September 2023 Minutes
Great Hale Parish Council
Notes taken at Parish Council Meeting held on
Monday, 11th September 2023 at 7pm at Hale Magna Village Hall
Present: Councillor N Turner (Chairman)
Councillor G Cooke (Vice Chairman)
Councillor M Barnatt
Councillor J Cope
Councillor N Dady
Councillor L Mountain
Apologies County Councillor A Key (Lincolnshire County Council)
District Councillor S Tarry (North Kesteven District Council)
Councillor A Broom
In attendance: Mrs Tracy Cooke – (Parish Clerk)
Public Forum
The Public Forum Opened at 7.00pm
There was 1 member of the public present.
The member of the public wanted to bring us up to date regarding our MPs response concerning land access and Network Rail. The MPs PP had responded on her behalf and stated that one of the landowners has given permission to gain access to the land and they plan to commence works in October.
Regarding the roadworks on Heckington Road, the member of the public asked Highways if the road would be open over the Bank Holiday at the end of August. The reply came back from Highways on the 7th September. Some pot holes had also been filled at Burton Pedwardine. Chair and Councillors agreed that many potholes still remain. The member of the public said that he would continue with Fix my Streets.
Chairman closed the Public open forum at 7.04 pm
Chairman opened the Parish Council meeting at 7.04 pm
Official Business of the Council
1. Chairman’s Welcome (23/81)
The Chairman welcomed everyone and thanked all for rearranging their diaries to accommodate the change of date from the 4th to 11th September.
2. Apologies (23/82)
Council accepted apologies from County Councillor Key, District Councillor Tarry and Parish Councillor Broom.
3 Previous meeting held on 4th July 2023 (23/83)
It was unanimously agreed that the draft minutes from the meeting held on 4th July 2023 were a true record. The Chairman duly signed the minutes.
4 Clerk’s Report (23/84)
a. Correspondence with resident re parking
b. Emails re Church Wall
c. Email re defibrillator money
d. Emails with litter pickers – new litter picker recruited
e. Contact with NKDC re Oddfellows Hall – Ref NK544543416
f. Applied for litter picking grant
5. To receive declarations of interests (23/85)
Cllr Cooke made a declaration of interests on Item 8
6. To receive reports from County and District councillors (23/86)
No County and District Councillors present.
7 Planning Applications (23/87)
(7.1) Planning Application Reference:
Notification of Receipt of Amended Plans/ Additional Information
Proposal: Outline application for the erection of a bungalow with all matters reserved
Location: 6 Heckington Road Great Hale Sleaford
Councillors are concerned that it still looks to be an overcrowded area, access is potentially dangerous and reversing onto the main road is by the bus shelter, which provides visibility issues. There is no space to turn on site, which makes it unsafe.
Action: Clerk to make a comment stating that this is unsafe due to road safety concerns and parking and object to the application, alongside it being overcrowded. To copy District Councillors in on the comments.
Notification: Application 23/0870/FUL Land Adjacent To The Gables Great Hale Sleaford Lincolnshire (for discussion only)
This application requests 8 new dwellings. These are to be 3 bedroomed bungalows. On the plans, dispersal of the foul water is stated as unknown. Flooding is a potential problem and there are potential surface water issues. Traffic issues along Leas Road are also a concern.
Action: Clerk to inform District Councillors we have concerns and we will be discussing formally at the next meeting on 4th October
8 Finance matters
(8.1) To approve the July and August 2023 bank reconciliation and spend to date. (23/88)
Council approved the July and August 2023 bank reconciliation and acknowledged the spend to date.
(8.2) To approve accounts for payment (23/89)
It was unanimously resolved to approve the accounts for payment.
(9) Highway matters for discussion and resolution
(9.1) Road Safety (23/90)
A speeding car drove through the road closed barriers on Little Hale Road during the recent roadworks. The car proceeded to turn around and drive back risking serious injury to the workmen and other road users. Details of the car were taken by the work team.
(9.2) Speed Sign update – pole and solar (23/91)
Cllr Cooke updated us with progress on the pole. Graeme Butler has authorised the pole and discussed siting of the pole. However, it has not been installed yet. Once the pole has been installed then we can progress with converting the sign to Solar.
(9.3) Highways – further issues (23/92)
Cllr Cooke said that no-one in Little Hale Road had been informed about the resurfacing of Little Hale Road. It took residents by surprise, having to move cars before they were covered in bits of Tarmac, being stranded in their drive ways and businesses unable to have parts delivered. Whilst the work done has made a huge positive difference, residents should have been given some notice, along the same lines as the closure of Heckington Road.
Action: To write a letter to the Highways manager. Copies of the letter to be sent to County Councillor and District Councillors.
(9.4) Leas Road (23/93)
There is nothing new to report on this. There has been a couple of near misses and there was a potential collision as there was some glass on the road.
Action: Clerk to write to the County Councillor and inform them that a collision had occurred.
10 Orchard Green
10.1 Inspections (23/94)
Cllr Dady said that the park is good. There was quite a lot of litter on one day. When Cllr Dady went back to clear it up, it had been done already.
Brambles are growing through the rotavated area of Queen Elizabeth Garden and these need to be removed.
The bricks and rubble that have been removed from the area are stacked. A resident has asked if this could be removed as they consider it to be an eyesore. The resident has also asked if the fence could be extended as children are going between the fencing onto their property.
There is some missing fencing at the back of the park too. It was discussed and agreed that a repair can be made.
Action: Next month’s inspections: Cllr Cope
Action : Working party to extend the fence and tidy.
11 Other matters
(11.1) Grass Cutting (23/93)
The grass cutting contractor has emailed the Clerk asking if The Parish Council would like an extra cut at the end of September, as the weather has been so good and the grass is growing quickly.
Action: To inform the grass cutter to liaise with Cllr Cope at the end of September before making the cut.
(11.2) Road Closures (23/94)
This was discussed in 9.3
(11.3) Queen Elizabeth Garden (23/95)
Discussion regarding Queen Elizabeth Garden was made in 10.1 alongside the park inspections.
(11.4) Financial Regulations / Standing Orders
Policies and procedures have been updated and uploaded on the Website. However, The Financial Regulations and Standing Orders require some attention to bring them fully up to date.
Action: Clerk to meet with Chair, update and then circulate to Councillors for their consideration and adoption at the next meeting.
(11.5) Digital Security Update (23/97)
Clerk has asked other Clerks across Lincolnshire about their experiences with digital security and their current email providers. Many stated that there had been some phishing and cloning attempts, and there was no common theme across providers.
Action: It was recommended that all Councillors have 2 factor authentication on their emails. Cllr Cooke offered help for anyone who wanted support with this.
Clerk to check with LALC to see if there are any security courses.
(11.6) Church Wall update (23/98)
The Clerk had contacted the (now retired) Churchwarden regarding the Church wall and obtaining Diocese approval for a Contractor. The Clerk has made contact with the approved architects who provided details of 2 approved contractors. The Clerk has further been in touch with the Contractors, one of which will be surveying and providing a quote on Wednesday 13th September at 10am
Action: Clerk plus any available Councillors to meet with the Contractor.
(11.7) Potential Bore holes in the Orchard Green Area (23/99)
An email had been received from the National Flood Forum regarding the possibility of 2 bore holes in the Orchard Green area. Further, the Clerk also received a telephone call from the National Flood Forum asking if we were aware of any bore holes. The Clerk informed them that the matter was on this month’s Agenda. The map and email has been forwarded to all Councillors. The locations were discussed and it was agreed that not all the potential boreholes are on Parish Land.
Action: To inform the National Flood Forum that they are welcome to survey NE Corner on our land. Not all the bore holes on the map are on Parish Council land.
(11.8) Dog signs (23/100)
Chair has the signs and posts and will work with a working party to install around the village.
Action: Working party to install the posts when the ground is softer.
(11.9) Quickline Grant funding (23/101)
The Clerk has received emails regarding funding for Community projects. The Clerk contacted Quickline again this month to ask if Grant applications are still being taken and Quickline stated that they were. The amount awarded if successful is unknown.
Action: Clerk to ask villagers what additional facilities they might like, via social media
12 Future agenda items (23/102)
(12.1) Quickline Grants
(12.2) Financial Regulations / Standing Orders
(12.3) Progress from Highways re Leas Road.
(12.4) Oddfellows Hall
(12.5) Planning of the Gables
(12.6) Church Wall
13 Date and place of next meeting (23/103
Monday 2nd October 2023 @ 7pm in Hale Magna Village Hall.
The Chairman thanked all for attending and closed the meeting at 8.04 pm