2020-21 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

Clerk: Carolyn Wilkinson   

Minutes of the March  meeting of South Hykeham Parish Council held on Wednesday 10th March  2021 at 7.00 pm held remotely and convened under The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020.  

PRESENT: Councillors: Mrs P Whittaker (Chairperson), Mrs L Graham,  P Driffill,  D Rowson.  Cllrs Roe and Mrs N Dillon-Jones arrived at agenda item 3 and apologised for late arrival due to being in attendance at another Council meeting.  Carolyn Wilkinson, Clerk.  

IN ATTENDANCE:  Cllrs M Thompson LCC and Cllr M Green NKDC and John Richardson, Headteacher  of  South Hykeham Community Primary School were in attendance.

Public Forum:    There was no public forum as there were no public in attendance.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.

1. Apologies for absence and to resolve to accept the reasons given.   Apologies had been received from  the Police Beat Team  and Phil Watt AccessLincoln who had each produced a report which had been circulated to members prior to the meeting

2. To resolve to receive any declaration of Interests in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011 and to consider member’s written dispensation requests.

There were no declarations of interest at this point.

3.  Notes of the remote Parish Council meeting held on 10th February 2021 to be approved as the minutes of that meeting.  Proposed Cllr Driffill, seconded by Cllr Mrs Graham and unanimously resolved on a show of hands by those present at the last meeting that the Clerk’s notes should be approved as the minutes of the meeting held on 10th February 2021.

4. County and District Councillors reports  for information only.  Items raised for decision will appear on the agenda for the next meeting.

Cllr Mike Thompson LCC, and Cllr Mary Green NKDC had each sent an email report which had been circulated in advance of this meeting to all members and was noted.   Cllr Thompson updated Council on the progress of the cycle path along Newark  Road and advised it was expected to be out for public consultation in March.  LCC full council had approved a series of business support grants with details available on their website.  He reported on the Green Master Plan which brings together strands which the council views as important for taking measures to achieve their climate change object of zero Carbon by or before 2050.

Cllr Mary Green NKDC reported that the Government has concluded that it will not be bringing forward emergency legislation for extending the provisions that allow Remote Meetings to continue beyond 7 May 2021.  NKDC has maintained a modest rise in its share of the Council Tax from April.  There has been a 2.92% rise which equates to £4.95 more at Band D across the full year.  Cllr Green also reported that there had been an incident of flytipping of grey bin liners which had been left on the A46 but this had been reported for remedial action.

Cllr Marianne Overton’s report  (NKDC /LCC) had been emailed to members prior to this meeting and the content noted.   Cllrs Green and Thompson left at this point to attend other meetings.

5. Police report. In the absence of the Police Beat Team a written report had been circulated.

Tackling anti-social behaviour on public open spaces in North Hykeham/ rural villages remains.

Cllr Mrs Whittaker proposed that agenda item no. 9 should be brought forward to allow the Headteacher to report on this item so he could leave the meeting to deal with other matters.  Cllr Driffill seconded the motion that was unanimously approved.

9. Update on LCC Highways initiatives to improve safety at South Hykeham Community Primary School.

Mr Richardson reported that there had been no further progress made on this matter.  Mr Richardson will seek to get an update from the LCC Highways Officer Dan O’Neill and would report back to the Parish Council with any further progress made.  He reported that he had been using the reinstated bridleway which is brilliant and had met with several of his former pupils and parents of former pupils in the course of using it.  The matter of some form of barrier/signage at the Mill Lane end of the bridleway is still under consideration and Phill Watt is going to discuss options  with the headteacher  about effective safety measures that could be implemented without restricting the movement of horse riders, mobility scooters etc.

Agenda item for next month

The headteacher left the meeting at this point.

6. Bridleway N Hykeham 2 improvements between Ascot Way and Mill Lane update.  The Chairman and Clerk had attended a Teams meeting with Phil Watt.  He had confirmed that the final stretch of Grandfield Way to Ascot Way will be completed imminently and had agreed to take the Parish Council request to plant wildflowers and trees along the bridleway to the LCC Countryside Team for permission and guidance.  It had been a very positive meeting at which a number of outstanding matters had been discussed including the issues with some flooding on the bridleway which is to be remedied shortly.  Phil agreed to the request for some form of barrier/ additional safety measures at the Mill Lane end of the bridleway would be discussed with the Headteacher.   Signage had been installed prohibiting access by motorised vehicles and advising it is an offence under the relevant Road Traffic Act.  Phil is going to make enquiries about the this Council obtaining permission to hold an official  launch of the bridleway once it is completed and he will report back in due course.

Agenda item for next month

7.  Finance

a)  To resolve to approve the payment of accounts for March 2021.  Proposed by Cllr Mrs Graham  seconded by Cllr Mrs Dillon-Jones and unanimously resolved on a show of hands that the payment of accounts for March 2021 should be approved.

b) Renewal of Parish Council insurance policy quotes.  Quotes are being obtained.

c)  To consider the renewal of Zoom discounted subscription through LALC. Proposed Cllr Roe, seconded Cllr Mrs Graham and unanimously approved on a show of hands to renew subscription

8.   To consider the revised Parish Council 10 Year Strategy and consider other items for inclusion.  Some additional items were suggested/Clerk to add to document.

Agenda item for next month

9. Update on LCC Highways initiatives to improve safety at South Hykeham Community Primary School.

Order of agenda changed/Already dealt with earlier in the meeting.

10. Highways matters:-

a.  Speed Indicator Device report from Cllr Roe. SID is still located at Newark Road.  Complaints from local residents of Thorpe Lane about speeding vehicles. Next location is Thorpe Lane

b.  Outstanding/new highways faults requiring urgent attention.   Dangerous potholes coming off roundabout near Pennells.   Problem with commercial vehicles parking on verge at top of Boundary Lane and eroding the verge.

Clerk to report on Fix my  Street

c.  Update on South Hykeham School Parking Issues    Duplicate item/already dealt with.

11. Litterpicking and grasscutting reports.

a.  To review the current locations and new requests for dual purpose dogwaste/litterbins in South Hykeham.  A report has been received via NKDC with a request from a North Hykeham resident for installation of a bin for dog waste on the Dane Law Way.  Council has 2 bins on the South Hykeham stretch at Meadow Lane and at Wath Lane.  NKDC is looking at possible locations within our boundary that an additional bin could be added that they would be able to service within 10 m of the highway.  The lady reporting advises she has encountered a lot of dog waste when she walks between where she lives in North Hykeham to South Hykeham.

Agenda item for next month

b)  To consider purchase of additional bins.  No additional bins required at this time.

c)  Review of effectiveness of current service level agreement at Beechcroft.  Cllr Roe has had a reply from someone at Allen Homes who has confirmed the site will be added to their maintenance schedule.  Agreed that the current grasscutting service level agreement is no longer required.

Clerk to contact NHTC to advise

d)  Great British Spring Clean Event and to confirm the programme of Parish Council led litterpicks.  Council has agreed a new date of Saturday 12th June 2021 10.30am – 12.30pm assuming that the current restrictions have been lifted.  Social distancing to be observed at all times and risk assessment for the activity to be carried out by the Clerk/publicise in Witham Herald/advise the Headteacher at local school

12. Update on proposal from LCC Highways officer re: Highways contribution 13/1464/FUL Land at Thorpe Lane and installation of pedestrian crossing or replacement/upgraded bus shelter at Thorpe Lane, South Hykeham.  Council has been advised by LCC there are not sufficient funds remaining from the Highways element of this s106 agreement for the installation of a pedestrian crossing.  He confirmed that there is no s106 Highways element  in the agreement for the new development at Thorpe Lane of an additional 144 new dwellings.  After much discussion council agreed to the proposal in principle of a replacement bus shelter subject to details of specification/type of bus shelter and to clarify whose ownership it would be in and insurance requirements etc

Clerk to contact LCC/Agenda item for next month

13. Response from landowner re: Land at Beechcroft Close in ownership of developer and maintained by South Hykeham Parish Council.  Confirmed by Allen Homes contact it will be added to their maintenance schedule.

Clerk to cancel NHTC service level agreement for grasscutting

14. To consider the arrangements for the Annual Parish meeting.   Legislation requires all meetings to be convened remotely under the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 until 7th May 2021.

Clerk to make necessary arrangements for Zoom meeting  on Weds 14th April 2021 6.30pm.  To be followed on by April Parish Council meeting

15. Correspondence.

None received

16.  Chairman’s report.

No report

17.Clerk’s report.

No report

18.  Parish Councillor’s reports – for information only/items raised for decision will appear on the agenda for the next meeting.

No reports

19. T o consider moving into closed session in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to meetings) Act 1960 as amended by section 100 of the  Local Government Act  1972 for confidential items.      No business to be dealt with under this heading.

Date and Time of Next meeting – 

Annual Parish Meeting 14th April 2021 6.30pm

Parish Council Meeting Weds 14th April 2021 7pm.

There being no further competent business the meeting closed at  8.13pm