2022 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

SILK WILLOUGHBY PARISH COUNCIL

PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

Thursday 24th November at 7.30pm in Silk Willoughby Village Hall

Councillors Present: Cllrs Roberts (Chair), Thackray, J. Wright and K. Wright.

In attendance: C. Cllr Hagues, Parish Clerk Boden and 1 member of public.

Councillor Roberts welcomed everybody to the meeting.

22046. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SESSION

To receive reports from outside bodies.

Report from C. Cllr Hagues. C. Cllr Hagues reported on the potentially new Scredington Reservoir. It will be around the size of Grafham Water with a number of houses being affected. As most of the Environmental Agency flood plains are to the west side of Lincoln, he is not sure why this area has been chosen and has questioned the EA over this. Lincoln Castle will have an illuminated walk between the 1st- 4th December. There is a case of Avian Flu in Ruskington and Silk Willoughby is in the Control Area.

Report from D. Cllr Jackson. D. Cllr Jackson had sent his apologies but has asked for a meeting with Cllr Roberts and the clerk to enable him to catch up.

Questions or Points raised by residents and members of the public. No questions were asked.

COUNCIL SESSION

22047. Apologies for Absence: To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Parish Clerk prior to the meeting. All Councillors were present.

22048. Declarations of Interest: To receive Declarations of Pecuniary Interests of all parish councillors. There were no Declarations of Interest.

22049. To approve and accept as a true record the notes of the meeting of the Parish Council held on 28th July 2022 and to authorise the Chairman to sign the official minutes. It was resolved to accept the notes of the meeting held on the 29th September 2022 to be a true record and for the Chair to sign.

22050. To receive an update on the traffic problems within Silk Willoughby and to consider the next steps. 

• The Parish Council met with MP Dr Caroline Johnson on the 8/10/22, with her offering help in contacting LCC Highways and Mountains. The response back from Highways is that they will check the road conditions shortly.

• The Archer Surveys were carried out in September and October, with a further survey to be carried out in January 2023. It was noted that the number of speeding cars increased when the speed sign had stopped working.

• Lincolnshire Live and the Target have run stories.

• LCC Highways have confirmed that they have visited London Road. They found the noise to be no louder than other places and that any faults do not meet the criteria needed. No further actions will be taken.

• Cllr Roberts has spoken to Mountains, who are very supportive regarding the road conditions.

It was discussed regarding the next steps in moving forward. 

• It was felt that the Council should write back to NKDC and Highways asking for a meeting. 

• There is an option of joining the Community Speed Watch, enabling the PC to purchase stickers for the wheelie bins and to be given 6 illuminous speed signs. It was resolved not to join the CSW.

• A discussion of purchasing a moveable Speed Indicating Devise (SID), costing approx. £2,200, was discussed and it was resolved not to purchase a device at the present time.

22051. To receive the Chair’s report:

a. CIL payments. The Parish Council received £2074.29 in November 2022 and also received £2118.39 in October 2021 from NKDC. The Parish Council has 5 years to use the money, within the community, or it must be returned to NKDC. Reports on spend must be completed by 31st December and the clerk will do this.

b. Fix my Street. This is a very useful website and poster can be printed for the noticeboards. Since the last meeting Cllr Roberts has reported.

• Willoughby Road Hedge. Reported 27/10/22, No further action 28/10/22

• School Lane Hedge. Reported 27/10/22, LCC cut 3/11/22

• A15 Junction Hedge. Reported 27/10/22, LCC investigating 31/10/22

• Ramp outside VH. Reported again 18/10/22, Still ongoing. (Previously investigated 21/9/22

• Speed sign. Reported 19/10/22. Westcote Tec investigating 2/11/22, ongoing.

c. Overgrown Hedges. Letters were sent to appropriate residents.  Aswarby Estates had responded on the 3/11/22 that they had written to their tenant asking him to maintain the hedge on School Lane

d. Reservoir Update. Cllr Roberts had attended a meeting on 1/11/22 at Scredington VH and had been given some booklets.

e. Solar Farm. Cllr Roberts had emailed for an update on the 10/11/22. A contract had been received on the day of the meeting and a couple of mistakes had been spotted. Cllr Hagues suggested that Rauceby PC be contacted as they’d received solar farm funds and the Chair is a solar farm owner. If needed an extra meeting will be called to keep the Cllrs updated.

22052. To receive the Clerk’s report:

a) Coronation of King Charles. It was noted that the Coronation of King Charles will be held on the 6th May 2023, with an extra Bank Holiday being held on the 8th May 2023.

b) Election of Parish Councillors – 4th May 2023. The Election of Parish Councillors is due to be held on the 4th May 2023 with Councillors taking up their seats on the 9th May 2023.

22053. To consider the upcoming purchase of the ‘Jubilee Oaks’ and the siting of them in Aswarby Estate grounds. Aswarby Estates are happy for the purchased ‘Jubilee Oaks’ to be sited on their land but want tree guards. The trees and guards have been purchased from Crowders Nurseries in Louth and will be delivered shortly.

22054. To consider the purchase of a memorial bench, for the late Queen, and the siting of the bench within the village. After discussion it was resolved to purchase a bench from NBB Recycled Furniture, out of the CIL monies and site it in the pond area.

22055. To receive an update on the Village Pond and to consider the next steps, due to recent problems. Cllr Roberts had received a phone call from a resident regarding the water quality and a number of dead fish. Cllr Roberts had phoned the following:

• Anglian Water on the 7/11/22. They tested the water on the 8 + 9/11/22 where Level 2 Ammonia was present

• Environment Agency. They suggested possible stagnant water causing the issues.

• Lincs Wildlife Trust on the 7/11/22. They suggested excess nutrients from leaf litter + overhanging trees causing problems

• Under financial regulations the quote of £500 from Dan Selby Gardener had been accepted and the work carried out on the 18/11/22.

After discussion it was resolved to defer until next year for any dredging but to continue monitoring the ponds condition now that it has been cleaned out.

22056. Finances.

a. To receive the clerk’s report on payments between meetings

Note: The clerk was unaware that the PC was in a contract with Edge IT for the accountancy package, that the previous clerk used.

It was resolved to accept the payments made between meetings.

b. To approve payments as list below

It was resolved to approve the payments listed above.

c. To confirm payment of £2,074.29, from NKDC, as part of the CIL allowance. The payment of £2,074.29 was confirmed to have been paid into the bank account, from NKDC.

d. To review and consider approval of bank reconciliations. It was resolved to approve the bank reconciliation.

e. To consider and approve the budget spend at the point of 7 months - deferred from last meeting but updated to include month 7. It was resolved to approve the budget spend, including month 7.

22057. To consider the precept for 2023-24. After looking at the predicted budget spend for the rest of the financial year and the Parish Council having the allocated CIL money along with the potential Solar Farm funds it was resolved to keep the precept at £5,200 for the financial year 2023/24.

22058. Planning: To consider and make any comments on planning applications

a. 20/0443/FUL – Alterations and extension to existing property and erection of 3no. dwellings, garages and new vehicular access62 School Lane Silk Willoughby Sleaford. Application withdrawn. FOR INFORMATION ONLY.

22059. To consider items for inclusion on the agenda for next meeting. No items were suggested.

22060. Date and Time of next meeting. To note the next meeting as 2nd February 2023 at 7.30pm in the village hall. 

CLOSED COUNCIL SESSION:

Items of a confidential nature to be debated in the absence of the press and public. Under the Public Bodies (Admission to the Meetings) Act 1960 (due to the confidential nature of the business).

22061.To receive an update regarding the National Salary Award issued by NALC. An update regarding the National Salary Award was received and back pay noted to be paid.

The meeting closed at 9.12pm