ILAM PARISH COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday 6 May 2025 @7pm Ilam School
Present C Sellers, L Oulsnam, (Clerk) N Taylor, R Wain, A Chillingworth, C Hibbert-Foy, K Warrington, I Frith
Apologies V Nottage Cllr E Wain
Minutes
Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 11 March 2025 were read and signed as true and correct.
National Trust
From 6th- 8th May there will be some resurfacing work taking place to the driveway at Ilam, on the section between the YHA and the roundabout. The car park will stay open with the contractors managing traffic during that period.
A gate is being fitted at the entrance to Dovedale car park w/c 12th May. This will enable us to lock the car park at night and hopefully reduce the risk of any anti-social behavior taking place.
Work continues to secure planning permission for Hinkley bridge reinstatement. Our building surveyor is in conversation with both Natural England and the contractor to find a way forward that all parties can agree on.
Staff and volunteers are litter picking at Dovedale and Ilam every morning. The welcome team continue to give out bin bags to people on arrival to encourage people to at least bag the waste and ideally return to the car park to place in our bins. This seems to be having the desired effect with more waste being bagged, however littering continues to be a problem.
With the recent warm weather, we have unfortunately started to see some BBQ use. Our welcome team and rangers continue to speak to as many people as possible about the dangers of using BBQs and other cooking devices in the landscape, particularly during high fire risk. We continue to challenge anyone that is trying to take a BBQ or cooking devices into the valley, and our rangers are attending reports of BBQ use. We will continue to work with the emergency services on this matter and would encourage people to call 999 if they see a fire.
We have been working with Ilam School on an exciting art project – a new work by artist Bruce Asbestos, inspired by Ilam Park, will be on display from the start of the school summer holidays.
I Frith enquired if NT Staff would be in Dovedale later in the evenings in Peak Season. A Chillingworth responded that staff are in Dovedale till 8 pm when they are in peak season.
C Sellers asked for sign in village at the bottom of the drive with sign to national trust Car Parking to make it clear to visitors where to park.
Improving Village Environment
The Monument will be planted up in May for summer with Geraniums. L Oulsnam to organise with help from the monument team.
We have received a grant from Cllr E Wain from The Councilors Community Initiative fund for £125.00p for the monument planting project for summer bedding plants and future monument projects.
N Taylor and R Wain to cement Tommy soldier in village after it was found in the river last year.
Highways
Cllr G Heath updated at the last meeting that they would do maintenance and patchwork outside the school in 2025 and full resurfacing and yellow lines in 2026. C Sellers and L Oulsnam to chase up this work with the new county councillor in May.
K Warrington asked for the culvert by Plantation Garage to be reported. It has been previously reported and L Oulsnam will report again. The Culvert was reported, and AMEY has reported they could not identify location of culvert mentioned in the report, so it will be reported again by C Sellers and L Oulsnam.
The bridge is being repaired from 12 May. The road will be closed for 1 week for the repair work to be carried out.
The councilors were made aware the K Warrington has accepted responsibility for the bridge damage.
C Sellers asked K Warrington to move the parked bus slightly forward to avoid obstruction from the church path exit.
Finance
Balance in account: £2748.87p
AOB
We have joined the Staffordshire Parish Councils Association which offers advice and updates for Parish Councils .
Date of next meeting & AGM: Tuesday 15 July 2025 Ilam School 7pm