September 2024 Minutes
Minutes of the Meeting of Carlton Scroop and Normanton on Cliffe Parish Council held at Carlton Scroop Village Hall on Tuesday 24 September 2024.
In Attendance: Councillor Thomas (Chair), Councillors H Baines (Vice-Chair), J Baines, England, Hands, Hankinson and Mrs Gascoigne (Clerk), County Councillor Maughan (part).
There was one member of the public in attendance, who wished to discuss footpaths from the Parish to Barkston and Normanton. The Chair advised that this would be discussed as part of the Parish Plan discussion.
The Chair opened the meeting at 7.30pm.
1. WELCOME REMARKS BY THE CHAIRMAN (24/36)
The Chair welcomed Councillors and thanked them for their attendance.
2. APOLOGIES: TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND TO RESOLVE TO ACCEPT REASONS GIVEN (24/37)
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Balfe and Worrell and District Councillor Stephens.
3. DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTEREST AND REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATION (24/38)
No declarations of pecuniary interest or requests for dispensation were made.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (24/39)
4.1 Councillor England proposed that the Clerk’s notes of the Parish Council meeting held on 30 July 2024 be approved as a true record, which was seconded by Councillor Hands.
Resolved: The minutes of the meeting held on 30 July 2024 were approved and duly signed by the Chair.
The Chair moved the meeting to agenda item 6.
6. PARISH PLAN (24/40)
6.1 Councillors considered the updated Parish Plan, which had been circulated before the meeting.
County Councillor Maughan joined the meeting at 8pm.
Councillors discussed the following matters:
6.2 Footpaths (Items 1 and 2):
Councillors noted that the request for footpaths between Carlton Scroop and Normanton and Carlton Scroop and Honington had been submitted to Lincolnshire County Council as part of the Sustainable Travel plan. Councillor Maughan explained that the County Council budget for new footpaths was small due to the requirement for ongoing maintenance of existing footpaths, but noted that other Parish Councils in Lincolnshire had made a financial contribution towards the cost of footpath projects, which may be something for the Council to consider if they felt this was a priority.
6.3 Cycle Paths (Item 3)
Councillors agreed to close this item, as it was not currently a priority.
6.4 Tidy village, verges and bulb planting (Items 4 to 6)
Councillors agreed that these items would remain as part of the updated plan.
6.5 Communications (Items 7 and 8)
Councillors agreed to remove item 7 which referred to Neighbourhood Watch, but to retain item 8 regarding communication with parishioners via the website, social media, News and Views and WhatsApp.
6.6 Assets (Item 9 and 10)
Councillors discussed repair of the bus shelter opposite Newark Lane and noted that there was a plan to replace defibrillators over the current and next financial years.
6.7 Speeding Vehicles (Item 11)
Councillors discussed the reduction in speed limit on the Sudbrook Road from the A607 to Charity Street with Councillor Maughan, as this was the only stretch where the speed limit had not been reduced to 30mph. Councillors noted that speeding vehicles had been reported to the Police and speed monitoring had been undertaken by Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership (LRSP). Although this had not found there to be a persistent issue with speeding, Councillors felt that the monitoring device had not been located in an appropriate position.
Action: Councillor Maughan would arrange a walkabout in Carlton Scroop with the Highways Manager Rowan Smith to look at the speed limit on the Sudbrook Road from the A607 to Charity Street and other highways matters including footpaths. He would also contact PC Mark Barr, the Community Beat Manager for Grantham to ask whether enforcement work had been carried out following the lowering of the speed limit.
6.8 Volunteers (Item 12)
Councillors agreed to continue encouraging volunteers to engage with community projects.
The Chair returned the meeting to item 5.
5. REPORTS FROM DISTRICT AND COUNTY COUNCILLORS (24/41)
5.1 County Councillor Maughan gave the following updates:
- The Greater Lincolnshire Devolution deal had been confirmed, with a combined Lincolnshire Mayoral authority, and elections for a directly elected Mayor to take place in May 2025.
Councillor Hankinson asked whether this would add another layer of local government. Councillor Maughan confirmed that it would, although Districts would not be voting constituents, so the new authority would only act on County Council matters.
Councillor Thomas asked whether the combined authority would levy another precept on Council Tax payers and what anticipated turnout would be for the mayoral elections. Councillor Maughan explained that the Mayor would need to levy the County Councils if they wanted to raise the precept and that the turnout would hopefully be good as it would be combined with the County Council elections where turnout in the Hough constituency was historically high.
5.2 - The North Hykeham relief road project was under review, although the new government had not yet made the decision to withdraw the funding.
- Two very large solar farms in Lincolnshire had been approved by the government. The County Council had objected to both applications as they were situated on good agricultural land which was important for food security. If all current applications were approved, there would be 30k acres of solar farms in Lincolnshire.
- Lincolnshire Libraries had received over 1 million visits last year, and over 2 million items were borrowed. Libraries provided community facilities and support for vulnerable people alongside their lending services.
Councillor Hands asked why the County Council was not actively promoting roof top solar if it was concerned about land loss to solar farms. Councillor Maughan explained that the County Council was not the planning authority and promotion of rooftop solar was not prescribed in the national planning framework.
The Chair returned the meeting to agenda item 7.
The member of the public left the meeting at 8.45pm.
7. CLERK’S REPORT (24/42)
7.1 Action: The Clerk to circulate her written report following the meeting.
8. FINANCE (24/43)
8.1 Members noted the following income received.
Received From Purpose Amount £
NatWest Interest July 28.07
NatWest Interest August 21.71
8.2 Councillor Hands proposed that the following items of expenditure be approved, which was seconded by Councillor Hankinson.
Resolved: To approve the following items of expenditure.
Payee Purpose Amount £
Employment Costs July 2024 263.64
Employment Costs August 2024 263.64
AEDefibs Defibrillator and cabinet 2,352.00
Normanton Churchyard Grant 500.00
Who Lets Your Dog Out August 2024 92.40
Autela Payroll Services 75.05
Employment Costs September 2024 263.64
8.3 Councillor Hands proposed that the August bank reconciliation be approved, which was seconded by Councillor H Baines and signed by Councillor Hankinson.
Resolved: To approve the August bank reconciliation.
8.4 Councillors noted the budget monitoring statement which had been circulated by the Clerk in advance of the meeting.
8.5 Councillor Hands proposed that regular payments to Who Lets Your Dogs Out for dog waste bin emptying and Autela Ltd for payroll services be approved, so that the Clerk would not need to seek email approval between meetings, which was seconded by Councillor England.
Resolved: To approve the making of regular payments to Who Lets Your Dogs Out and Autela Ltd.
9. PLANNING (24/44)
9.1 There were no planning matters to report.
10. HIGHWAYS (24/45)
10.1 Speed limits had been discussed at item 6 above.
10.2 There were no further highways matters raised.
11. CEMETERY (24/46)
11.1 Cemetery Rules
Councillors agreed in principle to adopt the revised cemetery rules which had been circulate before the meeting, and asked the Clerk to adapt these to Carlton Scroop and return them for approval at the next meeting.
Action: Clerk to bring the revised Cemetery Rules for approval at the next meeting, and discussion of plot markers to be deferred to the next meeting.
12. JUBILEE FIELD (24/47)
12.1 There was no report.
13. COMMUNITY UPDATES (24/48)
13.1 Bus shelter repairs
The Clerk reported that she had obtained one quote, and the two other companies she had contacted had not provided quotes.
Action: Councillor J Baines to source further quotes for consideration at the next meeting.
13.2 Defibrillator installation
Councillors considered quotes for the installation of defibrillators and Councillor Thomas proposed that the lowest quote for £130 from Caythorpe Electrical be accepted, which was seconded by Councillor H Baines.
Resolved: To accept the quote from Caythorpe Electrical for the installation of defibrillators.
Action: Nigel Hill, Chair of the Village Hall Committee to arrange the works with the electrician.
13.3 SKDC grass cutting contract
Councillor Thomas reported that SKDC contractors had been on site in the Parish today, along with a supervisor, who had directed the contractor which areas needed to be cut. The cutting was still not of a high standard. There would be one further cut under the contract at the end of October, following which the Council would review options for next year.
13.4 Community updates
Councillors discussed an email regarding the offer of 1 tonne bags of grit from Lincolnshire County Council and decided not to pursue it due to lack of a suitable storage place.
14. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES (24/49)
14.1 There were no policies for approval.
15. CORRESPONDENCE (24/50)
15.1 Members noted all general correspondence circulated for information since the July meeting.
16. DATE OF NEXT MEETING (24/51)
16.1 Tuesday 26th November 2024
Tuesday 28th January 2025
Tuesday 25th March 2025
Tuesday 20th May 2025
The Chair closed the meeting at 9.03pm.