Fine day for a litter pick

Click here to read Cllr David Peters’ report of this year’s Spring Litter Pick in the village – on a truly glorious Sunday. Thank you to all who took part.

Do you enjoy playing Scrabble or Upwords?

Another member is required for a friendly non-competitive group who meet in each other’s homes in the Natland area on alternate Friday afternoons. For more information please phone Midge Fairhurst on 01539 731727.

Natland Parish Council Agenda

Click here for the agenda for the next meeting of the Parish Council on the 27th March at 7.30.

Roadworks at Romney Roundabout

Following enquiries by Natland residents about the work being done at Romney Roundabout, Cllr Joan Lind spoke to the Cumbria Highways engineer and has shared the following information with Natland News.

1. This is the first stage of the new cycle lane that will end at the railway bridge at Oxenholme.
2. This stage will complete by June 2017 (Romney Roundabout to Asda)
3. Two lanes will remain between Lound Garage and the roundabout.
4. The roundabout is being made smaller to accommodate the new cycle lane and two lanes of traffic.
5. The second stage Asda to Oxenholme won’t be tackled until 2018/2019.

Natland Road Footway vs Towpath Trail?

Readers who follow the actions of Natland Parish Council by reading its minutes may be wondering about the connection between the proposed canal ‘Towpath Trail’ and the Council’s bid for SLDC funding towards a footway along Natland Road. The attached text of my report seeking support from the South Westmorland Local Area Partnership (SWLAP) may help explain. Click here to read or download it.

Without a commitment from Cumbria County Council (CCC - the highway authority) to fund the lion’s share of the footway scheme the bid appears unrealistic and doomed to fail. But it should at least have reminded SLDC and CCC (and our Councillor) that the footway is still Natland’s top infrastructure priority.

So far the support of Natland’s District and County Councillor, Brenda Gray, has been somewhat equivocal. While agreeing to be named as a supporter of Natland’s bid, she appears to regard the two schemes as alternative (but not ideal) solutions to the problem of walking safely between Natland and Kendal, saying that the footway ‘would be a job half done’ and also stating ‘I understand the downsides of the two alternative options’.

David Peters
Chair of Natland Parish Council

Art Exhibition: Result

 The picture which received the most votes was Keith Hodsoll's Frozen Lancaster Canal, closely followed by GB Thompson's Down The Lane and Colin Margison's Silver Birch.

Net proceeds for the Exhibition were over £850, with footfall of approx. 300 (adults) over the 2 days. Sarah Roberts.

Parish Council minutes for February published

The minutes for the February meeting of Natland Parish Council have now been published and are available to read or download here.

Natland Spring Litter Hunt

 Saturday 25 March 2017

Volunteers are needed at the Village Hall from 10am* or 2pm† (morning and afternoon sessions).
(*between 9.30am and 10.15am will help shorten the queue) (†if any areas are still unpicked)

We will provide (or you can bring your own) sacks, gloves, picking tools and high-visibility waistcoats, and suggest where you might pick.

Thanks to well-behaved residents and public-spirited volunteers, Natland is a fairly tidy village.
But litter along the outlying lanes can be an eyesore.

Last year’s successful litter hunt left the Parish looking noticeably better, but now it needs doing again.

Why not come and help for an hour or two?

Natland Parish Plan – making Natland a better place; a Natland Parish Council project.

Oakmere Homes consultation on land beside Long Meadow Lane

An update on the situation from David Peters, Chair of Natland Parish Council

Two representatives of Oakmere Homes invited themselves (at my suggestion) to the ‘public participation’ item at last Monday’s (27 February) parish council meeting. No other members of the public attended. The subject wasn’t on the publicised Agenda because Oakmere Homes hadn’t contacted the Parish Council at the time of its publication.

During an informal discussion parish councillors made several comments, including the point that the flyer postal delivery on 18 February should have covered the whole village, rather than just Long Meadow Lane, Wandales Lane and Abbey Drive, because the impact of the development, particularly the extra traffic on Oxenholme Lane and Helm Lane, would be felt by the whole village.

Oakmere Homes declined to concede that point, but followed up with an email to the Clerk from Kate Bellwood, Oakmere Homes’ planning consultant, clarifying the situation and including the following statements:

“Oakmere Homes are carrying out community consultation on the potential development of the site, details attached. The consultation is seeking local views and opinion on two key elements of the proposal - the housing development and the public open space.  The attached document contains information on the site and the proposal.  The scheme is still in its infancy and we would welcome any feedback you may have to help form a development that meets local needs and/or to help us understand local concerns.”

“I can also confirm that there is no ‘end date’ for the community consultation, as we will leave comments open for as long as possible to allow people to comment in their own time. I can also confirm that the flyer sent out is not an ‘invitation only’ response, but that we welcome comments from anyone with an interest in the development whether or not they have received a flyer personally. Oakmere are advertising the consultation on their own website and I see that there is also reference to the consultation on your own website.”

“Further to that meeting and this consultation process, I would like to offer to attend a future Parish Council Meeting, with Mark Wilkinson of Oakmere Homes, should the community feel they would like to ask questions directly about the potential development. However in the interim should there be any other questions, please contact Oakmere Homes or myself and we shall endeavour to answer your questions.”

The Parish Council’s response to this consultation will be considered at its next meeting on 27 March. In the meantime, Natland Parish Council urges concerned residents to respond to this pre-application consultation by visiting Oakmere Homes’ website here. The flyer is also available by clicking here, and my ‘advice and information’ document about the consultation by clicking here.

Discover Lakeland at the WI | Wednesday 15 March

The speaker at the March meeting of Natland and Oxenholme Women’s Institute will be tackling the topic of: ‘Discovering Lakeland’. The meeting starts at 7.15pm on Wednesday 15 March.

Police Community Engagement Report

Cumbria Constabulary have investigated six events in or near Natland recently. Click here for more details.

Plants in the Porch

As the days lengthen gardeners start to itch to get out in to their gardens and get to work. And now is the time that plants start to appear for sale in St Mark’s church porch again. Help yourself to plants at sensible prices and put your money in an envelope and deposit it in the wall safe just inside the church door on the left.
At the moment there are Hellebore, Pulmonaria and spring bulbs. More variety will follow as the season progresses.
If you have surplus plant stock please feels free to pot up nicely with a name and put in the porch for sale. All proceeds go to church funds.
If you look inside the church you will often find delicious homemade preserves and chutneys for sale. On the book case straight ahead from the door you will also find two shelves of paperback books for sale.
Collin Mansfield

Walking stick left in Village Hall

A walking stick - grey, adjustable length, NHS type - was left behind in the village hall on the day of the church jumble sale. It is still in the entrance hall, on the shelf behind the chairs.

Parish News for March

Click here for all St. Mark's Church's events in Lent, for recollections of those who have died in the village recently, and for the many events that are happening now spring is arriving.

WI Fashion Show in a fortnight's time

Natland and Oxenholme WI

Kitty Brown Boutique

Fashion Show and Scarf Demonstration

7.30pm on Friday 17 March

in

Natland & Oxenholme Village Hall

Tickets £6.00 to include wine and nibbles.

Clothing, bags and costume jewellery will be on sale.

Tickets are available from Kirsten Cannon (01539 722416), 

Marley Hunter (015395 60721) and Natland Post Office.

The Weather in Natland in February

                                                                                                  2017                                 2016
Temperature at 8am                                                                   5.1c                                  2.6c
Minimum Temperature (Average)                                             4.0c                                  1.4c
Maximum Temperature (Average)                                            7.3c                                  5.7c
                                                                                         mm               in              mm                  in
Rainfall                                                                           113.5            4.5            110.5                4.4
February was very mild, more like March or even April temperatures. Although not particularly wet, we only had 5 days when no rain was recorded.                                 John Dobson