December 2022 Minutes
PUBLIC FORUM
• A resident raised an issue regarding the road outside their house, which was crumbling along with the kerbstone. Resident to send a photo to the Clerk so she can report it on Fix My Street.
• Cllr. Alex Hall said he would look into whether the parish council would be allowed to make good the ash felt footpath along the A16 as LCC had said they would not be doing so (Fix My Street). Cllr. Hall also reported that, having had a discussion with LCC regarding the safety on the A16 through Utterby, he had been advised that we should again look at the Community Speedwatch Scheme; in response it was reported that following a survey in January 2020 there had been little interest from residents or councillors to volunteer for this scheme. Lastly Cllr Hall reported that further to our complaints regarding the position of the refuge island on the A16 (which was usually damaged at least once a year), that LCC would be surveying this to see if a Puffin Crossing would be a suitable replacement.
• A resident raised a concern that as she understood, ELDC Enforcement Officers were not qualified to go out onto a development site (H&S) and asked Cllr Mossop if he could look into this situation.
Record of Members Present:
Present - Cllr Alan Woodward (AW) (Chair), Cllr Terry Buckley (TB), Cllr Jackie Woodward (JW) and
Cllr Matthew Wright (MW).
Not Present – Cllr Nicola Gallant (NG), Cllr John Mackin (NM) and Cllr Nicola Mackin (JM).
In Attendance - Clerk Maria Vincent, two members of the public, Cllr Hall (LCC) and Cllr Mossop (ELDC).
62. Apologies Received
Cllrs: NG, NM, and JM.
63. To receive any Declarations of Interest under the Localism Act 2011
None.
64. Minutes
It was RESOLVED to approve the minutes of Parish Council Meeting 2nd November 2022 as correct and the Chairman signed them.
65. Council Matters, Actions and Communications
a) Chairman’s Remarks. The Chairman reported that the refuge had now been repaired.
b) Clerk’s Report. The Clerk reported that HSBC had confirmed that we no longer had internet banking.
c) gov.uk Email and Domain – It was RESOLVED that a .gov.uk domain name would be registered in readiness for the new set of councillors in May 2023 with at least 8 email addresses (7 councillor and one for the clerk). Clerk to organise and confirm costs at future meeting.
d) Ideas from the community for projects – The Clerk reported that one more suggestion had been received from a resident, this was to have more trees on the village green. Cllr AW mentioned that he had been asked whether there could be some more litter bins in the village and also reported that the Parish Council notice board was in very poor condition structurally, and that it may be pertinent to consider a new notice board which could also advertise village events (a suggestion to have an events notice board had been received from a resident). The Clerk read out a number of costings she had obtained for different projects but as only four councillors were present, it was RESOLVED that the item be fully discussed instead at the next meeting.
e) Consultations – Viking CSS Pipeline – It was RESOLVED that the Council did not wish to make any comments to this consultation as the route did not directly affect the village, (although the local farming community may be affected) and that councillors should respond as individual residents.
f) Communications were noted from: LALC, Annual Report and LALC News, email regarding more trees on the village green from a resident, Louth Rural Police newsletter and the notification of external auditor for the next five years is PKF Littlejohn.
66 Finance and Budgets
a) It was RESOLVED that the council register again with the Information Commissioner (ICO Data Protection) for year 2023/24.
b) It was RESOLVED that the Parish Clerk completes the Precept application for 2023/24 with the Chair when the documents are made available by ELDC and return them before the closing date as required.
c) It was RESOLVED to renew the Parish Agreement (verges grass cutting) with Lincolnshire County Council as a rolling agreement from 2023/24 and the Chair signed the agreement.
d) It was RESOLVED to approve the increase of the Clerk’s salary by £1 per hour from £11.73 to £12.73 per hour backdated to 1st April 2022 as per NALC Salary Awards and LGA agreement. Backdated costs £112 (April to end October 2022). Monthly salary before tax and NI will now be £203.68 (not including working from home and mileage claimed).
e) It was RESOLVED to approve the December payments schedule: DW Gibbs, December 2022 Bus shelter and phone box £30.00; HM Revenue and Customs Only November 22 Tax £28.20; Clerk Salary and expenses in November and back pay from April 2022 £314.67; Utterby Village Hall Hire of hall for 5 months 2022 Hire of storage for 6 months £150.00; The Information Commissioner Annual Registration Fee £40.00; Alan Woodward Batteries reimbursement £10.75 TOTAL £573.62
67 Planning
a) Urgent Planning Applications – None
b) Updates from any planning issues - N/192/00289/17 LAND OFF CHAPEL LANE AND GRANGE LANE. The Clerk reported that she had now been contacted by the relevant Enforcement Officer but had been told that many of the complaints the Parish Council had submitted were not enforcement issues but that they would look at some points we had raised. The issue with the chalk roads on the development now causing a skidding danger on Grange Lane had to be reported directly to LCC (Fix My Street).
58 Parish Council Amenities (bus shelters, village green, etc)
a) Welcome Pack. A set of new residents in the village had received a pack.
b) Verges and Village Green – nothing to report.
c) Bus Shelters – the Clerk reported that due to the massive increase of costs of Perspex, that the Benson Court bus shelter would only be repainted and the plastic windows would be replaced when the prices started go down in cost.
d) Utterby Voice – Clerk to remind village hall, school and church to send articles.
e) Christmas Lights – The Chair reported that there had been an issue with a set of the lights due to wet conditions and that he thought next year the Council should consider getting some commercial hardier lights.
69 ELDC/LCC Services (Streetlights, Bins, Highways, Verges, Footpaths, etc)
a) Any urgent issues – None.
b) Benson Court – Following last month’s report that there were now only five residents left at Benson Court, Cllr Mossop reported that he had contacted ELDC who liaise with Platform Housing, and been informed that one of the residents in question had been offered a number of other housing units but as he wanted a bungalow, they were not currently able to re-house him. Cllr Mossop was assured that ELDC/Platform Housing would consult with the Parish Council and remaining residents once they had decided what their plans were for Benson Court.
70 Notifications
a) Nothing to report.
71 Date and time of Next Meeting
Parish Council Meeting on Wednesday 1st February 2023 at 7pm at the Village Hall. The Chair reminded councillors that there was no meeting in January and wished everyone a happy Christmas and New Year.
The meeting finished at 8:28pm.
Signed ___________________ Date________________________