June 2019 Minutes
Notes of the meeting held on 19 June 2019
Present
Cllr Harvey in the Chair, Cllrs Candler,Farley, Hayward, Mellows, Thomas, Webber.
In attendance
County Cllr Adams, District Cllr Benn, 3 members of the public
Apologies
Cllrs Goodman and Hinton
1. Declarations of interest
Cllr Harvey on item 10e
2. Approve minutes 15 May 2019
The record of the meeting held on 15 May 19 was approved as minutes and signed by the Chairman. Proposed by Cllr Hayward, seconded by Cllr Thomas, all in favour.
3. Matters arising
Cllr Hinton was preparing a new pond risk assessment. Tim Smith has carried out more work on the rough ground at the top of the cemetery. With reference to the sale of land on Castle Farm, Councillors were advised that Cllr Hinton was investigating the possibility of government sponsored low cost loans assisting councils to acquire Heritage sites, should the Castle Mound become available for purchase.
4. Membership amenities working group, planning working group
The following Councillors were unanimously voted on:
Amenities working group - Cllrs Candler, Harvey, Hayward, Webber. Cllr Hinton has stepped down from the amenities working group but will continue with playing field technical inspection.
Planning working group - Cllrs Farley, Goodman, Mellows, Thomas.
5. Parish Council representative on the Village Hall Committee
Cllr Hayward was proposed by Cllr Candler, seconded by Cllr Thomas, all in favour.
6. Upper Green steps - update on work; letter from resident regarding hand rail
Cllr Hayward will lead on supervising completion of the work; debris should be removed before the Midsummer Festival; the last instalment will not be paid until the work has been satisfactorily completed following a site meeting to point out remedial work on the handrail and steps.
Clerk to answer resident to thank for his e-mail and say that its contents have been noted.
7. County Council matters
County Cllr Adams reported that new government transport legislation would be issued this year. Cllr Adams is the new SKDC Chair of Planning.
8. District Council matters
District Cllr Benn said that SKDC dealt with a huge amount of planning applications and was supportive of Parish Councils.
9. Planning issues - verbal report from the Planning Working Group
Cllr Thomas had made site visits for applications 10b, 10d, 10f and was sympathetic to all applications.
10. Planning
a. S19/0959 - Mr and Mrs Dupree; non material amendment to application S18/0886 (Change of use and carport to office accommodation and associated alterations) for the use of slates instead of pantiles and bifold doors in lieu of French doors and side windows. Glen House, 63 Glen Road, Castle Bytham. The Councillors had no objections to this application.
b. S19/0714 - Francisca Wiggins - erection of single and first floor extensions, following the demolition of an existing conservatory. 11 St Martins, Castle Bytham. The Councillors had no objections to this application.
c. S19/0699 - Mr P Hinton; proposed community shop; Land Off Station Road, Castle Bytham. The Councillors had no objections to this application.
d. S19/0263 - Mr D Jones; erection of a single storey extension. 23 Glen Road, Castle Bytham. The Councillors had no objections to this application.
e. S19/0907 - Dr D Burston; minor material amendment to S17/1134 (Section 73 application to allow for minor material amendment to S14/3097 (increase in number of dwellings from 85 to 87 and amendment to phasing to accommodate self build plots) to amend the plan at Appendix 2 of the approved Working Method Statement to be complied within Condition
11. The Old Quarry, Station Road, Castle Bytham. Cllr Harvey declared a personal interest (regarding his wife’s involvement as an advisor on ecological issues to the Shop Committee). He said that Butterfly Conservation had been monitoring The Old Quarry for several years, and their assessment of the ecological value of the site was at variance with the Ecology Resource Ltd report commissioned by the landowner. The Councillors were concerned that a significant area of calcareous grassland had already been destroyed during the flattening of the land allocated for self build houses and plot A for 18 houses – resulting in a significant loss of habitat, particularly for Grizzled and Dingy Skippers. In addition, the latest plans, showing an increase in the size and shape of Plot A, show additional incursion south into the grassland area previously identified as outwith the development area. Butterfly Conservation has made representations to SKDC. Cllr Thomas to liaise with Mrs Harvey; clerk to ask SKDC for an extension to the deadline for comments until 18 July because the parish council wished to discuss the application further at the 17 July meeting as there were concerns regarding the calcareous grassland and the SSSI.
f. S19/1010 - Ms J Chant; Change of Use of ground floor premises from use classA1 shop to use class C3 residential as part of the existing residential use on site. 19 - 21 Pinfold Road, Castle Bytham. The Councillors had no objections to this application.
SKDC has granted planning permission to the following applications:
S19/0613 - 1A Castlegate - works on trees protected by tree preservation order
S19/0122 - Rectory Farm, 26 Glen Road
S19/0196 - Rectory Farm, 26 Glen Road
11. Amenities Working Group report
Deferred
12. Cemetery matters - letter from a member of the public regarding grass cutting and state of the ground; letter from Tommy Plummer regarding ash tree close to Cumberland resident’s fence
Clerk to reply to the member of the public regarding grass cutting at the cemetery. The churchyard does not have ‘closed’ status; the parish council had agreed to take on mowing costs following a request by the PCC and this may be reviewed should the PCC decide not to apply for closed status.
The Councillors were considering Tommy Plummer’s advice on the tree bordering a property in Cumberland Gardens and agreed in principle with the advice; the resident’s generous offer of a replacement tree to be planted away from the fence had been noted.The Councillors unanimously agreed to purchase more top soil should Michael Wright need some.
13. Pond matters - sluice gate key
Deferred.
14. Presence of hemlock
Cllr Harvey to draft a letter to the resident who had expressed concerns about hemlock present at several locations in the village.
15. Vermin control
The possibility of paying for Michael Wright to obtain a pest controller certificate and therefore be able to purchase rat poison was discussed.
16. LALC awards nominations
No nominations were made as nobody fitted the criteria.
17. Correspondence
A. LALC - conference and AGM ; Cllrs Goodman and Hinton to attend
B. Mel Robinson - 3rd annual resilient communities conference
C. T Lovesey - website training
D. Invest SK
E. Rural services bulletin
F. LALC news
G. LALC e-news
H. LALC - service level agreement
I. Community Lincs - news and updates
18. Accounts
Cllrs Thomas and Hinton will become signatories on the Barclays account; Cllr Harvey is an existing signatory.
The following cheques were approved and signed:
M Wright - mowing/strimming £138.00 [101198]
LITES PC - website maintenance £37.13 [101199]
T Plummer - tree work £480.00 [101200]
R Webster - playing field £101201]
19. Councillors’ verbal reports
Cllr Candler who was absent at the May meeting, extended a welcome to new Councillors Sue Farley and Della Mellows. Cllr Candler would like the parish council to agree a forward plan for the next four years - to be discussed at the July meeting.
Cllr Thomas had been asked by a resident whether the parish council would consider installing entrance gates to the village - to be discussed at the July meeting.
Cllr Hayward said that a tree obscuring Counthorpe Lane speed limit sign needed to be trimmed back; clerk to ask Michael Wright. The ownership of a litter bin in Church Lane needed to be established as the parish council would like to remove it as it regularly overflows. It is not an SKDC or a PC bin.