2024 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

MINUTES OF SILK WILLOUGHBY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

 Held on Thursday 25th January 2024 at 7.30pm in Silk Willoughby Village Hall

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

In attendance: D. Cllr Jackson, R. Boden (Clerk) and 1 member of the public.

AGENDA

Chairman’s Welcome and Housekeeping Arrangements. 

24001. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SESSION

To receive reports from outside bodies.

Report from C. Cllr Hagues. C. Cllr Hagues had given his apology. No report

Report from D. Cllr Jackson. D. Cllr Jackson’s report is attached. Further news was reported on Sleaford Market Place and the Devolution of Lincolnshire which would result in Lincolnshire having a Mayor.

Questions or Points raised by residents and members of the public. There were no questions from residents.

COUNCIL SESSION

24002. 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 apologies from Cllr K Wright.

24003. Declarations of Interest: To receive Declarations of Pecuniary Interests of all parish councillors. No declarations were received.

24004. Approval of Minutes - To approve and accept as a true record the notes of the meeting of the Parish Council held on 30th November 2023 and to authorise the Chairman to sign the official minutes. It was resolved to approve the minutes of the meeting of the Parish Council held on the 30th November 2023 and for the Chairman to sign.

24005. Silk Willoughby Roads - To receive an update on the ongoing Traffic concerns. Rowan Smith was emailed, 21/12/23, regarding the painting of the roundels at the same time as the roadworks. It was confirmed that these would be better done in warmer weather, PC to contact again in the spring.

Rowan Smith was contacted on the 5/1/24 to confirm the work that will be carried out to London Road between 12-16 February. All relevant paperwork is in place for traffic flow. 

Cllr Bell wondered if the fence that had recently been hit on the junction of Church Lane/ London Road had had the fence moved as the road sign was within the garden rather than on the fence line. It was resolved for the Council to look back on various maps to see if it could be spotted.

24006. Village Pond - To receive an update on the Village Pond. Rowan Smith has confirmed the work to be done to the diverting of the road runoff will be completed at the same time as the work to the road (12-16 February). Cllr Roberts emailed Rowan Smith on the 23/1/24 to confirm what work is to be carried out and confirm that the spring will still enter the pond.

After the repair work has been carried out then a good tidy up of the pond is required. It was resolved that a contractor could carry out this work. As Bees Knees did such a good job previously it was resolved for them to carry out the work again.

The Queen’s Memorial Bench can then be installed and the vouchers left from the Coronation be used.

24007. Grant Applications – To receive an update on current grant applications. The first grant money for the Church clock has been paid. £2,700.00 had been paid, to the Church, on the 5/12/23 to cover the deposit. This amount does not cover the VAT which will be paid for by the Church. Time Assured are waiting on the parts and will hopefully start the work mid-February. The Council will be kept up to date.

24008. Planning Applications. For information only.

a) 23/1497/FUL Southview, London Road Silk Willoughby Sleaford. To ratify that under delegation of power the clerk submitted ‘No comment’. It was ratified that the clerk had submitted ‘No comment’.

24009. White Gates

a) To receive and update on the location and purchase of the white gates. LCC had approved the planning permission in December 23. The clerk checked with NKDC to see if any of the gates were within the Conservation Area. Two sets were OK but one gate of the third set was within the Conservation Area and due to its height would need planning permission.

Cllr Roberts and the clerk had looked at moving it slightly so that it is out of the conservation area. LCC confirmed that the new site was fine and had been signed off. The clerk had ordered the gates in January 24.

b) To consider the contractor for the installation of the gates. Cllr Roberts had sought to receive 3 quotes for the installation of the of the gates but only 2 had been forthcoming. It was resolved to accept the quote from Willow Homes at a cost of £820 +vat.

24010. Emergency Plan – To consider the creation of an Emergency Plan for the village. Fliers had been delivered to all households in December 23. Four properties had been flooded in the recent Storm Hank, 3 on Willoughby Walks and 1 on Church Lane.

Residents have used the sandbags and many have been returned. The grit bin on School Lane has been refilled and the clerk has requested sand and sandbags from LCC.

Cllr Roberts has asked for volunteers to help create a full emergency plan and has received a couple of replies. It was discussed if the Council wanted to continue with an Emergency Plan. It was resolved for the PC not to initiate a full Emergency plan and for them to continue as they are. 

Cllr Roberts asked if the PC could purchase reflective jackets for the Cllrs. The clerk has some as part of the litter picking packs and it was resolved that she would deliver them to Cllr Roberts. 

It was discussed regarding the purchase of a plastic bin to store the sand. It was resolved for the clerk to contact LCC and see if they could provide one. Whilst she is doing this could she see if ‘Flood signs’ could be obtained.

There is also a Community Emergency Planning meeting for PCs being held on the 19th February.

24011. Correspondence - To receive a list of correspondence received and to discuss where needed. 

• Cllr Roberts attended the VH committee meeting on 8/1/24 where it was discussed regarding the holding of a 80th D-Day celebration and if the PC could contribute. It was resolved to give 50 vouchers @ £5 each that are left over from the Coronation event.

• Village Car Park – Cllr Roberts has arranged a meeting with Aswarby Estates for the 29/1/24

• School Lane Hedge – Cllr Roberts emailed Aswarby Estate on the 5/1/24 and received a reply on the 8/1/24 that they have asked their tenant to cut it back

• School Lane Path – Cllr Roberts has reported the issue on Fix my Street and has received a reply that action to remedy the problem will be dealt with.

• Request for street lights on School Lane. The clerk has received an email stating the steps that are required by the PC. It was resolved for the PC to follow these.

• Flooding of the property on Church Lane. Cllr Hagues has a meeting at the weekend with the next-door neighbour of the property flooded. Cllr Roberts will attend to help the property owner.

• Sand bags have been delivered from NKDC to Cllr Roberts.

24012. Saving Accounts – To consider the reinvestment of the 3-month account due to finish on the 8/3/24. It was resolved to reinvest the £70,000 for a further 3 months.

24013. Future Meetings

a) To consider changing the start times of the meetings. It was resolved to change the start time to 7pm from the March meeting.

b) To approve the future dates of the Parish Council meetings - 30th May, 25th July, 26th September, 28th November and the 30th January 2025. It was resolved to approve the dates for the future Parish Council meetings.

c) Annual Parish Meeting (APM) – To consider and approve 30th May 2024 for the Annual Parish Meeting and discuss the choice speaker. It was resolved to approve the 30th May 24 for the Annual Parish Meeting and to have no speaker.

d) Annual Parish Council Meeting (APCM) – To consider and approve 30th May 2024 for the Annual Parish Council Meeting. It was resolved to approve the 30th May 24 for the Annual Parish Council Meeting

24014. Village Carpark – To consider the building of a Carpark for the village. This had already been discussed under Correspondence.

24015. Monument – To consider the future needs of the Village Monument. A discussion had already been held with Matthew Bentley, NKDC Conservation Officer, on the available grants to.

24016. Website Maintenance – To consider the need of the maintenance of the website by LALC. It was resolved that the PC did not need LALC for the future maintenance of the PC website.

24017. Finances. 

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

It was resolved to accept the clerk’s report on the payments between meetings.

b) To approve payments as listed below

It was resolved to approve the payments listed above.

c) To consider and approve the bank reconciliation. It was resolved to approve the bank reconciliation.

24018. To consider items for inclusion on the agenda for next meeting. The clerk will add the Freedom of Information policy and the Publication Scheme to the agenda of the next meeting.

24019. Date and Time of next meeting. To note the next meeting as 28th March 2024 in the village hall. 

CLOSED 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).

24020. To receive an update regarding the role of the Council as custodial trustees of the Village Hall. At the present time the Parish Council is still awaiting an update.

The meeting closed at 9.25pm