2022 minutes

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held in the village hall on Tues 3rd May 2022 at 6.30pm

Present 22-056 Cllr J Oldfield (Vice Chair), Cllr P Golding, Cllr L Hughes, Cllr M Kinning, Cllr S Lansdowne, Cllr C van Straubenzee, Mrs H Sandon (parish clerk), SKDCllr D Bellamy, SKDCllr B Green,

Apologies for Absence 22-057 Cllr C Ashton (Chair), Cllr C Hodgkin, Cllr F Parish, Cllr A White, LCCllr C Vernon

Chairman’s Remarks 22-058 Councillor Oldfield as vice chairman led the meeting in the absence of Councillor Ashton, chairman. 

Receive Declaration of Interests 22-059 none

Public Forum 22-060 none

Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman 22-061 Cllr Ashton was proposed as chairman and with all councillors in favour was voted in as Chairman. Cllr Ashton to sign the declaration of acceptance of office when available. Cllr Oldfield was proposed as vice chairman and with all councillors in favour was voted in as vice chairman.

Report from County/District Councillors 22-062

SKDCllr Green reported on the recent Rural and Communities meeting. Topics discussed included domestic heating oil costs rising year on year by 100%, no increase in thefts reported but residents should remain vigilant. Trailer and horse box theft is a problem and security of such should be reviewed / tightened. SKDC has been provisionally allocated £3.9 million from the new UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the successor to the old EU regional funding model. Plans are in place for it to be spent on local improvements from October 2022 over a period of three years. Cllr Green advised he has logged the High Street hedge debris issue to the SKDC Big Clean Team to deal.

SKDCllr Bellamy advised that he was shocked to see the state of the roads around the Great Close / Templars Way area and will this week take photos of the potholes and report all on “fix my street”.   

LCCllr Charlotte Vernon was unable to attend the meeting but had sent her report to update the PC on various matters including; Lincolnshire Spring 2022 County views survey (deadline 9th May22) this can be found on the LCC website, this gives residents the opportunity to give their views on roads, transport and highways in Lincolnshire. Lincolnshire County Council good citizen awards (deadline 6th May 2022), Local childcare survey (deadline 6th May 22).  Ukrainian refugee update, nearly 200 people/ families have come forward in Lincolnshire to potentially host Ukrainian refugees. The various authorities in the County are working together to prepare to welcome the refugees and offer advice and guidance on services available to them.  Reminder issued to not place electrical items /batteries in bins following a recent fire in a bin lorry, plus reminder to keep reporting potholes/ damage to roads on LCC “fix my street”.

Vacancy on the Parish Council following the resignation of a Councillor due to work commitments

22-063 Cllr Steele has tendered his resignation from SWPC due to work commitments. Clerk to display the necessary notices advertising this vacancy and to notify SKDC Electoral Services Department accordingly.

Notes of the Parish Council meeting held on 5th Apr 2022 22-064

The notes of meeting were approved by the Council and signed by the vice chair in acceptance of minutes.

Clerk’s and Councillors’ reports on; 22-065

Financial Matters, clerk

Monthly accounts (see financial statement below)

South Witham Parish Council – Financial Statement   - May 2022

Other invoices- CC Cleaning Services £40, 2 bus shelter cleans @ £20 each for Jan/ Apr22.

SWPC annual insurance for yr 2022/23 with Zurich , cost of £1574.78, an increase of £67.00 on yr 2021/22. Policy includes increase in VH building sum insured to £400k. Clerk to arrange payment.   

EOY accounts for yr ending 31st March 2022

Clerk has completed the AGAR accounts return pack for the financial yr 2021 /22, to now pass over for internal audit. To be signed off by the PC at the 7th June PC meeting, deadline for submission  to PKF Littlejohn LLP - 1st July 2022.

Village Hall update, Cllrs Parish/ van Straubenzee

Cllr van Straubenzee updated the following; as agreed by the PC, MK Works has installed a combination lock box over the boiler thermostat controls to prevent unauthorised access, invoice for £140.50 presented, clerk to arrange payment. PC agreed that the combination should be given to the VHMC to manage who has access to the code. Also agreed that the heating is turned off with immediate effect. Quotes for fire doors are still ongoing and the cooker hood is being fixed this week by Richard Medcalf. Cllr Hughes advised that the roof repairs are to take place this coming weekend.

Allotments update, Cllr van Straubenzee All plots are now rented out, with the majority of rents  paid. Cllr van Straubenzee thanked Cllr Kinning for her assistance advertising the plots on  the SW FB page. Cllr Oldfield was thanked for setting up the compost bins on the allotment site, which are already being used by the site grass cutter /allotment tenants. There is a continuing  problem on the site of the black bin being filled with heavy matter as soon as it is emptied by SKDC. The PC is currently looking into measures to stop this happening. Clerk is in the process of sorting  the payment for yr 2022/23 for the SKDC green bin. Cllr Oldfield has in the last month been tidying up the area around the gas box and securing the fencing. He has a proposal for the PC to consider to make the allotment area more secure/ attractive and will send over full details of this and the cost involved to councillors, for their consideration at the next meeting. 

         Play area inspection / maintenance, Cllr Oldfield All in order, although the skate park is looking tired and in need of some general upkeep. Cllr Kinning had obtained a quote £2-£2.5k to strip back/ paint the skate park equipment. PC agreed that this needs more consideration but will need  something doing soon to preserve the equipment until funds are raised to upgrade the equipment. On this point, Cllr Oldfield is about to embark on a tin can project, whereby he collects cans  and is paid by the kilo for them, with funds to go to refurbishment of the VH play park equipment . Cllr Oldfield to ask residents, the school and other organisations to pass on their cans. Glass found  at the Great Close Wild Witham play park, clerk to report to SKDC to deal.

Planning Matters 22-066

New planning applications received by SKDC for Parish Council comment after publication of the agenda none

SKDC planning permissions granted/refused

S22/0563, 17 Church St – tree in Conservation area, reduce height of Pissard’s Plum (2.5m) and reduce lateral branches by 1m to balance shape and remove 2 branches  - work allowed by SKDC

S22/0546, 14 Church St, Installation of stud wall in bathroom for shower cubicle ( listed building consent)  - application withdrawn.

Correspondence 22-067  LALC Enews weekly, Lincs YMCA  - NHS free dance classes 28/4/22 for 8 weeks, LALC news, Lincs police  - Safer Together Teams Countrywide newsletter qtr 1 , 2022, Safer Together

Co ordinator North & South Kesteven newsletter qtr 1 , 2022, National Highways - notification of maintenance works- A1 Colsterworth to Long Bennington May-Sept22, Town & PC newsletter, Lincolnshire Voluntary Engagement Team – resettlement of refugees information, YMCA news Apr22,

LALC Enews weekly, C & C Direct, NALC legal update Apr22.

Additional items 22-068 Reminder - Community litter pick on Sunday 22nd May, 11-1pm , meet at VH, details have been displayed on noticeboards and on SW FB page. Cllr Parish to lead, Cllr Golding to collect equipment. Cllr van Straubenzee advised she is looking into trees to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee this month, to let clerk know type of trees to check out with SKDC, planting location - the triangle opposite South Witham Academy.  Clerk has notified LCC of the Highway signs that have been knocked over on Moor Lane leading away from the village. LCC has confirmed that they are on the works list for repair.

Revised date for the Annual Parish Meeting / date of the next PC monthly meeting 22-069 The Annual Parish Meeting (APM) will be held on Tuesday 31st May 2022 at 6.30pm in the VH. The June PC meeting will be held on Tuesday 7th June 2022.

Meeting closed at 7.35pm