2023 Minutes of Meetings

Draft minutes subject to approval at the next meeting.

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Minutes of the Pinchbeck Parish Council meeting held 19:30hrs Tuesday, 07 November 2023 at the Pinchbeck Community Hub & Library.

Present: Cllr Lynne Andrew, Cllr James Avery (chair), Cllr Emma Beavis, Cllr Geoff Garner, Cllr Audrey Gregory, Cllr Terry Moore, Cllr Dean Roizer, Cllr John Smith, Cllr Philip Tweddell, Mr Robert Smith (clerk), four members of the public.

Absent: Cllr Andy Chamberlain, Cllr Sam Jeffery, Cllr Peter Ruysen, Cllr Ann Savage, Cllr Ben Sear, Cllr Oliver Wood.

23.098.Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Chamberlain, Cllr Jeffery, Cllr Ruysen, Cllr Savage, Cllr Sear, Cllr Wood, Dist. Cllr Slade, and Dist. & County Cllr Sneath.

23.099.There were no declarations of disclosable interest nor requests for dispensation.

23.100.There were no representations received from members of the public.

23.101.It was resolved to approve the minutes of the 02 October 2023 Parish Council meeting.

23.102.Chairman’s Report

01.As reported in the press, Kingdom Services, which undertakes fly tipping and waste enforcement on behalf of the SHDC (South Holland District Council), had recently been deployed in Pinchbeck. The company is paid for its performance issuing enforcement notices. The chairman was attempting to arrange more frequent visits to the Parish through the District’s portfolio holder.

02.The Parish Council had previously allowed Mr Gary McNab to undertake a charitable camp-out in the Memorial Park, for which he had raised £1,700 on behalf of the RBLI (Royal British Legion Industries). Following a further request, the chairman had agreed for Mr McNab to again camp in the park 01 & 02 March 2024, on the understanding that the Park was left as it was found.

03.LCC (Lincolnshire County Council) had agreed to reinstate the post for a SID (Speed Indicator Device) at Enterprise Way roundabout.

04.The Herring Lane Cake Sales community group which donated a bench, originally intended to be installed on green space at Rotten Row, had asked if it could instead be installed outside the Community & Library in memory of Barbara Camps. As the land was owned by LCC, the clerk would apply for permission.

05.The handover of ownership of the Pinchbeck village sign from the WI to the Parish Council had taken place last Saturday. The event had gone very well with 25 members of the WI and two members of the Parish Council attending. A cheque for £240 had also been handed over to the chairman. This represented the money left over from the original fund raising by the WI for the sign. The sign was to be added to the Council’s asset register and the cheque banked.

06.A suggestion that the village enter the Best Kept Village competition was to be recorded for future consideration.

07.The Pinchbeck Community Land Trust had asked if any more councillors would like to join.

23.103.Clerk’s report / matters arising not on the agenda.

01.The clerk reported:

i.Planning comments had been submitted as resolved.

ii.Information on the Parish Council’s website had been updated.

iii.Request for Police priorities had been submitted as resolved.

iv.The SHDC (South Holland District Council) Garden Waste Collection Scheme had been renewed @ £82.00 p.a. for two bins.

v.The termination of the 3-year grass cutting agreement to end 2023 had been confirmed.

vi.The Christmas tree had been ordered through Cllr Ruysen @ £395.25 excl. VAT for delivery 10am/morning of Wednesday 29 November 2023. Volunteers are requested to help position the tree after its arrival. Eon had been booked to dress and connect the Christmas tree lights later in the day. Electricity usage requirements had been submitted to the Unmetered Supplies Operator at National Grid. It was agreed that the PC would provide sausage rolls to volunteers.

vii.The Cockerel Springy in the Glebe play area had been broken off its base. A quote for repair was awaited.

viii.Overgrown vegetation reported at 35 Pennytoft Lane was cleared by Anglian Water and Welland & Deepings IDB.

ix.Works to replace the main electrical consumer unit and undertake required testing at the Leaveslake Drove clubhouse had been completed @ £916.00 excl. VAT. The contractor responsible for the clubhouse’s refurbishment intended to sign off the works, with the agreement of Spalding United Football Club, later in the week.

x.Following a report being submitted by Cllr Gregory, SHDC had sent a letter to the owners of Bridge House, Holmlea, Glenside South, to make the property safe by boarding up any openings.

02.Other matters

i.Cllr Garner had attended the SHPVCS (South Holland Parish Voluntary Car Service). Fourteen Parish Councils were involved in providing the service. There had been a change in some of the rules and the organisation had changed its accountant. A question arising about the number of drivers and passengers each parish had responsibility for was to be checked and the results circulated. Next year’s AGM was scheduled for 10 October 2024.

23.104.Financial matters.

01.It was resolved to approve the October 2023 bank reconciliation (see appendix 1).

02.It was resolved to approve October 2023 payments (see appendix 2).

23.105.Correspondence.

01.Information from a new community group, was to be looked into by the chairman.

02.A request for support for the Climate & Ecology Bill was to be investigated further.

03.Information on the Government’s defibrillator fund was noted.

04.The production of a Parish emergency plan was to be added to the medium-term action list.

05.A response to the consultation on South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership priorities was to be considered by the chairman.

06.A response to the PCC’s (Police & Crime Commissioner) Crime & Policing Survey was to be considered by the chairman.

07.It was noted that members of the public would continue to have access to the library as a warm space during normal library open times.

08.Councillors interested in attending a Community Libraries Network information event on 22 November, at Portcullis House should contact the clerk.

23.106.Information from Cllr Smith on UKSPF (UK Shared Prosperity Funds) Grass Roots Grants was noted.

23.107.Planning applications.

01.H14-0951-23 5 Cresswell Close. PE11 3TY Proposed office and associated amenities, workshop & cycle shelter. It was resolved to support the application because it helped local employment.

02.H14-0930-23 Northgate House Northgate PE11 3SQ. Increase in number of containers. It was resolved to support the modification because it helped local employment.

03.H14-0908-23 Land North of Gatehouse 86 Langhole Drove PE11 3SS. Condition Compliance. It was resolved to make no comment.

04.H14-0899-23 Forge Cottage 1 Glenside South PE11 3NH. House extension (retrospective). It was resolved to support the application because it was in keeping with the street scene.

05.H14-0897-23 Site off Stephenson Avenue. Telecommunications infrastructure. It was resolved to support the application because it would improve parish communications & IT.

23.108.South Holland Planning decisions were noted as circulated with the agenda.

23.109.To consider Highways’ matters and traffic strategy.

01.The chairman had been in dialogue with Mr Richard Fenwick, LCC Head of Highways Assets, about the petition for a footway along Market Way. Mr Fenwick had emphasised the lack of central government support for highways maintenance and that there was no budget provision for new infrastructure. Any capital spending would require bids to be made to other funding sources. Developer funding was a possibility. Work on a feasibility study and design was continuing.

02.A discussion took place about the ongoing problems of speeding in the Parish. The chairman would harvest data generated by the Council’s SIDs to highlight the Parish’s problems to Mr Marc Jones, PCC (Police & Crime Commissioner).

03.It was noted that the CSW (Community Speed Watch) Group desperately needed more members. The next training session was being held 16 November 2023 at The Woodlands Hotel, Spalding. Anyone interested, please contact the clerk. Cllr Smith would publicise the matter on Facebook.

04.An email had been received criticising the location of the two new SIDs. It was noted that whilst the points expressed by the resident were understandable, other factors affected the location of devices. For example, each SID required an appropriate mounting post. These had to be applied for and licensed by LRSP (Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership). Mounting posts could not always be positioned in preferred locations. This could be due to the presence of other highways’ assets, a lack of space, or the need to maintain visibility splays at junctions etc. It was also noted that the positions of the SIDs were regularly rotated to maintain their effectiveness.

05.An email from resident requesting a CSW point at Pode Hole was to be responded to by the clerk.

23.110.Specification, contract, and tendering, for Parish Council grass cutting and grounds maintenance.

01.It was resolved for the tender to be sent out and published on the Government’s procurement website after the following changes to the specification were made:

i.Before strimming an area, it was to be checked for hedgehogs.

ii.The response date was to be changed to 15 January 2024. A decision on appointment was planned to be made at the Parish Council meeting to be held 29 January 2024.

23.111.Parish Council’s trees.

01.It was reported that the Woodland Trust had confirmed its responsibility for the maintenance of Pinchbeck Wood. It had undertaken a safety survey and identified trees to remove on the eastern boundary. After the Trust had completed its urgent work, it was intended to renew and update the Parish Council’s agreement with the Trust.

02.After the Parish Council had awarded works for urgent trees works at the War Memorial, a sub-contractor had withdrawn its services, being unable to undertake the works for the price agreed. Another sub-contractor had been brought in on a time and materials basis. The Council’s exposure to the costs incurred had yet to be determined.

03.It was resolved that a working party made up of Cllr Avery, Cllr Moore, Cllr Tweddell, and the clerk, obtain quotes for a tree survey to cover areas that included: St Mary’s Churchyard, Glebe playing field, Cherry Holt Lane Cemetery, Rotten Row playing field, St. Bartholomew’s Churchyard, and Leaveslake Drove playing field.

23.112.Arrangements for the Remembrance Day service & parade 12 November 2023 were noted.

23.113.It was resolved to form the following committees, with committee membership to be agreed at the next Parish Council meeting.

01.Finance Committee.

02.Personnel Committee.

03.Community Hub & Library Committee.

04.Cemetery Committee

05.Open Spaces and Assets Committee.

23.114.It was resolved to move into closed session on the grounds of confidentiality in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 s.1(2).

21:25hrs four members of the public left the meeting.

23.115.Blue Gowt Cemetery

01.Construction costs for the new cemetery were of the order of £250k. It was anticipated that £100k would be financed from existing funds with the remainder financed through borrowing. SHDC (South Holland District Council) had policies which allowed for loans to be made to Parish Councils secured against future S106 contributions. The chairman was waiting for information from SHDC which could be compared to taking out a loan from the PWLB (Public Works Loan Board). Other funding was also being investigated which might allow a reallocation from earmarked reserves.

02.It was resolved to delegate contractual arrangements for the construction of the new cemetery to the Cemetery Committee.

23.116.It was resolved to ratify the land agent terms of engagement to lease of 4.16ha farmland off Black Hole Drove.

23.117.Further action on the Glebe Playing Field lease, towards an agreement which provided for goals, such as increased inclusivity & community involvement, was to await direction from solicitors.

23.118.Further progress on the Leaveslake Drove Playing Field lease was awaiting solicitor feedback.

23.119.It was resolved to delegate the appointment of a new cleaner to Cllr Gregory and the clerk.

23.120.It was resolved to delegate the appointment of an internal auditor for y/e 31 March 2024 to the chairman and clerk, up to a maximum cost of £400.

23.121.Quotes on new taps in toilets in the Community Hub & Library to be followed up.

23.122.A quote for spraying the path at St Mary’s Church was to be obtained for consideration at the next meeting.

23.123.Staffing & administration matters

01.It was noted that payroll and pensions were being processed internally. Some outstanding issues were being dealt with by the clerk.

02.It was resolved to delegate the clerk authority to authorise up to two hours overtime for the Administrative Assistant per month, to be reported at the next Parish Council meeting.

03.It was resolved to delegate the clerk authority to authorise up to ten hours overtime for the Outside Operative per month, to be reported at the next Parish Council meeting.

04.It was resolved for Cllr Gregory to work with the clerk to add photographs and update the asset register as part of a grant aided personal development programme.

05.It was resolved to approve payments to R & E Collingwood Smith for interim clerk services provided during July, August, and September 2023.

06.It was resolved that the Christmas closure dates for the Community Hub & Library would be from Thursday 21 December 2023 to 02 January 2024.

07.It was resolved to provide festive nibbles in the community hub and library between 10am and 1.30pm on Wednesday 20 December 2023. Cllr Gregory kindly agreed to cater for the event.

08.It was noted that the NJC (National Joint Council) pay scales 2023-24 had been released. This would not affect the Parish Council this year as all pay awards had been previously agreed.

The chairman closed the meeting at 22.10hrs.