July 2020 Minutes
North Somercotes Parish Council
Minutes of the North Somercotes Parish Council Meeting held by Zoom Video on 27 July 2020
There were no members of the public present. The Chairman welcomed all present and started the public session at 7.08pm.
Public Session
a. Any Policing Update – Cllr Newman confirmed that the notes from the last meeting have been circulated, and also that there is a new temporary sergeant in the area, as a replacement for Sgt Lee Willoughby who has now left.
b. District & County Cllr McNally/District Cllr Paul Rickett – any County/District Council updates
i. District Cllr Rickett: ELDC’s decision to move to Horncastle is still being discussed. Targets have been set for carbon reductions, which are particularly challenging owing to the rurality of the council and distances involved.
Cllr Rickett left the meeting at 7.09pm
ii. County Cllr McNally: the rules on visitors to Care homes are changing, and a Residents Recycling Panel is being set up. The local government reorganisation of the District and County Councils is being consulted upon, proposals to be submitted by September 2020; central government will be looking to implement the chosen outcome in 2020.
c. Any items raised by members of the public or comments on the agenda
i. overhanging willow tree opposite the primary school – reported to Lakeside/LCC Highways
ii. lack of progress with widening of Marsh Lane – Clerk to ask Cllrs McNally and Rickett to look into delay
iii. request for extension of the 40mph and 30mph to cover the development on Conisholme Rd and prevent the near misses on the Eau Bank Junction with Conisholme Rd becoming a serious accident.
The Chairman closed the public session and opened the formal council meeting - members of the public/press are excluded from commenting/participating in the meeting from this point onwards but may observe, except during the confidential session, unless invited to remain/comment by the Chairman on behalf of the Council as a whole.
Monthly Meeting
27/7/20-1 a. Present: Cllr Stephen Brooks (Chairman), Cllr Neil Drewery (Vice Chairman), Cllr Stuart Arundel, Cllr John Kennedy (from 7.10pm), Cllr Roger Maidens, Cllr Daniel McNally, Cllr Trisha Newman, Cllr Shaun Smalley, Cllr Paul Walmsley, Cllr David Wallis. b. Apologies for Absence – Cllr Joy Cousins.
27/7/20-2 To receive any declarations of pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest on any item on the agenda in accordance with the Localism Act and the Council’s Code of Conduct and Standing Orders – none declared.
27/7/20-3 Minutes of 26 June 2020 Meeting – it was RESOLVED to adopt and sign the notes as accurate minutes, and the Chairman will duly sign them as such.
27/7/20-4 Clerk’s Report on matters outstanding – for information only
a. Chapel Repairs – insurers comments re nails on other Chapel b. Cemetery Rules – being drafted, together with COVID19 specific guidance c. External Audit – documents submitted d. Letter to Planning/Enforcement regarding Co-op store issues raised by neighbour – done e. ELDC response to comments regarding proposed move to Horncastle – received and circulated f. Clerk change of address and phone/filing arrangements (see also item 10 below) – noted and included in next edition of Communication g. Highways list of outstanding issues for Cllr McNally – done, to b checked h. Chapel Field Development – Open Reach relocation of services underway then work on site can commence i. outstanding items: CLT set up, Emergency Planning Working Group, signage for Willerton Rd, assistance with PROW claims, Facebook/Social Media account, Coastal Path, Cemetery Rules, Marsh Lane Road Widening, replacement Laptop may need attention – windows programme seems to be problematic.
27/7/20-5 To receive reports from councillors who are representatives on Village Organisations/Committees
a. Playing Fields Association - Cllr Walmsley – extra gate for the play area is to be done, information has been received from the Football Assoc for grass roots football to start up again, but pavilion cleaning procedures are somewhat problematic as there is no cleaner. No events currently planned.
b. Police Panel – Cllr Newman – minutes of the panel meeting circulated, next meeting will be in October as there is no planned July meeting. Louth Police Station open again to visitors; volunteer aspects will be restarting.
c. Emergency/Flood Planning – Cllr Newman/Clerk – Nothing to report
d. Village Hall Committee – nothing to report
e. DTE Wildlife Group/Seal Season – Cllr Newman/Clerk – Volunteers usually meet during August, but currently nothing to report. Expecting information/discussion with Lincs Wildlife Trust regarding the seal season – AWR meeting is usually in September/October. Potential visitor restrictions are expected to be dependent on any second wave/spread of the virus.
27/7/20-6 To consider Planning applications received, Resolve the way forward on these/other Planning matters
a. Enforcement Cases – issues raised by members of the public passed on to Enforcement.
i. Issue of Horse Dung being dumped in drain – outcome of LMDB investigation awaited
ii. The Co-Operative Car park Fence damage and intrusive lighting have been referred to ELDC Planning/Enforcement.
b. Planning Applications: no new applications. The Clerk noted that both Woodcote replacement dwelling approved, and Bay Horse Amended plans approved
27/7/20-7 Highways, Paths and Lighting – to discuss/resolve the way forward on relevant Highways issues
a. verbal update on problem log – in accordance with the discussion in the public session, the Clerk was asked to do a formal request to Cllrs Rickett and McNally to find out why the Marsh Lane road widening was taking so long in respect of relocation of utilities, and a request to be made to extend both the 30mph and 40 mph on Conisholme Rd, so that the 40mph covered the junction with Eau Bank; this is heavily used with visitors to Holmes Farms butchers and turning from Eau Bank onto Conisholme Rd has restrictive visibility and room owing to the metal work over the dyke in one direction and hedgerows in the other, but has no speed restriction.
b. List provided to Cllr McNally, including:
i. A1031 Parking at Axe and Cleaver Crossroads
ii. Complaint re cancelling road repairs between Scupholme Pond and Cormack Engineering – rescheduling date
iii. standing water outside Primary School and alongside Oasis Lakes/Warren Road, and school Lane corner
iv. chippings and standing water outside Bay Horse, plus
v. extension of 30mph on Conisholme Rd (new) and ow add in the lack of action on Marsh Lane and need for 40mph on Conisholme Rd.
c. Any other/urgent highways issues
27/7/20-8 Financial Rules – It was RESOLVED to adopt the draft Financial Rules which the Clerk has drawn up by reference to the NALC Guidance. The Clerk will circulate these and the recently adopted Standing Orders for Councillors to read both and sign the usual declaration for these key documents.
27/7/20-9 Finance
- The chairman checked and will sign the bank reconciliation for July 2020
- It was RESOLVED to approve the schedule of Payments of £3,808.44 for July 2020.
- The Clerk noted that she had received a request for assistance with funding for St Mary’s redundant section tree works of c£700 as per budget setting and would be checking this as soon as practicable and arranging payment accordingly.
- to deal with any urgent/other Financial matters - see item 13 below re expenditure on room sanitiser
27/7/20-10 Risk Management – to consider the Clerk’s recommendation on the purchase of a fire resistant filing cabinet for important legal and statutory documents, particularly the Cemetery ledgers. This item, and the acquisition of other filing storage, was carried forward pending seeing what cabinets and cupboards are available from LCC. County Cllr McNally is looking into this.
27/7/20-11 To receive/note general Correspondence for July, Website Updates and Communication – Website Upgrading Training for Clerk – August 5th – the Clerk noted that this was reported to be very labour intensive to implement; national Consultation on changes to Councillors Code of Conduct has been circulated as has the email re proposed Local Government Reorganisation.
27/7/20-12 Agenda Items for next meeting to be held on 28th September 2020 – filing storage/fire cabinet, Toilets update, draft national Councillors Code of Conduct
27/7/20-13 Confidential Matters – it was RESOLVED to move into closed session by reason of the confidential/personnel matters to be transacted – there were no members of the public/press present in the meeting at this point.
a. Consideration of the Staffing and other relevant issues in relation to reopening of the Public Toilets: to receive an update from the Clerk and RESOLVE the way forward.
The Clerk detailed expenditure to date and the proposed additional expenditure for the surface disinfectant mister. However the matter of the water leak had superseded the plan to reopen and following lengthy discussion it was agreed it was necessary to establish whether the leak was the responsibility of Anglia Water or the parish council. If it is on the track side of the meter, then this could involve considerable cost to the council locating and repairing the leak or replacing the whole water mains pipe. The bigger question of the future provision of the toilets, and their potential replacement with a modern, easily cleanable facility would need to be the subject of community wide consultation. The Clerk will therefore continue to work through the Risk Assessment and requirements for reopening the facility and also establish likely costs of replacement or refurbishment of the facility and the water pipe. It was agreed that an Extraordinary Council meeting would most likely need to be arranged in August and the Clerk will look to set this up once the necessary information is available.
Parish Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer