2024 Minutes

BISHOP NORTON & ATTERBY PARISH COUNCIL

Record of the Parish Council meeting held in the village hall on Monday 11th March 2024 at 7.30pm. 

PRESENT: Councillors: Cllr Suggit (Chairman,) Cllr Thody, Cllr Freeman, Cllr Dean, Cllr Townsend and Mrs J Moore, Clerk.
 
Public Question Time: No members of the public were in attendance. 
 
1. Apologies for absence: Cllr Widdop and Cllr Guy.  

2. Record of last meeting (08/01/2024): Proposed and seconded. All agreed and duly signed as a true record.

3. Matters arising: None that would not be discussed later.

4. County & District Councillor Reports: 

County & District: 

Cllr Bunney attended. Update on County email regarding electric vehicle (EV) chargers – intent to put EV charge facilities around the County and asking Parishes and County Councillors of any sites that may be suitable. Communiqué also includes footpaths: the Atterby public footpath improvement issue (addressing periodic animal damage beside the beck) is still ongoing. Best option may be manmade surface that allows grass to grow and type that can cope with restricted access for works services; the latter has highlighted issues regarding routeing/rerouting at the top. If no objections are received about the footpath being moved for benefit of all, it can be (none indicated). Funding is viable, albeit conditional as County Council has £2m earmarked for footpaths and projects. 

Update on actions to negate flooding risks at the Norton Lane/Glentham Road junction; Highways staff have visited and attribute debris from ditch flow into the narrow culverts is the main issue – they have been rodded and cleared by Parish Council. Highways (Ben Attridge) will continue to monitor based on Parish Council reports and Emergency priorities - dwellings and road transit before gardens. Cllr Bunney overwatching. The adjacent field ownership beyond the culvert is currently under probate; the owner of the closest dwelling is raising the ditch bank on his side. 

Fly tipping seems to be on the rise (2/3 particular areas are currently of concern).  The waste will be collected in due course by WLDC. Cllr Bunney reported that at least one person has been fined £5,000 in the last month. North Lincs seem to have changed their policy in lay-byes, the red bins have now been removed. 

An update on Devolution (debate on Wednesday) will be given at the May Council. The response has been not overwhelming but views have generally been supportive; younger voters seem most keen for it to be effected, although hesitant about the ‘mayoral idea’. A need to ensure that rural, low density areas receive future fair outcomes in balance to those expected in urban areas is recognized.

In discussion, the Chair mentioned recent publicity about plans to build new renewable energy pylons across the Wolds and mooted that, as Anglian Water are currently trenching from North Lincolnshire to Cambridgeshire and beyond for piping supplies to the South East, had strategic and operational thought been applied for a parallel endeavour?

Regarding A15 Red Route concerns, another lorry had crashed at the Norton Lane junction within the past 24 hours - had it overturned 1-2 seconds later, it would have bulldozed a car waiting to join the A15. Councillor Bunney opined that one of the advantages of Devolution is that ‘we’ would have a greater say (if the mayoral authority agreed) in road safety issues. A peripheral benefit of matters regarding Scampton was that officials have greater personal awareness of how dangerous the A15 North of Lincoln is. 

Regarding high rainfall drain overflows and sewage down Stonepit Lane, Cllr Suggit had reported it to WLDC; it had been logged for an Anglian Water follow-up. Parishioners will be advised in the Triangle. 

5. Declarations of interest; to receive any declarations of interest in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011: 
Cllr Freeman declared an interest in item 8.
Cllr Dean and the Clerk declared an interest in item 11. 

6.  Planning Applications: None received. Since the last meeting the outline planning application for ‘Wendts Yard’ has now gone through and is for sale with the proposed development attached. 

7. Community Resilience and Flooding: Discussed above with Cllr Bunney. 
We now have 3 flood signs which are currently located at the Clerks. It was discussed that a plastic box would be looked at by Cllr Suggit with a coded padlock and a detailed map of where the signs should go. WLDC are coming back to Cllr Bunney about replacing the sand for sandbags. 

8. Playing Field improvements and Grant Application: 
Since last discussions, national media had featured unsupervised swing and slide safety concerns (hitherto amongst our priorities), so this was a matter to be closely monitored. The pressing need was to progress the matter before a very near term grant application deadline. The Chair asked each Councillor for current personal views and preferences to inform a definitive grant application decision - notwithstanding that any grant approved might be for a different sum with procurement consequences. The mood was clearly to take the improvement aspiration further, albeit recognizing that ambitions might have to be phased over time. It was determined that the Clerk would adjust and submit the grant application before the 48 hour remaining deadline passed; tuned for a hopefully viable facility. How this might impact on the current small childrens’ facility was not known. The Council remained aware that the Ltd Co managing it remained keen to pass responsibility to the Parish and that changed circumstances might form a basis for this; however, it was also noted that any any longer term changes to that Section 106 arrangement would still need to be approved following a village referendum. 

9. Finance update: (See RFO finance report): No queries raised.
Cllr Dean asked about the grants of funds and why they had been £888.10 over the original budget forecast – the Clerk explained that we increased the PCC and the Triangle’s grants this year within permissible margins causing the increase; grant applications remained judged on a case by case basis.

10. Staffing Committee: The clerk reported that LALC have suggested we have form a ‘Staffing Committee’ comprising 3 councillors so a quorate opinion can be made. The reasoning behind the Committee is if any employees have a complaint, appeal or query regarding their conditions, pay or other it can be addressed by non-Staffing Committee Councillors, affording a better level of impartiality.
Cllr Thody, Cllr Townsend and Cllr Freeman volunteered to sit on the Committee. To be held a minimum of once a year, possibly another if service agreement is released at a different time. The Staffing Committee would need to be re-elected annually.

11. Grass cutting contract 2024/2025 including grass collection: 
Clerk distributed the tender prices for the grass cutting. 3 quotes were received: 
Contractor A - £91.92 per cut
Contractor B - £86.75 per cut
Contractor C - £126.00 per cut

Councillors agreed to go with the cheaper quote from Contractor B combined with the fact the Contractor resides in the Parish, meaning a local contractor used. 
Proposed and seconded, all voted. It was agreed for 10 cuts along with the one free cut offered for an event by the contractor. 

12. Dog fouling update: Cllr Townsend reported that the piece in the Triangle has been put in again and seems generally to be on the decline. Still an issue though so continue to monitor. 

13. Litter Pick: The litter pick remained scheduled for 23 March 2024 and the organisers have asked if we will fund the refreshments. Councillors agreed to fund up to the amount of £40.00. Proposed and seconded, all agreed.

14. Archer Street Cut Through Pathway: A letter had previously been sent to adjacent property owners responsible for maintaining the cut through. Cllr Townsend reported that a number of Parishioners have expressed concern about the cut through - the moss is quite bad and weeds are still an issue. 
Clerk to resend letter to request hastened clearance. 

15. Grass strip in front of playing field: 
The Clerk communicated that Highways have been slow in corresponding; however, they wish to have exact measurements on the verge and dimensions of the signs.  
If traffic flow was significant being directed onto the village hall car park then the PC would look at awarding a grant towards any car park refurbishments. 

16. Village flower boxes – Highways contact: 
The Clerk communicated that Highways have been slow in corresponding however they wish to have exact measurements on the verge and dimensions of the signs. 

17. Defibrillator at Atterby: Spoken to one of the parties concerned who are thinking about whether they can site it or not. To be followed up. 

18. Correspondence: 
- Emails sent from Chairperson to Cllr Bunney and Councillors. 
- Community speed watch – It was discussed whether we have a speeding problem in the Parish. The narrow section occasionally does have speeding motorists but it was felt as it would fall onto volunteers. A speed sign which tells motorists of their current speed was discussed, continue to monitor. 

19. Items for next meeting: Box for the flood signs, Village flower boxes, grass strip Infront of playing field signs, playing field improvement. 

21. Date of next meeting: Monday 13th May 2024 (Annual Parish Meeting at 7.00pm, Parish Council Meeting to follow at 7.30pm.)

 
Chairman thanked all in attendance and meeting closed at 9.05pm.
 
 
Chairman signed………………………………………. Date: ……………………….