Welcome to my new look blog

Welcome to my Blog which I started at the start of my Mayoral Year in June 2011. I had hoped that it would start a trend so that all councillors would have a blog but that did not happen. I do feel that councillors should use the latest media technology either blogs, facebook or twitter. I will continue with my initial plea and hope to make Carlisle a litter free City and that most residents have a “Pride in their Community”. I will continue to represent the views of my constituents and I can be reached by e-mail at barrye@carlisle.gov.uk or by telephone on 01228 810010.

29th April – 5th May

This being my 411th blog page and the last as I am standing done as a Carlisle City Councillor after 16 years.   I have enjoyed each week to write up an aide memoire and also to realise the work carried out by City Councillors that may influence future planning for the City.

30th   My last City Council meeting  at which I had, together with other retiring colleagues, a vote of thanks for the work that we have been involved with for over a period of time.   Not only from the leader of my own group but also from the Leader of the City Council.   The meeting commenced at 6.45 p.m. with prayers given by the City Chaplain,  Rev Keith Teasdale, followed by the roll call of Councillors present.   The minutes of the previous Council meeting were approved and questions asked of the Leader regarding the last two meetings of the Executive.   The Portfolio Holders gave their reports and answered questions followed by the Chairmen of the three Overview & Scrutiny panels.   Minutes of other Committees and panels were approved before the Mayor of the City, Councillor Jessica Riddle, closed the meeting and invited all present to a buffet supper.

1st May   I had a visit to my local doctor regarding a rash that has appeared on my face and he has referred me to a Dermatologist in Newcastle.

2nd   Election Day  with new boundaries for each ward with each of the new Wards having three Councillors.   There being a reduction of Wards to 13 and thus 39 Councillors.   At 11 a.m. I was a teller recording the people who had turned out to vote at The Church of the Nazarene in Moorhouse Road, Carlisle.   Due to the complexity of the new wards and the number of candidates the Count will be at The Sands, Carlisle tomorrow from 9,30 a.m.

3rd   I was present at the Count having been asked to be a Counting Agent to make sure there were no mistakes made by the Counting Clerks.   Due to the complexity of the Count it took until 3.30 p.m. before the results were declared, there having been two re-counts being conducted. The results appear to have been influenced by the actions of Central Government and their inability to settle the Brexit issue.   The results being no overall control with  17 Conservatives, 15 Labour, 4 Independents, 1 Liberal Democrat, 1 Green and 1 Ukip.   It will be interesting to see how the administration of the City Council will work in the future.   Although I have stood down as a City Councillor in my 85th year, I intend to continue as a Parish Councillor for Scotby Ward of Wetheral Parish Council  now in my 44th year.  I will also remain as a School Governor at Scotby Junior School, a member of Scotby  Village Hall committee and member of both Wetheral and Scotby Playing Field Committees.   So to all my blog readers goodbye and thank you for reading my input.

22nd – 28th April

23rd   Due to a conflict of interest I was asked to attend the Chairman’s meeting with officers of the planning department of  Carlisle City Council prior to the Site Visits of the Development Control Committee tomorrow.   The meeting took place at the Civic Centre at 1 p.m. and all applications were reviewed and other agenda items discussed.

24th   Back to the Civic Centre for 10 a.m. to meet up with other members of the Development Control Committee.   There were some six premises to visit that had planning applications to be decided on Friday.   Starting in Carlisle we then viewed a development in Longtown before going onto an isolated area north west of Brampton where a poultry unit was to be built.   Returning to Brampton we visited the site of a demolition and new build and then on to a partial demolition and conversion of an old school building.   Finally we returned to Carlisle to view the site of the first phase of the Flood Risk Management Scheme.

25th   An evening meeting of the Conservative Councillors on the City Council prior to the Council meeting next week.   This will be my last meeting of the Conservative Group as I am standing down as a Councillor in a week’s time after 16 years.   It has been both a pleasure and a privilege to represent the views and concerns of the residents of Wetheral Ward during my time as a Councillor, and even more so in my Mayoral year when I represented the whole population of the City.   The meeting was held at 6.45 p.m. with the leader of the group thanking those members who are standing down before the agenda for next weeks meeting was scrutinised.   There was a full  and reasoned debate on a number of topics with the way ahead after the election being paramount.

26th   By this time newt week I will be no longer a City Councillor, however I was still at the Civic Centre at 9 a.m. for the pre-meeting of the Conservative Councillors on the Development Control Committee to discuss the agenda of the public meeting at 10 a.m.   There were only some six contentious planning applications to consider one from the previous meeting that was deferred and the other five which we had visited two days previously.   The deferred application took some 90 minutes to determine  but was at last approved with conditions.   The application for the demolition of a farm building and the building of a split-level property in Brampton was deferred due to some 31 letters of objection that had been received with the last few days and had not been viewed by the Committee.   All the other applications were approved with conditions.   We then considered the development in Longtown  that had already been started but not to the conditions specified due to United Utilities specified alterations to the drainage of surface water.   We had viewed the development on Wednesday and after much discussion decided not to take enforcement action.   The Right to Speak Policy at Development Control Committee meetings was approved and the meeting ended with the Enforcement Officer giving an update on recent events.

15th – 21st April

You will note that I have very little to tell you this week, this is mainly due to the up and coming elections on the 2nd May and also due to the fact that I am standing down as a City Councillor after some 16 years.   The week has been used to sort out masses of paper (some confidential) for re-cycling and a general tidy up of my office.   Also I have been busy in the garden as with the good weather all the beds need de-weeding, forking, staking etc.   I have also been busy delivering election material for my colleagues who will replace me on the City Council.   There will now be three Councillors to represent the ward instead of two but the Ward has been enlarged to include areas of Great Corby, Corby Hill, Little Corby, Heads Nook and The Faugh but we loose the 350 properties off Durranhill Road and the 100 properties on Parkland Village.

21st   Easter Sunday   As usual at this time of year we meet up with friends to have lunch at Farlam Hall, Farlam.   This Country House Hotel has been run by the same family, The Quinions, for the last 45 years but have now retired and it has now got new owners.   Luckily they have retained the same staff, including the sous chef who is now the main chef and the food is of the same quality.   An  enjoyable and relaxing afternoon ensued.

8th – 14th April

9th   Due to the unavailability of the current member of the Rights of Way Committee on Wetheral Parish Council I attended on her behalf at 7 p.m.   There were a number of issues from the previous meeting on the 22nd January to be updated and current issues from each of the 5 Wards to be actioned.   The project “Let it Bee” to encourage more insect wild-life was going well and had been covered by both local radio and television.   The Parish Council Offices will be decorated with bees and butterflies as it will be taking part in the “Wetheral Fairy Door Walk” which will raise funding for the Village Hall.   Fruit trees have been planted on the grass triangle on the A69 road in Warwick-on-Eden and the Pentanque Court in Wetheral, on the Playing Field, will be opened in time for the Easter break.

10th   A meeting of the Wetheral Parish Council was held at Wetheral Village Hall at 7.30 p.m.   This being the last Parish Council before the District Council Elections on the 2nd of May, District Councillor Doreen Parsons, Ward member for part of the Parish Council on the East bank of the river Eden, bade farewell.   Members expressed their gratitude for her input to Council matters over a long period of time.   Wetheral Ward Parish Councillor Jonquil Melrose-Woodman had resigned from the Council due to pressure of work and the post will be advertised.   The minutes of the Planning Committee held on the 1st of April were approved but the minutes of the Rights of Way Committee held the previous evening were not yet to hand and will be presented next month.  The Annual Meeting with the Electors and the AGM of the Parish Council will be held in the restored Down-a-Gate Community Hall on Wednesday 8th May at 7 p.m.   At the end of the meeting there was a Confidential Issue regarding the Cemetery with the way forward approved.

13th   Saturday morning and my wife and I had been invited as special guests to attend the Carlisle Passion Play in the Pedestrian  Precinct of the City.   This was a modern interpretation of the Bible story of the death of Jesus Christ, the visionary being my local vicar, Rev Isaac Lawrence and acted by local Christians from “Churches Together”.   It was a very moving performance and was attended by some 2-300 shoppers and parishioners on a fine but blustery day including  the Mayor and Mayoress of Carlisle and the Police and Crime Commissioner of Cumbria, Peter McColl and his wife.   Afterwards refreshments were served in the Tythe Barn with the play being repeated at 2 p.m.

 

1st – 7th April

1st April   The day of the opening of not only the Pioneer Retail outlet on Montgomery Way, Durranhill but also the re-opening of the Warwick-on-Eden Children’s Play Area and Petanque (Boules) Court by the new High Sheriff of Cumbria, Mrs Fotheringham  there was a good attendance of mothers and their offspring on a bright sunny morning.   I was interviewed by the press (Carlisle’s News and Star) as the Parish Council had given a grant towards the improvements and the formation of the Boules Court.   By 1 p.m. I was at the Wetheral Parish Council offices in order to chair the meeting of the Planning Committee.   There were some seven planning applications to be considered and observations given; there was only one application that members were concerned about and objected to due to whether the applicant was the owner of the site which had already been fenced off.   Observations were given regarding two other applications one due to possible overlooking of adjacent property and the other due to the width of the access road to two properties situated in the back garden of an existing development.   A further application in Scotby was situated within a field that many years ago was the site of Roman artefacts, namely coinage and we (the committee) advised that an archaeological  assessment should be carried out.

3rd   This evening the Wetheral Playing Field Association met in the Club House at 6 p.m.   The treasurer gave an update on the current financial position and the budget projections for the current year 2018/19.   The financial year end will be the 31st August with the AGM being held at the end of October/beginning of November.   Field matters were discussed and decisions made; there were also some operational issues to be addressed before finally fundraising events were clarified.   An operational Risk Register Assessment has been carried out for the Match-day and Soccer  School  and this was approved by all committee members.

Delivered Election leaflets for the next few days

6th   The monthly meeting of the Christian Men’s Breakfast was held as usual at the Carlisle Golf Club at 8.30 a.m.   The Rev. Andrew Towner, Vicar of Houghton and Kingmoor, was the speaker.   He is the Chairman of Diocesan Board of Education which oversees a third of schools in Cumbria.   The son of a vicar he became a Maths Teacher in the South of England and became seriously ill just three months after getting married; luckily he survived and two verses of the bible came to mind. He spoke on the two verses that came to mind.   On returning home I changed in order to attend the Big Wetheral Litter Pick organised by my colleague, Councillor Stephen Higgs, and organised the collection point until 12 noon.   Some 20 residents attended and some twenty plus bags of rubbish collected.

7th  Today it is the Great Big Scotby Litter Pick that I have organised with some 25 residents assembling on the Village Green at 10 o’clock.   This was a wonderful turnout and I am very appreciative of those who attended who show “Pride in their Community”   Over 25 sacks of rubbish were collected and thus a total of over 50 sacks were removed from the two villages.   In my Mayoral year I had hoped that I could with the help of the residents of Carlisle make Carlisle the first Litter free City in England, but unfortunately  to “no avail”!!!   Every little helps.

25th – 31st March

25th   A sad but strange week in that I have three funerals – The first being a humanist funeral of a close neighbour held in the Chapel at Wetheral Cemetery, Ashgate Lane, Wetheral.   It was a small funeral attended by close neighbours, friends and family with the internment in the Woodland part of the cemetery.

26th   The second funeral was at St Mary’s Church, Wreay, a small village on the South side of the city.   The church was designed and paid for by a local resident Sarah Losh and is unusual in design.   The funeral was for a past client and also the provider of weekly fresh eggs to my home for many years.   He was an officer in the Scot’s Guards and I was piped in by the regimental piper.   I arrived early by half an hour to find that there was already some 100 friends, neighbours and military personnel within the church.   There was a portico at the West end of the church and loud speakers for those who were unable to get a seat.   Luckily the weather was kind a bright sunny day with the wake in the local village hall.

28th   The third funeral of the week was for a good friend and colleague being the current president of Probus and having been a fellow Parish Councillor for 20 years only retiring from Wetheral Parish Council in 2016.   He was a Lay-reader at Wetheral’s Holy Trinity and St. Constantine’s Church as well as a very popular contributor to the Church Magazine the “Focus on Eden”.   I arrived one hour prior to the service at 1 p.m. and there were some 200 mourners.   He represented Cumbria at the Church of England Synod and at his funeral there were a large number of clerics from vicars, priests, missioners, archdeacons and bishops; with the service being conducted by the Archdeacon of West Cumberland, the Venerable Richard Pratt and the readings and prayers by other clergy.   The internment was held at St, Leonard’s Warwick-on-Eden with the wake at the local Crown Hotel, Wetheral.   Prior to the funeral I attended a meeting of the Finance, Health & Safety and Buildings committee at Scotby Junior School at 9.15 a.m.   Members noted the financial End of Year report and the update of SEND funding.   Governor’s Competencies  forms were completed and returned.   Discussion then took place regarding inflationary rises for school meals, uniforms and after-school clubs and decisions made.   Further consultations are being made regarding buildings and classrooms- issues and plans.   Finally at 10.15 a.m. we were joined by three members of the local police force to discuss the parking problem on Park Road, Scotby at early morning and late afternoon when school is in progress.   Being Heath & Safety Governor I have been in correspondence with the police for some time regarding this issue and at last I think that the other members of the committee have been persuaded to take the police advice and to place No Parking Police Signs early morning and mid-afternoon to solve the problem.   Now we have to find the person who is going to be responsible to carry out this procedure every day in term time.

18th – 24th March

20th   The development Control Committee of the City Council went on the usual site visits to view contentious planning applications leaving the Civic Centre at 19 a.m.   The first site visited was at Monkhill, a small hamlet to the west of Carlisle and was for an outline permission for seven properties with all matters reserved.   It was a renewal of an application made previously and members had the same questions answered.  We then proceeded to Burgh by Sands where an application for 24 properties at King Edwards Fauld was inspected; some time last year the site had been viewed by the Committee due to an outline application but the developer now presented a full application.   Finally we went onto Blackford village where a Commercial business was requesting permission to site his equipment and offices adjacent to residential properties.

21st   The Annual General Meeting of the Carlisle Conservative  Association was held at the Creighton Rugby Club, Sycamore Lane, Parkland Village at 7 p.m.   The President, Lady Henley, welcomed all present and the minutes of last year’s AGM were approved and questions answered.   The Chairman, Geoff Mitchell, then gave his report followed by the treasurer, Martin Ward, presenting the annual finance statement for the year ending 31st December 2018,   The election of officers then took place with Geoffrey Osborne becoming Deputy Chairman (Political) and Christine Finlayson, Deputy Chairman (Membership and Finance).   Geoffrey Mitchell was appointed Data Protection Officer and the meeting ended with Councillor John Mallinson  giving a report of the Cumbria Conservative Association

22nd   The pre-meeting of the Conservative Councillors on the Development Control Committee met at 9.15 a.m. at the Civic Centre in order to discuss the Agenda.   The public meeting started in the Council Chamber at 10 a.m. with only six applications to be determined and then the first application, the Commercial property at Blackford being deferred by the planning officers.   The applications at Burgh by Sands and Monkhill were approved with conditions as were an extension to a property at Kirkandrews Moat, Longtown and a gypsy pitch on a bridle-way off Broomfallen Road, Scotby.   However, an application for a car-wash at Houghton Hall Garden Centre, Houghton was refused due to the problem with foul water and a licence from the Environment Agency.   The Committee then discussed five planning decisions that had been decided by the Government Planning Inspector following an appeal.   Most but not all supported our decisions.

11th – 17th March

13th   Again I have a clash of commitments, this evening it is the Civic Dinner of the City Council at which my Councillor colleague, Stephen Higgs has nominated two stalwarts of Wetheral Community Hall,  Paul and Celia Diggle , for a Civic Award.   This will be the first Civic dinner I have missed since becoming a City Councillor.   However, I attended the County Council’s Community Grants meeting at the Wetheral Community Hall to meet up with Wetheral’s County Councillor, Nick Marriner, and a County Council officer to determine the allocation of grants.   There were five applications for grant funding including Wetheral Brownies; Wetheral Cricket Club; St. Cuthbert Without Parish Council regarding fence repairs to a play area and two from Wetheral Parish Council, one on behalf of Cotehill Village Hall and the other to support funding for the “Let it Bee” encouraging residents and children to plant wild flower seeds and build insect hives to stop the decrease in the number insects.   Following this meeting I was present at the monthly meeting of Wetheral Parish Council, there were some five planning applications to scrutinise, there being no meeting of the planning meeting this month; there were no observations regarding them.   Updates were given regarding external representation as well as neighbourhood planning and the Clerk, Sue Tarrant , reported on issues brought up my members in each ward.

14th   Today I have two meetings of the Conservative Group on the City Council at the Civic Centre, the first being the Policy Group this being the final meeting prior to the Council’s election on the second of May.   We now have approved the way ahead for when we are hopefully the controlling party on the City Council.   In the evening it had been arranged that we had an update by the City Officer, Garry Legg, Investment and Policy Manager regarding the future development of St Cuthbert Garden Village.

15th   There was a meeting of the Carlisle Conservative Association Executive at their offices in Chiswick Street, Carlisle at 6.30 p.m.   The Member of Parliament for Carlisle, John Stevenson was present and gave an update on the Brexit challenges in Parliament and the possible future outcomes.   The financial report (Accounts) for the year 2018 were presented for approval as well as reports on the Boundary changes; the May elections and candidates; the MCA and finally social/fund raising.   A discussion took place regarding the composition of the Executive Committee that should be confirmed aty the next meeting on the 14th June 2019.

16th   It was with great pleasure that I had been invited to the re-opening of the Down-a Gate Community Centre that had been damaged in the floods of 2015 caused by Storm Desmond.   My wife and I were there for the official opening, by cutting the ribbon, by the Mayor of the City, Councillor Jessica Riddle at 12 noon.   The delay in opening sooner was due to the necessity to raise funds from many sources including £15,000 from Wetheral Parish Council.  The insurance money did not cover the whole of the replacement of the building which is now at a higher level and less likely to flood in the future.   In the afternoon we were at Carlisle Cathedral foe evensong at 3 p.m. but also a special service to welcome The Right Reverend Dr Emma Ineson as Bishop of Penrith.   The first reading was read by her husband The Rev, Canon Mat Ineson with the second by Professor Annie Garden, Warden of Readers.   The new Bishop  Emma gave the sermon and at the end of the service drinks and canapés were served,

4th – 10th March

4th  Although stepping down from the City Council in May after 16 years, I still attended a Development Control Planning Committee training session at the Civic Centre regarding the “Right to speak” at Planning Committee meetings and Site visits facilitated by Chris Hardman the Development Control Manager.   An interesting discussion with members ensued with members input   We were also issued with the most recent document of the National Planning Policy Framework which will take some time to read and note the changes that have been made.

5th   The meeting of the City Council was held at 6.45 p.m. at the Civic Centre but I had to make my way through a group of demonstrators with placards in order to access the building.   The demonstrators were there to support a six year old child who wished to ask the council what the Council was doing to save the planet from Global Warming  also to support a motion to Council, proposed by the Leader, Councillor Colin Glover regarding the same issue.   The two agenda items were taken together with some 50 residents present.   The main proposals being:-   Declare a “Climate Emergency” that requires urgent action;   Make the Council’s activities net-zero carbon by 2030; Ensure that all strategic decisions, budgets and approaches to planning decisions are in line with a shift to zero carbon by 2030; Support and work with all other relevant agencies towards making the Carlisle district Zero Carbon within the same timescale; Achieve 100% clean energy across Carlisle City Council’s full range of functions by 2030 and finally Convene a citizen’s assembly in 2019 to oversee and feed into the development of related action plans and budgets.   A two hour discussion ensued with the main features being the lack of previous measures being taken over the last eight years by the Labour administration and that the whole idea had not been costed out.   Also there needs to be a Nation wide agreement to have any appreachable impact globally and more importantly Global Action.   Conservative members realised that at this moment in time the motion was unrealistic and thus though supportive abstained at the vote.  Minutes and reports were presented with questions asked to Portfolio Holders, I asked the Culture, Leisure and Heritage Portfolio holder why there were no brochure and if a new brochures regarding Carlisle at the new Carlisle Lake District Airport for visitors and at other places within the Carlisle City area and if a new brochure is being produced could members receive a copy.  Also I asked a question for Councillor Parson who had left the chamber due to ill health regarding the use of coloured bags by operatives when cleaning up verge side litter this question was to Councillor Southward, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Transport.   Later on the agenda there was the response to the Sands Centre motion of the 6th November 2018 where I asked that BuroHappold Engineering was awaiting the necessary data from the Environment Agency in order to quantify the impact associated with the increased flood level.   I requested that this report be available and sent to all members of the Council.  The meeting finished after 10 p.m.!!

6th   This evening I had the task of interviewing candidates for the forthcoming local District Council elections which take place on the 2nd May.   On this occasion the meeting was at the Brampton Conservative Club with local Conservative members making the final decision.

25th February – 3rd March

26th   A meeting of the Scotby School Governors was held at the School at 6.30 p.m.   Two new Parent Governors were welcomed and after deciding which committees they would be allocated two, mentors for each were determined.   The head-teacher, Jackie Watson gave an update on the Schools Growth Mindset project that is going to be used within the school for the next 12 months.   Updates were also given on Governor vacancies and the current Church involvement in school.   The Head-teacher’s report was approved together with the updated Governor Code of Conduct.   Sports funding was discussed and the minutes of the last two meetings of the Finance, Premises, Health & Safety Committee were noted as were the dates for future Governor meetings.

28th   Another meeting of the Conservative Councillors on the City Council prior to the next Council meeting on the 5th March.   This meeting at The Civic Centre was also attended by local candidates for the forthcoming May elections.   The candidates were welcomed by the Group Chairman, Councillor Marilyn Bowman before the Conservative Leader, Councillor John Mallinson updated members on a number of subjects brought to his attention.   The contents of the Agenda were discussed at length and decisions made.   I am likely to ask at least two questions that I consider are important!!

2nd March   The monthly Christian Men’s breakfast was held at Carlisle Golf Club at 8.30 a.m. the speaker being the Rector of Wetheral Parish Church, Rev. Graham Skinner, who spoke on “80 photos around the world” which gave a very interesting journey of his life and  family.   Following breakfast I returned to Scotby just in time to attend a Coffee Morning held in the local Village Hall in aid of the local Scotby Parish Church.   The weather this week has been glorious with temperature in the high teens but tomorrow Storm Freya is likely  with high winds and heavy rain and temperatures falling ten degrees.   Ah well it is the start of March “In like a lion out like a lamb”.