2024 minutes

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held in the village hall on Tues 4th Jun 2024 at 6.30pm

Present 24-47 Cllr C Ashton (Chair), Cllr F Parish (Vice Chair), Cllr R Brabbin, Cllr P Golding, Cllr M Kinning, Cllr N O’Shea, Cllr C van Straubenzee,  SKDCllr D Bellamy, SKDCllr B Green Mrs H Sandon (parish clerk), 1 South Witham resident, 1 Gunby resident

Apologies for Absence 24-48 Cllr C Hodgkin, Cllr L Hughes, Cllr J Oldfield, Cllr A White, LCCllr C Vernon

Chairman’s comments none

Declarations of Interest for items on the agenda 24-49 none         

Public Forum 24-50

A resident attended to listen to SWPC’s progress update on planning application S24/0568, dealt with under planning matters below. A Gunby resident joined the meeting late and expressed thanks for SWPC’s support with this planning application.

Reports from County/District Councillors 24-51

SKDCllr Green advised that SKDC will be replacing the swings at the Wild Witham play area, this will incorporate a basket swing on the end of the equipment. Resurfacing will also be undertaken and 10k has been earmarked from SKDC’s 100k capital budget for this purpose. The slide has been safety checked and deemed safe until 2029, however SKDC hopes to refurbish the whole site in the next few years with FCC grant assistance. Cllr Green has also ordered more trees for this area, for planting later in the year. SKDC Environment Committee has pushed back the launch date for the collection of batteries along with household waste until Sept 24. The Grantham Market Place Hardship Fund of £50k to directly support local businesses affected by a reduction in footfall during the current Market Place roadworks being undertaken, has been rejected. Raised that parents are still parking on the yellow lines (newly resited) outside South Witham Academy, clerk to ask the local police to undertake spot checks/ liaise with parents.

To approve the minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on the 7th May 2024 24-52

The notes of the meeting were approved by the Council and signed by Cllr Ashton in acceptance of minutes.

Clerk’s and Councillors’ reports on; 24-53

Financial Matters, clerk

Monthly Accounts

South Witham Parish Council – Financial Statement   - Jun 2024

Additional payments; clerk to refund Cllr Parish £75.05, for community litter pick refreshments (£12.05) and village troughs masonry paint/brushes (£63.00)

SWPC Accounting return 2023/24 ;

Mr Andrew had completed the internal audit with no issues found and was thanked by the clerk for his efforts. Donation (£30) in lieu of Mr Andrew’s fee to be added to the SWPC Memorial Reserve fund.

i. Approval of Annual Governance Statement 2023/24  With all councillors in agreement, Cliff Ashton (Chair) and Helen Sandon (Responsible Finance Officer- RFO) signed off the Annual Government Statement 2023/24

ii. Approval of Accounting Statements 2023/24 

Clerk as RFO had signed off the accounts prior to presenting to SWPC for approval. With all councillors in agreement, Cllr Ashton signed off the Accounting Statements. Clerk to display the notice of public rights and publication of unaudited annual governance and accountability return 2023/24 on the SWPC website / VH notice board and to submit the AGAR accounting return 2023/24 to PKF Littlejohn LLP by 1 July 2024.

Village Hall, Cllrs Parish & van Straubenzee

Village hall electrics update Cllr Parish advised that the minor issue of the toilet cubicle lights remaining permanently on was being sorted this week at no charge.

VH flat roof Clerk advised that the VH flat roof contractor (roof installed Dec 2010) is no longer in business. The guarantee is valid for the materials ie. roof resin with Graham Roberts Plastics Ltd. Cllr Parish advised that she had a partial quote 2 yrs ago for this work, estimate £8-9.5k approx. To request a reassessment/ requote for the roof to see if it requires repair or replacement. If the latter, grants and further quotes to be sought for the work. Cllr Brabbin to provide alternative contractor details to Cllr Parish. Cllr Hughes to be chased up too on this matter.

VH driveway- brambles, potholes Cllr Kinning keen to clear up the bramble area by the VH. Clerk to ask Cllr White to help with this and also the driveway potholes.

Play areas, Cllr Oldfield

Planning Matters 24-54

New planning applications received by SKDC for Parish Council comment

S24/0568, Erection of an anaerobic digestion (AD) facility and carbon capture, improvement of existing and part creation of new access track, landscaping and other associated infrastructure. Location: Development East Of Sewstern Industrial Estate South Of, Sewstern Road, Gunby, Lincolnshire, NG33 5RD (deadline for comments extended to 14/6/24). Cllrs Brabbin, O’Shea, van Straubenzee and Parish had distributed information to residents on this application, assisted by two residents. They collected / delivered to SKDC over 80 letters of objection, which coupled with online direct resident objections, amounts to approximately 100 South Witham objections lodged, 300 across the various local villages. Cllrs Brabbin, O’Shea and Parish to formulate SWPC’s objection in consultation with fellow councillors. Response to focus on location, transport issues and visual impact, with submission by the clerk prior to the 14/6/24 deadline. Thanks expressed to the councillors involved for all their hard work.

S24/0822, 4 Water Lane, TPO horse chestnut tree, crown raised to 5.2m for clearance of highway - no comments

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

SKDC planning permissions granted/refused

S24/0464, Great North Rd, mobile mast upgrade – approved by SKDC

S23/2099, 33 High St, demolition of existing outbuilding, erection of 1.5 storey annexe with adjoining car port – refused by SKDC

S23/2316, Abacus coaches, Great North Rd, Retrospective planning application for demolition of storage warehouse & ancillary office buildings & use of site for open storage (use class B8) – approved by SKDC

LRSP Community Speed Watch Scheme - local training event request by LCCllr Vernon 24-55

No update from LCCllr Vernon re. training as she was not present at the meeting, clerk to further chase. Clerk advised that SWPC considered Speedwatch checks (July 2019) but this didn’t progress due to the LRSP not loaning equipment and no willing volunteers at the time. Cllrs Kinning and O’Shea keen to take this on with Cllr Kinning agreeing to contact LRSP to find out how it may assist SWPC with this project.

SWPC FB page, Cllrs Oldfield/ Kinning 24-56 Error should say “Hughes” not Kinning. In absence of Cllrs Oldfield/ Hughes, deferred to next meeting.

Village troughs, Cllrs Oldfield/ O’Shea 24-57 Cllr Parish/ clerk advised that there are 4 village troughs, the North Witham Rd, Thistleton Lane and Mill Lane troughs are looked after by the PC in conjunction with the SW Community Group and the Broadgate Rd trough is looked after by Mrs Dedynski. Cllr Parish agreed to plant up two of the troughs (Thistleton lane / Mill Lane) with Cllrs Brabbin and O’Shea to do the other two ( North Witham Rd/ Broadgate Rd ) liaising with Mrs Dedynski for the latter. Receipts to be presented for reimbursement. Cllr van Straubenzee to arrange for Steve Harris to strim around all troughs.

Rubbish around the village, Cllr Kinning 24-58 The Community litter pick event took place on the 19 May and several bags of litter were collected by residents. Cycle event signage was found discarded on Broadgate Rd. Also noted that the road sweeper was in the village last week.

Correspondence 24-59

LALC Enews, VOA request for information re. rent/ lease of VH building – clerk completed. SKDC recycling bin collections information for PC’s- Cllr Kinning displayed on village FB page. SKDC Economic Development Strategy 2024-28 consultation, survey deadline 8/6/24. Parliament campaign  - safety of lithium batteries (used in e-bike and e-scooters) and their disposal. Clerks & Councils Direct. LALC pre election briefing notes, LCC Town & PC newsletter, Art Pop-Up, grant submitted by this company for a South Witham arts event has been declined. Complaint received re. the Public footpath rear of the Blue Cow pub, clerk to report to LCC to deal.

Additional Items 24-60

HM King’s portrait received, to be displayed in VH, clerk to liaise with VHMC re.position.

Cllr van Straubenzee advised that SKDC sand / bags had been delivered to the allotment site for future use by the village in flood times. Cllr Kinning to sort storage for the bags. PC agreed that the clerk should write to an allotment holder regarding the state of his plot, giving one month’s notice to rectify or forfeit the plot, as all previous messages had been ignored.

Date of next PC meeting 24-61 Tues 2nd July 2024 at 6.30pm in the small hall of the VH

The meeting closed at 8.20pm