November 2023 minutes
Parish Council minutes for Thursday 9 November 2023
7pm Village Hall
Parish Councillor attendees:
Angela Arden (Chair), Sarah Howard, Nick Pike, Clive Reetham, Anna Seigneury
Guests: ELDC Councillor Travis Hesketh
Four members of the public attended the meeting.
Comments from members of the public on agenda items or issues for consideration for a future agenda: concern about the ongoing poor state of Lordship Road towards Three Bridges which has previously been brought to the attention of the LCC Councillor and is on FixMyStreet
1. Apologies: Parish Councillors Peter Hill and Carole Mawer; Michael Mawer, Clerk; LCC Councillor Dan McNally
2. Approve the draft Parish Council minutes from 14 September 2023 – approved and signed by the Chair
3. New Councillor Co-options – one vacancy. No one has applied to fill this vacancy by asking to be considered for co-option. However, there is information available on the website about what it entails – we would very much like to have our full eight councillors.
4. Clerk/RFO – update. Our new Clerk was unable to attend due to illness. He is now in possession of the new PC printer and has been reading the files from the last clerk to help him with the history of the council.
5. LCC and ELDC Councillors -
LCC Councillor McNally had asked the chair to report on Highways issues within the Parish as he is to meet the Head of Highways on Monday 13th. Little Carlton footpaths, Glebe Road, and the major issue of Lordship Road (brought up again today by a member of the public) were suggested as needing the most attention. Chair to confirm these on behalf of the PC.
ELDC Councillor Hesketh reported that he has purchased an ice maker and beanbags for the social club, out of a total of £3,000 spent in his ward already since his election win. ELDC has a team ready and willing to help with footpath tidying and general maintenance.
6. Local plan – to vote on the recommendation received from ELDC (forwarded to Councillors). Discussed and it was agreed that Eagle Structural as an employer, as well as Gayton Wind Farm (which is within our Parish boundaries) should be added. Also, although there is no timetabled bus route through the villages, residents do have access to Call Connect. Propsed with these amendments by Nick Pike, seconded by Anna Seigneury. Action; Angela Arden to report our decision to the relevant person.
To consider attendance at/ response to the Sub-regional Strategy consultation for town and parish councils (also forwarded to Councillors). Action: Anna Seigneury volunteered to complete the survey and return on behalf of the PC.
7. NWS - to vote on the recommendation proposed by ELDC Councillor Hesketh to support a motion for a local referendum in our ward before the proposed 2027 date (information forwarded to Councillors). Councillor Hesketh explained to all Councillors his reasons for the proposal. The general consensus was to support this, however, Angela Arden requested that Councillor Hesketh check that no restrictions were in place that might prevent this recommendation taking place before our PC submitted a letter to ELDC. Proposed by Sarah Howard, seconded by Nick Pike. Action: Councillor Hesketh to feedback with a response so that a suitable letter can be prepared and sent.
Sarah Howard gave her apologies and left at this point.
8. Finance report and declaration of spend greater than £100 NP. £131 to Tudor Grounds Maintenance; £258.60 for the new PC laser printer with toner; £204 for website support and 1:1 JADU website training.
Request to purchase an external hard drive storage device for PC – proposed by Angela Arden, seconded by Nick Pike. All in favour.
Action: Angela to purchase a 1TB device and move/back up data onto it as advised by LALC.
9. Support for Village Hall Business Rates discretionary relief – request from Village Hall Trustees for PC to write in support of their request to reclaim £323.17 post flooding. Proposed by Nick Pike, seconded by Angela Arden, all in favour.
Action: Angela Arden to inform David Reetham and write and send an appropriate letter. All Councillors said how good it was to be back in the Village Hall and thanked all those who had enabled this to happen after the flooding.
10. Parish Council Communication – responses since last meeting:
New look website: Angela Arden has now been trained to act as administrator for our Parish website. LALC provided support with restructuring and it is hoped that this website will become the ‘one stop shop’ for everything village related.
Emergency plan: now updated and can be viewed on the website carltons.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/council-business/policies-and-procedures/7
11. Planning: Application reference N/063/02054/23 – erection of an agricultural building at Carlton Grange, Thacker Bank. No issues.
12. Great Carlton war memorial - English Heritage have informed us that this has now been listed.
Poppy wreaths have been purchased for Remembrance Day. Clive Reetham and Peter Hill will arrange for the memorial to be moved onto the new base before Leakes mend the lettering.
13. Report on Highway Speed Indicator Device: All continuing to go well.
14. Parish Woodland: The contractors are not good at replying to messages left. St Edith’s: Volunteers have worked to clear back on both sides near the entrance back to the gravestones. There is plenty more Autumn work to be done, including the bushes on the former church site. Little Carlton village green: it was suggested that the trees on the village green possibly need thinning out. Action: Anna to work out and suggest options, after surveying, at the next meeting.
15. First Aid/ Defibrillator training – Angela Arden, having spoken to Lionel Budd, suggested that training be held in conjunction with the Annual Parish Meeting on Thursday 11 April. All in favour. Angela to book the Village Hall and look into training.
16. Parish Council Engagement Session - East Lindsey – Lincolnshire Police - 5 December 2023 via Teams 6pm – 8pm. Angela and possibly Nick to attend online
17.The Hall: Resident concern re rear window collapse. Emilie Wales, from ELDC, to pass this on to the person filling her post during her maternity leave. There are currently no plans for internal access.
18. LALC communications and training - all Councillors encouraged to make the most of the training on offer.
19. Next meeting – 11 January 2024 7pm Village Hall
Meeting closed at 8.47pm