November 2021 Minutes
KIRTON PARISH COUNCIL
NOTES OF A MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON THURSDAY 23rd NOVEMBER 2021
Present: Councillors:
Peter Watson
Sandi Watson
Colin Brotherton
David Jarvis
Ralph Pryke
Lorraine O’Connor
Absent: Councillor:
F Baillie
D Brown
In attendance:
B Buttery (Parish Clerk)
Also Present:
Mrs A Booth – Chair, Town Hall Management Committee
4 members of the public
The meeting commenced at 7p.m.
140-21 ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN
Cllr D Jarvis nominated Cllr Peter Watson, Cllr L O’Connor seconded the nomination. Any further nominations were asked for and there were none.
The vote was 4 for and 2 abstentions.
Resolved: That Cllr P Watson be elected as Chairman.
Election of Vice Chair
Cllr L O’Connor nominated Cllr D Jarvis. Cllr S Watson seconded. Cllr C Brotherton nominated himself Cllr R Pryke seconded Cllr C Brotherton.
The vote was 3 votes for Cllr C Brotherton, 2 votes for Cllr D Jarvis, 1 abstention.
Resolved: That Cllr C Brotherton be elected Vice Chair.
Public Forum:
Romanian Orthodox Church Fr attended with 2 parishioners to advise details of their request to purchase the church from the Council.
They attended upon the request of the parish clerk Belinda Buttery to give information as to why they want to buy the chapel and what they will do with it if they buy it.
It was advised that they want to purchase as they are investing a lot of money into the upkeep and the money comes from benefactors who are nervous about investing when they don’t own the building.
They intend to keep the chapel as it is in Perpetua.
It was requested that the Clerk organise documents and a report for councillors to discuss and to be put on agenda for the next meeting.
141-21 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
The meeting was advised that apologies with valid reasons for absence had been received from Cllr M Brookes and Cllr A Auston as well Cllr D Brown and Cllr F Baillie.
Resolved: That apologies be noted with valid reasons for absence accepted.
142-21 TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST UNDER THE LOCALISM ACT 2011
Cllr P. Watson declared membership of the Boston Borough Council Planning Committee and advised he would not take part in discussions on planning applications.
Cllr S Watson declared she is married to P Watson who is on the Planning Committee.
143-21 TO APPROVE AS A CORRECT RECORD THE NOTES OF THE MEETING OF THE COUNCIL HELD ON 21ST OCTOBER 2021 AND EXTRAORDINARY MEETING HELD 3RD NOVEMBER 2021.
The minutes from the meeting of the 21st October 2021 were debated and the while some councillors were unhappy with the minutes that were presented and preferred the minutes prepared by LALC, the clerk refused to try to compromise and amend the minutes of the meeting held 21st October 2021 as requested by the council and left the meeting.
Cllr S Watson took over the role of recording the minutes for the council.
It was proposed by the Chairman not to accept the minutes of the meeting held 21st October 2021 in the current format and to engage with the clerk to come to a compromise and to defer until next meeting.
It was then proposed by the Chairman to accept the minutes of the meeting 21st October 2021 as given on the agenda. Voted 5 against, 1 abstention.
It was proposed by the Chairman to accept the minutes of the extraordinary meeting of 3rd November 2021. Voted unanimously for the minutes to be approved.
Resolved: That the official minutes of the meeting held on 21st October 2021 be rejected and carried over until the next meeting. The official minutes of the extraordinary meeting held on 3rd November 2021 be approved as correct records and signed by the Chairman.
144-21 POLICE MATTERS
There was no police in attendance and with no formal clerk there was no report.
Resolved: That the Clerk would update the council next meeting.
145-21 MATTERS FOR THE ATTENTION OF LINCOLNSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL/BOSTON BOROUGH COUNCIL FROM/TO COUNTY COUNCILLORS / BOROUGH COUNCILLORS
Cllrs A Austin and M Brookes we both absent from the meeting and with the absence of the clerk there was no update on LCC matters.
Cllr P Watson advised that he has available a £1,000 grant for wellbeing within the community and would send links from the Borough for anyone interested. He advised that this is available from each of the 3 Borough Councillors as well as the Parish Council as a whole too.
It was recommended by the Chairman that all reports from Borough Councillors as well as County Councillors be submitted to the Clerk to circulate to Councillors 3 clear days prior to the meeting so Councillors can digest the information and formulate any questions they may want to ask.
146-21 FINANCE
The finance sheet 8/21 that was prepared for the Council by the Responsible Finance Officer was proposed to be approved.
Resolved: It was voted unanimously to approve the Finance Sheet 8/21.
147-21 REPORT FROM THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING – CLERKS REPORT
This remains unchanged from the previous minutes due to not having a clerk and the minutes not being approved.
148-21 CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED WHICH THE COUNCIL ARE INVITED TO RESOLVE ON
a. Following on from an email from the secretary of the Greek and Romanian Orthodox Church who rent our Chapel on Boston Road, in which they enquired whether the Parish Council would consider selling the Chapel to them, the Clerk has contacted Fr Dimitriu with the outstanding question from the Parish Council, in that ‘what do the Church intend to do with the Chapel to want to buy it rather than continue with the peppercorn rent as is the situation now?
Item deferred from last meeting.
Resolved: After listening to Fr Dimitriu and 2 of his parishioners, It was resolved that the clerk collect as much legal information including copies of any leases to distribute to the councillors and this matter can then be discussed next meeting in January 2022.
b. LALC e- news – Website maintenance. There is a service being offered to maintain the website for the Parish Councils which will be on 2 levels. 1. Basic where advice, guidance, updates and e-group support would be available, or 2. All the previous plus documents uploaded too. 1st level £5 per month, 2nd £15 per month.
It was proposed by Cllr L O’Connor and Seconded by Cllr S Watson that we engage this service at £15 per month to get our website to the level that it is needed. Voted 5 for, 1 abstention.
Resolved: To engage the services of LALC e-news – Website maintenance to get all our backdated documents onto our website.
Boston Borough Council – Footway light NN11 opposite Kirton Primary School, Green Lane is not working. The lamppost is an old rusted pole bracket and the lantern has burnt out and the lantern bowl is missing. The recommendation is to replace a new 1m pole bracket complete with a new 19 watt LED lantern controlled by all night photocell including new plastic supply box and overhead connection – Cost of £650 + VAT
This is a safety issue and the light is our responsibility. Cllr Pryke requested copies of information advising which lights we are responsible in the parish. The Clerk is to supply to him. Proposed by Chairman to replace the light. Carried unanimously.
Resolved: For the Clerk to arrange for this work to be carried out.
c. Councillor Grants Scheme – runs until the 31st January 2022 and enables the Parish Council to make available £1000 to support local community groups upon application, provided the grant is spent inline with the community champions fund grant conditions.
Cllr P Watson will send the link to all concerned regarding this grant
d. Request from resident on London Road to get more of the 30mph plastic passive signs put up on London Road to remind residents of the speed.
Resolved: To find out from the Clerk if we have any more signs and were specifically this resident is on London Road. Cllr P Watson has volunteered to place more signs up if we have them and they are required in an appropriate area.
e. Lincolnshire County Council – Temporary Traffic Restriction – for Carriageway Structural Patching Works – various locations including:
Kirton – Wash Road – From A17 to A16 between 4.1.22 – 5.4.22
f. Request from resident to put a bench in the cemetery.
Resolved: To gather more information from the Clerk regarding this request. Is there a criteria for putting up a bench in the Cemetery or any other stipulations.
g. Boston Borough Council – Operations Manager – reporting the fencing on Dame Sarah Swift Park and the litter
Without input from the Clerk this matter was deferred by the Chairman
h. Boston Borough Council – Gambling Act 2005 – Boston’s revised Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Principles
Without input from the Clerk this matter was deferred by the Chairman
i. The Never Forgotten Club – of Kirton Holme wrote to thank the Parish Council for the donation of the cost of the insurance recently received.
j. Heckington Fen Solar Park – consultation has begun on the Heckington Fen Solar Park – reference is 6945-P0011, available to view on www.ecotricity.co.uk/our-green-energy/heckington-fen-solar-park
149-21 TOWN HALL
Mrs Booth expressed concerns regarding the Covid Risks associated with having the Christmas party at the Town Hall. It was discussed within the Council and proposed by the Chairman and seconded by Cllr L O’Connor to delay until Summer 2022. This was voted for unanimously.
RESOLVED: Delay the Christmas Party until Summer. Place notices on the notice board, supply Mrs Booth with a notice for the Town Hall notice board, place a notice on the Facebook page and the Clerk to place a notice on the website.
Mrs Booth advised that the quote for the floor in the entrance to the Town Hall has been delayed as the gentleman who have worked on it previously has not been able to quote yet. It is conducive to using him as he is aware of what is underneath.
Mrs Booth then advised that the Christmas Tree for the Church will be brought down and stored in the office by her husband.
150-21 CEMETERY
A member of the parish has advised that there are some sunked headstones in the Cemetery. Cllr Brotherton advised that it is the responsibility of the owner of the plot and not the Council.
RESOLVED: To get further information from the Parish Clerk/Cemetery Manager regarding this matter
It was noted by the Chairman when visiting the Cemetery that at the rear there is a lot of mole activity.
RESOLVED: For the clerk to speak to the pest inspector to find out why the mole activity still persists. Both these matters are to be deferred until next month when the Clerk/Cemetery Manager can advise.
151-21 PARISH MATTERS
a. To consider which members will be on which committees
It was discussed and decided that as there were 2 Councillors absent to set the Finance and Staffing Committee at this meeting as these are most urgent.
Finance Committee will consist of: Cllr Pryke, Cllr O’Connor and Cllr S Watson
Staffing Committee will consist of: Cllr P Watson, Cllr Brotherton and Cllr Jarvis.
All other councillors to be reserves if a member cannot attend.
It was agreed that at this point in time, all members would be part of the Events Committee.
b. To confirm future Full Council meeting dates
It was proposed to leave the Full Council meeting date at the Forth Tuesday of each month with no meeting in December. This was proposed by the Chairman and voted for unanimously.
RESOLVED: All Full Council meetings to be on the 4th Tuesday of each month with the exception of December when no meeting will be held.
c. Councillor Training
The chairman asked all new councillors if they had been given the opportunity to attend councillor training. The Chairman advised the importance of Councillor training, especially Planning Training.
RESOLVED: The Chairman will follow up with the Clerk to ensure that all members have access and are invited to training.
d. To discuss the Christmas tree in the Church and to consider purchase/acquiring a Christmas tree for the War Memorial and erection of Christmas light.
Cllr Brotherton has access to a Christmas Tree which will be donated for the War Memorial. With the help of volunteers this will be brought to the Memorial and erected and decorated.
It was proposed that the Council donate to the Christmas tree in church and erect our tree. Mr Booth will get the tree down for this purpose.
RESOLVED: It was voted for unanimously to donate to the church Christmas tree.
e. To consider the budget setting for the 2022-23 year – date for Extraordinary Meeting to set budget.
Now that the finance committee has been set, this Extraordinary meeting will be set between them via email
f. To consider asking the village caretaker to empty the billy bear bin at the Town Hall as part of her round.
This was discussed and agreed upon last meeting that the Clerk would speak to the Caretaker.
RESOLVED: The Chairman is to remind the Clerk to contact the Caretaker.
g. To consider fencing suggestions after gate needed to be removed at rear of Town Hall
Without input from the Clerk it was decided by the Chairman to defer this matter until next meeting.
h. To consider starting up Community Speed Watch again
The Chairman advised that he was running Community Speed watch and did not have to time at the moment to continue. With Councillors missing from the meeting and no Clerk, it was decided by the Chairman to defer this matter until next meeting.
i. To consider Filming, Photography and audio Recording Policy at council meetings.
The Chairman advised that the recommended TOR by the Clerk was very lengthy. This matter was already covered in our Standing Orders Item 3 section L, M & N. It was propsed by Cllr Pryke and seconded by Cllr Brotherton to defer until next meeting. This carried unanimously.
152-21 REPORTS/MATTERS FOR VARIOUS BODIES
There was nothing additional to report as we did not have a clerk.
153-21 PLANNING APPLICATIONS
B- 21- 0494 – Proposed alterations and upper floor extension at 32, Grosvenor Road, Frampton
Resolution to support. The Council saw no reasons to object.
B-21-0470 – Application for the amended house types relating to 5no. dwellings (plots 16,17,18,20 and 21) following approval B-17-0362 at land adjacent to London Road/Drainside South
Resolution to Object based upon the correct amount of social housing included in the application
B-21-0460 – Proposed change of use of existing farm office to holiday let accommodation including demolition and rebuild of adjoining timber barn to form 2 no. holiday lets and 2 no. new build cabin structures at Sycamore Farm, Sykemouth Drove, Kirton
Resolution to support. The Council saw no reasons to object.
B-21-0471 – Application for the amended house types relating to 5 no. dwellings (plots 22 to 26) following approval B-17-0362 at land adjacent to London Road/Drainside South
Resolution to Object based upon the correct amount of social housing included in the application
B-21-0469 – Proposed new residential dwelling including a garage and associated parking at 332A Willington Road, Kirton End
Resolution to support. The Council saw no reasons to object.
Determined Applications
B-21-Application to approve details relating to Condition 5 (boundary treatment) following approval of planning permission B/19/0444 (Prior approval for a proposed change of use of agricultural building to a two storey dwelling) – REFUSED BY BOSTON BOROUGH COUNCIL
154-21 TO RESOLVE TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS STAFFING MATTERS
The meeting finished at 8:55 pm and went into closed session to discuss staffing matters.
155-21 DATE & TIME OF NEXT MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL:
Tuesday 25th January 2022 at 7 pm in the Upsall Room, Kirton Town Hall.