January 2020 Minutes
Scopwick and Kirkby Green Parish Council
http://parishes.lincolnshire.gov.uk/ScopwickandKirkbyGreen/
Parish Council Meeting Minutes: 28th January 2020, Scopwick Village Hall
5/2020 Welcome and Public Forum
Chair of Parish Council Philip Baumber welcomed Councillors and members of the public to the meeting.
6/2020 Q and A with Stephen Brookes, Broadband Programme Manager for Lincolnshire County Council (LCC)
Mr Brookes told the Parish Council that LCC had a budget of £11 million to spend on improving broadband in the County. By April his department will have chosen a provider and signed a contract, details will then be published on the LCC website.
Approximately 30,000 properties in the County are still not covered by broadband. Many areas are covered by broadband but service is poor mainly due to outdated infrastructure with a reliance on aluminium and copper cable. BT Openreach are slow to upgrade the infrastructure only acting where they have received complaints from users.
He suggested that the best solution for the residents of Scopwick would be the new Government voucher scheme, the Rural Gigabit Connectivity Scheme. If the parish applied collectively the cost to individual properties should be covered by the scheme which pays £1500 for a residential customer and £3500 for a business. He is aware that at present around 44 voucher schemes are ongoing across the County. His department can assist in applying and may be able to assist financially if there is a shortfall between the amount payable under the scheme and the amount required to upgrade.
He agreed to assist the Clerk in publicising the new scheme as a first step.
7/2020 Attendance, declarations of interest and requests for dispensations
Attending:
Cllr Philip Baumber (Chair), Cllr Janet Flett, Cllr Alistair Brackenbury, Cllr Tim Banks, Cllr David Nelson, Cllr John Money, Cllr Owen Davies.
District Cllr Steve Clegg and District Cllr Jim Clarke
Apologies from County Cllr Rob Kendrick
Officer: Jill Moran (Parish Clerk).
Cllr Banks declared an interest in item 8(a)(i) on the agenda as Director of Blankney Estates, the owners of the neighbouring land.
Cllr Baumber declared an interest in item 8(a)(ii) on the agenda as his company has traded with the applicant Lincolnshire Chickens Ltd.
8/2020 District Council Report
Cllr Clegg said that the issue reported to him by the Clerk concerning a property owned by NKDC was being dealt with by the housing team.
He said that NKDC would be putting up no cycling signs on the Springfield Estate as requested by residents.
Cllr Clegg and Cllr Clarke had been in contact with David Steels the Head of Environment and Public Protection at NKDC in connection with the flooding and ground water infiltration issues. NKDC have met with the other agencies involved including Anglian Water and the Environment Agency to discuss the way forward. David Steels has asked for the views of the parish and the Parish Council will respond to him directly.
9/2020 Minutes
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on the 26th November 2019 and the budget meeting held on the 15th January 2020 were approved and signed by the Chair and Vice Chair respectively.
10/2020 Reports
(a) Clerk’s Report
i. Provisional Parish Council meeting dates for 2020:
Tuesday 31st March 2020
Tuesday 19th May Annual Parish Meeting immediately followed by Annual Parish Council Meeting from 6.30pm
Tuesday 2nd June 2020
Tuesday 28th July 2020
Tuesday 29th September 2020
Tuesday 1st December 2020
ii. Local Government Boundary Commission consultation.
Consultation on the first stage closes on 16th March 2020. The Commission had announced that NK will retain the current number of councillors (43), however, the ward boundaries will change with the aim that each councillor will represent roughly the same number of voters. Draft recommendations are to be published in June 2020. A map of the current boundaries can be accessed on the website: consultation.lgbce.org.uk. Once the new proposed boundaries are published there will be a further period of consultation.
iii. Planning applications received/decided since last meeting:
1. Erection of 2 storey rear extension and double garage to the front of existing property. Demolition of outbuildings and single storey extension on the east side of the existing property. - 1 Vicarage Lane Scopwick Lincoln Lincolnshire LN4 3NT Ref. No: 19/1772/HOUS | Received date: Mon 23 Dec 2019 | Status: Pending Consideration.
2. Removal of an internal ground floor wall and installation of appropriate structural support - 5 Main Street Scopwick Lincoln Lincolnshire LN4 3NU Ref. No: 19/1703/LBC | Received date: Tue 10 Dec 2019 | Status: Pending Consideration
3. Erection of single storey cabin for business use. - 11 Heath Road Scopwick Lincoln Lincolnshire LN4 3NU Ref. No: 19/1726/FUL | Received date: Tue 10 Dec 2019 | Status: Approved.
4. Outline application for the erection of a dwelling (with all matters reserved) Location: Land Opposite 1A Main Street, Kirkby Green Planning Application Reference: 19/1588/OUT - Status: refused.
5. Installation of drop kerb - 79 Main Street Scopwick Lincoln Lincolnshire LN4 3NW Ref. No: 19/1438/HOUS | Received date: Tue 08 Oct 2019 | Status: refused
(b) Playing Field Committee Report
The draft minutes from the meeting in December had been circulated and are on the Parish Council Website. The application for funding for new play equipment is due to be submitted by 5th March and the group are currently working to collect as many completed surveys as possible to assist with the application in showing community support for the project.
(c) Village Hall Committee Report
Minutes of the last meeting of the Committee had been circulated.
Cllr Flett as Chair of the Committee gave a report as follows:
The Committee had agreed to cease invoicing the Parish Council for use of the hall for Parish Council and Playing Field Committee meetings from 1/4/2020 for the next financial year. The Parish Council had increased the grant to the Committee by £250.
The Committee has undertaken a review of key holders and a change of entry code to maintain security.
There are bookings for four weddings this year all involving the cooperation of regular users to move dates. The Committee believe that big celebratory events for residents should take priority and have added a clause to the booking contract indicating cancellation notice requirements for both parties in such circumstances.
The Committee are reviewing the kitchen facilities in the hall and wish to replace both the fridges and microwave, they also require new kitchen equipment to enable them to host weddings and other large bookings.
Recent events included a coffee morning for National Village Hall Week.
(d) Neighbourhood Planning Group (NPG) Report
Cllr Money’s summarised the current activities of the Group for the Parish Council. The Group met in January as a working party and the draft minutes of that meeting are on the Parish Council website. The Group have received and commented on a Housing Needs Assessment undertaken by AECOM.
(e) Community Speed Watch Report
SID traffic analysis report from 18/10/2019 to 18/12/2019 on Main Street Scopwick: of the 53,379 vehicles recorded approximately 30% on any given day were over the 30mph limit, with a maximum speed of 65 mph recorded. The full report is on the website. The Community Speed Watch volunteers completed one session in January on the B1188; in 50 mins from 10am. 52 vehicles were recorded and none over 46mph reporting limit for the 40mph zone. It was noticeable that vehicles slowed down when they saw the signs/yellow jackets.
The next session will take place in February on Main Street Scopwick at 4pm to coincide with a busy time.
11/2020 Matters considered
(a)(i) Planning application 19/1772/HOUS – Erection of 2 storey rear extension and double garage to the front of existing property. Demolition of outbuildings and single storey extension on the east side of the existing property. Location: 1 Vicarage Lane Scopwick Lincoln LN4 3NT.
Whilst acknowledging that the property was not in a conservation area nor was it a listed building, two Councillors thought that the proposed new garage being positioned at the front of the property and close to Vicarage Lane may be unnecessarily prominent. The Applicants were present at the meeting and confirmed that their architect had applied for pre-planning and that the advice received from the planning officer was that the building should be distinctive.
The Applicants confirmed that the wooden cabin at the rear of the site would be removed once the building work is complete.
The Parish Council resolved to support the application whilst recording the above comments regarding the design/position of the garage.
(ii) Planning application 17/0525/FUL – Removal of 18 movable units from the site to be replaced by 4 permanent free range poultry units. This represents a 100% increase in poultry numbers and a move from open wooden sheds to intensive farming in 4 large units with built in ventilation systems.
After considering the letters of objection received from residents of Kirkby Green and studying the application and in particular the Environmental Statement, the Parish Council decided to object to the application on the following grounds:
- Negative impact on residents in close proximity to the site. Councillors believed the proposed development would impact on air quality, result in an increase in noise, dust and flies.
- Unacceptable landscape and visual impact contrary to CLLP LP17. Councillors considered that the scale of the proposed development would present an unacceptable visual impact to the ‘gateway’ to the settlement of Kirkby Green which is a valued landscape.
- Councillors considered that the existing application failed to properly address the potential contamination of nearby watercourses and the potential harm to flora and fauna.
- Unacceptable impact of increased HGV traffic on local community.
(b) Flooding and sewerage issues.
The Environment Agency license permitting over-pumping into the beck is due to expire on the 31st January. Ground water levels although receding slowly are still very high and Anglian Water (AW) are seeking to renew the licence for another month. A meeting of AW management is due to be held shortly to discuss the over-pumping and the future works needed to prevent ground water infiltration. The bridge head repair will be completed in February.
LCC Highways are responsible for the drainage into the roadside culvert, the blockages in which contributed to the flooding experienced by the residents of 71 Main Street.
Cllr Money had been very active in bringing this matter to the attention of the Highways Department and as a result contractors had surveyed the culvert and undertook remedial works. They found many obstructions within the culvert, consisting of masonry and tree root material, this material has now been removed and the channel is relatively clear. The Contractors are preparing a report for LCC Highways.
(c) Village maintenance:
i. Highways and footpaths
Bus Shelter – In 2010 LCC Highways raised the kerb outside the bus shelter. This has resulted in a large puddle forming on the floor of the shelter in wet weather. The Clerk has reported the problem to LCC Highways.
ii. Other
Cllr Flett has enlisted a volunteer to assist her in cleaning and maintaining the wooden benches in the parish.
The Clerk will advertise for volunteers to join in the village litter pick on Saturday 7th March.
Volunteers to meet outside the village hall at 9.30am.
12/2020 Finance
(a) Accounts summary as at 24/1/20
- Co-operative Bank current account: £7,017.21
- Co-operative Bank deposit account: £22,927.09
- Total available funds: £29,944.30
(b) Payments to be approved:
Payments made since last meeting:
- J Moran – Clerks expenses Oct /Nov 2019 £25.98 (Postage: 0; Other –Instant Ink £15.98; Administrative £10; travel 0 )
- J Moran salary November 2019 £428.76
- SKGVHC hall hire invoice 60 (Parish Council) £15.00
- J Moran salary December 2019 £428.76
- LIVES donation £50.00
- Planning for People (NPG) £1500.00
- SKGVHC hall hire invoice 72 (Parish Council pfc) £15.00
To be paid before next meeting:
- J Moran – Clerks expenses Dec /Jan 2020 £69.53 (Postage: 28.07; Other –Instant Ink £15.98 and 15.48 envelopes and paper; Administrative £10; travel 0 )
- J Moran salary January 2020 £428.76
- J Moran salary February 2020 £428.76
13/2020 Date of next meeting
Tuesday 31st March 2020 – Parish Council meeting 7pm in Scopwick Village Hall.
Minutes submitted by:
Jill Moran, Parish Clerk. Dorset House, Vicarage Lane, Scopwick. Tel: 07512 234965.
Email: clerkscopwick@gmail.com