July 2023 Minutes
North Somercotes Parish Council
Minutes of the meeting of North Somercotes Parish Council held on Monday 24th July 2023 At 7.00 pm in the Village Hall
There were no members of the public present. Cllr Rickett was not in attendance, having given his apologies.
Public Session
a. Comments/updates from District and County Cllrs
Cllr McNally referred to the ELDC grants for social isolation/warm spaces, Cllr Community Grants have now opened and are £2k each. Litter Picking equipment is being picked up on Thursday and King Charles has visited RIMAC Nature Reserve. AONB have celebrated 50 years, and ELDC are looking at different ways of providing more assistance to rural villages, including what works the Pride Team are able to undertake, though they cannot work on the highway.
b. Comments from members of the Public on agenda items or issues for consideration for future agenda:
i. Chapel Field housing - further comments re plumbing and problems with garden surface and overhanging trees have been raised by one of the occupants at Chapel Field and these have been referred to Cllr McNally to pick up with Platform along with the other issues already noted.
ii. Chapel Field – street sign needs repair following collision.
The Chairman closed the public session and opened the formal meeting at 7.03pm.
Monthly Meeting
24/7/23-1
a. Present: Cllr Stephen Brooks (Chairman), Cllr Neil Drewery (Vice Chairman), Cllr John Kennedy, Cllr Roger Maidens, Cllr Danny McNally, Cllr Trisha Newman, Cllr Lynda Plater, Cllr Paul Walmsley, Cllr David Wallis, Cllr Shaun Smalley, Sheila Pearce – Parish Clerk & Responsible Financial Officer
b. Apologies for Absence:
It was RESOLVED to accept Councillor Arundel’s absence/reasons given.
24/7/23-2 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.
24/7/23-3 Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Council and the monthly Meeting held on 26 June 2023 – it was RESOLVED to adopt the minutes as an accurate record, and they were signed by the Chairman.
24/7/23-4 Clerk’s Report on matters outstanding – for information only
a. Cemetery –annual meeting held 17 July, historic burial records have entered into database, Garden of Remembrance works to start 2/8, toilet hire arranged, mowing now three-weekly, hedge plants suffering in the drought, changes to Cemetery Rules & Regulations ongoing, map of grave spaces being checked
b. Amenity Area – additional quotes still being sought
c. Toilets refurbishment – one quote received, another one awaited
d. Setting up Work Email Addresses – outstanding
e. Coastal Path – still awaiting confirmation of route
f. Chapel Field – see agenda item below, field gate by Pavilion repaired
g. Hedgehog Champions – pack arrived and to be provided to Primary School
h. St Mary’s Redundant Section Wall – work completed
i. Sycamore Tree blocking street light outside St Mary’s Church Hall – work completed
j. request to ELDC on 10 May for cost of additional Dog Waste bin on Bank End – response chased again and still awaited
k. Follow up on public concerns re defibrillators not accessed/used on recent fatality – reply from EMAS received and circulated, work ongoing to map all defibrillators and ensure emergency services aware of them
l. Parish Council Donations 2023/24 – Swimming pool requirement pending receipt of information, other sources of funding then to be investigated
m. purchase of trial dispenser and dog waste bags for Playing Field – requested proforma invoice
n. Chapel Field Housing – wet gardens/poor grass – tenant being visited in September plus other concerns as noted in the above public session
o. Donna Nook RAF/DIO Land and Buildings to be relisted as an Asset of Community Value - submitted as per Resolution 26/6/23 p. Bulk LPG scheme – note put in communication q. Addition of inscription to War Memorial – Clerk has now discussed this with Leakes and it does not appear to be feasible on the grounds of space/potential costs/lack of availability of appropriate craftsperson. Clerk to communicate this to the enquirer.
24/7/23-5 To consider any actions arising from the Cemetery Meeting on 17th July and RESOLVE the way forward, including
a. spoil heap removal – it was RESOLVED to continue with redistribution of soil heap around the cemetery as per the quote.
b. installation of compost bin for recycling floral tribute green waste – no decision made.
c. installation of bin/new area for excess soil/policy of scattering – no decision made.
d. purchase of plants for edging of roadway up to chapels – it was RESOLVED that the Clerk proceed as outlined up to a sum of £200 in the first instance.
e. purchase of plants/bulbs/seeds for trial wildflower planting areas and crocus in between the chapels for example – clerk to ascertain likely costs for further discussion.
24/7/23-6 To consider any 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:
N/132/01115/23 - LAND ADJACENT TO WHIMBREL COTTAGE, MARSH LANE - Change of use of existing agricultural land to equestrian grazing paddocks, construction of an all-weather riding arena, erection of stables for private use, erection of fencing and construction of an access track.
d. Enforcement Issues/Actions – to discuss and RESOLVE the way forward/receive any updates as per request.
i. Static Caravan sited on land adjacent to the Brooks, Church End (approved menage) – Update requested.
ii. Lodge/caravan on land off Bridleway from Church End, near Shoalwater - Update requested.
iii. Land off Coastguard Road Donna Nook (Bespoke) N/132/02073/22 – Update requested.
e. Any other urgent planning matters/applications – none.
24/7/23-7 Highways, Paths and Lighting:
a. verbal update on problem log, including:
i. South Rd – programme date awaited
ii. Warren Rd drainage – programme date awaited
iii. Monitoring 40mph speed limit on Conisholme Rd – update from Lincs RSP on monitoring awaited
iv. Locksley Way footpaths – LCC declined to repair now – passed to Cllr McNally given residents’ recent slips/falls
v. overgrown hedges – request put in Communication, and Conisholme Rd hedge already done.
vi. Howden’s Pullover access track to car park/nature reserve – logged and passed to Cllr McNally
b. any additional issues/other urgent matters to be reported:
i. tree down over the PROW near to Shoalwater bungalow.
ii. 30mph signs faded and need replacing
iii. mesh on the bridge on footpath 29 needs stapling down
iv. no 2 light is still out around Woolpack Meadows – possibly owing to tree proximity
24/7/23-8 To receive reports from councillors who are representatives on Village Organisations/Committees
a. Playing Fields Association - Cllr Walmsley – Party in the Park will be held on 12th August. Graffiti and damage to the rubber matting in the play area has been dealt with, and Magna Vitae will be holding some sports/play activities on the playing field over the holidays.
b. Police Panel – Cllr Newman – The Neighbourhood Policing Panels have been stopped and replaced with the quarterly priorities’ meetings, which Cllr Newman will be attending on 1 August at Louth. The Independent Advisory Group Meetings will still take place at County level.
c. Emergency/Flood Planning – Cllr Newman/Clerk – nothing to report
d. Village Hall Committee – no report
e. DTE Wildlife Group – Cllr Newman/Clerk – expecting the meeting for the seal season to be called soon but not yet heard anything since the change of personnel.
24/7/23-9 Finance
a) the bank reconciliation for July 2023 was checked and signed by the Chairman
b) it was RESOLVED to approve the schedule of receipts of £979 and payments of £3,628.63 for July 2023.
c) to consider any further quotes received for the Toilets and/or Amenity area and RESOLVE the way forward
i. Only one received for the Toilets, of £15k plus vat - awaiting another for comparison.
ii. only one received for Amenity area of £3,500 plus vat – awaiting another for comparison
d) it was RESOLVED to approve the quote of £240 for cutting back the trees and overhanging branches/vegetation on Conisholme Rd, pending receipt of a further quote for comparison.
e) to deal with any urgent financial matters
I. Following discussion it was RESOLVED to extend the current arrangements for village, footpath and cemetery maintenance for a further two years based on inflation increase only. Clerk to confirm this is acceptable to contractors.
ii. Following discussion it was RESOLVED to raise the branches on the trees at the cemetery above head height for visitors and grounds staff at a cost of £200, pending a further quotation requested.
24/7/23-10 22/23 Audit
a) to note 22/23 Annual Audit typo corrected – assets of £204,907 not £204,707 as submitted for 21-22
b) it was RESOLVED to approve the amended Asset list for 31 March 2023 following discussion with the external auditor
c) it was also RESOLVED to approve the Asset Register Policy, following discussion with the external auditor.
It was noted by the Clerk that this error and correction will attract a comment from the Auditors on completion of the 22-23 external audit.
24/7/23-11 To receive/note general Correspondence for July, Website Updates and Communication
Response from EMAS has been circulated, request from LCC to assist with drainage and highways issues received and circulated.
24/7/23-12 Agenda items for the meeting to be held on 25th September 2023 in the Village Hall
Future replacement of parish boundary and Village Signs, Councillor Training/refresher training, Clerks proposal to look at feasibility of recycling blister packs, work to ensure all defibrillators registered and map of locations provided at each one, Footpaths surveys.
24/7/23-13 Confidential Matters – it was RESOLVED that the Council should move into closed session by reason of the confidential property matters to be transacted – there were no members of the public/press present in the meeting at this point.
a. Post office Provision – Following discussion, and consideration of the costs of the enabling works, councillors unanimously RESOLVED to exercise the Council’s General Power of Competence to provide a grant of £2,000 towards the cost of creating a new Disabled Entrance door, which is required to reopen the Post Office in Churchills store in the village. The Clerk was asked to arrange for this to be paid once the works are done.
b. Chapel Field – initial discussion took place on the potential options following councillors’ inspection on 17 July 2023. The Clerk was asked to arrange for the removal of the saplings/suckers in the field and in the gateway and discuss with the neighbour the issue of the overhanging trees (mainly poplars) which need attention. Discussion with the primary school and further investigation of the use of the land for allotment gardens to be followed up.
The Chairman thanked everyone for attending and closed the meeting at 8.15pm.
Sheila Pearce
Parish Clerk & Responsible Financial Officer