2024 Parish Council meeting Minutes

Public Forum: 
Gemma Cater, Chair of Langtoft Pre School gave an outline of the charity run Pre School organisation and requested any help the village could give with community fund raising.  Running costs are high and equipment needs replacing, the library needs updating, the garden area also needs an upgrade.  She would like to raise awareness of the pre school which accommodates approximately 26 children.  LPC asked that the pre school submit a proposal for consideration at its next meeting.  The charity has a full repairing lease and most of the funds go on maintenance. 

John Telford, owner of the Lakes off Stowe Road wanted to attend the meeting to update LPC on his plans and recent negative comments on facebook.  The bricks at the entrance are a temporary measure to widen the entrance to allow better and safer vehicle access while the building work for his new house is underway.  He gave a brief history of the site which used to be owned by the Gibbons family for many years, it is old gravel pits, total 150 acres 120 acres of which is lakes.  Most of the gravel was extracted in early 1900 through to 1950/60’s and then filled with rain water creating the lakes.   A family home was built in the centre of the site in the 1970’s and planted trees. Trees have grown over the past 50 years alongside lots of wildlife habitat accommodating some rare bird species.  John had applied for planning to build a new house and that is now underway.    His future thoughts for the site, other than living there are perhaps allowing wild swimming, enhancing bird watching facilities, already fishing syndicates use this and this will continue.  He said there is a need to address the overgrown trees and vegetation but wants the site to have low impact in the area.  He is happy to keep LPC informed of future developments.  

Agenda

24/25-38 Chair closed the public session and opened the meeting.

24/25-39 Apologies for absence: had been received from Cllr. Valentine.  These apologies were unanimously accepted.

Other Apologies:  District Cllr. Rosemary Trollope-Bellew & Country Cllr. Phil Dilks.

24/25-40 Disclosure of Pecuniary Interests: There were none.

24/25-41 Minutes of:
a)    28 May 2024 Annual Parish Council meeting were presented as a true and accurate record of events.  (After amendment to 24/25-33d Salary scale 15 £14.46)  Proposed acceptance Cllr. Gamble,  Seconded Cllr. Tatam, Cllr. Farrington abstained due to being absent, remaining unanimous in favour-RESOLVED.

b)    Action Log from Minutes was reviewed and updated.

24/25-42 To receive reports from 
a)County and District Councillors.  

Cllr. Smith had submitted a report which was circulated prior to the meeting.
Additional Updates were: 
Quarry liaison committee (QLC) with regards to the quarry at Greatford which boarders Kings Street. This permission was approved 3 years ago but the planning confirmation document did not come out until the following July.  Cllr. Smith has been contacted by the owner of the land to ask if she would sit on the QLC.  Having looked at the term of reference of the committee she was not happy and requested some addition representatives from neighbouring parish councils to be included.  However, LCC stated that because the s.106 had already been drawn up this would not be possible.  However, there was a possibility of an informal liaison committee being formed.  Cllr. Smith thought that 1 meeting a year was not enough, and just virtual meetings did not qualify as full engagement with the community.  Cllr. Smith will try and get a far more effective community committee with some broader invitations.

Mallard Pass solar farm has been passed by the Secretary of State. SKDC will be debating solar farms at their meeting this week.

Lincs Reservoir water to feed Peterborough.  The route will be, round west of Bourne, pass through Wilsthorpe, Greatford, Uffington into Peterborough West.  There is an interactive map on the website. www.lincsreservoir.co.uk

Quarry Activity at East End a map of the site’s planning permission from the 1990’s would be circulated to LPC.

Cllr. Dilks Verbal Report
LCC Mineral and Waste Local Plan.  SG17 land south of A1175 at West Deeping has been included in the Executive decision.
An onsite meeting has been arranged with the head of LCC Highways for 30th August 1pm to look at highways issues in Langtoft.

b)Police  Reports are received and circulated and made available on website/noticeboard upon receipt.

24/25-43 Current Year 2024/25 Finance and General Purpose.

a)    Financial Report for the period 01 April 2024 to 30 June 2024 with bank statements was presented by the clerk.

b)    Payments as follows:
a/c Ref    Date    To Whom    Subject    £
24    30/05/2024    S Valentine    Cllrs Expenses    93.40
25    30/05/2024    B Farrington    reimbursement of expenses    16.24
26    30/05/2024    Earth Anchor    inv 39517 EE pond    73.14
27    30/05/2024    A Harrison    Penfield expenses    10.19
28    30/05/2024    GP Lawnmowers    inv18841 mower repairs    48.00
29    30/05/2024    Ionos    inv 2030421429942    6.60
30    30/05/2024    Ionos    203042075476 Annual sub    169.32
31    11/06/2024    BDG Mowing    inv 24/1529    246
32    11/06/2024    Langtoft Village Hall    inv 1112 - annual pc meeting    32
33    11/06/2024    N Bright    may expenses    43.03
34    11/06/2024    John Eley Signs    inv 8543    124.8
35    11/06/2024    Mark Harrod Ltd    inv 57002 goal nets    177.38
36    30/06/2024    Unity Trust    bank charges    18
37    11/06/2024    Branch Brothers    inv 65104/65303    35.38

To note internal transfer 
Date: 17/5/24 from Saving Account to current Account £3,000
Date: 11/6/24 From Current Account to Saving Account £20,000

c)    To Note Income received
a/c ref    Date    From Whom    £
9    22/05/2024    SKDC    463.32
10    22/05/2024    HMRC    4161.55
11    28/05/2024    J Tatam    16.30
12    31/05/2024    J G Cross    90.00
13    31/05/2024    J G Cross    90.00
14    30/06/2024    Unity Trust Bank    238.62

Proposal: to resolve and adopt and sign all the financial reports shown above. Proposed Cllr.  Gamble, Seconded Cllr. Tatam and unanimous in favour-RESOLVED.

d)    Financial Regulations  
Proposal:  To resolve and adopt the reviewed Financial Regulations presented at this meeting.   Cllr. Tatam, Seconded Cllr. Gamble and unanimous in favour-RESOLVED.

e)    Additional Unity Trust bank signatories
Proposal: To appoint Cllr. Farrington as an additional signatory for the Unity Trust Bank payments by BACS in accordance with the Financial Regulations of LPC.  Proposed Cllr. Tatam, Seconded Cllr. Gamble and unanimous in favour-RESOLVED.

24/25-44   Emergency Plan 

a)    Proposal: to resolve and adopt the Emergency Plan as presented. Proposed Cllr. Gamble,    Seconded Cllr. McCulloch and unanimous in favour-RESOLVED.
Action : Clerk to register to LCC

b)    possible purchase of a lockable box which should be kept in the village hall. It was noted that these are available free of charge from LCC.  Action: Clerk to liaise with LCC for a box.

24/25-45 Amenities
a)    To discuss Football coaching in the Parks and to resolve any legal advice or requirement decision.
Recent unauthorised use of the parks by football coaches was discussed.  LPC public parks are owned and managed (in the case of BBG) by the LPC with permissive rights for the public to use them.   This is different to “public rights” like a footpath.  This means at any time LPC can close and exclude the public if required.  

BBG Park This was a one off use by Deeping Football team, due to their pitch being out of action.  They will not be using BBG again as their facilities are now up and running.

East End Park.   A private coach, has been using the park Mon-Saturday to train 6-7 children privately charging for this service without permission from the Parish Council. A letter has been sent to him asking him to cease and suggesting he hires the football pitches at the pavilion park.

Proposal:  As owners of the East End Park and managing body of Black Bull Green Park we give permissive rights for the public to use the parks.  Commercial use is not allowed without the permission of Langtoft Parish Council.  Proposed Cllr. Farrington, Seconded Cllr. Gamble and unanimous in favour-RESOLVED

Proposal:  To write to the football coach unauthorised user declining his continued use of the park.  Proposed Cllr. Farrington, Seconded Cllr. Tatam unanimous in favour-RESOLVED.
Action: New goal nets to be installed and repair of goal mouths within the week.
Action:  Letter to Football coach declining use.

b)    Playing fields/Tennis club and SEA strategy.    Conflicting running costs have been received from LCC.   Cllr. Smith would make contact with Richard Wyles from SKDC to urge them to get the condition report completed.   Without this further discussion cannot take place.  Once this has been received a meeting can be arranged to have a fully informed discussion of potential costs to the parish if the park was taken over by LPC.
Action:  To request this information for discussion at the September meeting.

c)    Village & Geese signs update.  The clerk had erected more geese signs, there were some spares.
 
24/25-46 Community engagement points for discussion – Cllr. Farrington

•    How & what we communicate.  It was agreed that posting on LIL going forward will be a more beneficial way of communicating with more of the residence.  LPC would only post information and activities and not engage in dialogue.  We will continue to post links to the LPC facebook page to try and push up numbers of followers.  A new Media policy with guideline is to be actioned.
Action:  Clerk to circulate a draft of a media policy for consideration at the next meeting.

•    Grapevine & spotlight inserts.  It was noted that people still wanted to receive hard copies.  The September issue will continue to be an online version with 200 copies printed for collection at various points in the village.   Meantime costs for an alternative printed copy and distribution would be sourced for consideration at the September meeting.    

•    Recruitment flyer for additional Parish Councillors.  Action:  Cllr. Farrington to circulate a draft of a flyer to Councillor via email for approval.

•    Leverage use of Media.
•    PC media policy    - both these items form part of the ‘How and what to Communication’ item above.
 
24/25-47 Proposal for monthly council meetings. 6 weekly parish council meetings will remain as the normal process, with the use of Working groups and internal discussions to move issues to conclusion with resolutions being brought to full council.

24/25-48 Events
2024:-    Remembrance Sunday 10th Nov  
Christmas trees.  Cllr. Farrington proposed consideration of a Christmas tree in both parks this year as well as the crossroads.   Action.  To investigate how to light the trees.   To search for missing reindeer.
PC Christmas dinner.   A LPC Christmas dinner to be arranged by the Clerk, funded by the councillors personally was received as a nice idea.

2025:-  VE (8th May) /VJ day 16th Aug)  80th celebrations -  To research other groups/business ideas for a joint event.   
 
24/25-49 2024 Annual Report informing of activity during the year.  It was agreed that a Parish Council annual report was a good idea and could be printed in the Grapevine.
Action:  Cllr. Farrington to source some examples.

24/25-50    Correspondence was noted from the agenda
A Planning application number s24/1121 had been received post agenda.   LPC had not objections to this application.

24/25-51    Items for Future Meetings
Christmas card 
Editor for the Grapevine to pull articles together.   
Consideration of Reserves policy
Consideration of donation to British Legion Poppy appeal

Meeting Closed at 21:32

24/25-52 Proactive Maintenance/Repairs and upkeep
Closed session re Village landscape/maintenance review – timing/attendance  inc. required inputs

Date of future meetings:  2024: 10 Sept, 22 Oct, 26 Nov
2025. 7 Jan, 18 Feb, 1 Apr, 13 May, 24 June, 2 Sept, 14 Oct, 25th Nov   Annual Parish Meeting TBC