THE Parish Council held the annual parish meeting at the study centre of Casterton School.

All councillors and 13 people attended.

Laura Mawdsley, chairman, reported on the year’s progress and work carried out.

Resurfacing of the footpath from Woodclose Caravan Park to Casterton was agreed not to be viable for the parish council alone.

The caravan proprietors were willing to donate £1,000 annually for maintenance and the county council was prepared to install a gate to deter motorcyclists.

Contact would be made with Kirkby Lonsdale Civic Society for details of grants.

Coun Makinson and Steve from Woodclose would produce a plan of action.

Long term energy was debated and parishioners preferred to continue with nuclear power while others thought that coal and gas-fired power stations may still be viable – but the wind farm was not the answer, although it was recognised something had to be done to generate more energy.

Parishioners were thanked for pruning, grass cutting and litter picking with particular mention for crea-ting a ‘prettier’ village.

It was suggested that a ‘Cumbria in Bloom’ group might be re-formed in view of the success achieved in the 1980s and 90s.

The war memorial required cleaning up, as some of the names of war veterans were disappearing.

Re-engraving may be the answer, although the names have been reproduced on a board and in a book in the church.

The meeting was closed, and re-opened as the parish council annual meeting, a legal necessity.

Laura Mawdsley was re-elected chairman and Ron Bulman as vice-chairman.

Annette Benson, ex-officio for public rights of way, was re-elected, and Ron Bulman, Pippa Hall, David Metcalfe, John Makinson and Laura Mawdsley were elec-ted to Cumbria Association of Local Councils, village hall, highway liaison with the county, local area part-nership and travelling and settled community respec-tively.

Councillors reviewed the annual audit return.

The next parish council meeting will be in the village hall at 7.30pm on June 21.

Casterton School was thanked for the meeting room and for hospitality.