2024 Minutes

BISHOP NORTON & ATTERBY PARISH COUNCIL

Record of the Parish Council meeting held in the village hall on Monday 9th September 2024 at 7.30pm. 

PRESENT: Councillors: Cllr Suggit (Chairman,) Cllr Thody, Cllr Freeman, Cllr Dean, Cllr Townsend, Cllr Widdop, Cllr Guy, and Mrs J Moore, Clerk.

Public Question Time: No members of the public were in attendance. 

1. Apologies for absence: None received. 

2. Record of the last Meeting: Amend Cllr Freeman’s detail; he was not in attendance. After alteration, all accepted and duly signed.

3. Matters arising: None that aren’t covered in the Agenda.

4. County & District Councillor Reports: 

The public footpath has been attended to; Cllr Suggit attended in wet weather and safe passage was serviceable. Appreciation extended to the County Council and recorded.

County & District – 

Flood Signs – Cllr Bunney has some available; he was thanked but the PC has sourced enough. 

Communications – A number of surveys going on regarding doctors, pharmacists etc. Some areas are proving problematic, but a recurring issue for many users is reliance on Call Connect. 

Removal of the fuel allowance – if parishioners are known to be struggling with completion of forms, WLDC may be able to assist with pension credits forms. A lot of other things are now attached to that as they start to remove the other cost of living support schemes. We can get people out to assist should the need arise. 

Cllr Suggit – Not the issue of fuel allowance, but senior parishioners frequently receive mail shots for fuel replacement systems and have voiced concerns over costs and whether aligned to bona fide Government schemes. A resident had also reported unsolicited cold calling with associated suspicions. He asked whether a list of approved agents or helpline details could be promulgated in County Council periodicals? Cllr Bunney said that there is a Government grant to help look at what is available for them; it involves a means test and the take up is currently not as high as the Authorities would like. Cllr Bunney will send contact details of an official team who can arrange visits and assist. 

Until National Government issues Budget policy, future funding for roads remains up in the air, but ‘they’ have definitely pulled out of RAF Scampton. WLDC will resume control and the site is saved. The intent is to get earlier plans back on track again as possible. The Chair asked if we knew what WLDC spent on legal fees? That will be published in due course. Development plans from Riseholme to Scampton to Hemswell will include improving road infrastucture. There is also a proposal for a possible commercial prototype Fusion powerplant at West Burton. The devolution debate is still to be decided - the 3 Authorities were keen, but options remain in flux.

Another overturning lorry crash had occurred on the A15. 

Cllr Suggit asked whether the offer of labour scheme was still on the table and if decisions had been made/prioritized. Cllr Bunney said it remained in the pipeline, but he did not have details.

Cllr Bunney was thanked and left at 19:52. 

5. Declarations of interest; to receive any declarations of interest in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011: None received.

6.  Planning Applications: WL/2024/00599 Norton Sandhayes Farmhouse – No comments to be made against this planning application. 

7. Community Resilience and Flooding:  Mr Colin Everett had been asked about the possibility of siting a second defibrilator (for Atterby) on his property and gave provisional support. We would require a specification and a suitable site for it. This included electrical trickle liabilities that the Parish could sustain.  It was noted that Mr David Lee has extended the drain across his front gate to assist the water flow into the ditch, wgich he had also improved. Cllr Suggit had checked the culverts, which were still clear. The aspiration to construct steps to assist access to and from the ditch for culvert checking remained (connect the labour scheme at 4).

8. Playing Field improvements: The Clerk has emailed the funding team at WLDC

The hedging seems to have deteriorated and not a lot can be done about it. 

Cllr Widdop – Somebody asked what was happening. We have submitted a grant but still awaiting notification/ funding.

9. Finance update: (See RFO finance report): All received at the meeting. Parish Online was questioned and whether it was needed, this to be reviewed annually. No other comments made.

10. Grass cutting including additional village grass cutting: Cllr Townsend has had a resident on Eastfield to say that they have not had their grass cut in some time. 

On the map (green is our contractor, orange is another contractor.)

Outside addresses 3 and 4,some parts were no longer included; attributed to former .Council houses now being privately owned. The parking of vehicles on the grass inhibited cutting. Cllr Townend asked (on behalf of the Church) asked if he strip opposite Phoenix Manor could be added to the schedule of grass cutting. The contractor is happy to add a strip to the schedule for £20.00.  There is no footpath along that stretch, so it could offer pedestrians some security.  It was asked about the boundaries of other houses and whether they could be included. This may be more problematic, but could be examined when offering for tender was next undertaken. Grass cuttings are currently mulched. It was asked if we should get the grass picked up; Clerk reported that none of the 3 contractors were not willing to. The contractor is happy to take on the section on Eastfield. The strip will be reviewed when the grass cutting tender is submitted. 

11. Grass strip in front of playing field: To be discussed at the November meeting.  

12. Village flower boxes – Highway contact: To be discussed at the November meeting. Look at a February installation if agreed. 

13. Gate across Parish Lane at Atterby Carr: Mr Richardson has raised a concern that the water authority has put a gate up and padlocked preventing access. You can still get around as a pedestrian. 

Clerk to contact the Environment Agency to enquire about the gate. The Chair undertook to investigate the history of the lane, as able.

14. Defibrillator at Atterby: Covered at 7. 

15. Correspondence: Thank you letters were received from The Triangle and the Vicar for the grants.

• The 30 mph speed sign near The Old School has faded. Clerk to report it. 

16. Items for next Meeting: Grass specification/ tender, Playing field improvements, flower boxes – confirmation of location and final decisions, grass strip in front of the playing field.

17. Date of next Meeting: Monday 11th November 2024 at 7.30pm in the Village Hall

Chairman thanked all in attendance and meeting closed at 20.45pm.

Chairman signed………………………………………. Date: ……………………….