BOLINGBROKE PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

HELD IN THE RAMSDEN HALL OLD BOLINGBROKE

ON MONDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 2011 AT 7.30 PM

Present were: CouncillorsM. Brennand (Acting Chairman), D. Makins, N. Nash, and (following co-option) S Dawson, N Paterson, K Richardson. S. Simpson (Clerk). Anne Heard (Legal Services Lincolnshire). Cllr Jim Swanson joined the meeting later. There were 9 members of the public

1. Chairman’s Welcome and introduction.
Cllr.Brennand welcomed her fellow councillors and members of the public, as well as the candidates for co-option to the meeting. She introduced Anne Heard from Legal Services Lincolnshire.
2. Open Forum
Children’s Party: The playground committee hoped to hold a children’s party at Christmas. Assistance with funding from parish council to be discussed at the next meeting. A party for Halloween next year was also suggested.
Mains Gas:Mr Hitchborne raised the possibility of applying to have mains gas supplied to the village. It will be discussed at the next meeting. It was noted that this would increase the value of properties in the village.
Telephone Kiosk: The kiosk having been purchased, a question was raised as to what was going to happen to it. The clerk will investigate.
Details of Flooding on Parish website: To be discussed at next meeting
3. Apologies for absence.
John Clayton’s apologies were noted and accepted. He is climbing Mt.Kilimanjaro
4. Declarations of Interest in accordance with the Local Government Act 2000.
None were noted.
5. and 6.Co-option of new councillors
Four candidates, Sandra Dawson, Nigel Paterson, Keith Richardson and Robert Snusher applied for three vacant council seats. As a result of voting by councillors, Sandra, Nigel and Keith were co-opted onto the council. Cllr Brennand welcomed the new councillors and thanked Robert for his interest.The new councillors signed their acceptance forms and received their declaration of interest forms and the council’s standing orders. They then joined the existing councillors for the remainder of the meeting.
7. Minutes of the previous meeting
These were agreed and signed as a true record by Cllr. Brennand.
8. Report on Matters outstanding/raised at the last meeting (and not covered by the agenda of this meeting):
Dog Waste Bins: Due to funding cuts ELDC are currently looking to reduce the number of bins and not installing any new ones. A request had been received from a parishioner to move a bin that was obscuring wording on a sign post and this will be investigated and costed.
Resurfacing of Hagnaby Road: This is ongoing
Damaged Kerbstones opposite Memorial Green: The area has been filled with tarmac.
Hedges on Spilsby Hill: This has been reported and logged and is ongoing. (Ref. No: 1061591)
Wall in Moat Lane: This has been reported and logged (Ref. No: 1061582) and is ongoing. The clerk will write to Terry Batten and ask him if he will reinstate the wall.
Funding for signs: Duchy of Lancaster have declined to fund signs for the village – Cllr Makins will write and ask on what grounds funding was declined and repeat the case for funding.
9. Finance report from Finance Officer Cllr. Makins:
a) Monies at the Bank:
Current Account:£814.87
Deposit Account£6000.00
Ramsden Account:£1099.72
£630 had been received from rent from field - £592 after reductions.
b) Retrospective Payments:
£60Audit Fee
£165 Grass cutting (3 cuts)
£1541.32 sent to WREN to start the Playground funding.
Cllr Makins noted that the council had registered with HMRC for PAYE so that the clerk’s pay could be processed
10. Planning Matters/ Planning Applications
Applications had been received from:
Mr and Mrs P Bogg, Moat Lane – comments sent to ELDC
Mr King, West Keal Road-comments sent to ELDC (permission granted)
Anglian Water- information about the proposed pipeline is available at the pub.
11.Highway Matters.
No Parking sign for Rose Garden: It was noted that cars were parking beside the Rose Garden and causing a traffic hazard. Cllr Brennand will investigate the acquisition of a sign and the planning requirements. Concerns were raised that the sign would make the area cluttered and that a personal approach to the people who park there, and a piece in the newsletter might be preferable.
Deep gully at edge of Hagnaby Road near junction with Back Lane: The clerk will contact County Council about this.
12. Noticeboard in West Keal Road.
It was noted that this was in disrepair. Cllr Dawson will askMr Gore to look at it and provide and estimate for its repair.
13. Broadband Speeds in Old Bolingbroke.
Concerns had been raised about the slow speed of broadband in the village. Cllr Paterson noted that the speed was related to distance from the exchange. Cllr Nash informed the meeting of adjustments that could be made to receiving equipment that might improve the speed. Councillor Swanson noted that the wires were aluminium and needed replacing with copper wires. He told the meeting that government were providing funds, along with private investment, to improve broadband in rural areas but results would not be seen until 2014. Information about broadband in the county could be obtained from Onlincolnshire.
14.Carols Round the Tree.
A request had been received from Friends of Bolingbroke Castle asking the council to fund this event. Cllr Brennand proposed that the council pay for the band (approx £40) and this was seconded by Cllr Dawson, and it was agreed. The clerk will reply to John Farrow.
15.Winter Weather Questionnaire.
It was agreed that this would be circulated to councillors for their views. Cllr Swanson noted that there is a workshop on the topic on 19 October at HorncastleCollege.
16. Review of polling districts and polling places.
A consultation form had been received in case the council wished to submit an alternative venue to the Methodist Sunday School. Cllr Swanson told the meeting that he had suggested the Ramsden Hall as access might be easier.
17. National Planning Policy Framework.
This item was carried forward to the next meeting
18. Report / Update from Parish Council Playground Committee
Cllr Brennand reported that permission had been received from WREN to start work. The Parish Council had paid the third party funding and the possibility of providing a bridging loan, whilst waiting for WREN and ELDC payments to come through will be discussed at the next meeting. The provision of CCTV for the area was raised by the PCSO at the APM and it was suggested that the Playground committee, the Village Hall committee and the Parish Council and Neighbourhood Watch get together to discuss it. Cllr Dawson noted that it was to be discussed at the next Village Hall Committee meeting, and it will be on the agenda for the next parish council meeting. An estimate for the cost of maintaining good quality grazing in the field was also needed, so that the rental income would remain at a level which would support in part the upkeep of the playground. It was noted that fund-raising was on-going and a ball/barn dance was planned for Spring/Summer next year. Quiz Nights are held in the pub on the first Thursday of the month at 21.30h. A Treasure Hunt was planned and it was hoped to involve the children in some fund-raising activities. Further ideas were invited. The possibility of providing some exercise equipment for adults was raised.
19. Update fromVillage Hall Committee
There was no update to report, but it was noted that there was now a locked cupboard in the kitchen for hazardous substances.
20. Next Year’s Meeting Dates.
Provisional dates for next year are 23 January and 26 March. The dates of the Annual Parish Meeting and the AGM have yet to be decided. The Annual Parish Meeting has to be held between 1 March and 1 June. At this point it was noted that the different format of the Annual Parish Meeting had been fairly successful. It was planned to have wall calendars in the pub and in the Village Hall where people could put dates of forthcoming events. The possibility of putting it on the website was raised.
21. Correspondence.
Flyer for Victorian Day in Louth
Notice of LCC draft Parking Policy – this has been displayed on notice boards.
Invitation to submit application for Parish Paths partnership
Flyer from Globe Consultants – Localism in Practice
Notice from ELDC of forthcoming planning application
LALC Annual Report and notice of AGM on 15 October at HorncastleCollege
Via Email: Area Committee Meeting Agenda (previously circulated)
Standards Committee Meeting Agenda
ELDC Engagement Review – Cllr Swanson noted that the Parish Council had not sent a representative to the Area Committee meetings. Cllr Brennand suggested that now the council was up to full strength a representative would try and attend. Cllr Nash noted that the email was not clear about times and dates.
Cllr Swanson noted the number for councillors and public to ring to report highways issues: 01522 782070. He also drew the meeting’s attention to the Lincolnshire Alert Scheme. He told the meeting that he had funds available to help organisations, and would prefer to assist permanent organisations that were just starting up. He noted that the County Council were aiming to save £125million and were on schedule with approx. 900 staff redundancies. Cllr Richardson noted that this meant 900 jobs going out of the community and therefore not a positive move. Cllr Swanson informed the meeting that ELDC could provide help if a function to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee was planned.
Date of next Meeting.
21 November 20011 at 7.30pm in the Ramsden Hall.
The meeting closed at 21.07h /

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