28/15.There Were No Public Requesting Discussion at the Public Forum
MINUTES of the meeting of Hough on the Hill Parish Council held at 7.30 pm on Thursday 24th September 2015 at All Saints Church, Hough on the Hill.
Present: Cllr R Kingscott (in the Chair), Cllrs. Milne, Morgan and Ramsden, Dist Cllr Bob Sampson and + 4 members of the public.
28/15.There were no public requesting discussion at the public forum.
29/15.Apologies for absence from Cllr P Miley.
30/15.There were no declarations of interest.
31/15.Minutes for the Annual meeting of the Parish Council and the Regular Meeting both held on 21st May had been read and approved, and it was resolved that they be signed.
32/15.Planning:
S14/2961 – single storey extension, Manor Grange, Gelston – approved.
S15/1080 – extensions at 20 Carlton Road, Hough on the Hill - refused.
S15/0970 – garage & store at Church Lane Farmhouse, Brandon – approved.
S15/1240 – Hawthorn Cottage, Hough Road, Frieston – car port etc – approved.
S15/0862 – wind turbines at Thackson Well Farm, Long Bennington – not yet determined.
Temple Hill Wind Farm – applicants not appealing to refusal.
Wind turbine at Bellevue Farm, Carlton Scroop – appeal lodged.
S15/1765 – application for 10 wind turbines at Fulbeck Airfield.
As the PC had not been provided a hard copy of the application, Fulbeck PC had loaned their copy for the meeting. ReVOLT/VETO are preparing a detailed rebuttal and the PC will join this, subject to approval by Councillors. In the meantime it is important that residents send their individual objections direct to SKDC. Chairman gave Councillors a draft objection to consider. Once agreed, Chairman will authorise Clerk to send.
Straw storage application (to be decided on formal receipt of application) – this application is for 25 years. The stacks are due to be lower than previously, but transport is likely to be a key consideration and the PC now has accident date for the C001. The A1 and A17 junctions are particularly dangerous.
33/15Wind Farm Community Fund - Chair asked whether we wanted to discuss with the applicant, but this was thought to be inappropriate as the community don't want the wind farm.
34/15.Playing field:
No action is required as a result of the reports up to and including July.
Mulch had been delivered and scattered – thanks to Cllrs Morgan and Ramsden.
Clerk to send play area report form to next person. Schedule is Cllr Ramsden for September, Cllr Morgan for October, Cllr Kingscott for November, Cllr Miley for December and Cllr Milne for January 2016.
It was agreed that Marilyn Taylor could speak to the meeting with regard to the play area survey which had been carried out as a result of the Neighbourhood Plan. Various ideas were brought up with regard to the future of the play area/field site but nobody wanted to get involved. There were 3 options as a result : [a] do nothing; [b] decide whether there is any element of saving by cutting part of the field only [c] make a basic level of improvement such as replace the existing unnetted goal post with a netted one; perhaps move it behind the shelter so all activities are in one area. A goalpost and net will cost about £675. The next option above that is a combined goalpost and shooting ring – from Hexasport the cost is £2,400. If we match fund WREN 50/50 this would work and it was agreed that the PC would spend a maximum of £1,500. Clerk to check whether Cty Cllr Wood has any funding available. Marilyn Taylor and Clerk will investigate equipment suppliers and Marilyn will investigate other grant funding.
Agreed mowing will remain as it is – Clerk advised that re-tendering is due for the upcoming 3 years and she will deal with this.
35/15.Neighbourhood Plan
The Plan has now been adopted and SKDC will have to give consideration to it when looking at planning applications.
36/15.Road safety:
The speed survey has been deferred due to Lincs CC forthcoming policy changes which should happen this autumn. Clerk to ask the Road Transport Partnership if an Archer survey could be carried out at Brandon. Chair will arrange for the Police to follow up on the Hough Archer survey.
37/15.Highways
Cllr Morgan reported that the potholes between Hough and Brandon have been filled in. The loosefill at the Barkston crossing has been washed out by the rainfall and is all over the road making it easy for vehicles to skid. Highways did promise a proper rebuild – Clerk to chase.
Cllr Ramsden reported that the two road warning signs are up in the most appropriate places as reported by the Archer survey; however moving them on a 6 weekly basis is proving difficult but they will be moved shortly.
The willow tree at The School House in Lower Road is now hanging over the road and whilst the property owner has cut it back it is dangerous for tractors and lorries. Write to Highways to ask them to cut back further.
Cllr Milne has two lorry registration numbers which she will let me have. Clerk to write to Caythorpe PC and advise them of the problems.
The lighting column in Brandon has now been replaced.
Councillors agreed the design of the new 30 mph sign for Grantham Road – Clerk to advise Highways.
38/15.Drainage in Brandon
Chairman advised that the brook around Brandon village is clogged up and water is not draining away. Environment Agency think this is the Drainage Boards responsibility to resolve – Chairman will provide a map to the Clerk who will then contact Upper Witham Drainage Board.
39/15.Phone kiosks and defibrillators
CHT are holding the phone kiosks until we are ready to take them over. Grant funding has been promised by the Margaret Brown Trust but each village (Brandon and Gelston) still need to find £650 each by fundraising themselves before the defibrillators can be purchased. Agreed that if they are purchased in the name of the PC, we can get VAT back.
40/15.Broadband
This is working in Hough but intermittent at Gelston. Chair will raise this with Onlincolnshire. High speed broadband for Brandon is being progressed by Onlinconshire, but depends on a contract renegotiation.
41/15.Noticeboards:
This is still “work in progress”.
42/15.Newsletter: Councillors felt it is time to issue another newsletter. Suggestions put forward by Cllr Miley are good but it was also felt something needed to go in about the playing field and also asking for sponsorship for the cost of producing the newsletter. Also suggested that a note is put in that people should call 101 for the Police unless it is a real emergency when 999 is appropriate. Also something to go in to encourage residents to contact the Clerk to go on the e-mail list – the response last time was very poor. Agreed that the PC will spend up to the same cost as last time.
43/15.Frinkley Lane Crossing: Clerk read our the letter from Network Rail – no further action.
44/15.Police forum – Cllr Morgan reported that there has been an increase in burglaries and several internet scams. Reiterated the importance of using 101 for the Police, not 999. Cllr Morgan will ask PCSO Mooney if she will attend our Annual Parish Meeting next year.
45/15.Financial Regulations:
Clerk had circulated these prior to this meeting. It was resolved to accept them as drawn.
46/15.Insurance renewal:
Clerk confirmed that insurance is now in place with Aon.
47/15.Financial matters:
The following payments were authorised and a cheque drawn and signed: Church Community Area Hire £10; BACS payment for Clerks expenses £34.58.
Clerk produced a bank reconciliation and receipts/payments schedule – resolved to accept and sign the same.
Clerk produced a budget/actual comparison sheet as at 30.9.15 for information only.
Clerk advised that the Audit Return has been signed off by the accountants.
48/15.Correspondence: none to hand.
49/15.There were no matters requiringurgent attention.
50/15.Presentations from invited speakers:
Cllr Sampson stated that if the Fulbeck straw storage planning application goes through it will be “industrial” use and this may have an impact on any future applications.
51/15.Next meeting: 10th December 2015 at 7.30 pm in All Saints Church, Hough.
Meeting closed at 9.15 pm.