2021 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

Londonthorpe & Harrowby Without Parish Council

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held 13th January 2021 Via Zoom. Meeting started at 7.02pm. 

Held under Covid 19 Regulations.

Public Open Session: there were two parishioners present. Neither wished to say anything

Councillors present: Geoff Parnham, John Anderson, Paul Bavin, Richard Keeler, Roland Wright, George Chivers, Paul Bakker, Carol Markwell, Janie Lee and Yolanda Martin (10 Members were present.). 

Geoff Parnham the Chairperson took the Chair. Pete Armstrong the Clerk took the notes. LCC Cllrs L Wootten and A Stokes were both in attendance.

43/20   Apologies: Avril Gregory was unwell; this was agreed as an acceptable reason on a prop by R Wright sec by J Anderson. 

44/20   Declarations of Interest; None declared

45/20   Casual Vacancies: We have two vacancies one which will be filled by the replacement from the POWG Barracks. The other to be advertised on the Website and in the Newsletter. It is hoped to fill the vacancies at the March meeting. The two unsuccessful candidates at the previous co-option have shown further interest.

46/20   Clerks Notes of the 11th November 2020 meeting were accepted as a true record and became the minutes. Proposed by J Anderson, seconded R Keeler, all members were in agreement.

47/20    Clerks Update on Matters Arising; the chairman reminded all members to reply to requests by the Clerk for information/comments etc. This is important so that a fully considered report can be made to planning etc. As usual all other matters fall within the full agenda.

48/20   Financial Statement No.4. 

The Clerk/RFO went through the financial report in the detail explaining all the payments etc. 

Councillors had received the reports taken off the Scribe system prior to the meeting.

Cheques or bank transfers were made out for the following: 

Community Cleaners and Clerks salaries for the last two months Sept to Oct totalling £1625.02

HMRC                                                                                                                                £408.60  
Streetwise for Grass Cutting                                                                                               £186.00    VAT £31.00
VALE Play Equipment                                                                                                      £5784.00 VAT £964.00  
WACS Fitting Planters etc                                                                                                 £399.00
Thorpe Trees                                                                                                                       £249.19   VAT £41.53
Donation NHS Charity                                                                                                        £250.00
Donation Woodland Trust                                                                                                   £250.00
Donation Royal British Legion                                                                                           £250.00   
Petty Cash Totalled                                                                                                               £77.72     VAT£5.05. 

this included Stamps, Cleaning Equipment, Refreshments, and PDF reader. 

Total expenditure during these two months being £9479.53 a total of £1041.58 of VAT is reclaimable. 

Known expenditure due for payment before the next meeting are Community Cleaner’s Salary, Clerks Salary, Repairs, Office, Hedge Laying LRSP.  There was income of 27p interest from HSBC. 

Update about Donations of £250 each passed at the last meeting. Royal British Legion in lieu of payment to PD Langford for assisting with the website, still to be cashed, Umbrella Counselling (Grantham) also still to be presented. The one to MIND has not yet sent, we are still waiting for them to reply to our efforts to contact them. 

Agreement to accept the Financial Statement No 4 and all the options suggested, plus the normal expected payments for up to the March meeting was proposed by P Bakker seconded by Y Martin this was agreed unanimously. 

The Clerk stated that he has again spoken with the branch staff and been told that all Internet Banking Applications were taking extra time, but it is felt we should have heard something by now. The Clerk has now started to look at alternative banking sources still taking on Parish/Community Accounts. Some banks have now ceased taking them on.

49/20   Leisure & Outdoor Committee. 

All Areas covered by this Committee are as usual reported in this item. 

a.   Playground Safety: Our ROSPA Inspector carried out the annual inspection prior to Christmas. No major problems were found, the full report is to follow. 

b.   Community Cleaner; The Community Cleaner has handed in his notice with effect from the 31st March. He will be retiring after 12 years of excellent service to the parish. He leaves big boots to fill. We will advertise on the Website, Noticeboards and in the Newsletter. L&O Committee will draw up the necessary paperwork with the Clerk. 

c.    Covid 19 Update: All Playgrounds remain open under the present government guidelines. If the advice changes, we will make the necessary changes.

d.   Withambrook: A further Working Party met to deal with the trees mentioned on the “SKDC Tree Safety Report”. They continued working within the “Safer Working Practices Guidelines” prior to the latest Lockdown. 

On further inspection there is more rot than was at first thought on some elements of the Trim Trail. This will need replacing in the next couple years, L&O to look into it. The ROW route from the drive to the bridge has become a quagmire during the autumn/early winter.  L&O to look into cost of improving it by laying some sort of path. This route was not paved when the MUGA was put in due to the extra costs at the time.

e.   Belfry:  no problems raised.

f.   Londonthorpe: The brash left from the working party in October, as now died down but due the lockdown we have been unable to get in and clear it. The new Multi Item piece of equipment is now in situ and has been seen being used. We are told the bridging section is quite challenging. The front hedge has been laid, but the condition of it was found to much worse than we thought. New saplings of varies species are being ordered to fill the gaps. New Play Equipment: installed before Christmas, the workers laying the hedge told me of seeing several people using it. Vale Sport & Leisure (AMG) have offered the Clerk a Basket Swing at a much-reduced price. (L&O to discuss) Quote for a new gate requested likely to be around £200.

g.    Hills & Hollows: Working Party to plant the Donated Memorial Tree’s cancelled until after Lockdown. Tree order put on hold. Maintenance work put on hold. Awaiting Quote for Granite Bench erection, this may now be after Lockdown. Application for permission to metal detect on our land was considered and agreed if certain rules are laid down. A formal agreement will need to be signed by both parties.

h.   Bridge End Grove: No problems reported.

i.   Woodland Trust Working Party: we managed to meet on the 6th December just after the previous Lockdown. Work was undertaken to remove a large quantity of diseased Ash. All members have been offered a First Aid Course but have declined until things get better re meetings etc. The Clerk and some other members attended a tree planting session at the rear of McCann’s on the 5th December.

j.   Woodland Trust Five Gates Project:  Thinning of the Alma Park Wood has been undertaken, taking out many diseased and dangerous specimens. Further work on the learning centre at Fifth Avenue end delayed once again by the Lockdown.

50/20   Blessed Hugh More School Site Consultation: The Clerk reported that he has tried again to get a definite answer from SKDC about what we can do on the site if anything. There does not seem to be anyone left who knows, so many staff are on furlough or have left the council altogether. I last sent details I was asked for, on the 26th Nov.

I have requested permission in my emails for planting along the perimeters and also to be able to improve the access from the parish side of the land. These would be the Sandringham and Windsor Ave entrances only as we would not work on the areas not in the parish. The planting of trees on the boundaries and some wildflowers would be the first task. I last sent the details I was asked for on the 26th Nov.

I have requested permission in my emails for planting along the perimeters and also to be able to improve the access from the parish side of the land. Cllr Wootten has also been trying to get us some more info. Cllr L wootten confirmed she would take this up again for us.

51/20 PLANNING APPLICATIONS

Comments on the SKDC Local Plan Consultation have been sent and acknowledged.

52/20   Highways Notes: 

Londonthorpe Village Planters; Cllr C Markwell gathered together the volunteers through from the village and the planters were filled with a mixture of bulbs (Crocus, Tulips & Daffodils) and some Pansies.

Harrowby Lane from the High Dyke to Hall Lane: Cllr Wootten has been dealing with this since our last Open Evening, it was a request from parishioners along this stretch of road. The Archer Analysis that was undertaken shows the speeds recorded are below the speed limits. She has stated she will continue to fight this for us. It was also stated in case members were not aware that the 60mph national limit extends into the village itself. We are to look into getting this reduced due to the extra homes being provided at the farmstead development.

High Dyke Five Year Accident Log: Cllr L Wootten, brought to the notice of the Clerk recently of a request for street lighting on the High Dyke. She had obtained from the LRSP the record of incidents over the last five years. There have been twenty recorded where injuries were sustained there were no deaths thankfully. The area covered stretches from Ancaster to the A52. Three of these were recorded as serious injuries one of which was in our parish at the end of Turnor Road. Fourteen of the twenty were within our parish boundary which is no surprise has we have most of the side road joining the High Dyke. 4 were at Pyewipe Cottages/Welby junction, 2 at Turnor Rd, 2 at Harrowby Lane, 3 on the open Road between Harrowby Lane and High Road. The remaining 6 were at High Road where we already know vehicles are travelling so fast, they go straight across and take out the road furniture.

Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership: Due to the events of the last year and all the lockdowns this is still ongoing.  we hope to move into action as soon as we have the all clear re restrictions. The Risk Assessment has been compiled ready for the start of the scheme.

53/20   Newsletter: This needs to be a priority for the next few weeks, a lot will depend again on the present lockdown. The 28th February is set for the last date to get it to the printers for delivery before the planned Annual Parish Meeting. There is though some doubt as to if these will go ahead this year, we are awaiting an announcement from the government.

Items for inclusion, Chairman’s Report, Calendar, Councillor details, C Markwell Report on Planters etc, R Keeler L&O Report, Covid 19 Update, Community Cleaner Advert, Blessed Hugh More Site Updates, Tom Childs Award, Working Parties, Hills & Hollows, New Website Details, Useful Contacts plus any further items from councillors. All councillors invited to contribute. We will not go out looking for adverts this time, we will only publish the two free ones for the businesses that provide site for our Defibrillators. 

54/20   Policies:  All policies have been amended to include the holding of Virtual Meetings as per Government Guidelines. Policies re Covid19 Play Areas slightly amended. 

55/20   Correspondence: The Clerk has signed up for a training session with ParishOnline after receiving an invitation. (this deals with parish mapping). A survey of Councillors from LALC is expected shortly and will be forwarded to members up on receipt.  A request from LCC Highways about some information on which of the Grit Bins were empty on Saltersford area stirred the Clerk to survey how many bins we had in the Parish. He asked councillors to report to him any that he had missed. On his inspection of the ones on Saltersford 2 were found to be completely empty. 

As usual all other relevant correspondence has been passed on as it arrived. This has allowed members to stay up to date with the ever-changing regulations etc.

56/20   Matters for the Next Agenda etc. 

R Keeler reported on the water flowing from the hillside into the drain on Chatsworth again, it is being retained within it though. He also reported that the water was again flowing onto the path at the back of the house on Sandringham Drive, this area was now extremely muddy.  We are quite certain that these are outlets emanating from natural springs on the hillside. 

J Anderson asked who the land at the Spinney belonged to as there was some dangerously situated trees along the roadside. The clerk replied that it all belonged to Jelsons and last year they were in consultation with SKDC’s Arboriculturist about what of the protected trees could be removed. The clerk to try and get some sort of update.

Meeting closed 8.38. pm. Diary Dates are as per these minutes and the Autumn Newsletter. 

Next meeting:  Wednesday 10th March 2021 at 7.00pm. This is expected to be a Virtual Meeting. Further details will follow if the regulations re Annual Parish Meetings is changed by the Government in relation to Covid. 

Signed as a true copy of the meeting held 13th January 2021