2nd March 2021 - Minutes
Little Hale Parish Council
Notes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held using Zoom on Tuesday 3rd March 2021 at 7.36 pm.
Present: Cllrs P Ireland, A Lennox, J Stapleton and N Rooke, Mrs D Scott (Clerk), Cllr Sally Tarry (NKDC).
21/21 Welcome - Cllr Ireland welcomed all to the meeting.
22/21 Apologies for absence – Cllr S Ogden (NKDC), Cllr Poulton (post meeting)
23/21 Declarations of Interest and Applications for Dispensation – none.
24/21 Notes of the previous meeting, 5th January 2021 – approved as accurate record. Arrangements were made for signing at a later date.
25/21 Finance 2020-21
i. Mrs Scott had shared copies of transactions to date. It was noted that there had been no income since the last meeting. The balance at Lloyds was £1465.42, before this evening’s payments. The balance included £473.22 of restricted funds.
ii. Payments were approved for the Clerk £155.58 (February and March) and HMRC £39.00 (mth 11 due 19/3/21)
26/21 Finance 2021-22 – Mrs Scott had submitted the precept paperwork to NKDC. The payment of £2,200 for 2021-22 was expected on 2nd April.
27/21 Clerk’s Report and Correspondence
i. Covid-19 updates from LCC, NKDC, LALC and LRF - noted
ii. NKDC Parish Vacancy Guide - noted
iii. NKDC Cycling Infrastructure Survey – completed by S Rooke
iv. NKDC / LGBCE Electoral Review final report - noted
v. Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner – Safer Together Team - noted
vi. LALC Survey Councillors and Council Staff - noted
vii. Census 2021 – information for website - noted
viii. LCC Transport Services Group – update on use of CallConnect - noted
ix. John Harris – Walking in Lincolnshire – added to website - noted
x. Register of Electors – updates February and March - noted
xi. Community Lincs / YMCA – Big Energy Saving Network Coffee Chats - noted
xii. LALC Annual Training Scheme – Councillors discussed joining but agreed not to for 2021-22
xiii. Rural Churches Volunteers Project – online talks – to website - noted
xiv. Environment Agency – Routine Maintenance Factsheet - noted
xv. LALC e-news
(Cllr Lennox left the meeting briefly at 7.45 pm)
28/21 Policing Update – Councillors discussed re-activating the village Neighbourhood Watch scheme but agreed that the village Facebook page was probably as effective.
29/21 Highways Matters - Potholes – it was noted that some potholes had been fixed very recently, but not all. Councillors and residents were encouraged to report any remaining, or new ones, via Fix My Street.
30/21 Flooding – Mrs Scott reported that she’d been advised by Highways that they had asked IDB to instigate enforcement action on those riparian owners whose sections of the dyke were blocked. It was noted that clearance work had been done by, or on behalf of, some owners but not all. Councillors were concerned about the delay. Cllr Tarry kindly agreed to follow it up with NKDC officers and Cllr Young of LCC.
31/21 Broadband – Cllr Ireland reported that Quickline had informed him that they had now reached the target number of commitments from village residents and so would be starting the property surveys in preparation for installing the infrastructure. It was expected that installation would be carried out around 14 weeks after the survey.
32/21 Planning Matters
Planning Applications – see www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/planningonline - none.
33/21 Planning Inspectorate –
i. Viking Link – Cllr Ireland reported that he’d attended the Community Panel Meeting and heard that cable laying offshore will commence immediately and the inverter station was ahead of schedule with a completion date of 2023.
ii. Triton Knoll – Radio reports had suggested that the offshore cable-laying and the onshore work were virtually complete and most of the land used was now returned to agriculture. Extensive works were now ongoing offshore to install the turbines themselves.
34/21 Phone Box and Community Defibrillator – it was noted that checks were ongoing.
35/21 Dog Fouling – very few instances had been seen.
36/21 Land at Pump Lane – Mrs Scott confirmed that she’d been notified that the application to the Sleaford REP fund had been unsuccessful. She explained that the Panel had been cautious about the risk involved and had also decided to prioritise community groups over Parish Councils, given the large number of applications received. Other funds were considered. Cllr Ireland confirmed that suitable gates had now been kindly donated by Mr and Mrs N. Kime to the project and he was willing to donate the fencing materials, which was much appreciated. He also agreed to check the adjoining dyke and remove any obstructions so that when the rest of the dyke was cleared the water should drain away. It was agreed that a small socially distanced work party be held as soon as possible, considering work commitments, to install the gates and fencing.
37/21 Parish Council Communications
i. Website – Mrs Scott asked for any more photographs for the website.
ii. News for residents – it was agreed that the website link to the agenda for each forthcoming meeting could be shared on the village Facebook page, to encourage public attendance.
38/21 Clean-Up – in view of the relaxing of the Covid-19 regulations in the next few weeks it was agreed that the clean-up be held on Sunday 25th April. Cllr Lennox offered to organise volunteers into small groups (probably based on family bubbles) each to tackle different areas of the village to avoid unnecessary contact. Mrs Scott to request use of the kit again, to be delivered to Cllr Rooke, Cllr Lennox agreed to publicise the event on Facebook. It would also be added as an event on the website.
39/21 Matters for the next meeting – Annual Meeting items, standing items, next steps for Pump Lane.
40/21 The Dates of Meetings for 2020-21, at 7.30pm
4th May (Annual Meeting, Annual Parish Meeting). It was suggested that it might be possible/necessary to hold the May meetings face-to-face, so Cllr Ireland agreed to provisionally book the Chapel.
Cllr Tarry thanked the Parish Council and local residents for their patience over the previous week when bin collections had unfortunately ceased due to positive Covid tests amongst the NKDC crews. It was understood that the service had now returned to normal.
The meeting closed at 8.30 pm.
4th May 2021 - the Minutes were agreed as a true record and were signed by Cllr Steve Poulton