared an interest in Agenda Item 6 as he worked for the National Trust.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Local Committee held on 5 October 2021

Correction:

Page 11, Minute 24, first paragraph, 1^st line. Replace ‘Lakes Youth Council’ with ‘Youth Parliament’

RESOLVED that, subject to the correction above, the minutes of the meeting of the Local Committee held on 5 October 2021 were confirmed as circulated.

[Electoral Divisions: All South Lakeland]

To consider a report by the Executive Director – Corporate, Customer and Community Services

This report provides information and offers recommendations to the Local Committee for approval from meetings of the Strategic Planning Working Group and the Children and Young Peoples Working Group. It also updates the Local Committee on previously agreed activity supported with the latest financial statement.

A report was considered from the Executive Director – Corporate, Customer and Community Services regarding Area Working in South Lakeland. The report provided service information and offered recommendations to South Lakeland Local Committee for approval from the Strategic Planning Working Group meeting held on 14 October 2021 and the Children and Young People’s Working Group meeting held on 25 October 2021. The report also provided Local Committee with an update on activity against agreed priorities and provided an overview of the current budget position.

The Area Manager guided members through the recommendations as set out in the report and the work that was taking place in relation to the recommendations.

The Area Manager highlighted the projects that the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) was being used for and explained what type of community work and initiatives that the COMF was supporting. Members were informed that the request to vire money from the General Provisions Fund to the COMF was to ensure that 28 well deserving organisations could be financially supported. She outlined the excellent work being undertaken by the Community Team in supporting the requirements of the 28 organisations.

Members’ attention was drawn to the 25 voluntary and community food hubs in South Lakeland which had developed in response to the COVID pandemic and consequently combined into the highly effective South Lakeland Food Forum. The Area Manager praised the work of the dedicated Community Team who provided excellent guidance and support to many groups across South Lakeland. This was echoed by a number of members. The Chair thanked the team and welcomed that so many community groups had been established. He thanked the members who sat on the Grant Panels in South Lakeland.

The Chair of the Young People’s Working Group, Mrs Evans, talked members through some of the business conducted at its last meeting. She welcomed that the County Council was providing £100 for Care Leavers’ Christmas hampers. She advised on the work to be undertaken by the Group on low birth weights and talked about her experiences of a hybrid meeting.

Mr Hogg nominated Mr Cotton as the Local Committee’s representative on Sedbergh United Charities. This was seconded by Mr Thornton.

RESOLVED that,

1     The budget update for 2021-22 including the commitments and expenditure to date be noted.

2     The work of the Strategic Planning Working Group as set out in the minutes at Appendix B of the report, be noted.

3     The current list of Environmental Fund and Contain Outbreak Management Fund schemes as outlined in Appendix C of the report be agreed.

4     £9,370  be awarded to Kendal Waste into Wellbeing, towards two fully accessible community fridge freezer/larders from the Contain Outbreak Management Fund, Harnessing  Capacity, Appendix D of the report.

5     £5,475 be awarded to Hallgarth Community Centre towards the improvement of the outdoor space from the Contain Outbreak Management Fund, Harnessing Capacity, Appendix E of the report.

6     £4,237 be vired towards the Contain Outbreak Management Fund, Harnessing Capacity, from the General Provision budget  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41.

[Electoral Divisions: All South Lakeland]

To consider a report by the Executive Director – Economy and Infrastructure

This report provides details of the Local Committee’s Highways Revenue and Capital and Non-Devolved Capital Budgets.

A report was considered from the Executive Director – Economy and Infrastructure regarding the Highways Devolved Revenue and Capital Update. The report presented the Highways Devolved Revenue and Devolved Capital and Non-Devolved Capital Budget finance reports and updated members as to current progress on the budget lines as detailed in the appendices attached to the report.

The Local Area Network Manager South Lakeland presented the report. Members were updated on the top slicing that had taken place and applied to the Devolved Revenue Budget. He was pleased to advise on the work that he had undertaken with colleagues on the originally predicted £41,000 overspend. This would now be £14,000. The Local Area Network Manager South Lakeland gave an update on the Devolved Capital Budget overhead charges. Although they had not yet been applied to budget lines, he had estimated the charges and the budget would be £130,000 underspent. If any money remained unspent he would bring forward any works so the figure wasn’t realised. He advised on the £88,264 overspend in the Non Devolved Capital budget which was due to increased spend in the bridges and structures budget.

Discussion ensued on the lack of progress on some projects in the Devolved Highways Capital Programme 2020/21. A member asked for assurance that outstanding members’ work would be completed by the end of the County Council in 2023. Officers were asked if there were the resources to deliver the current and backlog of projects. The Local Area Network Manager South Lakeland explained the financial position for members and how budgets were managed for their divisional works. He commented on the length of time to progress TROs and how schemes would be delivered by the end of Cumbria County Council.

The Traffic Management Team Leader – South Lakelandcommented on the backlog of schemes and how the COVID pandemic had impacted on the Traffic Team’s ability to undertake their routine work. The team was also working at 60% of its structure. A report on the Team’s workload would be considered at the next meeting of the Highways Transportation and Working Group. Members were advised that officers would endeavour to clear the backlog of work.

A member talked about how some projects had been awaiting completion for many years and this could be due to the restrictions applied to the budget used to pay for them.

The Chair asked that as the Council moved into the next financial year, members be advised on what they could spend their divisional money on and that a tight timescale for spending it be enforced.

In highlighting that the completion of works was a reputational issue for the County Council, the Deputy Leader of the Council asked members to be realistic about what could be completed and commented that more funding could possibly be found from the corporate centre to ensure their completion. He talked about how after Local Government Reform, the highways service would be provided by the same officers and there were a lot of challenges  ...  view the full minutes text for item 42.

[Electoral Divisions: All South Lakeland]

To consider a report by the Executive Director – Economy and Infrastructure

This report presents the minutes of the meeting of the Highways and Transportation Working Group held on 13 October 2021 and brings forward recommendations for consideration by the Local Committee.

A report was considered from the Executive Director – Economy and Infrastructure regarding the Highways and Transportation Working Group. The report provided the notes of the meeting of the Highways and Transportation Working Group held on 13October 2021 and included recommendations for consideration by the Local Committee.

The Chair of the Working Group presented the report and talked about the business conducted at the meeting. He moved that the recommendations as set out in the report be agreed. This was seconded by Mr Bland.

RESOLVED that,

1             Local Committee notes the Minutes of the Working Group meeting of 13^th October 2021 which are attached as appendix 1 of the report.

2             Local Committee agrees the provisional proposed allocations and schemes within the indicative Devolved Highways Capital Budget for 2022/23 as set out in appendices 1 and 2 to the Working Group report subject to any further changes to the budget allocation in future. (attached as appendices 2 and 3 of the Local Committee report)

3             Local Committee agrees the proposed, indicative, allocations and schemes for 2023/24 and 2024/25 identified in appendices 3 and 4 to the Working Group report. (attached as appendices 4 and 5 of the Local Committee report)

4          Local Committee notes the details provided in appendices 1, 2 and 3 of the Working Group report from the Executive Director – Economy and Infrastructure (attached as appendix 6 of the Local Committee report) which gave a 2021/22 Flood and Development Management Update and that the Local Committee notes that there are no additional comments in the appendices to bring to the attention of Local Members. Any significant comments, changes and/oramendments will be highlighted in subsequent and future reports to the  Working Group

[Electoral Divisions: Ulverston East]

To consider a report by the Executive Director – Economy and Infrastructure

This report sets out the responses to the statutory consultation and advertising of the Order referred to at paragraph 3.1 of the report. All of the proposals are summarised in the statutory notice which is attached as Appendix 1 of the report.

The Order of Business was changed and this item was taken immediately after the Minutes.

A report was considered from the Executive Director – Economy and Infrastructure regarding the North Lonsdale Road, Ulverston Traffic Regulation Order 20><. The report set out the responses to the statutory consultation and advertising of the Order.

The Traffic Management Officer presented the report. She explained why the proposed Traffic Regulation Order was necessary and what the proposals were. She talked members through the work that had been undertaken to inform the proposal, the Consultation process and provided a synopsis of the responses received and the issues raised. She recommended that the TRO be brought into operation.

A member queried whether the premises were suitable for Ainsworth’s business and asked if there was turning room for large vehicles on Ainsworth’s premises. The Local Member, familiar with the site, confirmed there was space to turn. The same member asked if there was space behind the houses and queried whether it could be used for residents’ parking. The Traffic Management Officer confirmed that the land behind the properties did not belong to the County Council. Mr Jackson advised that if a car parked behind the properties, there would not be space for another car to pass.

Expressing his concern about how the No Waiting at Any Time (NWAAT) proposals would negatively impact on residents, a member suggested that proposals should allow a short waiting/unloading time which would help residents yet not cause significant issues for Ainsworth’s. He highlighted that double yellow lines on the other side of the road had not been reduced and noted that the Consultation took place in August when residents may have been on holiday and therefore not able to respond to the Consultation. Summing up, he considered that on balance, supporting a large business should not be to the detriment of local residents. The Traffic Management Officer confirmed that unloading could take place and blue badge holders could park on double yellow lines for3 hours provided they did not cause an obstruction.

At the request of the Chair, the Traffic Management Officer provided the rationale for the reduction of double yellow lines on one side of the road and how the length of lines were determined.

A short discussion took place on the potential for the ‘drying land’ to be made into a car park and on who owned the land.

Following a member question on what the main issues were, the Traffic Management Officer explained about the 24 hour access required by Ainsworth’s, their customers’ use of the junction, visibility problems and how the biggest difficulty was large vehicles exiting the junction and turning left. She also talked members through why NWAAT was more appropriate than No Waiting during business hours only. Members were informed of Ainsworth’s contract with Cumbria Police for vehicle recovery on the motorway which meant 24 hour access was critical.

A member considered the proposals to be too onerous and suggested that the double yellow  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44.

To receive the minutes of the meeting of the Local Committee Chairs and Leadership held on 27 September 2021     

The Chair of the Local Committee presented the minutes of the Local Committee Chairs and Leadership meeting held on 27 September 2021 and talked through the business conducted at the meeting.

The Chair highlighted that meetings were dominated by the Borderlands funding for place based schemes. He was working with the Area Manager on a place based scheme for Ulverston.

The Chair referred to the STEP fusion proposal. Discussion ensued on what it was, how long it would take for the proposal to come to fruition, and how it would bring substantial investment into the county. Whether the Local Committee should give its support to the proposal was given consideration.

RESOLVED that, the minutes of the Local Committee Chairs and Leadership meeting held on 27 September 2021 be noted.

Mr Wilson asked members to look out for the activities associated with the upcoming National Disability Week and asked members to support the community on this matter.

Mrs Evans provided a briefing on the activities she had undertaken as the Local Committee’s Children’s Champion.

In terms of the business conducted at the Corporate Parenting Board, Mrs Evans reported on Independent Reviewing Officers, the Annual Foster Carer’s Survey and the PAUSE Programme.

A short discussion took place on the rules and regulations set out in law pertaining to the reporting of exempt and confidential information in a public meeting. A number of suggestions were made on how members could receive this type of information at Local Committee in future.

Members thanked Mrs Evans for her diligence and her work as the Children’s Champion.

The next meeting will be held on 26 January 2022 at 10.00am at County Offices, Kendal.

The next meeting of the Committee would be held on 26 January 2022 at 10.00am