2023 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

MINUTES OF SILK WILLOUGHBY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

Thursday 30th March 2023 at 7.30pm in Silk Willoughby Village Hall

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

In attendance: Two members of public

AGENDA

Chairman’s Welcome and Housekeeping Arrangements. 

23022. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SESSION

To receive reports from outside bodies.

Report from C. Cllr Hagues. No report due to purdah

Report from D. Cllr Jackson. No report due to purdah

Questions or Points raised by residents and members of the public. A member of public expressed their thanks to all Cllrs for their continued support, time spent and efforts on behalf of the village.

COUNCIL SESSION

23023. Apologies for Absence: To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Parish Clerk prior to the meeting. It was resolved to accept the clerk’s apologies due to having Covid.

23024. Declarations of Interest: To receive Declarations of Pecuniary Interests of all parish councillors. No declarations of interest were declared.

23025.  Approval of Minutes - To approve and accept as a true record the notes of the meeting of the Parish Council held on 2nd February 2023 and to authorise the Chairman to sign the official minutes. It was resolved to accept that the notes of the meeting held on the 2nd February 2023 to be a true record and for the Chairman to sign.

23026. Silk Willoughby Roads - To receive an update on the ongoing Traffic and Road Surface problems.

• 7/2/23 Cllr Roberts wrote to LCC Rowan Smith stating the PC were not happy with his last reply

• 16/2/23 LCC R Smith agreed to reinstate the utility trench in the new financial year.

• 3/3/23 a member of public had marked the utility trench with yellow spray paint

• 4/3/23 Cllr Roberts photos  to LCC R Smith stating that the markings had not been done by the PC. RS responded that ‘Graffiti’ by a resident was criminal offence but LCC would not take it any further this time.

• 8/3/23 the member of the public had marked London Road with more yellow paint. When questioned they admitted that they had done it and it was builders paint and would wash away.

• 9/3/23 Cllr Roberts reported the markings to both the clerk and LCC RS due to it being a criminal offence and concerns over H&S whilst the resident is in the road and to other road users. RS responded that they would write to the resident. Cllr Roberts is concerned that all the progress that the PC have made could be undone by one individual.

• 15/3/23 LCC RS sent an email to the PC which was read out and discussed. Cllr Roberts to reply ASAP.

It was resolved to support the work on the utility trench being recovered by LCC and then review the situation again later in the year.

The PC have not officially written to LCC, NKDC or the MP regarding a meeting due to purdah but an informal conversation between Cllr Roberts and NKDC/ LCC on the 20/3/23 resulted in an outcome of they will not attend any meeting unless new evidence has been received.

• They have acted upon the previous complaints and have met with the builders and Balfes and all are aware of the PC/ resident’s complaints.

• The companies are acting within their rights to use the Highway.

• LCC are looking into resurfacing the utility trench in the next financial year (hopefully May/ June) to help with the situation, although this may cause further issues but the PC and residents are aware of this.

It was resolved that with the utility trench being recovered the PC would not ask for a meeting with NKDC, LCC or the MP at this stage.

23027. Community Speed Watch - To receive an update on the Community Speed Watch. On the 4/3/23 Cllr Roberts and the clerk walked along London Road but found it difficult to find places to put the signs up, as telephone poles can’t not be used. Three or four places were eventually found. Now places have been found a map can be marked up and a copy sent to the CSW team with the application. Wheelie bin stickers will be ordered at the same time.

23028. Speed Sign - To receive and consider work involving the Speed Sign. 

• Cllr Roberts chased the fixing of the sign on both the 7/2/23 and 16/2/23. 

• 22/2/23 Westcotec had to reposition the sign when they attended to repair the sign. 

• 8/3/23 LCC Highways confirmed to the PC that the hedge next to the speed sign had grown to such an extent that this was why the sign had to be repositioned. The hedge is now growing onto land that is owned by LCC Highways.

The hedge is causing poor visibility for the vehicles regarding the speed sign but also the main head of the sign is now dangerously close to the road and could easily be clipped or broken by a lorry, so it is a danger in its position and needs moving back to its original position. 

It was resolved for the PC to write formally to ask the owner of the hedge to cut it back so that it is back on their land, enabling the speed sign to have the range of movement that is required.

23029. Solar Farm Grant - To receive an update on the Solar Farm Grant and to consider

a) Placing the money into alternative accounts. The grant of £200,000 has been received and is in the account held with HSBC. After discussion it was resolved to move £85,000 into Unity Trust Bank which will offer 2% for organisations but will still give instant access.

b) Accepting the grant application form. It was resolved to accept the grant application form and the clerk will forward an application to the organisations that had expressed an interest at the Annual Public Meeting.

c) The ideas from the Annual Public Meeting. The residents had been told of the grant at the Annual Public Meeting and it was explained that the funding had to be used for the good of the community rather than individuals or businesses. It was mentioned that whilst the PC could not give money to the Church they could help with the costs of the Village Clock and it’s maintenance.

23030. Queen’s Memorial Bench - To receive an update on the Memorial Bench. The Queen’s Memorial Bench has been purchased and is in storage at Cllr Roberts’ house waiting for it to be installed. Cllrs Bell and K. Wright volunteered to assemble the bench.

23031. Village Pond - To receive an update on the Village Pond. The water is still cloudy when it rains and any water entering the pond, via the pipe is still contaminated.

• 20/3/23 Cllr Roberts took another photo

• Various colours of drainage dye have been purchased and is being stored at the Chair’s house. 

It was resolved for the Cllrs to meet on the 2/4/23 to place the dyes down the drains and report the findings back to LCC.

23032. Grass Cutting – To accept and approve the grass cutting for the next financial year. It was resolved to continue with Tidy Gardening Services for the next year, due to the good service that the PC has received from him. Extra areas of the village have been added to the contract this year.

23033. Coronation Celebrations - To consider the upcoming Coronation Weekend. 

• The PC have been successful in being awarded £1,000 from the National Lottery for the Coronation. This must be used for the community.

• Saturday 6th May (Coronation Day) the public house will be holding a ticketed event

• Sunday 7th May (Big Lunch Day) the PC will provide a voucher of £5.00 plus cupcake to be spent at Pennells Garden Centre. The PC will purchase a coronation mug for each child in the village.

• Monday 8th (Big Help Day) for Community Projects. The clerk will communicate with Sleaford Town Council over acquiring litter picking sticks and bags for the day.

Bunting will also be purchased and a leaflet drop to every house will be carried out.

23034 Post Box- To receive an update of the siting of the Post box Cllr Roberts had made initial contact with Royal Mail as the owner of the Public House was concerned over the safety of both the public and card due to reduced visibility. Cllr Roberts had forwarded the owners details over to the Royal Mail, with their permission, and it was now between these two parties.

 23035. To consider items for inclusion on the agenda for next meeting. 

• Sewage works

• Sleaford Transport Strategy (Cllr Davies)

• Hosting a Scarecrow event

• Pump Repairs

• Monument Clean-up

• Milestone touch up

• Wooden LCC Sign (reported on Fix my Street)

23036. Finances.

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

It was resolved to accept the payments made between meetings.

b) To note the gift of £100 from the Village Hall towards the Queen’s Memorial Bench. It was noted the gift of £00 from the Village Hall towards the Queen’s Memorial Bench.

c) To note the payment of £190 from Cllr Roberts for the Oak Trees. It was noted the payment of £190 from Cllr Roberts for the Oak Trees.

d) To note the payment of £20.65 from Roberts Tyres for the excess beverages left from the APM. It was noted the payment of £20.65 from Roberts Tyres for the excess beverages left from the APM.

e) To note the receipt of £200,000.00 from the Solar Farm (EEB 23 Ltd). It was noted the receipt of £200,000.00 from the Solar Farm (EEB 23 Ltd).

23037 Printer for Clerk – To consider and approve the purchase of a new printer with cheaper ink costs £149.99 + vat. It was resolved to approve the purchase of a new printer for the clerk.

23038. Website – To consider the use of LALC to refresh the website. It was resolved for the clerk to approach LALC to refresh the website, for easier use.

23039. LALC / SLCC

a) To consider and approve the renewal of the Annual Subscription 23-24 at £141.45. It was resolved to renew the Annual Subscription 23-24 at the cost of £141.45

b)To consider and approve joining the Annual Training Scheme at £100 + VAT. It was resolved not to join the Annual Training Scheme at £100 + VAT.

c)To consider and approve joining the SLCC at £80 plus £5 joining fee. It was resolved to join SLCC at £80 plus £5 joining fee.

23040. Planning Application - 23/0214/TCA – Full Crown Reduction, 9 London Road, Silk Willoughby. To ratify clerk’s communication of ‘No comment’ to NKDC. It was ratified that the clerk’s communication of ‘No comment’ was accepted.

23041. Date and Time of next meeting. To note the next meeting as 18th May 2023 at 7.30pm in the village hall. It was resolved to accept the date of the next meeting on the 18th May 2023.

CLOSED COUNCIL SESSION

Items of 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). 

23042. Village Hall - To consider and approve the Village Hall Accounts and their ideas for future use. The Village Hall accounts were discussed and their future ideas noted.

23043. Post Office - To receive and consider the update of Post Office documents received. It was felt that the documents belonged to the PC and should be stored with them. Cllr Roberts will seek advice from LALC.

23044. Clerk’s Appraisal - To consider and approve the Clerk’s appraisal held on the 16th March. It was resolved to accept the notes connected to the appraisal held on the 16th March and for the clerk to move up two spines and to have her hours increased to 15 hrs a month.