2022 - Parish Council Meeting Documents

Minutes of Sedgebrook Parish Council’s Meeting
held in Sedgebrook Social Club at 7.00 pm on Thursday 13 October 2022

Present: The Chair C Wood, The Vice Chair G Mahoney, Cllr C Warby, Mrs J Bratton (Clerk/Responsible Financial Officer), County Councillor Mark Whittington.

1    Chairman’s Remarks – the Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.

2    Apologies for absence and reasons given – apologies were received from Cllr J Denton.

3    To receive declarations of interest on any item on the Agenda under The Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012 of the Localism Act 2011 – none.

4    Notes of the last meeting held on  1 September 2022
The notes of the last meeting, held on 1 September 2022, were approved as being a true record, and signed by the Chairman.

5       Correspondence
5.1     A letter was sent to Neil McBride Groundworks Ltd accepting the estimate for the paving for The Green.  Emails were sent to the two firms who were unsuccessful.
5.2    Lincolnshire County Council sent details of a temporary traffic restriction on the 9 October from 10 am to 2 pm due to the Newtons Fraction Half Marathon.
5.3    SKDC Planning Application No: S22/115 – change of use from office storage area to wholesale/factory shop.  Takeaway coffee and coffee educational evenings – 1 The Grange School Lane – planning permission was granted subject to conditions.
5.4    Anglian Water Lincolnshire Reservoir – updated information received regarding the proposed location of the reservoir which is south-east of Sleaford, halfway between Grantham and Boston.
5.5    SKDC sent a Notice of Interim Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places 2022.
5.6    Lincs County Council sent details of a temporary traffic restriction at Allington Level Crossing on the 15 October at 22:30 hrs to the 16 October 2022 19:30 hours.
5.7    A letter of thanks was sent to a parishioner for repainting the benches at The Green and The Recreation Field.
5.8     LALC had sent a copy of their Annual Report which had been circulated.
5.9    A further letter to Neil McBride confirming the date for the installation of the paving at The Green.
The Parish Councillors noted all the correspondence which had been circulated by email since the 1 September 2022.

6       Public Forum
6.1       If there are any issues relating to the District the County Councillor to be informed.  SKDC are currently reviewing their waste collection rounds in order to save fuel – there are currently 15 rounds a day and there are 85,000 properties in the area.
          
7    Highways  
7.1     General update – it was noted that Woolsthorpe Lane had now been partly resurfaced around the area of the Barns.  The Vice Chair had reported the condition of the entrance to School Lane from the A52 to Fix My Street.  The County Councillor said that the street lighting, which SKDC provide, is being looked at.  There is an increase in government funding of 2% but the national pay award is 6%.  50% of SKDC’s costs are safe.
7.2     Reports from Lincs County Council – Highways – flood or uneven road signs left outside on Allington Road – LCC informed the Clerk that they were unable to locate the signs.
Vice Chair Action: to take a photo of the signs and email them to the Clerk.
          
7.3     Allington Road Sign required at the junction of Village Street and Allington Road – the road sign is currently being considered by SKDC.  The Vice Chair brought up the problems of items being delivered and Google Maps.
Clerk Action: to look out previous correspondence with SKDC regarding the issue with Google mapping and to send to the County Councillor who will look into it.

8       Recreation Field
8.1     Playground Inspection – repairs – update on EcoSmart Matting – the repair was completed on the 27 September.  The stanchion has been dug out and new EcoSmart Matting has been joined up to the other mat; this was completed under warranty.  The Vice Chair was thanked for her determination in getting the work finalised.

9       The Green
9.1    Village Green – project on the phone kiosk, tree replacement and flagpole – update – the tree has been cut down and the trunk is now stored at Abbey Farm.  Simpsons, the contractors, had a high standard level of equipment, their staff were very polite, knowledgeable, and Health & Safety conscious.  
Clerk Action: to thank the contractors for an excellent job and for clearing everything away.  
The new tree will be delivered and planted on the 1st December.  
Clerk Action: to invite the descendant of the parishioner who planted the sweet chestnut tree in 1896, to plant the new hornbeam tree.  To inform Abbey Farm what is happening as it will be close to putting up the Christmas Tree.
The lectern wording and design needs to be started
 Vice Chair Action: to contact the parishioner to get the wording organised.  

10      Planning – information on the proposed Anglian Water Reservoir halfway between Grantham and Boston will have no impact on Sedgebrook parishioners.
          
11      Archiving Book of Condolence and other Documentation – Lincolnshire Archives are running out of space and are looking at relocating.
 Clerk Action: to write to Lincolnshire County Council to see if it is possible to archive our Book of Condolence and some early minute books.

12    Review of Sedgebrook Parish Council’s Guidance for Marking the Death of a Senior National Figure
The guidance was reviewed and some amendments were suggested.
Clerk Action: to update and circulate.  
     
13      Finance (The Clerk)
13.1    Details of income and outgoings since the last meeting held 1 September 022 as per the bank statements to the 5 October 2022  
 

13.2    Verification of Bank Statements/Bank Reconciliations
The verification of the Bank Statements and Bank Reconciliations were completed by the Vice   Chair at the meeting up to the 5 October 2022.  The documentation had also been circulated to the Parish Councillors.

13.3    Half-yearly Accounts and Half-yearly Budget – to discuss
The accounts and half-yearly budget figures had been circulated – an additional revised budget had also been compiled – the £100 yearly donation had been taken off, the allowance for stationery costs was reduced and the pay/PAYE adjusted.  It was noted we are currently within the budget for the 31 March 2023 year end.  For the 31 March 2024 year end budget, costs will need to be looked at - with increases in fuel costs the grass-cutting will increase (the contract is due for renewal for the next season) with annual wage rises and supplies, the costs may not be covered with  a 2% rise in the Precept. As the grass-cutting was the second highest expenditure, it was agreed to look at reducing the areas of grass-cutting or the times of cutting certain areas.  It was suggested that changing the frequency of meetings could be considered.
Clerk Action: to upload the revised budget to the website and to start drafting the budget for YE 31 March 2024 year end.  To look at past years’ grass-cutting costs and circulate.
   
13.4     Payments List for Authorisation – all the payments were agreed and the cheques signed:-

13.5    Increase in the hourly rate of the Real Living Wage – Community Cleaner – the increase was agreed to be effective from the 1st November 2022.
 Clerk Action: to write to the Community Cleaner.

14      Items for the next meeting?
Year End 31 March 2024 Budget – to discuss
 PC Social Evening

15    Dates of  meetings in 2023:

12 January 2023
23 February 2023
13 April 2023
11 May 2023 – Annual Parish Meeting
18 May 2023 – Annual Parish Council Meeting
6 July 2023
7 September 2023
12 October 2023
23 November 2023

It was agreed to discuss the frequency of the meetings at the next meeting.
Clerk Action: to put together further dates apart from the Annual Parish Meeting and the Annual Parish Council Meeting.

16      Date of the next meeting:       To be rearranged.        
    
        The Chairman closed the meeting at 9.10 pm.