February 2023 Minutes
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF WIGTOFT PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON the 6th February 2023.
Present: Cllr B Leggott; Cllr S Smith; Cllr I Mills; Cllr S Brigham.
Also Present: County Councillor M Brookes. Borough Councillor M Cooper.
Public forum: None.
Chairman’s remarks: The Chairman welcomed everyone.
113/22 Apologies for absence and reasons given
Cllr Baxter sent his apologies. It was resolved to accept his apologies.
114/22 To receive any declarations of interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2011: None.
115/22 Notes of the meeting held on 5.12.22 to be confirmed and signed as minutes.
The above notes were agreed and signed as minutes. It was resolved to accept the notes as minutes. ACTION: Clerk to post minutes on website.
116/22 Financial matters: Accounts for payment for December and January and budget figures.
It was resolved to authorise the above payments and budget figures. ACTION: Clerk to make payments and add budget to website.
117/22 Planning – none.
118/22 Correspondence
5.12.22 LALC weekly newsletter Emailed to Councillors 7.12.22
12.12.22 LALC weekly enews Emailed to Councillors 12.12.22
19.12.22 LALC weekly enews Emailed to Councillors 19.12.22
23.1.23 LALC weekly enews Emailed to Councillors 30.1.023
24.1.23 South and East Lincs launch of fundraising platform for funding for communities
Emailed to Councillors and posted on Facebook
30.1.23 LALC weekly enews Emailed to Councillors 30.1.23
**NALC is short for National Association of Local Councils.
**LALC is short for Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils.
119/22 Councillors’ Reports
Cllr BL – a group of people from Lincs Highways came to Green Lane to measure up for the outstanding work. The work will probably happen before the end of the financial year.
Cllr SS– the Village Hall and Newsletter committees would like to buy another bench for the Wildlife Garden and would like permission from the Parish Council. It was unanimously resolved to grant permission.
Cllr Brigham – the cover has come off lamppost number 1 (white label denoting to contact Boston Borough Council). Clerk to report.
County Councillor Mike Brookes – talked about the Lincs County Council plan to deliver another programme of Social Value Volunteering Days and are looking for nominations through Parish Councils’ County Councillor. Examples of requests are: improvements to Church Gardens; painting parish benches and bus stops and painting of play park equipment. All materials are to be provided by the Parish Council. Nominations to Cllr MB by 31.3.23. Agenda item for next meeting. The agreed 50 metres of sidings working on the footpath in front of the chicken farm has been completed adequately. ACTION: Add Volunteering Days to agenda for March.
Borough Councillor Mike Cooper – Sutterton Parish Council are leading the Coronation Plans for Sutterton and Wigtoft.
120/22 Clerk’s report
A response has been received from Boston Borough Council about the issues raised by a resident in respect of noise from a local business on Main Road. This e mail was forwarded to all Councillors on 20.12.22 and a copy sent to the resident.
The manhole cover at the junction of Main Road and Burtoft Lane has been reported via Fix My Street. It has been confirmed that remedial work has been ordered. No further updates received.
Dog Fouling notices have been sent out to Cllr I Mills.
The local elections will take place on the 4th of May. Nomination papers will need to be submitted by the 4th April. Previously, Boston Borough Council have contacted the clerk to ask how many packs are required for existing Councillors who wish to apply. I will diarise to ask for packs if this request is not received.
121/22 To review the Standing Orders and make any amendments required.
The Standing Orders were reviewed. It was resolved to add an additional paragraph giving the clerk the power to consult Councillors by email about a planning application when it is not possible to arrange an extraordinary meeting prior to the deadline set by Boston Borough Council planning department. It was also resolved to add a paragraph giving the clerk the power to consult Councillors by email on a decision to award a contract up to £5000 when the topic has already been discussed at a meeting and Council is awaiting a further quote. The decision is to be ratified at the next meeting.
122/22 To decide whether to join the Annual Training Scheme offered by LALC at a cost of £100 + vat. To confirm the renewal of the membership of Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils (LALC) at a cost of £157.32 and to confirm the renewal of LALC’s website Maintenance service at a cost of £170 + vat.
It was resolved to confirm the renewal of the membership of LALC at a cost of £157.32 and the renewal of LALC’s website maintenance service at a cost of £170 + vat. It was resolved to discuss the Annual Training Scheme at the next meeting. ACTION: Clerk to renew the LALC membership and the website maintenance service from 1.4.23 at the next meeting. This is to be added to the March agenda.
123/22 To review the December and January play area inspections undertaken by Cllrs BL and S Baxter, including the inspection of the footpath in front of the chicken farm. To discuss the quotes for a 5-bar gate in the Wildlife Garden at the exit to the A17. To review the list of actions required following the annual play area inspection. To decide who will do the February quarterly inspection.
Due to Cllr Baxter’s absence, no report for December was available. Cllr Bl reported from his January inspection that a lot of the surfaces of the equipment and the wet pour have moss/dirt and algae on them. Other items on the list from the annual inspection still need attention. It was resolved to complete an action plan at the next meeting to look at what jobs could be added to the request for voluntary support from LCC Highways (see Councillors reports). Cllr Brigham volunteered to undertake the February inspection. Two quotes have been received for the new gates in the Wildlife Garden. It was resolved to accept the quote from Nathan Chapman fencing at a cost of £728.80 + vat, subject to confirmation that the fencing either side of the gate will completely fill the gap ACTION: Clerk to send out the template to Cllr Brigham and add the action plan to the March agenda.
124/22 To consider the Planning Training being offered by LALC on the 21.2.23 and decide if Councillors should attend.
Cllr Mills volunteered to undertake the training and to share key learning points with the other Councillors at the next meeting. ACTION: Clerk to book a place on the course.
125/22 To discuss any plans for activities to celebrate the Coronation and information from the meeting with Sutterton Parish Council on the 25.1.23 attended by Cllrs Leggott and Mills.
Cllrs Leggott and Mills told the Council that the idea was discussed to give every child who attends Fourfield’s School, Sutterton, a Coronation commemorative mug. The cost would be approximately £7 a mug. It was decided to find out how many mugs would be needed before making a decision. It was resolved to order some bunting for the village at a maximum cost of £35. ACTION: Clerk and Cllr Brigham to look at prices and clerk to order suitable bunting. Agenda item next meeting re the mugs.
126/22 To confirm the dates for the meetings from June 23 to May 24
The clerk advised Council that the dates for the May 23 meeting will have to be moved to the 15.5.23 due to the additional Bank Holiday. It was resolved to not have a meeting in June 23 due to the short timescale between the May and June meetings. It was resolved to accept and publish the dates for next year’s meetings. ACTION: Clerk to publish dates on the website.
127/22 To plan the Annual Parish Meeting.
It was resolved to hold the meeting prior to the March 23 meeting at 6.30 pm and invite the village groups as per last year. ACTION: Clerk to advertise meeting and send out invitations to the relevant groups.
128/22 To confirm the decision made by email regarding the 2023 grass cutting contract.
It was resolved to accept the quote from T N Sneath & Sons for the next grass cutting season.
129/22 An update on the free trees for the Wildlife Garden and the planting of the first delivery.
The clerk advised that 2 packs of 50 trees were ordered in December instead of 5. This was unable to be amended. A further 3 packs of 50 have been ordered for delivery on 16.2.23. Cllr Leggott reported that the first 100 have been planted and the plants were good quality. The remaining trees are to be planted on the 18th of February.
130/22 To consider the request from LIVES for a donation
Lives were asking for a donation of £80 to help fund replacement defibrillators. It was resolved to make this donation. ACTION Clerk to send donation.
131/22 To discuss the application to fill the casual vacancy.
It was resolved to move into closed session to discuss the above agenda item. County Councillor MB and Borough Councillor MC left the meeting at 20.05.
The clerk advised Council that it is not advisable for the candidate for the vacancy to be co-opted now as they would have to apply to stand as a Councillor again in March, due to the local elections in May. ACTION: Clerk to advise candidate.
Meeting closed at 20.20. Date of next meeting – 6th March 2023 at 19.00 preceded by the Annual Parish Meeting at 18.30.