January 07 - Parish Council Meeting
Minutes of Langtoft Parish Council (LPC) Meeting held on Tuesday 07 January 2025 at 19:00 in the village hall.
Present: Cllrs. Bev Farrington (Chair), Yvonne McCulloch, Colin Gamble, Julian Tatam, Steve Valentine, Kevin Payne, Liz Jarman & Emma Williams
In Attendance: 0 Members of the public, Cllrs. Vanessa Smith and Rosemary Trollope-Bellew and Sarah Gresty-Parish Clerk.
Public Forum: No one present.
Agenda
24/25-99
Chairperson opens meeting by wishing everyone a happy new year.
24/25-100
Apologies for absence: were received from Cllr. Branch. These were unanimously accepted.
24/25-101
Disclosure of Pecuniary Interests: None received.
24/25-102
Minutes of:
a) 26 November 2024 Parish Council meeting were presented as a true and accurate record of events. Proposed acceptance Cllr. Payne, Seconded Cllr. McCulloch, Cllr. Gamble and Tatam abstained due to absence remaining unanimous in favour RESOLVED.
b) 18 December 2024 Extra Ordinary Parish Council meeting were presented as a true and accurate record of events. Proposed acceptance Cllr. Tatam, Seconded Cllr. Jarman, Cllr. Gamble and Valentine abstained due to absence remaining unanimous in favour RESOLVED.
24/25-103
Action Tracker was reviewed items updated were:
Langtoft Pre School have submitted a grant application
Grit bins are full – Cllr Jarman to purchase a new shovel for one bin
Free tulips – now not available
Village gates Action: Cllr. Gamble and Clerk to look at documentation to take this forward.
Amenities. As a result of the ROSPA reports a separate meeting to discuss the actions for both parks would be organised.
24/25-104
To receive reports from
a)County and District Councillors
Cllr Smith report was circulated at the meeting.
Additional items discussed PL/0127/24 vary condition 13 Land at Kings Street. Action: an Extra Ordinary Parish Council meeting be called to receive residents comments before responding by the deadline date
Lights at the pavilion: The street lights in the car park are SKDC’s and they are responsible for the maintenance of these. They have been to site to undertake repairs and have identified the lighting runs on a circuit from the Pavilion. It is understood that the tenant may have been turning the lights off unknowingly and therefore the issue has occurred with the lighting not being available within the car park. The M&E officer is looking into options for the separation of the supply and control the lighting and is liaising with the tenant with regards to the ongoing issues.
Cllr. Rosemary Trollope-Bellew reported on the major incident at Greatford from flooding. SKDC, LCC, Fire and Rescue and the Environment Agency have been assisting. Fewer houses than last year have flooded, the village hall is being used as a refuge. Water levels are still high. Greatford PC have a meeting next week, Greatford cut is no longer working and doing its job and expect this to be the main topic of their meeting. Plans seem vague from the EA. A solution is required. Tallington village did not suffer, this time.
The closure of King Street is due to subsidence repairs.
Vanessa agreed to send a links for funding workshop.
b)Police Reports are received and circulated and made available on website/noticeboard upon receipt.
24/25-105
Current Year 2024/25 Finance and General Purpose.
a) Financial Report for the period 01 April 2024 to 30 December 2024 with online bank statements were presented by the clerk.
b) Payments as follows:
a/c
ref Date To Whom /Description/£
112 27/11/2024 B Farrington comm. Engagement expenses 547.73
113 27/11/2024 S Valentine Penfield expenses 318.5
114 27/11/2024 L Jarman Cllr. Expenses 101.81
115 27/11/2024 Graytones inv36622 Xmas cards 66
116 27/11/2024 St Michaels PCC Christmas tree event 10
117 27/11/2024 Ionos Inv. 203045078420 13.8
118 27/11/2024 Unity Trust bank charges 6
119 27/11/2024 Branch Brothers Inv. 66930 EEP parks 54.46
120 01/12/2024 B Farrington comm. Engagement expenses 200.16
121 01/12/2024 LVHMC Penfield hall rental 32
122 01/12/2024 P Coles comm. Engagement expenses 104.21
123 01/12/2024 HMRC Qtr. 3 Tax and NIC 904.87
124 01/12/2024 N Bright December salary 431.7
125 01/12/2024 S Gresty December salary 627.36
126 01/12/2024 S Gresty Qtr. 3 council expenses 290.58
127 08/12/2024 N Bright expenses for paint 19.99
128 08/12/2024 Branch Brothers inv .67242/67410 40.48
129 08/12/2024 Kevin Johnson Inv. 2954 Nov gritting 240
130 11/12/2024 Andrea Elliott Simply delicious comm.eng 325
131 11/12/2024 L Jarman Cllr. expenses 44.76
132 31/12/2024 Unity Trust bank charges 6
Invoices presented not shown above:
Black Velvet Pest Control £85
Ionos £15
c) Income - Noted
a/c
ref Date Income / £
28 04/11/2024 JG Cross 90.00
29 20/11/2024 Set in Stone 90.00
30 06/12/2024 Set in Stone 90.00
31 09/12/2024 PJ Mathews 45.00
32 03/12/2024 Grantscape 5910.00
d) To Note Internal Transfer of funds
15/11/2024 £5,000 from Saving to Current account
Proposal: To accept and adopt all the financial recorded above. Proposed Cllr. Tatam, Seconded Cllr. Valentine and unanimous in favour.
Proposal from outcome of the Extra Ordinary meeting held on 18 December: A Precept Request of £35,600 which equates to a Band D council tax of £45.28 per year an increase of £1.18 or 2.7%. (The actual increase in the precept is around 4% , the difference being that we have about 12 more properties being charged).
Proposed Cllr. Tatam, Seconded Cllr McCulloch, Cllr. Gamble abstained, It was Resolved to set a budget of £39,614 for 2025-2026 which included estimated income from other sources of £6,977 and to request from SKDC a precept of £35,600.
Action: Cllr. Farrington to draft an explanatory article in the Grapevine magazine explaining what a precept is, for those unsure residents and also what the Parish Council are responsible for.
f) Grant applications for 2025/26 year had been received for consideration:
i) Langtoft Players had submitted a grant application for a new stage extension project requesting £2,000. Action: The Clerk was tasked to go back to the Players to ask for clarification on the stage as the wording in the application is saying the stage is unsafe and to resubmit their application.
ii) Langtoft Preschool had submitted a grant application for updating the building to keep it running safely requesting £1,000. Action: The Clerk was tasked to go back the Pre School as the lighting costs needed further clarification from SKDC and to provide details of the Management Committee structure when resubmitting their application.
24/25-106
Working Groups A reflection of what each group has achieved over the year and any lessons learnt were discussed.
Community engagement. Remembrance and Christmas events. The Christmas event weather was unkind however there was still a good attendance at the lights switch on events. Improvement for installing trees can be made next year. Tree lights worked well, but additional lighting to aid people entering and leaving site was required next time. Cllr. Farrington thanked everyone for their help. Action: Clerk to organise a key safe for EEP
Cheese and wine Annual Parish Meeting was well attended and enjoyed by all who came. Cllr. McCulloch mentioned that LCC’s Emergency Resilience Officer would like to come to the next event.
Task ahead are to send a survey to all community groups to find out demographic of people who attend sessions, to see if they offer any other services and use the results along with the LGA Research from Local Government demographic so identify any new needs that LPC should consider in terms of priorities for funding or to research grants.
Penfield. Cllr. Tatam gave an overview: Weekly working parties continue. Committee are still investing in structures. Hoping to start installing the new viewing platform imminently. Recent Wildlife Information Evening attracted 60 people https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmgtFxhFmxTyw9K9cgGffVCbzIPpqI_bY&si=He4FiIXO5wlCDRdb. Key things coming up are to complete the viewing platform, complete the newt pond this will potentially complete the capital expenditure. Future year will just be maintenance of the site.
Cllr. McCulloch asked if the Committee might consider some larger bird feeders.
Cllr. Williams questioned the car park signage as the gates are locked. Committee to consider its relevance
Cllr. Payne asked if the containers were going to be wooden clad or painted.
General group improvements
For next year each individual Group will record its Expenditure against Budget through the year.
Continuation of the group reports at each meeting.
24/25-107
Planning
- S24/2044 14 Mossop Drive – submission of details reserved by condition 3 (materials) of planning permission s18/1724 (Single storey rear and side extension with front porch) Response: No further comments.
- S24/2166 47 Truesdale Gardens – Demolition of rear conservatory and replacement with new family room. Response: To support this application.
Action: An Extra Ordinary Parish Council meeting will be called for PL/0127/24 Vary Condition 13 of Planning Permission s20.1351 Land at King Street
24/25-108
Governance Documentation.
a) Anti-harassment and bullying policy draft had been circulated prior to the meeting.
Proposal: to adopt and resolve this policy document. Cllr. Jarman, Seconded Cllr. Gamble and unanimous vote in favour.
24/25-109
Councillor Communication. - Cllr. Farrington wanted to remind Councillors that any communication made on social media that relates to parish council business cannot be separated as a personal comment. When responding on behalf of the Parish Council at least 2 Councillors should approve the wording as previously agreed. She urged everyone to be mindful of projecting their personal opinions in responding on behalf of the parish council.
Action: A group photo for the grapevine and a write up on the parish council.
24/25-110
Report from Councillors
i) Emergency Resilience Plan. Cllrs. Williams, Payne, Tatam and McCulloch had met with SKDC’s Emergency Resilience Officer. He approved or LPC’s plan. SKDC gave the village an emergency kit which is kept in the village hall.
Inventory of Kit: Weather station (needs wifi) and connecting to separate frequency/ High viz vests/ Radios/ Megaphone/ Foil blankets/ Torches/ Whistles/ Gloves and a radio
Suggestions:
A list of vulnerable people in the community
A community list of volunteers Action: Cllr Williams to write an article for the Grapevine asking for a lead group of volunteers to include a list of facilities that could be useful in an emergency eg: people with 4 wheel drives/ tractors/generators, any resident Doctors etc etc.
A good idea was to hold a simulation event to see how the plan works in real terms.
ii) The Filing cabinet purchased in 2007 is no longer used by the clerk. Kirton Parish Council have offered to purchase this for £50 and it was unanimously approved for the clerk to organise it sale.
iii) A S106 Working Group consisting of Cllrs. Jarman and William and a member of the public who has offered his services. The Group will start to look at the parks up grade and needs before funds can be applied for a plan and quotations need to be obtained.
24/25-111
Correspondence received from last meeting was noted from the agenda.
24/25-113
To receive Items for Future Meetings
i) To receive, consider and resolve Communication Policy
ii) 2025 Capital plan strategy, development of project(s) scope, funding and potential of grants – Cllr. Farrington
iii) Demographic of Village. Review and discuss current community provision and current/future additional needs
iv) VE Day working party - lead by comm. Engagement group.
v) Annual Parish Meeting
Date of future meetings: 2025. 18 Feb, 4 Mar This meeting is cancelled, 1 Apr, 13 May, 24 June, 2 Sept, 14 Oct, 25 Nov. Annual Parish Meeting TBC
21:10 meeting closed