18 January 2024 Minutes
THEDDLETHORPE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the monthly meeting held on Thursday, 18 January 2024 at Theddlethorpe Village Hall, Silver Street, Theddlethorpe All Saints.
In the Chair: Cllr K Simpson
Parish Councillors present: Cllrs R Aldrich, S Goodley, A Beet, M Crookes, H Cox, B Swift, D Sear, and A Spink.
Also, present County Councillor: N Sear
District Councillor: T Hesketh
Parish Clerk: Mrs S Bristow
Public Forum
No questions were received in advance.
District and County Councillors’ Reports
Cllr Hesketh noted his Motions were lost at ELDC but with close margins. He expressed disappointment at the treatment of the peaceful protestors prior to the meeting.
Cllr N Sear tabled her January newsletter. She noted a dentist was coming to practise in Mablethorpe from February. She advised having been told the CCS chimney was not abutting anyone’s garden, which was refuted by the Council. The Clerk will send to all the latest CCS maps. She further noted not being a fan of the proposed devolution and that the National Grid’s pylons proposal was a long time coming.
Item 01/24-01 Chair’s Welcome
The Chair opened the meeting at 19:43 and welcomed eight parishioners to the hall.
Item 02/24-02 Apologies and acceptance of absence
Apologies were received and accepted from Cllrs N Barker and L White. Cllr D McNally was also absent.
Item 01/24-03 Declarations of Pecuniary Interest from members in accordance with Localism Act 2011
Cllr Aldrich declared an interest in Item 7.
Item 01/24-04 To Resolve as Minutes the record of the Monthly meeting on 30 November 2023
The minutes were RESOLVED and signed.
Item 01/24-05 Chair’s Report
Summarised verbally on the night and tabled for Councillors
Item 01/24-06 Clerk’s Report
The Clerk noted the Council had received an invitation to a National Grid web presentation about the proposed pylon; she and Cllr Beet will attend on 23 January. Councillors were reminded of their training on 6 February and the six councillors will attend as a group at Cllr Beet’s home. An invitation to the Mablethorpe Mayor’s Civic Service had been received and accepted by the Chair and Vice Chair. The Clerk noted the ELDC challenges to Cllr Hesketh’s motions that lead to Agenda items 8 (iii) and 8 (iv). She apologised for not having made the Councillor Rota for the Resident’s Association meetings, it was agreed this would start from March 2024 and that several councillors were already attending the end of January meeting. Finally, the Clerk noted the costs of the HP Printing plan had increased by £2 per month from Feb 2024, actual cost to the PC would increase by £1 per month.
Item 01/24-07 To resolve to exclude the public and media to discuss confidential items relating to individuals and confidential financial matters in accordance with The Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960
A) Grass Cutting quotation consideration and decision: The Council RESOLVED to move into closed session and Cllr Aldrich exited with the Parishioners. After examining the quotations received, it was RESOLVED to accept vendor B (R Aldrich Garden Maintenance) for Lot 1, and to accept vendor A (R Aldrich Garden Maintenance) for Lots 2 and 3. The Clerk noted the decision and will contact the successful bidder in due course. The parishioners and Cllr Aldrich were invited to return to the meeting room.
Item 01/23-08 Parish Councillors’ Reports and Matters Arising
i) To consider adoption of the Council’s Risk Assessment policy: RESOLVED, including a correction to item 4c.
ii) To consider relocation of the St Helen’s noticeboard to the bus shelter at the Green: RESOLVED, noting the Green needs noting as the Triangle. Cllr Crookes will undertake the relocation.
iii) To consider an application for Community Asset status of the former Gas Terminal site: RESOLVED to apply for this status.
iv) To consider writing of a neighbourhood (local) plan to outline the Parish’s vision for the former Gas Terminal site: RESOLVED to undertake this using the results of the parish plan surveys.
v) To consider new benches for the village: Cllr Crookes will investigate repair costs and the Clerk will look at quotes for replacements. Decision tabled until the February meeting.
vi) To receive an update on the defibrillator for St Helen’s: Tabled until the February meeting due to Cllr White’s absence.
Item 01/24-09 Financial Matters
i) Final Budget heads for 2024/25: Updated to reflect £3000 for grass cutting and £800 for maintenance.
ii) Resolution of Precept for 2024/25: RESOLVED to keep the precept at £9504, meaning the Council will continue to offset actual costs from reserves (£1659 offset for 2024/25). The Clerk noted our financial position is still strong, but that we would not be able to offset the precept indefinitely.
iii) To note the receipt of NS&I correspondence: Noted and circulated to the Councillors; signatories updated to Cllrs Barker, Crookes, and White.
iv) To note updated accounts for 2023/24: included Contractual payments of the Clerk’s January Wages (£289) and Q3 printing costs (£14.97).
Item 01/24-10 Planning Matters
None.
Item 01/24-11 Highways / Footpaths / Lighting Matters
Cllr Goodley will form a Working Group around footpath matters. The Clerk received correspondence from LCC about three applications for new footpaths and was asked to reply to obtain the application packs.
Item 01/24-12 Parish on-going issues
i) Gas Terminal Future Use: covered in the discussion around Agenda items 8 (iii) and (iv).
Item 01/24-13 To confirm the date of the next Parish Council Meeting as 122 February 2024.
Confirmed.
The meeting was adjourned at 20:46.