Meeting documents

To elect a Chair of the Local Committee for the ensuing year.

RESOLVED, that Mr K Hitchen be elected chair for the ensuing year.

To elect a Vice Chair for the ensuing year.

RESOLVED, that Mr D Wilson be elected Vice Chair for the ensuing year.

To receive any apologies for absence

Apologies for absence were received from Mr M Hawkins, Mr G Roberts, Ms E Williamson and Mr A Pratt.

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 F Morgan declared a non-pecuniary interest in Agenda Item No 9 – Area Planning Report – as a Board Member of Phoenix Enterprise Centre.

Mr A Lamb declared a personal interest in Agenda Item No 10 – Copeland Champions Update - as an employee of North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust.

The Chair welcomed three members of the newly formed Shadow Authority who were attending to observe the meeting.

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any item on the agenda

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

There are no public questions, statements or petitions to be considered at this meeting.

The Chair welcomed Ms Wildwood to the meeting.

Ms Wildwood read the following statement:-

In my submissions to the Traffic Management Team I made it clear that the existing 40mph speed limit is routinely flouted.  There is never any enforcement of compliance by The Police who never implement speed-trapping on this stretch. They do speed trap down Arlecdon Hill and at Rowrah where, according to local councillor Steve Morgan, compliance is amongst the worst in Cumbria.  I would suggest that some detailed monitoring of traffic speeds is enacted to reinforce the veracity of my contention.  Resultant from that I would hope to see the present 40 limit being reduced to 30mph and rigorously enforced by routine speed-trapping.  This would result in 2 benefits:

1. The safety of residents (several of whom are vulnerable due to extreme youth - a 5 year old resident - or due to old age - myself and 2 other residents when crossing the road.

2. Drivers of through traffic would be perfectly able to pass the parked cars, simultaneously in both directions. The road is 3 car widths wide (row of parked cars plus 2 through carriageways). Such passing is perfectly possible to execute where vehicles are travelling at a reasonable speed.

Would the Panel please mandate further attention by the Traffic Management Team with a view to installing a 30mph speed limit so as to insist on the residential nature of this stretch of road and to enhance the safety of residents?".

Members were invited to ask questions of Ms Wildwood. 

The Chair thanked Ms Wildwood for her attendance and gave the following response:-

Thank you for your statement and for expressing your concerns to the Local Committee. Road safety is a matter that both highway officers and elected Members of this Committee treat with the highest importance.

This issue was previously discussed at the Casualty Reduction and Safer Highways (CRASH) group in 2019. The CRASH group is attended by representatives of both Cumbria Police and Cumbria County Council, along with other partner agencies, and is a form where matters of road safety are discussed and actioned. In 2019, CRASH arranged for traffic surveys to be undertaken alongside the properties on Waterloo Terrace, the results of which showed generally good compliance with the posted speed limit of 40mph. However, in light of your comments, Members of the Local Committee will ask officers to again raise this item for discussion at the CRASH group for further consideration.

Additionally, a review of the speed restrictions within Copeland is due to take place later in the 2022/2023 financial year. The Local Committee will ask officers to review the existing speed limits in the area and assess whether a reduction is appropriate.

Thank you again for bringing this matter to our attention.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Local Committee held on 22 March 2022 (copy enclosed).

RESOLVED,that the minutes of the meeting held on 22 March 2022 be agreed as an accurate record of the meeting.

[Electoral Divisions: All Copeland]

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

This report provides details of the meeting of the Highways Working Group held on 20 April 2022 and presents recommendations for the Local Committee to consider.  

Members received a report detailing the discussions and recommendations from the meeting of the Copeland Highways Working Group held on 20 April.  The minutes from the meeting were appended to the report.

The Local Area Network Manager outlined three of the recommendations made by the Highways Working Group to the Local Committee for consideration.

The Local Member for Egremont North and St Bees raised concerns about National Highways’ capacity as well as investment.  The Local Area Network Manager agreed to circulate details of the next meeting of the A595 Liaison Group when confirmed.  The Traffic Management Team Leader outlined the revised Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) proposal for The Forge, Cleator and confirmed that discussions would take place with Ennerdale School with regards to proposal 17, the proposed introduction of ‘No Stopping on School Entrance Markings’. 

The timescale for implementation of the TRO proposals was discussed.

RESOLVED,that

1.    the minutes of the meeting of the meeting of the Copeland Highways Working Group held on 20 April 2022 be noted;

2.    a letter be sent by the Chair on the Committee’s behalf, regarding the lack of investment and capacity in the area by National Highways to the Local MP for Copeland and to the Chairman of the House of Commons Transport Select committee;

3.    the proposed option, for the use of the allocated additional budget of £200,000 dedicated to the treatment of potholes be agreed;

4.    Officers may proceed to statutory consultation and advertisement of a Traffic Regulation Order ("the Order") which would:

Consolidate the provisions of: -

(i)The County of Cumbria (Various Roads, Borough of Copeland) (Consolidation and Provision of Traffic Regulations) Order 2020; and

(ii) The County of Cumbria (A5086/U4017 Arlecdon Parks Road, Arlecdon) (Traffic Regulation) Order 2003 as attached as Appendix 44 to the report of the Working Group; and

(a) Introduce new restrictions as shown on the plans attached as Appendices 2, 3, 4A, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22, 25, 27, 28, 29, 31, 33A, 34, 36A, 37, 38, 39, 40, & 42 ONLY to the report.

[Electoral Divisions: All Copeland]

To consider a report by the Executive Director – Corporate, Customer and Community Services (copy enclosed).

This report provides Local Committee with an update on the activity undertaken by the Communities Team since its last meeting.  It is also to advise Members on their current budget position. 

Mr F Morgan declared a non-pecuniary interest in this item as a County Council appointed Board Member of Phoenix Enterprise Centre.

Members received a report that provided an update on the activity undertaken by the Community Team since the last meeting of the Committee.  The report also advised members on their current budget position.

A summary of the Local Committee Budget Summary for 2022/23 was attached to the report at Appendix 2 with new allocations approved at County Council on 10 February at Appendix 1. 

The Area Manager outlined a number of grant allocations listed in the report and updated members on revised Local Committee priorities and area planning matters.  Members were informed of Dementia Action week and the work that the team were carrying out with partners to hold a range of events and activities to raise awareness, provide information and support. 

The Area Manager reported on the allocated Environment Fund for 2022/23 and the projects proposed by members and developed with relevant partners and organisations for part of the funding.  It was reported that the Financial Summary Statement 2021-22 (at Appendix 2) showed an overspend of £82,624 for the full year against the budget of £400,000 (£200,000 Environment Fund / £200,000 COMF).  The overspend was made up of £78,792 which related to the Environment Fund and £4,633 which related to COMF.  It was noted that these costs were applied at the very end of the financial year and did not yet reflect the contributions from other parties to these works which will be made during the current financial year.  The recommendation, subsequently agreed by members, was that the overspend be deducted from the Environment Fund for 2022/23 as a temporary measure until other contributions were received.  The Area Manager agreed to discuss work on Middlebank Suspension Bridge with the Local Member for Egremont outside of the meeting.  The Local Member for Millom expressed his appreciation of the work that had taken place in the Millom area.

The Library & Customer Manager (Copeland) updated members on library services.  Members noted the reopening of services following the pandemic, expansion of services and partnership working that was taking place with the DWP using Whitehaven Library to host DWP Youth Hub appointments.  The Chair highlighted the launch of the Youth Hub project scheduled to take place on 1 June and requested that discussion take place with DWP to introduce this service in Millom.  Members were asked to contact the Area Manager with requests for attendance at the launch.  To conclude the Library and Customer Manager advised on joint working that was taking place with Allerdale and Copeland’s Public Health Teams.

The Area Manager gave a verbal update on the Copeland Town Deal programmes.  It was noted that public exhibition events would be taking place for both Cleator Moor and Millom & Haverigg Town Deal projects.  The purpose of the events was to share information, update on progress and outline key milestones with the community and other stakeholders.  Both exhibitions will include all projects  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

To receive updates from the following Copeland Champions:-

Armed Forces Champion

Autism Champion

Children’s Champion

Dementia Champion

Fire Champion

Health Champion

Dementia Champion

The Dementia Champion highlighted the fact that it was Dementia Awareness week and the Community Development Officer outlined the work that was being carried out with partners to raise awareness, offer support and advice.

Fire Champion

The Fire Champion advised attendance, together with the Area Manager, at an excellent Emergency Planning Oscar decontamination training exercise.  Arising from this, the involvement of existing community groups to assist in an emergency was discussed.

Health Champion

The Health Champion advised on matters that had been discussed at the Cumbria Health Scrutiny meeting.  These included the pandemic and impact on hospitals, OPAL levels at both North and South Cumbria hospitals, future health legislation and the pressures faced by the North West Ambulance Service. 

The Chair thanked the champions for the updates.

To receive a verbal update from members serving on any outside bodies/external committees they attend on behalf of Copeland Local Committee.

The officers agreed to action the Local Member for Cleator Moor East and Frizington’s request for a review of the Committee’s appointments to outside bodies.

To discuss any relevant nuclear issues.

Mr D Southward, the Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Property updated the Committee on nuclear issues.  The Cabinet Member advised on advanced modular reactors (AMRs), small modular reactors (SMRs), discussed Fusion power, the STEP project and concluded on the geological disposal facility (GDF).  It was hoped by members that the newly formed Shadow Authority would have involvement in the GDF process and have officers with specific knowledge of the nuclear industry.

To conclude the Chair discussed the value of Local Committees and having a devolved budget to influence projects for and benefiting the residents of Copeland.

To note that the next meeting of Copeland Local Committee will be held on 20 July 2022 at 10.15 am at Cleator Moor Civic Hall.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Local Committee was scheduled for 20 July at 10.15 am at Millom Network Centre.