November 2023 Minutes
North Somercotes Parish Council
Minutes of the North Somercotes Parish Council held on Monday 27th November 2023 At 7.00 pm in St Mary’s Church Hall
There were no members of the public present. District Cllr Rickett was in attendance for part of the meeting. The Chairman thanked everyone for attending and opened the public session at 7pm.
Public Session
a. Comments/updates from District and County Cllrs:
District Cllr Rickett referred to the Police and Crime Commissioners Survey, the Festival Fabuloso events and locations, and the various Louth markets/dates over the coming Christmas period.
County Councillor McNally noted a case of Avian Flu in Spalding, the recent award for Trading Standards, school visits and the proposed county wide Devolution – there will be a consultation exercise for this starting on 4 December until 29 January 2024 for people to comment on the proposed integration of services involving 9 different councils and £24m per annum investment over a period of 30 years.
b. Comments from members of the Public on agenda items or issues for consideration for future agenda
i. Door Knockers – recent activity – a note has been put in Communication – ‘no cold callers’ signs will be provided by the parish council to those who request one
ii. Howden’s Pullover access track to car park/nature reserve – track much improved but Car Park area still flooded in places
iii. Tree fallen over public footpath 30/3 by bungalow (number 26) on Locksley Way partially blocking the way, and has been reported to Lincs County Council Footpaths officer, along with slippery surface on the bridge on the same footpath further along behind Evison Way
The Chairman closed the public session and opened the formal meeting at 7.14pm
Monthly Meeting
27/11/23-1 a. Present: Cllr Stephen Brooks (Chairman), Cllr Neil Drewery (Vice Chairman), Cllr Stuart Arundel, Cllr John Kennedy, Cllr Roger Maidens, Cllr (Parish, District and County) Danny McNally, Cllr Trisha Newman, Cllr Lynda Plater, Cllr Shaun Smalley, Cllr Paul Walmsley, Sheila Pearce – Parish Clerk & Responsible Financial Officer.
b. Apologies for absence: it was RESOLVED to accept the absence of Cllr David Wallis for the reasons given.
27/11/23-2 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.
27/11/23-3 Minutes of the Meeting held on 23 October 2023 – it was RESOLVED to adopt and sign the notes as accurate minutes, and they were duly signed and dated by the Chairman.
27/11/23-4 Clerk’s Report on matters outstanding – for information only
a. Cemetery – just two remaining sections of plaques to be installed, ELDC Pride Team planted flower bulbs on 22/11 and also cleared leaves and trimmed the driveway edges, changes to Cemetery Rules & Regulations ongoing, repair to the metalwork on the bell outstanding, map of grave spaces still being checked including any spare spaces, mapping of electric cable arranged, weatherboard on chapel door rotted off exposing badly rotten planking, broken war grave reported and being replaced
b. Setting up Work Email Addresses – outstanding
c. Coastal Path – still awaiting confirmation of route
d. Chapel Field Housing – Platform visit has taken place but do not believe problem areas in gardens resolved
e. Hedgehog Champions – pack delivered to the Primary School
f. purchase of trial dispenser and dog waste bags for Playing Field –pending resolution of anti-social behaviour
g. Chapel Field Future Use – neighbours to be contacted re trees, school to be contacted re growing project – outstanding, land cleared but trees/suckers still need dealing with
h. Donna Nook RAF/DIO Land and Buildings ACV listing – information on local community individual and group use submitted to ELDC, outcome awaited
i. Defibrillators – location map of each one in the parish to be done/check registration with EMAS – outstanding
j. Remembrance Observance – grateful thanks to Simon Paine Bugler and Lay Chaplain Roger Maidens for the reading, Cllr McNally and Geoff Pearce for traffic management, and Zoe Walmsley and Cllr Brooks for washing/drying up. The Clerk suggested the council consider lamppost poppies for next year and inviting others to sponsor these (£5 each) or donate knitted/crochet poppies.
k. Louth Canal lack of maintenance – letter done to MP Victoria Atkins and copied to EA and LMDB
l. Complaint to Police re lack of response to the arson incident on 10 October and querying how the individual causing the ASB and criminal damage will be dealt with going forward – letter done
m. Letter to District Cllr McNally – letter done requesting him to activate the most appropriate way forward to deal with the relevant agencies to resolve the current ASB/Criminal behaviour incidents
n. Toilets – contractor notified re refurbishment, sanitiser dispensers have been broken/damaged and light fixing pulled from the wall – note put on village Facebook page, discussed need for CCTV in doorway of facility/building – looking at joint network with Playing Fields system so whole area covered including bowls club/car park
o. Bench on Keeling St near bus garage – Clerk to order plastic lumber/check price of replacement with recycled plastic bench.
27/11/23-5 Budget Setting 24/25 – the Clerk had circulated the budget narrative on next year’s budget priorities and pressures and first draft budget shortly before the meeting and referred to some of the issues to be considered for next year. Councillors were asked to read through the narrative and proposed budget figures and let the Clerk know of any questions or queries prior to the next meeting in December, with a view to agreeing the budget at that meeting, pending the confirmation of the number of band D properties and any other changes to the 24/25 budget to be finalised at the January meeting.
27/11/23-6 To consider Planning applications received and RESOLVE the way forward on these and other Planning matters
a. Planning applications for approval: None
b. to note planning applications granted: None
c. Enforcement Issues/Actions: None
d. Any other urgent planning matters/applications: None
27/11/23-7 Highways, Paths and Lighting:
a. verbal update on problem log, including:
i. South Rd – programme date still awaited
ii. Warren Rd drainage – programme date still awaited
iii. overgrown hedge Evison Way – Hedge has now been trimmed back
iv. Howden’s Pullover access track to car park/nature reserve – track repaired but car ark area remains waterlogged owing to uneven surface as noted in the public session
v. Tree down over footpath 30/3 Locksley Way to Evison Way – requested LCC to deal with asap owing to state of fence it is leaning on and danger to anyone if it falls on them while they are walking underneath it.
b. Footpath Reviews – Cllr Plater - who had done the bulk of the footpath reviews, and the Chairman were thanked for checking the footpaths. The report completed by Cllr Plater, and the Chairman’s input has been forwarded to Lincs County Council Footpath Officer drawing attention to the issues which need addressing.
c. any additional issues/other urgent matters to be reported – light column No 2 is still not working. Cllr McNally will follow this up again.
District Cllr Rickett departed at 7.43pm
27/11/23-8 To receive reports from councillors who are representatives on Village Organisations/Committees
a. Playing Fields Association - Cllr Walmsley – The Pie/Pea night held in the Village Hall with the band Regenerate had been well attended and the next event will be a Valentines Dance in February. The Police have not been in touch following the arson incident though it is understood one individual is being dealt with, but allegedly no others involved in the incident appear to have been seen. The estimate for the damage has been put at between £7-£10K, and fund-raising activities will be taking place to help meet these costs.
b. Police Panel – Cllr Newman – discussion took place regarding not being able to access a police station other than just in ‘office hours’ and the fact that Lincolnshire is either the worst or second-worst funded region per capita. The Inspector for the Neighbourhood Policing Team has not yet been appointed.
c. Emergency/Flood Planning – Cllr Newman/Clerk – no report
d. Village Hall Committee – no report
e. DTE Wildlife Group – Cllr Newman/Clerk – issues with following the one-way system in operation down at Donna Nook were discussed and Cllr Newman will look into this. Peak visiting period during the previous weekend saw 1600 pups born and an estimated £7k visitors, with more visitors expected this next weekend.
27/11/23-9 Finance
a) the bank reconciliation for November 2023 was received and checked and signed by the Chairman.
b) It was RESOLVED to approve the schedule of receipts of £4,154.79 and payments of £4,882.16 for Nov 2023.
c) to deal with any urgent financial matters – none.
27/11/23-10 To receive/note general Correspondence for November, Website Updates and Communication
Comments have been made to the consultation by Ofgem re daily electric charges – Toilets daily charge is currently £1.58, other items have been circulated via email for information/interest.
27/11/23-11 Agenda items for the meeting to be held on 18th December 2023 in ST MARY’S CHURCH HALL
The main item will be Budget Setting progress for 24/25
27/11/23-12 Confidential Matters – it was RESOLVED that the Council should 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. To discuss any updates on the action being taken following the recent spate of Anti-social behaviour/ Criminal damage and RESOLVE the way forward as may be necessary.
Discussion took place regarding the police complaint which has been made regarding the time taken to attend the incident, and the lack of information subsequently regarding reassurances that appropriate action is being taken to protect the community from any further incidents of threatening or anti-social behaviour etc. The Clerk was asked to check the status of the Police complaint and follow it up if necessary, and Cllr McNally will check the process being followed by the ELDC team, to ensure that appropriate action is being taken.
The Chairman thanked everyone for attending and closed the meeting at 8.13pm
Sheila Pearce
Parish Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer