Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Mrs Bell.

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).

There were no disclosures of interest on this occasion.

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any items of business on the Agenda.

RESOLVED,   that the press and public be not excluded from the meeting during consideration of any items of business on the agenda.

There were no questions, petitions or statements at the time of despatch of Agenda.

There were no questions, statements or petitions relating to the business of the Committee on this occasion.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Local Committee held on 31 January 2023 (copy enclosed).

Page 9.  Minute 51.  Paragraph 3.  Delete the word “<ember” and insert the word “Member”.

RESOLVED,   that the minutes of the meeting held on 31 January 2023 be agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

[Electoral Divisions: All Eden]

To consider a report by the Assistant Director – Customer and Community Services (copy enclosed (Appendix O to follow)).

This report provides an update on its agreed activity, a financial statement in support of these activities and requests decisions on a range of issues.

The Committee considered a report from the Assistant Director – Customer and Community Services which brought together information from across the community teams including community development and services as well as public health and provided an update on the work of each area, identified activity against priorities, highlights current issues and provides an overview of the budget position.

The Area Manager presented the report.  He drew members’ attention to the pilot supper club at Beaconside Primary Club and the sum £1,016 to be vired from the 11-19 Universal Services budget to the 0-19 budget.  He also brought the members attention to the “Eden Local Committee – supporting our communities” report which detailed the work of Eden Local Committee over the last 6 years.  He drew members’ attention to the hard work of the Area Team and paid tribute to the Area Team.

A number of members expressed their personal thanks to individual officers and wished them well for the future.

The Chair hoped that Westmorland & Furness Council would build upon the firm foundations that Eden Local Committee had put in place and thanked the Area Manager for his hard work.

The Local Member for Eden Lakes noted that although it was a splendid achievement he noted that this was the first time a zero balance had been achieved.  He hoped that new ways of working would take place in Westmorland & Furness.  The Local Member for Eden Lakes remarked that Kirkby Stephen Youth Club had received two separate grants and requested clarification.

The Chair commented that Kirkby Stephen Youth Club had received a grant from the 11-19 Universal Services budget and the second grant was relating to a sexual health advice project and it was hoped that this project would be rolled out throughout Eden and beyond.

The Area Manger noted the balancing of the budget and commented that the Area Team worked at the pace of communities however due to Local Government Re-organisation time pressures these had only been met by the hard work and dedication of the Area Team and the community groups being supported.

The Local Member for Appleby requested that the “Eden Local Committee – supporting our communities” report would be made available to the new Eden Locality Board.

The Local Member for Penrith North endorsed the pilot supper club at Beaconside Primary School and hoped that if the project was successful it would be rolled out further.  She was pleased the scheme at Green Lane and Penrith Golf Course was being recommended.

The Chair commented about the relationship that had been developed by Eden Local Committee and the local Children’s Home and hoped that post Vesting Day that the relationship would develop and grow.

RESOLVED,   that

                          (1)          the budget allocations for 2022-23 and the commitments and expenditure to date be noted;

                          (2)          the provisional unallocated resources in the 2022-23 Communities Revenue Budget of £0 as of 14 March 2023 be noted;

                          (3)          £10,000 be allocated from the Area Planning budget to support  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60.

[Electoral Divisions: All Eden]

To consider a report by the Executive Director – Economy and Infrastructure (copy enclosed).

This report presents the Highways Revenue, Devolved Capital and Non?Devolved Capital budget finance reports, combined with the Highways Programme progress information.

Members considered a report by the Executive Director – Economy and Infrastructure which detailed the Devolved Highways Revenue, Devolved Highways Capital and Non-Devolved Capital budget reports combined with programme progress information.

The Committee was informed that the Devolved Highway Revenue budget was forecast to be overspent by £14,867 (1.6%) for the financial year (income of £47,000 attributed to the Eden Revenue budget from developers commuted sum payments reduced the overspend from the January 2023 Progress Report forecast) and the Devolved Highway Capital budget was forecast to be overspent by £66,516 (2.3%) for the financial year.

Members were advised that the increased inflationary costs and the rise in fuel and materials had resulted in the forecasted overspends and that several identified capital schemes were deferred to future programmes of work accordingly.

A number of members expressed their personal thanks to individual officers and wished them well for the future.

The Local Member for Eden Lakes commented on the A592 scheme and hoped that an apology would be made to the residents for the inconvenience made and he noted that there had been a lack of signage and a poor quality of signage.  He queried if all schemes at Clifton had been completed and commented on the upcoming scheme at Eamont Bridge and stressed that communication with local residents was vital.

The Network Manager Eden outlined the schedule of works for the Eamont Bridge scheme and that the work was not to be undertaken on the Bank Holidays in May and that communications will go out including social media channels.  He noted that the A592 work had been undertaken by the Safer Roads team and would pass on the Local Member’s thanks and concerns and noted that the team had been constrained by legal requirements in regards to the diversion and confirmed that the schemes at Clifton had been completed.

A round table discussion took place about the budget situation for Highways in Westmorland & Furness Council.  It was remarked that dialogue with new Chairs in Westmorland & Furness would be important.

The Chair thanked the officers for their report and their hard work.

RESOLVED,   that the report be noted.

The Chair updated members on grants given at the Holehird Trust meeting in March.  The members noted that Holehird Mansion was not currently on the market.

The Chair provided an update from MASCG.  There was a meeting on 27 March  and it was anticipated that the 2022 Evaluation Report would be presented and that the website was to be refreshed. 

Mr Hughes queried when the last Eden Health Wellbeing Board last met.  It was noted that the Board had not met for some time but there was an intention that the Board would meet post Vesting Day.

To note this is the last meeting of the Local Committee in the life of Cumbria County Council.

It was noted that this was the last meeting of the Local Committee in the life of Cumbria County Council.

The Chair expressed his satisfaction that Westmorland & Furness Council would have  Locality Boards and hoped it would be evolution not revolution and was pleased that the Area Manager would remain in the Eden Locality.