January 10 - Parish Council Meeting
DRAFT : Minutes of Langtoft Parish Council Meeting held on
Tuesday 10 January 2023 at 19:00 in the Village Hall
Present: Cllrs. Andy Halfhide (Chair), Andy Hallam (Vice Chair), Debbie Hallam, Yvonne McCulloch, Steve Valentine, Liz Jarman & Lewis Trickey.
In Attendance: County Councillor Kelham Cooke & Rosemary Trollope-Bellew, Pete Coles, 0 members of the public and Sarah Gresty-Parish Clerk.
Public Forum
Cllr. Valentine had been asked by a resident if the overgrown hedging leading towards Penfield will be being cut back. Action: Cllr. Valentine to report of FixMyStreet.
Agenda
22/23-168 Chairman Cllr. Halfhide opened the meeting.
22/23-169 Apologies were received from Cllrs. Martin Lauridsen & Brain Branch. It was Resolved to accept these apologies unanimously and reasons given.
22/23-170 Disclosure of Pecuniary Interests: None were declared.
22/23-171 Minutes of 22 November 2022 Parish Council meeting were presented as a true and accurate record of events. Proposed to accept and sign. Cllr. Valentine, Seconded Cllr. Jarman. Cllrs. Halfhide and McCulloch abstained as they were not present at this meeting, the remaining Councillors unanimous in favour. RESOLVED.
22/23-172 Matters Carried Forward from this meeting:
i) Councillor Map of Areas of Responsibility – Action: Clerk to forward any county boundary maps.
ii) 5g masts – Cllr Dilks any further information to report – c/f as Cllr. Dilks not present.
iii) Insurance Claim – Action: Cllr. Halfhide to forward information to Clerk.
22/23-173 To receive reports from
a) County and District Councillors
Cllr. Cooke gave any update.
• EU regional development fund now closed and has been replaced with UK Shared Prosperity Fund. £3.9 million to support local community lead projects and local e.g. rural fly tipping, high street, art, heritage, events and festivals.
• £5.3million budget for Business Reginal Fund. More info to follow.
• Community Fund for grants up to £5k continues
• HQ Offices at Grantham have moved to a newer building. The old one will be sold, saving about £300,000 in running costs as the old building was very inefficient.
• Elections in May 2023 will be the first with Voter ID being a requirement.
• Cabinet meeting - Consultation on council tax is taking place. SKDC one of the lowest in country enabling an increase of 3.2%. 9p of every £1 paid goes to District.
Cllr. Halfhide broached the subject of the Langtoft Play Park and a recent letter received from the Leisure Officer regarding discussions for the transfer of this park to the parish. Cllr. Cooke suggested the Parish Council put in an expression of interest and meet to discuss the matter. There are possible avenues for s.106 funding to support this project.
b) Police Reports when received are circulated and made available on website/noticeboard.
22/23-174 Working Group Reports
a) Amenities
i) Cllr. Liz Jarman presented the final quotations from Fresh Air Fitness and Caloo.
Proposal: To accept Fresh Air Fitness quotation of £10,138 and to work with them to pursue funding of £10k. To locate 4 pieces of equipment in East End Park (EEP) and 3 at Black Bull Green( BBG).
Proposed Cllr. Debbie Hallam, Seconded Cllr. Andy Hallam and unanimous in favour. RESOLVED
Action: Cllr. Jarman to push this project forward.
ii) Maintenance matters
The Clerk presented a breakdown of all the known repairs required at both parks. The Slide at EEP was a priority as it was unsafe. Amenities to source Herras fencing to prevent use of the slide until the repairs had been done.
Action: Cllr. Jarman proposed the Clerk put this item on the agenda for the next meeting.
Cllr. Halfhide would order the materials for repair
Amenities to call a meeting to organise the repairs needed when weather permitted.
BBG grass area at back entrance. Action: Cllr. Valentine to give Clerk details of grass matting company so she can get prices for repairs.
EEP noticeboard. Action: Cllr. Valentine to remove noticeboard and mend the doors.
iii) Permissive Footpath. Permissive Path Agreement has now been signed by LPC A cheque for £1,300 for legal fees was signed at the meeting (as resolved 22/23-85ii) Action: Clerk to send payment to Lincolnshire County Council which will then complete the Agreement.
b) Cemetery - Clerk continues to pursue quotations for some of the maintenance requirements. Only one had been received so far. Action: c/f to next meeting.
Clerk to ask gardener to remove dead flowers from graves on each visit to the cemetery.
c) Events - The events committee will meet and discuss ideas for the King’s Coronation event. It was agreed unanimously that an event to mark the occasion was a good idea.
It was reported that ‘Christmas at the Crossroads’ was a success.
d) Grapevine Magazine - No new Editor had been found. Cllr. Halfhide confirmed that he would undertake a March issue if no-one was found meantime.
Action: Clerk to contact schools: Bourne Grammar, Deepings, Bourne Academy, Stamford College to see if they might be able to assist in producing editions on our behalf.
e) East End Park Pond Project - Pete Coles gave an update. SKDC Planning Officer had confirmed that they are not undertaking site visits at present. So, Pete suggests we go ahead with our own and then submit another planning application, spreading the tree works over 3 years, so there is a gradual change. He has a meeting with John Oliver (Lincolnshire Wildlife) 9.30am Wed 18 Jan to discuss this further. Some of saplings and scrub brash which has been piled up on the side of the pond is proving to be good wildlife habitat. Pete would like to site some log piles to increase the habitat further, sites TBC. He would like to get the planning application in this month, hopefully get approval in time to be able to pursue the grant application already submitted for funding.
There is still approx. 1 foot of sediment in the base of the pond. This could be spread on site by creating smaller pond areas and to line the banks. To stop rainwater washing sediment back in, there may be a need for some retaining structures. This project is long term and best done slowly to see how it develops year on year.
Feedback from Anglian Water Hydrologist has been received; there is no conclusive evidence that the trees drain all the water from the pond. Pete continues to measure and monitor the water levels. Cllr. Valentine commented that he has noticed more wildlife in this area already.
f) Village Hall – Cllr. Halfhide attended a meeting last evening discussion concerning the Kings Coronation and the Langtoft Play Park proposal were discussed. Nothing further to report.
g) Planning Issues To receive applications received since the last meeting:
Gravel Call for sites. A response to LCC had been sent objecting to the sites in question.
S22/2398 Langtoft Stables, Cross Road PE6 9NX
S22/2459 Water’s Edge, Stowe Road, PE6 9NG
Resident survey 22 East End
PL/0130/22 West Deeping Quarry, King Street vary conditions grid ref: 511976 309813
PL/0129/22 West Deeping Quarry, King Street vary conditions grid ref: 511901 310218
Action: Clerk was asked to write to SKDC Planning (cc Market Deeping TC) regarding the BP garage removal of the boarding and signage.
h) Penfield – Penfield Group are meeting this week to set an agenda for the spring.
As it was 21:30 Cllr. Andy Hallam proposed suspending Standing Orders to complete the financial issues on the agenda. Seconded Cllr. Valentine and unanimous in favour. RESOLVED.
22/23-175 Finance & General Purposes:
a) Financial Report for the period 01 April 2022 to 31 December 2022 with bank statements. Circulated prior to meeting.
b) The Budget and Precept the year 2023/2024 was presented by the clerk and options considered.
Proposal: To keep the precept request at £24,500 and to fund any additional expenditure from reserved funds
Proposed Cllr. Halfhide, Seconded Cllr. Valentine and unanimous in favour. RESOLVED.
c) A donation to LIVES was considered
Proposal: To donate from the Covid ringfenced funds £100.
Proposed Cllr. Halfhide, Seconded Cllr. Trickey and unanimous in favour. RESOLVED.
Payments as follows were noted:
22/23-176 N Bright Nov Sal + salary scale increase
22/23-177 S Gresty Nov Sal + salary scale increase
22/23-178 LVHMC hall hire £45.5
22/23-179 Fenland First Air £525
22/23-180 Graytones Printer inv 33994 £68.4
22/23-181 Simply Deliciious inv 1 £48.5
22/23-182 Deeping Direct inv 31278 £153.6
22/23-183 A Harrison Penfield expenses £76.31
22/23-184 L Trickey Penfield expenses £56.65
22/23-185 N Bright protective trousers £99.99
22/23-186 LBC Penfield meeting £20
22/23-187 Deeping direct inv 32025 £153.60
22/23-188 PECS Signs inv 50221 £91.20
22/23-189 N Bright dec expenses £37.65
22/23-190 N Bright dec salary
22/23-191 S Gresty dec Salary
22/23-192 HMRC Qtr 3 Tax and NIC £897.75
22/23-193 Unity Bank charges £18
22/23-194 Kevin Johnson inv 2721 £720
22/23-195 S Gresty Qtr 3 clerk expenses
Noted Income as follows:
22/23-196 Carltons EROB 127/128 £450
22/23-197 EROB 132 & 133 £180
22/23-198 Unity Bank interest £99.15
Meeting closed at 21:54
Items to be c/f to next meeting below:
22/23-199 LPC Emergency Plan. To consider updating LPC’s Emergency plan
22/23-200 SKDC proposal for the management of the Langtoft Play Park and potential asset transfer
21/22-201 To note Correspondence received from last meeting. – see list below
Items for Consideration and Discussion
a) LGA Model Code of Conduct
b) Electric vehicle charging points
21/22-202 To receive Items for Future Meetings
Village skips – include on February agenda
Manor Way Playing Fields land registry and discussion with SKDC
Date of future meetings: 2023: 21 Feb, 4 April (Annual Parish), 16 May (Annual Parish Council), 27 Jun,
1 Aug, 12 Sept, 28 Nov. 2024: 18 Jan