Minutes February 2024
MINUTES
MEETING POTTERHANWORTH PARISH COUNCIL 26 FEBRUARY 2024
In Attendance - Cllr Sardeson
Cllr Clarke
Cllr Ott
Cllr Copsey
Cllr Giles
Also in Attendance - Lincolnshire County Councillor Carrington
NKD Councillor Lundgren
1. Chairman opened meeting by welcoming back Cllr Carrington after his lengthy Covid absence.
2. Apologies received from Cllr Nightingale.
3. No declaration of interest to report.
4. Draft notes from meeting of 29th January 2024 approved as Minutes.
5. Reports from outside bodies –
a. Police.uk website informed that there was 1 crime logged in our area in December 2023, an offence committed under the violence or sexual offence category,
on Station Road, in the area of Battles farm entrance.
b. Lincolnshire County Councillor Carrington stood to report on the Councils agreement to increase Household Council Tax by 4%. A decision taken so as not to
keep using reserves at the level they have been recently.
He Also informed on the lengthy ‘out in the field’ meetings he has been having with Mr Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency and Mr Robbie Moore
from the DEFRA with regard to the shocking effects of the flooding. There is a report due from the County Council in Autumn, from a committee specifically set up
to look at flood water management. The report will cover among other things the necessity to monitor much more closely what get built where.
Heighington School are already talking to this committee to arrange some sort of assistance for the rebuild. It was noted that this school should never have been
built on this site in the first place.
c. NKD Cllr Lundgren informed that 30 years ago it was mooted that there should be a series of 5 floodplains created similar to the Branston island and that a strategy
this large needs to be invested in over a long period of time or we run the risk of the Wolds being an Island by 2070 and a staggering amount of productive agricultural
land being lost.
Further to considering losing productive agricultural land, NKDC and the CC are on a Lincolnshire wide committee looking at the issue of planning requests for large
Solar Farms not being properly considered leading to the loss of useable land.
d. Cllr Lundgren also reported on small grants being available for communities from Action for RuralCommunities to the tune of £2 – 5,000 which we may find useful
for match funding as we further the project on the tennis courts. Cllr Lundgren also informed us of the NK Community Lottery Foundation, who are offering grants
up to £500. It was discussed that this could be a useful amount for the Scouts. Cllr Copsey to communicate. SC
6. Public Open Forum –
a. The state of Church Hill and Road were discussed. The consensus seemed to be that the road could do with being resurfaced properly rather than top dressed and
that at the same time the water leak needs to be permanently dealt. Also going forward, perhaps a reduction to the speed limit on this road as it travels out of the
village might. We have recently had a major car crash at the entrance to The Park. Clerk to investigate all of the above with Highways. LB
7. Matters from previous minutes still outstanding –
a. Pergola and Raised Beds –
We have had a quote from one supplier for £3900 for the base and £8500 for the timber. There is still a second quote outstanding. Cllr Copsey to chase. SC
Could the Pavilion Committee put £6000 towards this cost? There is a meeting of the Pavilion Committee 27.3.24 could this be raised. Cllr Clarke to add to Agenda. AC
Or perhaps the Action for Rural Communities grant could be used in part for this as well as perhaps for the raised beds. Have we approached Karl Butler for a quote? NS
Chair has said he will do so. Brief discussion was had as to what kind of surface should be under the Pergola. Grass was dismissed but should it be concrete or a
wet pour surface like the play park? Further discussion needed. And again, suggestions were discussed as to how the whole layout could be improved.
b. Drainage -
Cllr Giles has reported the Moor Lane drainage issue on Fix my Street and had a response stating it will be investigated. He is also talking with Steve Plumb who is
hoping he is able to clear the culvert. He has also said that as a measure of goodwill he will clear the ditch along the edge of the playpark, but he does need to know
who owns it. Cllr Lundgren has offered to investigate whether it is owned by NK. Cllr Giles has said he will continue with the drainage problems and speak with JG/PL
Mike Norcross as the ditch along the car park is not draining meaning the tennis court gets waterlogged as the water backs up in the field behind.
c. National Grid –
Chair informed he had put British Gas in touch with National Grid with regard to moving the electricity meter box attached to the pole. Cllr Clarke has said she will AC
update the Pavilion Committee as they should be kept in the loop.
d. Pavilion Wi-Fi –
Clerk kept the initial appointment with Openreach to look to installing the Modem. Of course, it was immediately discovered that there is no phone line to the Pavilion,
so the Engineer has put in a request for a survey to be done as to how best to bring the phone line from the box on the pole in Keith Orton’s back garden. Cllr Clarke AC
has said she will speak with Andrew Seymour, the chap who has organised our Wi-fi, so he can liaise with Openreach.
8. Financial Matters
a. Grants –
After much debate it was agreed that grants should be awarded thus –
Autumn Festival £400
Over 60’s £200
Church £400
Scouts £400 - Cllr Copsey to liaise with Amanda regarding grants fo radditional expenditure
Clerk to process. LB
b. Financial Reports –
Both February Monthly Financial Report and 23/24 Budget report looked at and approved.
9. Correspondence –
a. Lincolnshire Resilience Forum –
Cllr Copsey updated Council. It was agreed that this heading should come under Risk Assessment going forward, as we are being asked as a PC to address village
concerns and risks and look to mitigation or resolving – like flooding for instance, which of course, we are as we look at the drainage and dyke problem.
b. Parish Council Policies –
GDPR – General Data Protection Regulation. Clerk to check with other PCs for an up-to-date copy of this policy. Data from cameras should have a Data Controller, Data
from cameras should have a Data Controller should this be our responsibility?”
c. Clerk to provide a complete list of Policies on other PC websites in comparison with what is on ours. LB
d. History Group –
Cllr Ott updated on recent History Group data and informed us the History Group wished to nominate Ralph Wilford for the Community Champion Award 2024
for his tireless data compilation for the History Group and his decades of involvement with Community groups including the PC. The PC agreed with this nomination.
Cllr Ott will action. MO
Cllr Ott also informed that a replacement plaque with the correct information regarding the building of the Bus shelter was required at a cost of £44.50. PC agreed
with this cost. Cllr Ott will action. MO
e. Re-instalment of gates on footpath between cross Street and Station Road – it was agreed as time was moving on that we should re-visit this item in more detail
at the next meeting.
10. Planning Matters – Nothing to discuss.
11. Monthly Risk Assessment –
Costings from Wickstead put forward by Clerk. However, Cllr Clarke had not heard back from Hags to compare. This will be re-visited again at next meeting.
It was agreed that the leaves on Church Hill issue should be regularly revisited as a risk assessment, as should the issue of flooding on Barff Road.
12. Dates –
Annual Litter Pick date agreed to be 20 April 2024. Meeting at the Memorial at 10.00. Clerk to pass information to Yvonne for the Grapevine. LB
Next Council Meeting Monday 29 April 2024.