Present:               L McGuinness, D Croyle, A Croyle, D Strudwick, W Rodwell, R Jarvis, B Hopkins and N Watts

Clerk:                    Mrs Harrison

County Cllr: N Pepper and District Cllr: B Alcock

2 parishioners

In the Chair:        L McGuinness

86. Chairman’s remarks and public forum.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and opened the floor to the public.

Q: Would community money be spent on the station and signal box?

• Parish Council money will not be used for the project as there is funding available.
• The money put aside for a Community Hall will not be used for the station.
• L McGuinness clarified that the Parish Council is very much ‘community lead
• Following the results of the questionnaire sent out in 2021, the retention of the signal box and reopening of Littleworth Station was something that the parishioners supported.
• Over 20% of the forms were returned.

With the upcoming elections on the 4th of May and there being no more questions, the Chairman took the opportunity to thank everyone for their hard work over the past 4 years. 

• Special thanks were given to Deborah and Andy Croyle for setting up the Gardening Club, Good Neighbour Scheme, the Annual Fete, the Triangle Project and everything else they do for the community.
• Thanks, were also conveyed to the Clerk for her hard work and dedication to the role.
• R Jarvis thanked the Chairman for all her support, as a new member on the council.

87. To receive and approve apologies for absence.

It was resolved to approve apologies from David Branton and Paul Barrett.

Apologies had also been received from Cllr Astill.

88. To receive Declarations of Interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 and to consider any requests for dispensations.

There were none.

89. Notes of the last meeting held on the 23rd of January to be approved as the Minutes.

It was resolved to approve the notes as the Minutes and for the Chairman to sign them as such.

90. Matters arising from the Minutes, (not covered on this Agenda).

Item 82 Carrington Drive turning point.

D Strudwick will check that the land is now in LCC ownership.

Action: D Strudwick

Item 78 Village Hall Progress.

• A Croyle explained that the very next day, (following the January meeting), the developer pulled out.
• Spoke to the landowner, but no update yet as to whether another developer is interested.
• Our solicitor is still engaged, and we have the detailed plans ready for if/when another developer comes forward.

91. Clerk’s report on matters outstanding.

A copy of the report had been circulated prior to the meeting.

• The Clerk clarified that the email received on the 17th of March referred to North Drove, (not the footpaths), with the status changed now to ‘fixed’.
• Land Rent – Shillaker’s Farm, East Reach & Chappell Farms

Following her findings, the Clerk will write to the tenant to recover the back fees as detailed in the report.

Action: Clerk

• Banking of Ring-fenced funds

The Clerk has written to the NatWest Bank to request the change of address to the Clerk’s office. 

• With the 2 signatories absent from the meeting, the Chairman offered to take the letter to get it signed and sent to the bank.

Action: Chairman

• HR Committee: Bus Shelter Cleaning
• Mrs Croyle has asked Albany Garden Services to submit a quote to clean all 5 bus shelters.
• The Chairman has spoken to North Sea Camp to see if they can provide men to carry out this work.

Ownership of land opposite 4 Haywain Drive

• It was agreed to remove this item from the report, as it is not possible to ascertain ownership without the cost through the Land Registry.

92. Financial matters:
    1. To receive a report from the Finance Committee and to resolve to adopt the following policies:

Item 7: Recommendation to hold, in reserve, the following amounts: -

• to hold £4,000 for elections, and ultimately to aspire to £5,000.
• to hold £1,500 for redundancy.
• to hold £2,000 for emergencies.

With a view to review these amounts on an annual basis.

In respect of the above, the Finance Committee recommend that the funds are transferred from the Treasurers Account to the Savings account to increase the reserves balance by £7,500.

It was resolved to accept the recommendation as detailed above.

Action: RFO

Item 10: Advertising costs for Village News plus Hi Viz and ID badges for volunteers.

It was recommended that a maximum of £150 be budgeted.

It was resolved to accept the recommendation.

Action: RFO

Item 12:  PAT testing kit and costings.

Recommendation to budget £160

It was resolved to accept the recommendation.

Action: RFO

Item 14: Donations for Tongue End wildlife project.

Recommendation to donate £500 annually, to match the PC’s annual donation to the Gardening Club, to be reviewed annually.

It was resolved to accept the recommendation.

Action: RFO

Item 15: Donations to NWS/crime reduction.

Recommendation to donate £300 annually to the NWS/crime reduction and make the same annual donation to the Good Neighbour Scheme to cover the cost of room hire.

It was resolved to accept the recommendation as detailed above.

Action: RFO

Item 16: Donation for Signal Box and Station heritage project.

Recommendation to make an annual donation of £500 to be reviewed annually.

It was resolved to accept the recommendation.

Action: RFO

Item 17: Donation/costings for King’s Coronation.

Recommendation to set aside a budget of £350 to include the cost of bunting, decorations for lampposts and planters, etc. A donation of 60 packets of seeds for the school children and 60 packets for the Tongue End Community project.

It was resolved to accept the recommendations as detailed above.

Action: RFO

Item 18: Donation for Church’s flower festival.

Recommendation to make an annual donation of £500 to the Church for either grass cutting or their flower festival.

It was resolved to accept the recommendation as detailed above.

Action: RFO

Item 19: Royal British Legion war memorial engraving/repairs.

• There are funds held in an HSBC account following the closure of the local branch of the Royal British Legion, which can either be spent locally or returned to their central office.
• Although the Finance Committee had agreed to defer this item to full council, with the absence of Mr Branton who has details of this account, it was resolved to move this item to the next Finance Committee meeting.

Action: Chairman to speak with Mr Branton.

Item 20: Update on notice boards, (spend previously agreed).

• New notice boards purchased for Chappell Road, Village Shop and Hop Pole bus shelter at jus under £600 in total.
• Notice board for Campain’s Lane will cost Circa £300 and be sited by the playing field.  Mr Jarvis offered to assist with the installation.
• A new notice board for Tongue End will be sourced by the Tongue End Community group to fit in with their project.

It was resolved that the PC contribute a maximum of £550 towards it.

Action: RFO

1. DSN Financial Regulations

Moved by D Croyle

Seconded by A Croyle

It was resolved to adopt the Financial Regulations and display it on the PC’s website.

Action: Clerk

2. DSN Grants Policy

Moved by A Croyle

Seconded by D Strudwick

It was resolved to adopt the Grants Policy and display it on the PC’s website.

Action: Clerk

2. Financial reports from the RFO.

The following reports had been circulated prior to the meeting: -

• Bank Reconciliation at 28/02/23
• Summary of Receipts and Payments by Cost Centre
• Forecast Report which the RFO had compiled to show outstanding receipts and payments for the Parish Council and Windfarm accounts. 

The RFO explained that the purpose of the report was to show the projected bank balances for the end of the year.

The reports were received.

3. To resolve to pay invoices received since the last meeting. (See separate sheet).

The following payments were approved for payment: -

It was resolved to approve the payments as listed above.

4. To resolve to purchase gifts for the primary school children, to commemorate the King’s Coronation.

This was resolved under item 17 of the Finance Committee recommendations above.

93. Planning matters:
    1. To receive the report from the Planning Committee. (See separate sheet).

The following report had been circulated prior to the meeting: -

Planning Committee Report for meeting 27/3/23

As is customary the committee has not met since the last meeting and applications have been circulated by email to elicit committee member’s responses. I list below the applications received since (just before) the last meeting and the responses obtained.

Andy Croyle, Planning Committee Chair, 21/3/23.

A Croyle added that since sending in his report, another application had been received for consultation, as follows: -

There being no further observations, it was resolved to accept the report of the Planning Committee and for the comments to be added to the planning portal of SHDC’s website.

Action: Clerk

94. HR matters:
    1. To receive a report from the HR Committee and to resolve to adopt the following policies:
       1. Dignity at Work Policy
       2. Safeguarding Policy

Copies of the policies had been circulated prior to the meeting.

• In his absence, DC advised that Mr Barrett had volunteered to be the Safeguarding Officer, as he has already completed the training for the Parish Church.
• Thanks were expressed to Mr Barrett for agreeing to take on this role.

It was resolved to formally adopt both policies and to upload them onto the PC’s website.

Action: Clerk

95. Playing Fields & Bus Shelters
    1. To receive a report from the Committee. (Copy circulated prior to the meeting).

• In the absence of the Committee Chairman, B Hopkins read out a report from the Committee Chair, following a meeting of the Committee held on the 11th of February.
• Included in the report was a list of minor repairs to some of the play equipment.

The report was received, and it was agreed that the Committee would need acquire 3 quotes for the repairs, to be brought to the next PC meeting.

1. To consider and resolve the recommendation to decommission the Littleworth Playing Field.

In the absence of the Committee Chairman, D Croyle outlined the idea of decommissioning the playing field: -

• Take out the goal posts and re-use them on the Campain’s Lane playing field.
• Remove and dispose of the swings, as they are not reusable.
• The Committee already have someone to take away the old equipment for free.
• Leave the area as a green space to be enjoyed by the community.
• The PC would continue to cut the grass, along with all the other play areas.

A full and frank discussion followed.

It was resolved to accept the recommendations of the PF & BS Committee.

Proposed by D Strudwick

Seconded by A Croyle

All agreed.

Action: PF & BS Committee

96. Crime & Prevention
    1. To receive the crime report for Deeping St Nicholas parish.

According to the Police website, there were only 2 crimes reported within the Parish in January 2023, both of which were in Hop Pole: -

1 x Possession of weapons

1 x Violence and sexual offences

Unfortunately figures for February and March were not yet available.

The Chairman reported that the Police attended the Annual Parish Meeting last Monday, (20th March), to give a presentation on fraud and burglary prevention, which was very interesting.

2. To resolve the adoption of a ‘neighbourhood watch’ scheme for DSN.

• R Jarvis reported that since the scheme started there had been no crimes reported to the Police.
• Looking to take the project forward and roll it out to all areas of DSN.
• Thanked Cllr Pepper for his donation of funds.
• If successful, look to launch Business Watch.

Proposed by A Croyle

Seconded by B Hopkins

It was resolved that the PC formally adopt a Neighbourhood Watch scheme for DSN.

97. Highways matters:
    1. To discuss options and make a resolution to address speeding traffic through the village.

Police have been out with the CSW teams and catching people speeding.

• It was confirmed that is not permissible to action Speedwatch in a 50mph area, e.g., Hop Pole.
• It is also not permissible to put up interactive speed awareness signs in a 50mph zone.
• Welcome Gates might be effective and are being put up in a neighbouring parish.

Action: Clerk to find out more information.

• A speed camera was also put forward for consideration.
• Cllr Pepper suggested that the PC write to Lincs RSP but would require evidence of speeding.
• Request statistics from CSW after each session.

Action: Clerk to request regular reports.

• Dummy speed cameras were also suggested as a deterrent.

It was resolved to bring this back to the next meeting.

Cllr Pepper addressed the members regarding an option to potentially extend the 30mph zone from the primary school to the shop/Harrow Road.

Proposed by D Croyle

Seconded by R Jarvis

It was resolved that Cllr Pepper seek to extend the 30mph zone from the primary school to the bus shelter or Harrow Road if possible.

Action: Cllr Pepper

2. To discuss and resolve issues regarding potholes and straw on the roads.

N Watts raised the issue of farmers littering the roads with mud and straw.  Once combined this stimulates growth in gutters, footpaths, etc.

• Difficult to pinpoint which farmers are responsible, but there are only two local farmers that move straw, which are Vellacourt and WD Branton.
• D Croyle suggested that a courteous letter be sent to both farmers.

Action: Clerk

• L McGuinness wished to add that they bait or deal with rat issues.
• W Rodwell advised that baiting or trapping is no longer allowed.
• R Jarvis stated that there are 7 or 8 potholes down Coronation Avenue.
• Advised to report online via Fix my Street.

It was resolved that a letter be sent to the RSP regarding the numerous potholes and general state of the roads through the village.

Action: Clerk

98. To receive reports from representatives on outside bodies.

The Chair and Vice Chair requested that this be changed to Community Committee for future Agendas.

Action: Clerk

L McGuinness reported on the South Lincs Connected: _

• There will be a site visit on the 26th of May this year.
• Looking at funding options.
• There will be a meeting in April, date yet to be confirmed.

99. To resolve matters regarding litter bins and the book box on New Road.

Due to the success of the Book Box in St Nicholas Park, R Jarvis asked whether there could be another one placed on the area between New Road and Chappell Road.

• The location was confirmed to be on the green, 4 feet from the highway, as this would be the only viable site.

Proposed by R Jarvis

Seconded by A Croyle

It was resolved that a second book box would be installed on this site.

Action: R Jarvis

Due to excess dog fouling, a request for a dog poo bin on the corner of Chappell Road/New Road/Coronation Avenue was put forward by R Jarvis.

• The Chairman suggested that this item be added to the next meeting Agenda.

Action: Clerk

100. Agenda items to be included on the agenda for the next meeting.

• Community Committee
• Summer Fete
• Neighbourhood Watch Scheme
• Dog Poo Bin
• Vermin Control
• SLC

Hedging along Haywain Drive to be added to the Clerk’s Report.

N Watts advised that Countryfile came to Tongue End last week and that it should appear on the BBC programme to be aired on Sunday the 16th of April.  They will return to the site each season to see how it is developing.

Meeting ended at 8:49pm