BEETHAM Parish Council had considered a number of issues over the last few months.

The Beetham Flood Resilience Group was now up and running.

Useful contacts had been made with similar neighbouring groups, including Kendal, and the PC had promised funding assistance when it was needed.

Unfortunately, the Environment Agency holds out no hope of being able to undertake any major works for the foreseeable future. 

Better news regarding the proposed defibrillator at Beetham; this was now installed and linked to the national ambulance system. 
There had been no developments regarding the road traffic problem associated with Beetham Crematorium.

Traffic congestion had continued and was likely to get worse as increased use was made of this facility. More parking was needed at the facility and was provided for in the original planning application but rejected by South Lakeland District Council planning on adverse visual grounds. However, it was hoped that the planners would now agree to this restriction being waived in the interest of road safety.

Another traffic problem concerns Stanley Street in Beetham. As residents were already aware, there had long been a shortage of parking space for personal vehicles and those who live in Stanley Street had to contend with extra parking demand when there were evening performances at the Heron Theatre.

The council had considered various options to solve the problem but, like so many of the problems it was asked to deal with, there was no easy answer. Stanley Street was a public highway and the suggestion of making it a ‘residents only’ parking zone would require it to be policed – which cannot be done in the evening. If any further proof were needed of the hazard presented by the Storth Road/B5282 junction it came in dramatic form. During the morning of September 11, Cllr Brian Meakin and the parish clerk met at the site to consider the size and possible location of the convex road mirror that the council had agreed to purchase and install. This involved walking along the verge to check alternative posts supporting the metal barrier. Within an hour of completion of this survey, part of this barrier was severely damaged, and some posts knocked over when a commercial vehicle approaching from Arnside ran into it in order to avoid a car exiting Storth Road – just where the council representatives had been standing. The mirror is now on order and will be fixed in position as soon as it arrives. 
The council is happy to report that one of the vacancies on the parish council had been filled. Brian Dean of Beetham had agreed to fill the East Ward vacancy and, as previously reported, Brian’s wife Linda had already offered to lead the Beetham Flood Resilience Group. They live in Parsonage Fold, Beetham, one of the critical areas for flooding, so the council were hopeful of improvements there. 
Finally, the council had agreed to support in principle, but not financially, a public right of way application by nearby residents for Highcote Back Lane, Slackhead, provided the application was fully researched and presented in a professional manner.