Minutes - 20 March 2018 - NPC
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF NETTLEHAM PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON TUESDAY 20 MARCH 2018 COMMENCING AT 7.30PM IN THE SMALL HALL, THE OLD SCHOOL, NETTLEHAM
PRESENT: Councillors J Evans (Chair), J Siddall, M Spencer, J Hill, Mrs J Clayton, Mrs A White, M Leaning, J Downs, T Williams, R Porter and Mrs S Harland (from 8.05pm).
In attendance: 3 member of the public, Mr A Stephenson (Editor of Nettleham News Online) and J Finn (Parish Clerk).
Public Forum: The owners of 7 The Green wished to clarify that they had at no point stated they wished to have the ownership of land on The Green; they had simply followed the boundary line of the previous owner, which the Parish Council had failed to dispute at that time. They will move the fencing back in line with to the adjacent property.
District Councillor G McNeill had given his apologies and a written report had been circulated.
District Councillor Mrs A White had provided a written report which had been circulated. Cllr White outlined how the Council Tax was split between the various organisations i.e. 66% Lincs County Council, 12% WLDC, 12% Lincs Police and 6% Parish Councils; WLDC collects the Council Tax but do not benefit beyond their allocation..
County Councillor Mrs J Brockway had provided a written report which had been circulated. Cllr Porter asked if any decision had been made regarding the possibility of the use of Linelands car park for visitors to the Community Hub, etc. Cllr Brockway responded that a number of meetings had been held but LCC were not minded to do this as other options for the site were being investigated. Cllr Brockway thanked the Parish Council and Councillors for letters and emails regarding potholes, etc in the village and on A46. An additional £3.4 million has been provided for potholes repairs in the county. Following the recent snow Cllr Brockway wanted to thank people who had helped out with 4 x 4 vehicles to help people get to work or elderly to receive food supplies. It was suggested that a list of essential supplies for severe weather events could be compiled and published in village magazines.
Nettleham Neighbourhood Policing Team – no member of the Policing Team was available to attend the meeting.
028/18. Apologies for absence
Apologies were received from Cllr G McNeill.
029/18. Disclosure of pecuniary interests
None.
030/18. Notes of 19 February 2018 meeting
It was unanimously resolved that notes of the 19 February 2018 Parish Council meeting were duly approved and signed as the minutes.
031/18. Clerks Report
The Clerk had produced a written report on the following items:-
Parish Boundary Review Request - Further contact was made with City of Lincoln Council who have stated that they have undertaken some work in this matter to ascertain what our proposal would mean for Lincoln. They were planning to have a meeting to discuss this matter once the last piece of data has been received and hoped to get back to the Parish Council in the near future.
Inviting County Councillor Richard Davies to a Parish Council meeting to raise highways issues - Unfortunately Cllr Davies was not available for this meeting but had confirmed he would attend the Annual Parish meeting on 23 April 2018. Nick Chambers Chief Executive of LACE would also be attending the Annual Parish meeting to discuss the sheltered accommodation element of the new Deepdale Lane development. It was confirmed that the Annual Parish meeting would commence at 7.00pm.
Opening of pedestrian access to Nettleham Medical Practice from Poachers Meadow - Contact had been made with the Medical Practice Manager who had stated that the fence belonged to the Medical Practice. Following a patient driving through the fence the Practice were communicating with the patient’s insurance company regarding the costs of reinstating the fence. However, in the future they will be speaking with the Highways Dept regarding the pedestrian footpath/access to Poachers Meadow and the establishment of a pedestrian access to the medical practice.
The following items were reported at the meeting:-
Celebration Event to mark the completion of Nettleham Heritage’s Bishops Meadow Dig – it was reported that Cllr Hill would represent this event on 28 March 2018 at the Old school.
Nettleham Parish Council Facebook site – the Facebook site was targeted to be in place by 1 May 2018.
032/18. Financial Matters
(a) Ratification of Accounts Paid – It was unanimously resolved to duly approve payment of the accounts as set out below:-
Andy Seymour/50.00/Internal Audit visit - Feb 18
Avalon IT Services Ltd/20.79/PO line rental & calls
Continental Landscapes Ltd/4116.00/Additional work - BB BG VH & MP
Paul Simpson/1432.00/Village hall amenity areas
Society of Local Clerks/269.00/Practitioners conference 22.2.18
P Elsom/43.00/Window Cleaning - PO OS & MP
Lincs Assoc. Local Councils/16.00/Training event 7.2.18
All Saints Church/79.33/Floodlights
Savills (UK) Ltd/75.00/Access licence BP
Staff 2.50/3 x watering cans
Contractors Hours/668.00/Contractors Feb hrs
Multidata/32.43/Wi-Fi OS
Avalon IT Services Ltd/105.48/IT Support/VOIP system
Cllr J Evans/24.75/Mileage - LALC training
ESPO/22.25/PA system / A4 paper
1st Choice Security Solutions Ltd/25.00/Car park security OS 26/27 Feb
Welton Parish Council/314.13/Facilities Asst cover - Feb 18
(b) Request for a grant by Age UK Lindsey - It was resolved to give a grant of £100.00 to Age UK Lindsey. 7 members voted in favour, 2 members voted against and 1 member abstained.
(c) Request by Nettleham Festive Market Committee for free use of Old School during the 2018 Festive Market – It was unanimously resolved to give the Committee a Section 137 grant to the value of the hire of the Old School rooms.
(d) Request by Christmas Get Together to provide a Christmas Day lunch for people who would otherwise spend the day alone – It was unanimously resolved to give a Section 137 grant of £100.00 to this very worthwhile event.
033/18. Planning Matters
(a) Applications
It was unanimously resolved to approve the comments produced by the Council’s Planning Liaison Committee on planning application below and submit comments to WLDC.
(1) Land off Lodge Lane - Lodge Lane Developments - Ref: 137381. Application for removal of condition 10 of planning permission 132063 granted on appearl 17 December 2015 – Re: footpath
The Planning Liaison Committee does Not Object to this proposal.
However, the Council acknowledges that the Condition was inserted by the Appeal Inspector as a means of creating an additional length of footway to potentially link the village with the Rugby Club site.
The Council therefore requests that in the event of the LPA approving this Application they include a Condition requiring the Developer or its successor to provide the footway in the event of a third party offering to provide a further length of footway between the site and the Rugby Club site.
(b) Appeals, Consents, Refusals and Withdrawals received
(i) Appeals - None.
(ii)Consents
4 Mill Hill - Ms J Schooley - Ref: 137281. Planning application for erection of a rear single storey extension – amendment to 136933
10 Greetwell Lane - Mr I Fernandes - Ref: 137108. Planning application for 2 storey rear extension, single storey garage to side of property and a dormer window to front
(iii) Refusals - None.
(c) Tree Applications – None.
(d) Update on outstanding planning matters
Updated report on outstanding planning matters had been circulated and was noted.
(vi) 2 Greenfields (ref. 134027) – It was reported that no response had been received from WLDC to the letter requesting that the necessary measurements be taken to ensure that the fence had been erected in the correct position. However, it was understood that Cllr McNeill was looking into WLDC’s policy on response times to correspondence. WLDC had contacted Cllr Hill but not the Parish Office. It was unanimously resolved that the Clerk would contact WLDC again about this matter.
034/18. Council Matters
(a) To resolve a dispute concerning ownership of a strip of land (within the existing fencing) at the front of No 7 The Green – A report had been circulated to members with the recommendation that “the Council contributes a maximum sum of £150.00 to pay for the fence enclosing an area of land to the front right (as viewed from the road) of 7 The Green to be moved back towards the house in order that the total length of fence runs in a straight line along the frontage on a line consistent with the existing fence to the front left of the property. The owners acknowledge that they do not wish to acquire title to the area of land in question.” Cllr Williams also added that he gave legal advice on this matter in his role as Hon. Legal Advisor, and observed that the Parish Council failed to take the relevant enforcement action in this matter 15 years ago. In addition to the proposal above he proposed that “the Property Committee compile a list of assets and set up a system that monitored any encroachments on Parish Council owned assets and take appropriate immediate action. Cllr Hill wished it to be recorded that all the defaults in this matter were before the current Clerk was in post and the current Clerk had tried to resolve any encroachments. It was unanimously resolved to approve the original and additional proposals.
Cllr Mrs Harland arrived at the meeting at 8.05pm and took no part in above item and did not vote on proposals.
(b) Update on boundary query at 8 High Street and Bridge Street - Following correspondence with the owner of 8 High Street clarification had been received that the grass bank and land to the other side of their boundary wall was not in their ownership. The recommendation was that having looked at the site that no further action would be undertaken by the Parish Council. It was unanimously resolved to approve the recommendation to take no further action in this matter.
(c) Update on nomination for Lincolnshire Environmental Awards 2018 (Community Category) - Following the Parish Council’s decision at the February Full Council meeting to nominate the Vicar’s Wood Working Group for this award, the leader of the Vicar’s Wood Working Group emailed the Parish Council requesting that the nomination be withdrawn. Following a discussion in this matter it was resolved to continue with nomination and not suspend Standing Orders 8(a) to change original decision. 9 members voted in favour and 2 members voted against.
(d) Update from the Advertising Working Group with proposed Advertising Guidance Policy and draft letters – The Working Group had met and produced a draft Advertising Guidance Policy. Following a discussion in the matter it was resolved to adopt proposed Advertising Guidance Policy. 8 members in favour and 3 members abstained. Draft letters had been produced to be sent to businesses/organisations not abiding by the Guidance Policy and a draft letter to go to Lincs Co-operative’s agents to regularise advertising outside Nettleham Co-operative. Following a discussion on these letters it was unanimously resolved
to approve the letters. The Working Group were thanked for all their work in this matter.
(e) To discuss suggestions for National Citizens Service – The scheme was outlined whereby 15-17 year olds would undertake a community project during the summer holidays. Three suggestions had been received. Following a discussions on the merits of each suggestion it was unanimously resolved to submit the project to scope out and design outline requirements for a Sound System for the Main Hall and Lounge and a Lighting System for the stage at Nettleham Village Hall. This project had a real community value as well as offering the volunteers the opportunity to expand their skill base or utilise skills they already possess.
(f) To consider entry into Lincolnshire Best Kept Village & Small Towns Competition 2018 – It was reported that Nettleham would return to Class III of the competition and not the Past Winners category. It was unanimously resolved to enter the competition at a cost of £15.00 which would be allocated from the Village Facilities Miscellaneous cost code.
035/18. Property Committee Matters
(a) To note the draft minutes of the 6 March 2018 – It was unanimously resolved to note the draft minutes of the 6 March 2018 Property Committee meeting.
(b) To discuss proposals for the use of the Telephone Box on The Green – It was reported that the Property Committee had considered the various options put forward, but found it difficult to decide what to use the Telephone Box for. A further option had been suggested of graphic display boards either inside or outside the telephone box. It was also suggested that the telephone box be left as is an original telephone box. Following a discussion in this matter it was resolved to take the matter back to the Property Committee for further consideration. 9 members voted in favour, 1 member abstained and 1 member voted against.
036/18. Reports from committees and working groups
(a) The notes of the Mulsanne Park Users Working Group meeting held on 26 February 2018 – It was unanimously resolved to note the notes of this meeting.
037/18. Correspondence
(a) To note general correspondence (publications and letters are available for inspection in the Parish Office):-
(i) WLDC – Letter Re; Community Right to Bid – Nettleham Community Hub
(ii) WLDC – Letter Re: Community Right to Bid – The Pinfold, Mill Hill
It was unanimously resolved to note correspondence and clarification on area of Pinfold was discussed with WLDC.
038/18. Councillors Reports/Future Agenda Items
The following Agenda items were requested:-
Cllr Williams/Hill – To review role of Property Committee and Personnel & Standards Panel. To go to June 2018 Parish Council meeting following the committee and panel operating for 12 months
Cllr Leaning – To discuss the possible compilation of a photographic database.
039/18. Date of next meeting
The Annual Parish meeting would be held on Monday 23 April 2018 at 7.00pm in the Large Hall, The Old School; Mr Nick Chambers Chief Executive of LACE would be attending to discuss the care home element of the Deepdale Lane Development and Cllr Richard Davies, Portfolio Holder for Lincolnshire County Council’s Highways Committee would also be attending to discuss Highway issues affecting Nettleham and the County.
The next Parish Council meeting would following the above meeting on Monday 23 April 2018 in Large Hall, The Old School commencing at 8:00 pm.
040/18. To resolve to exclude the public and press in accordance wth the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings ) ACT 1960, to allow consideration to be given to the following matter
It was unanimously resolved to exclude the public and press.
041/18. Confidential Items
(a) Staff Matters – It was reported that interviews for the two vacant posts would be undertaken this week and the interview panel would make recommendations to the Personnel & Standards Panel meeting on Thursday 22 March 2018. The Parish Council would be requested to ratify appointments at the 23 April 2018 Full Council meeting.
(b) To consider nominations for Ray Sellars Community Award 2018 – The nominations received were discussed and it was unanimously resolved that the successful nominee would be announced at the Annual Parish meeting on the 23 April 2018.
(c) Update on Deeds of Easements for Lodge Lane Development and Mulsanne Park – Following receipt of additional information and a plan of the works and a discussion in this matter it was unanimously resolved to seek professional advice on the valuation for the compensation of the easements.
(d) To discuss the Mulsanne Users Rents – Following the Mulsanne Park Users Working Group AGM potential issues with users’ rentals and potential for other hirers of the Pavilion were raised and the Parish Council were advised that this matter would be reviewed by the Property Committee.
The meeting closed at 9.45pm.