Vice Chairman, Mr J Bavister, Councillors Mr I Dair

Serial No. 252/17 Chairman, Mr D. Nelson, Vice Chairman, Mr J Bavister, Councillors Mr I Dair, Mr R Easton, Mrs I Robson. Mr. J. Purcell Clerk: Elaine Allwood, 14 The Avenue, Carlby PE9 4NA Telephone: 07751623447 Email: [email protected]

CARLBY PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the meeting held on 17 th January, 2017

Councillors present: Mr. D. Nelson, Mr J. Bavister, Mrs. I. Robson, Mr R. Easton, Mr I. Dair. Also present: District Councillor, Martin Wilkins and 3 members of the public.

Open Forum Mrs. Hawkins asked if flagstones could be placed in front of the new noticeboards to make access easier. Councillor Bavister agreed to undertake this work. Mrs. Hawkins also queried as to why SKDC News is not delivered in the village. Councillor Wilkins agreed to look into its distribution.

Mrs. Burnett raised the matter of parking by homeowners on Templeman Drive which she felt would impede access by the emergency services. The Chairman confirmed that the matter had been taken up with LCC Highways and the police in the past. The Clerk was asked to contact the Fire Brigade to see if they could assist. Mrs. Burnett also asked if the gate that was at one end of the footpath from Stoney Glen to Templeman Drive could be unlocked to provide emergency access. The Chairman said that this would not be possible as it was a footpath only.

There being no other matters, the Open Forum was closed.

The Council Meeting commenced at 7.40pm.

Councillor Nelson took the Chair.

1. Apologies Apologies were received from Councillors John Purcell and Martin Trollope-Bellew.

2 . Minutes of previous meeting on 15th November, 2016 The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 15th November were considered and approved by the Council, proposed by Councillor Dair and seconded by Councillor Bavister and unanimously resolved.

Update from previous minutes:  Ownership of trees overhanging in Church Street – still awaiting further reply from LCC (chased by the Clerk on 15th January, 2017).

 Precept application submitted on 21st November.

 The Clerk has informed village organisations of the grants agreed at the last meeting.

 The noticeboard had been removed at the end of Manor Road.

1  The Chairman confirmed that Mr. Griffiths had agreed to make a cage to surround the base of the tree on the village green.

 Village telephone box – BT had confirmed that the village telephone box was not a listed phone box and that the electricity supply would be cut-off when the telephone was removed. After consultation with the Chairman, the Clerk had registered the Parish Council’s interest in adopting the telephone box at a cost of £1 (7th December, 2016). Awaiting further communication from BT. Clerk has asked Book Club if they would be interested in maintaining it as a book swap or if members had any other ideas.

 Carlby On-Line recipients now stand at 72.

 Replacement of Village Sign – Clerk has been in touch with Lincs Community Voluntary Service concerning possible funding. Councillor Robson agreed to take over this project from the Clerk.

3. Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (Localism Act 2011) There were none.

4. Chairman, Councillors and outside bodies Councillor Wilkins reported that SKDC had voted against devolution. The budget for the next financial year was being looked. Consultation was taking place concerning the tax levy. The proposal was that an increase of £5 be made on Band D properties (pro-rata for other bands).

The Clerk read out Councillor Trollope-Bellew’s report:  LCC Highways was being reorganised and Kevin Brumfield was retiring in early March. The Thurlby Depot would be just a gritting base and manned by clerical staff. The Highways Office would be relocated to Sleaford.  Finance – increase in Council Tax would be 1.9%, with 2% on social care, making a total of 3.9%. The Government had allowed councils to put 6% on Council Tax for Social Care over the next three financial years, comprising either 2% each year or 3% for 2 years and nothing for the last year.  Health – LUHT (Lincolnshire United Hospital Trust) has produced Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs). The plan had many good points but some negative such as the downgrading of maternity services at Boston and Grantham with the only fully operational full maternity service at Lincoln. The effect on this part of the county would be indirect as it would mean that more people would use Peterborough. However, more treatments would mean more money but there was a query as to whether the Trust could cope with the extra work load. LUHT looks after about 40% of the population of Lincolnshire. The other 60% go to hospitals outside the county ie Kings Lyn, Peterborough, Nottingham, Doncaster and Grimsby.

5. Planning Application S16/2538 1A The Avenue – approved by SKDC on 9th January. S16/2555 41 High Street – approved by SKDC on 9th January

6. Report on Village Assets Councillor Robson’s report on the village assets was reviewed (copy placed in the Minute Book). She reported that dog fouling was a continuing problem on Footpaths 3 and 4. 7. Update from the Chairman on the Clerk vacancy The Chairman confirmed that he had interviewed one candidate for the vacancy on 11th January. She has considerable experience and is currently Clerk to Moulton, Great Ponton and Cowbit. She lives just outside Baston.

Following a query by Councillor Dair, it was proposed by Councillor Robson and seconded by Councillor Easton and unanimously resolved that the notice period for future clerks would be a period of 3 months.

It was proposed by the Chairman, seconded by Councillor Easton that Mrs. Carol Mackenzie be offered the role of Clerk from 1st February, 2017 on the same quarterly salary as the current Clerk.

The Chairman said that he was arranging for Mrs. Mackenzie to meet Councillors in the next few weeks.

8. Carlby Development Neighbourhood Plan Councillor Bavister reported on progress with the CDNP and the following resolutions were agreed:  The progress made by the Working Group and the general thrust of the draft questionnaire were welcomed. The draft as circulated should be issued to the village using methods agreed on by the Group.  The questionnaire should be printed as per the quotation obtained by Councillor Bavister at a cost of £119.25 plus VAT for 450 copies of the 4 page A4 (A3 folded) and 250 copies of the children’s page..  The process of developing the Plan should follow the steps and timetable set out in the documents circulated to the Parish Council with the aim of achieving the made Plan by the end of 2017.  The membership of the Group should be expanded by the addition to it of two Parish councillors.  The Group should, as soon as possible, appoint from within its expanded membership, a chairman and secretary.  For guidance, the Group should assume that the made Plan will be applicable to 2036.

The above resolutions were proposed by Councillor Easton, seconded by Councillor Dair and unanimously resolved.

9. Finance The Finance Report 9th January, 2017 was displayed. The Clerk reported that the bank account stood at £2949.48 , which agreed with the cash book.

A resolution to approve the Cheques/BACS payments as attached to the minutes was proposed by Councillor Dair, seconded by Councillor Easton and unanimously resolved.

The Clerk reported that a VAT refund of £166.66 had been received and a refund from HMRC of PAYE amounting to £150.60. She confirmed that the precept was due in April, after which grants would be paid to village organisations.

10.Correspondence

3  Emailed received from SKDC on 16th December asking for reason for increase in Precept. Reply sent the same day giving details of expenditure envisaged for the replacement of the village sign.

 Undated letter from SKDC received by email on 23rd December – Proposed Council Tax Referendum Principles for 2017/18. Noted by the Parish Council.

 Letter dated 8th December concerning Overpayment of PAYE – noted by the Parish Council.

 Letter dated 15th December received from Egerton Gilman entitled Is it time to drop the Lincolnshire County Council? Noted by the Parish Council.

 Letter dated 15th December received from LCC regarding Highway Grass Cutting. The Clerk was awaiting details of how this new policy would affect the footpaths within the village.

 Email dated 9th January, 2017 received from LCC regarding Council Tax Levels 2017/18 (attached). After discussion, Councillor Robson agreed to formulate the Parish Council’s response and to circulate it to Councillors.

NB The Council unanimously expressed their thanks and gratitude to the clerk for all her hard work on their behalf over the last five years and wished her well for the future

11. Date of Next Meeting 21st March

The meeting ended at 8.45pm.

Chairman