25 October 2023 Minutes
CASTLE BYTHAM PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 25 OCTOBER 2023
Present
Cllr Brooman (Chairman), Cllr McLaughlin (Vice-Chairman), Cllrs Dugmore, Goode,
Hayward, Morritt
In attendance
County Cllr C Vernon, District Cllr P Robins
Apologies
Cllr Lee
During the Public Forum Richard Kent talked about the build up of silt in the pond requiring attention and brought photographs to illustrate the problem.
1.Declarations of interest
Cllr Dugmore declared an interest with regard to item 7E; Cllr Brooman declared an interest with regard to item 7D
2.Approve minutes 4 October 2023
The notes of the meeting held on 4 October 2023 were approved as minutes and signed by the Chairman. Proposed by Cllr Goode, seconded by Cllr Hayward, all in favour
3.Matters arising
All matters arising were agenda items
4.County Council matters
County Cllr C Vernon presented her report – Cllr Vernon had a site visit with LCC Highways to point out all road issues around the village. Highways were currently carrying out repair work at the crossroads. Highways response time during the latest storm had been relatively good. LCC looks after 5500 miles of road in Lincolnshire. Call Connect bus fares were remaining capped at £2 per journey. LCC were launching a new partnership scheme with villages to provide manpower for projects, with Parish Councils providing materials; Cllr Vernon will process schemes put forward byt eh Parish Council.
5.District Council matters
Cllr Robins presented her report - Possible Lincolnshire Devolution Deal - in September all seven Lincolnshire District Council leaders met together to discuss this. No draft document yet but are aware that intense talks are going on between LCC and the two unitary authorities (N Lincs & NE Lincs) and the Government with a view to a formal bid being submitted in the autumn. The leaders agreed unanimously to push back on three issues: the secrecy behind the bid preparation; the lack of representation for districts on the proposed combined mayoral authority; a concern that the bid will not be ambitious enough in the levels of additional funding opportunity and it will go out for residents to vote on this in due course. Our Housing - this week SKDC submitted the formal request to be taken out of special measures by the Housing Regulator. This follows a lot of dedicated work by the housing team over many months. The outcome of our request should be known in 4 to 8 weeks. It was emphasised that SKDC has learnt a lot during the journey to take the District Council out of special measures and that experience and that momentum will not be lost.
Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) Concerns - rightly there is a lot of concern at the possibility of dangerous RAAC in our council housing stock and any other council buildings. Officers have responded quickly on the issue it is seeking from government. The final draft bid will be considered by SKDC at a full council meeting. The steps being taken by South Kesteven District Council following Government advice to schools to close due to safety risks associated with the use of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in their construction RAAC is a lightweight form of concrete used in roof, floor, cladding and wall construction in the UK from the mid-1950s to the mid-1980. Experts believe much of the RAAC used in construction projects has exceeded its lifespan of 30 years and could collapse. While the material was used mainly in the construction of office and school buildings urgent checks are being made to establish whether it is present in any buildings within the District Council’s estate. As part of that a stock condition on database check has been carried out to identify any of SKDC’s properties that fall within the scope of the construction type that would be affected. That check shows several flat roof domes dwellings that were built circa 1947 and it was understood these to be poured concrete and outside of the general mescals originally identified in relation to RAAC so they are not within the scope. There are some suggestions that RAAC was used as far back as the 1950s and as there are a couple of the properties identified as being built circa 1947 as void SKDC was conducting further investigations. While there are no concrete roofed buildings within the housing stock and SKDC cannot be 100% sure about alternative uses of RAAC, such as floor finishes, checks on that are being carried out. SKDC is pulling together a list of all blocks with concrete floors for checking and will also revisit non-traditional buildings. This will also give a better idea of any remedial on required on non- traditional buildings generally. The District Council intends to prioritise this list based on the scope as part of a desktop survey and will not need to check every block, just the type. This will be completed by the Housing Team by the end of next week. SKDC will be engaging the services of a surveyor as soon as possible and, in line with the Government guidelines, visual structural survey will be carried out on any properties SKDC cannot definitely rule out as being affected. Any areas where SKDC is uncertain or believe to be RAAC a consultant with experience of identifying and RAAC will be appointed. Although SKDC first looked at this last year THE District Council was taking a fresh look to see if there is anything else that comes within the scope following additional information received extending the scope of the possible use of RAAC. These actions provide the reassurance that all steps are being taken to establish whether we do have any buildings in which RAAC is present. They are also in line with advice from the Regulator of Social Housing. Further updates will follow. The Community Awards take place this Friday at the Corn Exchange in Bourne, in which our local heroes will be recognised including young inspirational person and community champion to name a few. Also included will be the best kept village awards which are for the first year are being incorporated in this event. Bins - purple lidded bin, paper and card households will be delivered in the next few weeks ready for the launch of the change next year. The council is preparing more than 68,000 households across the district about how recycling collection are about to change with information packs. Spinney - Monday 30th October the Spinney in Little Bytham will close for the play equipment to be replaced.
6.Planning issues - verbal report from the Planning Working Group
Cllr McLaughlin presented the Planning Working group report – the Planning Working Group had no comments on applications S23/1906, S23/1764, S23/1858, S23/1872 and had the following comments on application S23/1442
7.Planning.
A) S23/1806 – Mr Burrell. Submission of details reserved by condition 4 (access) of S23/1008 (Proposed change of use from annexe to separate dwelling). Zetland House, Little Bytham Road, Castle Bytham. The Councillors had no comments on this application. B) S23/1764 – Mr Paul Floyd. Section 211 notice to remove 1 x Deodar Cedar from rear corner of back garden, behind outbuilding and close to boundary.10A Cumberland Gardens, Castle Bytham. The Councillors had no comments on this application. C) S23/1442 – Mr Anthony Eudall. Remove an existing timber framed building with an established principle of use and associated operation development (Class E) and replace with a more sustainable timber framed modular building and assign a Class E Change of Use. Land Adjacent to Morkery Lane, Castle Bytham. The Councillors had the following comments to send to SKDC: this application is clearly still development in the open countryside and contrary to planning policy and nppf. Whilst the application seeks to redevelop the site as office use, this is not an established use as the class R prior approval has not been implemented by the applicant. Seeking permission for a brand new building is not policy compliant and should be assessed as the employment application that it is. There has been no employment need survey to justify this location.
The Meeting Place as an office hub, existed on the A1 at Stoke Rochford with great service offering on the A1, and that did not survive the pandemic. We are concerned that with previously failed applications for a house on the same site, if this application is successful, how will the employment use be enforced? The only difference between an office and a house in this design is the furniture.
D) - S23/1858. Monaghan. Section 211 notice to re pollard of a Crack Willow but reducing 2m past previous pollard points to make the tree easier to manage. 6, Glenside, Castle Bytham. The Councillors had no comments on this application. E) S23/1872. Mundy. Section 211 notice to remove Cherry tree (T1) to just above ground level. 26 Cumberland Gardens, Castle Bytham. The Councillors had no comments on this application.
8.Emergency Plan
The Emergency Plan will be updated before December with the community shop added to the village hall as an emergency venue; one of the advantages was that the village hall and the community shop are on different electricity networks.
9.Village pump
Cllr Morritt was making enquiries for funding sources.
10.Amenities Working Group report - pond matters
Cllr Hayward reported that the new upper green steps handrail and brackets would be delivered shortly. Cllr Hayward was in the process of seeking mowing quotes for all areas of mowing except the playing field. The tree survey had been carried out – clerk to ask Brett Renshaw from Woodcraft for quotes on all trees for work to be carried out over a three year period; a tree on the upper green and two on the playing field were at the top of the list for work. Quotes will be obtained for dredging work at the pond.
11.Purchase Christmas tree
It was unanimously agreed to spend up to £180 for a Christmas tree to be placed at the upper green. An e-mail will be sent to Snowbird to place the order.
12.Speed Indicator Device report
Cllr McLaughlin will bring the SID device to the November meeting when another Councillor will take responsibility for the tasks associated with the device.
13.Burial Committee matters
None
14.Correspondence
Resident to thank Cllr McLaughlin for arranging repair to street light on Glen road/Heathcote Road
Rural Services Network bulletins
Zurich Insurance – flood guidance
SKDC – weekly planning lists
SKDC- housing strategy; event cancelled on 30 October
SKDC – recycling collection changes
LALC – training bulletin
NSK Policing Priority Setting Feedback
Parish Council Engagement Session North and South Kesteven 7 December
Lincolnshire Community Foundation Launch – household support funding in South Kesteven
SKDC – review of polling districts and polling places
15.Accounts
The Councillors will start discussing the precept at the November meeting.
The following payments were approved:
SKDC – May 2023 election recharge £82.46
Village Hall – rent £80.00
16.Councillors’ verbal reports
None
The meeting ended at 21.25