2024 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

CARLTON SCROOP AND NORMANTON ON CLIFFE PARISH COUNCIL
Nikki Gascoigne Clerk & RFO
Email clerk@carltonscroopnormanton-pc.gov.uk Telephone 07472 574201

Minutes of the Meeting of Carlton Scroop and Normanton on Cliffe Parish Council held at Carlton Scroop Village Hall on Monday 18 March 2024.

Public Forum

There were no members of the public in attendance.

In Attendance: Councillor Hankinson (Vice-Chair), Councillors J Baines, H Baines, Balfe, Hands and Mrs Gascoigne (Clerk).

1.   WELCOME REMARKS BY THE CHAIRMAN (23/79)

The Vice-Chair Chaired the meeting in the absence of the Chair and opened the meeting at 7.30pm.  She welcomed Councillors and thanked them for their attendance.  

2.   APOLOGIES:  TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND TO RESOLVE TO ACCEPT REASONS GIVEN (23/80)

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Thomas and England and District Councillor Ian Stokes.  
 
3.   DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTEREST AND REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATION (23/81)

No declarations of pecuniary interest or requests for dispensation were made.

4.    APPROVAL OF MINUTES (23/82) 

4.1   Councillor Hands proposed that the Clerk’s notes of the Parish Council meeting held on 10 January be approved as a true record, which was seconded by Councillor Balfe.

Resolved: The minutes of the meeting held on 10 January 2024 were approved and duly signed by the Vice-Chair.
    
5.    REPORTS FROM DISTRICT AND COUNTY COUNCILLORS (23/83)

5.1    County Councillor Maughan gave updates on the following matters:

- Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) work on flood response following Storms Babette and Henk, including Section 19 flood investigations, additional equipment for Fire and Rescue Flood Response and funding for highways drainage jetting and CCTV surveys.
- Significant disruption in Grantham over the Summer due to road works around the Market Place and to improve pedestrian crossings.  £4m would be spent on various schemes, and there would be a public engagement event on Wednesday 20 March.
- LCC approval of the Greater Lincolnshire devolution deal, giving power to a directly elected Mayor for Greater Lincolnshire, who would be elected in May. This should provide a single point of contact for central government which could protect funding for the region.
- South Kesteven District Council Local Plan Review, which he encouraged residents to respond to.  For example, there was a plan for a large housing development off Belton Lane, which would increase traffic at already congested junctions.  

5.2   Councillor Balfe asked whether it was necessary to employ external consultants to assist with flood surveys.  Councillor Maughan explained that the consultants would support the team carrying out investigations rather than surveying drains. Councillor Hankinson asked whether the cause of previous flooding in Normanton was known.  Councillor Maughan responded that work had been completed to install new drainage last Autumn, and there had not been any further issues, although Councillor Hands noted that flooding had moved further up the road towards Rainthorpe’s yard.  Councillors reported other issues including flooding at the bottom of Heath Lane and Charity Street, where a house was almost flooded due to blocked gulleys.  Councillor Maughan asked that any issues were reported via FixMyStreet.

5.3    Councillor Worrell asked whether the works in Grantham would divert traffic through the Parish.  Councillor Maughan confirmed that they would not, but that they would affect parishioners who travelled to Grantham for work or leisure.  Councillor Hankinson asked whether the pedestrianisation of the Market Square would adversely impact businesses on Westgate.  Councillor Maughan responded that he was not aware of the detail of the scheme, as it had been designed by South Kesteven District Council (SKDC) and would be delivered by LCC.

5.4   Councillor Hankinson asked whether school playing fields had been earmarked for development under the SKDC Local Plan.  Councillor Maughan responded that he was not aware of this, but that SKDC had pressures to deliver housing targets, and consultations would give interested parties the opportunity to object.  There were no housing allocations for Carlton Scroop and Normanton, but larger villages were being targeted for further development.

5.5   Councillor Worrell asked how infrastructure provision was made for new developments.  Councillor Maughan explained that larger schemes could be required to contribute to the cost of new community facilities such as schools, but this funding was more difficult to secure for smaller schemes.  The national planning framework had a bias towards development, which SKDC had to operate within.  Councillor Hankinson asked if there were plans for a new secondary school.  Councillor Maughan responded that LCC would carry out modelling on demand for spaces to determine if additional capacity was required.

5.6   Councillor Hands asked whether there was a planned timeframe for pothole repairs, as Newark Lane had a damaged surface and repairs which had previously been carried out were not good quality.  Councillor Maughan explained that repairs should be carried out within six weeks for issues reported on Fix My Street.  Where repairs were not as expected, this could either be due to substandard works, because there were planned resurfacing works within six months, or because the road structure would not support the sort of repair that residents expected.  Councillor Maughan would ask for the three-year list of schemes and share it with Councillors.  He was aware that the A607 from the crossing to the village was due for resurfacing, as there were ongoing discussions about the timing of closures.  He also asked Councillors to send a list of priorities to him, as it might be possible to retread unclassified roads rather than resurfacing.

Action: Councillor Maughan to circulate a three-year list of resurfacing works and Councillors to inform Councillor Maughan of local priorities for resurfacing.

5.7   District Councillor Peter Stephens joined the meeting at 7.45pm.   

Councillor Hankinson asked Councillor Stephens whether a decision had been made as to whether the area between the new A1 and the bridge would be residential or retail development.  Councillor Stephens responded that the plan had been for an outlet village on the land which was owned by Buckminster Estate.  Councillor Maughan noted that it was unlikely that both the Downtown expansion and the Buckminster outlet village would go ahead as there wasn’t sufficient demand in such close proximity.  

Councillor Stephens left the meeting at 7.53pm.

6.   CLERK’S REPORT (23/84)

6.1   Members noted the Clerk’s report regarding actions from the last meeting.

6.2   Members agreed to join the LALC training scheme for 2024/25 at a cost of £120. The Clerk noted that there had been little take-up of training this year, and encouraged Members to check training bulletins for any training they would like to attend.
   
7.    FINANCE (23/85)

7.1    Members noted the following income received.

7.2    Councillor Worrell proposed that the following expenditure be approved, which was seconded by Councillor Balfe.

7.3   Councillor Worrell proposed that the February bank reconciliation be approved, which was seconded by Councillor Balfe.  Councillor Hands duly signed and dated the bank reconciliation.

Resolved: To approve the December bank reconciliation.

7.4   Members noted the budget monitoring statement showing expenditure and income against the 2023/24 budget, circulated prior to the meeting by the Clerk.  

7.6   The Clerk had brought Lloyds account opening documents for signature by Councillors Worrell, Hands and Thomas to the meeting. Following signature by Councillor Thomas, these would be taken to the bank for processing by Councillor Hands.

Action: Councillors to sign bank documentation and Councillor Hands to deliver to Lloyds bank.

8.    PLANNING (23/86) 

8.1   Members noted the following planning application on which no comments were made:

8.1.1   S24/0173 Proposed single storey side and rear extension. Beech Cottage, 16 Main Street, Normanton, Lincolnshire, NG32 3BH

8.2   Members noted the following planning decisions:

8.2.1   S23/2345 G1 - Group of 4 Sycamore Trees - Crown raise all canopies up to 4m, remove any low level suckers & remove deadwood over 100mm in diameter, Land Next To Church Of St Nicholas Carlton Scroop Granted 23/02/24

8.2.2   S23/1673 Conversion of barn (retrospective) and creation of domestic curtilage, Stone Horse Farm Hough Lane Carlton Scroop Lincolnshire NG32 3BB. Granted 28/02/24

8.3   South Kesteven Local Plan review

Councillor Hands asked what the Parish would need to do to be included in the development plan.  Councillor Maughan explained that the lack of amenities in the villages would be the barrier, as residents used the facilities in neighbouring Caythorpe and Ancaster.  There would also need to be strong local support for any housing development.  Councillor Maughan asked whether the Parish had a Neighbourhood Plan, which the Clerk confirmed it did not. 
   
9.    HIGHWAYS (23/87)

9.1   Archer Survey and Second Portable Speed Indicator Device (SID)

Councillors noted the outcome of the Archer Survey, but commented that the location of the monitor, on a bend, could have contributed to the speeds recorded and had it been sited further from the bend, the speeds might have been higher.  Councillors agreed that a second SID was not required at present, given the installation of fixed and passive speed signs.

9.2   Speed Signs Update

Councillor Worrell reported that passive signs and 30mph bin signs had been installed.  

9.3   Sustainable Travel

The Clerk reported that she had contacted LCC to express the Council’s support for a footpath between the two villages in response to a request for sustainable travel initiatives. 

9.4   SID Battery

Councillor Balfe proposed that an additional SID battery be purchased at a cost of £50, which was seconded by Councillor H Baines.

Resolved: To purchase an additional SID battery at a cost of £50.

Action: The Clerk to order the battery.

10.   CEMETERY (23/88)

10.1   Councillor Hankinson reported that brambles needed to be trimmed on the right-hand side of the Church yard close to the Church.  Councillors J and H Baines volunteered to assist.

Action: Councillors Hankinson, J and H Baines to arrange the cutting back of brambles at the cemetery.

11.   JUBILEE FIELD (23/89)

11.1   Tree Works

The Clerk reported that the tree works had been completed, but that the waste had not been collected as requested.  She had contacted the contractor to ask that this was rectified.

11.2   Hedge Laying and Gate

Members considered three quotes for hedge laying circulated in advance of the meeting by the Clerk.  They approved the lowest quote which was from Palmer Hedgelaying and was within the £3.4k approved at the January meeting.  Councillor J Baines would collect the gate from Chandlers. 

Resolved: To approve the quote for hedgelaying from Palmer Hedgelaying.  

Action: Councillor J Baines to arrange the works with Palmers and to arrange collection of the gate from Chandlers. 

12.   COMMUNITY UPDATES (23/90)

12.1   Grass Cutting

The Clerk explained that she had contacted four alternative contractors, two of whom were not able to take on the work, and two of whom had not responded.  Councillor H Baines proposed that the quote from the existing contractor, SKDC be accepted, which was seconded by Councillor Balfe.

Resolved: To accept the quote for grass cutting from the existing contractor, SKDC.

12.2   Defibrillators

Councillors discussed options for the specification and location of additional and replacement defibrillators.  Councillor Worrell proposed purchasing two cabinets and one additional defibrillator, with the new defibrillator installed in Normanton and the current Normanton defibrillator moved to Carlton Scroop so that both machines in the village were the same.  There would also be a charge from the electrician for installation.  The remaining two machines would be replaced in Spring 2025.  Councillor Worrell proposed purchase of defibrillators with video instructions, as they were easier to use in an emergency, although they were more expensive.

Action: Councillor Worrell to circulate quotes for cabinets and defibrillators to be approved at the May meeting.
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12.3   Bus Shelter

Work to repair the bus shelter opposite Newark Lane, Carlton Scroop was ongoing.

12.4   Bench at Heath Lane, Normanton

Action: Councillor Worrell to speak to Mr Rainthorpe to arrange installation. 

12.5   Community Updates

Councillor Hankinson asked Councillors whether they intended to plan an event to mark the 80th anniversary of D Day on 6 June, as other villages were marking the occasion by lighting beacons.  Councillors agreed that the Clerk should email the Village Hall committee to ask whether they intended to organise an event.

Action: The Clerk to contact the Village Hall Committee.

12.5.1   Councillor Worrell reported that she had ordered a Fraud Awareness pack from the Police and Crime Commissioner, but proposed that as the Council could not obtain sufficient copies to distribute to all households in the Parish, individual residents should apply for their own packs direct. 

13.   POLICIES AND PROCEDURES (23/91)

13.1   Councillors reviewed the Capability Procedure, Publication Scheme, Disciplinary and Grievance Policy, Equal Opportunity Policy, Lone Worker Policy, and Whistleblowing Policy.

Resolved: To approve the above policies. 

13.2   Councillor Hands asked what the Council’s safeguarding responsibilities were.  The Clerk responded that the Council had a Safeguarding Policy, but as Councillors did not have regular, unsupervised contact with vulnerable adults or children, they did not require Disclosure and Barring Service checks.  Councillor Balfe asked who the responsible body was for the Community Hub, in terms of insurance and policies and procedures.

Action: The Clerk to confirm this with Councillor Thomas.
   
14.    CORRESPONDENCE (23/92)

14.1    Members noted all general correspondence circulated for information since the January meeting.  

15.   DATE OF NEXT MEETING (23/93)

15.1    Tuesday 21 May 2024 – Annual Parish Meeting and Annual Parish Council meeting, commencing at 6.30pm.

The Chair closed the meeting at 8.47pm.