2022 Minutes of Meetings

Minutes - 14 July 2022

DRAFT MINUTES

HACONBY & STAINFIELD PARISH COUNCIL

PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

THURSDAY 14 TH JULY 2022 AT 7.15 PM IN THE HARE & HOUNDS

Present: Councillors Richard Dixon-Warren (Chairman), Brian Blackbourn (Vice Chairman),

Dennis Sharman, David Winn

Parish Clerk – Mrs Wendy Gray

  1. Chairman’s Introduction and Announcements.  Cllr Dixon-Warren welcomed everyone to the meeting. 
  1. Public Questions, Comments or Representations.  No members of the public present.  Parish Clerk had received email from a resident asking when would draft minutes for May be put on website and when would Parish Council be dealing with overgrown vegetation on Plot 5 Parish Council Land?  Response to resident that minutes would be published at same time as agenda for this meeting and Cllrs would be informed of query re overgrown vegetation on Plot 5 Parish Land.
  1. Apologies for Absence.  Parish Councillor Laura Leyland, County Councillor Martin Hill. No apologies from Police.
  1. LCC/SKDC/Parish Council/Police Update.  No report from LCC.  No update from Police, Cllr Dixon-Warren will keep the parish updated.  SKDC Report below:

Anti-social Behaviour Week.  A series of extra patrols have been organised in South Kesteven 18-24 July in National ASB Awareness Week as part of a national campaign dedicated to tackling anti-social behaviour.  #TeamSK, along with other agencies, is supporting the week of action to tackle the blight of ASB.  PCSOs and Neighbourhood Officers from #TeamSK will be on patrol in ASB hotspots in Grantham, Stamford, Bourne and Deepings from Monday to Thursday.  Social media updates on https://twitter.com/southkesteven and https://www.facebook.com/southkdc.

£150 Energy Rebate.  Progress on £150 rebate payments administered by SKDC to help residents deal with rising energy prices.  To date 92% of all Direct Debit payers have been paid (39,000 payments).  The remaining 8% are being reviewed as there are mismatches between the Council Tax account and the customer’s bank accounts.  If these cannot be resolved, customers will be paid as are those who do not pay their Council Tax by Direct Debit (some 22,000 customers) using vouchers issued by Post Office Counters.  A letter to all those concerned follows.

Covid-19.  Covid-19 is on the rise again.  Lincolnshire’s public health team estimates that some 25,000 people across the county now have coronavirus.  The rate of infection last week stood at around 200 cases per 100,000, compared with 50 per 100,000 at the end of May.  SKDC continues to advise caution both for those who become ill and for staff at work, where basic hygiene is still the best form of defence.  The Government still offers general advice about simple things that can be done to help reduce the spread of Covid and protect those at highest risk.

  1. Disclosures of Interests. Cllr Dixon-Warren (District Councillor SKDC and Secretary, PCC), Cllr Sharman (Member, PCC).
  1. Minutes. To resolve that the Minutes of the meeting of the Council meeting held on 5th May 2022 be signed as a correct record.  Cllr Blackbourn proposed, Cllr Sharman seconded, all in agreement for Minutes be signed.
  1. Matters Arising from the Minutes of 5th May 2022.  None.
  1. Administrative Report and Correspondence Received.  Parish Land enquiry.
  1. Invoices.  Discuss and resolve payment and ratification as required.

       Parish Clerk salary £243.54

      Parish Clerk expenses £22.50

      Grass cutting £70.00

      Internal Audit/Payroll – £150.00

Cllr Blackbourn proposed above payments are made, Cllr Sharman seconded, all in agreement.

      Income Received since last meeting:

      £360.00 – Parish Land Rent

     £463.32- Community Cleaner Grant

     £199.86 – HMRC

     Rent overdue from two tenants. First reminder sent by Parish Clerk – no response.  Action: second reminder to be sent.  If no response, Chairman’s reminder to be sent. 

  1. Planning Applications.

       S22/1237 – Part 3 Class Q for Change of Use of existing agricultural building to one dwelling and elevational alterations at 26 Chapel Street.  No objections raised.

S22/1230 – Conversion of existing agricultural barn into 3-bedroom house, change of use of agricultural land into residential garden and associated landscaping, Haconby Drove.  No objections raised.

  1. Risk Assessment Update.  ‘Fix My Street’ continues to work.  Parish Land risk assessment remains outstanding. 
  1. Business Items:
  1. Parish Land – Plot 5.  Cllr Blackbourn reported tenant had grass cut before leaving.  Dykes to be done later on.  Going to go back and cut ragwort back – due to breakdown in machinery will be done in September.  Question on ragwort on land that may be used for horses – follow up.  Resident query on overgrown vegetation – response to be sent.
  1. Grass Cutting and Community Cleaner.  Following initial teething problems, all looking good.  Community Cleaner – no applications received.        
  1. BDUK Rural Gigabit Voucher Scheme – Cllr Dixon-Warren reported information provided with Cllr Hill’s assistance (in italics):

Public feedback from the brief last year indicated that there is interest in gigabit broadband in Haconby and Stainfield.  It subsequently also indicated that ‘demonstrable demand for gigabit broadband’ is dependent or conditional on the cost per user. The full fibre market is becoming a very competitive space as more and more providers are deploying infrastructure. Full fibre will of course provide download speeds up to 1Gb/s. However, typically, residents are taking a 100Mb/s package that comes in between £25 and £32 per month. I would expect to see these drop further over the coming months.

What might be the likely cost of gigabit broadband in Haconby and Stainfield, and what level of interest would be viable? Typically, around 70% of available premises declaring interest is a viable level. Clearly, there has to be a decent volume of premises to start with.  Each scheme will of course be different in terms of build cost, but this is a typical level.

A brief outline of what is on offer and the estimated cost per user would be useful for surveying the parish to establish the level of interest. One point to mention and this is in no way meant to frighten people, but some time after 2025, BT Openreach are looking to completely switch off their copper network. Whether that happens at that point remains to be seen, but they will certainly do it as soon as they can.

Action: advertise and seek someone with expertise to lead on this for the Council.

  1. Transfer of Responsibility for Churchyard Maintenance. 

Tree survey carried out by NKDC.  One tree needs to be topped to a height of 3 metres – essential work that needs to be done.  No structural issues with the walls but some work is required.  PCC Secretary continues to seek SKDC assistance with quotes.  Work needs to be done on side entrance to the Church. 

When Parish Council takes over responsibility need to ensure everything that needs to be done is done.  Will require investment in energy and money.  Parish Council will be responsible for 100% of cost of maintenance when assume responsibility, except for monuments.  Discussion with PCC would be useful.

  1. Lincolnshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan Consultation.  Discuss and resolve action as required.  Outline indications very little that will affect us as a Parish Council.  General consensus: no specific issues to input from a parish perspective.
  1. Any Other Business. 

       Noticeboard in Stainfield – requires inspection and repair or replacing.  Cllr Blackbourn will look into possibly replacing.

Speed of traffic coming/going through the village – might be feasible to contact Highways Partnership.  Explore and follow up with Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership to see what we can do.

  1. Date of Next Meeting.  Thursday 15th September 2022 at 7:15 pm in Hare & Hounds Public House.
  1. Closed Session.  No requirement to go into closed session.                                                    

The Meeting closed at 8.55 pm.