2025 Minutes

BISHOP NORTON & ATTERBY PARISH COUNCIL

Record of the Parish Council meeting held in the village hall on Monday 12th May 2025 at 7.30pm. 

PRESENT: Councillors: Cllr Suggit (Outgoing Chair),Cllr Widdop, Cllr Townsend(Newly appointed Chair), Cllr Freeman, Cllr Dean, Cllr Guy, Cllr Thody and Jayne Moore (Clerk.)

Public Question Time: There were 2 members of the public in attendance. 

One parishioner said she was here to ask what was going on with the playing field and could we form a committee or group to help with it. 

The other parishioner had enquired about ongoing costings such as annual maintenance and insurance. Also if there are certain companies they can approach. 

The clerk said we have budgeted for ongoing costs and accounted for increase of insurance and annual inspections that will need to take place. Although these costs have been budgeted for actual companies need to be contacted. 

The councillors agreed that a parent group is a good idea and the clerk was to take their details after the meeting finished. 

As the conditions of the grant apply we would need to go back to the original plan submitted which catered for a broad age range. The application was made up of different swings, a slide and the ground works. 

The playing field equipment project has always been an incremental stage plan. 

We need parents’ involvement in the area to work, an element of parish and community responsibility. 

It was asked what is happening to the existing equipment – the new project will not interfere with the existing play area. We were at risk of not getting the grant if the circumstances of the existing area were altered. 

1. Election of Chairperson:

Cllr Townsend agreed to stand. All voted unanimously. The rest of the meeting was ‘Chaired’ by Councillor Townsend.

2. Election of Vice Chairperson:

Cllr Thody agreed to stand. All voted unanimously.

3. County & District Councillor Reports: 

District and County Report: 

Cllr S Bunney was unable to make the meeting but sent his apologies in advance. He did send the following report via email: 

‘As you know I successfully retained the Market Rasen Wolds Division in the recent election. I have been very humbled by the number of congratulatory messages that I have received. I look forward to working with your councils and residents over the next term. 

At the current time there is not much to report on a local basis as the new Council is still undertaking the formation process. With Reform taking control of the new Greater Lincolnshire Mayor and also the County Council there will be changes. Let us hope that these will be of benefit to our areas and local residents. 

As always please do not hesitate to get in contact if I can be of any assistance with any matter or concern. If it helps, I am happy to come over and have an informal meeting with councillors, residents etc. in between parish meetings.’

It was noted that a congratulatory email was sent on behalf of the PC to Cllr Bunney.

4. Minutes of the last meeting: 

March 2025 – Proposed and seconded, all agreed.

5. Matters Arising:

None that aren’t covered in the agenda.

6. Co-option of Parish Councillors:

Not applicable.

7. Declarations of interest; to receive any declarations of interest in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011: 

Item 14 (PCC grant application) - Cllr Townsend, Cllr Suggit and Cllr Thody

Item 16 (Village flower boxes) – Clerk 

Item 18 (Ditch clearance) – Cllr Suggit, Cllr Townsend and Cllr Freeman

8.  Planning Applications: None received since last meeting. Clerk contacted WLDC to check if anything had been missed, they confirmed no applications had been made that needed Parish Council consultation since last August.  

9. Community Resilience and Flooding: 

Cllr S – The defibrillator is happening, and Colin has agreed to house it and happy to. The Parish Council has offered to pay the electricity charge, estimated at £10 per annum. 

Cllr Townsend explained that the defibrillator is going to be installed at 8.00am on 14th May 2025. The PC will receive two separate bills: £600.00 and a pro-rata invoice for the maintenance. 

Cllr Suggit reported that the County Council have no policy or capability on ammonia/ digestate measuring. Cllr Suggit is following through a firm who supplies a range of detectors, a recommendation is going to be made for a quality detector. 

Once we have taken these readings, if they do not do something about it they are then falling down on their statutory obligations. 

As and when issues arise, the more parishioners that report the better to create a trail of reports of data. 

Detectors to be purchased once recommendation is made.  

10. Odour Matter:

Covered above. 

11. Playing field improvement and grant funding acceptance:  

It was decided the play area to be installed nearer to the Glentham road (left of the existing area,) but not to interfere with the existing area.

The parent group will meet and present at the next meeting. 

12. Finance update: (See RFO finance report): 

Clerk circulated the report beforehand.

Cllr Dean asked at what point would we contact the insurance company to reflect amendments of the play area. 

Clerk confirmed a quote would be obtained once the play area equipment has been confirmed. 

13. Audit:

a) Internal audit is currently being done and report to be presented at the next meeting. 

b) Councillors agreed to complete the exempt paperwork for this year.

AGAR exempt to be completed. 

14. PCC Grant application:

The email from PCC was read aloud to Councillors by the Chair. 

£500 was awarded last year.

The Parish Council recognised that the church is an important building in the community and should be contributed to. 

A discussion then took place amongst councillors regarding a proposed amount for the financial year for 2025-26. It was agreed that for this year the proposed amount was £750.00. The stipulation of this would be it goes towards the clock maintenance, clock repairs and an extension to the duration the lighting is on during winter months. 

15. Grass strip in front of playing field: 

The signs are up and unfortunately people are still parking there. Whilst the weather is dry issues do not arise however when the ground is wet and during winter months the grass. 

It was brought to the councillors attention that local residents understood they were not allowed to use the village hall as an overspill or temporary parking for family visiting. It is thought that the village hall only wishes to discourage overnight or permanent parking usage. Cllr Guy to raise this at the next Village Hall Committee meeting and report back.

Clerk to chase that up the ‘slow children playing’ signs. 

Clerk to contact highways to ascertain the ownership of the ‘first metre’ and where we stand with cars being parked on it, which could block emergency vehicle access.

16. Village flower boxes - procurement and base update:

The bases are almost complete, and the planters are in at the nursery. Once bases are complete clerk will instruct the nursery to deliver. 

3 people have shown interest in helping with planters so far. It was suggested that a working party get together to organise next steps. Cllr Freeman to organise this.

Clerk to do a risk assessment and parishioners should be reminded that planters are near a highway and caution should be taken. 

17. Defibrillator at Atterby: 

Covered above (see item 9.)

18. Ditch clearance on Stonepit Lane:  

Cllrs Freeman and Townsend noted that the ditch is building up to an unmanageable amount. Some Allotment owners are not willing to get into the ditch and it needs sorting. 

The Parish Council need to accept that some allotment holders are of an age or have health issues that prevent them from clearing the ditch and therefore the suggestion was made that a contractor/ farmer be sought to clear out the ditch and possible recoup the costs by allotment increase. 

Cllr Suggit to ask Justin Dickinson if he would complete the works. The PC would be happy to contribute to this.

19. Overgrown state of the passageway: 

Cllr Townsend reported on behalf of the Village Hall that the passageway is overgrown and of poor state again. Some of the homeowners do clear the passageway (usually the half nearer Archer St) but the latter half tends not to be cleared.

Clerk to email Martin Flynn at the interim and send a letter to the other relevant households. It was agreed to set a deadline in which this needs to be done (by our next meeting.) Clerk to action.

20. Correspondence: 

None that haven’t already been sent out. 

The Parish Council clerk asked if the archives could be stored at the village hall. There are lots of archives and historic paperwork and the clerk no longer has the space to store them.  

Clerk to get in touch with LALC about retention periods and what documents need to be kept.    

Cllr Guy to ask the village hall committee is this would be suitable at the next meeting. 

21. Items for next Meeting: 

Playing field improvements and report from parent group, PCC grant response, grass strip in front of the playing field highways contact, update on flower boxers, defibrillator update, ditch clearance on Stonepit Lane.  

22. Date of next Meeting: Monday 14th July 2025 at 7.30pm

Chairperson thanked all in attendance and meeting closed at 9.01pm.

Chairperson signed………………………………………. Date: ……………………….