2021 minutes

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held by Zoom on Tues 6th April 2021 at 6.30pm

Present 21-054 Cllr D Smith (Chair), Cllr C Ashton (Vice Chair), Cllr F Parish, Cllr M Kinning,

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

Apologies for Absence 21-055 Cllr A White, Cllr C Hodgkin, SKDCllr D Bellamy

Chairman’s remarks 21-056

Cllr Smith welcomed all to meeting and reminded Cllrs to not speak until invited by the Chair during agenda items.

Receive Declaration of Interests 21-057 none                                               

   Public Forum 21-058 none

   Reports from LCCllr Adams/ SKDCllr Bellamy 21-059

Cllr Bellamy advised prior to the meeting that he couldn’t see any further evidence of additional development at Greenacres. A concern had been raised whether recent activity at SW quarry was within permitted planning development. LCCllr Adams advised that this is the case and will forward LCC information across to the clerk to circulate to Cllrs. LCCllr Adams agreed to chase an update from LCC re. Thistleton bridge drainage works planned to prevent future flooding. 

Parish Council Facebook representative 21 – 060

Cllr Kinning agreed to be the SWPC FB representative, so will send to SW FB administrators any PC adverts to upload as required, such as allotments for hire. It will not be used for all PC information such as agendas/ minutes, these may be found on the village noticeboards and on the SWPC website page, south-witham.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk 

  Notes of the meetings 21- 061

  Parish Council meeting held on the 2nd March 2021

  Parish Council extraordinary meeting held on the 12th March 2021

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

  Clerk’s and Councillors’ reports on; 21 -062

Financial Matters  - monthly accounts

South Witham Parish Council - Financial Statement  6th April 2021

Zurich insurance renewal due 1/6/21 received £1508.73 (up £30 on last yr) clerk to sort renewal.

LALC annual subs £373.33 due 1/4/21, clerk to arrange payment.

PFK Littlejohn External Audit for PC Accounts 2020 – 21

Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2020 -21 received. Clerk to prepare return, display notices and ask Gordon Andrews if he is willing to perform the internal audit function once again. PC to sign all off at June PC meeting, ready for submission by 30/6/21 deadline.

Lorries through village, Cllr Parish

During March, EA Industries and Midland Rock lorries had been spotted numerous times coming through the village, contravening the 7.5 tonne weight restriction. These HGVs were reported to the companies concerned by the clerk. Cllr Parish advised that this appears to have died down again.

Allotments update, Cllr van Straubenzee 

All progressing well with renewals, possibility of one or two available for hire, once those on waiting list contacted. Any surplus to be advertised on the SW FB page.

Village Hall, Cllrs Golding

• Update on VH car park barrier works Cllr Golding advised that the work had gone well installing the new barrier on the VH car park. Cllrs Golding and Oldfield assisted Cllr White and his men over two weekends. Thanks expressed to all those involved. Witham Wanderers Football Club and the VHMC have been given padlock keys to the new barrier. Others to be arranged for the PC. Cllr White to donate silver paint for Cllrs Lansdowne and Oldfield to paint the new barrier. Clerk to order a “park at your own risk” sign for the car park.
• Other VH matters Cllr van Straubenzee has been trying to find a local tradesman who can lag the pipes in the VH loft and also insulate this space. Cllr Parish to supply a contact. There is also a leak in the roof. Cllr van Straubenzee and Paul Dalby to meet this week to assess the problem.

Play area monthly inspection/maintenance, Cllr Oldfield Cllr Oldfield to do minor repairs.

Planning Matters 21-063

• New planning applications received by SKDC for Parish Council comment

S21/0530 29 Hillview Rd - Trees in CA Section 211 notice, 1 x sycamore &

1 x Holly tree - reduce size – no objections from SWPC

• New planning applications received by SKDC for Parish Council comment after publication of the agenda

S21/0573 Priory Farm, 28 Water Lane, listed building consent for replacement windows, doors and roof to garden room and replacement roof to garage- no objections from SWPC

• SKDC planning permissions granted/refused

                     PL/0004/21 , (S21/0153) New Mills Estate Planning Application, change of use of building from storage and distribution ( use class B8) to Waste Management (polymer recycling)- Sui Generis use – permission granted by LCC, subject to conditions ( see LCC website for                      details)

                     S21/0093 Land north of allotments, North Witham Rd, alterations to existing access, erection of close boarded fencing and erection of shed and polytunnel- permission granted by SKDC, subject to conditions (see SKDC website for details)

Village grit bin review , Cllr Lansdowne 21-064 Cllrs Lansdowne, Oldfield and Steele met to walk the village and review the village grit bins. There are currently 7, all in need of topping up, clerk to report. They identified that if possible it would benefit the village to have a further 5 grit bins in the following locations, 1)Water Lane / Church St, 2) Water Lane, on the corner of VH driveway, 3) Templars Way/ Great Close, 4) Wellfield Close/ Coverley Way, 5) Station Avenue/ Thistleton Lane ( opp. substation). Clerk to write to LCC to make this request. PC to consider further options depending on LCC response.

Village clean up 21-065 PC agreed to defer discussions on a Community litter pick event until the May PC meeting, once more is known re. Government easement of lockdown.

Correspondence 21-066

Lincs bus changes re. lockdown easing - visit website. Resident letter re. various matters including flytipping, WW ending, info from PC during lockdown, considered by Cllrs, clerk to reply.Complaints re. VH and youths/ cars on VH rec, LALC news 16/3/21 & news update 23/3/21, SKDC Coronavirus Parish update 10 and Census info for SWPC, County Council, & Police & Crime Commissioners Elections notices – clerk to display, LCC Town & Parish Council  Update, Fix my street development update (Mar21), Lincs Voluntary Hub – information gathering re Voluntary organisations in the village- clerk to reply with SW Volunteers info, Keep Britain Tidy wk 28/5/21 – 13/6/21, LALC info re. no further virtual council meetings after 7th May 21, E news update 30/3/21  LALC news,  Lincs police - bump up your support for road safety campaign and dog theft stats. Lottery Community Fund agreed to extension to 30/6/21 for fitness activities to be held in SW, (re. Covid restrictions), Finding Fitness advised by the clerk. Clerk had reported the fly tipping on Moor Lane out of village to LCC to deal and also the tree overhanging the carriageway by the old Chapel,Thistleton Lane.

Additional Items 21-067

Cllr Smith reminded all Councillors that she will be attending the Annual Parish meeting on the 4th May but will then be stepping down as Chairman at the start of the May PC meeting and also leaving the Parish Council. Councillors need to consider taking on the Chairman role. Clerk to advertise the vacancy once resignation received at the meeting.

Cllr Parish requested permission to buy some white masonry paint for the village troughs, agreed by the PC. Cllr Kinning to assist with painting.

Date of next meeting 21 -068 Tuesday 4th May 2021 Annual Parish Meeting at 6.30pm followed by the May monthly meeting. Clerk to arrange adverts for Annual Parish Meeting, Cllr Kinning to put on SW FB, clerk to put on SWPC website / village noticeboards.                            

Meeting closed at 8pm