April 2023 Minutes
CASTLE BYTHAM PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the meeting held on 19 April 2023
Present
Cllr Brooman (Chairman), Cllr McLaughlin (Vice Chairman), Cllrs Goode, Harvey, Webber.
In attendance
Two members of the public.
Apologies
County Cllr C Vernon, District Cllr P Robins
During the Public Forum Mr Ian Dugmore introduced himself to the Councillors as candidate to join the Parish Council by co-option. The new Parish Council will take office on 5 May and will be able to co-opt at the 17 May meeting.
1.Declarations of interest
Cllr Brooman regarding item 11; Cllr Hayward regarding item 12
2.Approve minutes 15 March 2023
The notes of the 15 March 2023 meeting were approved as minutes and signed by the Chairman. Proposed by Cllr Goode, seconded by Cllr McLaughlin, all in favour.
3.Matters arising
The 4 May 2023 Parish Council election was uncontested; Cllrs Brooman, McLaughlin, Goode, Hayward will take office on the new Council on 5 May. Cllrs Harvey and Webber did not stand for re-election.
Cllr McLaughlin presented data and graph from the SID and reported that 22000 vehicle movements had taken place one way at the Clipsham Road location over five weeks. SID will be rotated to the next location monthly and Cllr McLaughlin will provide monthly data and graphs for each location which will be published in Glenside News.
Cllr Brooman had sent a letter of support to the PCC regarding fundraising for the War Memorial; the PCC had set up an online GoFundMe funding page.
The £500 Castle Bytham business fund set up during the Covid epidemic will be transferred back to the Parish Council.
4.County Council matters
Deferred
5.District Council matters
Deferred.
6.Planning issues - verbal report from the Planning Working Group
Cllr McLaughlin said that the Planning Working Group had carried out site visits for applications S23/0509 and S23/0706; the PWG recommended a ‘no comment’ response to SKDC on these applications. Application S23/0134 for Plot 7, Holywell Road was refused permission by SKDC. The new owners of The Old Smithy, Glen Road had installed some sheds in the garden that accounted for more than 50% of the garden or the property surface area and would need planning permission as The Old Smithy is a Listed Building in the Conservation Area opposite a Scheduled Monument; the Parish Council will make an informal approach to make the residents aware of this issue.
7.Planning. A) S23/0509 -Mr Bill Sacker; erection of detached timber garage. Owls Lodge, Morkery Lane, Castle Bytham. The Councillors had no comments on this application. B) S23/0706 - Mr and Mrs G Williamson; single storey extension and alterations to dwelling. 22 High Street, Castle Bytham. The Councillors had no comments on this application.
8.Village pump
Cllr McLaughlin had liaised with Nigel Allsopp who will act as consultant on the posts replacements project. Cllr McLaughlin had approached SKDC’s Community Grants Officer and will be applying for a Lottery Heritage Fund grant - a grant bid would be more successful if a history of the pump were provided; Cllr McLaughlin suggested installing an oak frame interpretation board explaining that the pump was installed for a Queen Victoria’s Jubilee. Once repair has been carried out, the Parish Council will apply for the pump to be listed.
9.Amenities Working Group report
Cllr Harvey reported that the playing had be mown satisfactorily for a second time by the new contractors. The new cradle swing will be replaced. The loose post on the side of the mound was solid again. Cllr McLaughlin volunteered to give all equipment a spring clean. Cllr Hayward had prepared a mowing schedule for all areas; the Councillors agreed that a solid monthly mowing expenditure figure was necessary and possible contractors asked for quotes. Cllr Brooman said that that the Parish Council would prioritise on what could be afforded. This item will be back on the agenda in May with a finalised schedule to be voted on.
10.Request for financial assistance from the Village Hall Committee towards improvements to the hall
The Village Hall Committee had written to the Parish Council requesting a letter of support for their project in a first instance. Cllr Hayward reported that the Village Hall Committee had obtained a £20,000 grant from SKDC towards the roof insulation and heating project. The Chairman will send a letter of support from the Parish Council to the Village Hall Committee.
11.Request for financial assistance from the Bythams Community Shop towards purchase of border plants
Cllr Harvey proposed a £200 grant and was seconded by Cllr Webber; all Councillors voted unanimously in favour.
12.Rules on management of deposit funds raised for the coronation into the parish council’s bank account
The Chairman had prepared a set of rules for the coronation funds; 8 rules for managing external funds:
The following controls have been agreed with the councillors and are to be used for any time a third party community group utilises the Parish Councils bank as a holding facility.
1) at all times the funds must remain above or at zero, that is to say, groups must not borrow funds ahead of their actual deposit into the parish councils bank.
2) If the community group has a committee deciding who gets allocation of the funds, a Parish Council must be invited to the committee as an observer. *note they don’t need to be in attendance but must be invited.
3) applications for payments must be made via an application form (shared separately). The form must be completed fully. No requests will be actioned by the council without the form. This is to protect both the Parish council and the community group.
4) application forms must be signed by two members of the fund committee
4) VAT reclaims are not to be spent in advance of their receipt. VAT is not reclaimed until at least the April after the spend takes place. (See rule 1)
5) the parish council takes no responsibility for incorrectly completed applications resulting in funds going to incorrect bank accounts, save where the error was made by the council.
6) any warranty claims on items purchased on behalf of the community group lie solely between the community group and the seller, the Parish Council will co-operate with claims but will not lead them.
7) any funds that remain in the councils account for more than 12 month after the end of any event will be allocated to a community fund of the councils choice on consultation with the original fund manager.
8) fund managers must not over promise funds, offer funds that are not theirs to offer, or use the Parish Councils name or standing without prior approval
13.Burial Committee matters
None
14.Correspondence
A resident had written to the Parish Council regarding fly posting at the crossroads; Cllr McLaughlin had contacted the groups responsible for the fly posting asking them to collect their signs. Local businesses will be discouraged from placing adverts on the public highway as this is illegal.
YMCA Lincolnshire – news bulletin
NHS – EMAS; borrowing Station Road defibrillator
SKDC – 4 May election – notice of uncontested election
SKDC – 4 May election – statement of persons nominated
TSGP – bus information update
SKDC – weekly planning lists
BDG mowing – asking for feedback on playing field mowing
AFE Community Fund for Glenside Community
LALC e-news
Resident regarding future maintenance of upper and lower greens
Paul Weinmann - mowing work for parish council during Michael Wright’s absence
LCC- town and parish council newsletter
Resident – information sought on village pump repair
LCC – notice of temporary traffic regulation order
SKDC – notice of election
Healthwatch Lincolnshire report
15.Accounts
The following payments were credited by BACS:
SKDC - Precept £16,600.00
Main Grants - Coronation Grant £3,150.00
The following payment was approved:
LALC - annual subscription £245.54
16.Councillors’ verbal reports
Cllr McLaughlin had been given a projector that would need to be added to the Parish Council’s assets. register.
Cllr Harvey mentioned a request from a resident in Glen Road for additional street lighting at the Glen Road/Counthorpe Lane junction. Cllr McLaughlin said that the Parish Council could enquire again - a previous request had been estimated at £15,000.
Cllr Brooman said that a contractor had given an estimate of £100 to cap off the cemetery water supply pipe in The Old School garden.
The Chairman thanked Cllr Webber and Cllr Harvey for all their work as Parish Councillors over the years. Cllr Webber and Cllr Harvey had not sought re-election.