East Kirkby Parish Council Meeting
21st April 2022 19.00 start
East Kirkby Village Hall
Present: Cllrs B Nowicki (Chairman), C Brandwood, V Lingard, D Brown, District Cllr T Taylor, County Cllr W Gray, Members of the public (MoP), JH Mussett (Clerk)
Apologies tended and accepted: None
Declarations of interest: None declared – based on the published agenda.
Public meeting: Chairman bade all present welcome and started the public meeting at 19.05.
Community Speed-watch: Ms Helen Leek updated the councillors and advised that there appear to be two different speed-watch schemes and will continue to investigate. There are three levels of schemes (Hi-viz signs; battery-operated flashing signs; full Community Speed-watch with the speed guns and training etc.):
Use of Hi-viz notices – which are already present in the village. Chairman advised that there are 6 notices around the village and they have been up for several years. Cllr Taylor advised that Spilsby went for the full speed-watch scheme and it has proved very successful despite Covid-intervening. There are time limits as to how long you can go without training.
Ms Leek wants to speak to the primary school and get an awareness project going with the primary school children and parents. Council discussed the purchase of speed signs for the bins, but a decision needs to taken as to the numbers of bin signs needed. Ms Leek wondered if we could divert money away from the bin stickers and into more road speed signs (both 30 and 40mph signs), which all agreed to. Ms Leek will keep Council updated.
Jubilee celebration: Application has been made to the council to close Fen road. Contact has also been made with Chris, the landlord of the Red Lion.
Action: Clerk to carry forward to May meeting.
Chairman closed the public meeting at 19.35 and thanked everyone for their input and advised that they were all welcome to stay.
Approval of minutes from March 2022 meeting: Chairman ascertained that all present had read the minutes from the March meeting and that they were an accurate representation of the meeting. Cllr Brandwood proposed approval, seconded by Cllr Brown. Chairman signed the minutes and will post a copy on the notice board.
Update from Cllr Gray:
Cllr Gray had sent his report earlier which Clerk had forwarded to all the councillors.
Ukrainian families to Lincolnshire update: By 14th April 279 host families had been approved and 23 families have already arrived;
Cllr Gray re-iterated that there is a lot of information available about Covid-19 updates and Queen’s Jubilee celebrations on the Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) website;
LCC are asking for people in Lincolnshire to join in on ‘Let’s Talk Lincolnshire’ and become part of a broader community of people offering opinions on consultations on projects throughout the county;
Medical equipment: families often have medical equipment that they no longer need and you can now call the council and they will pick up larger items. Smaller items can be dropped on at various locations;
East Lindsey has been awarded funds for Green Homes and Sustainable Warmth programme which offers grants to help with better insulation etc. Grants of up to £25,000 for loft and cavity insulation, under-floor heating as well as low energy bulbs are available for low income households. There is also a scheme for Household support funding to help with Utility costs, food, essential items etc.;
Pride in East Lindsey Team: will take a look at untidy, dirty areas and will travel with the refuse people. So, councils can contact and get them to help clear up an area;
September will see the council move from Manby Park to Horncastle along with amongst others Boston College, Police and private companies. Horncastle offers better transport links;
Community Lottery Scheme: Tickets are £1 and the moneys will go to community projects. Prizes are amongst other £25K, will launch in the summer.
Questions for Cllr Gray:
Highways: Cllr Brandwood asked about the filling of potholes both in East Kirkby and elsewhere in the vicinity. Cllr Gray advised that potholes ARE being filled in as quickly as possible. Cllr Gray also advised that the road-mending gangs filling in potholes are paid by the pothole and should fill in other potholes where they see them. No additional funding has been made available by LCC, but Cllr Gray advised that the best thing is to report any problems via FixMyStreet. FixMyStreet is heavily and constantly monitored.
Chairman asked Cllr Gray about the footpath to Park Lane, which had been promised to be completed the 2021-2022 financial year. Highways have replied and said that the item has been pulled and is scheduled sometime in this financial year. Mr Richard Fenwick (LCC Highways Manager) has advised Cllr Gray that he would be happy to come to speak to the parish council.
Action: Clerk to contact Mr Fenwick from Highways to a meeting.
Planning application fee: Clerk asked about the charge of £117.00 that EKPC had to pay for the Listed Building planning application. Cllr Taylor will chase up with planning. Cllr Gray mentioned that Mr Gildersleeve (Head of Planning at ELDC) had advised that we should pay 50%. Chairman mentioned that the document to which he had originally referred came from the ELDC website. Officer in charge is Claire Mansey.
Update from Cllr Taylor: Advised that he is new, but very willing to help with anything pertinent.
Update from last month:
Village information board: Chairman has been unable to visit Sprint in person, but will endeavour to visit week commencing 25th April 2022.
CCTV: Chairman and Clerk advised that a 4-camera system with a hard-wired recorder for approx. £200.00. Cllr Brandwood suggested that for a slightly larger sum, we could get an 8-camera system and cover a larger area. MoP kindly offered a screen to attach to the recording device.
Action: Chairman, Cllr Lingard and Clerk to liaise and arrange purchase.
Action: Clerk to carry forward to May meeting.
Cllr Gray left the meeting at 20.10
Dog bin site: Chairman showed Cllr Taylor the location of the dog bin and Cllr Taylor will take it up
via FixMyStreet.
Action: Chairman to report via FixMyStreet.
Planning applications/Consultations:
S/046/0555/22 – Wood’s Farm. All councillors had seen the application and all agreed that there we no issues and unanimously suggested SUPPORT the application.
S/046/01203/21 – Semi-detached houses on Lancaster Business Park. Clerk read out Mr Carrington’s reply and advised that discussion regarding this application is still on-going. Cllr Taylor will have a look.
Cllr Brandwood mentioned the development at Cobblers Corner still has no planning application. Chairman advised the owner back in March that planning application had to be brought before ELDC and the parish council to avoid future problems.
Annual Audit:
Accounts are ready to be checked and signed by our internal auditor ready for discussion at the May meeting.
Action: Clerk to carry forward to May meeting.
Financial matters:
Annual insurance renewal: Clerk advised that BHIB have asked for monies to be transferred rather than paid by cheque. Clerk suggested she pay the BHIB and claim the monies on expenses, which was unanimously agreed. The annual charge is £168.66.
Minute ref: 158/01
Clerk’s wages: Amounted to £361.26 which is included wages going back to February 2022 and the BHIB insurance renewal.
Minute ref: 158/02
Other matters for discussion:
Lancaster ED 503 Service of Remembrance: Clerk advised Councillors of the September invite and will send the poster to Chairman for putting on the notice board. Clerk to upload to the website.
Chairman closed the meeting at 20.50.
Next meeting date: Thursday 19th May 2022 - starting at 19.00
Any items to be brought before the Council can be submitted to the Clerk via eastkirkbypc@gmail.com
by the Thursday (1 week) before the meeting.
Please visit our web-site via:
https://east-kirkby.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/
Dates for 2022 meetings: 16th June; 28th July*; 8th September*; 20th October
(Dates are subject to change)
All meetings start at 19.00. All meetings take place in East Kirkby Village Hall.
* These dates have changed and are the new agreed dates.