October 2024
NETTLEHAM PARISH COUNCIL
DRAFT MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL HELD AT THE SMALL HALL, THE OLD SCHOOL, NETTLEHAM ON TUESDAY 15 OCTOBER 2024, AT 7.30PM
Present: Councillors: Cllr Mrs A. White (Chairman), CllrP. McNeill (Vice-Chair),
Cllr D. Newsam, Cllr A. Simpson, Cllr C. Chardoux, Cllr A. Crook, Cllr C. Payne
Also in attendance: Lucy Waller (Clerk),
Councillors not present: Cllr C. Johnson
There being no business for the public session, the meeting commenced at 7.15pm
1. To RESOLVE to receive apologies and accept reasons for absence received by the Clerk, prior to the meeting.
Apologies were received from Councillor C. Johnson. It was RESOLVED to accept the reasons for absence. Apologies were also noted from Councillor J. Barrett of West Lindsey District Council.
2. To RECEIVE disclosure of interests in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011 and to consider any requests for dispensations.
None
3. Co-Option
- To consider and VOTE regarding co-option to a vacancy for Parish Councillor
It was RESOLVED to co-opt Kimberley Swain as a Parish Councillor.
4. To RESOLVE to approve the notes of the Parish Council’s Meeting held on 24/09/2024 as the minutes of the meeting.
It was RESOLVED to approve the notes of the Parish Council’s Meeting held on 24/09/2024 as the minutes of the meeting, subject to the below amendment:
" A member of the public spoke in relation to the Council’s new Health and Safety Policy
and the need for review of this, particularly highlighting omissions regarding Volunteers
and the Council’s overall responsibility"
Be replaced with "A resident criticised the excessive bureaucracy of the new safety documentation"
5. To NOTE the Clerk’s report.
Members noted the report highlighting the progress of previous actions. It was additionally noted that the agreed funds had been transferred to the Redwood Bank savings account.
6. Planning Matters:
a). To RESOLVE responses to West Lindsey District Council in relation to the following planning application(s):
b).
WL/2024/00767, 12 LODGE LANE NETTLEHAM (Planning application to remove existing garage & rear conservatory & erect two storey side & rear extension.)– it was RESOLVED to submit:
It appears that the proposed extensions would significantly reduce the available parking space on the property. Additionally, it seems that there would not be adequate space for a vehicle to turn around within the drive. This could result in vehicles reversing onto the road, which is particularly concerning given the proximity to the busy GP surgery nearby.
Given the high volume of traffic in the area, including vehicles accessing the surgery, this situation could pose a safety hazard for both drivers and pedestrians. A wider driveway that allows for proper vehicle turning could mitigate this risk.
Furthermore, should West Lindsey District Council decide to approve this application, the Parish Council request that conditions are put in place to ensure that no construction or works vehicles obstruct the entrance / exit to the GP’s surgery during the development process.
WL/2024/00753, LAND OFF SCOTHERN ROAD NETTLEHAM (Outline planning application to erect up to 72no. dwellings with access to be considered and not reserved for subsequent applications)
It was RESOLVED to delegate the response to the Clerk following email consultation with Councillors. The response was to include reference to local opposition, compliance with D7 of the Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan and the lack of attenuation measures combined with the requirements of D3:1 of the Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan, for developers to consider the effect of the proposed development on flood risk, both on-site and off-site, commensurate with the scale and impact of the development as demonstrated through a Flood Risk assessment.
WL/2024/00049, LAND OFF CRICKETERS DRIVE NETTLEHAM (Planning application for erection of 47no. dwellings. Re-consultation) - it was RESOLVED to submit:
Nettleham Parish Council strongly object to this application and request that it be called in to the WLDC Planning Committee.
The Parish Council would like to reiterate the contents of the objection sent to WLDC on the 30/11/2023, when the application was known as 147514, which still stand. We would particularly like to highlight point 13 of our objection regarding the necessity under D3:1 of the Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan, for developers to consider the effect of the proposed development on flood risk, both on-site and off-site, commensurate with the scale and impact of the development as demonstrated through a Flood Risk assessment.
Nettleham Parish council consultee response Planning Application 147514 Land off Cricketers Walk, 30 November 2023:
Nettleham Parish Council strongly objects to this planning application on the following grounds:
1. The original 4.42 Ha. site was designated in the Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan 2016 for the construction of 50 dwellings and provision of other facilities and amenities for residents. The CLLP 2017 then designated the site for 68 dwellings. (Neighbourhood Plan Allocation B: Land off High Leas, Nettleham); residents wanted to see a number of smaller developments rather than a small number of large developments.
2. The whole site was granted planning permission PA 131975 in 2017 for 68 new homes, including 10 affordable, on a spacious building scheme which left room for the developers who already owned the land to create an imaginative and desirable rural development. The S106 agreement: Schedule 5: clauses 6- 8 covenanted allotment land and brick built storage area. The plans included a woodland walk, public footpath down to, and alongside the Beck, plus a new road to provide access to the allotment land. This application was supported by the Parish Council as it met the aims and objectives of the Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan.
3. Since that time, we have witnessed numerous changes proposed for this site: more than 10 amendments and 5 variations of conditions (Planning History 4.10 pages 16 -19 in the Planning Statement). The number of houses approved for the site has been increased to 80; this latest application would take it to a total of 107.
4. The latest proposal seeks to split the original site into 2 by applying for permission to build an additional 27 in the area, taking the total to 107 on a site originally approved for 50; more than twice the number proposed in the CLLP by increasing the housing density. This also represents an almost 50% increase in the land area to 6Ha. We are not sure whether this is proposed as a new application for land adjacent to the original site or as an extension of the original site, an application for a new development of 1.9Ha or a variation of the original application for a 4.4Ha site.
5. Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan identifies the max housing density typical of new development in the village as 20/Ha. Policy D6 states that new development should recognise existing housing densities. The Review of the Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan 2023 (which is now at Examination stage: Regulation 17), and carries some weight, also recognises this maximum housing density in policy D4:2a and states that development should have regard for the site context and its surrounding area.
6. So logically, if the site is split in two then the new application site should relate to the building density of the first phase of the construction which the Planning Statement states is 16.8hph.
7. There is a disparity of the PA 147514 site size between the area stated in the application form which states the proposed site area is 2.2Ha (22008.00square metres) and the area in the Planning Statement which states it is 1.9Ha. Therefore, in order to correctly identify the density of the site, we also require clarification on the area of this part of the site and the total area of the site as approved on March 10, 2017. (Application 131975).
8. If the applicant is asking to put 27 more houses on the originally allocated site, then that would clearly exceed the 20hph density. If the applicant is asking for an extension of the built area to accommodate an additional 27 houses, this would require an additional 1.9-2.2 Ha of land to be approved, which is not currently allocated in the CLLP. CLLP policy S4 Housing development, states that “development on non-allocated sites will not generally be supported.”
9. There are also some mathematical errors in the Planning Statement paragraph 5.30 that the site density as a whole would be 17.8dph (including the first and second phases). The introduction to the officer’s report for application 131975 states that the area of land is 4.4Ha, If, however, the whole area is 4.4Ha then the density will be 24.3dph. (107 divided by 4.4) so the densities stated in the Planning Statement at 5.29 and 5.30 also require clarification. We estimate that the area has been increased to 6Ha to accommodate these extra houses.
10. The mixture of new homes proposed is dominated by 4 and 5 bed homes representing 55% of the total, and only 16% are 2 bed homes. This is contrary to the Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan policy H2 and Review of the Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan Policy D7 which calls for a housing mix to meet the local needs with a larger proportion of smaller 1,2, 3 bed houses. This is because the present housing availability in Nettleham is unevenly balanced with a higher proportion of larger 4 and 5 bedroom properties in comparison to smaller size swellings. This is evidenced by the West Lindsey 2021 Council Tax Band figures in the Plan.
11. The original perimeter walk, as set out in Application 131975, does not now seem to connect to the road or another foot path at the eastern end of the site as originally proposed in Application 147514. So, a circular walk would not be practical with this scheme.
12. Planning Statement: Paragraph 5.14. refers to the 1999 LCA and NCA as providing the most local advice relating to the context and identity of Nettleham. There are much more recent documents which could have been referred to such as the Review of the Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan Character Assessment which points to the massive expansion of housing in the village. There has been considerable housing development in Nettleham and other Lincoln fringe villages such as Dunholme, Welton and Saxilby since 2013. Since then in Nettleham there have been over 130 competed and another 170+ approved and at various stages of development in the village, with a further 175 proposed in the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan 2023. This represents a 30% increase in homes in Nettleham in a couple of decades.
There is already considerable pressure on the infrastructure, the Medical Centre and school places, especially secondary school places. C.L.L.P. 2023: 8.0.6. states “Recent growth in primary school age children is now starting to impact upon capacity within secondary schools. Within secondary schools, there is limited capacity to accommodate growth in pupil numbers in a number of locations”. This matter in now impacting Nettleham and the sustainability of all these developments and is contrary to the NPPF which promotes sustainable development.
13. Policy S21 of CLLP, Policy D4 of the Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan 2016 and Policy D3 of the Review of the Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan 2023: D3:1 requires developers to consider the effect of the proposed development on flood risk, both on-site and off-site, commensurate with the scale and impact of the development as demonstrated through a Flood Risk Assessment.
14. Nettleham Parish Council believes that the conditions of PA 131975 Section 106 agreement have been met for a transfer of ownership of the Allotment Land: ‘not more than 40% of the Open Market Dwellings to be occupied’ and it has not been transferred.
15. As part of previous applications there was also a cycle and footpath path proposed by the developers along the single track Sudbrooke Lane. This seems to have now been omitted from the current plan and should be reinstated.
16. If the committee is minded to approve this development the Parish Council would request that the S106 agreement includes:
Tree planting to the south of the site between site’s southern edge and down to the beck, to provide some woodland, enhanced biodiversity and a visual buffer between this development and the new allocated site on the opposite side of the beck for 54 new homes.
It would also have a positive influence on flood risk in the area, slowing rainwater runoff into the beck.
In addition, with so many new homes now being proposed for this location, there will be a need for a children’s play area on site and this should be a requirement for development.
Nettleham Parish Council requests that this application is called in to the Planning Committee.
WL/2024/00779, LAND ADJACENT 51A WASHDYKE LANE NETTLEHAM (Application for approval of reserved matters for the erection of 3no.dwelling considering access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale, following outline planning permission146424 granted 6 October 2023.)
It was RESOLVED to delegate the response to the Clerk following email consultation with Councillors. The response was to include reference to the requirement for maintenance of the drainage crates, a restriction on any future changes which would impact on drainage and the restrictive access and egress via the driveway which could be mitigated by the provision of a passing place/ turning circle.
c). Any other planning matters, including any applications received after the agenda was published.
Councillor White provided a verbal update, and it was noted that the recent referendum on the Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan had been successful, and that formal adoption of the Plan was expected to take place at the West Lindsey District Council Meeting on the 4th of November 2024.
Action Point: Clerk to submit planning responses / draft responses as appropriate
7. Financial Matters
a). To NOTE AND RATIFY the pre-approved payments made since the last meeting and to RESOLVE to approve the schedule of accounts for payment.
Members noted the pre-approved payments made since the last meeting and RESOLVED to ratify the payments. It was RESOLVED to approve the October accounts for payment with the exception of payment 317 as there was a pending query requiring response prior to payment. (Payment’s list attached as APPENDIX A to these minutes).
b). To NOTE the Full and Summary Income & Expenditure Reports as at 30.09.24 and to NOTE the Council’s Bank Account & Earmark Reserves balances at 30.09.24
Members noted the report, a query was raised regarding what appeared to be incorrect coding of the PRS expenditure.
c) To AUTHORISE S137 expenditure of up to £50 to contribute to the cost of producing the Remembrance Sunday Order of Service/Leaflet
It was RESOLVED to authorise S137 expenditure of up to £50 to cover the entire cost of producing the Remembrance Sunday Order of Service / Leaflet.
Action Points: RFO to investigate coding of PRS expenditure.
8. Committees:
a). To NOTE the draft notes of the Finance Committee held on 01/10/2024.
Members noted the draft notes
b). To adjust the HR Committee Terms of Reference to appoint the Chair of the Council as the permanent substitute member, to attend where a meeting would otherwise be inquorate.
It was RESOLVED to adjust the HR Committee Terms of Reference to appoint the Chair of the Council as the permanent substitute member, to attend where a meeting would otherwise be inquorate.
Action Point: Clerk to update the HR Committee TOR.
9. Working Groups
a). Remit and structure of proposed Highways Working group
It was noted that the Working Group would develop a traffic calming plan for the village centre and liaise directly with the Lincolnshire County Councillor or the appropriate officers regarding any highway’s issues bought to the attention of the Parish Council by residents. Membership of the group to include Councillors Payne, Newsam and Johnson.
Action Point: Clerk to create draft Terms of Reference
10. Communications/Social Media/Publicity
To review the current Communications policy and consider any related suggestions.
Members noted the Communications Policy – it was RESOLVED to re adopt the policy subject to the below additions:
A.
(iv) All official correspondence should be sent by the Clerk in the name of the Council
using Council letter headed paper or be sent from the Clerk’s gov.uk email address
(v) Where correspondence from the Clerk to a Councillor is copied to another person,
the addressee should be made aware that a copy is being forwarded to that other
person (e.g. copy to XX or the use of the email CC function).
Members also noted the social media policy and a previous Facebook Procedure alongside best practice guidance. It was agreed to continue with the current process that the Clerk or in the Clerk’s absence the RFO would be responsible for the approval and posting of any social media posts on behalf of the council. Councillors were requested to submit any requests for social media to the Clerk (either prewritten or with a draft outline for the Clerk to further develop).
Action Point: Clerk to update the Communications Policy and re draft the Social Media Policy to reflect current practice for approval at a future meeting.
11. Correspondence received requiring a RESPONSE, or to be NOTED:
a). Request from Cllr Barrett WLDC to facilitate a bench donation.
While members were in favour of the provision of the bench in principal and wished to assist the residents to facilitate this, this item was deferred pending further information. It was noted due to issues surrounding future maintenance and asset ownership it may be more appropriate for the Parish Council rather than West Lindsey District Council to fund the cost of the bench not covered by resident fundraising.
b). Resident suggestion for leisure equipment
Members noted the correspondence and highlighted the plans for future improvements and development of the leisure provision including public consultation when time allowed following current projects.
c). Sudbrooke Neighbourhood Plan
Members noted the correspondence.
d). Resident correspondence regarding Rooks.
Members noted the correspondence. It was highlighted that the current Parish Council had not actively culled any species, and that the situation did not meet the required criteria to allow the culling of the protected Rooks under Licence GL4.
Action Point: Clerk to respond as appropriate, Clerk/Chair to request further details regarding the bench.
12. Date of Next Meeting of the Parish Council –this has been arranged for Tuesday 19th November 2024, commencing at 7.30pm (Public session from 7.15pm), in the Small Hall at The Old School, Nettleham. (Submissions of council agenda items / reports by no later than close of business 11/11/2024)
Members noted the time and the date of the next meeting.
Any Future Agenda Items
It was noted that nominations for the Ray Sellars award would be considered at the next meeting.
13. To RESOLVE whether to exclude the public and press for the following item/s, in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, due to the commercial or sensitive nature of business to be discussed.
The above RESOLUTION was passed
The public and press were excluded from the meeting.
14. TO NOTE the draft notes of the HR Committee held on 01/10/2024 and to RESOLVE any action in relation to the recommendations of those notes. (exclusion recommended due to personal staff information)
Members noted the draft notes, and the confidential recommendations of the HR Committee held on 01/10/2024 and it was RESOLVED to:
- Extend a trial period of flexible working until 01/04/2025
- Approve payment in lieu of 2 days annual leave
- Approve a temporary contract alteration
- Adopt the Protocol on Councillor & Officer Relationships (Appendix B of these minutes) which all Councillors and Staff will be asked to sign and return.
- Adopt the Managing Stress in the Workplace Policy (Appendix C of these minutes)
- Approve expenditure for an additional Councillor training place on an upcoming training course.
Action Point: Clerk to make the appropriate communications to Staff and Councillors.
The meeting closed at 9.03pm