Minutes 2024

Leasingham and Roxholm Parish Council

Minutes of an ordinary meeting of Leasingham and Roxholm Parish Council held at the Community Building, Spring Lane Playing Field on Monday 14 October 2024.

Present:  Chair, Jenny Bailey

Councillors:  Graham Arnold, Steven Milligan and Susan Waring

Also in attendance:  County Councillor Richard Wright, District Councillors Jim Clarke and Andrew Hagues

In attendance:  Mr Eddie Findlay, Clerk to Leasingham and Roxholm Parish Council

2 member of the public were in attendance.

At 7:00 pm the Chair welcomed everybody and declared the meeting open.

123.  To receive apologies for absence and reasons given, i.a.w. Local Government Act 1972, Sch 12, para 40.
Cllr Chambers, Cllr Hibberd and Cllr Adams were unable to attend and their reasons were made known to the Council.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED to approve the reasons for absence from Cllr Chamber, Cllr Hibberd and Cllr Adams.
Proposed by Cllr Bailey, seconded by Cllr Milligan and approved unanimously.

124.  To receive declarations of interest and to consider dispensation applications in relation to Disclosable Pecuniary Interests.
None were declared at this time.

125.  Public Forum.

MOP 1 – presented a short report on a potential need for a printed Parish Magazine.  For a number of decades Leasingham had one, organised through the Parish Church, giving information on what was happening in the village, such as state events, various society meeting and other Village Hall events.  It also had adverts from local trades people etc.  As not everyone is on Facebook, he asked Council to consider resurrecting the village magazine.

MOP 2 – as a representative of the Junior Football Club, they wish to discuss the grass cutting contractor.  They informed the meeting that the Club had now purchased a ride on mower.  They had recently cut the grass, only for the contractor to come the following day and re-cut, too low in places.  Council were unaware of the Football Club self cutting the grass but would bring the matter to the attention of the contractor.  Grounds maintenance contracts were due for renewal from March 2025.

Cllr Wright, reported he had been speaking to LCC and Road Safety Partnership about reducing the speed on the A15 between the top junction of the village and Holdingham roundabout.  He asked if we could write to them under separate cover re speed reduction after the fatality.

Cllr Wright also commented on the ongoing flood alleviation works.

Cllr Hauges told us he made approx. £700 for his chosen rural charity from the civic service

Cllr Clarke gave us a report that NKDC was to get a new Chief Executive starting in the new year.

126.  Notes of the ordinary meeting of Leasingham and Roxholm Parish Council held at the Community Building at the Playing Field on Wednesday 11 September 2024 to be approved as Minutes.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED that the notes of the ordinary meeting of Leasingham and Roxholm Parish Council held at the Community Building at the Playing Field on Wednesday 11 September 2024 be approved as Minutes.
Proposed by Cllr Bailey, seconded by Cllr Milligan and approved unanimously.

127.  Consider any applications for Councillor Co-Option.
No applications had been received.

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128.  Receive reports from the Clerk and Councillors in relation to the minutes and other Council matters.
No resolutions may be passed under this item but requests for matters to be placed on the next agenda can be made.

Clerk

i.  resident requesting to hold a “Celebration of Light”, after Halloween.  No fireworks, just torches and glow sticks.  They hold full public liability cover.  They say they have held similar in previous years.  The Clerk had requested additional information but nothing further had been received.

ii.  Invitation to a cluster meeting from Ruskington Parish Council to discuss key issues in our communities, date from the Chair.

iii.  Community Infrastructure Levy: allocation of CIL to Town and Parish Councils of £6,015.68 received in to the bank 11-Oct-2024.

iv.  Re-location of Busy Bees Nature School plans.

v.  I have received reports from NKDC Environment Officer advising that there are two litter bins in the Leasingham area that appear to be damaged. The crew are suggesting that the bottoms of the bins have rusted. One bin being mounted on a post near the school and one near the Village Hall. These are yellow post mounted bins. Identification numbers of these bins are Leas/DB/08 and Leas/DB/06.  To be investigated.

vi.  Burial Books have been received and a thorough review is required against the Register of Burials, Register of Graves and the Cemetery map.

Councillors.

Cllr Milligan mentioned the Villager of the Year and that he had new members of the village to help choose.

Cllr Arnold gave us details of the owners of the Hall so that Council could write re the hedge around the bend.

129.  Financial Matters
a.  Approve payments made since the last meeting.
There were no payments made since the last meeting.

b.  Approve the payments of invoices etc. as listed on the Payments to be Authorised sheet.

Action:  The Council RESOLVED to approve the Payments to be Authorised.

Proposed by Cllr Milligan, seconded by Cllr Arnold and approved unanimously.

c.  Approve the bank reconciliation for September 2024.
The Clerk reported that at the end of September, the bank accounts stood at £45,047.07, which included £586.31 on behalf of the Neighbourhood Plan fund raising Village Fayre (Aug-2017) the Community Benefit Fund stood at £18,393.21, leaving £26,067.55 as Council money.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED to approve the bank reconciliation for September 2024.
Proposed by Cllr Arnold, seconded by Cllr Milligan and approved unanimously.

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d.  Consider the cost for an Independent Play Area/Equipment Inspection from a Registered Inspector.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED to approve the use of Wicksteed, to carry out an annual Play Area and Equipment Inspection at a cost of no more than £160.00 (ex VAT).
Proposed by Cllr Arnold, seconded by Cllr Milligan and approved unanimously.

e.  Consider the cost to purchase a new Grant of Exclusive Right of Burial.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED to approve the purchase of a new Grant of Exclusive Right of Burial from Shaw and Son, at a cost of no more than £130.00 (ex-VAT).
Proposed by Cllr Bailey, seconded by Cllr Waring and approved unanimously.

f.  Consider a course of action to promote the Community Benefit Fund.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED to promote the Community Benefit Fund via social media and at the Village Hall as they host many local groups.
Proposed by Cllr Bailey, seconded by Cllr Milligan and approved unanimously.

130.  Planning Matters.
a.  24/0637/HOUS – Amended plans for proposed 1.5 storey garage extension replace existing garage and store, 2 storey side and rear extension, porch extension and rendered external skin at 16 Rookery Lane Leasingham Sleaford.
No comments or objections from the Parish Council.

131.  Correspondence.
a.  NKDC Parish and Town Newsletter.  Circulated 20-Sep-2024.
b.  LALC e-news and Training bulletin.  Circulated 20 Sep-2024.
c.  Town and Parish Council update newsletter.  Circulated 25-Sep-2024.
d.  Lincolnshire Emergency Planning Induction Event.  Circulated 01-Oct-2024.
e.  Grow Your Community: Free Trees Available – Apply Now or Collect on 25th November.  Circulated 14-Oct-2024.

132.  Consider the draft Health & Safety Policy, to be reviewed and amended as necessary for adoption.
The Chair had submitted ideas to the Clerk and the Clerk would look to prepare them in a format suitable for adoption.

133.  Receive an update on the Emergency Plan.
The area of hard standing between Lincoln Road and St. John’s Close had been cleared and the search for a suitable lockable storage container was being conducted.  Once installed and all the suggested items such as sand, empty sandbags, sandbag filler hopper, shovels etc then a village wide leaflet drop would be undertaken.
The Plan was still sat with the LCC Resilience Team and was still be reviewed by them.

134.  Consider a response to the Village Hall with regard to the following matters;
a.  Cost of legal fees for the donation of the parcel of land.
The Village Hall Management Committee were to be asked to clarify what is meant with regard to the cost of legal fees for the donation of the parcel of land as it was the Parish Council’s understanding that in accordance with the attached letter (20240705-Village Hall-Parish Council Land Proposal), the Village Hall would be covering the incurred costs.

b.  Energy Assistance Grants.
Cllr Milligan had responded back to Mr Bibby, as requested and advised him on renewable energy plant grants and sent him an application form.

c.  Emergency plan.
The Leasingham Emergency Plan, is still being developed, and currently sits with the Lincolnshire Community Resilience Team for review.  However, they have indicated that due to the nature of the requirement for such accommodation (emergency due to serious flood or other major disasters) they would not be prepared to pay for any loss of revenue.

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135.  Confirm the date of the next meeting.
The next meeting date was confirmed as Monday 11 November 2024.

136.  To resolve to go into closed session in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act  1960, as amended by Section 100 of the Local Government Act 1972 to discuss the following matters.
a.  Consider a course of action with regard to non-payment of fees.
Action:  the Council RESOLVED to go into closed session to discuss the matters listed above.
Proposed by Cllr Bailey, seconded by Cllr Arnold and approved unanimously.

This part of the meeting closed 7:55 pm.

The meeting continued in the absence of press and public at 7:55 pm.

(Not for publication by virtue of section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the items being of a confidential nature.)

Confidential Minutes

a.  Consider a course of action with regard to non-payment of fees.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED to allow the Clerk to make contact to discuss the non-payment and invite them to future meetings.  If no response, then the matter could be re-visited at the next meeting.
Proposed by Cllr Bailey, seconded by Cllr Arnold and approved unanimously.

The meeting closed at 8:10 pm

Signature:  Original Signed

Printed Name:  Cllr Jenny Bailey

Date:  11 November 2024

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