July 2019 Minutes

A meeting of the Parish Council was held on Monday 13th July 2020 by video conferencing and commenced at 19:30.

 

Public Participation                                                                                                                           

There were 2 members of the public present. A resident requested an update on the application to Fields in Trust and was advised that the application was in the process of being completed.

Present:         

Councillor Buckley-Jones (Chairman)

Councillor Briscoe

Councillor Chantler

Councillor Sockell

Councillor Lee

Councillor George

Councillor Cann

Councillor Dziadkiewicz

Councillor Rushby

District Councillor Carrington

District Councillor Tinsley

Co-Clerk Finance:                   J. James

Co Clerk Operations              E. Salter

           

49/M/20 Chairman’s welcome.

The Chairman welcomed those present and thanked them for coming.

50/M/20 To receive Apologies for Absence, Declarations of Interest and Requests for Dispensations.

Apologies for Absence:

Apologies received from Councillor Nicklin and District Councillor Goodwin.

Declarations of Interest: There were no Declarations of Interest.

Requests for Dispensations: There were no Requests for Dispensations.

51/M/20 To approve notes as minutes from the meeting of the Parish Council on 8th June 2020 and the Recreation Advisory Forum on 22nd June 2020.

The notes having been distributed before the meeting were taken as read and it was resolved to approve them as minutes.

Planning Matters

Tree works received from NKDC. There were no Tree Work application notices received.

Tree works decision notices received from NKDC.There were no Tree Works decision notices received from NKDC.

Planning applications received from NKDC.

52/M/20 20/0715/HOUS  12 Park Lane, Heighington, Lincoln LN4 1RF.  Erection of single storey front extension with porch. Members had no comments to make regarding this application.

53/M/20 20/0773/FUL Jean Mary, Acre Dyke Lane, Branston Booths LN4 1JD. Erection of commercial unit. Members had no comments to make regarding this application

54/M/20 20/0759/HOUS Orchard House, 25 Sheppards Close, Heighington, Lincoln. Erection of a brick and block frontage wood store. Members had no comments to make regarding this application

Planning application decision notices received from NKDC

20/0187/FUL 16 Washingborough Road, Heighington, Lincoln. Extensions and alterations to existing dwelling and erection of 2 dwellings. Notification received from North Kesteven District Council that this application has been refused.

20/0361/LBC Stone House, Mill Lane, Heighington, Lincoln. Replacement garage door. Notification received from North Kesteven District Council that the application has been approved.

20/0447/HOUS 65 Washingborough Road, Heighington, Lincoln LN4 1QW. Erection of single storey rear extension to existing garage. Notification received from North Kesteven District Council that the application has been approved.

58/M/19 Clerk’s Report (for information only).                                                                                      

Customer Services Manager and Finance Officer have both successfully completed the ILCA course. An e-mail has been received from North Kesteven District Council regarding inviting the Chairman of the District Council to Heighington Parish Council events. VAT claim was sent to HM Revenue & Customs for £1376.17 on the 1st July 2019.

59/M/19 Correspondence (Read file for Members’ perusal).

  • Litter picker’s reports for June.
  • Environmental Warden’s reports for June.

Financial Matters:

  • 60/M/19 To approve the monthly accounts for June 2019. The monthly statements were signed by Councillor Cann.     It was resolved to approve the monthly accounts for June 2019.
  • 61/M/19 To approve payment of the installation of the boiler at Station Road Pavilion from General Reserves

Members resolved to approve the internal transfer from General Reserves.

  • 62/M/19 To approve the reduction of signatories from six to four on the Co-operative Bank account.

Members resolved to approve the reduction of signatories from six to four.

  • 63/M/19 To approve the removal of C.J. Dunning as an authorised signatory to all the bank accounts.

Members resolved to approve the removal of C.J. Dunning as an authorised signatory

  • 64/M/19 To consider the amendment of minute 24/M/19.

Members resolved to approve the amendment of Councillor Cann being removed as a signatory to the bank accounts.

  • 65/M/19 To consider the refurbishment of the telephone box, High Street.

The Council have budgeted £650.00 to refurbish the telephone box on the High Street based on figures given to us by our previous handyman. The Parish Council would like to proceed with the project over the summer as it will improve the street furniture and look of the High Street, particularly as it is within the conservation area.

The Parish Council intend to ask the handyman from Bardney Parish Council to do this work, however, at the moment this has not been re-estimated by him, but approval is sought to authorise him to undertake this work if his costings are plus/minus 10% of the above figure. As Bardney Bridge has been closed for the last few months he has not been able to travel to Heighington to look at the telephone box in person.

Members resolved to contact the handyman for a quotation to refurbish the telephone box on the High Street and proceed on the above basis.

66/M/19 To consider the Co-Option of a new Councillor.

There has been one candidate who put themselves forward for the position.

It was resolved to co-opt Mrs Rushby as a Councillor.

67/M/19 To consider applications from the Turks Head Football Club and Washingborough and Heighington Parochial Church Council for a grant in 2019/2020.

Members, after a brief discussion, resolved to grant the application of £200.00 from the Turks Head football club for a white line machine for the Station Road Recreation Ground

Members resolved to grant the application of £750.00 from the Washingborough and Heighington Parochial Church Council towards the cost of grass cutting.

 

68/M/19 To consider a proposal to hold the Picnic in the Park on the 4th July 2020.

Members approved the date of the 4th July 2020 for the Picnic in the Park. It was agreed to contact North Kesteven District Council to invite the Chairman of the District Council to open this event.

 

69/M/19 To consider the email received from North Kesteven District Council from the Boundary Commission.                                                                                                                           It was agreed that a Councillor and the Responsible Finance Officer would attend the meeting on the 22nd July 2019 at the District Council Offices, Sleaford.

70/M/19 To consider to delegate arrangements of the children and young people’s summer activities to the Customer Service Manager in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman. The Customer Service Manager was tasked, in consultation with the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman, with organising summer holiday activities for children and young people. The amount in the budget was £500.00 plus £150.00 expected to be donated from the Christmas Festival Committee and £100 already donated by the Heighington Womens Institute for such activities. The Parish Council resolved to authorise such expenditure as necessary for activities during the summer holidays.

71/M/19 To consider whether to temporarily delegate certain administrative functions to Office Staff during the August recess.                                                                                                  During August there will be no routine meeting of the Parish Council.The Chairman reminded Councillors that staff will be on holiday at various times during the recess period and advised ringing to check that the office is staffed before visiting. Bank signatories were also reminded to let the RFO know of their holiday dates.Councillors resolved to delegate any necessary decisions to the Clerk in consultation with the three committee Chairmen and the Parish Council Chairman before actioning.

72/M/19 To receive an update on the Station Road footway.

  • Avant Homes have offered to sell both parcels of land to Heighington Parish Council for £1.
  • HPC would need to pay their legal fees which they approximate to be £500 (using their own in-house solicitors)
  • HPC solicitor fees would also be in the region of £500
  • Residents of the houses in the affected area of Station Road have agreed to pay half the fees (as long they this is not excessively more than £500)
  • Heighington Parish Council is willing to buy these two parcels of land.

Curtis Drive

We would put this on our green maintenance list for David Shelborn to undertake regardless of whether or not we own it so that it does not become overgrown.

Station Road

If we buy this land it will still be the privately owned and Lincolnshire County Council will not install a footway on private property.

If we buy this land we can sign it over the LCC – assuming that they want it – then it will go on their waiting list for a footway to be installed.

If we buy this land we could install a footway on it paid for out of the Parish Council precept, however, it will be very expensive to do so properly and will be difficult to justify as it will only benefit a few residents.

LCC would be happy for HPC to sign over this land to them once a footway has been installed.

If we buy the land and don't do anything with it then it will be an insurance risk to the Parish Council due to its current state.

Options:

Don't buy the land but cut back the green area on Curtis Drive.

Buy the land and sign over the Station Road parcel to LCC and wait for a footway to be installed.

Buy the land and be responsible for it and possibly incur major expense by installing a footway and then sign it over to LCC

73/M/19 To receive reports from County and District Councillors (for information only).

County Councillor Ron Oxby:

County Council Report July 2019.

A Consultation had started before the recent coastal flooding effecting Wainfleet on how Lincolnshire deals with flood risk and water management. Already 40 investigations of surface flooding are being looked at to see if there are any further things that can be done to alleviate this issue. The Council as the leading local flood authority has produced a revised and updated strategy and is asking residents for their views especially around coastal areas.

Children’s services rated as one of the best run in the country.

Skills on the Coast. The County has been awarded £400,000 to help coastal business and individuals to receive training during the off season, working with Coastal Developers Forum of private businesses to making sure the scheme is delivered successfully.

The County has been awarded £240,000 towards the cost of delivering a tourism centre at Huttoft, adding to the already successful Gibraltar Point and North Sea Observatory facilities.

Feedback is being invited as part of a review of Central Lincolnshire’s Local Plan, which will set out the vision for development up to 2040. The document will determine planning applications covering Lincoln City, North Kesteven, West Lindsey together with the County Council.

The Fire Service and the Ambulance service have been moved into the new Tri Services, South Park Avenue Station. The Police will move their services into the building this Autumn.

District Councillor Ian Carrington:

NKDC PARISH REPORT HEIGHINGTON PC JULY 2019

1. Electoral Review. This covers NKDC wards only and will look at ward boundaries and member numbers. The object is to ensure all wards meet the electoral Commission’s criteria. The review will be carried out by the commission with consultation of parish councils (PC briefing on 22/07/19) and the public. Target date for initial proposals is 22/11/19 and no changes would be implemented until the next Council period commencing in 2023.

2. Housing. Cllr Carrington’s Executive Board responsibilities include housing and the capital programme. Cllr Carrington reported on an intensive familiarisation course. NKDC maintains over 3800 council houses and has an intensive new build programme and has been very successful in attracting external funds from (for example) Homes England. Also has its own NK housing company Lafford Homes building for market rent or sale. The capital programme is currently £200m+ over the next ten years and is designed both to achieve economic and social good AND to provide a reliable source of income.

3. Planning Gain & Health. Cllr Carrington reported that the Planning Gain & Health group he chaired before the election was now going forward again. The aim is to improve co-working with the NHS and provide better resources for local GP surgeries. The first in a series of post election meetings with the NHS would be held in late July with more to follow.

Section 106 money – Investigations are still on-going and Councillor Carrington will report further when he has more information.

District Councillor Glenn Tinsley.

Would like to thank the participants in painting of play equipment and the railings at Almond Avenue.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 21.02 hours .

 

Signed:                                                                                                 Date