Some members of my group are saying there is less to do now we are in opposition but I can't say that I have noticed myself.  In fact the last month has been one of the busiest ever.
  DECENT HOMES:  One very wet day Craig and I were asked to look at a South Lakes Housing house which had been part of the "Decent Homes Standard".  We were both shocked by what we saw.  The standard of work was totally unacceptable and very far from complete.  It was obvious that the house was not in a suitable state to be handed back to the tenant.  We reported back to our groups as to what we had seen.  I am pleased to say that while still not perfect the situation in that particular house has been greatly improved since that visit.  To be fair to the workmen involved it is obvious now that the job was far from finished when we were called over.
  Fortunately while many tenants have had some serious inconvenience that particular example was exceptional.  After our visit I was relieved to read the following in a report to SLDC's Cabinet "from the 14 completed forms received, tenant satisfaction levels with the finished product in Sedbergh, the most recent part of the district to be included within the programme, have risen to 86%. Satisfaction levels with respect to the level of service during the works is 93%. These results compare very favourably to DHP programmes carried out by 3 star rated ALMOs".  If your house has been part of the programme then I hope that report accurately reflects your experience - If not please let me know.
  PROPOSED CYCLEWAY:  A tendentious article in the Westmorland Gazette concerning a proposed cycleway from Kirkby Lonsdale through to Lowgill following the line of the old railway has understandably caused widespread alarm in Middleton, Casterton and Barbon.  The article was referring to the second draft of a report commissioned by Sedbergh Tourism Office called Kirkby Lonsdale to Lowgill Cycle Route - Feasibility Report.  That document is a great deal more measured than the article but it is silent as to how any rights over the old line might be acquired.  This has led many people to assume that it would be driven through by compulsory means.  I would be totally opposed to any such approach but have been assured by the report's author that the intention would be to proceed only by consent.  This would have to mean some form of annual licence fee to those who own the route adopted.
  In truth the report highlights many difficulties that any such proposal would encounter and as the cost, without compensation for landowners, would be over £3,500,000 it is unlikely to be greatly advanced in the near future.  This would be a major programme of a similar scale to the Pennine Bridleway and would need to be funded by Defra directly.  I do have an electronic version of the report and can email it to anyone who has broadband who would like a copy - kjlanc@kjlanc.demon.co.uk.  But, you will need broadband, it is 9Mb.
  LOCAL GOVERNMENT REORGANISATION:  ( Yet again )  The government is conducting yet another consultation into re-organising Local Government.  The six Cumbrian districts have all been invited to drink a glass of hemlock.  The one thing we can all agree on was that the decision in 1972 to go for two tiers was a mistake.  Unfortunately none of us can agree on an alternative.  I do think that Sedbergh Rural District Council made the right decision back then when it joined in with Cumbria and what became South Lakeland - it was the best that was on offer and has served us as well as any arrangement could have done.
  For the future there are about seven options being talked about.  Some like the return of Westmorland are unlikely to be taken seriously: others require greater consideration.  A Unitary Morecambe Bay is popular with many in my group - that is the existing Barrow, South Lakeland and Lancaster.  However, that breaks county boundaries and would seem to be contrary to the guidance.  I don't believe it would be right for us as Sedbergh would be even more out on a limb than it has been in South Lakeland.
  The controlling group on South Lakeland seem to favour a Unitary South Lakeland.  That is unlikely to be acceptable either as it would be too small.  The one thing I saw as Finance Portfolioholder was that you need a sufficient council tax base to finance all those background costs which you have to pay simply for existing.  My group are unlikely to support this.
  That leaves either a Unitary Cumbria or a Cumbria divided into two or else three.  Three would be too small for the present guidance so in practice only two would be likely to be allowed.  That leaves a two split either vertically or horizontally.  At the moment a majority of my group within South Lakeland favour a South Lakeland, Eden, Carlisle Unitary and that is the choice which I would consider most likely to be best for Sedbergh.
  In fact, there's a lot more to it than this and some models are intent on throwing Sedbergh back into a Pennines Unitary with some combination of Craven, Richmondshire and Hambleton - perhaps even Harrogate.  It is all up for grabs and I can't tell which way it is going to go.  All I do know is that if it goes ahead you will have far fewer councillors.  You might think that is a good thing but I am at a loss to know how anyone could handle the casework of six or eight existing councillors.
  Roger Bingham says we have all been here before and it will all drift into the sand just like the last three or four attempts.  We will see.
  SEDBERGH AUCTION MART:  At the time of writing this there have been no substantive developments.  When I last wrote about it I forgot to mention that the existing mart is within Sedbergh Conservation Area.  It follows that Conservation Area Consent will be required before any demolition can take place.  As far as I know no application has been received as yet.
  And finally, as a farmer I have just received a first issue of Farming Link - Defra News for farmers and growers.  The front page is split in two.  The left half is head-lined "Natural England to cut red tape":  the right hand side is much more densely written and headlined "New rules to protect countryside" and deals with the Environmental Impact Assessment ( Agriculture ) Regulations.  Presumably Defra doesn't "do" irony.
  Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year !                                                                                  Councillor Kevin Lancaster

  One of these days, when I haven't got lots of other things to do, I am going to write an important gardening book called "We Had One Of Those, But It Died". This phrase is in fairly common use in our family as we go around grand, and humble gardens, nurseries and garden centres and suddenly spot some choice plant which reminds us of the one we used to have, but which seems to have disappeared. Sometimes we can remember the cause of the plant's sudden demise (usually frost or snails) but on other occasions the plant slips away quietly as it is overtaken by the thug which we have mistakenly planted next to it. According to a quick look through an old planting notebook at least 75 different things have disappeared since the year 1993. What a shame. They were all very nice things too. With some of them - Rosemary, Scabious Delphiniums - we have repeated the "test this plant to destruction" experiment a few times before admitting failure, (the Rosemary couldn't stand the cold, the Scabious didn't like the soil and the slugs did like the Delphiniums). Anyway it seems a pity to waste all this valuable knowledge so the book will put that right. When I have sold my first 2 million copies I shall write the sequel" I Planted One Of Those but I Rather Wish I Hadn't" and this will list all the things which are too thuggish, seed themselves everywhere, look ugly or boring or have too many sharp bits. Having spent most of a day last week digging up a large patch of Centaurea (Perennial Cornflower) which was purchased at a local plant stall, one of my most important rules has become "Never plant anything which arrives growing in a yoghurt pot". Second to this is "Never plant anything given to you from a friend's garden unless you have had a good look at their weeds first". With such advice as this how could anyone fail?
  Perhaps if I start writing now I'll be in time to top next Christmas's best seller list.                                       Elaine Horne

  Maybe some of you already now know that before starting university to study nursing, I am taking a GAP year.  In my GAP year, I am going to Malaysia with the Youth Development Charity 'Raleigh International'.  This organisation delivers projects that respond to each countries needs and priorities.  While over in Malaysia, "our team" will be working with a range of project partnerships to help ensure that projects have a long term impact, are sustainable and relevant.  Here are some past projects:
  Raleigh has worked with WWF Malaysia, Malaysian Red Crescent Society & Sabah Parks & have:

• Worked with communities on sanitation, education and eco-tourism projects.
  
• Worked in protected areas including Danum Valley and Maliau Basin.
  
• Renewed, mapping and measuring trails and high-level walkways with the forestry department.
  

  Firstly I would like to say a very big thank to everyone who has signed the petition to save Balliol School. It is looking like your support is going to pay dividends. We are having a meeting with the North Yorkshire Education Authority very soon and I am extremely optimistic that a sensible solution will be reached that will ensure the future of a very good school that not only provides a great many jobs around here but is also great resource for the community.
  I was up at the school the other day to open the new Pulse Community Gym. You are so lucky to have such a great resource available on your doorstep. It all looks excellent and I can say with some authority that the treadmill is considerably better than the one I use to do my training at the House of Commons. I would encourage any of you interested in getting a bit fitter to support it, membership is really good value compared to many other such facilities that I have seen. I expect that after Christmas the place will be positively buzzing with people trying to work off the excess of turkey and Christmas pudding!
  What else?
  Well the news from the Auction Mart is not yet quite as positive as for the school but I am extremely optimistic that a new site can be found and that as auction can re-open in Sedbergh, which would be brilliant news not just for farming but again for the whole town. Whilst on an agricultural theme, single farm payments cheques should be hitting farmer's bank accounts by now. The Government has promised to that the speed of payment this year will be much better than it was last year. To be honest it would be hard for it to be any worse but I am not holding my breath. It would help me great deal in the monitoring of the situation and putting pressure on the Government if farmers could let me know when and if they receive their payment. If any readers are a farmer or know of farmers who do not read Lookaround (shame on them) then please could you keep me informed of your personal situation? I can use this information to put pressure on The Rural Payment Agency and Defra to sort things out.
  Finally, I am told on some authority that work repairing Stonehouse Bridge at Cowgill is at last underway (unfortunately I have not yet seen it for myself) and so at least some of the bridges in the area are being made safe to drive over.
  I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas and a magnificent New Year. Dennis may be taking a holiday for January but I will still be working so if you need help with anything you can reach us by writing to Tim Farron MP, Yard 2, Stricklandgate, Kendal LA9 4ND or by emailing me at tim@timfarron.co.uk
  Thanks for your support

Tim Farron MP

  On Tuesday 5th December, the next donor session will be held in the Peoples Hall from 2.00 to 4.00pm & 5.30 - 7.30pm
  New Donors are always welcome and  Blood stocks always run low at Christmas so please give blood this festive season if you can.
Brenda Bowles,  Marketing Co-ordinator NBS