Wragby Parish Council
43
Wragby Parish Council
MEETING HELD ON MONDAY 7th SEPTEMBER 2015
IN THE ANNEXE OF WRAGBY TOWN HALL AT 7.15pm
MINUTES
There were 21 members of the public attending the meeting.
Present:
Councillors M Applewhite, N Bailey, K Carnell, J Thacker and the Clerk – S Wallace
Public Forum
The Wragby Plant Minders advised the Meeting that the planters would be coming down in the next week; comments concerning problems with pedestrian/road safety, eg., vehicles parking on the pavements on the Lincoln and Louth Roads; comments regarding the condition of the Old Garage and the Mill; comments concerning the lack of road sweeping, particularly in and around the Market Place; the Parish Council was invited to nominate a representative for the Dove Park Bowls Club; comments regarding the condition of the track approaching the Cemetery and the Cemetery itself; comments concerning parking and parking enforcement in the Market Place; the Parish Council was asked whether there would be any public acknowledgement of the ex-Cllr Peter Phillipson’s service to the Community.
1. Chairman’s Welcome and Opening Remarks
Cllr Thacker welcomed everyone to the first Parish Council Meeting after the Summer Break and commented on some of the events and meetings that had taken place – the Wragby Show, the official handover of the Old Cemetery and a meeting with District Cllr Craig Leyland, the new Leader of East Lindsey District Council.
She reported that the last staffed session of the Wragby Library would be on the 29th September and, after a short closure, would re-open as the Community Hub.
Cllr Thacker proposed that, as had been agreed at the previous Meeting in December, Para 1(l) of the Parish Council’s Standing Orders should be suspended in order to comply with a new piece of legislation relating to the openness of local government. It was agreed that Para 1(l) of the Parish Council’s Standing Orders should be suspended.
Proposed – Cllr Thacker, Seconded – Cllr Bailey, Resolved – Unanimous
2. Apologies for absence
Cllrs Tom Buxton-Rockley and Sally Franklin.
3. To receive Councillors’ Declarations of Interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2011
There were no declarations of interest.
4. To consider and approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 13th July 2015
The Minutes were agreed, approved and signed by the Chairman.
Proposed – Cllr Carnell, Seconded – Cllr Applewhite, Resolved – Unanimous
5. To receive the Clerk’s report on any matters outstanding from last Meeting
Councillors noted that all of the actions arising from the last Meeting had been dealt with as follows:-
(a) Public Forum - The Clerk to (a) contact Tudor Grounds Maintenance regarding Dove Park, (b) arrange for the grass on the footpaths to be cut, (c) liaise with East Lindsey DC regarding the missing waste bins and (d) to make some enquiries regarding the missing fence panels on the footpath at the side of the Adam & Eve.
The Clerk reported that the first three points had been actioned and that he had contacted the County Council, who are responsible for footpaths, and that they would be contacting the Adam & Eve.
(b) Chairman’s Welcome and Opening Remarks - The Clerk to contact the County Council’s Highways Team to find out whether the railings by the A157/A158 roundabout could be painted to match the railings around the Market Place.
The Clerk reported that he was waiting on a reply from the Highways Team.
(c) Community – Pedestrian/Road Safety - The response from the Highways Team should be communicated to those individuals who had raised the issue in the first instance.
The Clerk reported that this had been actioned.
(d) To receive updates re: Cemetery & Dove Park - The Clerk to liaise with Vic Nash to arrange a date for the official handover and to establish the insurance implications for the Council.
The Clerk reported that the official handover had taken place on 30th July and that he had been advised that there were no insurance implications for the Parish Council.
(e) Housing & Planning – (a) The Clerk to contact East Lindsey DC and Horncastle Town Council re: compilation of Local Neighbourhood Plan, (b) The Clerk to submit the Council’s observations to the East Lindsey DC’s Planning Team re: Barn Farm Planning Application, (c) The Clerk to submit the Council’s observations to the East Lindsey DC re: Proposed Tree Works at All Saints Church, (d) The Clerk to submit the Council’s observations to the East Lindsey DC’s Planning Team re: 5 Horncastle Road Planning Application.
The Clerk reported that all of these points had been actioned.
(f) To receive an update re: the Council’s Standing Orders & Financial Regulations – The Clerk to update the Council’s Financial Regulations for consideration at the next Meeting.
The Clerk reported that this point had been actioned.
Finally, the Clerk reported that there has been an outstanding issue with Lloyds Bank, ie., transfer of funds to earn a higher rate of interest and formalisation of Clerk’s authority re: Bank Accounts. He had confirmed that some amendments had now been made to the Bank Mandate and that he would be preparing the necessary letter to go to the Bank.
6. To receive the Clerk’s update in correspondence received since the last Meeting
Councillors noted that the following correspondence (including emails and phone calls) had been received since the last Meeting:-
ELDC
· Tree Preservation Order – All Saints Church
· Evolving Area Committees
· Help to reduce Fraud and Error in the Welfare System
· Member Register of Pecuniary Interests
· Local Neighbourhood Plan
· Planning Application re: Land adjacent Cotswold, Louth Road
· Litter & Dog Waste Bins
· Grass Cutting
LCC
· Grass Cutting
· Wire Hill Lane
· Road Closure
· Traffic Surveys
Other
· Grant Thornton
· HMRC
· Various emails re: grass cutting and weed control, Reactive Speed Signs, Speeding Traffic, Parish Games, Noticeboards, Toilets, Henry Mawer Trust, CCTV on business premises, Planning Applications re: 5 Horncastle Road & Louth Road
Community
8. To receive updates re: Parish Plan Priorities:-
(a) Community Speed Watch
Councillors were disappointed to note that the possible locations for the “moveable post” on Bardney, Horncastle and Louth Roads had still yet to be approved by the County Council.
(b) Pedestrian / Road Safety
Councillors noted that the Parish Council had been provided with the results of a traffic survey that had been carried out by the County Council on the Lincoln Road at the end of July and beginning of August and that further traffic surveys would be carried out on Bardney and Horncastle Roads in October.
9. To receive updates re: Cemetery & Dove Park
New Cemetery - Councillors noted that the skip had been replaced and that the Clerk was to take delivery of some white spray paint.
In the light of the criticism received during the Public Forum of the condition of the New Cemetery, Councillors suggested that contact should be made with the landowner to request that the track should receive some attention and that contact should be made with the grass cutting contractor so that some improvements to the specification could be considered.
ACTION - The Clerk to contact the landowner and the grass cutting contractor.
There were no other matters to report re: The Old Cemetery and Dove Park.
10. To receive an update re: grass cutting
Councillors considered the comments that had been made during the Public Forum as well as the other complaints that had been received relating to grass cutting and weed control.
Whilst it was recognised that the reduction in grass cutting contract specifications and the weather have played a significant part in the problems that have been experienced, Councillors suggested that contact should be made with the grass cutting contractor so that some improvements to the specification could be considered.
ACTION - The Clerk to contact the grass cutting contractor.
11. To receive an update re: litter and dog waste bins
Councillors noted that there have been a number of complaints made about the waste bins that had been removed from the Market Place and the impact that this had had as well as the lack of dog waste bins and that, following conversations with officers of East Lindsey District Council, there was an opportunity to develop a proposal to improve the situation.
It was agreed that a proposal should be developed setting out what the Council would like to see in and around the Market Place and the Village.
Proposed – Cllr Thacker, Seconded – Cllr Bailey, Resolved – Unanimous
ACTION – The Chairman and the Clerk to develop a Draft Proposal for the next Meeting.
12. To consider and approve the purchase of the Christmas Tree 2015
Cllr Bailey advised that he had been contacted to see whether the Parish Council would require a tree from the same supplier as last year as they only have a limited number of larger trees.
It was agreed that the Parish Council would purchase the Christmas Tree from the same supplier as last year.
Proposed – Cllr Bailey, Seconded – Cllr Thacker, Resolved - Unanimous
13. To receive an update re: the Notice Boards in the Village
Councillors noted that, despite various attempts, only one quote to repair the three Notice Boards had been received. Cllr Thacker felt that the situation was unfortunate but had gone on long enough and it was agreed that the quote of £200 should be accepted and that the Notice Boards should be repaired as soon as possible.
Proposed – Cllr Thacker, Seconded – Cllr Bailey, Resolved – Unanimous
Housing & Planning
14. To consider and comment on the Planning Application re: Land adjacent Cotswold, Louth Road (Ref: S/216/01415/15)
Cllr Thacker temporarily suspended the Meeting to permit members of the public to comment on the proposed development. Concerns were expressed about the number of properties, the impact on drainage, the surgery and the school.
Councillors considered their earlier response to the developers as well as the comments that had been circulated by Cllr Franklin prior to the Meeting. It was agreed that the Parish Council would support the Planning Application but with some reservations, eg., the number of properties, the impact on drainage, the surgery and the school.
Proposed – Cllr Applewhite, Seconded – Cllr Bailey, Resolved - Unanimous
ACTION – The Clerk to submit the Parish Council’s observations to East Lindsey DC’s Planning Team.
15. To receive an update on Planning Matters since the last Meeting
Councillors noted the following three issues:-
(a) the proposed works on the Yew trees at All Saints Church have not been permitted by East Lindsey DC and a Tree Preservation Order has been made on them.
(b) the decision on the Horncastle Road developments (Ref: S/216/01099/15 and S/216/01098/15) has now been put back to 7 October 2015 due to the County Council’s Highways Team’s comments about the number of properties allowed per private lane.
(c) Local Neighbourhood Plan – a lot of information has been received from ELDC’s Local Neighbourhood Plans Officer and a meeting is to be arranged in the next few weeks with representatives of Horncastle Town Council.
District Cllr Nick Guyatt advised that he had been speaking with East & West Barkwith Parish Council and suggested that there would be some significant advantages to work together on this initiative.
Finance
16. To receive an update re: the Council’s Accounts for the financial year 2014/15
Councillors noted that the External Auditors had completed their work on the Annual Return 2014/15 and that they had given the Council “a clean bill of health”.
The External Auditors had highlighted one issue that did not affect their opinion – commenting that the Council “must be able to explain on what basis it was appropriate to give a positive response to the assertion that it has maintained throughout the year an adequate and affective system of internal audit of the council’s accounting records.”
Cllr Thacker commented that the Council has a high level of confidence in the work of the Internal Auditor and values her opinions on the Council’s accounting records.
She suggested that a suitable reply should be drafted and sent to the Internal Auditor for comment, before being sent to the External Auditor.
ACTION – The Clerk to draft a suitable reply to the External Auditor, to request comments from the Internal Auditor for the Chairman’s approval.
17. To receive the Clerk’s Report on the Council’s Accounts for the financial year 2015/16
The Clerk reported that he had previously circulated the latest Budget Monitoring & Bank Reconciliation Statement and that, at this stage of the financial year, there was little to report.
Councillors noted that the Budget had now been profiled and that although it looked like some headings were overspent this was because either no further payments were due (eg., Insurance) and the Profiled Budget would normalise through the financial year or payments did not follow an even split through the financial year (eg., Grass Cutting).