2024 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

WIGTOFT PARISH COUNCIL
PHONE: 07383 276892
EMAIL: wigtoftpc@gmail.com
WEBSITE: www.wigtoft.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF WIGTOFT PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON the 5th of February 2024.

Present: Cllr S Brigham; Cllr S Baxter; Cllr B Leggott; Cllr S Smith; Cllr I Mills and Cllr K Redhead. Also present County Councillor M Brookes and Boston Borough Councillors David Brown and James Cantwell.

Chairman’s remarks – none.

Public Forum – none.

93/23    To receive apologies and reasons for absence. Cllr Collingwood sent his apologies and reason for absence. It was resolved to accept his apology and reason for absence. 

94/23    To receive declarations of interest under the Localism Act 2011 – being any pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest not previously recorded on Member’s Register of Interests 

None.

95/23    Notes of the meeting held on 11.12.23 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. 

96/23    Financial matters: Accounts due for payment. ent

It was resolved to agree the payments schedule and the budget. ACTION: Clerk to make payments and add budget to website 

97/23    Planning: to confirm comments submitted on 3 planning applications.  B/23/0432, variation of Condition 2 to allow for changes to the drainage design and surface water runoff at Llewelyn House, Main Road, Wigtoft; B/23/0426, to determine if prior approval is required for a proposed change of use from agricultural building to dwelling house at Asperton Lodge, Asperton Road, Wigtoft; B/23/0424, Conversion and extension of barn to holiday let at land adjacent to Asperton Lodge, Asperton Road, Wigtoft. These applications were circulated to Councillors for comments. The clerk submitted the response of “no comments” on all three applications to the planning department at Boston Borough Council. It was resolved to confirm the above comments.

98/23     Correspondence received since the December Meeting.

15.12.23    Christmas Greetings from Matt Warman MP

Emailed to Councillors 16.12.23

11.12.23    Electric Vehicle Needs Consultation

Emailed to Councillors. 16.12.23.

Posted on FB and Website.

11.12.23    Letter of thanks from the Village Hall for the £950 donation.

Emailed to Councillors 16.12.23

22.12.23    Air Ambulance newsletter

Emailed to Councillors 23.12.23

15.1.24    Email from National Grid about proposals to upgrade the high voltage electricity transmission network between Grimsby West in North East Lincolnshire and Walpole in West Norfolk. Emailed to Councillors 16.1.24

12.1.24    LALC enews

Emailed to Councillors 16.1.24

12.1.14    Email from  LCC about Greater Lincolnshire Devolution Consultation

Emailed to Councillors 16.1.24

23.1.24    LCC Budget & Council Tax Proposals – Councillor comments

Emailed to Councillors 29.1.24

25.1.24    Lincs Community Foundation funding flash

Emailed to Councillors 29.1.24    

26.1.24    LALC newsletter and training bulletin

Emailed to Councillors 29.1.24

26.1.24    Lincs Environmental Crime Partnership information    

Emailed to Councillors 29.1.24

**NALC is short for National Association of Local Councils.
**LALC is short for Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils.
**BBC is short for Boston Borough Council
** LCC is short for Lincolnshire County Council

99/23    Councillors’ Reports 

Cllr Brigham – there are national plans to celebrate the 80th anniversary of D Day on the 6.6.24. The suggestions are: Light a Beacon; a Lamp light of Peace; Ringing out for Peace (Bellringing) at 6.30pm. It was resolved that the clerk should contact the PCC to find out if the Bellringer would be prepared to get involved.

Cllr Leggott – Burtoft Lane to the A17 was flooded but is now in great condition thanks to work done by Staples Bros. 

100/23    Clerk’s report - None

101/23    To review the monthly play area inspection undertaken by Cllr Mills and to agree any actions.  To receive the rota for checking the play area monthly.

Cllr Mills reported that the wetpour and odd bits of play equipment need jet washing due to algae growth. He had also noticed some molehills in the playing field. Cllr Mills had sent some photos of the algae to the clerk who will forward to everyone.  ACTION: Clerk to ask Cllr Collingwood if there is any Wet and Forget left and to check with the contractor if the playing field is being checked regularly for mole hills.  

102/23    To decide whether to accept the increase in monthly cost for HP Instant Ink from £8.32 to £9.99 (ex-vat) with effect from February 2024. 

It was resolved to accept the new price of £9.99 per month.

103/23    To retrospectively agree a payment of £450 to remove a fallen tree from the playing field.

It was resolved to approve this payment. 

104/24    To plan the Annual Parish Meeting to be held at 6.30pm on the 4.3.24.

It was resolved that the meeting should be based on the same format as last year. Clerk to advertise the meeting and send out invitations to groups within the village.

105/23    To receive information from Cllr Redhead following her attendance at the Parish Liaison meeting hosted by Boston Borough Council on 25.1.24.

Topics covered were: Grassroots funding for Parish Councils; Community Lottery; other funding opportunities; Newsletter for Parish Councils will be circulated; Scrutiny Panel regarding services and Council Tax Support Scheme currently under review; Report fly tipping to Boston Borough Council; Boston Borough Council will lend funds to Parish Councils for streetlights at 4.5% interest; Planning Team are short staffed at the moment. County Cllr M B commented that he will forward an email about the Lincs Community Foundation.

106/23    to receive information from Cllr Brigham following her attendance on  Microsoft Teams call about the National Grid Electricity Transmission Grimsby to Walpole early stage proposal. 

Representatives talked about the why the pylons need to be upgraded.  This project is looking 10 years ahead. 2 substations planned, suggested  corridor is shown on the map; They will avoid Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There are other sessions planned, face to face public consultation events.

County Cllr MB and Borough Cllrs DB and JC left the meeting at 19.45.

107/23    To agree the final two budget lines, Footway Lighting replacement lamps and a new Speed Indicator Device, to complete the budget planning for 1.4.24 to 31.3.25 (email sent 27.12.23, deadline 6.2.24).     

It  was resolved by a majority vote not to fund the purchase of a Speed indicator Device at a maximum cost of £3000 by  increasing the precept or use of reserve funds as it was felt that to increase the precept would place an additional burden on residents by increasing their Council Tax and to use some of the reserves would deplete the reserves to an unacceptable level. It was unanimously resolved to fund the cost of replacing the 9 existing footway lamps with LED lamps from reserves at a cost of £3150 and earmark £2000 for any other repairs that may occur on the footway lighting in the budget for 1.4.24 to 31.3.25. ACTION: Clerk to update the budget and add to the website. A further discussion was held about other ways to reduce the speed of traffic driving through the village such as new passive speed signs, is it possible to have the mobile speed camera in the village more often, 30 or 40mph stickers for wheelie bins and investigate any funding which may be available to purchase a Speed Indicator Device. ACTION: Clerk to find out what options are available and how much they would cost. 

Meeting closed at 20:25.  Next meeting 4.3.24 at 19:00.