26 October 2023 Minutes
THEDDLETHORPE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the monthly meeting held on Thursday, 26 October 2023 at Theddlethorpe Village Hall, Silver Street, Theddlethorpe All Saints.
Chair: Cllr K Simpson
Vice Chair: Cllr N Barker
Parish Councillors present: Cllrs R Aldrich, S Goodley, A Beet, M Crookes, H Cox, B Swift
Also, present County Councillors: D McNally and N Sear
District Councillor: T Hesketh
Parish Clerk: Mrs S Bristow
Public Forum
No questions were received in advance or asked on the night.
District and County Councillors’ Reports
Cllr McNally noted Carer’s Rights Day on 23rd November and flooding that occurred in Horncastle. Commented that the street lights on part-time operation has allowed for a 40% reduction in electricity costs. Cllr Beet asked if there was a carbon footprint reduction to note, which Cllr McNally did not have to hand. Noted Lincoln Castle had received a Visit England Gold award and that LCC officers were in supermarkets checking supposed price offers.
Cllr N Sear noted V Atkins summit on 3rd November and encouraged a member of the Council to attend if available.
Cllr Hesketh asked Cllr McNally about LCC hiring a nuclear advocate and how this contradicts impartiality and challenged him about his involvement in the NWS siting process based on FOIs he had obtained. Cllr McNally denied involvement. Cllr Hesketh noted an ELDC FOI could not define a host community; he continued by saying he was asking for a motion at ELDC regarding an immediate referendum on the proposed GDF. He ended by noting the terrible state of the village footpaths and that he had met the local school Headteacher and was purchasing a dictionary for each pupil from his Travis grant funds.
Item 10/23-01 Chair’s Welcome
The Chair opened the meeting at 19:47 and welcomed one parishioner to the meeting. She thanked Cllr Hesketh for his views and candour.
Item 10/23-02 Apologies and acceptance of absence
Apologies were received and accepted from Cllrs D Sear, L White, and A Spink.
Item 10/23-03 Declarations of Pecuniary Interest from members in accordance with Localism Act 2011
None
Item 10/23-04 To Resolve as Minutes the record of the Monthly meeting on 28 September 2023
The minutes were RESOLVED and signed.
Item 10/23-05 Chair’s Report
Summarised verbally on the night. The first £20 villager recognition voucher has been awarded to a village youngster championing Alopecia awareness. This will be funded by the Chair’s Allowance.
Item 10/23-06 Clerk’s Report
The Clerk noted an ELDC survey had been received and the meeting was closed at 19:54 to allow Cllr Hesketh to comment on the matter and take questions from the Councillors. The meeting reopened at 20:01 and the Clerk will question ELDC about specifics of the survey.
Item 10/23-07 Parish Councillors’ Reports and Matters Arising
i) To consider adoption of the Council’s Risk Assessment policy: Tabled to next meeting as template was received late.
ii) To receive an update regarding Community Speed watch scheme: Cllr Aldrich noted that training had taken place with 11 volunteers and that all of the kit was in hand; he will liaise with the CSW trainer on specific locations for the radar monitoring and the watch will commence in the new year.
iii) To receive an update regarding the status of St Helen’s Church:
A handful of councillors attended the previous night’s meeting with the Archdeacon, Canon Lilley, and some 30 parishioners. Various ideas were presented about how a future of the church can be assured, including applying to NWS for CIF grants (noting the Canon is on the CP now). No decisions were made and the future was put in the hands of the public. Cllr Beet will look into potential Tree Protection Orders that may affect trees in the Churchyard. It was decided that the Churchyard mowing would be included on the Council’s RFQ.
iv) To consider holding Councillors’ surgeries in the village: this was raised by the Chair and would consist of holding surgeries within the bounds of another group’s meeting (e.g., to have a table at a Resident’s Association coffee morning or similar), as stand-alone Councillor surgeries are unlikely to be well attended. The Chair will move this forward.
v) To consider 2023 Christmas decorations in the village: The meeting was closed at 20:20 to allow a former councillor to advise on the specifics of any trees we might want to order. The meeting reopened at 20:22 and it was RESOVLED that Cllr Aldrich would select two trees from Strawson’s farm with a maximum budget of £400. PAT Testing will also be organised by Cllr Aldrich.
vi) To discuss planters on the Village Green: The Council RESOLVED a budget of up to £60 for Cllr Aldrich to purchase spring bulbs for the village planters.
vii) Grass Cutting tender- finalising included areas and verbiage of invitation to quote: This was RESOLVED inclusive of St Helen’s Churchyard and the Playing Fields areas.
viii) To consider uses of the Community phone box based on public input:
The Council agreed a Book Swap was an appropriate starting point and Cllr Crookes will investigate shelving.
ix) To hear a request for training and travel costs from Councillors (Travel costs from the Chair and Cllr Beet for the IGPP Conference in London on 8th November)
x) To elect a councillor to attend the Lincs Police virtual seminar on 5th December:
Confirmed as Cllr Swift. The Clerk will ensure he has the logging on information.
xi) To consider the PC supporting the Climate & Ecology bill:
There was no appetite for considering this.
xii) To reconsider the March meeting date and to set dates for the Annual Parish and Parish Council meetings:
The Council RESOLVED the following, the March meeting will now be held on 21 March 2024 with the Annual Parish Meeting held on 25 April in lieu of a monthly PC meeting and the Annual PC meeting and May monthly meeting will be held on 23 May. There is interest in moving to bi-monthly meetings in the new Civic year, which will be interrogated early in the new year.
Item 10/23-08 Financial Matters
i) Overview of Council budget headings through H1 2023/24
Noted. The Clerk asked each Councillor to come to the next meeting with ideas about what might need to be added or removed in light of changes being discussed.
ii) Approval of October Payments according to schedule
RESOLVED to pay the Clerk’s wages (£269), two grass cutting invoices to T Taylor (£200), and the Village Hall for the 2023 calendar year meetings (7 x £30, £210 total).
Item 10/23-09 Planning Matters
The councillors noted the refusal of Application Number N/180/01678/23- Erection of a garage with annexe above and construction of a vehicular access. THE COTTAGE, BUTT LANE, THEDDLETHORPE
Item 10/23-10 Highways / Footpaths / Lighting Matters
The meeting was closed at 21:05 as Cllrs Goodley and Hesketh discussed footpaths and prioritised the path running between the Village Hall and School as children are currently unable to cycle to school on it, or have bike-ability training. Cllr N Sear noted the pavement opposite St Helen’s is still in poor condition and that it was her priority at LCC. The meeting re-opened at 21:10 and Cllr Goodley reiterated her ongoing concerns with visibility at the Kent Lane Junction and renewed calls for a roundabout at the Mablethorpe crossroads. Finally, she noted facilitating the location and future disposal of a mattress fly-tipped in the village over a year ago.
Item 10/23-11 Parish on-going issues
i) Gas Terminal Future Use: The Vice Chair attended a recent feedback meeting and noted decommissioning and surveying of the site are both ongoing. £1.27MM in CIF grants were given in the first year (ended July 2023). Doorstep survey questions were shared and noted as being very basic; doorstep surveys are being undertaken in Mablethorpe with very mixed responses. Noted 2 posts remain open on the CP with one being earmarked for an 18-25 year old. Finally, he noted the CCS planning permission has been applied for at the Secretary of State level.
Item 10/23-12 To confirm the date of the next Parish Council Meeting as 30 November 2023
Confirmed.
The meeting was adjourned at 21:21