PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
held on Tuesday
19th September, 2023
in the Village Hall, High St.
Present: Councillors; G Kirt (Chairman), H. Aylesbury, D. Batty, C Bysshe, S Jackson, R. Joshi-Boparai, D Lane, R W Randall, S Singh, A Staines, & the Clerk, Mr J Haste. Three members of the public was also present.
Prior to the commencement of the meeting the Clerk announced that the Parish Council had received a CAPALC award for Parish Council of the Year 2023 for councils with a precept of £25k or less and on behalf of the parish council had accepted the engraved paperweight at the CAPALC conference held on 15th
September.
Also prior to the formal meeting of the Parish Council Peg Torrence and the Chairman of the Deepings and Glinton Patient Participation group addressed those present. Peg described the role of the PPG in supporting the practice meeting patients needs and identifying improvements along with a wider lobbying remit. The group are dependent on constructive feedback from patients, preferably in writing and using the PPG feedback form.
MINUTES OF MEETING
831. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – NONE, ALL COUNCILLORS PRESENT
832. MEMBERS DECLARATION OF INTERESTS – None declared
833. CO-OPTION TO VACANCY ON PARISH COUNCIL – The chairman reported that Following applications from 3 exceptional candidates and subsequent interviews the working party recommended to the Parish Council that Liezl Russouw be co-opted as a Parish Councillor. After presenting a brief personal resume to the meeting she was unanimously appointed with immediate effect and took part in the remainder of the meeting.
834. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION –
a) Cllr. S Singh reported on an Incident outside the primary school and was advised that it was for the school and other agencies to deal with matters of that nature.
b) Cllr Kirt informed those present of the appointment of Reverend Kier Dow to the Nine Bridges Benefice and asked the clerk to invite the Reverend to future meetings of the parish council.
835. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS – We unanimously RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 1st August, 2023
Proposed Cllr. D Batty Seconded Cllr. S Jackson
836. MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES (information only) – None
837. PLANNING
a) Status of current planning applications – We noted that one tree application had been permitted and the only other changes to the report is the addition of those applications on our agenda for consideration at this meeting
b) 23/01038/FUL – Manor Farmyard, High Street – proposal for Residential development of 10 no. detached dwellings and garages. – We noted that this site is currently shown in the local plan as a site for approved planning permission for 19 dwellings. We are OPPOSED to this planning application the design of these Executive dwellings conflicts with policies GNP3 in the made neighbourhood plan. The design also conflicts with the planning authority adopted planning policies set out in a supplementary Planning document. We accordingly instructed the Clerk to register our opposition and cite the relevant planning policies.
c) 23/01156/LBC – Manor Farmyard – Conversion and extension of dovecote to form dwelling, including the installation of new openings, closure of existing openings and internal alterations. We are OPPOSED to this application for the same reasons as for 23/01038/FUL but in addition feel strongly that the design does not meet conservation guidelines and protect the building as a dovecote.
d) 23/01109/CTR 18 Welmore Road – Fell Ash trees to ground level (T1 & T2) – We have no objections to make to this application.
e) 23/01118/FUL – 1 Westbourne Drive – Erection of new bungalow – We are OPPOSED to this application and consider the proposal to be gross overdevelopment of the site which itself has narrow access. Furthermore, we consider that insufficient provision has been made for future car parking requirements.
f) 23/01233/CTR – 8 Dovecote way – repollard 2no Weeping Willows 2109 & 2111. We have no objections to make to this application.
g) Neighbourhood Plan (NP) – The Chairman reported that the NOP working group had held one meeting on the Friday before this meeting and a further meeting is planned for 24th October. The intention of the group is to revise the former questionnaire and to bring a revised document to the parish council for approval, but that is not anticipated to happen until our November meeting.
h) Local Plan review – The Clerk reported that the consultation period has been extended to 29th September and urged the widest possible response to the planning authority by all present and to encourage residents to do likewise. The Chairman reported that the formal parish council submission had been circulated to all parish councillors and could be used to guide individual submissions.
838. COMMUNITY MATTERS
a) GlintonFest – The chairman reported on the success of the event with 499 attending the event and a provisional estimate of a surplus of approximately £820. Final figures would be presented to the October meeting of Parish council.
b) Garage Grab – Planned to take place on 8th October – 16 participants so far and two possible. The chairman expressed the view that many more participants are required to guarantee a successful event. As part of the event a treasure hunt is planned for Children with a prize at the end of the planned activities.
c) D-Day 80 – Thursday 6th June 2024 – The Clerk reported that our involvement in the national beacon lighting had been registered and acknowledged by the Pageant master
d) Ashburn Close Play Area – The Clerk reported receipt, yet again , the disappointing lack of response from the city council and undertook to continue to press for some progress.
e) Playing Field – Strimmer protection – The Clerk reported that the City Council Officer had offered weed killer as an alternative to strimming, or a shrink-wrapped protection guard, estimated to cost £28 per post. This could cost £1400 and would be at parish council expense. We find that unacceptable as it is city council contractors that do the grass cutting and strimming. We asked the Clerk to seek a meeting on site between Jayne Jarvis and Councillors Kirt, Randall and Staines to seek an amicables alternative or solution.
f) Defibrillators – Cllr. Randall reported that he had collected the defibrillators and they now awaited installation. The chairman agreed to discuss training with a resident and to verify their qualifications to provide that training. As an alternative we might enquire whether MAGPAS offer training facilities.
g) Village Sign – Cllr. Randall reported on the two designs on offer, both similar in design with some elements of the former village sign. We expressed our unanimous preference for theist design of the two but councillors suggested extending the height to allow for a better representation of Glinton Spire and even the inclusion of the cockerel wind vane.
h) Biodiversity issues – Cllr. Staines reported that the two signs are with the manufacturer and Anglian Water authority and also that Tony Cook from PECT had undertaken to cut the grass at the appropriate time and to assist in management of the nature recovery site.
i) Village Hall working party – The chairman reported that Peter Smith Associates (PSA) had offered some alternatives designs for the hall. The designs had been shared with the Community Association (GCA). The chairman indicated a further review meeting, on 29th September, with PSA and GCA present to discuss the designs and bring a report to the October meeting of this parish council.
j) Kisimul – The Chairman reported on a further incident with a resident, and that he had emailed the manager of the site, reminding Kisimul of an accord not to accommodate unsuitable residents on the site. That email resulted in a face to face apology and the complaint being forwarded to the directors of the company for a formal response. No reply has yet been received and we instructed the Clerk to send a copy of that email to the planning authority for their information. Cllr Liezl Russouw, having described another incident, will formally complain to Kisimul.
k) Community Engagement – Cllr. Jackson reported on the continued growth of the events and social media Facebook page compared to the parish council page of around 200, proving to be of some, but less interest. Cllr. Jackson asked for all snippets of information to be forwarded to him for inclusion on both pages.
839. REPORTS – Standing item –
a) Deepings Practice Patient Participation Group (PPG). – Cllr Staines had nothing to add to the earlier presentation by Peg Torrence
b) The Clerk reported briefly on the CAPALC conference and the receipt of the award
840. GOVERNANCE MATTERS
a) Annual Governance and Accountability Report (AGAR) – The Clerk reported receipt of an email from PKF Littlejohn on the day of our meeting completing the sign off with a clear statement that there is nothing to bring to the attention of the parish council. The Clerk advised us that he had already published the statutory “Notice of Completion of Audit” on the parish council website.
b) Replacement Notice Boards – The Clerk reported responding to those who had responded to his “check a trade” enquiry and three responses to the facebook advertisement.
c) Roll of Freedoms of the Parish – The Clerk reported on a number of prices received from potential suppliers prices ranged from £600 to in excess of £1800. We considered some pictures and the specifications offered and favoured the offering from Creative Honours Boards Ltd. We considered that a smaller size would be more appropriate and asked the clerk to go back to that company for a bespoke quotation based on sizes to be provided by the chairman
841. OFFICIAL NOTICES AND CORRESPONDENCE – none other than those considered elsewhere on the agenda.
842. HIGHWAYS & other issues within the village –
a) The chairman suggested that we again raise the following with the City Council
• The dilapidated state of North Fen Road (NFR)
• Provision of Litter bins by the stone Bridge NFR, and another in Mile Drove
• All road signs need cleaning
• Repeat request for 20mph to be extended in NFR to Mile Drove.
b) Cllr. Randall referred to the advertising van on highways land by McDonalds roundabout and considered it to be a safety hazard to pedestrians wishing to cross the road into the village
843. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS –
i. Grant Funding – recruiting a fund raiser
ii. Signage Plaques, information boards and Village Pump
iii. Climate Change working group
I) Date of Next Meeting – The next scheduled meeting of the parish council is to be held on Tuesday 17th October starting at 7.00pm
Meeting closed at 9.43pm,
Signed John Haste
Clerk/Proper Officer,