2023 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

Minutes of a Scothern Parish Council meeting held on Wednesday 11 January 2023 at 19:30 at The Methodist Church. Main Street, Scothern.

Present:    Cllr Mrs CJ Nicoll(CJN) [Chair], JLR Fotheringham(JLRF), J Johnson(JJ), B R Patchett(BR), R Creaser(RC), D Canton(DC), N Reyner(NR)
        D/Councillor R Waller, 1 member of the public.    

001.23    External Reports    

a)    Police Update – DC has contacted the Community Police Inspector who will advise date of liaison meeting with local Parish Councils. 

b)    District Councillor Report – Cllr Waller reported
Joint Strategic Planning Committee has approved revised Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) outlining how committee expects to involve and consult public and stakeholders when preparing planning documents and how and when the public can comment on planning applications determined by WLDC/City of Lincoln/NKDC.
Document can be downloaded from WLDC website.
Ongoing discussions direct with PC/WLDC regarding 16 Church Street.
Noted proof of ID will have to be provided at elections next May.
Platinum Jubilee Village Hall Fund is now open. More information available https://acre.org.uk/platinum-jubilee-village-halls-fund 

c)    County Councillor Report (SR) – not present.

002.23    Public Session – points in relation to public transport were raised by the member of public.
Council called to order: 19:50

03.23    To receive Clerk’s resignation
a)    Noted Michelle Vail, Clerk resigned due to personal circumstances giving one week’s notice to terminate on 8 January 2023. Pension contributions were not made.
Arrangements in place to advertise the post through LALC. Post to also be advertised in Parish Magazine, noticeboard, social media and as many local villages as possible.

b)    Resolved Cllr Nicoll undertake the duties of the Clerk without payment until replacement appointed. All councillors to support where necessary/possible.

004.23     Apologies for Absence -all present.    

005.23    Declarations of Interest (Pecuniary or Non-Pecuniary) 
All councillors confirmed Register of Interests displayed on WLDC website are up-to-date. 

006.23    Resolved notes of Council Meeting held on 14 December 2022 be approved and signed as an accurate record. Signed by the Chair. 

007.23     Update Reports:   
a)    To receive an update regarding the Community Speed Initiative (SID) 
    Additional SID Main Street – received, installed and working. 
    Speed Watch – no sessions held during December 2022. 
    Figures – period 13 December 2022 to 8 January 2023
Sign 1 Dunholme Road: incoming 30995, outgoing 37847
Speeds exceeding 50 mph: incoming 16 maximum 61mph, outgoing 80 including 10 x >70mph maximum 88 mph.
Sign 2 Sudbrooke Road: incoming 26897, outgoing 21060
Speeds exceeding 50 mph: incoming 239 including 1 x >70mph, maximum 73mph, outgoing 299 including 2 x >70mph maximum 85 mph.
Grant application to IGAS – application form received for completion for additional camera.

b)    To receive an update on the maintenance and relocation of the war memorial (CN) – further meeting to be arranged with WLDC as soon as possible. Noted all costs could be met by grant aid however some funding may be needed from Parish. 

c)    To note arrangements for transfer to “gov.uk” email addresses – noted application has been made to Cabinet Office for domain via Springbok Computers. Agreed email addresses as “clerk@scothernpc.gov.uk” and “cllrname@scothernpc.gov.uk” eg: cnicoll@scothernpc.gov.uk.

d)    Christmas – photographs of the village advent windows/Christmas Tree event to be published in February/March 2023 editions of the Parish Magazine.
Action:    JJ

e)    To receive an update on Central Lincolnshire Local Plan - nothing to report.

f)    To consider any quotes for play equipment repairs arising from RoSPA report (CJN) - nothing to report

008.23     Council Functions:
a)    To discuss and take any necessary action regarding the Neighbourhood Plan review – nothing to report. Next Neighbourhood Plan Group meeting to be held on 18 January 2023.

b)    Bus matters: 
To review, discuss and take any necessary action in relation to bus services through village - noted Chair discussion with Roger Patterson Vice-Chair, WLDC. Resolved Roger Patterson WLDC, County Councillor Sue Rawlins, P C Coaches, CallConnect, Stagecoach, Sudbrooke Parish Council be invited to public meeting to discuss public transport.
Action:    Acting Clerk to arrange.

c)    To discuss provision of emergency light adjacent to defibrillator at Village Hall – Resolved: light to be sourced and installed to ensure safety.
Action:     RC to source, obtain quotation and arrange installation.

d)    To receive internal audit report, discuss and agree actions – Noted Internal Audit carried out by auditor appointed by Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils.  Report received and recommendations considered:
Councillors to receive copies of bank statements on a monthly basis and one councillor to initial as correct.
Asset register be reviewed and updated as necessary / inspection of assets be undertaken at regular intervals.
Action:     RC to consider method for managing for further discussion.
Fireproof storage to be sourced for paper and “backed up” electronic records.
Action:     Acting Clerk

Co-option Policy and Terms of Reference for Neighbourhood Plan Group/Grange Park Group be published – see below.
e)    To receive, discuss and agree policies as below – following Internal Audit Report JJ provided drafts which had been circulated prior to council meeting
    Co-option to Council Policy – Resolved: draft policy be adopted
    Terms of Reference:    
    Grange Park Working Group – Agreed in principle however Grange Park Working Group be asked for comments prior to adoption.
    Neighbourhood Plan Working Group – Resolved draft terms of reference be adopted
Action:    JJ to display on website.

009.23    Financial matters
a)    Current financial statement – agreed financial statement accepted with minor amendment. 
Post meeting note: slight amendment rectified with spreadsheet formula correction.

b)    To agree Precept for 2023/24 -Resolved claim form be signed £32210 (uplift of 2.75%) on the 2022/23 Precept)

c)    To discuss/agree purchase of additional webmaster time for website maintenance –Resolved 5 further hours be purchased from LALC following resignation of Clerk. Noted JJ able to carry out some modifications.
Action:    Acting Clerk

d)    Invoices for payment to be agreed (All)

010.23     Lincolnshire County Council – to discuss 2023/24 budget and council tax proposal to formulate a response (All). Noted information received from LCC regarding Council Budget 2023/24 possible increases. Agreed Option A be supported for Precept setting “2% adult social care precept + 0.99% general precept = 2.99% precept and 10.3m use of reserves”
Action:     Acting Clerk respond to LCC as above.    

011.23    Village maintenance: 
a)    To discuss and take any necessary action regarding village maintenance – nothing to report.

b)    To discuss and take necessary action regarding compilation of asset register and arrangements for inspection of assets – see above.

012.23     Highways:
a)    Update report (JLRF) – nothing to report.

b)    To discuss and take any necessary action following any response from LCC to request they check the offlets and gullies; and to jet drains, regarding flooding on Main Street, adjacent to number 23, and resurfacing of Dunholme Road and Main Street – to be followed up through C/Cllr Sue Rawlins for update.

c)    To receive any update from LCC, and take any necessary action, regarding flooding issues on Craypool Lane - nothing to report.

d)    To receive any update in relation to overgrown hedge on Lime Tree Paddock – nothing to report.

013.23    Planning matters:
a)    145096 - Hybrid planning application: proposed 57km pipeline scheme between Elsham and Lincoln, a 1.5km spur at Welton, associated above ground infrastructure at Elsham, together with outline planning application for associated ground infrastructure at Welton with access to be considered and not reserved for subsequent application – approved.

b)    145704 - Planning application: proposed first floor extension over former double garage and 2no. rear single storey extension - Thistle Grove 40 Sudbrooke Road Scothern Lincoln LN2 2UZ – approved with conditions.

c)    Planning Inspectorate Appeal Ref: APP/N2535/W/22/3306219.
144213 - Land to rear of Weir Farm Paddock, Scothern.Outline planning application to erect up to 36no. dwellings - access to be considered and not reserved for subsequent applications – decision awaited from Planning Inspectorate.      

014.23    Field paths
To discuss any maintenance due to the village fieldpaths (BP)
    Report of broken gate on path running from Orchard Close – BP to inspect.

015.23    Reports – to receive update reports:
a)    Grange Park (CN) – nothing to report, next meeting 23 January 2023.
i.    To receive an update regarding work to the damaged fence Grange Park - Barbers Farm.
ii.    To receive an update from the working group

b)    Scothern Recreation Centre and Spirit of Scothern – receive update report (JLF) – nothing to report no meeting held in January.

016.23     Correspondence – for information only
    WLDC Parish News 16th Edition
    LALC E-News 19 December 2022
    LALC E-News 12 December 2022

017.23    Next meeting – Wednesday 8 February 2023 at 7.30pm at The Methodist Church, Main Street, Scothern

Meeting closed 21:35