October 2019 Minutes
Minutes of Parish Council meeting held on Tuesday 22nd October 2019.
Present: Cllr M George (MG) (in the Chair), Cllrs P. Dunning (PD), P Orrock (PO), J. Salmon (JS), K. Salmon (KS) and S. Swain (SS) plus Cty Cllr M Overton and Dist Cllrs Green and Spray. There were 12 members of the public present.
MG welcomed all present and was advised that a member of the public was making an audio recording of the meeting. However when a parishioner requested a transcript of the recording, the person recording ceased doing so.
19/59: Co-Option : Peter Thornburn was the only candidate for the vacancy and met the relevant criteria and was co-opted on to the Council and joined the Councillors at the table.
19/60: Declarations of interest: There were none.
19/61: Cty Cllr Marianne Overton will chase the two outstanding Highways Fix My Street matters – one outside Spring Cottage, High Street and the other at the Welbourn Road/High Street corner. The developer for a rendering plant at Norton Disney has overcome many barriers and so this may come back. The new Local Plan for Lincolnshire covers the period to 2036. Growth is currently 10-15% for small villages but this is likely to be increased. We should collect opinions from residents as to whether they want more housing or not; we are a conservation village. Consultation in January 2020. Welbourn Lane and West Street were flooded in the recent heavy rainfall but overall it was not as bad as in the past.
Dist Cllr Green advised that there was no update on the new resident advisement but is a work in progress. A number of fraudulent “single” occupant Council Tax claims have been dealt with.
Dist Cllr C Spray advised that there will be boundary reviews in January and that the purple bins trial has started.
Public time – centred mainly on planning application 19/0886. The area of land takes away water and if it is built on could cause flooding – nearby wells are only about 1 metre from the top. The proposed building of two semi detached houses will have a detrimental impact on the area – the size of the properties are out of line with the surrounding properties. It is a conservation area. Maltkin Lane is a single track road and so more traffic will have an impact on this carriageway. There will be a detrimental impact on neighbouring properties as the two proposed properties are much taller and will overlook many neighbours taking away their privacy – the properties also take up too much of the site. JS stated that the developer hadn’t demonstrated he had taken steps to gather local support (he hadn’t attended this meeting). Councillors comments are that the property is too large for the site, flooding history appears to have been ignored and no room is left for a soakaway. Unanimously agreed that the PC will oppose this application. Cllr Green confirmed she will call the application in to Committee. Developer to be invited to attend a meeting on 4th November.
The gate proposed at the Parish Field is a new gate on the boundary of the Church land and the PC land – it is not a re-positioning of the existing gate. The PC has no knowledge about the removal of a branch from an oak tree on the adjacent property. The hedge trimming has been completed but this was not done by the PC. The neighbouring property owners are having a Surveyor re-confirm the boundary between their land and the Parish Field. The PCC has confirmed we can put the gate in on the boundary as mentioned above.
19/62: Apologies – none.
19/63: Minutes of the meeting held on 3rd September had been slightly amended, were read and approved, and it was resolved unanimously that they be signed.
19/64: Highways – see Minute 19/61. The snicket from Robinson Close has been cut by NK. A letter from LCC asked for comments on the stopping up of Green Lane in Stragglethorpe. A gate will be put across the access to prevent vehicular access but a space will be left to enable pedestrians, horse riders and cyclists to use the lane. Unanimously agreed the PC has no objection.
19/65: SID and village entrance gates– The post for the SID will be put up on 24th October and the SID near the Fire Station will then be moved to that position and the new SID put up in its place near the Fire Station. The village gates will be put up week commencing 28th October.
19/66: Tree inspection/works - Contractors invoice now received – resolved to pay £410 and a cheque was signed.
19/67: Parish/Rectory field: see final paragraph of Public Time regarding gate.
19/68: Assets and liabilities: the post for the Millennium sign is now in place but the sign itself has not yet been put on to it – PD will chase.
19/69: Planning -
19/0934 – 68 High Street – remove chimney stack, roof – approved..
19/1192 – tree works at 2 Swans Lane – approved.
19/0886 – council objects – see Public time.
19/70 : Litter pick & Grant applications –PFA had received equipment from NK and “pick” took place last Saturday. The Grant application meeting will take place on 5th November at Clerk’s address.
19/71: Policies – It was resolved unanimously that the Health & Safety Policy and Vexatious Complaints Policy be adopted. KS advised that the Complaints Policy will need updating and he will do this.
19/72: Meeting dates 2020 – our dates will be moved to Thursdays from January 2020 to enable us to start at 7.30 pm – all dates approved.
19/73: Christmas tree – KS/JS will ask a neighbour if they are happy to donate a tree. If not, then we will approach Hill Holt Wood.
19/74: Finance:
- Bank balance at 31.9.19 £24,706.89.
- Resolved to sign income/expenditure/budget reconciliation.
Payments since last meeting:
Salary and expenses £610.09; PFA grant £380; Bank charge £18; PCC grant £1500; Village Show grant £109.99 and LALC ££15.
19/75: Next meeting – 10th December at 8 pm.
Meeting closed 8.45pm