Present;                                                                                       A. Sykes, Chairman

                                                                                                    J. Archer,

No apologies were given for this meeting.

Councillors disclosed any personal or prejudicial interest in matters to be discussed at this meeting.

Jan Finch, Monitoring Officer for Wyre Borough Council reminds all Councillors to ensure their register of interests is up to date.

The present dates of meetings clash with the Wyre Area LAPTC meetings.

The members of the public present raised the following issues.

Needs repairing.

County Cllr. Val Wilson reminded the Councillors of grants she is able to give to voluntary organisations through Lancashire Locals.

Councillors had met with Mark Billington and Vicky Goldstone, Wyre Borough Council, raising the state of the play equipment on the Play Area. Wyre Borough Council may be able to match fund money raised by the Parish Council and they will continue with the maintenance and insurance of the new equipment. The owner of the river bank was raised and therefore the responsibility for fencing, which is barbed wire at present and needs replacing for safety.

Councillors considered the tailored model contract of employment set out by NALC and Society of Local Council Clerks for acceptance.

The Clerk has passed the Certificate in Local Council Administration, this meets part of the criteria for Quality Status. Councillors considered if they wish to go for Quality Parish Council Status by reviewing the criteria.

To be held on Saturday 24^th May the chairperson and guest are invited. Councillors are asked to consider a donation towards the ever increasing costs of presenting such a Village event.

Lancashire County Council is arranging a meeting for Parish Councils on Saturday 12^th April at County Hall between 10.00 and 3.00pm.

Following the AGM, LAPTC wish to know what are the most important issues affecting the community?

The Parish Council has received full information about entering Wyre in Bloom and entry form for the Best Kept Village Competition. Councillors are asked to consider entry; a separate committee including residents will be required.

Payments received;

As part of the Contract of Employment the Clerk’s salary will increase by one point on successfully passing the CiLCA Qualification. Councillors are asked to consider this increase.

The Audit Commission has appointed BDO Stoy Hayward LLP to audit Kirkland Parish Council’s accounts for the next five years.

Lancashire County Council is looking to produce a ‘Local List’ to validate planning applications submitted to Lancashire County Council. These proposals can be viewed at www.lancashire.gov.uk

The following planning application has been granted;

Proposal: Erection of canopy at rear of school

Location: Kirkland and Catterall St. Helen's Primary School, The Green, Churchtown

Report on planning application meeting on 15^th February

Proposal: Installation of 60m anemometry mast

Location: Dewlay the Traditional Cheesemakers, Garstang By-Pass Road, Kirkland

Proposal: Erection of canopy at rear of school

Location: Kirkland and Catterall St. Helen's Primary School, The Green, Churchtown

Mrs Claire Hilton-Briggs is now the deputy head of the school in the continued absence of the head teacher. Progress with the field now requires intermediate accounts in order to secure grants. There have been problems with drainage, but Mr. Dicks has given permission to access the field over his land.

A fundraiser is to be held on 25^th April with folk music and food. The committee is looking to replace the roof, which contains asbestos under the Awards for All grant and the floor in the main hall is to be re-varnished.

Cllr. A. Sykes reported on lack of progress with the footway on the Avenue, there does not seem much interest from Lancashire County Council in making it safer or improvements. She will seek to put the footway on the inside of the trees by talking to the land owner.

Accident statistics are used to highlight problem areas on roads, but Lancashire County Council only use the Police reports and do not include hospital visits or the small incidents that never get reported. The three accidents in December outside Kirkland and Catterall St. Helen's Primary School do not seem to have been acknowledged as to the problems with the road and the school. It was suggested that the local PCSO could monitor the traffic outside school and that a site visit with Jim Robson is arranged through the County Cllr.

The fence along the Avenue, although safe for stock is not safe for pedestrians, it is made from barbed wire and needs wire on the footway side to be child friendly. The Clerk will progress matters with the tenant.

In January as assault was reported outside the Horns Inn and there were no reports of crime in February. Cllr. J. Archer added that a crane had driven on the A6 towards Pilling and picked up the wires from telegraph poles and ripped them out, dragging it to Pilling and causing approximately £10,000 worth of damage. A further incident of an assault on the A6 was raised, but there seems to be no Police report for this.

The meeting was adjourned

A picnic has been provisionally arranged for 19^th July on the lawns of Kirkland Hall. The Society will fund the floral displays in the Village and maintain them although they will not be entering Wyre in Bloom or the Best Kept Village Competition.

The meeting was resumed.

A parish BBQ is being arranged to be preceded by a raft race from the Memorial Hall to Catterall Hall finishing in Church Square.