Minutes of the Meeting Monday 13th March 2023
Wainfleet St Mary Parish Council
St Michaels Lane, Wainfleet St Mary,
Lincs. PE24 4HB
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting of Wainfleet St Mary which took place on Monday 13th March 2023 at 18.10 in the Community Hall, St Michaels Lane, Wainfleet St Mary, PE24 4HB, preceded by the Public Forum at 18.00
These are draft minutes and subject to amendment until approved at the next Council Meeting Monday 17th April 2023 at 18.10.
Public
2 members of the public to include:
ELDC/LCC Councillor W Bowkett.
No Report from ELDC/LCC Councillor W Bowkett - Elections are 4th May and Purdah commenced 13th March.
Police report: Extra visits have been made to the Play Area considering recent vandalism. Inconsiderate Parking along the Steeping will be advised and enforcement taken for parking on the pavements. Booklets highlighting scam and fraud awareness available for collection along with a crime reduction booklet.
Speed checks will be targeted for Low Road and St Michael’s Lane. The next Surgery is scheduled for March 24th at 4pm.
The Chair thanked PCSO JR for her report prior to her leaving at 18.10.
1. To Receive and Accept Apologies for Absence where valid reasons have been given.
No Apologies – all present.
2. Members present
Cllr M Rust (MR) Chair, Cllr I Hyde (IH), Vice Chair, Cllr S Simpson, (SS) Cllr P Garrad, (PG) Cllr A Proctor (AP), Cllr C. Alexander (CA), Cllr C Bradford (CB) Cllr Dr Shrubsole,(CS) Cllr B Adams (BA) :Also present – Clerk M Clarke
3. Declarations of Interest
None declared.
4. Accepting and Resolution to accept the Minutes of the Council Meeting on 13th February 2023
The Minutes of the Council Meeting were agreed as a true record by all Councillors present - Proposed Cllr CA and Seconded Cllr SS – Unanimously Resolved to approve.
5. Clerk’s Report
Moles have been observed in the Play Area and on the Hall field – Quote rec’d from Healthguard -
Queen’s Estate – Street Party for the Coronation - Meeting arranged for 16th March at 4.30 – flyers dropped 7th March to all homes.
(Cllr SS offered tea and coffee for the meeting – Clerk will advise S Smith.)
Grass Contracts for the 2023 season have been completed. The LCC contribution for 2023 has been agreed.
The bench on Wainfleet Bank is noted with damp patches –these will be allowed to dry out and then re-stain.
A letter with a formal request to name the woods at St Mary’s Church has been sent to Mr Seymour of the St Mary’s PCC
The next Police Surgery is scheduled for 24th March at 4pm.
Cllr PG offered to open and close the Hall for the Surgery – Offer accepted and appreciated.
Father Aiden has been licensed as the Priest in Charge for the benefices of The Burgh and Wainfleet Group.
6. Parish Councillor Vacancy
All paperwork has been completed and approved. Councillors welcomed Cllr Barry Adams to the Council.
7. Fibre Broadband Rollout
Signatures and support continue to trickle in. WASTC have confirmed they are liaising with the Co-op to place a signature sheet at the tills to garner further support. Clerk has had contact with fibre provider UPP who are installing fibre in Skegness and Boston. Whilst Wainfleet are not currently on their programme, their consultant has offered to work with the Clerk with the aim to present a business case for WSM and WASTC to be added to the programme. Councillors agreed for Clerk to follow this up.
8. Working Group Reports
a. Allotments. Expressions of Interest received will be discussed in the Closed session – agenda item 21
b. Grass Cutting, Trees and Hedges. – New Grass Contract has been agreed. Trees in Groose Lane have been trimmed with the possible exception of the Walnut Tree – Clerk to advise LCC
c. Community Hall – reports received for the month and all in order. 2 gas cylinders have been delivered. Agreed to order 2 additional in April.
Moles – Clerk to confirm cost of annual contract to control.
d. Planning – Application Reference N/155/02515/22 – Saltfleet to Gibralter Point Radar Monitoring – erection of 6 coastal masts.
Discussed and no objections – Clerk to confirm with Planning.
GR4 Outer Dowsing – Report from the meeting held 21st February has been emailed round by Cllr CS which covered the substance of the meeting. This can be forwarded for any Councillor who would like a second copy – held on file.
e. Open Spaces.
Play Area: Mole hills are evident – clerk to confirm cost of annual contract for mole control. Resolution passed to approve contract subject to the cost of £480.00 being an annual cost.
Jubilee Orchard: Awaiting funding decision to commence work – Contractor and match funding in place. Clerk will follow up for a decision on the funding and advise back.
Bench on Wainfleet Bank/Siting of addl benches: Bench and bin has been sited on Boston Road – to arrange collection of rubbish from the bin. Clerk will contact ELDC to attempt to have included on the waste collection round.
The bench on Wainfleet Bank has been renewed – re-stain once the wood has dried out.
The fallen tree at the Bus Stop on Boston Road has been reported to FixMyStreet
Apple tree on St Michael’s Lane to be reported to FixMyStreet for pruning back to prevent the glut of apples covering the pathway and road in pulp in Autumn.
LCC Councillor WB requested to leave the meeting – Cllr MR thanked her for her input and Cllr WB left at 19.30
9. Community Hall Committee
The Lunch club in February had a surplus of £211.05 which was banked 20th February
Bookings for February number 33.
The next Lunch Club will be May 17th – No lunches in April due to holidays
Hob installation confirmed for March 22nd – fridge to be checked for seals.
10. Broken Railings – Pinfold/Salem Bridge.
Talks on the way forward are in progress but no further updates. Agreed to hold over till June when the 6-month consultation period concludes.
11. Coronation of King Charles 111
Cllr MR covered the notes of the meeting held 27th February – clarification required over how the £500 from WSM can be utilised to give free/subsidised from local food outlets – agreed to cover this in the next Coronation meeting March 24th.
12. Events Group 2023
Notes from the Events group have been received by all Councillors – further points will be discussed in the next meeting April 3rd.
13. Finance and Bank Accounts
Cheques for signature this month
Hall – No payments due
Parish Council – Parish Council –
001501 – MND Society – £50.00 In memory of Cllr R Picker - 6th Feb 2023 – not yet cleared
001502 – The Play Inspection Company - £87.54 – not yet cleared
001508 - LALC – £162.00 (£24 +£138) – training lunches x 2 November and Annual Training Scheme
001509 – Haines Watts - £27.00
001510 – Clerk’s wages - £421.32
001511 – HMRC - £99.00 – Clerk’s Tax
Total of all cheques - £846.86
Balances
WSM Parish Account £5104.63
WSM Business savings £18439.97
WSM Community Hall £9407.28
Balance of accounts after presentation of cheques as above
WSM Parish Account £4257.77
WSM Business savings £18439.97
WSM Community Hall £9407.28
Total of Accounts - £32,105.02
The monthly and annual budget report was shared round before the meeting and the clerk briefly went through the report. The majority of the spending is on track with a couple of over spends on the Jubilee and a new laptop for the Clerk.
Income is increased with the re-introduction of the Lunch Club thus the Council is on track with the forecast for year end.
Bank Reconciliations were presented and approved.
Unanimously resolved to approve Payments, Reports and Reconciliations.
14. Insurance Renewal.
Quotation has been received from BHIB – valid for 90 days.
Gallaghers will be asked to provide asap for comparison to allow for comparison within the 90 days from BHIB
15. Review of Policies
Induction Policy to run alongside Equal Opportunities and new Social Media policy were presented to the Council for perusal and decision to approve and adopt.
Proposed Cllr CB, Seconded Cllr BA. Unanimously resolved to approve.
16. Section 137 Request.
An application from the PCC Wainfleet St Mary has been submitted for £500.00 to maintain the 3.5 acres of Churchyard and paddock to include grass cutting, trimming of yew hedge and clearing and weeding. Council in full agreement to the support. Proposed Cllr CA, Seconded Cllr SS - Resolved unanimously to support.
17. Elections 2023
Informal meeting agreed for 20th March at 6.00pm for completion of forms to permit submission to ELDC for checking and approval before the deadline of 4th April.
Clerk will hand deliver all forms once they are completed and checked.
18. Date of Annual Parish and Annual Council Meetings 2023
These meetings cannot be held before 15th May due to the Elections. Proposed and seconded to hold the meetings as under Cllr CB, seconded CA – all resolved to approve
Annual Parish Meeting 5.00 pm May 15th
Annual Council Meeting 6.00pm May 15th
General Meeting 6.30pm May 15th
All other meetings will be the second Monday in the month with the exception:
April 17th due to Easter Monday falling on the 10th
July 17th and no meetings held in August.
19. Correspondence
A Complaint had been received from Riverside Farm Cottages regarding parking on the grass verges and pathways.
Cllr IH has offered to meet and discuss further. PCSO JR will carry out checks in the future and issue advice where appropriate.
There had been contact from a Wainfleet resident with regard to cats losing their lives to speeding drivers and seeking assistance in preventing speeding becoming a dangerous issue.
Clerk will undertake to contact the respective agencies to ascertain what actions can be taken and advise the resident and Council accordingly of any actions that can be taken.
LCC Councillor will request “SLOW” to be painted onto the roads – but this cannot be guaranteed.
20. Items for Inclusion in the April Meeting.
Freedom of Information Policy for review.
21. To resolve on whether the Council will move into closed session to consider the following confidential issues in respect of attendance at meetings in accordance with Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 to discuss allotment tenancies.
Proposed Cllr CB and seconded Cllr CA – All resolved to move into Closed Session.
The next monthly meeting is agreed as Monday 17th April 2023 in The Community Hall –
Public Forum at 18.00 followed by the Council meeting at 18.10.
Close of Meeting –
Cllr MR closed the meeting at 20.40 with thanks to all for their attendance and input.
I certify these are a true record of the meeting held Monday 13th March 2023
Signed Date
Chair WSM Parish Council.