PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
held on Tuesday
21st February, 2023
in the Village Hall, High St.
Present: Councillors; G Kirt (Chairman), H. Aylesbury, D. Batty, C. Bysshe, S Jackson, D. Lane, R. Randall, A Staines, R. Joshi-Boparai & the Clerk, Mr J Haste. No members of the public were present.
MINUTES OF MEETING
750. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – Councillor G Wright sent apologies as unwell. The absence of Cllr. Singh was also noted.
751. MEMBERS DECLARATION OF INTERESTS – None
752. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION – None
753. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS – We unanimously RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 17th January, 2023
Proposed Cllr. Batty Seconded Cllr. Bysshe
754. MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES (information only) – None.
755. PLANNING
a. Status of current planning applications – An update report on applications previously considered by the parish council had been circulated with the agenda and the only change from the previous meeting was that the planned extension of Ashcroft, Waterworks Lane had been permitted on 20th January. The content of the report was noted.
b. 23/00067/CTR – 7 Friesain Barn, Dovecote Way – We noted that the application to fell an Ash Tree had been permitted on the day of our meeting and therefore did not consider the matter any further.
c. 22/00072/R3FUL – Clare Lodge – 8 Lincoln Road – The Chairman reported on his attendance at the planning committee on behalf of the parish council; the statements he had made in opposition to the planning application and the representation made by a resident of a neighbouring property. The debate that followed, by members of the planning committee acknowledged many of the points raised. Nevertheless, the planning committee approved the application for the extension of Clare lodge which is a city council run establishment.
756. COMMUNITY MATTERS –
a) Fireworks – The Clerk reported the response from our MP and the conversation held with the parliamentary secretary to Shailesh Vara. As our request would require legislation the Clerk was requested, by the MP, to write again but marked “for the attention of the relevant Minister” and Mr Vara would then pass it on and report back the minister’s response.
b) Wooden Play Structures – Playing Field – The chairman and Clerk reported on a meeting with City council officers. On e piece of equipment cordoned off and unstable one other with one piece of timber in need of replacement. In the hands of the city council to progress.
c) Ashburn Close Play Area – The Clerk reported that the city council property manager had seen no issues with the proposed sale to the parish council and would process the necessary paperwork.
d) Climate Change Emergency – Cllr. Kirt reported that he had circulated the minutes of the most recent meeting and that further work has been put on hold until after Golden Orb celebrations had been completed.
e) Gas Compressor Station. Cllr. Batty undertook to contact the environmental health department to request noise monitors in his house to record noise levels. The clerk reported on the response from National Grid that the noise levels were temporary whilst test new equipment. We asked that representatives from National Grid meet with the parish council to address residents concerns.
f) Biodiversity issues –
a) Cllr. Staines had followed up suggestions made at the previous meeting and had obtained quotes for signs at a cost of £47 + VAT each and a further £15 for an anti-vandal coating. We RESOLVED to authorise a budget of £125 for Cllr. Staines to acquire two of the signs.
Proposed Cllr. Joshi-Boparai seconded Cllr. Bysshe
b) Cllr. Staines referred to the use of a field for storage of vehicles and the difficulty in establishing ownership. Following discussion, it was left that Cllr. Staines would make further enquiries and report back to the next meeting of the parish council.
c) Cllr. Staines also referred to the state of a disused building by the side of the footpath from North Fen Road to Peakirk and also the condition of trees on the same footpath which had been flail cut. We accepted that these were the responsibility of the land owner and that it would be inappropriate to take any further action by the parish council.
g) Winter Warm Hubs – Cllr Bysshe reported that the good neighbours scheme had conducted a recruitment campaign with some success. We asked the Clerk to write to Cate Harding as coordinator to see if there was sufficient support in Glinton for the village to be included in the schedule for the Roving Hub.
h) Neighbourhood Plan (NP) – Cllr. Kirt reported that further work on this would need to be put on hold because of the success and workloads created by Golden Orb celebrations. The NP working group would be resurrected after the coronation of King Charles lll.
I) Lyons Garden Care Home – Cllr Staines reported on positive discussions with Emma White of the care home and actions taken to address the issues raised at our previous meeting.
757. REPORTS – Standing item – Cllr. Batty reported on the successful special general meeting of CAPALC, held on 25th January 2023, at which governance resolutions had been passed
758. GOVERNANCE MATTERS
a) Community Engagement – A revised and simplified version of a Facebook policy had been circulated to all councillors prior to the meeting and we unanimously RESOLVED to adopt the policy and to keep it under review in the coming months.
Proposed Cllr. Randall Seconded Cllr. Kirt
b) Operation Golden Orb
i Cllr. Kirt reported on the positive progress being made on preparations for a range of activities organised as part of the coronation celebrations. Further enquiries were needed in respect of approvals required to conduct a prize Raffle, acquisition of card payment devices and volunteers to produce a parish council information stall. The Clerk was asked to follow up on these matters and undertook to produce a bullet list of parish council activities.
ii We noted that for insurance purposes the parish council covered volunteers for public liability whilst engaged on parish council business, provided volunteer input is properly recorded before the event and proper risk assessments carried out and documented.
iii The Clerk reported completion of the order of commemorative mugs
c) Grant Funding – The chairman reported that he along with Cllr. Jackson and the Clerk had submitted a grant fund application to the National lottery for Golden Orb and other events / activities planned for 2023/24.
d) Metro Bank 95day Deposit account – The Clerk reported that he had visited Metro Bank in Peterborough and taken steps to set up the deposit account and a current account for the interest earned. Cllrs. Kirt and Staines needed to complete identity checks with the bank to complete the setup process.
e) Village Hall external lighting –We unanimously RESOLVED to approve the action taken by the Clerk to authorise emergency work on a faulty light over the disabled access to the Village Hall.
Proposed Cllr. Bysshe Seconded Cllr. Aylesbury
759. OFFICIAL NOTICES AND CORRESPONDENCE
As requested at the previous meeting Peter Smith Associates (PSA) had submitted the written quotations for provision of photographs and plans of the Village Hall on both the existing basis and possible options basis each at a cost of £500 plus VAT, and retaining copyright on all drawings and photographs. For our part we believe we should have unfettered use of plans and photographs of our own building. We asked the clerk to inform PSA that we are minded to approve acceptance of their quotations subject to their acceptance of that variation to the terms and conditions.
760. HIGHWAYS & other issues within the village –
i. Notice Boards – We asked the Clerk to obtain quotations for the replacement of the notice board in the cemetery and also the others on the Beech Road and Welmore Road
ii. Peakirk Road – Cllr. Kirt reported that the city council had footpath repairs on Peakirk Road in hand and intended to recharge a developer for the damage caused by their access to a site. The roadway repairs still required attention.
iii. Village walkabout – we asked the Clerk to follow up the issues raised with James Collingridge and to pursue a similar meeting with an officer from the highways department
761. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS –
i. report of working party on Village Sign Replacement.
ii. Signage Plaques, information boards and Village Pump
iii. Bonfire night event – 2023
762. Date of Next Meeting – The next scheduled meeting of the parish council is Tuesday 21st March in the village hall commencing at 7.15pm.
Meeting closed at 9.20pm,
Clerk/Proper Officer,
28th February 2023