10 days left to have your say on local policing

The police launched a public consultation last Monday. Paper questionnaires have to be in by Friday 7 November but if you can complete one online you have until Friday 14 November to have our say on the future of local policing. PCSO Mark Hutchinson came to October’s Parish Council meeting to present his monthly report and began by urging us all to take part and tell our friends and neighbours to do so, too.

The police service has been asked to make huge cuts and is looking at options such as cutting numbers of PSCOs, or of police officers, or selling off buildings, or closing police station front desks. None of us want to see any of this but it’s important to log in to let them know that we care about the future of the police service – even in rural areas! – and have opinions on which bits are important.

The survey will only take you 5–10 minutes. Please log in today at http://www.cumbria.police.uk/about-us/public-consultation-survey-2014

Pre-School Jumble Sale

It's on Saturday 15th November at the Village Hall and starts at 2.00pm, entry is £1 to include a drink and a biscuit.
Anyone wishing to donate jumble can bring it to the hall on either Friday or Saturday morning.

Desert Island Discs in the Church

Then let's rejoice with loud Fal la--Fal la la!

That Nature always does contrive--Fal lal la!

That every boy and every gal

That’s born into the world alive

Is either a little Liberal

Or else a little Conservative!

What would W.S. Gilbert have rhymed with UKIP or The Monster Raving Looney Party? Well we had a little Liberal on our Desert Island and now we are going to send a little Conservative
On Monday 17th November at 7.30 in church you can find out how our Conservative candidate, Dr Ann Myatt would fare on her own as a castaway when she is subjected to searching questioning on her survival skills. By May next year we may be all so fed up with politics we will all want to be on a far away island."
Dr Myatt is a consultant Dermatologist at WGH and Barrow, she will be asked to tell us how she would survive, choose her eight favourite pieces of music for you to listen to as well as nominate a book and a luxury item. The bad news for those interested in politics is that all party political questions (and answers) will be strictly off limits.
Afterwards there will be refreshments available (donations requested) and a chance to meet Ann and explore her musical tastes.
Entry is £5.00 each (under 16 free) pay on the night. All proceeds are to help defray the cost of recent drainage works in the churchyard.

Monday Club Meeting

The next meeting of the Monday Club, the club for the over 50s, is to be on November 17th at 2.00pm in the Village Hall when the speaker will be Maurice Steele, his subject being "Irish Gems" (illustrated).

Members are reminded that payment for the Christmas Lunch (£14 per head including drinks) on the 8th December is due at this meeting.                             Paul Singleton.

Craft Fair Result and Village Hall Committee Meeting

Some of the stalls at the Craft Fair

At the meeting on Monday, thanks were expressed to the many people who helped make the Craft Fair and Exhibition a success again this year. The takings for the Village Hall from the Craft Fair and Exhibition totalled £763.67.

Part of the Craft Exhibition including the Noah's Ark knitted by Marion Thornton, which was voted favourite item.

The 200 Club winners for November were
1st           W Cavenay
2nd          R Frankland
3rd           C Wilson

Natlanders Return

British Sea Power
Sea of Brass
Sat 8 Nov | The Factory 7.30pm | £20

Homecoming gig from the Mercury nominated indie rockers with an exciting new musical project alongside the acclaimed Foden's Brass Band. Two of the members of this famous band were born and brought up in Natland.

This gig will take place at the Factory cultural hub, Aynam Road, Kendal

Church Magazine for November

Click on this link to find out details of everything that is happening at St. Mark's Church this month.

Cardboard and plastic collection coming to (parts of) Natland

The much-anticipated doorstep collection of cardboard and plastic for recycling is coming closer! At the October Parish Council meeting Andrew Vickers and Nick Pearson from SLDC came to tell us about plans for ‘Phase 1’ of the rollout, which will start early in the New Year with a ‘Kendal’ trial which will include some streets in Natland. (Sadly, they can’t confirm just yet which areas of Natland will be included in Phase 1 but we’ll let you know on this blog as soon as we get do.)

The houses that are included will get a big new bag for putting their plastic in and be asked to flatten cardboard and include it with the paper in their paper box. Collections will happen on the same day as the current green waste, bottles and glass collection – although probably at a different time of day as the new lorries will be taking different routes. They ask that we have everything out by 7am to be sure of collection until things settle down. 

Latest on bus services

Over the past few months Cumbria County Council has been phasing out its financial support for scheduled bus services. Previously subsidised services may be withdrawn, or re-scheduled by the operator as a similar or reduced commercial service. 

Changes to the timetable for 551/552 Kendal-Arnside service came into operation a couple of months ago (http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/elibrary/Content/Internet/544/931/6586/6592/41849113110.pdf).  Timetables for the Kendal town services are unaffected, but those travelling further afield are advised to check travel times beforehand (http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/roads-transport/public-transport-road-safety/transport/publictransport/busserv/timetables/southlakeland.asp). In particular, there are reductions in the evenings to both the 555 services between Kendal and Ambleside and the X6 services (Kendal-Grange-Barrow). 

Cumbria County Council is not publishing its usual county-wide winter timetable this year because of the uncertainty over the future of certain services so it’s best to check the website for information.

If you want to keep abreast of bus-related info, campaign for better bus services locally, or make suggestions and ask questions of the County Council’s Integrated Transport team or local bus operators why not join Kendal & District Bus Users Group (KADBUS)? The annual subscription is a very modest £2. For more details contact Barbara Colley (01539 821629, colleygarth@btopenworld.com). 

Sarah Roberts

(Natland Parish Council’s KADBUS representative)

Weather in October back to normal

	2014		2013
Average temperatures
Temperature at 8am	9.1C		10.0C
Min temperature	7.4C		8.8C
Max temperature	12.0C		12.3C
Total rainfall	mm	in	mm	in
	184	7.4	174	7.0

It was back to normal in October with rain on most days. It was mild although not quite as warm as last year. The temperatures were higher in the latter part of the month which is unusual.

John Dobson