May 2022 Minutes APCM
Great Hale Parish Council
Notes of the Annual Parish Council Meeting held on Monday 9th May 2022 at Hale Magna Village Hall
Present:
Councillor N Turner (Chairman)
Councillor M Barnatt
Councillor A Broom
Councillor J Cope
Councillor N Dady
Councillor G Cooke
Apologies
Councillor L Mountain
In attendance:
County Councillor A Key (Lincolnshire County Council)
District Councillor S Tarry (North Kesteven District Council)
Councillor S Ogden (North Kesteven District Council)
Mrs Tracy Cooke – (Parish Clerk)
2 Members of the Public
Public Forum.
The chairman welcomed the public to the Public Forum
One Member of the Public wished to express his view on excessive speeding through Great Hale. He stated that unless cars are parked on Little Hale Road, then many cars are travelling at more than the 30mph limit.
He further raised the ongoing issue regarding Network Rail and flooding near to the crossing. Member of the Public will liaise directly with County Councillor Key to see if this issue can be pushed forward.
The chairman closed the public forum and opened the meeting at 6.39pm.
Official Business of the Council
1. Election of Chair and Vice-Chair (22/22)
It was unanimously resolved for Cllr Nicholas Turner to remain as Chair. Cllr Grahame Cooke volunteered himself as Vice-Chair and it was unanimously resolved for Cllr Grahame Cooke to become Vice-Chair of Great Hale Parish Council.
Action: Clerk to scan and send appointments to NKDC
2. To Receive Apologises and Reasons Given (22/23)
Council accepted apologies from Cllr L Mountain for her non-attendance.
3. Notes of the Meeting held on 4th April 2022 (22/24)
It was unanimously agreed that the draft minutes from the meeting held on 4th April 2022 were a true record. The Chairman duly signed the minutes.
4. Clerk’s Report (22/25)
A list of actions completed by the Clerk were read to Council.
List attached at Annex A.
Cllr Broom volunteered to accompany Jim Hayes from Wicksteed for the Orchard Green park inspection on Wednesday 11th May. He also said that he would discuss the issue of bird mess on the swings with him.
5. Invitation to public for suggestions on potential projects within Great Hale (22/26)
No projects were raised.
6. To receive declarations of interest under the localism act 2011. (22/27)
Cllr Cope made a declaration of interests on Item 8.2
Cllr Cooke made a declaration of interests on Item 10
7. To receive reports from any district councillors, county councillors or police in attendance. (22/28)
Cllr Tarry stated that as elections were due, Councillors were in purdah and unable to offer much for discussion. She sent a factual statement of events. Copy attached at Annex B.
Cllr Tarry left the meeting at 6.55pm
Cllr Key stated that the County Views Panel are looking for more representation from this area. He said that to do this, you would go to the LCC website and from there, go to County Views where there are questionnaires and phone questionnaires.
Cllr Turner raised the Network Rail and flooding issue raised by the Member of the Public earlier. Cllr Key asked for an email to be sent to him to avoid any confusion. Cllr Turner asked Cllr Key if he could speak with Highways and contacts with reference to the flooding. Cllr Turner / Cllr Key and the Member of the Public will liaise directly.
Cllr Key discussed the speeding issues on Little Hale Road and raised the idea of a speed warning sign similar to the one on Sleaford Road in Heckington. He suggested speaking with Julie, Clerk at Heckington to discuss the costs involved. Cllr Key said that he would feed back any statistics from the sign.
Cllr Turner said that as the issue of speeding had already been discussed within the past 6 months, this discussion would not be continued further but would welcome information on the effectiveness of the sign in Heckington.
Cllrs Key and Ogden left the meeting at 7.04pm.
8. Planning applications (22/29)
8.1 Notification of application 22/0428/HOUS
8.2 Notification of application 22/0521/VARCON
No comments or objections were made regarding both applications.
9. To review and amend where necessary the council’s standing orders, financial regulation and other policies (22/30)
All policies had been circulated to Councillors prior to the meeting via email.
All policies and standing orders were approved without amendment.
Action: Clerk to print and date with today’s date (9/5/22)
10 Financial matters (22/31)
10.1 To Approve Statement of Accounts and Bank Reconciliation to Date (March & April 22)
It was unanimously resolved to accept the statement of accounts and bank reconciliation to date.
10.2 To Approve Accounts for Payment
It was unanimously resolved to approve accounts for payment.
10.3 Clerk’s expenses were unanimously agreed.
10.4 The internal auditor’s comments were discussed and all found to be in order.
10.5 The Annual Governance Statement 2021/22 (section 1) of the Annual Governance and Accountability Return were read and signed where appropriate.
10.6 The Accounting Statements 2021/22 (section 2) of the Annual Governance and Accountability Return and the end of year bank reconciliation were completed and were unanimously approved and agreed.
11 Highway matters for discussion and resolution (22/32)
11.1 Cllr Cooke gave an update on the hedge which had been overhanging the path on Little Hale Road. He stated that he had submitted a Fix my Street request and that the hedge had now been cut back. There is now room for wheelchairs and prams.
12 Orchard Green for discussion and resolution (22/33)
12.1 Cllr Cope gave an update on his inspections of the park. He stated it was in a good state and was looking tidy. There had been a Facebook discussion about broken glass at the park, but Cllr Cope said that there was none there when he had inspected over the past month. Cllr Broom agreed that the park did look in good condition at the moment.
The Working Party had cleared lots of foliage within the Jubilee Garden area at the park and had achieved a lot. Mr Nick Needham had assisted with the clearing of the park with various machinery and tools, as well as his time. Council wished to extend their thanks to Mr Needham for all of his help.
Action: Clerk to write to Mr Nick Needham
There will be another Working Party of Councillors to continue clearing and tidying on Thursday 12th May at 9am.
Cllr Cooke will undertake Park inspections for May.
12.2 Annual playground inspection due May 2022 (22/34)
Cllr Broom will meet with Jim Hayes from Wicksteed for the accompanied Park inspection on Wednesday 11th May 2022 at 11.30am.
13. Other matters for discussion and resolution (22/35)
13.1 Tidying of churchyard – it was agreed that there should be a Working Party to clear and tidy the Churchyard. The Churchwarden will liaise with dates and what needs doing. The aim is to complete this in May before the Jubilee weekend.
13.2 Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant Community Power Fund (22/36)
Cllr Broom has been unable to contact the energy plant, but will continue to try.
Cllr Broom stated that he will contact the Lincolnshire Community Foundation as they have been consistently good with grants for projects. He suggested the Solar Farm on Great Hale Fen as being a source of grants. Cllr Broom said that he will feed back on this after he has spoken to Sue Fortune, who he has liaised with before.
13.3 Fix my Street – grass verges – Hall Road / Leas Road (22/37)
Cllrs Turner and Broom have both submitted Fix my Street requests for these roads and have submitted photographic support. Nothing has happened yet.
A Parishioner has already fallen over by Crow Lane and sustained injuries as a result.
13.4 Bench location – Little Hale Road / Church Street corner (22/38)
Information and forms received from Highways state that they require photographs and plans for where the bench may be situated. Installing the bench needs to be completed by a qualified and registered tradesperson so will need to be put to tender.
Action: Working party of Councillors and Clerk to meet on Thursday 12th May at the ground to discuss and plan location so that the forms can be submitted.
Cllr Broom discussed the 2 new benches that have already been purchased. He proposed that 1 should be re-purposed for the planned corner and that he would repair and renovate the bench on High Street / Church Street corner.
Action: Chair / Cllr Broom to cost materials
13.5 Churchyard grass cutting issues (22/39)
This had been discussed in the Annual Parish Meeting earlier. Churchwarden and Parish Council to work together to organise siting of churchyard furniture and to organise a date for a Working party to clear and tidy.
13.6 Jubilee Garden – tree and seating (22/40)
A lot of work has been done by Working parties, but there is still a lot of work to be undertaken. Cllr Turner suggested getting the area landscaped as the area is very rough and uneven. Further work involving trees being removed and stump grinding needs to be done and cleared.
Action: Next meeting to discuss putting a tender together for the Jubilee garden area.
13.7 Insurance (22/41)
Council agreed that everything had remained the same. Only item to be confirmed is the Church Clock.
Action: Clerk to contact Smiths of Derby to ask valuation of the clock.
Elaine Huckle – Member of the Public left the meeting at 8.07pm
Future Agenda Items (22/42)
Positive thank you for village litter pickers
Sleaford Renewable Energy plant grant / Lincs Community Foundation
Jubilee Garden renovation
Report from Orchard Park Inspection
Date and place of Next Meeting (22/43)
Monday 6 June 2022 at 1830hrs in Hale Magna Village Hall
The Chairman thanked all for attending and closed the meeting at 20.23hrs