February 2024 Minutes
KIRTON PARISH COUNCIL
NOTES OF A MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL
HELD ON TUESDAY 6TH FEBRUARY 2024
Present: Councillors: Cllr P. Watson, Chair, Cllr D Jarvis Vice Chair, Cllr C. Astill, Cllr A Bowen, Cllr M Elston, Cllr Pryke, Cllr M Sohail, Cllr J Stephenson and Cllr S Watson.
Also Present: Clerk D. Fairweather. County Cllr Brookes
PUBLIC FORUM
No comments.
REPORTS FROM ELECTED BOROUGH AND COUNTY COUNCILLORS
MB – contacted by residents of Fairways regarding the parking in their road on Sundays by people attending the Orthodox Chapel. Advising that parking is dangerous. Cllr Brookes had agreed to meet residents on site but felt it correct to have a Parish Councillor as well as the PC have been dealing, successfully with the problems. It was felt that the problem occurred due to the Doctor’s surgery car park being unavailable for two weekends. Cllr Astill to attend with Cllr Brookes.
Weight Limit at Kirton end requested by residents. Highways will not put a weight limit on the road but there has been a traffic survey conducted and awaiting results.
Bungley Lane – resurfacing complete. Still floods at Boston Road end of Lane. MB has requested Highways if anything can be done. They have put in a forward planning brief for works. So hopefully will be sorted. Cllr Astill also commented on the flooding at the side gate entrance to the cemetery.
Also mentioned a drain cover at Kirton End junction broken. Cllr Brookes advised can be reported to Fix My Street.
RP – parking on pavement in Willington Road and London Road, impeding disabled residents.
Chair advised there is a link where these problems can be reported. Middlecott House nursery update. There is access to premises now. Five potential tenants with three applications made.
Mud on roads – spoken with contractors beyond Black Bull. Have been told they clean as they go. According to residents it is more likely to be tractors. Residents should report registration numbers of vehicles to Police.
Street and speed signs dirty. Requested LCC as it is their responsibility.
Has asked LCC if PC could have a copy of their street cleaning timetables.
Chicken manure on Bucklegate almost resolved. Still some smells in area.
Asked if proper disabled sign is to be placed in Town Hall car park. Town Hall were looking into this. Town Hall representatives to ask at next Town Hall meeting.
Parish Council Liaison meeting, main subject was the BBC are purportedly going to offer finance to Parishes to change all streetlights in their area to LED bulbs. Two publications sent out by BBC can these be forwarded to Councillors please.
Concerns of housing in area, purchase prices and rent being too high for local people. Not enough social housing in Kirton. 30% of developments should be social housing but contractors then put in a variation of plans and BBC pass them. Perhaps a scrutiny committee is required?
12-23 TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE To receive and accept apologies for absence as given to the Clerk prior to the meeting by Cllrs Baillie and OConnor and Borough Cllrs Rylott and Middleton. All resolved to accept reasons given.
13-23 TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST UNDER THE LOCALISM ACT 2011
None
14-23 TO APPROVE NOTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS 9TH JANUARY 2024.
Proposed Cllr Astill seconded Cllr Elston that these be accepted as a true copy to be called minutes. Unanimous.
15-23 TO RECEIVE UPDATES FROM CLERK
Tree in Hemington Way – all cleared by Highways, awaiting resident to put in claim for damage to shed.
Cllr Bowen – COE along with many large company’s are financially very sound. Has spoken with businesses in the village to sponsor a tree.
Cllr Elston reported footpath in churchyard is in poor situation too. To report to Cllr Baillie.
Has been reported to clerk that updates could be in a little more detail and not just bullet points.
Chair questioning if Street lights in High Street have been reported on Fix My Street. Clerk advised that they are LCC not BBC responsibility and had spent some time speaking with the Street Light manager at BBC regarding the amount of time it has taken for them to advise of this fact, with a business having proof of reports of 18 months ago. No updates on whether they are now working but is constantly ringing along with another business owner in the village.
Town Hall Gutters – awaiting contact for return date and price.
Chair asking of Facebook, people requesting for permission to comment. Clerk advised that at the last meeting it was agreed that the page would be purely for information and not conversation.
16-23 TO DISCUSS ORTHODOX CHAPEL ANNUAL RENT
Cllr Astill and Clerk met with Florin Buda from Chapel regarding the rental issue. The Lease was agreed and signed in 2012 with a 60-year term and an annual rent of £50 with rent reviews every 10 years at the rate of CPI in October prior to increase. This being 6.2%, therefore being an increase of £3.10, to be rounded up to £5, as per lease. which he felt they would agree to this being back dated to 2022 but would check with his Council. Previous minutes state that a smaller amount of rent would be acceptable if the Chapel took on the maintenance. Unfortunately, it does not state whether this is purely for the part of their lease or the whole cemetery.
Mr Buda advised that £50k had already been spent on the building as there were significant leaks which required attention in the roof and scaffolding had to be erected to repair these. Hard drive was put in and electricity supplied to the building.
Clerk asked if Chapel are prepared to surrender lease, but this would not be acceptable. They are still interested in purchasing, but we advised the Parish Council would not be willing to sell.
17-23 TO DISCUSS FOOTPATH AND STREET LIGHTING – to receive information from BBC meeting only.
Following on from Liaison meeting and the financial assistance offered by BBC, Cllr Pryke felt a survey of lights would be required in Kirton order to ascertain if any can be switched off or indeed if any new columns are required. Cllr Astill felt that as a village Kirton is not ‘overlit’ and would be inclined to feel more not less lights may be required. Cllr Jarvis felt there is a government grant for green energy. Clerk to find further details.
Cllr Elston advised that although Boston Borough are wanting the majority of lights to be changed over to LED by 2024 but there is no mention in their carbon reduction plan.
East Lindsey have included streetlights in their carbon reduction plan. They actually paid £694k to replace all lights in the district saving 530000kws energy and £110000 in operating costs per year, by being 68% more efficient.
LED use a significant amount less energy and would therefore possibly pay for their replacement in less than two years.
BBC are offering to loan Parish Council money at an annual rate of 4.5% to change all lights over to LED.
It was felt that because they should be reducing their carbon footprint, they are wanting Parishes to change over all lights to help do that.
What does Kirton Parish Council wish to do. Clerk to put together as much information as possible regarding the parish lights and more details of the loan to discuss again at a future meeting.
18-23 FINANCE
To Approve Payment of Accounts as per schedules for December and January.
Breakdown on income and expenditure for race night and Senior Christmas Meal as requested.
Proposed Cllr Elston seconded Cllr Astill, unanimous.
Clerk requested if Clerk and Chair could be given delegated powers for expenditure for small works to Town Hall. As Cllr Astill is surveying the property it would be useful to be able to do small repairs, once approved with Town Hall, without the need for bringing back to a full Council meeting. Cllr S Watson requested what figure is suggested, clerk felt £1000 was sufficient at this time. Proposed Cllr S Watson seconded Cllr Jarvis this be put in place.
19-23 PLANNING – To Discuss Applications Received Since Last Meeting
B/24/0057 – proposed cold storage, Vegan Vegetables, Hubberts Bridge Road, Kirton Holme.
20-23 MEMBERS REPORTS
PW – was a statement from the Council for the New Year to be put in Kirton News? Agreed may have been communication error between Cllr Sohail and Clerk
AB – millennium signs in poor condition. Clerk had approached the Clean Up Squad if they would be able to do the work.
CA – Kirton Town Hall meeting. Question of Wi-Fi not working regularly. Solar panels? Any further action. Bills from Town Hall had been forwarded to company to produce a quotation for the best way forward. Meeting between the two parties on 5th March before next Parish Council meeting, 6 o’clock start.
Surgery – mowing completed at the back of Dennis Estate on second attempt. Brambles still require attention.
Resident from Kings Court had previously written to Council regarding an overgrown tree, which Cllr Astill had cut down that day.
Sewerage in King Street. Resident had mentioned when it rains sewerage comes up through the manhole covers. It has been fixed but it requires another rainstorm to evaluate if it has worked.
RP – feels important that Councillors must talk to each other in order that work is not duplicated. King Street problem had been reported last year. Kirton News still does not have up to date details of Councillors.
SW – regarding the problem in King Street, the local MP had been made aware of the problem.
Clerk -had been advised there is a trailer as part of a deceased estate which the relatives would be happy for it to go and be used locally. Agreed £100 be donated. It was felt the trailer could be stored at the bier shed in the cemetery.
Date of next meeting 5th March 2024, preceded by Meeting with Kirton Town Hall Management Committee.