5th November 2019 Minutes
Notes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held at The Chapel, Little Hale on Tuesday 5th November 2019 at 7.31 pm.
Present: Cllrs P Ireland, N Rooke, J Stapleton and S Poulton, Mrs D Scott (Clerk).
100/19 Welcome – Cllr Ireland welcomed all to the meeting.
101/19 Apologies for Absence – Cllr A Lennox, Cllrs Sally Tarry and Stewart Ogden (NKDC).
102/19 Declarations of Interest and Applications for Dispensation – none.
103/19 The notes of the Parish Council Meeting, held on 7th October 2019: it was agreed unanimously that these were an accurate record.
104/19 Finance 2019-20 - The Clerk circulated updated financial statements
- Payments authorised between meetings - none.
- VAT Claim to 31st October 2019 – it was noted that this had been submitted online on 24th October and payment received on 29th.
- Payments were approved for Clerk £188.27(October, November plus expenses (reimbursement of travel, stationery etc)), HMRC £35.40 (mth 8 due 19/11/19), Information Commissioner £40.00 (DPA fees) (post meeting note, payment by transfer was not allowed, paid online by DS, for reimbursement at the next meeting), Wm Kent Memorials £720.00 (War Memorial Restoration balance), NKDC £64.95 (2019 PC Election Charges), P. Ireland £3.43 (replacement light tubes for phone box), Community Heartbeat Trust £54.00 (replacement defib pads).
- Bank Account signatories – Lloyds Bank had confirmed by letter that the updated signatories were now in place.
105/19 Finance 2020-21 The Clerk shared a draft budget calculation for the next year. Further discussion and decision were deferred to January, as usual pending receipt of information from NKDC about the tax-base, etc.
106/19 Clerk’s Report and Correspondence received
- East Midlands Airports Future Airspace Programme - noted
- LCC Highways re Highways contractors 2020 – 2032 - noted
- Community Lincs updates - noted
- LCC Minerals and Waste – adoption of Statement of Community Consultation - noted
- LCC TSG local bus updates - noted
- NKDC Empty Homes poster - noted
- EA - Flood Action Week from 11 to 17 November 2019 – noted postponed due to other commitments (Flooding)
- LALC – Confirmation of Cllr Lennox’s election to the County Committee – congratulations to Cllr Lennox on her new role
- Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant – Cllr Tarry had reported that the second round of the Community Grant Scheme was about to be launched. This would be open to groups based within 5 miles of the plant, therefore including Little Hale projects. More information to follow in due course.
- Lloyds Bank Statements.
107/19 Policing – Cllr Tarry reported that as she had not received an official Parish Council statement, she had not been able to report the concerns to the recent NKDC Overview and Scrutiny Panel. Cllrs discussed communications with the Police and were concerned to note that calls to 101, the only way now to contact the Police by phone in non-emergency situations, carried a call charge of 20p. It was understood that this charge was to help cover the cost of the service and had been imposed nationally.
108/19 Highways Matters
- HGV route - Cllr Ireland reported that one of Rowan Smith’s Team had volunteered to take on the project, the questions raised at the last meeting had been resolved and the work would be in hand as soon as possible, timescales as yet unknown.
- The Clerk reported that Highways had confirmed that the ‘In Situ Carriageway Recycling Works’ on the Fen had been postponed and was now scheduled to be carried out next spring/summer
- Potholes – two particular areas were noted, Fen Road, beyond Nickols’, and the junction at the Burton end of Burton Road where the previous repairs were now being ripped out by traffic. All to be reported, as spotted, to LCC, with photographic evidence wherever possible.
109/19 Flooding – It was noted that several photographs of the recent flooding at the junction of Fen Road and Main Road, including grocery delivery problems, had been submitted to Highways. The previous Friday a team from Highways had been seen investigating the issue and Cllr Ireland had received a report from Rowan Smith on the outcome of the investigations. The team had identified blockages and managed to clear some of them, but the conclusion was that unless the overgrown village dyke that ran between the properties on Chapel Lane and Fen Road was cleared there would be nowhere for the water to run to and therefore flooding would continue to happen. Highways had asked the Parish Council to approach the various landowners initially and advise them of this. Cllr Ireland had already spoken to several and agreed to share the Highways response with them. He was also thanked for his work in clearing the ditch from Chapel Lane to Pump Lane culvert which had helped release some of the water.
110/19 Broadband – Cllr Ireland reported his disappointment that his emails to BT and Onlincolnshire were going unanswered. It was felt that many residents were now choosing mobile internet options which were working reasonably well in most cases and very well in others, depending on the provider, and therefore the matter should be removed from the agenda. It had also been suggested that a BT ‘green box’ was to be installed in the village, but it was not known how accurate this was.
111/19 Planning Matters – see www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/planningonline 19/1290/LBC, 8 Fen Road, NG34 9BD Replacement windows, minor internal alterations and erection of orangery side extension. It was noted that the Conservation Officer had raised a number of queries on the application, so it was not yet decided.
112/19 Planning Inspectorate Matters
- Viking Link Interconnector Project – no update
- Triton Knoll – work ongoing at Bicker, transformers delivered to site.
113/19 Community Defibrillator – it was noted that weekly checks were still ongoing, thanks to volunteers involved and as above new replacement pads had been received so the kit was completely up to date. Also thanks to Cllr Ireland for replacing the light tubes, as above.
114/19 Dog Fouling – an increase in incidents was noted, probably due to the darker evenings. It was noted that if sufficient evidence of the dog’s owner’s identities was known, then incidents could be reported to NKDC on 01529 414155 or by email EHTeam@n-kesteven.gov.uk.
115/19 War Memorial. A meeting had been held on 24th October attended by Parish Council and Burial Board representatives and the Rev Chris Harrington and Rev Paul Cockburn to organise plans for the Rededication Service at the War Memorial on 10th November. The service would be jointly led by the two Ministers, with a hymn, readings, bugler, lowering of the BL standard, wreath laying and prayers. Posters and flyers had been distributed to both villages and mentions made on both village websites and facebook pages. The Clerk had been asked to speak on Radio Lincolnshire the following day and this was authorised. Specific invitations had been sent to the Chair of NKDC, Ward Councillors, local RBL, War Memorials Trust, Wm Kent and the local press. NKDC Communications Team had offered to publish details in its in-house newsletter and the Spring NewsNK.
Many offers of cakes had been received and provisions organised for the tea and cakes afterwards at Little Hale Chapel. The Clerk reported that she had applied SmartWater as required to the metal parts and it was also noted that Mr Rooke had repainted the railings, which were now looking suitably smart. The Burial Board was arranging for an extra grass cut, weather permitting. Thanks were given to everyone involved in the project.
116/19 Social Media Policy. The draft policy had been shared and, following discussion, was unanimously adopted.
117/19 Matters for the next meeting – Update on Highways traffic route signage, report on War Memorial unveiling, Budget for 2020-21.
118/19 Dates of Next Meetings: for 2019-20 at 7.30pm, Tuesdays.
7th Jan 2020, 3rd Mar, 5th May (APM and Annual meeting). Cllr Ireland wished all a Happy Christmas
The meeting closed at 8.45 pm
7th January 2020 - The Minutes were agreed as a true record and signed by Cllr Paul Ireland