September 2024 Minutes
Scopwick and Kirkby Green Parish Council
http://parishes.lincolnshire.gov.uk/ScopwickandKirkbyGreen/
The minutes of the full Council meeting of Scopwick and Kirkby Green Parish Council, held on Tuesday 24th September 2024 at 7:00 pm. The meeting was held in Scopwick Village Hall. These are notes of the meeting until approved by the Council as a true record.
Present:
Cllrs M Williams (Chair), J Flett (Vice-Chair), P Baumber, O Davies, P Frost, C Kerrigan and D Nelson; and Parish Clerk - J Sargent.
There was one member of the public in attendance.
County Councillor R Kendrick
County Councillor R Kendrick provided a monthly report, circulated via email.
District Councillor A Bailey
District Councillor A Bailey was not in attendance, and no written report received.
Public Forum
Resident 1 queried whether the representatives from the Flood Forum would be returning. Cllr Flett advised that Sanjay Johal was planning a meeting, but nothing had yet been scheduled and that Trent-Severn had booked and cancelled a meeting in the Village Hall.
Cllr Baumber advised that there were two Flood Forum vehicles in the parish recently. Cllr Frost advised there was a website, but it is not updated regularly, with no update since July.
Cllr Williams asked the Clerk to follow this up with the Flood Forum.
Resident 1 asked if there had been any update on the Springwell Solar Farm and reminded Councillors that he previously queried whether it was possible to hold a poll in the parish to gauge support or opposition to the project.
Cllr Williams advised that Springwell are going through a review phase and will soon submit their application. Cllr Williams advised the Parish Council will hold another Parish Meeting and reassured the resident of the Parish Council’s intent to represent everyone in the Parish. Cllr Williams suggested that although it would be good to hold a poll, the costs of holding a referendum are prohibitive and an informal ballot would not carry much substance. Cllr Williams stressed that the Parish Council had been clear on their position on the project in its current form.
With no further matters, if was resolved unanimously to move into formal session.
60. Chairman’s Welcome
Cllr Williams opened the meeting welcoming everyone, thanked Councillors for their attendance, reminded Councillors to turn phone off or on silent and of emergency exits.
61. Apologies.
None received.
62. Declaration of Interest.
Cllr Kerrigan - item 15c.
63. To approve as a correct record the minutes of the full Council meeting held on 30th July 2024.
With no matters arising, it was resolved unanimously to adopt the minutes as a true and accurate record
64. To approve the record of accounts for:
a. July
b. August
With no matters arising, it was resolved unanimously to accept the accounts for July and August.
65. To receive the bank reconciliation for:
a. July
b. August
The Clerk provided the bank reconciliation to keep Councillors up to date with the financial status of the Council, for information purposes only.
66. To receive reports:
a. Village Hall Committee
Cllr Flett report that the Village Hall has become a Co-op Community Champion, where funds will be raised for the Village Hall by shopping at the Co-op. There are new car park signs outside. The Village Show made a large profit of over £2,000.00. Cllr Flett thanked all the committee, volunteers and business who contributed to the raffle. A recent MacMillan coffee morning raised £450.00. Upcoming events include an free art exhibition on 5th and 6th October, the orchestra will be performing on 15th October, but unfortunately the Wrinkly Rockers had to cancel their performance.
Cllr Flett advised of plans to attend an upcoming regional village hall meeting on 26th September where information will be provided on new fire regulations for community buildings.
Maintenance on the hall is being planned, hopefully to co-ordinate the contractors to minimise the time the hall will be closed.
Cllr Flett advised that there is no storage space available. Cllr Davies suggested considering purchasing the Church in Kirkby Green to be used as a community building which would have additional storage and advised the diocese would look favourably on it being used as a community building.
Cllr Baumber raised concerns with the condition of the building. Cllr Williams recommended adding to the November agenda for discussion.
Cllr Nelson questioned whether a lean-to could be added to the rear of the village hall for storage but would need looking in to.
Cllr Flett mentioned finding a letter from the RAF regarding a propellor that was loaned to RAF Digby for an exhibition. Cllr Baumber suggested asking for it to be returned.
b. Playing Field Committee
Cllr Nelson reported installing a new combination lock on the main gate and will email the code to relevant parties. The RoSPA report identified a number of remedial works.
Cllr Williams reported someone misusing the toddler equipment. Cllr Nelson to follow up.
c. Community Speed Watch
Cllr Frost emailed information prior to the meeting with Councillors. The group have been out five times recently at points around the parish, however, a reduced number of times to due volunteers being away.
Cllr Frost reported that average speeds appear to be coming down with an 18% swing in vehicles that are travelling within the speed limit from those travelling over the speed limit.
Cllr Frost suggested following up with the application for the speed limit extension up to Bloxholm Lane. The Clerk reported following this up but the officer from LCC had been on annual leave. The Clerk to follow up again.
Cllr Davies mentioned the proposal to reduce the speed limit between Ruskington and Digby on the B1188, expressing concern that speed limits will not be respected if they are lowered where there are not communities and make journeys tedious of the lower speed limits are adhered to. Cllr Davies suggested objecting to this proposal as it is in open countryside.
Cllr Flett mentioned having an unsuitable for heavy vehicles sign in the village to dissuade HGVs from using the village as a cut through. Cllr Nelson suggested that Council should continue to push to it to be restricted to HGVs. Cllr Frost to follow this up.
d. Environmental Report
Cllr Davies reported that bracket fungus was prevalent in the village and has removed some.
The Clerk reported a tree in a private garden that fallen into green lane. NKDC’s Tree Officer recommended contacting LCC who would be able to confirm who might be responsible for the tree and possibly follow up with enforcement if it does belong to the property.
Cllr Flett queried whether any maintenance was required in the Beck. Cllr Baumber mentioned that a culvert was blocked or partially blocked near the Church, possibly contacting LCC again for their volunteer days to clear the block. The Clerk to enquire with LCC.
e. The Chairman
Cllr Williams attended the village fete and a meeting in Navenby regarding a substation relating to the proposed solar farms in the area. A further event regarding the substation is coming up with Cllr Williams will attend.
f. The Clerk
The Clerk reported the sudden passing of LALC’s webmaster Pete Langford and offered to pass on the Council’s condolences. The Clerk has also completed the training days for the CiLCA course with one follow up day in December. The coursework to be submitted over the next couple of months.
The Clerk reported that colleagues working for other Councils are also having difficulty getting quotes for the grass cutting contracts. Cllr Nelson suggested splitting the contract to the playing field and one for the verges.
The mid-year audit will take place remotely in November. The Clerk to complete some paperwork for the auditor ahead of the audit.
67. To receive an update on the internal audit report for 2023-24.
The Clerk mentioned that the 11 points for improvement on the internal audit report had been completed and will notify the auditor at the mid-year audit.
68. To consider payment of the Tudor Grounds Maintenance invoice.
Cllr Williams reminded Councillors of the situation with Tudor Grounds Maintenance, that they were unable to fulfil the contract and suggested that the options available to the Council were to pay the invoice to conclude the matter or pay a percentage of the invoice to reflected the work done.
The Clerk explained that feedback received from Councillors so far was that the invoice was not itemised nor were the cuts to an acceptable standard.
Cllr Frost suggested that the Council pay a percentage of the invoice, due to the poor quality of service.
Cllr Baumber queried the details of the tender, as to whether Tudor Grounds Maintenance were charging for a price per cut detailed on the tender or whether is this invoice for a proportion of the tender. Cllr Baumber questioned whether the Council were being charged for a full cut when one was not completed and suggested establishing the price for the areas cut.
Councillors agreed that the contractor needed paying as some work was completed, however, pay the correct percentage of the work completed in relation to the work tendered for. The Clerk to investigate and report to Councillors.
69. To consider maintenance of trees in the conservation area.
The Clerk circulated an email with Councillors from NKDC’s Tree Officer, after Cllr Baumber requested to maintain trees in the conservation area on safety grounds.
Cllr Baumber clarified that the intention was to cut the lower, dangerous branches and queried scale of involvement of the Tree Officer in this matter. Cllr Davies suggested that the Tree Officer could be more helpful in this instance. The Tree Officer is due to undertake the next survey in March 2025, and didn’t want any maintenance being done until then.
Cllr Baumber reiterated that the intention was for the trees to be safe in the parish. Cllr Flett suggested replying to the Tree Officer that it was minor pruning with health and safety a priority.
Cllr Kerrigan suggested going ahead with the maintenance and Cllr Baumber advised he would be able to dispose of the branches. Cllr Baumber asked the Clerk to check the Tree Preservation Order that maintenance can be carried out for health and safety reasons.
70. To consider policies:
a. Publication Scheme
b. Accessibility Statement
c. Privacy Notice
The Clerk circulated the policies for review prior to the meeting. On the Publication Scheme, the Clerk marked in red items that didn’t apply to the Parish Council and mentioned that the policies were based on templates provided by LALC.
Cllr Flett questioned whether the Accessibility Statement was accurate. The Clerk confirmed that this had been checked by LALC’s webmaster.
Cllr Flett suggested removing items not relevant to the Parish Council in all policies such as working with credit reference agencies in the Privacy Notice.
Cllr Davies suggested leaving sections in but with a note to say this section does not apply. Cllr Baumber recommended removing the sections not relevant and bringing back to Council. It was resolved unanimously to defer after the amendments have been made. The Clerk to circulate with Councillors prior to the next meeting.
71. To consider arrangements for Remembrance Sunday 2024.
Cllr Davies asked if a member from the Parish Council was available to lay a wreath in the Churchyard and in the Cemetery. Cllr Williams advised he would be unavailable. Cllr Flett offered to represent the Parish Council.
Cllr Davies confirmed that he would be arranging the wreaths, and two collection tins will be in parish, one at the garage and one at the pub.
72. To receive an update on the kerbing project.
Cllr Nelson advised meeting with Cllr Kerrigan and Rowan Smith from LCC to discuss the kerbing project recently. Cllr Nelson suggested that at first Rowan Smith was apprehensive about the idea. Cllr Nelwon and Cllr Kerrigan discussed the issues and the possible solutions, noting that a contribution from the Parish Council towards the costs would be available, to show the project could be feasible. Cllr Nelson mentioned that the project needed to be sympathetic to the area.
Cllr Baumber suggested that obstacles such as posts were unsuitable to the area.
Cllr Nelson provided details for someone who could conduct a vole survey. Cllr Kerrigan mentioned that three surveys would have to be carried out as well as some levelling up of the ground.
Cllr Frost requested the Clerk contact Rowan Smith to find out the dates of the surveys and update the Council.
73. To consider a response to NKDC’s Central Lincolnshire Design Code survey.
Cllr Kerrigan confirmed that this was part of the Neighbourhood Plan. Cllr Davies and Cllr Kerrigan mentioned issues with following the link provided by NKDC, which didn’t work.
Cllr Davies mentioned the conflict in some aspects of the design code such as infill and greenspace and requested that these issues are raised.
74. To receive notification of any planning permissions, refusals, withdrawals, or amendments.
a. Lincolnshire County Council - proposed diversion of parts of restricted byways 1, 12 and 13.
b. Application 24/0959/FUL Land Off Cuckoo Lane Scopwick Lincoln
c. 24/1015/TCA 34 Brookside Scopwick Lincoln Lincolnshire LN4 3PA Reduce height to holly tree T1.
The Clerk confirmed circulating the above planning notifications with Councillors prior to the meeting and received feedback. No additional comments were made.
75. To consider a moving the Parish Council’s bank accounts from the Co-Operative Bank to Lloyds Bank.
The Clerk requested moving bank accounts from the Co-Operative Bank to Lloyds Bank. Cllr Williams questioned whether that would be any costs involved and what were the benefits of moving.
Cllr Flett queried whether there would be any charges, as the Parish Councils accounts were moved to the Co-op to avoid charges.
The Clerk advised that Lloyds Bank was user friendly and provided better reports than the Co-op. The Clerk also advised that there were no charges. Lloyds offered two types of accounts depending on the turnover.
The Clerk also advised that with Lloyds Banking, all Councillors would be able to have viewer access, without the ability to make payments or move money, which would increase transparency. The Clerk recommended allowing the Chair of the Council to make payments as a back-up, in the event of the Clerk being absent from work, business could still be carried out.
Cllr Nelson requested having the same structure of the bank accounts, a current account and a reserve account. Cllr Davies asked for information on interest rates. The Clerk to confirm.
It was resolved unanimously to approve the transfer to Lloyds Bank. The Clerk to arrange.
76. Correspondence Log:
a. To receive the correspondence log since the previous meeting.
The Clerk provided a record of the correspondence log for Councillors information.
b. To consider ending the requirement to complete the correspondence log.
Cllr Williams queried whether the Correspondence Log was of any use after feedback from the Clerk at the annual appraisal, that it was time consuming despite it being a good idea for transparency. The time could be spent on other work.
Cllr Nelson suggested that there were various communications that could have been circulated with Councillors. Cllr Baumber questioned whether sharing the mailbox was an option for Councillors to view. Cllr Frost suggested this was possible but also unusual.
Cllr Baumber advised that Councillors should be aware of the amount of correspondence but not necessarily receive all the communication that is sent to the Clerk.
Cllr Nelson advised that the log previously did not involve internal communications between the Clerk and Councillors but rather external communications that Councillors need to be aware of.
Cllr Frost suggested the Clerk copy in Councillors on communications that cover their areas of interest, so they are kept up to date.
The Correspondence Log to continue with external communications only and the Clerk to copy in Councillors to relevant communications.
77. To receive a record of previous resolutions and action points.
The Clerk provided a record of previous resolutions and action points that were ongoing and complete.
78. To confirm the date of the next meetings as Tuesday 26th November 2024.
It was resolved unanimously to hold the next Full Council meeting on Tuesday 24th September 2024.
Cllr Williams closed the meeting at 8:45pm.
Signed: ……………………………………………….
Chair of the Council - Cllr Marc Williams
Signed: ……………………………………………….
Parish Clerk - Jack Sargent
Tuesday 26th November 2024