NOTES from the MEETING of SCAMPTON PARISH COUNCIL HELD at 7.30Pm on THURSDAY 3Rdmarch

NOTES FROM THE MEETING OF SCAMPTON PARISH COUNCIL HELD AT 7.30pm ON THURSDAY 3rd MARCH 2011, AT BSA HALL, AISTHORPE.

Present: Councillors M. Deacon (Chairman), F. Fuller, S. Ulyat, L. Green, R. Patterson, T. Williams, C. Nicholson and Mrs B. Coleman (Clerk). District Cllr. H. Shore was also present. The Chairman welcomed three members of the public, Patrick Tomlinson, Avril and John Cobley.

Apologies – were received from PCSO Julie McFaul.

John Cobley said that the public were attending the Parish Council Meeting to express the concern of some of the village people about the design of the village project. He thought at the Public Meeting attended by Marshalls that it had been agreed to make the framework of the shelter brown or bronze. Either he was wrong or his trust was misplaced. Having examined the finished shelter, he was concerned about the quality of the work. Many of the bolts were too long and they should either be cut to the correct length or capped to prevent injury. The Perspex was marked with what looked like epoxy resin in one place and had several gouges, which looked as if they had been caused by a workman’s tool. The powder coating was damaged in three places. Both notice boards were not watertight and any notice placed inside them would be unreadable in a matter of hours.

He felt the public had been backed into a corner as they were told that if the project has not completed by the end of the last financial year then funding would be lost. He had been trying to find out who the client was and if it is not Scampton PC then the project would have needed planning permission. He then said that he was prepared to stand as a Parish Councillor in the forthcoming election.

Patrick Tomlinson said he did not wish to decry the efforts of the Parish Council but he was concerned the shelter had been placed facing SW and when it was windy ladies in skirts might be in trouble. He also said the shelter was running with water in the mornings. He said he was willing to stand as a candidate in the forthcoming elections and that he was in a position to help the village as a result of his profession. He had machinery etc. available.

The Chairman said that he was delighted to hear their comments and said that the Parish Council was regulated by a strict Code of Conduct and everything done on this project was absolutely bona fide. He went on to explain the history of the Millennium Project, which was not a Parish Council project but an effort by three villages, Aisthorpe, Brattleby and Scampton to replace the village hall with a multi-use hall attached to Scampton School. This failed due to the Education Authority and the money raised was divided between the three villages on a per capita basis. Finally the dual project of a bus shelter and a meeting place for parents waiting for children to come out of school was decided upon. The Parish Council was happy they had the approval of the parishioners.

The Parish Council set out ideas for a Red Arrows memorial and went to the County Council, who took it on board (they would not have been interested had it just been a bus shelter). It was the County Council who put the project in the hands of Groundwork Lincolnshire. They produced the initial designs, which they brought to the first public meeting and they have evolved from there. When the first computer aided designs were received the PC reduced the size of the shelter, as it went from one side of the green to the other. Regarding the funding, the Parish Council was told at the time that if the project was not completed by the end of the financial year it would be withdrawn. It was only after hard negotiations by Groundworks that it was kept. It has cost parishioners nothing from the precept, the money has come from

sponsorship provided by Marks & Spencer – from their environment fund, which the Parish Council signed up to. The village signs are also part of the overall project and have been paid for by the Scampton Village 2000 Fund. These signs were designed at the first public meeting with village attendees, who sought the addition of a rural theme, which was included. The signs have been commented on, very favourably by many other villages and WLDC.

The client for the project is the Parish Council, as trustees of the Millennium money; with the project management by Groundwork Lincolnshire and built by Marshall Paving. The Chairman had written to Marshalls with six areas of concern regarding things missing from the original design. He invited John Cobley to go with the Clerk to list all the faults with the shelter.

The Chairman stated that there would be elections in May and anyone could seek election to the P.C. He had stated a year ago that this would be his final year, so there were vacancies.

Royal Wedding – The Regeneration of Scampton Camp was holding a community fun day and picnic in celebration of the Royal Wedding. There would be races, a BBQ and the coffee shop would be open. All would be welcome.

The public left the meeting at this point.

Standing Orders were in place.

Minutes of the Meeting of the 03.02.2011 were proposed, seconded and signed by the Chairman as being a true record.

Register of Member’s Interest. Members of the Council were reminded that at any time during the meeting they could declare an interest. There were no declarations at this point in time.

Village Project – The project had been discussed during the public session but the Chairman added that he had a meeting planned for 9th March with Sqdn. Ldr. Liz Parker to discuss the opening of the shelter, and to find out when the Red Arrows would be on base.

Tree Work – The Estates Manager for Lockwood Estates had been contacted and an examination and scheduled work on the trees near Scampton Church would commence on Wednesday, 16th March.

AGM 2011 – The Clerk had booked Polyplatt School for 10th May between 7.00 and 10.00pm. We would provide refreshments and a drink. The Clerk would put a notice in the Village Venture and write to the RAF and police to ask them to attend. ROSE (Regeneration of Scampton Estate) would also make a presentation. District Councillor Heather Shore said there might be a case for the camp to become a separate entity. The Chairman said this had been discussed widely several years ago and there was no reason why there should not be a separate parish meeting. It was agreed that previous papers would be revisited and discussed again. A study of requirements would be the first step.

West Lindsey Focus Group – Cllr Patterson reported on the initial meetings of the group. The idea of the group was to get people to take collective responsibility. Too often it was very difficult to get information from public sources and find out who was responsible for a particular matter. If you were getting nowhere you would be able to contact the group and

they would sort the problem out. It was being trialled in South Holland at the moment and would be rolled out throughout Lincolnshire very soon.

Parish Council Elections – Following the decision by West Lindsey DC that all Council elections should be held for District and Parish Councillors this year and every following four years, everyone would have to seek re-election. The clerk handed nomination papers to all those who were interested.

Land opposite Greenways –Cllr Fuller had contacted Hill Holt Wood and they were going to come and look at the site, meanwhile she would contact Andrew Buckley as manager of Lockwood Estates to find out the feasibility of the idea of a playing field.

Community Governor – Cllr Carol Nicholson expressed an interest in being a Community Governor at Scampton C of E Primary School. It was proposed by Cllr Patterson, seconded by Cllr Fuller and agreed unanimously that she be nominated as Community Governor. The Clerk would write to Charlie Hebborn, the Headteacher.

Correspondence

 WLDC –Information re “Development Management Team Structure, Housing supply in WL, pre-application advice charging and other planning matters.” Lincolnshire Villages Area Forum 15th March, Trinity Arts for March, Parish Matters and the offer to quote for work to be done for Parish Councils.  Lincolnshire County Council – Bus service reductions, which did not apply to Route 103.  LALC Newsletter and changes to trainings.  Came & Company – Council insurance  HMRC – as from April Clerks will have to register for PAYE.  CANadda – Raising awareness of disabilities in Lincolnshire  Letter from Mrs Sandra Bird and Mr John Cobley regarding the Village Project. This had been discussed during the open part of the meeting and the Clerk would respond.  Emergency pack from E-On. Suggested supplies in case of a power cut. This would be on display at the AGM and the Clerk would find out the cost of a pack.

Planning.

1. Planning Approval had been received for the demolition of Kingston, High Street and the replacement with a two storey house. 2. Retrospective planning permission was sought for the decking in front of The Dambusters – No observations.

Finance – The Clerk had renewed the Unmetered Electricity Supply Certificate. Tenders for grass cutting for the coming year had been received from Green Grass Contracting for £85.45 + VAT per cut (£102.54) and from Murphys Landscapes for £120.00 per cut. The contract would be given to Green Grass Contracting as the Council had been pleased with their work over the last two years.

There was a resolution to make payments to E-On, L. Green, the Clerk’s remuneration, BSA Hall, LALC and B. Coleman. It was proposed, seconded and resolved unanimously that the following payments should be made:

E-On (Electricity for February) £32.53 L. Green (catering for AGM) £52.44 LALC (Annual Subscription) £235.20 BSA Hall ( Hire for monthly meetings) £90.00 B. Coleman (Stationery and postage) £61.46 E-on (maintenance) £90.36

Matters for the next Meeting – None at present.

The next meeting will be on Thursday 7th April 2011 at 7.30pm at BSA Hall, Aisthorpe.

Being no further business the meeting closed at 9.40pm.