February 2021 Minutes
Minutes of the meeting held on 17 February 2021
Present
Cllr Hinton (Chairman), Cllr Harvey (Vice Chairman), Cllrs Brooman, Farley, Hayward, McLaughlin, Thomas, Webber.
In attendance
County Cllr B Adams, one member of the public.
Apologies
Cllr Goodman
The meeting was conducted using Zoom IT conferencing facility in line with advice from the National Association of Local Councils.
1.Declarations of interest
None
2.Approve minutes 20 January 2021
The notes of the meeting held on 20 January 2021 were approved and will be signed by the Chairman. Proposed by Cllr Farley, seconded by Cllr Harvey, all in favour.
3.Matters arising
Cllr Hinton said that a dog waste bag dispenser and a litter bin had been purchased - both were now installed at the community shop car park.
The Sports England grant application had not been successful but Cllr Hinton had received advice on other funding avenues.
Cllr Hinton had not yet spoken to Mr Ralph Harris with regard to thr wooden litter bin in Church Lane.
4.County Council matters
County Cllr B Adams gave his report: County Council Police Commissioner election and a by election for Glen Ward District Cllr will take place on 6 May. The government had clawed back £15M from the grant for highways for road repairs, leaving LCC to go into reserves for funds.
5.Ongoing impact of heavy goods vehicles on surrounding roads: safety, speeding and damage to carriageways
County Cllr B Adams said that there were not enough resources at present to deal with potholes and speeding HGVs; HGVs and farm vehicles were causing damage to verges but were allowed to drive on all classified roads. Cllr Adams will give his full support to the Parish Council with regard to Counthorpe quarry lorries - Cllr Brooman said that there were safety concerns and that traffic commissioners could deal with registered vehicles operation licence. Cllr McLaughlin will find out the quarry’s planning and licensing conditions. Cllr Hinton said that a Neighbourhood Plan appendix will cover quarry traffic management.
6.District Council matters
County Cllr B Adams gave his report: the government had given £38M support for businesses in Lincolnshire. The South Kesteven Local Plan was under review; it was deemed very weak. Policies or supplementary documents will be added with regard to back land and infill development as well as travellers’ sites. Cllr Adams strongly advised the Parish Council to press on with a Neighbouring Plan as more weight will be given to the latter; financial support and support were available from SKDC. Cllr Hinton said that he had read a number of approved Neighbourhood Plans and that the best ones could be used as templates. Parliamentary constituencies will be undergoing a two year consultation period.
Cllr Adams said that a number of business applications for children with special needs residential homes had been received from out of the county; when these businesses fail, care of the children is handed to local authorities.
7.Risk assessments
The risk assessment spreadsheet was reviewed and unanimously approved; proposed by Cllr Hayward, seconded by Cllr Farley. New fencing would be installed at the pond to match the EA proceed with their project on the stream side of Glen Road. Cllr Brooman said that upper green central steps had different lengths which were difficult to see at dusk - Cllr Hayward will apply a two inch yellow paint strip on each step.
8.Hedgerow conservation in the village - letter from a resident
Vicky Dennis had spoken at the public forum to highlight the Parish Council’s responsibility in keeping a record of all hedgerows - the Parish Council had agreed several years ago to photograph and keep a log of all hedgerows; Vicky was enquiring whether this would be carried out. Cllr Hinton said that he had taken many photographs of the village and its footpaths to appear on the new website, giving a visual record of many hedges alongside roads and would look at making similar records for hedgerows away from the roads, beginning with those adjacent to public rights of way.
9.SKDC’s consultation on the Draft Statement of Community Involvement
Covered in item 10.
10.Planning issues - verbal report from the Planning Working Group
Cllr McLaughlin said the Planning Working Group would give their recommendations regarding SKDC’s Draft Statement of Community Involvement at the 17 March meeting; the response date was 19 March.
11.Planning Applications
S21/0194 - Mr and Mrs J Dale. Lawful Development for existing use of the building as a dwelling (C3). The Bytham Stud, Morkery Lane, Castle Bytham
Cllr McLaughlin said that an extension to the deadline for comments had been granted by SKDC who had provided 13 documents needed for the Planning Working group to review the application which will be back on the agenda on 17 March.
SKDC has refused planning permission for applicationS20/2095 - Mr Anthony Eudall. Demolition of an existing under-utilised barn in favour of the erection of a 3 bedroom, self-build modular dwelling on previously developed land on Morkery Lane, Castle Bytham. The application was contrary to the hierarchy of locations for focusing growth within key towns and defined villages as set out in Policy SP2 of the Adopted Plan and was not the type of development deemed permissible in the open countryside under Policy SP5 of the Adopted Plan.
12.Amenities Working Group report – cemetery paths; cemetery tree work; ‘Men in Sheds’ proforma; Upper Green fencing
Cllr Webber said that a site visit prior to tree work at the cemetery would take place with the residents who had kindly agreed for their driveway to be used by the contractor who will be present to discuss any issues with the residents; a Councillor will also attend - the Parish Council had never replaced the steel fence bordering 26 Cumberland Gardens and the cemetery; options and quotations will be submitted at the March meeting. The Church Lane access will be used during work on paths. John Turner will finish the fence repair near the tap in the near future. Several projects were ongoing: upper green fencing, mowing, bulbs, gateways - new option were considered for the latter. Cllr Hinton had given 30mph bin stickers to be used by Holywell Road and Clipsham residents for the display of sticker on black and grey bins. The purchase of six rigid 30mph signs to be anchored to lamp -posts will be on the agenda at the March meeting. The Speed Indicating Device will be placed facing traffic leaving the village on Holywell Road to obtain data following concerns from residents regarding vehicles speeding out of the village.
Cllr Harvey carried out an inspection of the playing field on 11 February 2021. Covid-19 mitigation warning signs were present at both entrances. The damaged benches have now been removed. New benches were planned to be installed in April/May 21. Available spoil from the cemetery will need to be transported to cover the castle mound tunnel concrete surrounds. Worn upper slats will be cut away to remove sharp edges as recommended in the ROSPA report.
13.Recreation Field development – business plan; installation of storage unit
Cllr Hinton said that he was seeking written confirmation of Station Road quarry development S106 £58,000 grant which could be shown as match funding in future grant applications for playing field; the S106 grant would have to be used specifically for children’s play equipment and Cllr Hinton was applying for funding towards keep fit facilities for adults.
Cllr Hinton, Cllr Thomas and Patrick Candler will have a site meeting early March to decide on tree planting; volunteers will be sought to help planting the trees donated by Patrick Candler.
There were no updates on the installation of a storage unit.
14.Consider purchase of litter picking equipment
It was proposed by Cllr Hayward, seconded by Cllr Thomas, all in favour to spend up to £100 for 4 packs of litter picking equipment comprising 33 inch pickers, gloves and waste bag hoops.
15.Request for financial assistance from the Bythams Woodland Trust
It was proposed by Cllr Thomas, seconded by Cllr Harvey, all in favour to give a £400 donation to the Bythams Woodland Trust.
16.New Parish Council website development and charity donation to recognise free assistance from Peter Langford
It was proposed by Cllr Thomas, seconded by Cllr Farley, all in favour to give a £50 donation to Guide Dogs for the Blind in recognition of Peter Langford’s free website assistance. Cllr Hinton said that the website was a work in progress; Cllr Brooman offered to give help with the website.
17.Burial Committee matters
None.
18.Correspondence
Letter from residents regarding contractors’ access to the cemetery during works in March 2021
SKDC - additional documents regarding application S21/0194
LALC e-news
Rural Services Network bulletins
SKDC - parish update
LCC - road closure Regal Gardens 22.3 to 24.4 for resurfacing
DM Planning Support lists
Invest SK
Public Sector Executive
LIVES - regarding donation
Rowan Smith, Local Highways Manager regarding road repairs
Environment SK
Rutland and Stamford Sound Community Radio
LALC training scheme 21-22
SKDC Policy team - Neighbourhood Plan support team
Lincs bus - updates
Stamford and Guildhall programme
Discover South Kesteven
LALC - Zoom update
LALC - vacancy for auditor, Sleaford Town Council
Resident regarding state of Morkery Wood paths following tree felling - Cllr Hinton replied
Resident regarding traffic calming measures on Holywell Road - Cllr Hinton replied
Big Energy Saving Network coffee chats
John Harris - walking in Lincolnshire website and article for Glenside News
YMCA Community Lincs - news and updates
19.Accounts
The following cheques were approved:
- Glasdon UK Ltd - litter bin £353.2 [101286]
- JRB Enterprise Ltd - dog waste bag dispenser £102.90 [101287]
- M Wright - St James’s Passage and upper green ivy clearing £70.00 [101288]
- Bytham Woodland Trust - donation £400.00 [101289]
- Guide Dogs for the Blind - donation £50.00 [101290]
20.Councillors’ verbal reports
Cllr Hayward said that ivy that had been cut back at the upper green needed to be removed. Clerk to contact Michael Wright.
Cllr Harvey said that Glenside News donation would be on the agenda at the March meeting as the magazine had lost all other donation revenue due to the pandemic.
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