February 2023 Minutes
Great Hale Parish Council
Notes taken at Parish Council Meeting held on
Monday, 6th February 2023 at 7pm at Hale Magna Village Hall
Present: Councillor N Turner (Chairman)
Councillor G Cooke (Vice Chairman)
Councillor M Barnatt
Councillor A Broom
Cllr J Cope
Councillor L Mountain
District Councillor S Tarry (North Kesteven District Council
Apologies Councillor N Dady
County Councillor A Key (Lincolnshire County Council)
District Councillor S Ogden (North Kesteven District Council)
In attendance: Mrs Tracy Cooke – (Parish Clerk)
Public Forum
The Public Forum Opened at 7.00 pm.
The Chairman welcomed the public to the 15 minute Public Forum
There were 3 members of the public present.
A parishioner congratulated the Council on the reactive speed sign. He further added that he had been in touch with Highways with regards to a tree on Orchard Close and that he would report back next month at the next meeting.
Another Parishioner stated that he had met with Network Rail and said that there was a new engineer on the case. The engineer was unfamiliar with the details. The Parishioner said that he had given Network Rail a month to progress or he would be going to the MP again. Cllr Barnatt had met with Network Rail and the Parishioner. He thanked Cllr Barnatt for attending the meeting as he was able to assist with dates and technical details.
Chairman closed the Public open forum at 7.03pm
Chairman opened the Parish Council meeting at 7.03pm
Official Business of the Council
1. Chairman’s Welcome (22/184)
Cllr Turner welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked everyone attending. He thanked Cllr Cooke for his work with the speed sign, which appears to be having a lot of success.
2. Apologies (22/185)
Council accepted apologies from Councillor Dady, District Councillor Ogden and County Councillor Key for their non-attendance.
3 Previous meeting held on 9th January 2023 (22/186)
It was unanimously agreed that the draft minutes from the meeting held on 6th January 2023 were a true record. The Chairman duly signed the minutes.
4. Clerk’s Report (22/187)
a. Reactive speed sign installed
b. Precept request submitted
c. Contacted Highways re the cherry tree on Kings Lane
d. 2023 meeting dates on website
e. Email sent to Heckington PC re noticeboard
f. Phone call from NKDC re dog poo bin liner
g. Enquiries to Glasdon – new liner
5. To receive declarations of interests (22/188)
Cllr Cooke made a declaration of interests on Item 8
6. To receive reports from County and District councillors (22/189)
Cllr Tarry discussed the tree replacement on the green area of Hall Park. The Manager dealing with it has it in hand and will feedback further when there is more progress.
She reported on fees and charges and stated that Garden Waste bin charges and car parking are not going up for 2023/24.
She confirmed that road signs on the new estate have now been erected.
Cllr Turner thanked Cllr Tarry for the Grants email with regards to the Coronation.
Cllr Cooke mentioned the over full poo bin on the corner of Little Hale Road / Church Street. As the bins are normally emptied on a Tuesday she asked that we check tomorrow and contact her further if it still had not been emptied. The Clerk and Cllr Cooke stated that they had reported the bin as not being emptied last week on the NKDC website.
Cllr Tarry left the meeting at 7.14pm
7 Planning Applications (22/190)
(7.1) None received
8 Finance matters
(8.1) To approve the January 2023 bank reconciliation and spend to date. (22/191)
Council approved the January 2023 bank reconciliation and acknowledged the spend to date.
(8.2) To approve accounts for payment (22/192)
It was unanimously resolved to approve the accounts for payment.
(9) Highway matters for discussion and resolution
(9.1) Reactive speed sign (22/193)
Cllr Cooke said that the new speed sign is slightly heavier than originally planned and we now need a stand alone post to support it on a permanent basis. We have been given permission to site it temporarily on the lamp post.
Following advice from the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership, Cllr Cooke proposed a sum of £300 for a post for the speed sign, as advised by Graeme Butler, which was Seconded and unanimously approved.
He continued and stated that 7000 vehicles had passed through the village. Results are being gathered from both directions and the sign has been extremely effective in reducing the speed of vehicles. There is also the option to have the sign in ‘Stealth’ mode where it will still gather information.
(9.2) Highways – further issues (22/194)
Cllr Broom discussed the lack of a pavement at the end of Leas Road towards Grove Street. He asked Cllr Cope for his input on vehicles using the road. Cllr Broom continued and stated that there is an increase in traffic and farm vehicles. As pedestrians cannot hear electric vehicles, this is extremely dangerous. Cllr Key took up the case as Highways had not responded. The ground has been driven on and turned over by the heavy vehicles. Cllr Broom continued to say that the road is not fit for purpose.
Cllr Barnatt said that the road by the railway crossing had collapsed and the road is dangerous on the sides and any vehicle pulling over should be extremely wary.
Action : Clerk to contact NKDC / Highways to state how dangerous the road is
10 Orchard Green
10.1 Inspections (22/195):
Cllr Turner completed the inspections this month. He said that the park is looking good.
Contractors had been due to come last week but came today instead. They have cleared the Spinney overgrown foliage. The concrete posts remain. Some chain link fencing needs to be made good. Cllr Turner will speak with the fencing contractor to get a quote for the gap.
Action: Cllr Cope and Barnatt to organise removal of the concrete posts
Action: Clerk to get an further 4 keys cut for the park
Action: Next month’s inspections – Cllr Mountain
11 Other matters
(11.1) Leas Road Pavement
Previously discussed under Highways
(11.2) Heckington Car Voluntary Service (22/196)
The figures were discussed and it was proposed, Seconded and agreed to award a Grant of £250 to the HCVS in April.
Action: Clerk to pay £250 to HCVS in April.
(11.3) Clerk’s Old laptop (22/197)
Cllr Cooke proposed to use the old laptop for the speed sign data.
Action: It was agreed to allow Cllr Cooke to use the old laptop for data collection from the speed sign.
(11.4) Churchyard cherry tree (22/198)
Cllr Cope said that he had been approached by a Parishioner who said that the cherry tree in the churchyard was diseased. Cllr Cope and Cllr Turner said that they had looked at the tree and the trunk was still solid so it is not causing a danger. It was decided that when we next have a tree specialist visiting, the cherry tree would be looked at.
Action: To monitor the tree
(11.5) Arnold Baker book (22/199)
Cllr Cooke said that, as a council, we should have the book as it is a definitive guide for councils. He proposed that we purchase the book. Councillors argued that we have support from the LALC and felt that purchasing the book was unnecessary. It was agreed not to purchase the book.
(11.6) Elections (22/200)
Training is available through the LALC. The Clerk said she is happy to attend any training. However, no elections are being held in our Parish this year so it may not be a good use of time as procedures may change by the time we next have elections.
(11.7) Renewal of website support (22/201)
The Clerk stated that the website support this year has been invaluable. We currently have 2.5 hours of website support time remaining from this year. We can carry over some time so, with an additional 5 hours she predicts that this should be enough next year. It was proposed, Seconded and agreed to purchase an additional 5 hours of website support for 2023 / 2024
Action: To purchase an additional 5 hours of website support for 2023 / 2024
(11.8) Parish policing priorities (22/202)
Various items were discussed including anti-social behaviour and parking on bends. It was decided that these were relatively minor issues and that Road safety should be our priority.
Action: To complete the Policing Priority form and return to the PCSO
(11.9) LALC Training renewal fee (22/203)
Councillors agreed that this was a good use of money. It was proposed and agreed to renew.
Action: Clerk to establish which category we are in and renew.
(11.10) Missing liner from Leas Road poo bin (22/204)
As discussed in the Clerk’s report, Clerk had received a call from NKDC stating that this poo bin does not have a liner and is causing a mess for the workers emptying the bin each week. He asked that we replace the liner. The Clerk has been in touch with Glasdons who supplied the last bin but it is not one of their models. The Clerk has contacted ‘The Bin Shop’ and is investigating the cost of a new liner.
Action: Clerk to establish the cost of a new liner
(11.11) Photographs on website (22/205)
The Clerk suggested that the Councillors should have a photograph of themselves on the Parish Council website. It was put to a vote with 1 Councillor in favour and 5 against.
Action: No further action
(11.12) Orchard Park Memorial Garden (22/206)
Cllr Turner said that although we had established a name for the new garden area, that it might be appropriate to call it the ‘King’s Coronation Garden’ or similar. After discussion it was decided to remain with the earlier proposed name.
(11.13) Article for February’s edition of the Village Natters (22/207)
Cllr Turner said that the original date for sending an article was the middle of February. However, he said that he had received information that the article needed to be submitted over the weekend instead. Cllr Turner submitted a short article. It was discussed and this will be put onto the website too so that more people could have access to the article.
Action: Cllr Turner to send the article over to the Clerk to put onto the website.
12 Future agenda items (22/208)
(12.1) Annual Parish meeting
(12.2)
13 Date and place of next meeting (22/209)
Monday 6th March 2023 @ 7pm in Hale Magna Village Hall.
The Chairman thanked all for attending and closed the meeting at 8.02pm