June 2023 Minutes
Minutes of Witham St Hughs Parish Council meeting held on Wednesday 28th June 2023 at 7.00pm at the village hall.
https://witham-st-hughs.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/
Present Cllr Karen Harrison - Chairman, Cllr Danny Bell - Vice Chair, Cllr Derek Fletcher & Cllr Charlie Strickland.
3 Members of the public
Cllr Mitch Elliott from 7.30pm
Comments were received regarding the application by Fosse Green Energy Ltd, for an Order granting development consent. Lincolnshire Independents have arranged on the 11th of July 2023, a meeting at Witham St Hughs village hall to discuss the implications on the village, comments are to be submitted by 18th July.
Public Consultations held by the company will be advertised later in the year.
Agenda Items
1. Welcome and Apologies.
The Chair welcome everyone to the meeting.
Apologies were received from the Clerk.
2. TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LOCALISM ACT 2011 AND OUTLINED IN THE COUNCILS CODE OF CONDUCT – being any pecuniary interest in agenda items not previously recorded on Members’ Register of Interest and any written requests for dispensations.
None
3. Health & Safety brief.
The Clerk had highlighted that the parish council may need to display an Energy Certificate, should the hall have 250m2 of space open to the public.
Action Clerk.
4. To Resolve to fill by Co-option parish councillor vacancies.
The Chair made comment that two applicants had applied for the Parish Councillor vacancies. Each candidate had sent in a résumé.
Cllr Harrison proposed to co-opt Ms Hannah Tannock on to the Parish Council, seconded by Cllr Bell. A majority vote in favour of the co-option was received.
Ms Tannock then signed her Acceptance of Office form; she could then participate in the rest of the meeting.
Cllr Harrison proposed to co-opt Mr Nicholas Yeatts-Walker on to the Parish Council, seconded by Cllr Bell. A majority vote in favour of the co-option was received.
Mr Yeatts-Walker then signed the Acceptance of Office form; he could then participate in the rest of the meeting.
The Chair welcomed Cllr Tannock & Cllr Yeatts-Walker to the Parish Council & the meeting.
Declaration of Interests forms to be completed by both new Councillors.
Action Clerk.
5. Village Hall Extension Update
It was Resolved to suspend Standing Orders, to allow members of the public to make comment on this agenda item – All agreed, show of hands.
Members of the working group have met with Lindum Construction they wanted to investigate the plans further and visit other village halls to gather information asking for pros and cons should they have had any building work carried out. Funding streams are still to be investigated the plan is for the group to meet once a month and attend the parish council meeting monthly to give an update.
Thanks were passed onto the members of the working group.
Cllr Mitch Elliott joined the meeting, just reiterated the points regarding the Fosse Green Energy application.
Standing Orders were re-instated.
6. Notes of the Parish Council meeting held on Wednesday 17th May 2023 to be approved as minutes.
It was Resolved to approve the notes as minutes – all agreed by a show of hands, signed by the Chairman.
7. Clerks Update & Correspondence, and to Resolve to approve any subsequent actions.
• The Chair made comment that an e-mail had been received regarding the Fosse Green Energy Ltd application. The village hall has been booked for a meeting to discuss this on 11th of July 10-12pm. Chair has been in contact with NKDC for more information so the Council can make an informed choice, details have been circulated to council members to review.
• The Chair made comment that an e-mail had been received from Cargill regarding the overhanging hedge on their entrance road, these would be trimmed back towards the end of the year with a tractor & flail.
• The Chair confirmed the bank mandate had been changed at Barclays Bank, the Cambridge building society and the Nationwide Building Society with the Unity Trust Bank account still too be amended.
• The Allotment car park has been repaired; this now looks better with all the ruts filled in.
• Lincolnshire Football Association had been in touch with the parish council to arrange a meeting regarding the possibility of a new football pitch and changing rooms, and how they can help with funding.
Clerk to arrange.
• The chair made comment regarding the trees that have been planted by a resident on Privet Walk the Clerk was asked to write to the resident who has said he's too elderly to remove the trees, how will they be maintain as they are conifers and can grow tall. As they are not a permanent structure no planning permission was required, this contravenes instructions received by the enforcement officer at NKDC.
Clerk to contact.
• The Chair made comment the first parish councillor surgery had taken place with no residents attending, a further surgery is scheduled for the 1st July 2023.
• An e-mail had been received from Lincolnshire County Council offering the parish council the opportunity to have a litter picking kit supplied by them with the aim to organise a local litter pick in the village. The kits would contain litter picking sticks, hi-vis jackets, and clear plastic bags. Councillors suggested an ask go on the Facebook page to perhaps arrange this over the summer.
8. Finance
a. To Authorise the signing of orders for payment, list previously circulated.
It was Resolved to approve the list of payments – All Agreed, show of hands.
b. To receive the Bank Reconciliation as at 31.05.2023.
The bank reconciliation as at 31.05.2023 was presented to council, showing the accounts balanced – signed by Cllr Fletcher.
The Chair reminded everyone that it is their responsibility to familiarise themselves with the finances.
c. To consider the quote to repair or remove the fence on the edge of the field behind the school.
After discussion on a majority vote of 4:2 it was Resolved to remove the fence at the edge of the school field.
Action Clerk.
d. To consider the costings to replace the broken swings at the park quotes, previously circulated.
After discussions it was Resolved to approve the quote to replace the swings at a cost of £495, with Cllr Yeatts-Walker to install. All agreed – show of hands.
e. To consider the costings for hedge lane play park to replace a piece of equipment quotes previously circulated.
Deferred to the next meeting.
Councillors Strickland, Tannock & Yeatts-Walker to review all equipment across parks. ROSPA report to be circulated, along with a checklist.
9. To review & adopt the following policies.
a. Sickness and absence policy
b. Lone working policy
c. Expenses policy
d. Grievance policy
e. Disciplinary policy
f. Code of conduct
After discussions it was Resolved to accept the polices, that Chair confirmed that the Lone Worker Risk Assessment had been reviewed and updated. The clerk was asked to review the wording of the same policy around the ‘sign in sign out sheet’.
All agreed – show of hands.
9pm – It was Resolved to suspend Standing Orders to consider point 3x, meeting shall not exceed 2 hours. After discussions it was Resolved allow the meeting to continue to consider the remaining items on the agenda – All agreed, show of hands.
10. To consider the following planning applications –
a. Single storey rear extension 4.0 metres in length from the original wall, eaves height 2.5 metres and maximum height 3.85 metres.
12 Rosemary Dr, Witham St Hughs. Ref - 23/0621/ PNH.
After discussions it was Resolved to submit no comment to the application. All agreed show of hands.
b. Erection of an industrial building for general industrial, storage and industrial processes.
Game Engineering Ltd, camp Rd. Ref - 23/ 0548/ FUL.
After discussions it was Resolved to submit the following comment, “query that there are no landscaping plans”.
All agreed show of hands.
c. Application proposed tree works, 16 Nettleton Drive, Witham St Hughs.
Ref - 23/0666/TPO.
After discussions it was Resolved to object to this application, with the following comments. “The tree is being felled due to an extension being built, the tree was there prior to the extension. Damage to the property being the reason that the tree will be felled.”
All agreed show our hands
d. Change of use of land to residential.
3 Doe Close, Witham St Hughs. Ref - 23/0618/ FUL
After discussions it was Resolved to submit the following comments, the area has been identified as public open space this is incorrect as it is still with the developer. The parish council has no other comment to make.
All agreed show of hands.
e. G1 oaks - end weight reduction of approximately 2 metres to 2nd growth points up to 50mm diameter. Limbs and branches on various trees overhanging.
G2 oaks – 3x Oakes to prune back by approximately 2.5 metres to reduce end weights. Keep flowing lines back two second growth points.
Gibson Green, Witham St Hughs. Ref - 23/0681/TPO.
After discussions it was Resolved to submit no comment to the application. All agreed show of hands.
11. To review the arborists tree report.
The chair made comment that the tree reports had been received this provides us with a three-year plan for tree maintenance in the village. 20% of the trees are still the responsibility of Strawson’s with the report plus invoice for the survey has been emailed to them.
Chair & Clerk has met with the contractor, to review the report and agree a schedule of works.
The clerk was asked to circulate the report for information.
12. To approve the areas of Phase 2 for adoption and to consider the ROSPA report for juniper park.
Deferred to the next meeting, whilst the parish council arrange meeting with Strawson’s to discuss the trees report and any works require in phase 2 before adoption.
13. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING.
Parish Council Meeting Tuesday 18th July 2023 at 7.30pm