2023 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

SWINDERBY PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF SWINDERBY PARISH COUNCIL PARISH COUNCIL MEETING held on 11th September 2023 held at Swinderby Village Hall

Present:  Cllr G Lloyd (Chair), Cllr. L Carter (Vice Chair), Cllrs N Marris, R Hodgson, G Beales.

Clerk: S Aikman

Also in attendance:  Cllr Alan Briggs (LCC), Cllr Mitch Elliot (NKDC and Cllr P Overton (NKDC) and 2 members of the public. 

Public Forum

Cllr Overton reported that:

- He had some tree saplings that the Parish Council were welcome to have.
- The pre-planning consultation for the Fosse Green solar development would be launched on 11th September.
- Discussions were being held about the retention of all of the Station buildings.

It was suggested that further details for the Moor Lane site should be reported in the Linkup so that residents were aware of what had been achieved by the Parish Council for the community.  Cllr Lloyd advised that this would be done once further clarity had been received on the S106 agreement and landscaping.

ACTION: Cllr Lloyd

1.   To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies had been received and were accepted from Cllrs. S Longson and J Gagg. 

2.   To receive any declarations of interest

In accordance with the Localism Act 2011 and consider any requests for dispensation in relation to Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or any other interests as outlined in the Council’s Code of Conduct.

None.

3.   To receive and approve the minutes of the Parish Council meeting 11th September 2023, previously circulated to members and published in draft to the website as required under the Transparency Code for Smaller Authorities. 

Following a vote it was resolved unanimously that the minutes from 11th September 2023 were an accurate record of the meeting.

Progress reported on matters discussed:

-   The flagpole, Jubilee Play Area sign and Orchard signs had been installed.
-   The tree name signs were still to be installed.
-   The picnic bench had been relocated on Jubilee Park and wooden seat had been repaired.
-   The grass had been cut on Moor Lane, Station Roade and in the community orchard.
-   Potholes and faulty streetlights had been reported.
-   The container was still to be purchased.

ACTION: Cllr Marris

-   The Fosse Green solar development consultations had been promoted on the village Facebook page.
-   The council has objected to the proposed planning development of 4 houses that would overlook the Jubilee Play Area.  In addition, it will highlight the fact that natural surveillance of children’s Play Area should not be a criteria for granting planning.

ACTION: Cllr Lloyd

-   Cllr Lloyd updated the meeting on the Moor Lane site development of 132 houses.  The pond was being moved to the playing field, plans were awaited form from the ecologist. Landscaping details for the development site had not been received yet.  They, along with all gifted land, would need to go into the S106 agreement.

There were now 13 permanent parking spaces. 6 for the proposed shop and 6 for the offices.

There was a need to separate the S106 agreement from CiL funding.

A meeting was being planned with the developer to discuss landscaping and parking near the school.

The Village Hall carpark was likely to get resurfaced in a couple of years.

The School could be involved in an attempt to get a road crossing assistant.

The mole contractor was recovering from illness and would be back to work soon.

The Clerk had sent an invoice to LCC for £346.58 for their contribution to grass cutting as detailed in the grass cutting agreement for 2023/24

4.   Finance   

a.   To formally note Items of Income

b.   To formally approve items of expenditure

Expenditure including Clerk’s salary, PAYE and pension approved unanimously

c.   Bank reconciliation for the year to date was approved unanimously.

d.   To review spend against budget.

Reviewed.

5.   Planning

a)    Received

b)   Applications Decided

6.   To consider the use of gov,uk email addresses for the Parish Council.

See item 14.

7.   To report on any updates to the development of the Neighbourhood Plan.

£5,900 had been awarded to the Parish Council to continue with the Neighbourhood Plan.  It was hoped that the plan would be completed during this financial year. 

The character assessment of the parish was ongoing.  Photos would be taken in the parish.  Historical facts about the parish would be gathered, including significant buildings, land, historical and wooded areas. It was hoped that a draft, including future development, would be ready for public consultation this year.

8.   To receive feedback from the Lost Village event.

It was reported that it had been a good, friendly event that benefitted local businesses.  Local labour had been used and there had been active noise monitoring.  The organisers had previously helped the parish with tree planting and funding towards a composting toilet planned for the play area.

A water pipe had burst at Witham St. Hughs and this had caused some problems with travel near the event on the A46.

Cllr Elliot reported that noise had been a problem for other areas and Cllr Overton was aware that complaints had been made about the noise from fireworks.  No concerns about noise had been raised in Swinderby.

9.   To report back on the LIVES course and consider a new external cabinet (cost £600 including VAT). 

12 residents had attended the cardiac arrest course.  £200 had been donated to LIVES, £50 from Swinderby Trust and £150 from the Parish Council.  Cllr Lloyd had purchased a razor and medical scissors to be kept in the defibrillator cabinet as advised by the trainer.  The Clerk would arrange for a large ‘cheque’ to be produced for a photo of the presentation of the donation.

ACTION Clerk

10.   To consider updating the grass cutting contract including a schedule for cutting the games area on the Playing Field. 

Tenders would be invited for the grass cutting contract for 2024 and would include the games area on the playing field.  Cllr Hodgson would update the grass cutting maps.

ACTION Cllr Hodgson

11.   To receive any updates from the Swinderby Trust.

The deeds had been signed by the Parish Council and the Swinderby Trust and were now back with the solicitor.  The Chair would report on matters each year at the Annual General Meeting.

12.   To report any updates on the conversion of the speed indicator devices to solar power.

The panels were being sent by DHL to the firm for conversion to solar.

13.   Notice of application, adverse possession LL421783.

No objections had been received.

14.   To consider requirements from the Practitioners’ Guide 2023 which is mandatory for the 2023/24 accounting period. Paragraph 1.26, Assertion 3 and states ‘Email management - every authority should have an email account that belongs to the council and to which the council has access – this ideally would be a .gov.uk or .org.uk address or could be an address linked to the council website.’

This matter was discussed and would be considered at a future meeting.

15.   To consider the findings of the Annual Play Area Inspection.

Suggestions following receipt of the report included: removing the small multi-play equipment, replacing beams that have split on the large multi-play equipment.  All Councillors were to look at the play areas and bring ideas to the next meeting.  Consideration should also be given to development of the area based on the children’s requests received from the consultation.

16.   To consider a request from Lincolnshire Highways: ‘We need YOUR local knowledge about YOUR local roads’.

Cllr Lloyd would look at the survey.

ACTION Cllr Lloyd

17.   To consider the possible donation of donated golf range finders.

The Parish Council did not have a use for these items and were not able to sell them to raise funds.  Therefore, the items would be returned.

18.   To confirm recipient(s) of the Reg Ketteringham Community Award.

My Alan Wade received the Reg Ketteringham Award for 2023 for services to the community.

19.   Clerk and Councillors Reports (for information only), including a review of actions from minutes and matters that Councillors wish to be brought to the next or subsequent meetings.

No decisions may be made under this section, but councillors may wish to use this to flag up issues.

Cllr Hodgson reported that the Village Hall funds were very healthy with £50k in the bank.

Cllr Marris reported that the Collingham Care drivers had all been DBS checked.  More drivers were required.  Swinderby Trust had supported the group.

Cllr Beales reported that the tree had not yet been removed from the triangle. Cllr Lloyd would follow this up.

ACTION Cllr Lloyd

The Litter Picking Grant would be added to the next Agenda.  Cllr Lloyd would produce a brief report for the grant application.

ACTION Clerk and Cllr Lloyd

Cllrs Lloyd and Carter were attending the Health Matters meeting.

20.   Correspondence

To note correspondence received.

21.   Date of next meeting 

Swinderby Parish Council meeting 7.30pm Monday 9th November 2023.

Meeting closed at 9.18pm