November 2021 Minutes
MINUTES OF WILSFORD PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 09 NOVEMBER 2021 AT 7.00PM VIA ZOOM.
Due to the increased COVID infections in the area, it was decided to meet via Zoom instead of face-to-face.
Present: Cllr S Davey(Chairman) Cllrs M Harrison, Mrs J Clements,
Mrs V Blankley, R Sirs and Ms M Miller.
In Attendance: County Cllr Andrew Hagues and Denise Gascoyne Parish Clerk
Public Forum: As the meeting had been changed to zoom no members of the public were present, but there were comments made by Cllrs.
The editor of the News and Views had intended to attend the meeting to discuss articles in certain editions. Cllrs agreed this would be useful if the editors could all attend a meeting early in the new year.
Notification had been received that hedges and shrubs on the east side of the junction of Main Street (Church end) and the A153 needed cutting back as this was now posing a serious hazard to drivers turning right out of the village. The landowner would be contacted.
Cllr Harrison reported that there were lights not working in the village. He would get the number and report them to the Clerk. He also agreed to trim the hedge on School Lane.
Cllrs felt they should mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and felt a tree may be an option. It was thought single trees could be obtained from the Woodland Trust. Cllr Ms Miller agreed to investigate.
It was noted that New Earth Solutions (former Mid UK) had put in another planning application. There representative had not attended a parish council meeting and it was agreed we should invite him to a meeting in the new year to outline their current policies and development intention.
Cllr Sirs asked if the salt offered meant that the salt bins would not be filled. The Clerk said as far as she knew they would still be filled. He said he would check them all and if they needed filling would contact the Clerk.
Cllr Sirs reported that there had been a gas bottle thrown in the ditch near the cemetery. The Clerk to request NKDC remove it.
Initialled …………………..
Cllr Ms Miller asked if we had heard anything back from BT where the wires are covered in ivy. These are opposite the School House. The Clerk to write again.
Cllr Ms Miller was concerned with the state of the verges on Copper Hill. The Clerk would contact Highways.
The meeting began at 7.25pm
1.Chairman’s Welcoming Remarks:
a. The Chairman welcomed everyone to this unexpected zoom meeting.
2.Apologies for Absence:
a. Apologies for absence had been received from Cllr K Corner. It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: that apologies for absence with valid reasons be accepted from Cllr K Corner.
3.Declarations of Interest: There were none.
4.To approve as a true record the notes of the meeting held on 12 October 2021. It was proposed, seconded and agreed that the notes of the meeting held on 12 October 2021 be accepted as a true record. These would be signed by the Chairman and handed back to the Clerk.
5.Reports from County Councillor and District Councillor:
a. County Cllr Hagues had contacted Highways on 15 September re fingerposts. To date no reply had been received, therefore he was talk to the Highways Officer at their meeting on 11th November He would also discuss the cleaning of the steps down to the bus shelter, as these were very hazardous, and it was known that somebody fell last year and broke a bone.
County Cllr Andrew Hagues gave an update on Highways issues in Lincolnshire including that Holdingham roundabout was ahead of schedule and could be opened at the end of the month. Also, Lincolnshire County Council would be spending £20millon on the Boston/Kirton Junction.
b. District Cllr Russell Jackson was unable to attend. However, he had sent a report which was circulated to all Cllrs.
6.Reports from Outside Bodies:
a. Village Hall – Cllr Sirs reported that works were moving ahead, however there was no confirmed start date as yet. The Fireworks held on Friday night was hugely successful with around 200 people attending. Cllr Miller said it bought the whole community together and it was hoped this would be a community project and would be repeated next year. The organisers were congratulated and thanked for all their hard work on such a professional display. Cllr Sirs said he had noticed there had been a marked reduction in home firework displays this year.
Initialled ………………………
b. CLT – Nothing to report
c. Allotments – The Clerk confirmed the cheque for £75.00 had been received.
d. St Mary’s Church – Cllr Davey reported that grant funders were now less committed to just Covid-related projects and several applications had been lodged on behalf of the Church roof fund. The Headley Trust had already gifted £5500. Because there are now more wedding requesting bell-ringers the World War 1 memorial in the Bell Tower is being redesigned to allow it to be moved to one side when the tower is needed.
e. Cemetery – The Chairman reported that as only 4 turned up to work in cemetery nothing could be done. They decided to clear The Beck at Town End. The weed came out and was left on the bank for a few days before being taken away.
f. Playing Field – The dog fouling sign near the gate had been moved near the skateboard. Cllr Harrison had put it back in its original location. However, Cllrs felt there should be more signs as Cllr M Miller reported that before the firework display they had to do a ‘poo pick’. Cllr Harrison agreed to investigate and report back.
Cllrs discussed more carparking at the playing field entrance. At present the only car parking was at the village hall, which was used by dog walkers, playing field and village hall. Cllr Sirs suggested a feasibility study to see what could be done. Cllrs Davey, Harrison, Sirs agreed to form a working group and hold a site visit. Cllr Corner would also be asked to attend. They would report back to a future meeting.
7.Parish Clerk Update:
a. Councillors discussed Operation London Bridge and plans for what will happen in the UK after the death of Queen Elizabeth 11.
b. The budget had been circulated to all Cllrs. Cllr Harrison Finance Officer and the Clerk would meet and discuss this fully before the next meeting.
8. Correspondence:
a. Safer Together Co-ordinator NKDC and SKDC newsletter – circulated to all Cllrs.
b. LALC newsletter October 2021 – circulated to all Cllrs.
c. LALC e-news – circulated to all Cllrs.
d. Details of Annual OPCC Policing Precept Survey – circulated to all Cllrs.
e. Street Numbering Waterloo Farmhouse – circulated to all Cllrs.
f. LCC Town and Parish Newsletter – circulated to all Cllrs.
g. Local Transport Plan Consultation – circulated to all Cllrs.
9.Planning:
a. 21/1016 Refusal of outline planning application for the erection of 2 dwellings land adj. 40 Town End. FOR INFORMATION ONLY.
b. 20/0725 Part approval application for discharge condition 12 (details of owl tower/bat and bird boxes) Sleaford Golf Club. FOR INFORMATION ONLY.
Initialled ……………………..
c. 21/1694 Planning application to pollard willow 42 Main Street. No comments were made.
d. PL/0148/21 Planning application for formation of two SRF/Recovered Bale Storage Areas New Earth Solutions – no comments were made.
10.Finance:
As the Finance appears on every agenda and is accepted at the meeting. It was agreed we accept the following.
a. The Bank Reconciliations and Cashbook to 31 October 2021 had been circulated to all Cllrs.
b. The Approval List for staff payments had been circulated to all Cllrs. It was proposed seconded and
Resolved: to accept the Approval List and authorise the Clerk to make the payments.
c. The Approval List of BACS payments had been circulated to all Cllrs. It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: to accept the Approval List and authorise the Clerk to make the payments.
R & W Office Supplies Newsletter £70.00
Glasdon UK Topsy 2000 bin £202.72
Tidy Gardens & Grounds Grass cutting £222.00
James Bell Maintaining Website £25.00
d. The Playing Field Account Cashbook to 31 October 2021 had been circulated to all Cllrs.
e. The Clerk reported that the N & S account had now been closed.
11.Biodiversity Project:
a. Cllr Miller confirmed that they had successfully obtained a Community Wildlife Grant.
She explained to Cllrs not at the last meeting that although we were in the final 3 for funding from the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust we were awarded Highly Commended and had been offered a full survey by an expert who had visited our site followed by a management plan for the bit. These would have cost us several hundreds of pounds had we had to pay for them. Cllr Miller said the representative from LWT had visited the site and we were awaiting her report. When this was received she would share it with the parish council. Despite hiccups with machinery breaking down and not being able to get on with the work as planned with volunteers, last weekend Cllr Miller and her husband had finally completed the ground preparation and sowing and confirmed this was excellent progress. There was still plastics to be removed from the trees and snowberries. Another survey would take place in the Spring.
12.Reports from Councillors:
a. There were no reports from Cllrs.
Initialled …………………….
13.Training:
a. No training this month.
14.Date of Next Meeting:
a. The date of the next meeting was confirmed as 07 December 2021 at 7.00pm. This would be a CLOSED meeting, finance only. Cllrs were asked to take a flow test before attending the meeting. This would take place in the main hall.
There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.40pm
Chairman
Wilsford Parish Council
07 December 2021
It is important to understand that the information given above represents notes of the meeting which took place in Wilsford Village Hall on 10 November 2021 and do not become Minutes of WILSFORD PARISH COUNCIL until accepted or otherwise at the next meeting.