ILAM PARISH COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

12 November 2019 @ 8 pm Ilam School

Present C Sellers, C Hibbert-Foy, R Wain, N Taylor, L Oulsnam

                                E Wain (SMDC), P Mortimer (NT), D Noble  (WACFR), P Watson (Clerk)                  

Apologies           V Nottage, K Warrington

Minutes

● Minutes of the meeting held on 24 September were read and signed as true and correct.

Defibrillator

● D Noble advised that the cabinet should be scrapped as it lets in water and overheats as the heating element seems to be permanently on. WACFR have kindly provided a new cabinet and the Clerk will ask Rob Gray if he can install it.

● The defib unit is working but gives a message saying it needs servicing. WACFR have a new unit available, which they will donate and take the old unit for use in training.

● Cars have been parking next to the cabinet, making it difficult to access and impossible to see from the road. The Clerk will obtain a sign saying “Defibrillator – Please keep clear” to be installed on the wall above the cabinet. He will also write to the school explaining everything and send a thank you letter to WACFR.

National Trust

● NT’s building surveyor has met Bob Sellers, whose house is most affected by the blocked drains in the Croft. He will arrange for an expert who knows about the drains to meet Mr Sellers and hopefully work out a solution that can be implemented during the car park construction work.

● A gating order for Dovedale will not be feasible so other options are being explored to reduce anti-social behaviour.

● Tree felling in Dovedale due to ash dieback has been completed. There will be similar programmes in future years.

● Plans for the new footbridge are presently going through the engineering design process.

● The Council are in favour of the planning application for the “changing places” room for disabled visitors.

Peak Park

● CS will raise the poor state of the Church Path with Peak Park and check the cost of resurfacing. C Hibbert-Foy offered to host an event at Lower Damgate to raise funds and P Mortimer will ask NT if they can contribute. E Wain recommended forming a small committee from the PC, NT and PCC to plan fundraising activities.

Improving Village Environment

● C Sellers is growing some bushes to be planted in the spring and has already spread wild flower seed.

● R Wain will obtain some more chippings for the path opposite Town End Cottage.

● The Clerk will write thank you letters to John & Brenda Anderson, Liz White and Bob Sellers for providing flowers and for mowing in the village and at the church.

Highways

● E Wain kindly offered to arrange delivery of the No Through Road sign from Highways Depot at Leek to Upper Castern Farm. The Clerk will send him the required details.

● Following the temporary repair, a new cattle grid is to be installed at the bottom of Blore Pastures.

● The Clerk will write to County Highways about the frequent flooding of the road at Damgate.

SMDC

● The lengthsman has been paid with funds from the SMDC scheme.

Correspondence Received

● Our MP has written about her Loneliness Directory – the Clerk will put the information in the parish newsletter.

● The Council noted the Peak District Rural Housing Association’s “Homes for Local People” booklet.

● The Clerk passed on the Staffordshire Parish Councils Association annual report to the Chairwoman.

Finance

● There is £1009 in the account. Expected expenditure for the rest of the financial year is £395 while income of £11 will be received. So the year-end balance should be £626.

Date of next meeting    The next meeting will be on 14 January 2020.