Meeting documents

A minute's silence was observed upon the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

To receive any apologies for absence

An apology for absence was received from Mr M Hawkins and Mr D Wilson.

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 G Roberts declared a non-pecuniary interest as a member of Whitehaven Town Council.

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.

There was no public participation received for this meeting.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Local Committee held on 20 July 2022 (copy enclosed).

With regards to Page 10, Minute 22, Consultation on Potential Change of Age Range to St Bees Village Primary School, 4^th paragraph it was agreed to amend "A question was raised by the Local Member for Cleator Moor East" to "A question was raised by the Local Member for Cleator Moor West".

RESOLVED, that subject to the amendment above, the minutes of the meeting held on 20 July 2022 be agreed as a correct record.

To receive a presentation from Active Cumbria (copy enclosed).

Members received a presentation from the Senior Manager (Development) for Active Cumbria part of the Council’s Public Health which provided a brief update on key programmes and services being delivered in Copeland.  The update included, Street Tag, Park Play, Active Start, Ramblers Wellbeing Walks and Active Travel and Bikeability.  The presentation also highlighted some local projects that had been funded by the Tackling Inequalities Fund (TIF) and Together Fund (TF) awards.  Details of a new programme titled Live Longer Better in Cumbria would also be shared as part of the presentation.

The Local Member for Egremont North and St Bees commented on the changes that would happen with LGR and how that would affect Active Cumbria.

The Senior Manager (Development) Active Cumbria noted that Active Cumbria was funded through the National Lottery via Sport England and a requirement of the funding was that the unit remained together.  It was hoped that there would be a Shared Service Agreement between the unitary authorities.

The Local Member for Kells and Sandwith remarked that Cumberland Council was committed to Active Cumbria and it was hoped it would be a hosted service.

The Local Member for Cleator Moor West suggested that Ramblers Wellbeing Walks link with Parish and Town Councils for environmental issues and to ensure that the Public Footpath Network was walked.  

The Senior Manager (Development) Active Cumbria thanked the Local Member for their suggestion and commented that Street Tag would benefit as well.

The Chair remarked on reconditioning for older people.  He explained he had not found GP surgeries very helpful and had attended 2 Health MoTs, one in Seascale and one in Whitehaven Library which had been very useful.

The Senior Manager (Development) Active Cumbria noted that deconditioning was a recognised syndrome and that it was important for connection between health colleagues and settings.  The Reconditioning fund that would be launched on 24 November 2022 had £250,000 and it was important to note that any deployment of funds would be community led.

The Local Member for Kells and Sandwith remarked about care leavers and asked if any work was targeted for this group.

The Senior Manager (Development) Active Cumbria noted that a recent project to the Tackling Inequalities Fund had allowed investment to provide leisure membership.  This had started in July so no data was available at this moment but he would collate data and circulate.

The Local Member for Cleator Moor East and Frizington noted that Copeland had seen the arrival of asylum seekers and refugees and what opportunities were available for integration.

The Senior Manager (Development) Active Cumbria commented that this work had already begun with the arrival of Syrian refugees and that there was a funding package that would assist.

The Chair thanked the Senior Manager (Development) Active Cumbria for his presentation and noted he was a supporter of Active Cumbria and that West Cumbria had become a physically active area.

[Electoral Divisions: All Copeland]

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

This report updates members on the current in year highways delivery works programme and details work completed to date and work remaining for the rest of the year.

The Local Area Network Manager presented a report updating members on the current in year highways delivery works programme and detailed work completed to date and work remaining for the rest of the year.

Members noted that Appendix 1 of the report laid out the highways budget splits for Copeland in the current financial year and Appendix 2 was a set of plans for the surfacing beds to be carried out by external contractors in the current financial year. The Officer reported that Revenue works were not included in the report but would be presented to members once top slicing had been completed.  The Committee were informed that weed spraying was carried out by an external contractor and three of the four scheduled weed sprays had been completed with the final spray scheduled for the end of September.  It was explained that verge maintenance would continue until the Autumn.

The Local Member for Cleator Moor East and Frizington commented about School Crossing Patrols and a review regarding locations and suitability.  He felt it would best if this review was completed before March 2023.

The Local Area Network Manager noted that this work would fall under the remit of the Area Manager.

The Chair requested that officers produce a report on School Crossing Patrols.

The Local Member for Egremont North and St Bees and the Local Member for Egremont raised a request from Egremont Town Council about a road closure for the Christmas Lights event.  A round table discussion then took place and it was agreed that with the road closure would be applied for in the normal manner but the costs of providing the closure would be put to the grants panel.

The Local Member for Egremont congratulated Andy Brown and his team and in particular Alex Denton for their work on Middlebank Suspension Bridge.

The Local Member for Cleator Moor West requested an update on public participation for current TRO’s and who received responses after the public participation. He also requested that an update on Leconfield Phase 3 planning applications and their effect on the Cleator Moor Town Bid be provided at the Highways and Transport Working Group.

The Traffic Management Team Leader – Copeland noted that the remaining TROs would be advertised 21 September and the final decision would be made at the meeting of the Local Committee in November.  He advised that the Legal team had placed a deadline of December to advertise.

The Local Member for Egremont North and St Bees welcomed the A595 work at St Bees and asked if Highways England had published their press release on the work.

The Local Area Network Manager confirmed that the press release had been published in July and noted that the local press had not reported on the matter.

The Chair thanked the Local Area Network Manager for his report.

[Electoral Divisions: All Copeland]

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

The purpose of this report is to bring Members up to date with the activity across Copeland and any recent developments.

Members received a report that provided an update on the activity undertaken by the Community Development and Public Health Team since the last meeting of the Committee. 

The Area Manager updated members on Egremont Borderlands, the building works currently ongoing at the Millom Community Hub and work undertaken and events attended by the team on targeting local issues to address anti-social behaviour.  It was noted that the Team, together with HAWCs, had attended a successful social prescribing health and wellbeing festival, providing an opportunity for the community to come together for family fun whilst connecting with over 25 local groups offering health and wellbeing support.  Copeland Borough Council’s Social Prescribing Team would be holding a series of drop-in sessions in libraries across Copeland to help residents connect with groups, activities and/or services.

Members were updated on the Digital Inclusion Project, work undertaken by the Team on  social media and received a library update.  Members noted the partnership working that was taking place between libraries and the public health teams.  It was reported that the current library in Millom would be closed towards the end of September in order for the physical move of services to the Millom Hub building.  The new library was expected to be open at the end of October 2022.  Sellafield Ltd and the Council had invested jointly in the refurbishment of the Hub and it would be a more modern and energy efficient building with a range of public services.

Members were given public health and adult learning updates and a verbal report on the latest covid figures.  The Local Member for Cleator Moor East and Frizington remarked that although it was good to see a decline in positive Covid cases but as testing had reduced he suggested a better metric would be hospitalisations.

The Public Health Locality Manager noted that there was less data in the public domain and the return of schools and vaccination programme may have an impact.  It was hoped that the vaccination programme would have a good uptake.

The Local Member for Kells and Sandwith noted there would be a Warm Hub in Millom and it was suggested that this Hub would do more, for example, Health MOTs , flu jabs and availability of a warm meal.

A discussion took place regarding the Cost of Living crisis.  It was agreed that sustainable food was important and members felt that any help should not be a "sticking plaster" solution.  The Committee discussed the reduction of  energy consumption in order to reducing energy bills.

To conclude, the Area Manager informed members of the new funding streams available, the budget allocations of those given to Copeland and engagement sessions that had taken place across Copeland on the Cumberland Council Plan.

The Chair thanked the Community Development Team for a fantastic job and in particular their promptness with the books of condolence for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.  The Chair thanked the Area Manager for her report.

Electoral Divisions: All Copeland]

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

The report presents grant applications in excess of £5,000 for consideration and approval from the 2022-23 budget.

Members received a report that presented grant applications in excess of £5,000 for consideration and approval from the 2022-23 budget.  The grant applications under £5,000 were also included for information where funding had previously been awarded to the applying organisation which would take the full amount applied for over £5,000.  The report also presented any proposals from the Environment Fund, regardless of the amount and the current budget position as at 31 July 2022 at Appendix 1.

It was reported that  the Grants Panel had  recommended the award of a grant of £11,040 to Pause from general provision to fund a peripatetic Pause Practitioner for 18 months.  It was noted that the Pause service worked with women who had experienced or were at risk of repeated pregnancies that resulted in children being  removed from their care.

It was noted that at the Local Committee meeting in November 2021, members had agreed to fund Age UK £16,073 from the COMFHC fund, but this commitment had been omitted from the minutes of the meeting.

A grant amendment, outlined in the report, was noted.

RESOLVED, that

(1)  the report be noted;

(2)  the award of the grant of £11,040 to Pause be ratified.

(3)  the previous agreement to fund Age UK a grant of £16,073 be noted.

To receive updates from the following Copeland Champions:-

Armed Forces Champion

Autism Champion

Children’s Champion

Dementia Champion

Fire Champion

Health Champion

Health Champion

The Health Champion reported on Wellman tests and wondered if it was possible to expand this.

Children’s Champion

The Children’s Champion reported on the Fun, Fit, Feed project which took place in the summer holidays.  She remarked on her voyage with the Sea Cadets.  The Children’s Champion had visited Overend House and praised the exceptional staff who had such a passion for the children.  She remarked on the Corporate Parenting role and hoped for a wider partnership with Cumberland Council.

Dementia Champion

The Chair informed members there would be a report to the Local Committee in November.

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

The Chair advised that he had resigned as the CALC representative on the Mid Copeland Community Partnership.

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 small modular reactors (SMRs), the STEP project and concluded on the geological disposal facility (GDF). 

To note that the next meeting of Copeland Local Committee will be held on 22 November 2022 at 10.15 at Cleator Moor Civic Hall.

It was noted that the next Local Committee was to be held on 22 November 2022 at 10.15 am at Cleator Moor Civic Hall.  The Chair proposed that the remaining future meetings of Copeland Local Committee be held at Cleator Moor Civic Hall.