2021 minutes

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held by Zoom on Tues 2nd Mar 2021 at 6.30pm

Present 21-033 Cllr D Smith (Chair), Cllr C Ashton (Vice Chair), Cllr F Parish, Cllr M Kinning,

Cllr S Lansdowne, Cllr J Oldfield, Cllr C van Straubenzee, Cllr G Steele,  Mrs H Sandon (parish clerk) , SKDCllr D Bellamy, LCCllr B Adams

Apologies for Absence 21-034 Cllr A White, Cllr C Hodgkin, Cllr P Golding

Chairman’s remarks 21-035

Cllr Smith explained that she will be leaving the Parish Council, so wanted to give plenty of notice to fellow councillors, as one of them will be required to take on the Chairman role from May. Clerk to deal with councillor vacancy once resignation received.

Receive Declaration of Interests 21-036 none                                               

   Public Forum 21-037 none

Visit by David Slinger, Director for Synergy in Trade Ltd to discuss New Mills Estate Planning Application PL/0004/21 , (S21/0153) Change of use of building from storage and distribution ( use class B8) to Waste Management (polymer recycling)- Sui Generis use ( 6.45pm invitation to join ) 21-038

Mr Slinger outlined the proposed operation, a start up business which his son will be working. A product will come into the site from a company in Melton Mowbray and will then be turned into granules that can be sold on and used in other products. It takes 3 days to process a truck load. There will be no increase in lorries to the site from current levels. A truck will come to the site 1-2 times a week, possibly rising to 3 times a week and all vehicles will come/ go via the North Witham Rd. There will be no noise, smell, or pollution as nothing is heated, it is purely a granulated product. All products will be stored inside the building. For future, it may be that a further one or two people will be employed, if so he hopes to recruit from the village. Councillors were invited to go and see the operation. Mr Slinger was thanked for attending the meeting.

Reports from LCCllr Adams/ SKDCllr Bellamy 21-039

SKDCllr Bellamy advised that the SKDC budget meeting had agreed a Council tax rise of 3.06%. SKDC is no longer underwriting the event to unveil the Margaret Thatcher statue, this is being funded by private investors, but a Civic event will still go ahead.  SKDC lowest paid staff are to be given a pay rise in line with the living wage, so will be paid £9.50 an hour. Cllr Bellamy agreed to look into activity at Greenacres to check work is in accordance with the various planning applications.

LCCllr Adams (late to meeting) advised that LCC has to pay 12 million pounds back to the Government so this will affect monies available for potholes and other repairs. He also said that LCC and SKDC are only setting their budgets for a 1 year term and that Lincs Police are increasing its budget by 6% to fund additional officers on the streets.

Notes of the Parish Council meeting held on the 2nd Feb 2021 21-018 21-040

The notes of the meeting were approved by the Council and were signed by the Chair in acceptance as minutes (to forward to clerk for records). 

Co option of Parish Councillor to fill vacancy 21-041

Giles Steele attended the Zoom meeting for a short interview with the PC. Cllr Smith then proposed that Giles be accepted onto the PC, seconded by Cllr Oldfield, with all in agreement, Cllr Steele was voted in to take up the councillor position and welcomed by all. Clerk to forward paperwork for completion.

Thistleton Lane bridge ongoing flooding issues 21-042

Clerk to contact LCC for an update on the drainage survey, as activity observed in this area last week.

Cllr Adams asked to follow this up also.

Clerk’s and Councillors’ reports on; 21 -043

Financial Matters  - monthly accounts

South Witham Parish Council - Financial Statement  2nd March 2021

Play area monthly inspection/maintenance, Cllr Oldfield Repairs/ skate park painting to be done as soon as weather permits.

Allotments,  Cllr van Straubenzee

• Renewals procedure for allotment season 2021-22

Clerk to send out renewal information to allotment holders and advise of new season start date of 1st April 2021. Fees remain at same rates as 2020/21 season, £18- £25 for the year, depending on the size of the allotment. Clerk to contact people on the waiting list, to request that they make contact with Cllr van Straubenzee if still interested in a plot.

Any vacant allotments remaining to then be advertised on the PC website, village noticeboards and SW FB page (via Cllr Oldfield).

Village Hall, Cllr van Straubenzee

• Update on electrical works  Cllr van Straubenzee met with Mr Medcalf on 1/3/21 to look at the electrical work. Mr Medcalf has rewired and simplified the heating system. The frost stat has been set to 5 degrees, so will kick in should the temperature go below this. It was suggested that all the pipes should be lagged, PC in total agreement with this and Cllr van Straubenzee to request quote for this work, so it may be done as soon as possible.

• SKDC Electoral Services enquiry re hire of VH  for Thurs 6th May 2021

Clerk had received and passed to the VHMC, an enquiry from SKDC regarding VH hire for upcoming SKDC elections, as they are now moving away from using schools for future elections. The VH had been risk assessed and the booking has been made.

Planning Matters 21-044

• New planning applications received by SKDC for Parish Council comment

New Mills Estate Planning Application, SKDC issue of planning application S21/0153 , (LCC ref - PL/0004/21) , Change of use of building from storage and distribution ( use class B8) to Waste Management Objections sent in last month, as per Feb PC meeting.

Further correspondence received from LCC in response to objections raised, circulated to cllrs (Also see 21-038 visit by Mr Slinger above).

• New planning applications received by SKDC for Parish Council comment after publication of the agenda none
• SKDC planning permissions granted/refused none

Review of the following Policies 21-045 ;

• Data Protection policy
• Data Breach Policy
• Records Retention Policy
• Subject Access Request Procedure    

Cllrs all in agreement to keep the terms the same for the four policies above, clerk to update records held and diarise next review for Mar22.

Village grit bin review 21-046 In light of a recent resident request for a grit bin near Station Avenue, Cllrs Lansdowne, Oldfield and Steele agreed to meet and walk the village to assess the whole village to see where grit bins may be lacking. To report back at next PC meeting, for PC to consider and agree its request to LCC.

Lorries through the village 21-047 Cllr Parish had received a complaint re. several Midland Rock lorries coming through the village, breaching the 7.5 tonne weight restriction. The clerk had made several calls to Midland Rock and had filled in a complaint on its website, but no one had called her back. Cllr Parish advised of a further complaint of EA Industries lorries passing through the village, clerk to contact this company also.  

Correspondence 21-048

TSG Publishing Team – bus timetable to SW FB, South Kesteven District Council - Notification of Consultation - Draft Statement of Community Involvement 2021, LALC training schedule, weekly E news 9/2, 16/2& 23/2/21 & Yr 21/22 invoice, Lincolnshire Rural Churches Volunteers – A snapshot of Lincolnshire’s churches from the Anglo Saxon to the Victoria two part zoom talk – Thurs 25th Feb & Thurs 4th March at 2pm, onto SW FB page and village notice boards, SKDC Coronavirus Parish update 9, Environment Agency flood defence maintenance information, SKDC Flood prevention information, SKDC enquiry re. lamp post ownership - Harrington Rd/ NW Rd re.ivy.

LCC Household Waste Recycling Centres to open for all types of waste from Monday 8th March, bookings still required. LCC Town & Parish Council newsletter Feb 21.

Additional Items 21-049

Cllr Parish advised that a local resident who has for many years litter picked on Broadgate Rd would be stopping temporarily. If litter on this stretch increases as a result, other help may be needed to deal with this stretch of road. The clerk reminded all that the village litter picker could tidy this area here and there, as part of her duties, so to raise with her if litter increases.

Cllr Parish is also going to thank a couple of residents seen out picking up rubbish on Church Lane.

Clerk asked to order some more bin stickers to put on village public bins, so residents know they can bag and bin dog poo in these bins.

Cllr Parish advised that Finding Fitness is in the process of sorting out Easter fitness activities for Primary ages at the school, this will be aimed at the teenagers of the village later in the year, rather than simply primary aged children.

Date of next meeting 21 -050 Tuesday 6th April 2021, meeting closed at 7.50pm