June 2024 Minutes Annual Parish Council Meeting
Minutes - Annual Parish Council Meeting - 17th June 2024
Parishioners in attendance = 22
Council Members: Sam Mitchell (Chair), Mya Watkins(Vice Chair), Jackie Britten-Crooks, Jenny Taylor
1. Apologies for absence – Cllr Alex Maughan (LCC) and Cllr Sam Kirk were unable to attend and sent apologies.
Meeting suspended for open forum
Residents were invited to raise issues during a 15-minute period.
A resident asked about co-option and election and updating the Stubton Parish Council website. The Chair responded explaining the plans to reduce costs and take on the management of the website within the Council itself. Currently all details are displayed on the noticeboard. Cllr Taylor assured the resident that the website would be updated with all necessary councillor, meeting and finance details soon after the meeting.
A resident raised the issue concerning the roads and the present policy to encourage LCC to deal with the poor state of the surfaces. The Chair has taken this suggestion away for the Council to discuss and establish a policy. Two other residents were not convinced that anything more could be done any earlier than the present plans for Doddington Road and Clensey Lane. This has been an ongoing problem for at least 10 years. Comments about the resurfacing of Littlegates Road and the one from Dry Doddington to Marston raised the question of their need for this cost when other roads closeby were considerably worse. Cllr Watkins informed the Council that the Littlegates Road was an experimental surface that was being tested. Cllr Taylor said that the last email from Cllr Maughan included plans to be completed within 3 years. (see Appendix 1). A resident raised the issue of Fenton Road and Brandon Road, the latter of which was repaired to a very bad standard. Secure dates to repair all three roads should be checked.
A resident requested a village gates management list with names of volunteers to maintain the gates. The chair said that the Council are looking for proactive rather than reactive ways to manage the gates so took on board this suggestion when this agenda item is raised here later.
A resident raised the issue of the cherry tree on the Green that may be dying. An urgent investigation to try to save this very large and beautiful tree is needed.
A representative of the recycling operatives was not available to answer questions but Cllr Milnes presented a brief and explained the rules of recycling under the SKDC guidelines plus other news.
SKDC = manages the collection LCC = manages the waste disposal
The aim is to prevent problems at the recycling centre. The yellow tag will signify bin rejection. The Purple Bin has had a 99% success rate and very few bins have been rejected. However, the Silver bin has had multiple problems and rejections. Residents should be putting ONLY clean and dry plastic and glass. NO PAPER OR CARD. The Black bin tonnage has raised considerably. All Black bin contents are incinerated to create heat and therefore energy.
Cllr Milnes also as Vice Chairman of the Planning Committee, updated the Council on the Brandon Clay Pigeon Shoot appeal on refusal of the permission to shoot for 150 days (S20 0098). SKDC and Brandon Ward Residents’ Association lodged statements of case with the Planning Inspector and these are being dealt with. The main issue is the noise created with the Clay Pigeon Shoot. Awaiting results.
SKDC draft Local Plan is still ongoing. Initial round of consultation has finished. Stubton is a smaller village which will be affected by SP3 (infill building) and SP4 (edge of village). The present Neighbourhood Plan is out of date because it does not address these policies. To change this is not easy or straightforward. A resident raised concerns about the Stubton Neighbourhood Plan and whether there should be any moves to change and update it since a few years ago the Council was told by Jake Horton that there was no need to change. Cannot submit an amendment. It has to be the whole plan that should be submitted afresh. Changes in 2020 from an unsustainable to a smaller village meant that Stubton has become more susceptible to infil and edge of village building. Cllr Milnes said that planning is policy based and evidence based. Need the correct policies to apply to a planning application. The Neighbourhood Plan should address these. Can review the Plan and send to consultation then a referendum and Inspector. Cllr Milnes will send the Clerk a list of shortfalls compared to the Local Plan. Following on from this the Council needs to review the Plan at least 3 yearly. Cllr Britten-Crooks asked about the costs to review and amend the Plan. Cllr Milnes said there are grants to fund this. The advice is to meet with Jake Horton to decide the way forward.
Gypsy and traveller issues and a call for sites to fulfil needs assessment. Issues round large solar and wind farms moving into the districts. Cllr Milnes offered help to the Council and residents with planning. The SKDC Prosperity Fund is still ongoing. This year is the last with no match funding. Constituency boundaries are changing – Stubton is moving out of Sleaford and North Hykeham and into the Grantham and Bourne constituency. MPs to stand for election have been declared. Remember to take ID when voting. (See Appendix 2 for the full report.)
Meeting re-opened by Chairperson
2. Review and agree Standing orders for the coming year – these have been seen by the Council and regarded as fit for purpose.
3. Review and agree Financial Regulations for the coming year – seen and agreed by all councillors. Cllr Taylor gave a summary of the accounts to the year end. (See Appendix 3)
4. Set diary of meetings for coming year – 3-monthly meetings:-
16th September 2024; 16th December 2024; 17th March 2025; 16th June 2025
5. Agreement of exemption re external audit; Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR)
All councillors agreed the AGAR. This had been passed by the external auditor and will be put onto website
5.1 Precept and Finance/Insurance protection –Precept=£1540; Insurance= Zurich/paid.
The TSB has no branch in Newark posing a problem of easy access. At the moment the Council will apply for a mandate to change the signatories to the new councillors. The choice to change banks later is reserved.
Motion: To change signatories on TSB bank account and later change banks.
Proposed by Cllr Taylor. Seconded by Cllr Mitchell. Motion carried unanimously.
6. Update on residents priorities from previous meeting as outlined below
6.1 Update on the progress of the moveable electronic speed signs – Alex Kirk leader of CATTS
Alex Kirk was approached to continue the management of this project and she wholeheartedly agreed. We thank Alex and her team for their great work applying for a grant and purchasing the signs.
6.2 Revisit the design and installation of a village sign aiming to link this with the coronation commemoration.
Cllr Britten-Crooks reported on this project for which she had researched costs and styles of signs. She circulated documents supporting the survey from April 2022 showing the designs and firms who supply them. There needs to be some further investigation into siting the sign on LCC or Highways land, on the Green...may be a Structures Licence. (See Appendix 4 of possible signs-email the Clerk with ideas)
Motion: To consider whether to act on previous surveys, research and collect quotes and prepare the application for a grant to finance the project.
The Council moved to the motion. Proposed by Cllr Taylor, seconded by Cllr Britten-Crooks and carried by a unanimous decision. Cllr Briitten-Crooks will action this.
6.3 Agree continued support of the Garden Club organising/planting throughout the village – The Garden Club agreed to continue to manage this project. A level of funding of £100 was agreed as minimum. The cost of plants could increase so this would be reviewed in future meetings if necessary.
Motion: Revisit and agree level of funding for planting and village floral upkeep.
proposed: Cllr Mitchell; seconded: Cllr Taylor motion carried unanimously. Max.£100 is available.
6.4 Maintenance of village assets – e.g. gates, benches, bus shelter – prepare a timetable for upkeep
- proactive rather than reactive...the Chair started the discussion to enlist resident volunteers who have offered to paint the gates on Claypole, Fenton, Doddington and Brandon roads. Thankyou to all volunteers who have offered to do this job. Cllr Taylor has the paint and more will be purchased to repaint all the gates.
6.5 Annual review of flag flying in Stubton
A resident interrupted the meeting and asked about the recent survey that had been conducted by two residents but the Chair responded confirming that this was carried out without the sanction of the council.
There was no Council at the time but neither was this a survey that could be accepted. Cllr Taylor said that the residents collected results ‘by proxy’ without the authority of the Council. There was not a Council at the time so there was no Council survey. The Council had no input into this. Further questions about the collection of these results disrupted the meeting. The Chair said that he recognised the discussion in regards to flying the Ukraine flag on non-flag days and added that the Council has received communications from residents regarding the survey but the councillors have only recently been sent the results to their email accounts. They have also received correspondence to say that people weren’t happy with the way this was conducted. As a balance we are going forward with what has been previously agreed.
Cllr Britten-Crooks clarified that the resident emailed the Parish Council less than 7 days before the meeting but the Council have nevertheless considered her email because they are trying to get a balance to include resident’s views where possible. Standing order number 9 states that:- No motion may be moved at a meeting unless it is on the agenda and the mover has given written notice of its wording to the Proper Officer at least ( 7 ) clear days before the meeting. Clear days do not include the day of the notice or the day of the meeting. The resident responsible for raising the flag on the flagpole gave details to raise the RAF Ensign, halfmast, Thursday, 20th June, as a mark of respect for Squadron Leader Mark Long who died in a Spitfire crash on May 25th 2024 near RAF Coningsby.
The Council has assured the residents that a survey will be considered in future but this annual review will decide the present situation in conjunction with this motion. Cllr Watkins reminded the residents that there is a calendar on the website showing the dates of flying the flag for different occasions. (Appendix 5)
Motion: To continue to fly the Ukraine flag under the agreed conditions (February 2022/July 2023)
proposer: Cllr Watkins; seconder: Cllr Taylor. All councillors agreed to support this motion.
7. Date and time of next meeting - 16th September 2024
Appendix 3
Finance/Budget/Precept
Budget
Indicative Budget 2024/25 ; Contingency £3000 (reserved for elections etc)
Estimated Commitments:
Flagpole maintenance £40
Planting £100
Green Bins for Church £100;
Asset Maintenance £200 – paint for gates, high viz tops, repairs of assets.
Insurance £300;
Membership: LALC £85.56
Clerk £800 reserved;
Total = £4326
Web management 5 Hours £90+VAT=£108 (ALREADY PAID ON PREVIOUS YEAR’S ACCOUNT)
Balance: Income/Precept
carry over £3380.50 + Precept £1540 = Total £4920.50
Less commitments £4326
Remaining uncommitted budget =£594.50