May 2022 - Public Forum ii
SILK WILLOUGHBY PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF PUBLIC SESSION HELD BEFORE ANNUAL PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
Tuesday 31st May at 7.30pm in Silk Willoughby Village Hall
Councillors Present: Cllrs Bell, Roberts (Chair), Thackray, J. Wright and K. Wright.
In attendance: Parish Clerk Boden, C.Cllr A Hagues and 22 members of public.
Public Forum:
Cllr Roberts apologised that the Annual Parish Meeting did not have any Councillors in attendance on the original date agreed and that the Annual Parish Council Meeting did not happen on the 26th May due to Covid.
She expressed that she wanted to hear everybody’s contribution and asked the members of public to speak one at a time and to limit the time that they spoke.
A number of residents spoke and each resident mentioned the amount of traffic that is passing through the village at all times of day, these vehicles include ‘Mountains’ lorries from the depot in Quarrington, Contractors for both the Solar Farm and Handley Chase and cars that are using Silk Willoughby as a short cut.
Those coming from Quarrington are entering the village very fast due to the road being straight and are not slowing down, despite the speed device. Residents having to pull out from School Lane and Church Lane feel that they are waiting for an accident to happen.
Road surface noise from both the vehicles on the tarmac and from hitting the iron road furnishings is also a factor that is affecting village life.
County Councillor Hagues explained that he had made a site visit to London Road to listen to the levels of surface noise from lorries empty and full on this stretch of the road. Highways had investigated and concluded that everything was at a satisfactory level, however they would monitor the situation, as minuted in the notes for the Meeting held on the 21st April 2022.
Cllr Roberts said that she had been in touch with both LCC and NKDC regarding the issues and advised that if the Parish Council provided the evidence, then they would happily attend a public meeting and discuss the issues.
She asked the members of the public to send evidence of times, vehicles, direction of travel and anything else to either herself or the Parish Clerk. Action: The Parish Clerk is to add both her and Cllr Roberts’ email addresses to the Parish Council website for contact information.
If all content could be delivered by 14thJune then the evidence could be brought together.
A number of residents were also concerned regarding the planning application from Pennells Garden Centre and wanted the Parish Council to object. Cllr Roberts said that the application was on the agenda but due to the sensitivity of the application it would be discussed in ‘Closed Session’ at the end of the Annual Parish Council Meeting.
A resident asked if the public would be informed of the decision that the Council made. Cllr Roberts assured everyone that this would be the case.
A member of the public has noted that a number of vehicles have been using Gorse Lane, as a shorth cut, for deliveries to the Solar Farm. On a number of occasions, they have become ‘stuck’ due to residents’ vehicles being parked on the road and on one occasion the resident has had to help reverse the delivery vehicle out of the road, whilst on another he has suffered verbal abuse. Action: The Parish Clerk to write to LCC regarding a sign asking that No HGV’s use the village to enter Gorse Lane and for them to follow the planned route.
It was asked that due to speeding traffic ignoring the speed devices could a speed survey be carried out? Action: The Parish Clerk to ask for an Archer Survey on the stretch of London Road entering/ exiting Silk Willoughby towards Sleaford.
A resident also asked if the road signs of School Lane and Church Lane could be reported as the are badly worn and coming away from the wall. Action: The Parish Clerk to report.
With no further questions the public forum was closed. Residents were invited to stay for the Annual Parish Council Meeting and a short break was taken to allow residents to leave.