August 2025 Minutes
MINUTES OF OLD SOMERBY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
HELD TUESDAY 19 AUGUST, 2025 7pm AT THE FOX AND HOUNDS OLD SOMERBY.
PRESENT: Cllrs: Vicky Lowndes (Chairman) Nigel Percy (Vice-Chairman), Cllr Peter Burrows, Cllr Vron Stephens, Parish Clerk David Holmes. Also present SKDC Councillor Sarah Trotter, and 6 members of the public
PUBLIC FORUM.
During the Public Forum an Item of planning was raised which was already on the agenda at Item 8 ii and would be discussed later.
1. The Chairman then welcomed everyone present to the Parish Council Meeting.
2. APOLOGIES: Cllr Betty North had given her apologies due to illness: Her explanation was noted and accepted.
3. DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTERESTS/APPLICATIONS FOR DISPENSATIONS: None.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The Minutes of the meeting held 20 May, 2025 had been circulated. They were unanimously accepted as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. ACTION: Clerk.
5. CLERK AND COUNCILLORS’ ACTIONS AND UPDATES/LATEST.
a) i) The Purchase of a Piece of Land. Necessary documents had now been exchanged between the solicitors and the parish council was awaiting the issue being progressed to conclusion.
ii) The Clerk has been into touch with the appropriate Assistant Director who had replied that the SKDC are in the process of procuring a Contractor to undertake a Condition Survey of all of the garage sites. Further details to follow in due course.
Iii) The Clerk had been into touch with the councils Insurers regarding acquiring public liability cover when the piece of land is acquired. No action was necessary at the present time he had been advised.
Cllr Burrows suggested he and another Councillor with the Clerk should undertake a risk assessment for the area and also in relation to the Parish Council’s other existing assets.
AGREED: ACTION THE CLERK.
b) Litter Picking: More Volunteer Litter Pickers are needed. Volunteers are asked to contact the Parish Clerk who can acquire the necessary equipment for their use.
c) Draft Community Emergency Plan: Much progress had been undertaken by Cllr Nigel Percy and the Parish Clerk David Holmes. A draft version had been circulated to the Councillors and to the LCC Contact Team. It was noted that storage would be needed for the equipment to be provided by the LCC in due course. Some Residents had been identified as possible team members. In order to progress the matter the Chairman suggested a Workshop be held and a date was fixed. Cllr Trotter also to be invited to attend. There would be a further report at the next Parish Council Meeting. ACTION: THE CLERK.
d) New 30 mph signs. New signs had been purchased but not yet delivered.
Cllr Stephens offered to collect them from the LCC. ACTION: THE CLERK.
e) Defibrillator: The Clerk reported that the Defibrillator positioned at the Fox and Hounds was now out of warranty. Enquiries had shown that it was still in very good order as was the cabinet. AGREED: To continue its use and have the battery replaced when needed.
The Parish Council are most grateful to Simon Lowndes who looks after and maintains it.
f) Hazard Signs on first bend into Old Somerby Village. The Clerk had been chasing up this issue but we still await its completion. ACTION:The Clerk to ask Cllr Vernon to assist.
g) Cold Harbour Traveller Site; Cllr Percy and Cllr Trotter are dealing with this to ensure compliance with the conditions of grant.
6. LOCAL COUNCILLORS UPDATES: Cllr Trotter reported on the changes to Bin Collection throughout the SKDC area from week commencing 15 September, 2025..
She also pointed out recent staff changes with a newly appointed Interim Monitoring Officer and Deputy Monitoring Officer for SKDC.
The current consultation regarding Housing Allocation was noted and people encouraged to send in their representations. Cllr Percy noted that the land around Cold Harbour was higher than the Harrowby area reservoir and quite regularly the water supply to Cold Harbour was as a consequence cut off.
Cllr Trotter had already commented above on the Traveller Site at Cold Harbour.
Cllr Trotter was thanked for her update.
7. FINANCE.
a) The Clerk circulated the latest Finance Statement which had been inspected and signed off by the Lead Councillor Finance Peter Burrows on 14 August, 2025. The Statement was accepted. 4 Cheques were signed at the meeting in respect of i) A claim for mileage by the clerk to attend the LALC Summer Conference £32.85 ii) The Annual fee for membership of LALC £54.00 iii) Grass cutting by David Warden on 29 July 2025 £125.00 and iv) Refund for the clerk for payment for printing Draft Copies of the Emergency Plan £59.76.
b) The Clerk reported there had been no requests to inspect the accounts following the appropriate publication of the Annual Governance and Accountability Report Public Rights Notice. There had also been no appeals or complaints to the External Auditors. .
c) The Clerk reported that the County Webmaster had updated and refreshed the Parish Council’s Website.
8. PLANNING:
i) S25/0588 The Conifers School Lane: An Application for a single storey rear extension had been granted by the SKDC Planners with conditions including that the windows in the eastern elevation shall have been installed with obscure glazing etc. Reason - to safeguard the privacy of occupiers of the neighbouring/adjoining properties and the flat roof of the extension shall not be used as a balcony, terrace, roof garden or similar amenity area and no railings etc. Reason as above.
ii) S25/1301 A further application from the Conifers to remove the above condition re Obscure Glazing. This was discussed by the parish council.
Decision: Old Somerby Parish Council strongly oppose the removal of the condition relating to obscure glazing. The Condition was imposed to project the privacy of the occupiers of the neighbouring property referred to in the Grant. This Parish Council considers that condition was imposed for good reason and there is absolutely no reason to change it. ACTION: The Clerk to so inform The Planners.
iii) S25/0553 The Conifers School Lane; An application to add Dormer Windows to an existing previous extension was refused by the SKDC Planners on the grounds it would result in a harmful impact to the character and appearance of the host dwelling and the surrounding street scene. It was noted.
iv) S25/0682 No. 6 School Lane. This application was for demolition of existing timber lean to and conversion of the side extension and a rear single storey extension. This had been granted by the SKDC Planners with no objections from this Parish Council
v) The 6 Bungalow Site School Lane; The Clerk informed the Councillors of recent correspondence with the SKDC Planners and LCC Planners. He had been informed that the “SKDC’s Enforcement Team have begun formal action with the service of a Section 330 Notice to gather information to prepare for any potential formal action.” The SKDC are consulting with Legal Services.
The Parish Council are hugely concerned that the pathway at the site still remains unfinished. The Parish Council made it clear in its previous Minutes that the pathway as it is constitutes a trip hazard to any users. More recently a relative visitor to one of the properties suffered a fall and sustained a fracture. This has been reported to the Planners.
ACTION: The Clerk was asked to write to the Developers direct pointing out their concerns.
9. CORRESPONDENCE INCLUDNG ITEMS FOR INF0RMATION ONLY:
a) Local Authority Re-Organisation in Lincolnshire. The Clerk has attended seminars relating to this issue. The Government proposals for re-organisation of local councils is well-known. District Councils as such will seemingly cease to exist by 2028 but Parish Councils and Town Councils will have an enhanced role. The Government criteria for any new council areas requires populations of circa 500,000, The existing LCC and the various District Councils are likely to propose different suggestions for a single or multiple councils for the new Lincolnshire area. Electors can make representation.
b) Report by the Clerk on his visit to the LALC Annual Conference. The event had been very well supported by Councillors and Clerks from the County. The new Mayor Dame Andrea Jenkins addressed the conference as did the newly elected Leader of the LCC Sean Matthew.
c) The Proposed Housing/Local Plan Consultation. The Clerk gave a brief summary. Residents have an opportunity to make their own representations.
d) SKDC enquiry regarding Parish Councillors declaration of their Disclosable Pecuniary Interests. OSPC Councillors had no changes to report. ACTION: The Clerk.
e) Local Internet Speeds: A local resident had submitted a paper concerning this topic and how she had been able to obtain speeds of around 200 mbps downloads and around 100 mbps uploads. Copies available from the Clerk upon request.
f) Ministerial Statement regarding Neighbourhood Plans. A Government Minister had recently indicated that funding for further such plans will now cease.
g) Bin Collections: Householders had now been informed of the new collection days.
h) Hay Bales had been dumped some time ago on the first corner towards Ropsley near to Ropsley Rise Woods. A local resident commented on this issue and would contact the clerk after the meeting.
10. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING: The next parish council meeting was fixed for Monday 17 November, 2025 at 7pm
The Meeting was declared closed at 20.34.