2021 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

SWINESHEAD PARISH COUNCIL

PARISH OFFICE 
Swineshead Pre-School Centre
North End
Swineshead
PE20 3LZ   

EMAIL: swinesheadpc@gmail.com
WEBSITE: www.swineshead.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk

CHAIRMAN: Councillor Carl Gibbard               
TEMPORARY CLERK: Natalie Grant

MINUTES FOR THE MEETING OF SWINESHEAD PARISH COUNCIL held on MONDAY 13TH DECEMBER 2021

Present:

C Carl Gibbard, C Chelcei Trafford, C Michael Brookes, C Keith Osbourn, C Philippa Parnell, C Roy Hilton, C Sean Trafford, C Jean Powell, C Ian Maclean

Also Present:

Temporary Clerk, Natalie Grant

Public Forum, followed by response from Chairman

No members of public present.

1.   Chairman’s remarks

Cllr CG reported that we are continuing to make good progress with administration and finances, however the updated list of policies and procedure that LALC mentioned in the Councillor training has added a lot more work in terms of getting up-to-date.

The Councillor training was well received and very worthwhile and Cllr CG invited any suggestions of further training for either individual councillors or the councillors as a whole.

2.   To receive apologies for absence and reasons given

Apologies were received from Cllr RW who is isolating and Cllr GC who has work commitments.

3.   To receive any declarations of interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2011

Cllr CT declared an interest in all planning matters due to her involvement with the Boston Borough Council Planning Committee. 

Cllr CG declared a pecuniary interest in matters relating to the temporary Clerk’s office due to being a director of Gillrange who own the offices at North End. He reminded Councillors that the office was being provided free of charge at the moment.

4.   To receive a report of recent police activity in the village (including November)

20/10/21 Theft, Co-op High Street – suspect identified, under investigation

30/10/21 Criminal damage to dwelling, Monks Road – suspect identified, under investigation

10/11/21 Theft of handbag, Doctor’s Surgery, Packhorse Gardens – under investigation

16/11/21 Theft, Co-op, High Street – under investigation

18/11/21 Assault, South Street – under investigation

12/12/21 Public order offence, Bullens Lane – under investigation

The clerk requested a police presence at tonight’s meeting, however Neil Williams has been on a training course all day and wasn’t on duty to attend tonight. The Clerk forwarded the issues that the Councillors wish to raise by email and received the response listed in full under correspondence.

Cllr MB asked the clerk to request more detail on the Bullens Lane incident on 12/12/2021. Cllr KO asked the clerk to find out whey the incident which required a response from armed officers had never been included on the list provided to the council.

ACTIONS: CLERK TO CHASE FURTHER DETAILS AS REQUESTED BY CLLR MB AND CLLR KO.

5.   To agree whether the minutes of the meeting held on 08/11/21 are to be confirmed and signed an accurate record of the meeting

Cllr ST pointed out that the numbering had omitted minute number 21/112 but the notes were otherwise fine and proposed that the notes from the meeting held on 12/10/2021 were an accurate and true reflection of the proceedings and should be accepted as minutes. This was seconded by Cllr CT and it was resolved. Cllr CG to sign the minutes at a later date when they are reprinted with the correct numbering.

ACTION: MINUTES TO BE POSTED ON FACEBOOK, NOTICEBOARD and WEBSITE

6.   Financial matters: Update on financial matters, accounts for payment, budget setting timeline

Councillors were presented with the accounts for payment (see separate attachment) that had been checked prior to the meeting by Cllrs CT and PP. Cllr RH proposed that the accounts for payment should be approved. This was seconded by Cllr IM and resolved.

ACTION: CLERK TO MAKE PAYMENTS AS PER THE ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENT

7.   To agree to expenditure of £8400 + VAT for streetlight repairs as per the advice from Boston Borough Council

Councillor KO proposed that the full list of streetlight repairs and upgrades suggested by Boston Borough Council as a result of their lighting audit should go ahead at the cost of £8400 + VAT. This was seconded by Cllr RH and resolved.

ACTION: CLERK TO ORDER REPAIRS FROM BOSTON BOROUGH COUNCIL

8.   To agree to expenditure of a maximum of £150 for a replacement printer for the clerk’s office

Cllr IM proposed that a new mono laser printer should be ordered as a matter of urgency at a maximum cost of £150 + VAT, and the multipurpose printer at the Library and Community Hub should be used for any larger print jobs that required colour, charged at cost rather than the public access cost. This was seconded by Cllr ST and resolved.

ACTION: CLERK TO ORDER PRINTER ASAP

COUNCILLOR PHILIPPA PARNELL JOINED AT THE MEETING AT 20:00 AND APOLOGISED FOR HER LATENESS

9.   To agree expenditure up to a maximum of £750 from the Community Hub and Library Fund for the following items: amenity sign to point down to the library from the main road (approximately £250), parcel box for library returns (approximately £250), a telephone with a speaker facility and answerphone (approximately £70), bookshelf from which to sell second-hand books (approximately £75), pens/pencils and colouring books for children visiting (approximately £25).

Councillor KO proposed that the amenity sign, parcel box, telephone, bookshelf and colouring materials should be ordered from the Library and Community Hub funds at a maximum cost of £750+VAT. This was seconded by Cllr RH and resolved.

ACTION: CLERK TO ORDER ITEMS AS ABOVE

10.   Planning:

B/21/0484; Crest House, Coles Lane, Swineshead, Boston, PE20 3NS

No comments

B/21/0480; North End, Boston Road, Swineshead, Boston, PE20 3NE

Councillors CT, ST and CG declared a personal interest and left the room while this planning matter was discussed.

Councillors would like to suggest that a row of mature trees should be planted between the pond and the neighbouring properties to screen the new building. They would also suggest that the entrance to the site should be widened to allow for a wider turn in and out, this should compensate for a slight increase in traffic and hopefully reduce the deterioration of Boston Road. Finally the Councillors asked whether anything could be done to honour an existing historical agreement that states that only vehicles entering and exiting to the A17 to Newark should access the site through the village, other access should be limited where possible to Boston Road and the A52.

B/21/0499; Land adj to Dial House, Timms Drove, Low Grounds, Boston, PE20 3PG

No comments

B/21/0438; Drayton Motors, The Drayton, Swineshead, Boston PE20 3JN

No comments

B/21/0511; Beechams Garage, South Street, Swineshead, Boston PE20 3JR

Councillors would like to ask what the arrangements are for the drainage of the waste water? At the moment there has been instances where a pipe has been seen draining waste water into Mackay’s Pit which is adjacent to the car wash. The drainage of waste water needs to be specified. Also the Councillors would like to suggest a screen between the car wash and the immediate neighbours to avoid water spraying into their garden. 

ACTION: CLERK TO FORWARD COMMENTS ABOVE TO BOSTON BOROUGH COUNCIL

11.   To receive the list of correspondence received since the last meeting

Councillors considered the attached list of correspondence and responded as follows:

Cllr MB proposed that a letter should be written to the Village Hall Committee to ask when the AGM would be held and therefore when the earliest date was that Cllr CG could become a committee member. This was seconded by Cllr KO and resolved.

ACTION: CLERK TO WRITE RESPONSE TO VILLAGE HALL COMMITTEE

12.   Clerk’s report

Clerk confirmed that all actions from the previous meeting had been carried out.

13.   To adopt the new Terms of Reference for the Community Hub and Library Committee and appoint two additional councillors to the committee

Cllr JP proposed that the new Terms of Reference for the Community Hib and Library Committee should be adopted. This was seconded by Cllr PP and resolved.

Cllr CG proposed that Cllr PP and Cllr IM should be added to the committee. This was seconded by Cllr KO and resolved.

ACTION: CLERK TO PUBLISH NEW TERMS OF REFERENCE AND INFORM COMMITTEE OF CHANGES

14.   To consider and agree to adopt the suggested Parish Council Publications Scheme

Cllr RH proposed that the Parish Council Publications Scheme should be adopted. This was seconded by Cllr KO and resolved.

ACTION: CLERK TO PUBLISH NEW POLICY 

15.   To consider and agree the location of the 25 donated trees through the Treescape initiative from LCC

Cllr KO proposed that the tree planting suggested on the field owned by Cllr RW at the side of the A52 as you approach the village from Boston should go ahead as planned. This was seconded by Cllr MB and resolved.

ACTION: CLERK TO INFORM LCC

16.   To consider and agree to the proposal of a Councillors Grant Scheme by Cllr Sean Trafford

Cllr ST proposed that the council should apply for the Councillors Grant Scheme to gain funding to help with the costs expected in redeveloping the Coney Hill Layby as a Covid Reflection Area. This was seconded by Cllr RH and resolved.

ACTION: CLERK TO COMPLETE RELEVANT PAPERWORK AND SUBMIT TO BBC 

17.   To discuss and agree the Highway Verge Parish Agreement Scheme for 2022/23

Cllr MB suggested that the area of grass at Abbey Crescent (mark G5 on the maps) needed to be cross referenced with Lincolnshire Housing Association to check that this wasn’t a duplication of cutting that they already carry out in the village. 

Cllr KO proposed that subject to the outcome of the suggestion above, the scheme should be submitted to LCC. This was seconded by Cllr IM and resolved.

ACTION: CLERK TO CHECK AREA G5 WITH LHP AND SUBMIT PAPERWORK TO LCC

18.   To discuss the highways grass cutting schedule for 2022/23, and agree the tender process

19.   To discuss the role of the handyman / gardener for 2022/23, and agree the tender process

20.   To discuss and agree a way forward with the repairs and maintenance to the Play Area

21.   To discuss speeding in the village and consider potential speed calming measures 

22.   To discuss and evaluate the Councillor training on 30/11/2021 and agree next steps

23.   To discuss and agree the process of employing a Clerk to the Parish Council and agree the NALC Pay Scale Point

Correspondence

December 2021

Various BBC Communications – forwarded as appropriate
Various YMCA Bulletins – forwarded as appropriate