August 2024 Minutes
MINUTES OF OLD SOMERBY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD MONDAY 5 August 2024 7pm AT THE FOX AND HOUNDS OLD SOMERBY
PRESENT: Cllrs: Vicky Lowndes (Chairman) Nigel Percy (Vice-Chairman), Veronica Stephens, Peter Burrows, Betty North and Parish Clerk, David Holmes.
Also present 4 members of the public.
PUBLIC FORUM.
During the Public Forum the following issues were raised by residents present: a) Roadside Hedge at the Ropsley Rise Woods- It was reported that the hedge has overgrown so as to present difficulties to drivers being forced out too near to the centre of the road when meeting on-coming traffic. The Clerk reported he has contacted the Parish Clerk of Ropsley Parish Council on this issue some months ago and had had no response. The situation is now clearly more serious.
ACTION: The Clerk to contact the Ropsley PC again and copy in their Chairman.
b) The hedge along the pathway of the Well Field; The hedge is in need of trimming. The Clerk pointed out that the hedge was in the ownership of two different residents and it is regularly cut in September each year.
ACTION: The Clerk to contact the residents. It was also noted that the area around the Well Head is overgrown. ACTION: Cllr Stephens.
c) Street Lights at the Roundabout: A resident had reported that 4 Lights on the Roundabout were not functioning.
ACTION: Although the Roundabout is now not within Old Somerby Parish Boundary the Clerk was asked to contact the LCC regarding this issue.
1. The Chairman welcomed everyone present in the usual way.
2. APOLOGIES: SKDC Councillor Sarah Trotter has given her apologies but had provided a written report.
3. DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTERESTS/APPLICATIONS FOR DISPENSATIONS: None.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The Minutes of the meeting held 20 May 2024 had been circulated. They were accepted as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.
ACTION: The Clerk.
5. CLERK AND COUNCILLORS’ ACTIONS AND UPDATES/LATEST.
a) Cold Harbour issues:
i) The Clerk reported on road closures;
ii) Cllr Percy reported one pothole had not been filled within the Hamlet. ACTION: The Clerk to report on Fix my Street.
iii) Cllr Percy also reported that the verges needed trimming back on the Welby Farm entrance to the other side of the Ropsley Junction as it was dense enough to hide deer. There had been 2 recent incidents with deer being killed after collisions with vehicles in that area.
ACTION: The Clerk to report this safety issue to LCC Highways:
b) Next Newsletter: The Chairman reported it was pending.
c) Repair to Bus Shelter frontage. The Clerk reported it was in hand and should be undertaken very shortly;
d) Flooding on the Main Road. The Clerk reported correspondence with a resident concerning the issue of straw on the roads around the village making the point the straw could enter the drains and cause blocking particularly on the Main Road. The Clerk had replied to the effect that we live in a farming community and the straw degrades naturally and is a short term issue. Anglian Water had informed him that a recent inspection of the drains at his request had revealed “no rooting, grass or that any work was needed”.
e) Litter Picking: The clerk reported he had once again thanked the Volunteers for their efforts in keeping litter down in the area. He had reminded them of the very busy and thereby dangerous roads around the area and that great care should be taken by Volunteers. Hi Viz should be worn and necessary equipment was available from him upon request. He had canvassed the use of portable signs to be erected warning drivers of litter picking. There had been no interests shown in the portable signs.
f) Grass Cutting around the Parish: The Clerk reported a recent incident brought to his attention by the Contractor when a resident, had for some unknown reason, stood too close to him whilst he was strimming near to the entrance with the Cul De Sac. He reported that he asked the resident to move away but the resident would not. Clearly this was a serious issue of public safety and could affect his Public Liability Insurance.
ACTION: The clerk was asked to point out via these minutes that it was very dangerous for residents to act in this way and that Residents should always stay clear of the Contractor whilst he is working.
A discussion ensued regarding increasing the number of cuts per year from the current 9. To be considered when the Budget for the next year is debated at the January meeting 2025.
6. LCC LOCAL COUNCILLOR UPDATE: Cllr Charlotte Vernon was not present.
7. SKDC LOCAL COUNCILLOR UPDATE: Cllr Sarah Trotter had given her apologies but had provided a written report. The Clerk had thanked her for her report.
ACTION; The report to be attached to these minutes and published on the Website.
8. FINANCE:
a) Finance Update: The Lead Councillor Finance, Cllr Peter Burrows, had visited the Clerk to inspect the accounts on 1 August 2024. After the inspection he had signed off the accounts
The Financial Statement was considered by the Councillors and accepted.
ACTION: The Financial Statement to be published with these minutes and on the Website.
b) To Consider adopting the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LOCAL COUNCILS (NALC) Model Financial Regulations 2024: These amended the previous Regulations currently in force. The Clerk explained the few amendments. AGREED: to accept the amendments and publish the 2024 Version as amended.
9. CORRESPONDENCE INCLUDING ISSUES FOR INFORMATION ONLY.
a) Letter from Lloyds Bank concerning the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.:
The Clerk referred to a recent letter from Lloyds in which they indicate that our account with them, they believe, would not be protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).
ACTION: Having noted the Exclusion List in the information from Lloyds it would appear that advice may not be accurate. Clerk to contact Lloyds for further comment.
b) Email from a Resident regarding visibility for drivers at the Roundabout. The Resident had reported on FixMyStreet that the view for a motorist is obscured to the right towards Cold Harbour when approaching the Roundabout from the village by the very long grass which hides approaching vehicles thus causing danger. The LCC reply to the Resident indicated that the LCC policy is only to cut 1.1m of grass.
ACTION: The Clerk to write to the LCC and Road Safety Partnership pointing out the danger. It was also agreed to suggest that the 40mph sign on the approach to Cold Harbour should be situated much nearer to the Roundabout to slow vehicles down.
c). FREE SAPLING TREES: A Resident had emailed to say she has several saplings in her garden which seem to have come from the Alder Buckthorn Trees opposite on School Lane. Anyone interested in obtaining free saplings should contact Susie at Northfield, School Lane, Old Somerby.
d) SKDC – Notification of Local Developments Scheme Update. Copies available from SKDC.
e) CallConnect summer promotion Scheme: For this summer every new passenger will receive a free return journey or 2 single journeys if a return is not required.
ACTION: Clerk to request this information be posted on the Village FaceBook page.
f) Lincolnshire Mobile Libraries; The dates of the visits to the Old Somerby have been published by the Clerk on the 3 village Notice Boards. We need to Use it or Lose it.
g) Town and Parish Councils Updates; An AFFORDABLE FOOD HUB is to be set up by a charity at West Grantham Community Centre Trent Road NG31 7XW on 9 August 2024. 3 Bags of fruit and vegetables, chilled food and cupboard staples can be collected at discounted prices for families. Volunteers to help run the Food Hub are being sought.
h) Hedge Rows: New Regulations on maintaining hedgerows recently came into force which covers agricultural land.. Certain hedges must not be cut during the period March to August inclusive.
i) Planning Issues
a) It has been reported that tenants have moved into bungalows on the 6 Bungalow site on School prior to the completion of the site contrary to the conditions of grant.
b) A possible breach of the conditions of planning approval has been reported at a Bungalow further up School Lane which is also being investigated.
j) Publication of Disposable Pecuniary Interests (DPI) There have been no changes to report regarding councillors.
k). Police Reports to Parish Councils; These useful reports ceased some time ago. There is renewed pressure in having them resumed. Parish Councils have been advised to make such requests to their local Police Inspector.
ACTION: Done.
l) The LCC Town and Parish Update Newsletter reported that the LCC were hugely disappointed that the new Government had granted planning applications for solar panel farms in Lincolnshire including one at Mallard Park in SKDC.
m) A Parish Get Together event will be held on Bank Holiday Monday 26 August 2024 in the form of a Musical Concert to be held at The Manor House, Old Somerby. Notices have been published in the Notice Boards.
10 .DATE AND TIME OF THE NEXT MEETING: Fixed for Monday 28 October, 2024 at 7pm.
The Meeting closed at 20.14.