Willoughby and District Parish Council

WILLOUGHBY AND DISTRICT PARISH COUNCIL

Please note these minutes are draft until approved as a true record

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF WILLOUGHBY AND DISTRICT PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON 15TH SEPTEMBER 2011

The monthly meeting of the Parish Council was held on Thursday 15th September 2011 at 8.00p.m. in the Village Hall, Church Lane

PRESENT:- COUNCILLORS S.EYRE (CHAIRMAN), W.HALES, P.LOSCO- BRADLEY, V.BROBSON, K.WHITE, T.WHERRY, M.PRIDGEON, M.PASHLEY

County Councillor C.Davie, District Councillor A.Smith and several members of the public were also present.

OPEN FORUM A member of the public asked if the Council had received any response from Willoughby Farms Ltd about the barrier for the green lane leading to Willoughby Branch Line. As the Clerk reported no response had been received, it was agreed the Chairman would speak to Gay James before the next meeting.

Concern was raised about the uncertainty surrounding the substation originally proposed for the area. It is understood RWE are currently looking at alternative routes but nothing will be certain until National Grid have decided where the connection to the national grid is to be.

Speeding through the village continues to be a problem and more Police presence in the village is needed.

1) CHAIRMAN’S REMARKS The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.

2) APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies for absence were received from Councillor G.Smedley.

3) DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE 2000 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT None.

4) MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 21ST JULY 2011 The notes of the meeting held on 21st July 2011 were approved as the minutes and signed 1.15/9/11 by the Chairman.

5) CLERK’S REPORT ON MATTERS OUTSTANDING Repainting of mural on outside of Willoughby Arms The Clerk reported that Batemans had phoned her during the summer recess to explain they had received a more favourable quote and proposed to go ahead with the work at no cost to the Council. Councillor White had been informed at the time and a letter had been sent to the gentleman who had quoted for the work to thank him for his interest in the matter. Highway matters The Council was pleased to note the tree root on the Psalter road had successfully been removed. The Clerk was asked to write a letter of thanks to L.C.C. Highways Department. The Clerk was also asked to contact Highways regarding several road signs in the Parish which are in need of re-fixing/replacing. Best Kept Village Competition The results of the Best Kept Village Competition were noted. The Clerk read out the comments from the marking sheet that had been provided. It was agreed to publish the comments in the next edition of the Wold and Marsh.

6) CORRESPONDENCE The following publications were made available for Councillors to read:- a) Clerks and Councils Direct - September 2011 b) L.A.L.C. News - summer 2011

Lincolnshire County Council is currently consulting on its Draft Parking Policy. The Clerk explained the proposal was for the County Council to take over street parking enforcement from Lincolnshire Police. A copy of the consultation document is available to download from the County Council’s website. The Council had no comments to make.

Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service is consulting on the Lincolnshire Wolds Revised AONB Management Plan 2012-2017 and this was made available for Councillors to read. Any comments need to be submitted by the end of the consultation period which expires on 30th November 2011.

E.L.D.C. is carrying out a review of polling districts and polling places. The Council felt the current arrangements for electors of Sloothby, Claxby and Willoughby were satisfactory.

The Clerk explained she had received a request under the Freedom of Information Act for the average and youngest age of Councillors by a gentleman carrying out a study into the contribution older people make to public life in the U.K. It was agreed to provide this information.

The Clerk read out a letter from the owner of the Old Orchards, Station Road asking the Parish Council to cut back the trees growing through and over the hedge by the entrance 2.15/9/11 to the allotments. It was agreed Councillor Pridgeon would instruct Mr.Heyes to carry out this work.

7) REPORTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES ON OUTSIDE BODIES District Councillor Smith advised Councillors that a full meeting of the District Council had been held the previous evening with matters of interest to Willoughby Parish Council being; the provision of better/more relevant further education courses in Skegness, the decision to keep the markets and promote small businesses in the market towns, the carrying out of Impact Assessments on the District’s supermarkets, the decision to ‘start the ball rolling’ with regard to accessing funding for rural Broadband improvements and the review of the District Council’s Committee structure. County Councillor Davie said he was pleased to announce the Government had agreed to give a sum of £14.3 million to improve rural Broadband in Lincolnshire. This will be matched by investment from BT and the County Council’s capital fund. The County Council is encouraging all schools who are not becoming Academies to join the CFBT Academy Trust. A new initiative to encourage farmers to help with snow clearance in bad weather is underway.

8) PAYMENT OF ACCOUNTS It was proposed, seconded and agreed to pay the following accounts:- a) Welton Garden Services - £480.00 (grass cutting) b) Mrs S.D.Marshall (salary) Following agenda item 14, a cheque for £100 made payable to Mrs.S.Dunmore was signed.

9) REQUEST FOR CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS CUTTING OF PLAYING FIELD The Clerk read out a letter from Willoughby Playing Field Association. In addition to a donation of one third of the cost of cutting the playing field, the Playing Field Association is asking the Parish Council to make a total donation of £800 to cover the running costs of the Association in 2011-12. Councillors noted there are now only two members on the Association’s Committee and whilst they are prepared to work hard to raise funds, a grant this year would preserve the Association’s capital. Following some discussion, it was agreed to defer any decision until October’s meeting. In the meantime, Committee members were asked to produce an up to date balance sheet showing the current reserves of the Association.

10)PLANNING CONSENTS/REFUSALS Noted as follows:- a) Mr.N.Balderston - change of use and conversion of existing agricultural buildings into three holiday units, Mill House Farm, Sloothby Road, Willoughby GRANTED b) Mr.R.M.Pearson - change of use and conversion of farm buildings into two residential units, Hasthorpe House, Hasthorpe Lane, Hasthorpe REFUSED

3.15/9/11 11)PLANNING APPLICATIONS None.

12)WINTER WEATHER PRE CONSULTATION QUESTIONNAIRE In view of time constraints, it was agreed the Clerk and Chairman would complete the questionnaire on behalf of the Council.

13)BROADBAND It was generally agreed this had been covered by Councillor Davie. The Clerk did, however, read out an email which outlined some of the problems in the area.

14)QUEEN’S DIAMOND JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS The Clerk reported she had provisionally booked the hog roast for Monday 4th June 2012. It was agreed this would be held at lunchtime, that a £100 deposit would be paid and that the School should be informed of the Parish Council’s intentions. There was a discussion about whether the summer fair and Diamond Jubilee celebrations should be combined and it was agreed to discuss this in more detail at the next meeting.

15)DATE OF NEXT MEETING The next meeting of the Parish Council will be held on Thursday 20th October 2011 at 8.00p.m. in the Village Hall, Church Lane, Willoughby.

16)ANY OTHER MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION ONLY OR NEXT AGENDA Councillor Pridgeon mentioned Mr.Heyes had recently become VAT registered. Whilst the Parish Council is able to reclaim the VAT, the Church is not. The Clerk was asked to ascertain whether there is any way the VAT on the churchyard grass cutting could be reclaimed.

Councillors noted the Village Hall is celebrating its 60th birthday on 8th November 2012. All Councillors are welcome and invitations will be sent out shortly.

The Clerk was asked to report the streetlight outside the School which is not working.

An invitation to attend the L.A.L.C. A.G.M. and Conference had been received. L.A.L.C. is also inviting nominations to fill seats on the Association’s County Committee.

As there was no other business the meeting closed at 9.20p.m.

4.15/9/11