March 2024 Minutes
Great Hale Parish Council
Notes taken at Parish Council Meeting held on
Monday, 4th March 2024 at 7pm at Hale Magna Village Hall
Present: Councillor N Turner (Chairman)
Councillor G Cooke MBE (Vice-Chairman)
Councillor M Barnatt
Councillor A Broom
Councillor J Cope
Councillor N Dady
Councillor L Mountain
Apologies District Councillor S Tarry (North Kesteven District Council)
County Councillor A Key (Lincolnshire County Council)
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 asked whether a Highways walk around was happening. He said that the drain covers and residents’ toilets in Orchard Close were being lifted with effluence during the recent heavy rain. This was on the Agenda at point 9.1 so discussion was deferred.
Chairman closed the Public open forum at 7.01pm
Chairman opened the Parish Council meeting at 7.01pm
Official Business of the Council
1. Chairman’s Welcome (23/217)
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked Cllr Cope for attending the Highways walk round with him.
2. Apologies (23/218)
Apologies were received and accepted from District Councillor S Tarry and County Councillor A Key
3 Previous meeting held on Monday 5th February 2024 (23/219)
It was unanimously agreed that the draft minutes from the meeting held on 5th February 2024 were a true record. The Chairman duly signed the minutes.
4 Clerk’s Report (23/220)
a. Communication with tree supplier
b. Website update with links
c. Emailed Police re speeding
d. Liaised with grass cutter
e. Worked with Climbing wall company
f. Emailed LALC Clerks & Churchwarden re D Day – 10 responses – 3 doing nothing. Bell ringing – 4. D Day flag 1. Church Service 2. Also, a sunrise service, turning on Christmas lights, a tea dance and lighting a beacon.
g. Looked into bench costs. Agri-Cycle & NNB
h. Communication with Black Sluice – The Beck at the back of Orchard Park is on their maintenance schedule and it is up to date. The water from the becks feeds into the Environment Agency drains and these have been found lacking. Most of the water from the Beck goes into Helpringham Eau and the South Forty Foot and these are all full. The next stage would be to complain to the EA.
5. To receive declarations of interests (23/221)
Cllr Cooke made a declaration of interests on Item 8
6. To receive reports from County and District councillors (23/222)
No County or District Councillors present at this meeting.
7 Planning Applications (23/223)
(7.1) Planning Application Reference:
Planning Application Reference: 24/0120/HOUS
Proposal: Erection of single storey rear extension and erection of detached garage
Location: 21 Church Street Great Hale Sleaford Lincolnshire NG34 9LF
8 Finance matters
(8.1) To approve the February 2024 bank reconciliation and spend to date. (23/224)
Council approved the February 2024 bank reconciliation and acknowledged the spend to date.
(8.2) To approve accounts for payment (23/225)
It was unanimously resolved to approve the accounts for payment.
(9) Highway matters for discussion and resolution
(9.1) Highways walk round (23/226)
Rowan Smith, Highways Maintenance Manager and CC Key met with Councillors Turner and Cope on 27th February. It was a positive meeting looking at flooding and trying to manage it, as well as working with the Environmental Agency. Flooding down Chapel Lane was looked at as it had been impassable. Highways were going to look into that further regarding drainage.
Leas Road footpath – there was an agreement for a footpath. Highways are investigating which side of the road the footpath should be installed on.
The Fen Road – no new passing places were going to be installed. The Highways Manager did agree that the unofficial passing places were in poor condition and they would fill the holes.
Action: Clerk to contact the Environment Agency regarding flooding
(9.2) Highways – further issues (23/227)
Cllr Cooke – following the last meeting he did a Fix my Street regarding the seeded area on Orchard Close. Nothing has happened so far.
Cllr Turner –completed a Fix my Street concerning Leas Road potholes. These have been identified by Highways and outlined with spray paint.
Speed sign – Cllr Cooke said that the batteries have not needed to be changed since we had the solar panels. The sign will be turned to face Little Hale this week.
10 Orchard Green for discussion and resolution
10.1 To receive an update on Orchard Green Inspections (23/228)
Cllr Barnatt had completed this month’s inspections. He said that everything had been pretty good. Very little litter and no dog fouling.
Cllr Broom said that the new trees need protection from footballs as well as from animals. Cllr Broom proposed to ask for up to £20 for some concrete to secure some posts to protect the new trees.
Action: To install some stakes in front of the trees to protect the trees.
Action: Next month’s inspections: Cllr Turner
11 Other matters
(11.1) Wicksteed Park Inspection (23/229)
The Annual Park inspection is due in May. It was proposed, seconded and agreed that the inspection should be an unaccompanied visit.
Action: Clerk to book in an unaccompanied inspection.
(11.2) Date for Church tidy up (23/230)
A date to tidy the churchyard was raised. It was decided to defer this decision until the next meeting when the weather should be better and the ground more firm.
Cllr Broom asked about the headstones and who was responsible for the safety. Cllr Barnatt said that a lot of the headstones were moved in the 1950s.
The Churchwarden had emailed the Clerk regarding a casing for the clock weights following an inspection.
Action: Cllr Cooke to gain clarification on responsibility for the churchyard
Clerk to ask for a copy of the church report regarding the clock weights
(11.3) New Trees (23/231)
The Clerk ordered the new trees for the QE Garden area. The trees were planted extremely quickly at the marked sites. There is a concern as to the protection of the trees. This was discussed in 10.1.
(11.4) D Day commemorations (23/232)
Options have been looked at throughout the County. These range from doing nothing to bell ringing, a D Day flag, a Church Service, a sunrise service, turning on Christmas lights, a tea dance and lighting a beacon.
Action: Clerk to investigate what local Parish Councils are doing – Little Hale, Heckington, Helpringham…
(11.5) Installation of Climbing Wall (23/233)
The Lottery funded climbing wall is due to be installed on Tuesday 5th March. The Contractors have the Clerk’s contact number. The Clerk, with Councillors will meet the Contractors.
Action: To meet the Contractors to determine where the wall will go.
(11.6) Benches for the new garden area (23/234)
An Agri.cycle bench (wheat picnic table) costs £695 plus £75 fixings. A Barley bench is £395 plus £75 fixings.
NBB Garden furniture has a range of benches and tables at a cheaper price. However, they are considerably lighter. The Clerk has brochures and links for both companies and will forward these onto Councillors.
Action: Clerk to send links for NBB and Agri.cycle.
(11.7) Reserves (23/235)
Cllr Broom wanted to discuss a breakdown of the account marked ‘Reserves’. It was agreed that the Clerk and The Chair would go through the Reserves and identify what categories they should fall into.
Action: Clerk to meet the Chair and go through the Reserves
12 Future agenda items (23/236)
(12.1) Status of churchyard
(12.2) D Day
(12.3) Benches
(12.4) Reserves
(12.5) Insurance
(12.6) Assets register
14 Date and place of next meeting (23/237)
Monday 8th April 2024 @ 7pm in Hale Magna Village Hall.
The Chairman thanked all for attending and closed the meeting at 8.10pm