8th March 2024 Minutes
MINUTES
HACONBY & STAINFIELD PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
FRIDAY 8 th March 2024 IN THE HARE & HOUNDS PUBLIC HOUSE
Present: Councillors Richard Dixon-Warren (Chairman), Brian Blackbourn (Vice Chairman),
Laura Leyland, Dennis Sharman, David Winn
Parish Clerk – Mrs Wendy Gray
One member of the public present
1. Chairman’s Introduction and Announcements. Cllr Dixon-Warren welcomed all to the
meeting, including that rarity, a member of the public. Vote of thanks to the parishioner who
cleared the pond’s drain by ‘the green’.
2. Public Questions, Comments or Representations.
Q: Is it the intention of the PC to publish a financial report or the accounts at the end of this
financial year?
A: Certified Accounts once approved a copy is sent to external auditor (PKF Littlejohn)
a copy is published on the website and also a copy posted on Noticeboard. Chairman:
useful to have had focus on timely transparency of Parish Council business in
publishing draft Minutes and an end of year financial report. The Council agreed to
look at improving these aspects.
Q: As a Parish Land tenant is it possible to have an acknowledgement of electronic payment
of rent rather than just having to assume that it has been received? I appreciate that there is
a lag due to only having monthly statements.
A: An acknowledgment can be sent out. Action: Clerk.
Q: In advance of the Parish Land rent review this year could it be put on record, at this time,
that I will be strongly objecting to any rent rise for land which is for "private enjoyment" when
for 5 months of the year it is impossible to use because of the very poor drainage. Perhaps
there are plans to improve the drainage?
Noted. Chairman spoke on the utility of a Parish Land rent review (including facilities,
services, and comparison with market rates) and policy on Parish Land income
(priority on maintenance but available to subsidise Parish expenditure to keep Precept
increases to the minimum. Improvement and maintenance programmes continue.
Q: In the November Minutes it was noted that a donation of £20 was made to the Church for
use of the Meeting Room but there is no mention of payment for use of the Hare and Hounds
in the January Draft Minutes – could the PC clarify this please?
A: A donation was made to the church because this is standard practice for a charity
like the church. The Hare and Hounds does not charge the Council for the use of its
facilities and currently does not have a preferred charity to which to donate, as the
previous Licensee did.
Chairman: A pleasure to have had a member of the public challenge the Council.
3. Apologies for Absence:
Maisie McMahon Safer Together Team, Lincs PCC – moved on.
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PC361 Claire Wilson Bourne & Billingborough Neighbourhood Policing Team.
4. External Updates – LCC/SKDC/Parish Council/PCC/Police/LALC.
5. Disclosures of Interests. Cllr Dixon-Warren (South Kesteven District Councillor and PCC
Secretary). Cllr Sharman (PCC Member).
6. Minutes and Matters Arising.
To resolve that the Minutes of the meeting of the Council meeting held on 12 th January 2024
be signed as a correct record. One amendment: Cllr Langford should read Cllr Leyland –
manuscript change by Chairman.
Cllr Sharman proposed, Cllr Leyland seconded, all in agreement.
7. Administrative Report and Correspondence Received.
Thank you letter from LIVES re donation from the Parish Council.
Pilot Study South Forty Foot Water Bank circulated to Cllrs in February.
Email communication between a Haconby resident LCC Highways re grass cutting and rocks
in grass, copied to Parish Council. Action: Chairman to follow up.
8. Invoices. Discuss and resolve payment and ratification as required.
Parish Clerk salary and expenses £274.79.
Lives – £245.93
Rose & Louth - £158.40
Cllr Sharman proposed, Cllr Blackbourn seconded, all in agreement.
Income Received since last meeting. £240.00 Allotment Rent M Blackbourn
Precept for 2024-25, which was set to increase by the rate of inflation. It was agreed that
increased expenditure resulting from assuming maintenance responsibility for the closed
churchyard and newly refurbished defibrillator would be met from reserves in 2024-25. An
increase in precept for 2025-26 is possible to cover this additional expenditure in future.
9. Planning Applications. S23/2049 Agricultural Store Extension – 19 Chapel Street. No
observations.
10. Risk Assessment Update. ‘Fix My Street’ appears to have taken over. Noted that it also
deals with streetlights. Request: report streetlight outside St Andrew’s Church.
11. Business Items:
a. Parish Action on Public Requests. No points.
b. Parish Finance/Budget/Precept 2024-25. Precept request for £1,810.00 for the
year April 2024 to March 2025 submitted by deadline.
c. Parish Land.
Chairman reported no responses to letters and emails to former tenants about rent arrears /
potential cost of clearing abandoned garden allotment. If neither has replied by 8 March
proposal that the bad debtors be named and that both debts be written off to be considered.
Dyke and drain clearance planned but cannot get on land at the moment. Layby and
footpaths a mess – hopefully within next 8 weeks will be able to take action.
Discussion on laying pipe / culvert and filling in ditch along Plot 5, will assist in enabling
maintenance of layby verges – litter / rubbish in ditches cannot currently be cleared.
Damage to public right of way / access to Plots 6 / 7 / 8 noted – no Parish action possible.
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Drainage – if clear dykes, water will pool around Plot 9 (Stone Pit) – no runoff into drain
under road by Morton layby.
Parish Land Walkabout agreed for Sunday 17 th March at 10.00 am.
d. Parish Maintenance (Grass Cutting and Community Cleaning). Highways verge
grass cutting and community cleaner. Rollover of grass cutting and community cleaner
contracts agreed at last meeting to be implemented.
e. Parish Guide and Emergency Plan. Link to Parish Guide – Cllr Dixon-Warren still
working on plan.
f. BDUK Rural Gigabit Voucher Scheme-Quickline. Works in part of village still to
be completed. Cllr Dixon-Warren continues to liaise with Quickline.
g. Defibrillator. Village training session – pending arrangement.
h. WW2 80 th Anniversary Events. D-Day / Arnhem – D-Day (June) and Arnhem
(September). A range of options for events to commemorate both anniversaries for
consideration – no decision made.
12. Any Other Business.
Cllr Blackbourn reported overgrown vegetation has not been cut down on corner of Headland
Way – Cllr Dixon-Warren will have a look.
Headland Way Sign – left hand side – looks like red thorn 4/4.5 metres high - unable to walk
on path – Cllr Dixon-Warren will have a look.
13. Date of Next Meeting. Friday 10 th May 2024 commencing at 7 pm in the Hare & Hounds
Public House. Annual Parish Meeting, Annual General Meeting and Normal Parish Council
meeting.
14. Closed Session. None.
The Meeting closed at 9.15 p.m.