June 2021 Minutes
STUBTON PARISH COUNCIL
Members
Martin Davis - Chair
Bob Warren - Clerk
David Butler - Councillor
Rick Crooks - Councillor
Andrew Smith -Councillor
Jackie Warren - Councillor
Minutes of the Meeting held on Wednesday 23rd June 2021
Present
Cllr Martin Davis - Chair
Cllr David Butler (In Part)
Cllr Rick Crooks
Cllr Andrew Smith
Cllr Jackie Warren
Bob Warren - Clerk
1. Cllr Davis welcomed everyone to the meeting and advised on the need to maintain social distancing and to use the hand sanitiser available.
2. Apologies were given by Cllr Butler due to work commitments although he hoped to be able to join the meeting at some point. Apologies for absence were unanimously accepted.
3. There were no declarations of interest in accordance with the requirement of the Localism Act 2011.
4. Provision was made for a public forum. None of the public present wished to speak.
5. The minutes of the meeting held on 5th May 2021 were unanimously approved. Cllr Davis signed a copy for the record.
6. County Cllr Maughan expressed his thanks to voters and stated he was honoured to have been re-elected as County Councillor for the Hough division. He was delighted with the high turnout and the increased majority of the Conservative ruling group. He informed the meeting that he intended to fully support new roads, schools and broadband within his area as well as trying to tackle the issues of fly tipping and road repairs. In respect to road repairs Cllr Maughan explained that LCC was in possession of new equipment that was more efficient both in cost and manpower at repairing potholes which was a massive problem within the county. He had met with members of Stubton Pc and LCC highways department to discuss the road situation in the vicinity (discussed later on the agenda). Road safety was a key concern particularly along the A1 corridor in the area. This will be a challenge going forward due to the significant number of new homes being constructed over the next 10 years. Highlighted areas of concern are the slip roads at Foston and Long Benington as well as the right turn onto Toll Bar Road at Marston. A resident asked Cllr Maughan why residents of Stubton were unable to use the nearest recycling centre in Newark. Being able to do so may reduce the amount of fly tipping seen in the area. Cllr Maughan agreed that the boundary rules were archaic and stated he would ask if any cross county sharing would be allowed. He also stated that the booking system in place at Lincolnshire recycling centres was currently under review.
Cllr Butler joined the meeting.
7. Cllr Penny Milnes informed the meeting that physical meetings had resumed at SKDC although many employees were still working from home. There have been some key appointments made particularly in the planning department. There is still an ongoing review of the planning process. Central Government have imposed targets for new housing that will see more approvals throughout SKDC. She suggested that Stubton should consider reviewing the Neighbourhood Plan in view of recent changes to planning legislation. (covered later on the agenda)
Cllr Milnes informed the meeting that Leisure Centres had re-opened.
8. Financial Matters
8.1. Annual Governance and Accountability Return
8.1.1. The declaration of exemption from the requirement of a limited assurance review was approved by the council. The certificate of exemption was signed by Cllr Davis and the Clerk as the RFO
8.1.2. The Annual Internal Audit was presented to the council and approved.
8.1.3. The Annual Governance Statement was read and approved by the council. The statement was signed by the Chairman and the Clerk.
8.1.4. The accounting statements for 2020/21 were presented to the council and approved.
8.1.5. The date for the Exercise of Public Rights was set and agreed to commence on 1st July 2021
8.2. Payments since the last meeting
8.2.1. PC Insurance to Zurich Municipal £189.08
8.2.2. Grant for village planting £50
8.3. After discussion the council agreed to fund a gift for Ann Wise for her services to Stubton PC. An amount of £50 was unanimously agreed.
9. Planning Matters
9.1. Old School House – the application was noted. There had been no submissions to the PC. It was decided unanimously not to comment on the application.
9.2. No 1 Cherry Lane – Cllr Davis stated that concerns had been raised over the construction of a new fence in a position nearer the road than the existing one. He has contacted SKDC to check whether they are aware and to see if permission had been sought. SKDC would send an estate officer to investigate. The view from the meeting was that the property and the land belong to SKDC and that planning permission would not be required. However it was pointed out that the reason for moving the fence was to enable off road parking. This would require moving the road name sign and the installation of a dropped kerb. Awaiting report from SKDC Estates Officer.
9.3. Home Farm Cottage – Cllr Davis informed the meeting that the last submission on this application was for non-material amendments including moving the non-attached single storey garage and increasing the size of a room to the rear of the property.
However the resident had provided information of his intention to submit a new application that would see the garage become attached with the addition of a second storey above. Cllr Davis expressed his concern that if this was the case the plan would resemble the original plans that the PC had felt the need to make comment on. The original plans were not approved.
It was decided that any fresh comment could only be made after the new plans had actually been submitted as they would need to be seen. At the time of the meeting no submission had been made.
Furthermore it was decided unanimously that if new plans were submitted between PC meetings and the deadline date to make comment fell before the next meeting of the PC that an extraordinary meeting would be called.
Cllr Milnes offered to inform the case officer of the PC concerns and ensure that the PC was notified of any new submission.
10. Community Matters
10.1 Neighbourhood Plan – Cllr Butler informed the meeting that Mr Wilson had spoken with Jake Horton at SKDC and was in a better position to update the PC on the NP.
Mr Wilson stated that although there was no requirement to update the NP it was now nearly 7 years old and could be considered to be out of date. New legislation has recently been introduced changing the designation of Stubton from an unsustainable village (allowing no new development) to a small village (SP2). This means that Stubton is now subject to SP3 (infill development) and potentially SP4 (edge of village development). Mr Wilson explained that minor amendments to the NP would be referred to an inspector while more significant changes would require a full referendum on the NP again. Consultation with Jake Horton suggests that commenting on SP3 would be considered a minor change while including on SP4 would be considered more significant. There was also an implication that SP4 would be unlikely to occur in the near future but could not be ruled out completely.
For this reason Mr Wilson suggested that when the NP steering group next meet they are likely to propose a minor amendment that would make comments on SP3 only.
Mr Wilson assured the PC that they will be kept informed and given every opportunity to comment before a decision was reached.
10.2 Doddington Lane – Cllr Crooks informed the council that a meeting had taken place the previous day with LCC highways department and Cllr Maughan. It was agreed by all parties that the road had significantly deteriorated since the previous meeting in 2018. Cllr Maughan stated he had requested a date for when a full survey of the road would be carried out. Information from this survey would determine accurately how much the road has deteriorated and would dictate what type of action may be taken.
There was also agreement that some remedial work was required to repair the worst parts of the road.
Signage relating to horses and HGVs was discussed and deemed to be unsuitable and ineffective. Calming measures were also discussed and it was advised that these tend not to be used any more. It was agreed that signs highlighting the bend at the crossroads end of Doddington Lane could be installed subject to approval by the residents where they will be erected.
It was further proposed that businesses on the road should be contacted to get an estimate of the type and frequency of HGVs using it as well as any instructions given to drivers on the best way to access each business.
10.3 Prior to the meeting Cllr Maughan supplied the council with a copy of the map of ownership of the verges in and around Stubton. This indicates that the land surrounding the Hawthorn tree adjacent to Mayglen is owned by LCC. Cllr Maughan pointed out that the PC could apply for an ‘application to plant’ which would enable a planted area to be created. This would also pass the responsibility of maintaining the area to the PC. It was agreed unanimously to make the application.
10.4 Village gates – Cllr Davis informed the council that the paint on some of the speed gates had started to peel off. He stated that he would arrange a working party to repaint them.
10.5 Village litter pick – Cllr Davis informed the council that the litter pick had not been arranged due to the restrictions around Covid-19. He stated that the verges were overgrown at the moment so litter picking would be a waste of time. He suggested an autumn date when the vegetation will have died back. Cllr Maughan offered to provide information on the verge cutting dates so that any date chosen could coincide with the verges being cut back.
10.6 Proposals for improvements and enhancements for the village.
New village sign - Cllr Warren proposed that a new decorative Stubton sign could be erected in the village. Reference was made to the pedestal in Dry Doddington which provided information on the village. It was noted that Stubton sees many walkers and cyclists that frequently stop for a rest on our benches. A sign of some description could provide visitors with useful information on the history of Stubton. Cllr Davis asked how a sign of this sort would be funded. The view from the council was that it would need to be funded externally rather than from the precept. It was agreed to look at some costings and to ask whether there may be any grants or funding available locally.
Portable speed signs – Cllr Davis stated that these would require funding as the cost is around £2000. Cllr Crooks stated that a speed sign had been discussed on and off for over 4 years and maybe now was the time to move this forward. There is a general feeling that they are effective at slowing traffic. He also stated that Stubton is one of the few villages that doesn’t have one and that other committees in the village should be approached for possible funding as it would be seen as a benefit to the whole community, Cllr Maughan pointed out that county council grants were not available for speed signs. He offered to put the council in touch with the Road Safety Partnership who could provide some initial advice. It was agreed unanimously to look into it further and see if funding may be available locally.
11 Date and time of the next meeting was set for Wednesday 25th August at 730pm at Stubton Village Hall.
12 Closed Session
The Parish Council entered a ‘Closed Session’, to discuss the matter of the remuneration to the Clerk. The Clerk insisted that he remain, in order to put forward his concerns and to be able to answer any questions put to him by the councillors. It was agreed that he could remain. The clerk said that, since taking up the post just over 12 months ago, the workload had greatly increased, but he could, understandably, only give the councillors a rough estimate on the number of hours he believes he has to work. (Figures mentioned not minuted, as ‘conjecture’). Council estimated, that for the Clerk to be paid for the estimated hours he believes he does each month, at the relevant NALC-given hourly rate, it would consume the whole of the current Parish Precept. Councillor Butler had done substantial background research into clerks salaries for small precept parishes, and provided all the councillors with documented pay scales from NALC & LALC, as well as a ‘pro-forma’ contract of employment, gleaned from a council with similarities in the size of precept to our own. Councillor Butler read through all the documents. Following a lengthy debate, a decision that was ‘moved’, and voted upon, was firstly: to immediately increase the current ‘allowance’ of the clerk, from £300, to £600, for the year 2021/22, with an annual pay review, to be made before each financial year-end. Secondly; to seek advice from LALC on whether we should reasonably accelerate our annual increase in the Precept, to allow us to match the pay to our the Clerk with 50% of the precept each year-in, until we reach what would be, a point where the estimated hours, when paid at the LALC pay scale rate, matches our annual ‘allowance’ to the clerk. A vote on the above was taken, and carried, with one abstention from Councillor Warren.