Parish Council Meeting Minutes

To the view minutes of the Natland Parish Council meeting held on Monday 25^th November 2013 please follow link to MINUTES

MEGA MONDAY

Internet sales are set to peak on Mega Monday, the busiest online shopping day, and Cumbria Trading Standards and Crimestoppers are warning festive consumers of the dangers of buying counterfeit Christmas presents.

Online shoppers are expected to spend more than £10.8 billion this December according to analysis carried out on the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index.  More than 8,000 sites have already been identified as selling counterfeit copies of designer brands including Gucci, Adidas and Mulberry bags.  Every year UK Border Agency seizes counterfeit goods coming into the country and innocent consumers lose their hard earned cash because they purchased from dodgy websites.

Use the Brand-I website to make sure you use websites authorised to sell branded goods and don’t waste your money on buying fakes.  Visit www.brand-i.org/brands.

By following these simple tips you can keep fraudsters at bay this Christmas:
 

1. Only deal with reputable online retailers you know and trust.
2. If the goods cost over £100 consider using a Credit Card as this will give you additional protection if things go wrong but only use a credit card if you can afford the repayments.
3. Trust your instincts – if an offer looks too good to believe then there is usually a catch.
4. Ensure the payment system is secure – there should be a padlock symbol on the bottom right of the page and the website address should begin with “https”.
5. Check the URL in the web browser.  Don’t be fooled by spoof websites where the fraudsters slightly change the address.
6. Conduct a “who is“ search online which will tell you where a website is registered.  If the website is registered abroad it may be difficult or impossible to claim compensation from the seller.

Remember cheapest is not always the best!

If you believe you have been sold counterfeit goods or if you suspect an individual is selling fake items please contact in confidence or anonymously Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 08454 04 05 06 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

For general consumer advice contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 08454 04 05 06 or visit www.adviceguide.org.uk

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Parish Council election date still in doubt

The Parish Council is continuing to press SLDC hard for an answer to when the next parish council elections are likely to be held – in an effort to save local taxpayers’ money while still giving residents the chance to have a choice about who represents them for next four years. Owing to a historic error by SLDC, our elections are out of synch with other local elections.

The currently serving parish councillors took office in 2012 but if an election were held four years on, in 2016, it would be an expensive business because it could not be held alongside any other local poll. The Council has been urging SLDC to get the Secretary of State’s approval for an election in 2014 for well over a year. It’s now only a few months away but the situation is still uncertain so the Parish Council has written to the Monitoring Officer at SLDC for reassurance that, among other things, the costs of an election in 2016, if it were necessary, would not have to be met by Natland Parish residents.

It is still hoped that an election on 22 May 2014 will be possible – in which case we will be looking for new candidates willing to stand and help supervise the implementation of the new Parish Action Plan (downloadable from the Parish Plan page of this website) at least until 2018.

Standing up for bus services

Cumbria County Council has recently published a ‘budget consultation’ document putting forward 35 cost-saving measures that it would like to make over the next three financial years. As they say ‘this is your chance to have your say’. Many of the measures are internal and administrative but one that will directly affect the lives of people in rural areas is the proposal to cut all subsidy to bus services in the County – a move that will inevitably lead to cuts in service and/or price hikes.

At the November meeting of the Parish Council, parish councillors decided to respond, as a council as as individuals, to the consultation, which closes on 20 January, by opposing these cuts – covered under Proposition 24 in the document. But it is up to everyone who cares about bus services like the 567 and 552 to take part. There are forms available in the local library, at the town hall, and on some buses (!) and there will also be a drop-in session at Asda next Monday 2 December between 11am and 2pm. If you can’t make any of these, you can fill out your questionnaire online at http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/budgetconsultation/shareyourviews.asp

New Parish Action Plan adopted!

Thank you to everyone who has helped us in the closing stages of consultation on the Natland Parish Plan 2014 Action Plan over the past month or so. It was finally submitted to the Parish Council at their November meeting last Monday and adopted unanimously.

You can now download the Action Plan – which sets out the issues you raised and the actions that the Parish Council will be taking forward, with your help, over the next few years – on the Parish Plan page of this website.

Christmas Lunch

You are invited to come along to St Mark’s Primary School on Tuesday 10th December at 1.15pm for a Christmas lunch. Be waited on by the children, enjoy a delicious meal for only £3.50 and get into the Christmas spirit by listening to carols sung by the school choir. Places are limited so to book a place, please ring Ruth Taylor on 01539 728180 or 07787 201259. This event is in partnership with St Mark’s Church and St Mark’s School.

Parish Council Meeting Monday 25th November

A meeting of the Council will be held in the Village Hall at 7.30pm

on Monday 25^th November 2013. Please follow link to AGENDA

Bogus Callers

There has been a renewed warning about bogus house-to-house callers operating in Cumbria.

It comes after householders in the Little Corby area between Carlisle and Brampton were approached on their doorsteps over the last six weeks.

The bogus callers work to a prepared script attempting to sell household goods and claiming to be on some form of ‘probation rehabilitation scheme’ on their release from prison.

It has led Cumbria Probation Trust (CPT) to join Cumbria Constabulary in reissuing a warning about the practice. Sarah Ward, Director of Operations at CPT stated emphatically that the Trust operates no such scheme:

“We want to make it completely clear to everyone that the Probation Service does not have people knocking on doors or cold-calling to sell anything to the public,” she said. "We would urge anyone receiving an approach of this kind to politely refuse to purchase anything and to contact the Police immediately."

Sergeant Tony Kirkbride of Cumbria Constabulary backed the message: "Cold callers will use a variety of stories to try and get members of the public to buy items from them and Cumbria Police always encourage residents to use caution when someone cold calls at their door.

“We would ask people not to feel pressured into agreeing to buy any items and if they have any concerns, to shut the door and ring the police.”

Police offer the following advice to help residents keep themselves, their homes and their property secure:

- Keep all doors locked even when you are at home.
- Before you answer the door check through a window or the door viewer to see who it is.
- If you have a door chain or bar, use it.
- Always ask for and check identity cards. If you are unsure phone the company from a number in a phone book or internet page.  Do not use a number on the identity card as this may be false.

The key message is -- IF IN DOUBT KEEP THEM OUT.

If you think a bogus caller has called on you, or you have any information about bogus callers in the area please report it to Cumbria Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

Book Stall - St Mark's Coffee Morning 14th December

St Mark's Coffee Morning 14th December - Anne and I will be running a used book stall at this event. There is a box at the back of Church to receive these.

Thanks Mike Bagnall

South Lakeland District Council Plan 2014-19 Consultation

We are asking our partners, stakeholders and the public to share their views on our draft Council Plan which gives our priorities for the next five years and details how we hope to achieve them. The feedback will be used to finalise the Council Plan (including formatting) - which councillors will be asked to consider for approval in February 2014 – alongside the council’s budget. Council Plan

 

Please let us know what you think about South Lakeland District Council’s future direction by sending any feedback you have on the Council Plan to haveyoursay@southlakeland.gov.uk

 

The closing date for feedback is 20 December 2013.

 

Kind Regards

 

Claire Gould

Policy & Partnerships Manager

 

Emma Nichols | Community Engagement Officer (Parish Liaison Officer)

South Lakeland District Council, South Lakeland House, Lowther Street, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 4DQ

Tel: 0845 050 4434 | Direct Tel: 01539 793268 | Email: e.nichols@southlakeland.gov.uk

Website: www.southlakeland.gov.uk

Many thanks from the Good Samaritan Orphanage, Andhra Pradesh

Here are pictures of a classroom in the new school which is being built at the Good Samaritan Orphanage in Andhra Pradesh. £612 was raised in Natland at a Curry Evening in the Village Hall last autumn, which, with £604 from church events, is being used to build the classroom. It is hoped the school will be open for juniors in July 2014.

Monday Club Meeting

Chris Payne will be the speaker today at the Monday Club in the Village Hall at 2.00. His subject will be 'Charlie's War - Tales of a First World War Conscript'.

Lantern Procession

If Natlanders venturing out yesterday evening wondered about the ethereal lights coming from the school and onto the Village Green, they were the lanterns made by schoolchildren to celebrate light on these dark winter nights. It is hoped that it will become a village tradition every November.

Remembrance Day

In Natland we now have a renovated war memorial, maintained by Natland Parish Council to commemorate those from here who died during the two World Wars.

More details of those who died in the First World War can be found by following this link. Natland Fallen. Last Sunday parishioners remembered those servicemen again at 11am in the churchyard. The children of Appletree School also commemorated those who died, some of whom had lived at Appletree when it was called St. Mark's Home.

Oxenholme Road collision was a 'fail-to-stop', say police

POLICE are investigating the three-vehicle collision which occurred at Oxenholme yesterday afternoon. 

Officers say a 42-year-old male cyclist was struck at around 12.10pm close to the Station Inn by a black hatchback car, heading towards Kendal, and a white Volkswagen Passat.

The driver of the black hatchback fled the scene.

The man was treated by paramedics before being taken to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary with facial injuries.

Now anyone with information about the fail-to-stop incident should contact Cumbria Constabulary on 101.                                 (From Westmorland Gazette News).

Have you made your lantern yet?

St Mark’s School will be hosting its Lighting Up the Night! soup supper, followed by a Lantern Procession round the school playing field, next Friday 15 November, from 6pm.

The event builds on the great success of last year’s event, which is about thanking God for Jesus, the Light of the World, and involves a quick Liturgy of the Light halfway through the procession. This year, the school would like as many people from the village as possible to take part.

The children have already had their lantern-making workshop, back in October, but you can get your lantern-making kit (including instructions) from the school office for only £6. Go on – you know you want to! (And if the lantern doesn’t quite turn out – you’re still very welcome without one.)

Another Successful Craft Fair

Early morning last Saturday Natland was a swarm of activity as stallholders came to set up their stalls and people came to put their precious craftwork into the exhibition at the Village Hall. There was a steady hum all day as people came to buy, to admire and to meet friends. The morning was fair, but people still came in the afternoon through thunderstorms and heavy showers. Village Hall committee members had rallied their organisations to provide cakes and raffle prizes, to move trestle tables, to man the entrance hall and the exhibition and to make sure that this, the 14th Craft Fair and Exhibition, ran smoothly. The financial reward was £729 for the Village Hall, and many thanks were expressed at the Village Hall Committee meeting last Monday to all the people who took part.

 

 The item voted as Exhibition favourite was a decoupage picture of a blue tit by Joan Hodgson.

200 Club Winners

The winners for November were

1st           98           Dennis Pook

2nd          21           Bill Caveney

3rd           94           Olive Armstrong

Stolen Vehicles

Message sent by

Mandy Coleman (Police, PCSO, Kirkby Lonsdale and Sedbergh (S))

This is a message from Cumbria Police.

Yesterday between the hours of 8am-5pm a Silver Boxer ZUCKOFF Peugeot Motorhome was stolen from Mansergh near Kirky Lonsdale. Registration number is N6 HWD.

A landrover defender Registration PL07 BFP was stolen from the Ingleton area also yesterday at around 1:45pm. The offenders were disturbed by the home owner, both described as 2 large males wearing peaked caps over their ears.

Anyone with any information please ring 101 

Jumble Sale on Saturday

Natland and Oxenholme Preschool are holding a jumble sale on Saturday 9th November, 2pm to 4.30pm in the Village Hall, Natland.

£1 entry to include a drink and a biscuit.

If you have any jumble to donate, please bring it to the Village Hall on the mornings of Friday 8th or Saturday 9th between 9am and 12pm

Parish Council Minutes

To view the minutes of Natland Parish Council held on 28th October 2013 please follow link to MINUTES

Musical Evening in the Church on Saturday

Probably the last steam train of the year.

On Saturday 9th of November northbound through Oxenholme at 11-43 will come the 45699  Galatea.                                                           Pat Williams.

Weather Statistics for October in Natland.

                                                                           2013                                 2012                         
   
Temperature at 8 am                                          10.0c                                   5.8c
Minimum temperature                                          8.8c                                    4.3c
Maximum temperature                                        12.3c                                 10.1c
                                                                  mm.          in.                    mm.         in.
Rainfall                                                     174           7.0                    153       6.1   
      
October was much warmer than last year, but similar to 2011. We had heavy rain early in the month , a dry week, then rain nearly every day in the last two weeks. Thankfully we missed the storm which hit the South.                                                     John Dobson

Coffee Morning on Thursday