Minutes May 2021/22

Present: Cllrs Plant, Easey, Griffiths, Hearne, Morgan, S. Moss, District Cllr R Trollope-bellew, 22 members of the public were also in attendance.

1. Chairman’s Remarks - Cllr Plant welcomed everyone to the meeting.

2. Cllr Plant introduced Lee Russell from Seagate Homes re proposed development at Colton Close.

Mr Russell had requested to attend a Parish Council meeting to try to appease adverse comments that had arisen on the latest planning application which had been turned down by SKDC.

Residents who lived in or around area in question were able to voice their views that the site in question was not suitable in particular with regards to the amount of increased  traffic that would be created (5 properties) if 2 cars per household an additional 10 cars in that area alone.  Not to mention the amount of builders traffic with deliveries of materials etc. on top of volumes of traffic already using the entrance road.

Residents/neighbours were able to air their views and it is hoped that if Seagate Homes are minded to put in another planning application will either look at another area in the village or for this site reduce the number of properties.

The Parish Council meeting proper commenced.

Public Forum:

Richard Aldiss 11 Greatford Road – happy to support Parish Council re traffic calming issues and help to move forward.

Action: Road Safety Partnership – Parish Clerk will forward contact details to Cllr Plant.

3. Apologies for absence & reasons given

Cllr Kelly (travel), Cllr D. Moss – accepted.  Cllr Palmer did not attend – no apology registered.

4. Disclosure of Interests – None.

5. Co-option of Councillors – There were no new appointments.

6. Minutes of the last meeting held on 22nd July 2021 – Cllr Griffiths proposed, seconded Cllr Easey (all in agreement) minutes reflected a true and accurate record of meeting.

7. Clerk’s Report – Action Update/Matters Outstanding.

Induction process for new Cllrs – it was agreed that Cllr Plant would look through list provided by Cllr D Moss and choose the most appropriate documents (Induction) that the Parish Clerk can provide to new cllrs when they join.

New layout of minutes agreed.

Parish Clerk agreed to send note to Cllr Palmer to enquire how he is (following non attendance at several meetings).

Strimming of base of trees (current contractor) – Parish Clerk advised they do not provide this service.

Missing grass cuts (Main Street) – Parish Clerk contacted contractor twice who advised that reason area had not been cut was because resident had already done – they cut twice a month.

Overgrown tree (cross roads) blocking sight for exit - letter to be sent to resident requesting tree is cut back.

8. Planning.

S21/1591

S21/1534

9. Finance.

1. Reports on balances to date – Income and Expenditure report circulated prior

     to meeting.

2. Payments to be made:

BPFMC Room Hire

Community Cleaner (August)

Parish Clerk Salary (August/September)

Parish Clerk Expenses

D Knibbs – emptying of litter bins

Cllr S Moss proposed, seconded Cllr Hearne that above payments approved and cheques signed.

10. Highways.

11. Grass cutting.   See Clerks report above.

12. Village Concerns

Overgrown hedges (16 Manor Close)

LCC Highways – path along Church Street – not wheelchair friendly, Parish Councillor fell out of wheelchair!

Action –

Letter to resident 16 Manor Close requesting hedge is cut back.

LCC to be advised of state of path on Church Street, request repairs are carried out.

13. Street Furniture - Nothing to report.

14. Allotments - Allotment renewal letters to be sent out by 1st October.

15. Correspondence – Yellow Road markings – can these be replaced outside Baston Primary School – not re done after road re surfaced.

16. Reports from Outside Bodies (max 5 mins):

            District Councillors - Cllrs report – September 2021

• Has anyone heard of Champing - it is where individuals or small family groups have the opportunity to stay overnight in a designated church – using camp beds or sleeping bags – and pay for the experience of the stillness, looking up at amazing roofs and ceilings and just having time to soak up the atmosphere of a unique setting and walk in the vicinity. Churches that choose to participate, to boost their coffers, have to have a loo and running water as a minimum and ability to provide breakfast (may be an extra charge). Some supply a basket of local produce, others arrange with a local inn or hotel to provide a good breakfast.

Prices are around £45-60 p.p. per night (depending on range of facilities and day of the week) and may supply a camp bed and bedding.   There is a noticeable gap for venues in the East Midland, for further information go onto the main booking agency map https://champing.co.uk/

• I would like to take this opportunity to say, as I have repeated on a number of occasions that no arts centres will be closed due to the Arts Service review which was started in December 2020. We are looking at how we can keep providing a service, but in a more efficient way, continuing the existing level of subsidy of 11% of the councils’ total budget not sustainable. 
• Deepings Leisure centre was closed due to health and safety grounds because of water ingress and unfortunately will continue to remain closed.  It was agreed at full council this month that £6.5m could be earmarked to bring this much loved facility back into use, before that can happen a full structural survey needs to carried out and ownership of the building to be passed from the County Council to the District Council.    The District Councillor Network published a survey in May 2021 which found that 36% of its members thought that it was likely they would need to close one or more of their leisure centres, at SKDC we are working to keep our four centres open.
• We have 3 comedians coming to the Meres Leisure Centre, Grantham, Jason Manford on 16.10.21, Jimmy Carr on 06.11.21 and Milton Jones on 12.11.21.  For more details and to book tickets go to: https://www.guildhallartscentre.com/whats-on/meres-live/
• ArtsSK held its second photo competition which attracted more than 50 entries which was entitled ‘Things people have missed doing during lockdown’.  The two winners can be seen in the next edition of SKToday.
• Finally I attended the Teams meeting in July with Environment Agency.  Martin Trollope-Bellew suggested that one potential option would be to raise the driveway at Shillingthorpe so that it would make a more effective barrier to help reduce flooding risk at Greatford, unfortunately this was met with a negative response.

BPFMC Representative – No report.

Neighbourhood Panel – No report.

South Lincs Fenland Partnership Representative – No report.

17. To agree items for the press release

18. Closed Session – Not required.

19. Any Other Business

Action – Carried forward - WG to Invite Nick Chapman to Sept or October meeting.

20. Date of the next meeting:

            Parish Council Meeting, Thursday 14th October 2021 at The Barn commencing at 7.30 p.m.

** The meeting closed at ** pm.