2024 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF WIGTOFT PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON the 1st of July 2024.

Present: Cllr S Brigham; Cllr S Baxter; Cllr B Leggott; Cllr S Smith. Also present County Councillor M Brookes and Boston Borough Councillors J Cantwell and D Brown.

Chairman’s remarks – none.

Public Forum – none.

035/24  To receive apologies and reasons for absence. Apologies were received from Cllrs Redhead and Mills due to holidays. Cllr Collingwood sent his apologies due to work commitments.

036/24  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 given.

037/24  Notes of the meetings held on 13.5.24  to be confirmed and signed as minutes.

The above notes were agreed and signed as minutes by Cllr Brigham. It was resolved to accept the notes as minutes.

038/24  Financial matters: Accounts due for payment for May and June.

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

039/24  Planning: None

040/24 Correspondence received since the May Meeting.

31.5.24                 LALC fortnightly enews.                    Emailed to Councillors 4.6.4.

31.5.24                 BBC Parish News                               Emailed to Councillors. Posted on website and link added to FB page 4.6.24.

24.5.24                 LALC training bulletin                        Emailed to Councillors 4.6.24

24.5.24                 Information from LALC about the regulations for Parish Councils in the lead up to the General Election.          Emailed to Councillors 4.6.24

7.6.24                   Notice of road closure 8th to 12th July, Burtoft Lane South.        E mailed to Councillors 10.6.24. Added to Facebook and Website.

17.6.24                 Renewal acceptance, public liability and employers’ liability insurance notices               Emailed to Councillors 21.6.24. Notices posted on website.

21.6.24                 Invite to LALC conference 24.7.24   Emailed to Councillors 22.6.24

**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.

041/24  Councillors’ Reports

Cllr Baxter – remarked that the passive speed signs need replacing.

Cllr Brigham – the Wildlife Garden will need mowing soon. Action: agenda for next meeting re arranging a cut.

042/24  Borough and County Councillors reports.

Cllr Brown – Boston Borough Council have bought the old B & M building in Boston. No information at present what it will be used for.

Cllr Cantwell – the meeting to discuss the proposed new pylons was cancelled. The parking area in the Market Place is owned by the church, not the Borough Council. Sutterton Parish Council invite Wigtoft Parish Councillors to the next meeting of the Resilience and Emergency Group. The meeting is on the 24.7.24 at 7pm at Algarkirk Village Hall.

Cllr Brookes – there is a Rights of Way consultation on the LCC website. Closing date 24.7.24. Regarding the parking area in the Market Place, I thought it was owned by the County Council. I will investigate.

043/24  Clerk’s report

From the last meeting: 28.3.24. I have emailed Boston Borough Council to clarify the exact purpose of the loan offer for replacing street light columns. I will not place the order for the new lamps until it is clear what is happening with the lamp columns. I have chased this on 6.5.24 as I have not had a reply.

The vat refund of £561.91 was received on the 8.4.24.

The net payment for the first half year precept less the payment for electricity for the footway lighting of £5987.53 was received on the 19.4.24.

The land rent of £402.50 was received on the 29.4.24.

044/24  To review the risk management document.

Following a review, it was resolved that no changes are needed now. ACTIONS: Clerk to update on website and diarise to review should a Speed Indicator device be purchased.

045/24  To review the  play area/playing field inspection undertaken by Cllr Redhead for May and the clerk for June and to agree any actions needed. To discuss the damaged seat in the Wildlife Garden.

The inspections noted that the grass is collecting in large clumps as it is being cut every two weeks instead of every week. Cllr Leggott thought he may be able to fix the seat. Council felt that all the benches in the village may need treating soon. Cllr Brigham researched some information about seats made with recycled plastic. Cllr Brigham to do the next check for July. The wetpour around the roundabout will need replacing next year and it was suggested that the roundabout may need replacing too.  Action: Clerk to obtain a quote for painting the benches, send template for the inspection to Cllr Brigham, ask the contractor if the grass could be cut weekly during the growing season and add a note to the budget planning list in November about the wetpour/roundabout.

046/23  To further discuss the potential purchase of a wheelie bin for the lay by opposite the Council Houses.

The requested information received from the litter picking group was discussed. Council felt that there could be a problem with fly tipping if a large wheelie bin was situated on this lay by (as proposed by the Borough Council). They were concerned about the litter pickers retrieving litter from the dyke near the lay by from a safety point of view. Borough Councillor Cantwell was asked for his opinion on this and he said that rubbish in the dyke would be classed as fly tipping and should be reported as such to the Borough Council. It is possible that this could be the responsibility of the adjacent landowner but the Borough Council would deal with that. It was also suggested that a sign indicating that fly tipping/littering is an offence and attracts a fine could be obtained. It was resolved to find out more and discuss at the next meeting. ACTION: Clerk to update the litter picking group, find out about a sign and the cost of a smaller wheelie bin. Agenda item next meeting.

047/23  To further discuss the new Community Green Spaces Fund. 

This item was not discussed as the clerk advised Council that the proposed scheme has been cancelled due to the election on the 4.7.24. A new government may not agree to supporting the scheme.

048/23  The confirm to order the LED lamps to replace the existing non LED ones in the footway lighting.

It was resolved that the clerk should place the order immediately.  Original resolution to spend £3150 107/23.

049/23  To discuss the email from Lincs Police about Neighbourhood Policing Priority setting.

After a discussion it was resolved that there was nothing specific and useful to report.

Meeting closed at 20:38.  Next meeting 31.7.24