A meeting is to be organised with interested parties about the condition of Longthwaite Bridge in Borrowdale following concerns about damage that has been caused to the crossing.
Borrowdale Parish Council is significantly concerned’ about the safety of the bridge, which featured in a painting by the famous landscape artist Turner, and is keen to come up with a solution to its repair and maintenance, though it accepts no responsibility or liability for its ongoing maintenance.
It was noted that the National Trust has accepted some liability for the bridge in the past as it had undertaken repairs to it.
Clerk Becx Carter confirmed at the July meeting of the parish council that the National Association of Local Council’s (NALC) legal team had confirmed that under section eight of the Local Government Act 1894, a parish council can undertake or fund work on ‘parish property,’
The term ‘parish property’ is not defined but is taken to mean property that is generally beneficial to the area and its residents.
From the information that NALC has provided, parish councillors believed that the bridge falls into the category of ‘parish property’ and therefore the council can undertake a survey of it.
It was agreed that prior to a formal quotation being sought for a survey that a joint meeting be organised with all parties to try and come up with a way forward.
The clerk is to organise a formal quotation for a survey/scope of the work on the bridge and get an estimate on the urgency of the need for the survey. All parties are also to be invited to a meeting to discuss the bridge.
During the meeting it was also noted that there is also an ongoing issue with the condition of the unadopted and unowned lane. Councillors heard that much of the damage has been caused by large vehicles and agricultural traffic.
Landowners and homeowners from the lane are to be invited to a meeting to try and resolve the condition of the lane.
Meanwhile, it was agreed that Longthwaite Bridge be nominated as a hidden gem to the Lake District National Park Authority.
