November 2024 Minutes
Digby Parish Council
Notes of the DIGBY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING held on Wednesday 13th November 2024 at 7pm, in Digby War Memorial Hall
PRESENT – Cllr J Bourne, Chairman (JB); Cllr A Barnham (AB); Cllr G Garton (GG); Cllr K Groves (KG); Cllr M Lewington (ML) and Cllr H Snowden (HS)
In attendance – Angie McDonald, Clerk and Proper Officer.
Public Forum
2 members of the public were present.
Discussions included the revised plans for the Station Road development – Although there are now extensive plans detailing the water run-off from the development, it does not deal with the effect on the village when the water reaches the Beck.
Also, there was an objection regarding comments from the last meeting about the Red Lion planning application when a councillor questioned whether members of the council had spoken to the applicant. This member of the public asked if this councillor had spoken to the parishioners. As this application effects the village long term not just the current owner of the Red Lion.
District & County Councillors' Matters
Cllr Kendrick reported the financial settlement from the government for the County Council has not yet been settled. Lincoln Castle has had a very good year for tourism and it is hoped it will continue next year, with a full calendar of events included several concerts. Also, next year will be an election for the Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire.
1.Chairman’s Opening Remarks. (24/162)
a) Welcome.
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
2. Apologies for Absence & Co-option Update (24/163)
a) Apologies.
There were no apologies. ML apologised for arriving late at 7.30pm
b) Co-option.
There have been no applicants for the vacant position.
3. Declarations of Pecuniary Interest & Applications of Dispensation (24/164)
a) Declarations of Interest.
There were no declarations of interest.
4. Signing of the Minutes (24/165)
a) It was proposed by GG, seconded by HS and RESOLVED to accept the notes of the Parish
Council Meeting held on Wednesday 9th October 2024 as a true and accurate record.
5. Planning Matters (24/166)
a) Planning Applications Received.
24/0654/OUT Red Lion Inn, North Street – Amended outline planning application, revised dwelling siting.
Comments were required by 7th Nov. The Clerk collated the responses from the councillors on receipt of the application and sent the comments, stating the original objections were still valid, but there were no objections to the revised siting on the amended plan.
23/1429/FUL Erection of 37 dwellings, land off Station Road, Revised site boundary & layout along with drainage strategy and BNG proposals.
Comments required by 25th Nov. It was noted the application is now for 35 dwellings and it was agreed a member of the council will go and speak against the application on the grounds of the number of proposed dwellings still exceeds the Lincolnshire Plan of 2023 and the increased possibility of flooding is serious to the village as much of the responsibility of dealing with the excess run off from the new properties will fall on the individual home owner. How can this be monitored?
Action: The Clerk to request permission for a councillor to speak at the NKDC planning meeting and will also send in an objection.
b) Decision Notice Received.
Nil to date
c) Has Construction taken place without Planning Permission?
After an enquiry as to whether a barn being constructed on Fen Road has planning permission. It was agreed to check with NKDC Planning.
Action: The Clerk to write to the Planning Authority
d) Standing Orders – Amendment to the Delegated Powers of the Proper Officer regarding Planning Applications.
The Clerk provided copies of the existing wording from the Standing Orders and the proposed new wording of the section explaining the role of the Proper Officer with regard to planning applications.
It was proposed by AB, seconded by KG and RESOLVED the following amendment to section 15.xv. of the Standing Orders is adopted.
Section 15 xv. - refer a planning application received by the Council to all councillors within two working dates of receipt. If the nature of the planning application requires a response to the planning authority before the next ordinary meeting of the council, the Proper Officer will either –
• Call an extraordinary meeting if requested by the councillors to review the application
Or
• Collate the comments from the available councillors and submit the response to the planning authority, with a covering note stating the comments are a corporate response to comply with the deadline of the application but are not the result of a formal council resolution.
Action: The Clerk to add the amendment to the standing orders and update the website
6. General Parish Matters (24/167)
a) Update on the Request for a Saturday Bus Service.
County Councillor Kendrick has forwarded a response stating it is difficult to see a service coming into effect as Stagecoach have advised the cost to operate the service would far outweigh any revenue received and thus not representing good value for money.
GG was not in agreement with this explanation because if the service is never been in place how can they know it will not be cost effective.
7. Highways (24/168)
a) Report Highways issues.
The damaged sign post at the Cross has been repaired. The street lights either side of the Cross are still not working.
Action: The Clerk to forward the details of the lights to Cllr Kendrick
8. The Village Hall (24/169)
a) Minutes from the Latest Meeting
The minutes of the committee meeting that took place on 4th November had been distributed to the councillors prior to the meeting.
b) Signage for the Village Hall Garden Area.
GG agree to erect the sign on village hall wall, once permission has been gained from the Village Hall Committee.
Action: The Clerk to obtain permission from the Village Hall Committee.
c) Village Hall Garden – planting of new shrubs.
KG has purchased the new shrubs for the garden area and work has commenced to plant them.
9. Drainage (24/170)
a) Update on Maintenance of Greendykes.
Still waiting for an updated quote. JB agreed to chase. GG was adamant that this item should be sorted soon, before the bad weather returns. The Council agreed a further quote is needed before any work can go ahead as the quote received from the IDB was extremely expensive.
Action: JB to chase the additional quote.
b) Update on the Emergency Plan.
The LRF have not yet returned the amended plan. Once it has been cleared by them it will be ready for signing off.
The Emergency Box has been purchased and is to be held at the village hall.
c) Update on the planned meeting with LCC Flood team .
No response has been received to latest request for a meeting. The Section 19 reports are still waiting to be signed off. It was agreed to contact Cllr Kendrick for an update.
Action: Cllr Kendrick to be contacted by the Clerk.
10. Playing Field, Play Areas and Village General (24/171)
a) Monthly Inspection of Play Equipment
The inspection has been carried out by HS.
b) Free Trees on offer from the Woodland Trust
KG will apply for the free trees, to be planted at the allotments. AB suggested replacing a tree on the verge at the corner of Beck St near the pumping station, that had been badly damaged and had died.
Action: The Clerk to contact Highways for permission to replace a tree.
c) Progress of the Bowls Club Lease.
The Clerk had forwarded the latest information received by the council, from the solicitors, to JB and GG.
The Clerk was given permission to retrieve deeds for the playing field from our Solicitors to check the covenant. The inventory of the Bowls Club is still to be actioned.
Action: The Clerk to collect the deeds.
d) Planning Group for the New Play Equipment.
The first meeting has taken place in the form of an open discussion. It was agreed grant funding would need to be found to be able to carry out any replacements to the equipment. It was agreed to look at dealing with the young children’s area first. It was agreed to carry out a survey of parents and the younger children to discover the type of equipment they would like to see in the playing field so KG has produced a questionnaire that can go to the school, pre-school and the coffee morning.
Action: The Clerk to reproduce the questionnaire and the councillors will carry out the survey.
11. Allotments (24/172)
a) Allotments
The Committee have been dealing with a situation that has developed with an allotment holder.
There is no action required by the Parish Council.
12. Finance (24/173)
a) Bank Balances & Approval of Bank Reconciliation.
The bank balances were reported as:-
PC General Account £19,058.40
Allotment Account £ 6521.48
Mary Gresswell Trust £ 5.58
b) Income.
During the last month £136.08 was received from NKDC for the Litter Picking Grant. The amount is included in the above balance.
c) Approval of Payments.
GG asked it be noted that he took no part in this item.
It was proposed by JB, seconded by AB and resolved the following payments are made
Salaries £766.40
G.Garton - Wreath £20.00
MalcFirth - Grass £474.50 +VAT £94.90 = £569.40
P&P French - Tree £420.00 +VAT £84.00 = £504.00
Greensleeves £55.83 +VAT £11.17 = £67.00
Autela Payroll Services £62.54 +VAT £12.51 = £75.05
K.Groves - Shrubs £116.92
I.Davies Emergency Box £99.19 +VAT £18.54 = £117.73
d) Planning for the Budget and set a Date for the Finance Group to Meet.
It was agreed that when considering the Budget for 2025-26, the continued maintenance of Greendykes needs to be taken into consideration and works on trees on the playing field due to Ash die back. Also from January bank charges will be incurred, as notified due to the change in banking policies, so this will need to be included.
It was agreed the financial group will meet on 27th Nov to commence the planning of the budget to be presented to the council at either the December or January meeting, depending when the Precept paperwork arrives from NKDC.
e) Lloyds Bank - Charges to be Introduced
Notification has been received that from 14th Jan Lloyds bank will move our accounts to Community Accounts and commence charges of £4.25 a month for their services.
13. Correspondence (24/174)
a) LALC Newsletter - Distributed to all councillors
b) NKDC Newsletter - Distributed to all councillors
c) Greater Lincolnshire Devolution – Supported by the new Government and is to progress through its final political stage.
14. Dates of Future Meetings (24/175)
Parish Council meetings for 2024 – Second Wednesday of the month - 11th Dec.
Parish Council Meetings for 2025 – Second Wednesday of the month – 8th Jan, 12th Feb, 12th Mar, 9th Apr, 14th May, 11th Jun, 9th Jul, 13th Aug, 10th Sep, 8th Oct, 12th Nov and 10th Dec
The Annual Parish Meeting is booked for 23rd April and the Annual Parish Council Meeting is booked for 14th May.
15. Any Business to Note for the Next Agenda (24/176)
The Budget
16. Closed Session (24/177) For confidential items in accordance with the Public Bodies Act 1960,
At 20.56hrs - The Chairman closed the meeting and asked the members of public the leave.
The Council RESOLVED to go into the Closed Session.
a) Operation Bridge – the document was reviewed and noted.
No action was required by the council.
b) NALC review of Salary awards for the Clerk to be back dated to 1st April 2024.
i) It was proposed by GG, seconded by KG, and all agreed the Clerks paid the reviewed rate as per the current SCP and back dated to 1st April 2024.
ii) It was proposed by GG, seconded by HS, and all agreed for budgeting purposes the clerk will go up one increment on the SCP scale from 1st April 2025.
21.10hrs – There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed.