May 2024 minutes
Parish Council Minutes for Thursday 9 May 2024
7pm in our Village Hall
Parish Council attendees: Angela Arden, Peter Hill, Sarah Howard, Anna Seigneury, Clive Reetham, Nick Pike, Carole Mawer
Guests: ELDC Councillor Travis Hesketh, LCC Councillor Dan McNally
Nine members of the public attended.
Annual Parish Council Meeting
1. Election of Chairperson and signing of an acceptance of office form: Angela Arden was re-elected – Proposed CM, seconded CR all in favour.
2. Election of Vice-Chairperson: Peter Hill was re-elected – Proposed NP, seconded CR
3. Election of Clerk: Mike Mawer – Proposed AA, seconded CR
4. Election of Responsible Financial Officer: Mike Mawer – Proposed NP, seconded PH. NP to support with online actions.
5. Election of Finance Committee: Angela Arden, Anna Seigneury and Nick Pike to continue in this role, working with RFO
6. Election of Wind Turbine Committee representatives: Angela Arden and Carole Mawer for Little Carlton and Peter Hill and Anna Seigneury for Great Carlton
7. Election of Parish Council Representatives on Community Bodies: Parochial Church Council – Peter Hill; Village Hall Trustees – Clive Reetham; Social Club – Sarah Howard.
End of the first section of the meeting
8. Public Contribution
The issue of litter, especially down New Lane, was raised. It was requested that the PC provide another bin for the pull in, or signs at the very least. To be added to the next agenda. Another member of the public brought our attention to an app called Circuit, which links to the National Defibrillator Network. Again, to be added to the next agenda.
9. Apologies - none
10. Approve draft Parish Council minutes from 14 March 2024: proposed PH, seconded AS, all in favour.
11. New Councillor Co-options – one vacancy still. To be advertised more widely.
12. Clerk/RFO – NP reported that the bank mandates are in the process of being updated but that this is still ongoing.
13. Finance report and declaration of spend greater than £100: no spend since the last meeting. Precept of £1000 has been received from ELDC.
13.1 To vote on approving the delegation of spending powers to the Finance Committee: proposed CM, seconded AS. All in favour.
13.2 Annual insurance: current insurer Hiscox has quoted £414. Clerk in contact with a NALC recommended insurer, Clear Group, still waiting for paperwork. Agreed to go with the cheapest quote – Finance Committee delegation as renewal due before next meeting.
13.3 LALC fees £96.20; training budget £132; website support 3hrs for £54. Proposed by PH, seconded NP. All in favour.
13.4 Update regarding internal auditor and AGAR: all going to plan.
14. To vote on convening an extra meeting on 13 June 2024 to review and approve land registry assets, the risk register, the Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) 2023-24, The Annual Governance Statement 2024-23, The Accounting Statement 2023-24: Proposed AA, seconded NP. All in favour of making a June meeting a permanent addition as there is a long gap between May and September.
15. LCC and ELDC Councillors
LCC: Dan reported that LCC has a £5.5 million household support budget available. £35 million will be available to Lincolnshire from 2025 from the HS2 funds for transport related costs. LCC are applying for UNESCO Heritage status for the route taken by migratory birds crossing our county and the upkeep of associated wetlands. The section 19 report on our May 2023 flooding is now available. Councillor McNally then gave his apologies as he had to attend another meeting.
ELDC: Travis updated us on his dealings with ELDC and efforts to curtail the Theddlethorpe Geological Disposal Facility. See also item 17.
16. Annual Parish Meeting
16.1 To consider a request from a resident to extend the street lighting further down Lordship Road: this would enable the new house to have street lighting. Discussion included comments from the public and views were mixed. Clerk had contacted LCC for further information prior to the meeting. They are going to send an engineer to look. Councillors agreed to hear the findings at a future meeting before a decision is made.
16.2 To consider a request from residents to ban the local hunt from passing through our villages: members of the public joined in with Councillor discussions, sharing personal experiences of the most recent and previous hunts. Concerns centred around hounds entering gardens; the lack of notice given so that residents can prepare and keep their own animals safe; one resident had to literally shelter in a nearby van whilst walking her dog down Legbourne Road as the hunt approached. Consensus was that notice was needed. PH proposed that we speak to the Master of the South Wolds hunt, seconded by SH, and report back to the PC. Majority were in favour of this but there was concern that any future motion should be differently worded. Action: AA and MM to contact the Master of the South Wolds hunt to ask for a meeting to share our concerns before the next PC meeting.
17. NWS Theddlethorpe: AA and TH reported back about two meetings they had both had. The first was with the CEO and other representatives of NWS, along with other local community leaders to ask for an independent survey to gather views regarding the potential Geological Disposal Facility. The second was an online meeting with representatives from Canada, sharing their experience of the process.
Sarah Howard asked that on the agenda for the next meeting there is an item to vote in line with Councillor Hesketh and some other local parishes to formally vote against the GDF. Sarah then gave her apologies and left the meeting.
18. Parish Woodland AS reported that despite having contacted them again, Tudor Grounds maintenance had still not cut the Little Carlton village green which was now extremely long. A local garden maintenance person, who does work for a number of villagers, had been asked if he would be able to step in for the remainder of this season.
AS, along with AA, (SH was unable to attend), had been to look at St Edith’s along with two local residents who had submitted a proposal for the future of the churchyard (this report was circulated to Councillors prior to this evening’s meeting). This proposed an environmentally friendly way forward for the currently ‘untidy’ churchyard, which would prioritise access to graves whilst also expanding the opportunity for native flora and fauna to flourish, and be a place of quiet reflection for all local residents. In the short term, graves would be strimmed around and access paths to visited graves cut through the long grass.
The two projects would go hand in hand. Biodiversity would be prioritised in the churchyard, and the village green would be returned to its previous mown state. Elliot Hampton would be contracted for both jobs for the remainder of the season. Proposed by AA, seconded by CR. All in favour. Action: AS and AA to follow this through with those concerned, including Tudor. AA to write article for the Earburn. Posters to be produced for the Churchyard to explain what is happening.
AS reported that the footpath between the villages has now been sprayed, and further action will be taken, if needed, once we see the results.
19. Planning PH .LAND SOUTH EAST OF HAWKS MEADOW, CHAPEL LANE, GREAT CARLTON – outline planning for the erection of one building. Application reference N/063/00522/24. PH proposed we support the application, although at this stage there are no specific plans. Seconded by AA. All in favour. Action: MM to contact ELDC.
20. Highways : Main Road in Great Carlton will be closed by LCC on 14 May for 1 – 2 days whilst investigations continue into the drain situation.
21. Report on The Hall AA: Despite having contacted Jo Parker almost two weeks prior to the meeting, she had not replied. AA had spoken to ELDC Leader Craig Leyland about the current situation at a recent NWS meeting.
22. Great Carlton War Memorial: PH: the old base will be removed and he will contact Leakes to work on the lettering when they can.
23. Date of next meeting:13 June 2024, 7pm Village Hall.
Meeting closed at 8.54pm