2023-24 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

Clerk: Carolyn Wilkinson
Website: https://south-hykeham.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/

Minutes of the October Parish Council meeting of South Hykeham Parish Council held on Wednesday 11th October 2023 at 7.00pm at South Hykeham Community Primary School, Wath Lane.

Present: Councillors Mrs P Whittaker (Chairman), D Rowson, P Driffill, S Roe, N Southam, Mrs N Dillon-Jones.  Clerk: Carolyn Wilkinson.

Present: Cllrs A Briggs (LCC), M Lofts (NKDC), M Overton(LCC).

Public Forum:  There was one member of the public present who arrived for agenda item no. 11.

The Parish Council meeting started at 7.00pm with the Chairman welcoming everyone.

1. To receive apologies for absence and to resolve to accept the reasons given.  Cllr Mrs Graham had sent her apologies for absence.  Cllr Roe proposed that the reason for absence should be accepted.  Motion seconded by Cllr Rowson and unanimously resolved on a show of hands.    The Police Beat Team, and Pilot Officer Kristian McMullan RAF Waddington had each sent their apologies which were noted.

2. To resolve to receive any declarations of interest 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. To receive County and District Councillors reports – for information only.  Items raised for decision will appear on the agenda for the next meeting .

Cllr Briggs raised the matter of concerns over the Fosse Green proposal.  Cllr Roe declared a prejudicial interest and left the room and took no part in the item under discussion.  Cllr Briggs reported that there are many concerns over this type of proposal and the identification of many reasons why there should be widespread concern over the manufacture of the panels and the future disposal of batteries and other components from the proposed developments.   The Prime Minister is looking seriously across the country at the issues that these proposals are presenting.  Cllr Roe returned to the room.

Cllr Roe reported that the hatched box outside of North Hykeham Fire Station is now in position.

Highways officers have met with Cllr Roe to look at the issues with the Mill Lane end of the bridleway.

Boundary Lane is still to be relaid next year.  He has raised concerns with Highways that it will become a rat run when the new by pass is under construction/completed.

Battery charging points are to be installed where the old toilets at Hykeham Green were.

Meadow Lane N Hykeham 40 mph limit proposal is out for consultation with the proposal being to bring the limit down from 60mph. Newark Road is to be relaid again to resolve the issue of dropped kerbs allowing water to run down resident’s drives.

Additional funding has been awarded to facilitate improvements to the family hubs which take children from conception through to 21 or 25 if they have special needs.

Cllr Lofts advised that the mobile homes planning application for Broxburn Park has been withdrawn.  The Annual Canvas has been sent out from NKDC and people are reminded to respond if they haven’t already.  He advised of the closure of Lloyds Bank on the Forum due to low footfall.  This will lead to problems for people accessing cash locally so there is potential to save it but that is unlikely but there may be an alternative means of sourcing cash locally.  Cllr Lofts gave his early apologies for the November meeting and advised he will be on paternity leave in January.

Cllr Overton had sent a written report which had been copied to all members and was noted.

She advised there is a lot of opposition to the Fosse Green proposals.  Cllr Roe left the meeting and took no part in the discussion on this item.  Extreme concern has been shown over so much agricultural land (5 miles) being taken for the proposal and also over the disposal of spent batteries.   She advised that small developments appear to be working well and the energy generated is supplying local areas.  These large developments are not community led which would be more palatable if they were.

The railway ticket offices at Sleaford and Grantham are scheduled for closure.  There is a motion at the meeting of NKDC tomorrow regarding the closure, particularly the closure of Sleaford.

Cllr Roe returned to the meeting.

Cllrs Overton, Lofts and Briggs left the meeting at this point. 

4. To receive the Police report. In the absence of the Police Beat team there was no report.

5.To resolve to adopt the clerk’s notes of the meeting held on 13th September 2023 as the minutes of that meeting.   Cllr Roe advised that he had left the meeting twice having declared an interest but only one occasion had been minuted.  The Clerk advised that Cllrs Mrs Dillon Jones and Cllr Mrs Graham were listed as attending later but both of their meetings overran so they did not attend the meeting after all, however, the minutes didn’t clearly indicate that.  Cllr Roe proposed, seconded by Cllr Southam and unanimously resolved on a show of hands that the Clerk’s notes should be adopted as a true record of that meeting subject to the two amendments that had been agreed.  Chairman signed the minutes and signed the approved amendments on the file copy of the minutes

6. To receive the report from the 10 Year Strategy Working Party meeting of this evening.

a) To confirm the arrangements for the Armistice Day Service on Saturday 11th November 2023 11am.

There were no further changes to the arrangements as agreed at the September meeting.  Reverend Collins is working on the order of service.  Invitations have been sent out to the usual guest list.  Light refreshments will be served in the church after the service.  All are welcome. Cllr Roe gave his apologies.    

b) Suggestion for other community events/consultation events  Agreed to defer to the next meeting

c) To resolve to attend St Michael and All Angels Christmas Fayre on 9th December 2023. Proposed  Cllr Rowson, seconded by Cllr Southam and unanimously approved on a show of hands that the Parish Council should attend.  Cllr Roe suggested that the Parish Council should purchase a banner to make it clear who the stallholder is.  Clerk to purchase for future events

7. Finance. a) To resolve to approve the payment of accounts for October 2023.

Cllr Roe proposed that the payment of accounts for October should be approved.  The motion was seconded by Cllr Southam and unanimously approved on a show of hands.

b) To consider projects/items to be included in the budget 2024/25. Deferred to the November meeting

c) To consider introducing a Chairman’s Allowance.  After much discussion Cllr Rowson proposed that a Chairman’s allowance of £250 should be approved.  Cllr Mrs Dillon seconded the motion that was unanimously approved on a show of hands.  

d) PKF Littlejohn completion of the limited assurance review for year ended 31st March 2023. Noted that there had been no concerns over the management of the Parish Council accounts.  The closure of the audit is now being advertised.

8) Highways matters

a) Speed Indicator Device report from Cllr Roe.  Cllr Roe presented the SID report.  Noted

b) To report outstanding/new highways faults requiring urgent attention.  No new matters to consider.

9. Planning matters

a) To consider NKDC & LCC planning applications received and respond by deadline.

23/0732/FUL    Land adjacent to 6 Wath Lane Erection of storage shed & workshop & new gated access.

Proposed Cllr Rowson, seconded Cllr Southam and unanimously approved with one abstention. 

No objection/no comments

23/1147/HOUS    1 Sisters Close     Erection of garden shed (retrospective) Proposed Cllr Rowson, seconded Cllr Southam and unanimously approved with one abstention.

No objection/no comments

23/0475/FUL    Chestnut Cte 18 Thorpe Lane   Erection of 1 no. Detached dwelling (amended plans)

The member of public present was invited to speak in order to appraise council of his concerns about this proposal which could adversely affect his property.  Council agreed that they had concerns about the proximity of the access to the neighbouring dwelling and the access to and from the site for trade and emergency vehicles.  Whilst Council had no objection to the one dwelling there were concerns over safety of vehicles/pedestrians in the vicinity of the access road. Proposed Cllr Rowson, seconded Cllr Southam and unanimously approved with one abstention that whilst Council had no objection to the proposal for the erection of one dwelling it wished to submit comments as detailed above. 

No objection/ comments

PL/0071/23 (LCC)    S Hykeham CP School           Demolish existing mobile building & build new one storey brick building for classroom & 2 WC spaces/removal of a tree to allow for the new extension.

Proposed Cllr Rowson, seconded Cllr Southam and unanimously approved with one abstention. 

No objection/no comments

Application withdrawn

23/0515/LDPRO Broxburn Park Wood Lane    Certificate of lawfulness of proposed or development for the siting of 7 additional caravans.

Noted

b) To consider NKDC Tree Preservation Order applications received and respond by deadline. None

c)  To note NKDC/LCC planning decisions.

Approvals

23/0455/HOUS    6 Wath Lane            Proposed first floor extension to create extra storey & rear & side extension to create an annexe

Noted 

23/0578/HOUS    2 Sisters Close            Erection of garden room

Noted            

23/0697/HOUS    Ripon House 499 Newark Rd    Alteration & extension to property & double garage erection.

Noted

10.Update on the planned review of the Hykeham Joint Neighbourhood Plan following the adoption of the Central Lincs Local Plan 2023.  After some discussion it was proposed by Cllr Mrs Dillon, seconded by Cllr Rowson and unanimously resolved on a show of hands that the Neighbourhood Plan should have a full review and noted that the grant funding available should cover the costs of the project and the payment to Luke Brown 
for his services.  Furthermore it was agreed that NKDC should be involved from the offset.  Clerk to advise the Town Clerk accordingly/contact NKDC    

11. Litterpicking report. Cllr Mrs Whittaker reported that at the last litterpick a lady and her 2 small children had joined them along with the Headteacher  and between the team they had collected 7 bags of litter.  Members felt that the volunteer litterpicking initiative and the regular competitions held in conjunction with the school are having a positive effect on the reduction in litter and people are being more considerate as a result.  Proposed Cllr Mrs Whittaker, seconded by Cllr Rowson and unanimously approved on a show of hands that the Council readopts the service level agreement from NKDC as detailed in the letter copied to members prior to this meeting.  Clerk to submit a litterpicking report and application to NKDC for a litterpicking grant.  

12. Correspondence.

a) Draft Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (South Hykeham – Black Horse Drive) & public notice. Noted

b) CIL funding and Annual Report letter from NKDC requesting Parish Council annual report. Noted/clerk to submit report to NKDC.  

Cllr Roe asked for a report on all CIL funding received and when it should be spent by or returned to NKDC.

Clerk to copy report to all members

13. Chairman’s report.    No report.

14. Clerk’s report. Letter of request from Mid Lincs CAB for donation which had been received too late for inclusion on the agenda.  After a brief discussion it was unanimously agreed that as the Parish Council had awarded them a grant in March 2023 their request would not be considered on this occasion as the council is not in the habit of making annual donations to an organisation that has so recently benefited. 

15. Parish Councillors’ reports –information only/items requiring a decision will appear on a future agenda.   No reports

16. To resolve to approve nominations for Councillor/Clerk Training.  None

17. To 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 matters to discuss under this agenda item

Date & Time of Next meetings: –

10 Year Strategy Working Party meeting Weds 8th November 6.30pm
Full Council meeting Weds 8th November 2023 7.00pm

There being no further competent business the meeting closed at 8.23pm.