March 2022 Minutes
Londonthorpe & Harrowby Without Parish Council
Clerk; Peter A. Armstrong 27 Belton Ave Grantham Lincs NG31 9JE
Tel 07929321426 E-mail londonthorpeharrowby@ntlworld.com
Clerks Notes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Wednesday 9th March 2022 at Belmont school.
Meeting started at 7.20pm, after the conclusion of the Annual Parish Meeting
Held under Covid 19 Regulations at the time.
Public Open Session: the two parishioners present for the Annual meeting left.
21/93 Councillors present: Geoff Parnham, Richard Keeler, Paul Bakker, Carol Markwell, Alan Bowling, Avril Gregory, Roland Wright, John Anderson, Paul Nesbitt, 9 members were present. LCC Cllrs L Wootten & A Stokes were also in attendance.
Geoff Parnham the Chairperson took the Chair. Pete Armstrong the Clerk took the notes.
Apologies: George Chivers ill, agreed as acceptable absence.
21/94 Declarations of Interest; None declared.
21/95 Casual Vacancy: this has been advertised in the normal manner even in the Newsletter, no one has come forward.
21/96 Clerks Notes: those of the 12th of January 2022 meeting were accepted as a true record and therefore became the minutes. Proposed C Markwell by seconded R Wright, all members were fully in agreement.
21/97 Clerks Update on Matters Arising: As usual all other matters fall within the full agenda.
21/98 Financial Statement No.6.
The Clerk went through the report in the detail explaining all the payments etc.
Councillors as usual now had received the reports taken off the Scribe system prior to the meeting.
Cheques, Bank Transfers or Debit Card payments were made out for the following:
Community Cleaner & Clerks Salaries for the two months January & February £1703.60, including the C/C Expenses £ 40.00, Clerks Annual Expenses £300. This covers his broadband, telephone etc.
Leisure & Outdoor: ROSPA Inspection £270, Hills & Hollows £39.11, Londonthorpe Trees £27.96 and the Working Party £2.87. Newsletter: Printing £1100.00, envelopes etc £10.95. HSBC Charges £26.00.
Payments made in cash by the Clerk totalled £11.40. All payments made on the card by the Clerk were agreed by Cllrs Parnham & Bakker and signed off accordingly. An expenditure total of £3493.79 including £50.48 VAT.
Income was from two Donations one from Cllr L Wootten SKDC Grant of £500 towards the seat and £30 from a resident for a tree at the H&H. HSBC Interest 15p. A total of £530.15
Items known due for payment before the next meeting are Land Purchase, Repairs, BHMS, Scribe, LALC. SLCC, Rent (Bridge End G), Parish-online, Web Management and Salaries plus anything relating to the ongoing projects already agreed within the parish. Zoom contract will not be renewed. Income will be the first half of our Precept.
Agreement to accept the Financial Statement No 6 for 2021/22 plus the normal expected payments for up to the May meeting was proposed by R Wright seconded by J Anderson. Agreed Unan. Cllrs A Gregory & J Anderson signed off the account.
21/98a HSBC Bank:
Still ongoing trying to get an internet account but getting it will not stop all the charges we now incur.
NatWest Bank: the clerk has started an application for an account with NatWest, which will save us the charges we now suffer.
Only four people can be on the mandate at one time and one of those must be a NatWest customer, V-Chair R Wright is that person, the others to sign will be the Clerk plus Chair G Parnham and P Bakker who are both signatories on the HSBC account. R Keeler proposed we continue with this application and was seconded by P Bakker, agreed unan.
21/99 Annual Salaries Review: The Clerk outlined the situation to members, stating that the 2021-22 scales had only just been agreed nationally. So, all councils will be faced with having to pay the back-pay to all employees affected. The Clerks Salary will increase by .21p per hour back dated to April 2021. Members felt that he should also go up the scale, but he advised against this. These changes were proposed by A Gregory and seconded by P Nesbitt agreed unan. R Wright raised the subject of the Clerks expenses needing to go up considering the current inflation as he felt he was not being reimbursed for what he was outlaying. A proposal to increase to the present reimbursement by £50 was proposed by A Gregory & seconded by R Wright agreed unan.
21/100 Leisure & Outdoor Committee:
Cllr R Keeler the Committee Chairman reported that all matters from the meeting held on the 1st are within the Clerks notes sent to all members.
a. Community Cleaner Vacancy: there have been two applications and two enquires which gone no further. Parish tours are to take place prior to the interviews next week. A suitable venue to be found.
b. Playground Safety ROSPA Inspection has shown up no major concerns. All items raised in it were of a low risk factor. Some of these are due to the design of the equipment at the time of purchase. Things that require attention are be compiled for the contractor.
c. Covid 19 Update: All Playgrounds have remained open as allowed under the present government guidelines. No Change.
d. Grass Cutting Quotes: The L&O committee recommended sticking with Streetwise who work out at £30 per cut cheaper than EnvironmentSK. It was proposed by J Anderson and seconded by C Markwell that this recommendation be followed. Agreed by all.
e. Withambrook Play Area: a resident has notified us of dangerous concrete blocks etc in the areas where we have pruned back the trees. We were aware of this and is planned for the next working party. If too much for them this will be passed to the contractor.
f. Bridge End Grove: Fence this will be completed when contractor does the ROSPA items.
g. Londonthorpe Amenity Park: New entrance gate required: Proposal from L&O to purchase the stronger model (Somerfield) @ a cost of around £300 fitted unless new hardware required. Members agreed that new hardware should be fitted if the least amount of doubt about the present fittings. Proposed by R Wright Seconded by R Keeler, Unan. The Damson tree was damaged in the recent storms. Three new fruit trees have been planted by the clerk.
h. Hills & Hollows: we have had several donations towards trees again this year. Another fruit tree was planted on the week 26th of Feb, this was donated in memory of a lost family member. Along with that an Oak was also planted which is one of the four donated to Paul Bakker for our use. If time and weather permits, a further working party is to be held this spring.
i. Woodland Trust Working Parties: A full season of events have taken place except the one we had to cancel due to the adverse conditions underfoot which would have made things dangerous. The February event was used to plant a hedge around the new carpark. The last event took place on the 6th of March at the Alma Wood, where self-set Sycamores and dangerous trees near to the footpath were removed.
Withambrook Working Party: great progress has been made in clearing all our trees which overhung the neighbouring properties. A further event is to be held to clear some of the brambles and burn the brash from our previous efforts. There will also be the planting of three of the Oaks still held by P Bakker. Resident has raised the matter of a danger from the debris under the trees that have been cut back. Most of this appears to have come from the Industrial estate but has come to light because of the work we have done. This will be resolved.
j. Woodland Trust Five Gates Project: The car park is now open and cycle paths in full use. The layby is also complete. The new pathways are being very well used. The toilets are still not open. A question was asked why the carpark extension was not open, the Clerk replied that this had been provided for special events only.
k. Request for the use of the Amenity Field: Members of the village committee had asked about the possible use of the Field for a Platinum Jubilee event. The Clerk confirmed that if we (PC) were involved in the planning and running of the event it could be covered under our insurance. C Markwell as a villager/councillor would be our representative. The Clerk is to be kept informed. Proposed by R Wright Sec by P Nesbitt that this to go ahead under the terms outlined. Unan.
l. Church Lane Green Tree: the planning application has now been confirmed SKDC have 6 weeks to put it on the TPO register or we can remove it. A new tree will be planted ASAP.
21/101 BHMS; After a long in-depth discussion about this in the Annual Parish Meeting all members were fully aware of our position. The SKDC councillors present were left with no doubt about how we feel with anything concerning the District Council at present. The council officers and their departments seem to be totally disjointed. We are still waiting for proper quote from Environment SK. It was hoped this could be done by them to make sure everything is correct with all departments of SK that are involved. Cllr A Stokes stated he would chase things up for us. “Draft Licence” most things are now ironed out, but we still require a Method Statement to progress. The Clerk is continuing dialogue with the Solicitor and when possible SKDC officers.
We now know the scrubland owned by SKDC is NOT included in this. Both, Cllr L Wootten and A Stokes are to push at the council offices for us.
Land Purchase ex Jenkinson Trustees: This still in the hands of the solicitors, as far as we are concerned all queries have been sorted and we are just awaiting the contracts to sign.
21/102 Planning: Still awaiting any further Planning information re PWOG now due to close 2028 and the Spitalgate Garden Village developments.
App no’s during last period:
S21/2249 Ropsley Farms, Agricultural Storage Change of use to Caravan Storage! Withdrawn
S22/0041 Dragons Lair 26 Heath Farm Lane: Passed S22/0176 Harrowby Hall Alterations. Passed
S22/0211 Landover No Major Queries.
S22/0253 I Ascot Drive Brick Wall, This Should Have Stated Retrospective Application.
This is an Eyesore on what is Supposed to be an Open Plan Estate. This is far more Dangerous than a 1 metre hedge. Objection to be made on both points.
A notification of the derelict bungalow on Belton Lane being turned into an Adult Learning Centre. We have not had anything from SKDC on this only LCC who seem to have passed it without consultation!
21/103 Lion Gates: no Further information at present.
21/104 Highway Matters: Community Speed Watch is still catching several offenders especially on Harrowby & Belton Lanes. Our efforts in Londonthorpe must be working as there have been very few offenders during the last few events there. More volunteers are needed, especially to cover the areas outside of Londonthorpe Village.
A request has been made for us to hold an event on Alma Park Road where residents and cyclists have complained about the speed of some motorists. This will be considered.
The Village Gateways require cleaning, this is something that will need investigating, it was agreed this will be a job for the new community cleaner.
Galliford Try’s latest newsletter was passed to members, this outlined the works completed and any planned works for the next few weeks. Saltersford Rd which badly needed repairs was resurfaced in February. Further areas of the parish are to be top dressed during the next few months. It was requested of the LCC councillors present that the Parish expects a better standard of work delivered for them than that which was delivered in Sunningdale.
21/105 Queens Jubilee Planning Update. Seat design choice was made via email of those who replied it was a unanimous decision to go for option A. which when the emblems are painted in will look quite stunning. An inscription will need deciding on for the Plaque.
We are still hopeful that the Scrubland will be in our ownership in plenty of time to get the volunteers organised.
As mentioned above in 21/100K an event is planned for Londonthorpe. I have heard of no others.
A further idea still being considered is a panoramic information board showing the features visible from the seat when in situ. Renaming of an area is still under review.
21/106 Newsletter: This delivered by the end of February, a big thank you to all the volunteers that helped. The Clerk apologised for having inadvertently removing the Calendar when manoeuvring things about to make everything fit. It was deemed a success as we have had three enquiries for the Community Cleaner position although only two applications.
21/107 Policies: non dealt with this month.
21/91 Correspondence: As usual all relevant correspondence has been passed on as it arrived.
21/92 Matters for the May Agenda etc.
Meeting closed 9.00pm Diary Dates are as per these minutes and the Calendar passed to members and available on the Website and Noticeboards.
Next meeting: Wednesday May 11th, 2022, at 7.00pm.
Roland Wright
Signed as a true copy of the meeting held 9th March 2022