November 2022 Minutes
Present
Cllr Hinton (Chairman), Cllr Brooman (Vice Chairman), Hayward, McLaughlin, Webber
Apologies
Cllr Harvey, Cllr Goode, County Cllr C Vernon, District Cllr P Robins
1.Declaration of interest
None
2.Approve minutes 19 October 2022
The notes of the meeting held on 19 October 2022 were approved as minutes and signed by the Chairman. Proposed by Cllr McLaughlin, seconded by Cllr Brooman, all in favour.
3.Matters arising
None
4.County Council matters
Deferred
5.District Council matters
District Cllr P Robins had sent a report - District Council Matters – 10.11.22. SKDC were still awaiting Government approval for 4.4 million allocated to SKDC from the UK shared prosperity fund. The money has been allocated in support of the Governments levelling up commitment aimed at 3 priorities: Communities and place, supporting local business, people and skills. The announcement on the 17th November 2022 budget statement is going to be very brutal where Cllr Robins would imagine many billions of pounds are expected to be cut, it may/may not affect the 4.4 million allocation.
Cost of living. SKDC has a tenancy support service, they are happy to contact the tenant by phone or do a home visit to help tenants who need help with funding grants and any issues they are facing. The Parish Council was emailed a cost of living information leaflet that is packed with information and pointers towards signposting residents to the appropriate resources.
Cllr Robins is the Mental Health champion for SKDC so if anyone knows of any resident that could do with some help please put them in touch with Cllr Robins who will signpost them to the area they need.
Ukraine update. Housing in SKDC continue to conduct home inspections as part of their involvement with the homes for Ukraine programme and have now completed 159 visits with a further 7 appointments booked. Meanwhile, updated UK Government Guidance can be found at:
www.gov.uk/register-interest-homes-ukraine
Debate still continues regarding Deepings Leisure Centre but Cllr Robins was unable to update with the Parish Council at present.
Dialogue over SKDC’s grounds maintenance (how the District Council can get the best value for their residents) - a meeting was held this week and it will go back out to tender to decide if it will be outsourced.
Mallard Pass Update. They have not logged an application yet, still at the technical consultation phase. Once the application is logged in the New Year the Parish will be able to put points forward. Parish Councils with be consultees in this process, in which case Castle Bytham PC will be advised automatically when you are required to submit a relevant representation to the Planning Inspectorate. What SKDC will be doing, is putting it through full council so all councillors will have a say, so when SKDC come to comment it will be that of all the councillors’ views. Boundary changes. The boundary commission for England this week published its revised proposals for new constituency boundaries. An email has been forwarded to the Paris Clerk with regards to this. The only change there will be is if this is passed then Alicia Kearns will be our MP. The reason for this is there is an imbalance in how many constituents the MPs have so they want to even this out. Any comments can be submitted directly to the Boundary Commission using their consultation website.
6.Land ownership - Upper Green, Lower Green
Upper Green – Cllr Hinton said that SKDC’s new Corporate Assts Manager had hinted at establishing a commercial value for the piece of land prior to its transfer to the Parish Council. Cllr Hinton said that, as the Parish Council had maintained the land for a number of years, a nominal £1 transaction fee should apply. Cllr McLaughlin will now take the lead on this matter and will help with land registration. Cllr Haywood reported that a brick wall was damaged on the Upper Green; Cllr Hinton will contact SKDC and ask them to remove the debris.
Lower Green – Cllr Hinton had started the process of registering the pump with Historic England as an asset of community value. Cllr McLaughlin said that repair work on the posts should be carried out prior to registration.
7.Planning issues - verbal report from the Planning Working Group
Cllr Brooman said that the appeal to the Planning Inspectorate for application S21/2216, Land on Morkery Lane had been dismissed. The following tree applications had been granted: S22/1906 - Dove Cottage, Water Lane; S22/1897 - Paddock Lodge, 3A Counthorpe Lane; S22/1730 - Beaujolais, Water Lane; S22/1772 - Fernleigh, Water Lane; S22/2090 - 8A Cumberland Gardens.
The appeal for Castle Farmyard was still awaited.
8.Planning
Cllr Brooman said that there were no current planning applications.
9.Cemetery Water Supply
Cllr Hinton said that the survey showing where the pipeline will be located. A ‘non potable’ sign will be placed at the cemetery tap.
10.Amenities Working Group report
Cllrs Hinton and Harvey have carried out a playing field inspection; Cllr Hinton will write a report. The fitness equipment company will provide a quote for a safety mat in front of the playwall. A bay swing seat and eight bolts would be purchased.
11.Village pump repair/upgrade options
Cllr Hinton will circulate quotes for replacement posts.
12.Discuss purchase Christmas tree for the Upper Green
The Councillors unanimously agreed to spend up to £150 for the Upper Green Christmas tree.
13.Discuss replacement/additional Christmas tree lights
Cllr Hinton will order another set of lights costing up to £100. It was agreed that the Christmas tree could be installed earlier than usual this year.
14.Update on bank fraud recovery
Cllr Hinton had sent letters to the banks but there was no update to report.
15.Request for financial assistance from the children’s Christmas party organisers
Deferred
16.Request for financial assistance from Castle Bytham Youth Club
It was proposed by Cllr McLaughlin, seconded by Cllr Webber, all in favour to donate £125 to Castle Bytham Youth Club.
17.Parish Council website maintenance
The clerk will contact LCC to request logon details for Cllr McLaughlin to be added as website administrator. The quote from LALC for website maintenance was considered too high.
18.Burial Committee matters; cemetery fees review
Following Cllr Goode’s recommendations, the Councillors agreed a 20% increase, applicable from 1 January 2023. Proposed by Cllr Hayward, seconded by Cllr McLaughlin, all in favour.
19.Correspondence
Peter Langford - website maintenance quote
Lincolnshire Police – Parishes Policing Priority Settings
Rural Services Network bulletins
SKDC – weekly planning lists
District Cllr P Robins – boundary changes
LALC AGM & Conference presentations
Mallard Pass action group
TQ Grounds Maintenance – tender application
SKDC Elections – vacancies occurring within 6 months of May 2023 elections
Stamford Town & Rural newsletter
Parish Online newsletter
National Highways – vegetation management work on the A1 between Stamford and Blyth
Brittens Ground Maintenance – tender application
LALC e-news
SKDC – parish precept 2023/24
A Tuplin – tender application
RSN – rural funding digest
SKDC – community cleaner October to March payment
YMCA Lincolnshire news bulletin
Essendine resident – offer of wood for bonfire night
East Midlands Airport – airspace modernization programme stage 2
Citizens Advice South Lincolnshire – donation request
Resident – village pump posts replacement
20.Accounts - closure of 2nd Unity Trust bank account
Credited:
SKDC - Community Cleaner grant £231.66
Midsummer Festival - reimbursement ISO £3,750.00
Midsummer Festival - reimbursement ISO shelving £375.00
Authorised payments:
PKF Littlejohn - external audit £140.00
Stamford Storage - ISO shelving £450.00
M Wright - mowing £300.00
LALC - AGM lunch £12.00
M Cooke - reimbursement RBL wreath £23.98
Consultansea Ltd - ISO lights x2 £100.80
Unity Trust bank - closure 2nd c/a fee - £11.74
The second Unity Trust current account, opened in error by the bank instead of the savings account that had been requested, has now been closed and the funds transferred to the first current account. Cllrs Hinton and Harvey, as signatories on the Barclays two savings accounts yet to be transferred to unity Trust bank, will go into branch in order to close the accounts.
21.Councillors’ verbal reports
Cllr McLaughlin will draft a recruitment advert for the Parish Council ahead of the May 2023 elections, to appear in Glenside News and Next Door from February 2023.
Cllr Brooman reported that 23 volunteers had come forward to decorate Advent Windows. Cllr Brooman had produced a trail map for the windows; the 24th window will be at the community shop.
Cllr Hayward said that an alternative £100 fuel payments for households whose heating method was neither gas nor electricity would be available soon. Cllr Hayward had looked into savings accounts for the Parish Council and recommended TSB; Cllr Hinton said that £4000 from the 2022/23 VAT return should be paid into a savings account as a reserve.
Cllr Hinton said that Sheena Harvey will give advice on the choice of seeds to purchase with the £500 LCC grant. Bulbs had been planted at all the village gateways. The speed sign had been recharged and the key handed to the clerk. Cllr Brooman will take over from Cllr Hinton for replenishing the dog waste bags and collected the keys to the dog waste bags bins. Cllr Hinton said that funding is expected to be available from the Lottery in the new year for Coronation celebrations. The Lottery Grants manager has advised that any surplus from the Jubilee grant, including VAT returns, can be earmarked for Coronation celebrations or returned to the Lottery. Cllr Hinton will retire after the December meeting and will provide a brief and diary.