September 2019 Minutes
Minutes of the meeting held on 18 September 2019
Present
Cllr Hinton(Chairman), Cllr Harvey (Vice Chairman), Cllrs Candler, Goodman, Mellows, Thomas, Webber.
In attendance
District Cllr C Benn, 1 member of the public.
Apologies
Cllrs Farley, and Hayward, District Cllr B Adams.
1. Declarations of interest
Cllrs Candler, Goodman, Harvey, with regard to item 13.
2. Approve minutes 21 August 2019
The 21 August meeting notes were approved as minutes and signed by the Chairman. Proposed by Cllr Mellows, seconded by Cllr Harvey, all in favour.
3. Matters arising - upper green steps: discuss work completion and final invoice
A site meeting took place on 19 July - Jamie West from JMB, Cllrs Hayward and Hinton attended. It was agreed that JMB would carry out remaining tasks of sanding the handrails rough edges, make good of the joints, remove excess soil; Cllr Hinton will draft a letter to JMB that will be circulated to all Councillors prior to sending, requesting JMB to carry out the remaining tasks within 28 days from the date of the letter. The third payment instalment will paid upon satisfactory completion of the job. Should the job not be completed within the 28 days, the Parish Council will arrange for another contractor to finish off and deduct the cost from JMB’s final instalment total. JMB had added an additional payment for the second rail - a cost for the second rail was never discussed; the first rail was installed on the wrong side and it was agreed at the 15 March site meeting that a second rail would be installed on the correct side.
4. County Council matters
Deferred.
5. District Council matters
District Cllr C Benn said that Kelham Cooke had been elected new leader of the conservative group.
6. Parish Council four year business strategy and plan
This item will be on the agenda in October.
7. Discuss purchase interest in the Castle Mound
Cllr Hinton will fill in the form supplied by SKDC to register an interest in the Castle Mound as a community asset.
8. Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust appeal to raise funds to purchase two fields above the fishpools
Cllr Harvey will prepare a report for the October meeting. The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is in the process of purchasing
the fields.
9. Planning issues - verbal report from the Planning Working Group
Cllr Goodman reported SKDC had not given permission for current work at the north end of Old Quarry in Station Road and that signs for the self-build should not have been installed yet as the last two applications are still pending. Planning Officer Sam Dewar had been contacted. The matter will be passed on to the planning enforcement officer. The last two applications at the Quarry are still pending. Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust had sent complaints to SKDC. Cllr Hinton to draft a letter to Sylvia Bland at SKDC expressing concern for the work currently taking place at The Old Quarry and the disruption caused by the number of HGVs parked in the village waiting to proceed to the quarry.
SKDC has refused planning permission for application S17/1315 - Priory Farmyard, 14 Station Road, Castle Bytham
SKDC has granted planning permission for application S19/0699 – proposed community shop, land off Station Road, Castle Bytham.
10. Amenities Working Group report
Cllr Webber reported that Michael Wright had cleaned the pavement by the pond and removed branches identified on the playing field. The pavement by the Castle Inn had been cleared and thanks go to the Landlord for this.
Cllr Hinton had carried out an inspection of the cemetery: headstones were checked for stability and no issues reported; the shed was in good condition; the damaged wrought iron fence at the north east corner is protected by plastic wadding; the fence will be restored around the felled tree stump. A matching wrought iron fence could be installed along the western boundary to replace the badly deteriorated wire fence. Michael Wright will be encouraged to increase his mowing programme; the path line running northwest, south east is in poor condition and would benefit from its boundaries being clearly visible. The mound of soil in the northwest corner could be used to fill in cracks and depressions in the ground. Concerns from two Cumberland Gardens residents on the cemetery ground/trees affecting their gardens will be on the agenda in October.
11. Cemetery matters: approve memorial tablet; discuss tree replacement and approve cost; revaluation domestic rates
The Councillors unanimously approved the application from Shepherd Memorials for a granite memorial tablet, 18x18 inches. The replacement tree quotation will be discussed at the October meeting. Cllr Hinton to provide the measurements needed for the revaluation of the domestic rates.
12. Pond matters
The Councillors agreed to consider the installation of an upgraded fence along the Glenside Road section of the pond, to match that to be installed on the opposite side of the road along the stream by the Environment Agency (EA). Cllr Hinton would make enquiries with the EA for a likely timescale for their project and with LCC Highways about possible cost sharing for the Pond fencing.
13. Request for additional financial assistance from the Midsummer Festival
Cllr Goodman thanked the Councillors for approving a £300 grant at the September meeting. The additional financial assistance request for a new barbecue and storing racking will be back on the agenda at the October meeting.
14. Correspondence
- Minerals and Waste – LCC statement of community involvement; notification of adoption
- Community Lincs – news and update bulletin
- LALC- e news
- Rural services network – rural bulletin
- Cllr R Davies, LCC – recommendations for Highways 2020 contracts
- Bytham Cattery – clay pigeon shooting at Thunderbolt Pit, off Little Bytham Road
- Invest SK
- R Harris - buddleia/hedge trimming at the Manor House and Albemarle Cottage are delegated annually to M Wright
15. Accounts
The following cheques were approved:
Bythams Woodland Trust – donation £400.00 [101214]
M Wright – mowing/strimming £126.00 [101215]
Fenland Leisure – playing field annual inspection £120.00 [101216]
SKDC – May 2019 election cost £739.60 [101217]
Anglian Water – cemetery rates £12.07 [101218]
M Cooke – salary £1035.01 [101219]
HMRC – clerk’s PAYE £258.75 [101220]
16. Councillors’ verbal reports
Cllr Thomas had received complaints about some of the footpaths being impassable; the number of HGVs travelling through the village was a concern.
Cllr Goodman said that the damage to the pathway in Counthorpe Lane had been reported to Highways.
Cllr Hayward had informed Cllr Harvey that he had received complaints about the unreliability of the bus service.