<p> 2244/15 Branston & Mere Parish Council Minutes of the Meeting held at the Pavilion, Moor Lane, Branston on Monday 13th April 2015 at 7.15 pm.</p><p>Present: Cllrs. Messrs Adams, Clarke, Cucksey, Lundgren, Marchant, Newman, Ross & Wood and Cllr Mesdames Cannings, Price & Willcox.</p><p>In Attendance: Clerks - Mrs Stead & Mrs Appleyard.</p><p>Members of the Public: Five.</p><p>Item 1 a) Apologies for absence and reasons given. The Council noted the reason and approved the apologies of Cllrs Ford and Mumford. b) Declarations of Pecuniary Interests. Cllr Mrs Cannings declared prejudicial interests in the planning applications for Laburnum Close and Willow Road. Cllr Mrs Price declared a non-prejudicial interest in the planning application for the Community Academy.</p><p>Item 2 Public Forum. A resident from Shardloes suggested that the Dog Warden was patrolling at the wrong time of day and that people out early and late were not picking up. The Dog Warden would be informed. The resident also repeated his previous complaint about tree work required along Shardloes. Mrs Appleyard said that they were owned by LCC who had been made aware of the issues raised. She said that the Handyman had removed the whip-like branches.</p><p>Item 3 To receive reports from representatives on outside bodies: a) Police. There was no officer present. b) County Council.  Cllr Mrs Overton spoke about the newly re-opened Lincoln Castle and the Magna Carta. She said that she had been invited to speak on the Magna Carta as it had launched modern democracy in England. Cllr Wood said that he had been pleased to read that the Castle attractions were being advertised nationally and suggested a renewed need for Park & Ride to be considered. Cllr Ross spoke as a guide at the Castle, saying that feedback from locals and visitors had all been positive.  Cllr Mrs Overton suggested that the Carers Service was not sustainable in its current form because carers were in effect paid less than the minimum wage because they were not paid for the time travelling between clients.  Cllr Mrs Overton said that the availability of school transport was unfair with some parts of the county imposing fees which prevented some from selecting their first choice school. The Chairman asked whether the second judicial review would delay the proposed library closure. Cllr Mrs Overton said that the second challenge had been expected and it was still unclear whether it would be upheld. c) District Council. Cllr Cucksey said that business was quiet in the run up to the election but reported the following:  It was the Council’s policy to prosecute fly-tippers. There had been a successful prosecution of a person tipping garden waste in the countryside. The fine had been in excess of £600. Cllr Adams suggested that the fine was small compared to the cost of clearing the waste. Cllr Cucksey said that the size of the fine was at the discretion of the magistrate.  The 100th new council house in 5 years had been built. He said that few district councils were building new homes but, with 1200 on the waiting list, there was still a considerable shortfall. Cllr Ross asked whether more houses would be built. Cllr Cucksey said that it depended on land availability and the government’s New Home grant. 2245/15 The Chairman suggested that the shortage was caused by the government’s Right to Buy policy. Cllr Cucksey agreed that it caused the district council problems as they were expected to replace 1:1 while selling at a discount of 20-60%, to anyone who had lived there for at least six years.</p><p>Item 4 a) To resolve that the notes of meeting held on 2nd March 2015 are approved as the Minutes. Acceptance of the notes and the notes In Committee were proposed by Cllr Newman and seconded by Cllr Mrs Cannings. b) Matters arising from the Minutes for clarification. 14549 Cllr Newman asked whether a meeting had been arranged with the Village Hall Management Committee. It was still to be scheduled. (ref 14525) 14550 Cllr Wood advised that the room at the Home Guard Club had been considered unsuitable for use as a Post Office. No one had come forward to buy the business and notice had been given by the current owner. The building would become wholly residential. There was a suggestion that it could move to the Newsagents on Linden Avenue but that would be subject to a 12 week public consultation. </p><p>Item 5 Correspondence: a) Newsletters and Periodic Publications. 14551 Dog Warden Report February 2015. 14552 Clerks & Councils Direct March 2015. 14553 Local Council Review Spring 2015 14554 Council Matters Came & Company. b) Letters for information. 14555 A resident had reported that a litter bin had been removed near Shardloes. It was agreed that it needed to be replaced. c) Eulogy Ltd – ‘Triple-Towning’ Branston for National Sandwich Week. 14556 The PR company had requested support for events to be held in Sandwich, Cheddar and Branston. The clerk had made it clear that the pickle did not originate in this village. The cost of the celebration would be covered by Branston Pickle. It was agreed that the Council was unable to give support to a commercial venture but would not prevent them from hiring the Village Hall for the occasion. d) Resident letter – Requesting expert attention for limes on Recreation Ground. 14557 A resident from Forsythia Close had expressed concern in the lack of care and attention given to the lime trees and the potential damage to her property from falling branches. The trees had been included in the recent survey and the resident would be provided with the details of the report and the recommendations made.</p><p>Item 6 14558 Planning Applications & Tree Applications: a) Planning decisions received. Planning permission had been granted on the following applications: 14/1559 Demolition of bungalow & erection of 2 dormers 82 Lincoln Road 14/1653 Single storey office building for Air Ambulance RAF Waddington. 15/0095 Alterations to porch and flat roof areas 24 Chartridge 15/0101 First floor side extension 175 Lincoln Road 15/0165 Extension Branston Ltd b) Applications already viewed – For Information. 15/0153 6 subterranean dwellings Laburnum Close Branston and Mere Parish Council objects to this Planning Application for the following reasons:  A large proportion of the land included in the applicant’s submitted plans belongs to Branston and Mere Parish Council which it does not intend to sell;  The proposed development is part of a recognised wet woodland conservation and amenity area;  Access to the site will need to go across land owned by the Parish Council, which it is not prepared to allow; 2246/15  The proposed development would need access across a public footpath at the bottom of Laburnum Close, for which the Parish Council has a Dedication Agreement;  This area of Branston is Flood Zone 2 and 3, i.e. an area at high risk of flooding. There have been many previous applications for development in this area which have been refused “...the site is within the natural flood plain of the adjacent watercourse and development of the area would exacerbate present flooding problems and further increase the risk of flooding elsewhere in the area”. Please see document attached which lists the history of planning applications submitted for this area of Branston;  The installation and use of the on-site drainage system proposed by the application is likely to cause pollution and lasting damage to the watercourse;  Planning permission was granted for more than 350 new homes in Branston last year so there is no urgent need for any more new houses;  The applicant has assumed that trees owned and planted by the Parish Council on the public footpath at the bottom of Laburnum Close can be felled to make way for the development;  Laburnum Close is very narrow and access for construction vehicles and equipment will be extremely difficult, as well as being highly disruptive to local residents;  Work at this site will cause unacceptable disruption to villagers who have to use this area to cross from one side of the village to the other for access to schools, shops, the Village Hall and all other amenities;  Properties on Laburnum Close have suffered problems with subsidence and this development is likely to make this worse. LA Full response available on request and listed separately. 15/0203 First floor extension 10 Willow Road No comments. 15/0268 24 hour ATM Lincoln Coop, Station Road Supported c) Applications for discussion. 15/0359 Dormer window to front elevation 11 Park View Avenue No comments. 15/0372 Single storey rear extension 41 Gibson Close No comments. 15/0369 2 storey rear extension 6 Deansway No comments. 15/0286 Re-clad sports hall, reconfiguration of car park Branston Academy. No comments. d) Tree applications for discussion. CA14-124 Fell buddleia, larch & cherry trees 47 Hall Lane My Council has the following comments to make on the proposal:  That any work carried out on these trees advocates management, rather than felling.  These are all mature trees which occupy a prime position on the landscape of the area. They can be seen from a considerable distance and are an intrinsic part of the views in the conservation area.  Hall Lane forms a part of a route which is very popular with walkers, cyclists and horse riders and the landscape is one of the main reasons it is so attractive.  The trees link with the planting on the opposite side of the road to provide an attractive vista along Hall Lane  The larch and cherry are of particular concern. The larch is a magnificent specimen of a healthy tree. It provides food for certain bird species. The cherry is also a beautiful specimen. The blossom of both trees supports insect life. My Council object to the removal of these trees.  Whilst my Council does not object to the removal of the leylandii and buddleia, the trees as a collection are roosts, offering nesting and protection for a number of species: bats, owls to name but two. There is regular bat activity in this garden and its immediate vicinity as well as barn owls hunting on adjacent grassland. There are also tawny owls.  Although the larch and cherry throw down large roots, the wall has suffered from years of neglect - mainly due to lack of adequate re-pointing – and needs to be rebuilt. The trees are not causing the damage - there has been inadequate maintenance over a long period of time and weather damage has been significant. 2247/15  The electricity lines have recently been assessed by the electric company and remedial work carried out in the immediate area. If this is an issue then sympathetic pruning can be carried out which does not damage the integrity of the tree.  The main sewer is in the middle of the road and at a depth of approximately 4 metres. Therefore, it is extremely improbable that any roots would disturb the sewer pipes.  The nesting season has now started and it would not be appropriate to carry out work this late. Recent work by the electrical company in the conservation area was completed quickly with this in mind. LA</p><p>Item 7 Other Reports: a) History Group 14559 Cllr Wood had nothing to report. b) Update on library provision. 14560 The Chairman reported that a second Judicial Review had been launched against LCCs decision to proceed with the initial proposals. A meeting with the officer had been scheduled for later in the week to clarify the legalities around employing a library assistant to supervise the students and volunteers and develop the service. c) Use of agreed community benefit from Solar farm 14561 Correspondence had been received from Potterhanworth Parish Council about sharing the promised £25k. Potterhanworth had been told by Inazin that no additional funds were available at this late stage and suggested that the amount agreed could be shared to benefit both communities. The Chairman had been involved in discussions with Inazin from the consultation stage and it was unclear why Potterhanworth had not been similarly involved. The money had been earmarked towards the Pavilion project and would also bring benefits to the surrounding communities. Mrs Appleyard was asked to check whether Potterhanworth Parish Council had been given the opportunity to comment on the plans and the Chairman agreed to speak with the Potterhanworth chairman. d) Skate park update. 14562 Cllr Ross reported that there had been few issues during the build and all had been resolved. The RoSPA inspection had been favourable, stating that it had been built to a high standard. It had been busy and well received by all although there were problems with litter. An additional bin would be installed and work would be focused on educating the children to respect the site and consider other users. The situation would be monitored. 14563 The clerk said that the launch event arrangements were being made for Saturday 30th May. e) Remedial work on Lincoln Road Recreation Ground 14564 Cllr Adams said that the chaffer grubs remained active and were still attracting birds. The damaged area had expanded further and the solution would not be cheap or easy. It would involve spraying the area, removing the dead grass, levelling the field and reseeding; warning that it could require retreating the following season too. Cllr Adams said that although he had decided not to continue as a councillor, he would remain on the Recreation Ground committee and see the project through. 14565 £3k had been included in the precept but it had become clear that the cost would be closer to £8k. It was agreed by all that there was no other choice and that the additional cost should be taken from non- earmarked reserves. f) Tree inspection update. 14566 Mrs Appleyard advised that the Handyman was working through the list of recommended tree work in order of priority. She expected to be able to identify tasks requiring a tree surgeon soon and would obtain quotes for the work. g) Emergency Plan update. 14567 Cllr Marchant reported that he was continuing to work through the recommendations made. He said that there were now 29 volunteers. h) Report on the inspection of stone walls. 14568 The stone mason had reported that the wall on the High Street boundary of the Memorial Garden was generally in good condition. He advised replacing 5 stones and removing the cement along the base; re-pointing with hydraulic lime at a cost of £600. The wall along Silver Street required more attention. </p><p>2248/15 Most stones showed shower cracking but were mainly stable. The cost to replace the worst affected and re- point would be £1500. 14569 The supporting wall at Jubilee Corner showed general deterioration; requiring 10% of stones to be replaced and 90% of the wall to be re-pointed at accost of £1500. The work was approved. The total estimate was £3600 and would be covered by the amount earmarked for the Churchyard walls. i) To consider a crossings & reduction in the speed limit on B1188 14570` Cllr Cucksey said that he was struggling to get a response on the review carried out in June 2014 from the Lincoln West Transport Division. He said that few of the recommendations made by the Task & Finish Group had been actioned in this area but said that several recommendations had been taken forward in North Lincolnshire, including speed limit reductions. He said that he was trying to gather evidence from the Road Safety Partnership but considered that the criteria was clear and supported a crossing and reduction in the speed limit. Cllr Ross questioned why there appeared to be no commonality between area divisions. j) Confirmation of arrangements for Speed Device 14571 The clerk reported that payment was required in advance. Once fitted, the handyman would need to remove it to re-charge every two weeks and relocate the device monthly. A cable had been requested to make downloading the data easier and would be monitored by Mrs Appleyard. A movable post was being considered by the Road Safety Partnership to allow it to be used in areas where there were only wooden poles but could be difficult to move due to length and weight. k) Gateway fences. 14572 A supplier had been sourced for white plastic gateways. There was some concern about the cost and further enquiries would be made to compare the price of softwood fencing. l) Parish Plan review. 14573 The report identifying achievements made during the year had been circulated. m) Neighbourhood Plan update. 14574 Cllr Mrs Price said that there was nothing to report. She would be making a presentation at the APM and further consultation events would be held at the Academy and Branston Booths after the election. She said that a meeting would need to be held to consider the funding application. Cllr Ross said that it had been made clear at a recent training event that it would be a long process, involving a lot of work and requiring some individuals to take it on; however, the emerging plan in Nettleham had already been instrumental in planning decisions. n) Arrangements for the APM 14575 The Agenda had been circulated.</p><p>Item 8 Governance Review – a) Risk Assessment. 14576 Additional public liability had been added to the policy to cover the skate park.</p><p>Item 9 14577 Finance: The first precept payment of £52,317.50 had been received. The grant for the cycle racks had been received, totalling £1,689.30. a) To approve payments to be made. Staff payments Wages & expenses Payments made between meetings: 3488 Freestyle Valuation 2 29,142.66 3489 Glasdon Bins & benches 1185.21 3490-92 Staff payments Wages & expenses 2952.03 3493 Revenue & Customs Tax & NI 452.89 3494 Freestyle Valuation 3 20,782.20 3495 Void Payments for approval: 3496 LALC Annual Subs 712.30 2249/15 3497 NKDC Tree Inspection 886.20 3498 J Beedham Pitch marking (Feb/Mar) 105.00 3499 Chris Bleaden Grass cutting/weed kill 383.14 3500 Came & Co Skatepark 101.06 3501 Grundy Agricultural Parts 16.87 3502 E-on Memorial Floodlight 187.20 3503 Technical Surfaces Sweep 426.07 3504 Espo Litter pickers 28.73 3505 Cobb & Son Hedge cutting 135.00 3506 Mrs Stead Expenses 47.09 3507 LIVES Grant Aid 500.00 3508 Branston Tennis Club Grant Aid 300.00 3509 U3A Croquet Club Grant Aid 300.00 3510 LALC Training Scheme 115.00 3511 Unipart Dorman Speed device 3214.50 Approval of the payments was proposed by Cllr Mrs Willcox and seconded by Cllr Ross. b) Year-end report. 14578 The report had been circulated. All variations on budget had been identified on previous quarters. c) To review the mileage allowance. 14579 Cllr Mrs Cannings suggested that although the price per litre remained low at £1.10 per ltr, the allowance also needed to cover wear and tear of the vehicle. She suggested that the HMRC recommendations be followed. Cllr Ross proposed and Cllr Newman seconded an increase to 45p per mile with immediate effect. A further review would be carried out in 6 months.</p><p>Item 10 Items for information 14580 Cllr Wood said that some post boxes were being collected at 9am. He said that the new time was ridiculous and asked for a letter to be sent to Royal Mail. 14581 Cllrs Wood and Adams reported that the footpaths on Beech Road had been slurry sealed but that the side roads had not been done and in many cases were worse. 14582 Cllr Cannings said that up to three cars were being parked in the lay-by at the Village Hall with sale notices. They appeared to be owned by separate individuals and it was unlikely that they were committing an offence. The clerk was asked to make the PCSOs aware. 14583 Cllr Lundgren proposed a personal vote of thanks and on behalf of the Council, to three retiring members, Cllrs Adams, Mumford and Wood, for their time, dedication and commitment. Cllr Wood had served since May 1976; Cllr Adams since January 1987 and Cllr Mumford since May 1995. The vote of thanks was echoed by all.</p><p>The meeting closed at 10.14pm. </p>