April 2021 Minutes
MINUTES OF WILSFORD PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD VIA VIDEO LINK (ZOOM) AT 7.00PM ON TUESDAY 13 APRIL 2021.
Prior to the start of the meeting a one-minute silence was held for the Duke of Edinburgh.
Present: Cllr S Davey(Chairman) Cllrs. M Harrison, Mrs J Clements.
K Corner, R Sirs, Ms M Miller, and R Frankland.
In Attendance: County Cllr A Hagues, District Cllr R Jackson, 3 members
Of the Public and D Gascoyne Parish Clerk.
Public Forum:
All three members of the public were concerned with heavy traffic use and speeding/parking on Main Street. Volume had increased due to the lockdown and delivery vans were parking on the narrowest parts of Main Street. A mixer had recently reversed into a house on Main Street after using the Crescent as a turning point. This should not be necessary as there are exits at either end of Wilsford. One person showed photographs of tyre marks in the snow within one foot of their house door and highlighted the danger. Suggestions put forward included: a layby in front of the Post Office; signs at either end of the streets saying “Unsuitable for HGV’s” or a weight limit (though it was pointed out that this might prevent inter alia deliveries of oil and building materials and buses); A re-design of the Crescent to make it impossible to use as a turning point for large vehicles; a one way through the village and pinch points (other than for buses and emergency vehicles); and parking on only one side of Main Street. A further suggestion was that a 50mph limit should be imposed on the A153 from Ancaster to Wilsford level crossing.
County Cllr A Hagues agreed to put all these suggestions to Highways and report back to a future meeting.
Another concern was lorries coming through the village Kelby Hill/Heath Lane from quarries and building works in Kelby. County Cllr Hagues would send an email to the contractor.
The meeting began at 7.45pm
1.Chairman’s Welcome:
The Chairman Cllr S Davey welcomed everyone to the meeting.
2.Apologies for Absence:
There were none.
3.Declarations of Interest:
There were none.
4.To approve and accept as a true record the notes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 09 March. These had been delivered to the Chairman for signing.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: by a show of hands that the minutes of the meeting held on 09 March be accepted as a true record and signed by the Chairman. These would be returned to the Clerk.
5.Reports from County Councillor/District Councillor:
a. County Cllr Hagues reported that as lockdown was easing Libraries were re-opening and Lincoln Castle was open for walking round the rampart.
There was also new Government funding coming into force adults/children achieving weight loss. Details can be found on the NHS website. Also, universal tests for coronavirus can be ordered from the Government website.
b. District Councillor Russell Jackson had forwarded his report which had been circulated to all Cllrs.
6.Reports from Outside Bodies:
a. Village Hall – Cllr Sirs reported that unless Government Guidelines change the village hall will be open from 17 May for routine users. NKDC have asked to use the hall for the elections. The hall will be unlocked and then it will be left to the hirer to ensure social distancing etc takes place. The lottery grant application will hopefully be signed very soon.
b. CLT – Nothing to report.
c. Allotments – Cllr Frankland said a socially distanced meeting had been held. Water containers would be purchased. Pallets were wanted to stand them on. At present no plots were available and there is a waiting list. The landlord has done a lot of work on the site and entrance leading to the allotments.
d. St Mary’s Church – While Churches remain largely in lockdown there is now a rota of on service each Sunday rotating round the six churches in the Group.
e. Cemetery – The date of the clean-up was set for 9.30am Saturday 24 April. Everyone was asked to bring their own tools. Cllr Frankland agreed to bring a couple of builders bags.
f. Playing Field – Cllr Sirs had obtained a second estimate for the work needed on the playing field. The price difference was negligible. However, the second contractor had done a site visit and included more work than the first contractor.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: to place an order with Fenland Leisure Products.
It had been agreed that the football pitch would stay as it was and not upgraded to match standard. The money left in the account can be used towards other works on the playing field.
7.Speeding/Speed watch:
a. A speed check had been completed by PCSO Ironmonger recently at Town End. He said over 90 minutes he recorded one vehicle at 38mph and one at 35mph. This is considered as a small amount given the volume of traffic in that area.
District Cllr Russell Jackson said he would contact the Road Safety Partnership and ask them to survey the village. He said he felt that a Community Speed Watch would be the way forward.
8.Parish Clerk Update:
a. The Clerk had written to Royal Mail re Post Box on School Lane. To date no reply had been received. However, Rauceby Parish Council were also in contact with Royal Mail and had also requested a site visit. Both Parish Clerks had agreed to swap correspondence and see if they could tackle this issue between them.
b. Three dog bins had been received and would be installed by Cllr Harrison and Cllr Sirs. The bins needed posts and Cllr Corner would investigate to see if he could provide the necessary posts.
9.Correspondence:
a. LALC e-news - circulated to all Cllrs.
b. The Good Councillors Guide to Cyber-security – circulated to all Cllrs.
c. Temporary Traffic Restrictions 10.00pm 29.04.21 to 6.00am 30.04.21.
d. Confirmation virtual Council Meetings will not be extended after 07 May.
e. LALC News No.175 – circulated to all Cllrs.
f. NKDC latest updates -circulated to all Cllrs.
g. Lincolnshire Police updates re dog thefts in Lincolnshire – circulated to all Cllrs.
h. ‘Bump’ up your support for road safety with ‘slow down Lincolnshire stickers’ from Lincolnshire Police – circulated to all Cllrs.
10.Planning:
a. PL/0053 Planning application to vary condition 4 of planning permission to increase height of externally stacked bales of solid recovered fuel (SRF) from 4 metres to 4.5metres New Earth Solutions (West) Ltd.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: to make no comments on this application.
b. PL/00456 Planning application for the formation of solid recovered fuel (SRF) bale storage areas New Earth Solutions (West) Ltd.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: to make no comments on this application.
c. 21/0554 Planning application to fell Rowan and Silver Birch 50 Main Street. Cllrs were concerned these should be felled.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: to ask if there was another option opposed to felling.
d. 21/0551 Planning application to fell Silver Birch 16 Main Street.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: to ask if there was another option.
11.Finance:
a. The following payment had been made retrospectively, as it was the end of the financial year.
Glasdon UK Limited Qty.3 dog bins £327.06
b. The Bank reconciliations and cashbook to 31 March 2021 had been circulated to all Cllrs.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: by a show of hands to accept the bank reconciliations and cashbook to 31 March 2021.
c. The Approval List for Staff Payments had been circulated to all Cllrs.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: by a show of hands to accept the BACS payment and authorise the amount to be paid.
d. The Approval List for BACS payments had been circulated to all Cllrs.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: by a show of hands to accept the BACS payments and authorise the Clerk to make the following payments.
D Scott Playing Field Administrator £72.59
Hazel Hill Internal Audit £60.00
James Bell Maintaining Website £25.00
R & W Office Supplies Newsletter £70.00
St Mary’s Church Council Donation grass cutting Cemetery £550.00
St Mary’s Church Council Donation Church roof £1000.00
Tidy Gardens & Grounds Grass cutting £72.00
e. The Internal Audit report had been circulated to all Cllrs.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: by a show of hands to accept the Internal Audit Report.
f. The Playing Field Events Team Cashbook to 31 March 2021 had been circulated to all Cllrs.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: to accept the Playing Field Events Team Cashbook to 31 March 2021.
g. The Clerk confirmed that the VAT refund for £1975.06 had been submitted. FOR INFORMATION ONLY.
Resolved: by a show of hands to accept the Playing Field Events Team Cashbook to 31 March 2021.
12.Reports from Councillors:
a. Cllr Corner confirmed that the Nicola’s Dog Grooming had agreed to sponsor two.
dog poo bag dispensers. When the new dog bins are installed it will be decided where the dispensers will be sited.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: to write and thank her for sponsorship.
b. Coverage in the press had said that phone boxes no longer in use could be purchased by Parish Councils to use as something to benefit the village. Other villages had put in a defibrillator or a book library.
At present ours was a functioning telephone box and had recently been painted. After a short discussion it was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: to request we be added to the list when the box ceases to be used as a telephone kiosk
c. Cllr Ms M Miller had met with Lincs County Council Environment and Community Projects Officer and Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust. They had walked round the village and were excited at the prospect of what could be done in Wilsford and neighbouring areas. Lots of different eligible projects that could be embarked on overtime.. Cllr Miller said this was far too big a project for one person and hoped that Ancaster Parish Council would join forces. This was not a short-term project, but over 10, 15 or even 20 years.
Concern was shown as to the damage to the verge outside Copper Hill Quarry, which is destroying the root system of rare plants that only grow in limestone areas. District Cllr Russell Jackson agreed to email the quarry to clean the area.
Cllr Ms M Miller asked if it would be possible to invite a representative from Lincs County Council Environment and Lincs Wildlife Trust to the next parish council meeting.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: to ask them to attend the next meeting on May 11.
13.Training:
a. None offered at this meeting.
14.Date of Next Meetings:
The following meeting the Annual Meeting was confirmed as 04 May 2021 at 7.00pm via ZOOM.
Before the meeting closed, Councillor Richard Frankland resigned. He said he had enjoyed his time on the Parish Council. The Chairman thanked Cllr Frankland for his time as a Councillor.
There being no further business the meeting closed at 21.01pm
Signed: ……………………………………
Chairman Wilsford Parish Council
04 May 2021