March 2020 Minutes
Minutes of the Meeting of Harmston Parish Council, held in Harmston Church, High Street, Harmston on Monday 2nd March 2020 at 7.30pm.
PRESENT: Cllr J Martin-Hoyes (Chair), Cllr M Jones (Vice-Chair), Cllr I Edgar, Cllr P Wallace, Cllr M Shepherd
Also present: Helen Jones (Clerk)
1 PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
No members of the public attended this meeting.
2 APOLOGIES AND REASON FOR ABSENCE
Apologies were received from Cllr B Hamilton and DCllr Lucille Hagues – Reasons accepted.
3 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST ON ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDA
Cllr P Wallace declared an interest on item 12 Allotments.
He is a member of The Harmston Allotment Interest Group.
4 MINUTES
It was proposed by Cllr M Jones, seconded by Cllr M Shepherd and it was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Parish Council held on 21st of January 2020 to be approved.
5 REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES
a) Local Police – PC Jones has informed us that there is not a replacement as yet, and that he will inform us when there is.
b) District Councillors – DCllr Marianne Overton’s newsletter & all other correspondence has been circulated. DCllr Lucille Hagues was unable to attend.
Cllr P Wallace reported on her behalf:
- Scrutiny Meeting 24.2.20. There are Business Park Plans for Sleaford. Waddington Conservation Area is under review (1st reviews since 1975).
- Pig Fattening Unit Meeting on Tuesday 17th March. Agreed that a letter be drafted and sent to all Harmston residents to notify them of the meeting date.
- Meeting dates for 2020-2021 to be forwarded.
c) County Councillor – No representatives were present. No report given.
HJ
6 CLERK’S REPORT
a) The invoice for the defibrillator has been received for LIVES. Grant needs chasing via Duncan & Topliss.
Action: HJ
b) The invoice has been forwarded on to allow for the grant to be claimed. The cheque has been drawn up for HPC and is now in circulation with the trustees. It will be issued as soon as it is signed. HPC will pay LIVES to avoid any delays. Cheque has been sent.
c) The engagement course for the new website training session is booked for 9.30am on Wednesday 4th March 2020 at The Community Hub/Parish Council Office, High Street Waddington. Log on details will only be given on attendance.
Action: HJ
d) Lincolnshire Fieldpaths Association subscription has been renewed. Newsletters are currently sent to Cllr M Jones – these need adding to the website
Action: HJ
e) A resident has notified HPC of storm damage to the bus shelter at the corner of Church Lane. Awaiting a quote for repair from Dean West – need to chase up.
f) Flooding on the footpath at the traffic lights on Church Lane has been reported by a couple of residents. This has been reported to Highways – reference no: 4142358. Awaiting Feedback.
g) Contact has been received from HMH through Cllr B Hamilton with regards to owed monies for use of HMH for the PC meetings, Awaiting invoice.
h) The register of electors from NKDC has been requested in data format.
i) The budget has been finalised and the precept has been submitted to NKDC.
j) HPC have put an update in Harmston Matters, along with information on the ward boundaries.
k) Ward boundary information has been displayed on the village noticeboards.
l) The latest LALC and NALC newsletters have been received and forwarded to all.
m) All correspondence from DCllr Marianne Overton has been circulated to all.
n) A Police newsletter for February has been received and circulated to all.
o) The new Station Commander at RAF Waddington is Group Captain Steve Kilvington. A letter can now be drafted as per item 113c.
p) The final draft of the new Lincolnshire transport Strategy has been received from Clllr R Davies and forwarded to all. The Southern Bypass will now go ahead.
Action: HJ
q) NKDC have requested details of HPC’s environment wardens. HPC currently do not have one, as there is no present need. However, in the near future training courses will be held in which volunteers/Cllrs are welcome to attend.
r) An email has been sent to PC Will Jones to request the name of PC Hansen’s replacement. A reply has been received, and the replacement is not known as yet, PC Jones will inform us when the decision has been made.
s) The councillor training dates have all been amended and more courses added – Cllr M Shepherd to confirm which date he wishes to attend for the clerk to book. A new copy needs printing off.
Action: MS, HJ
t) Stamps for the PC have been purchased with petty cash (see petty cash report)
u) The petty cash will new reconciling to £200.00
Action: HJ
v) Play park company messaged about repairs – waiting to see if these are covered by a guarantee.
7 FINANCIAL MATTERS
a) To note balance as at 29/01/2020
Treasurers Account
Uncleared payments:
Income received (included in balances): nil
Income received (excluded in balances): nil
b) To Note payments made between meetings:
c) To note Payments made on 03/03/2020
The cheque for the LALC subscription must be dated 01/04/2020 to come under the financial year 2020-2021.
d) To note the petty cash report for January/February
Stamps £8.40
Postage £6.40
To note – a cheque for £71.55 is required to reconcile the petty cash back to £200.00
All cheques approved, written and signed.
e) Eon is current supplier, who supply and maintain approximately 50 lights. Alternative to be investigated. HJ to find a recent invoice for IE, and to find the wattage of bulbs so that a cost can be estimated. HJ to check if we have a contract with Eon. HJ to check previous invoices for other supplier rates
Action: HJ, IE
8 PLANNING
TREE WORKS
a) None to report
The following planning applications were received:
b) 19/1589/FUL The Thorold Arms High Street Harmston
c) 19/0989/FUL The conversion of a barn into a café/restaurant was discussed, and it was agreed that a letter of support from the HPC, explaining that further to consent, HPC support the application.
HJ
9 PLANNING 19/1085/FUL PIG REARING UNIT
a) Monday 2.03.2020 District Council will receive packs.
b) A half page note needs compiling by the HPC
c) Following on from previous HPC meeting, Cllrs shared their findings upon reading the Planning Policy, and how the application did not meet any of the following points:
i) Pigs are from Hull Food, Selby – therefore of no benefit to the proximity.
ii) LP55 ‘justified by improvement to local economy’ and ‘Proximity to established businesses’ – it is unclear as to why the client has decided to site in the proposed location
iii) LP17 Development proposals should take account of views and vistas
iv) Industrial building – not agricultural (supported by SK & Inspectorate). A case in Grantham was discussed where Planning had approved the application, but Councillors dismissed it due to the impact on residents – rather than focusing on technicalities.
v) LP9D Proposals support and enhance mental health and well-being
vi) LP2 To provide local communities with strong, cohesive and sustainable business – however no local companies are involved.
d) In addition, the following points were raised and discussed:
i) No willingness of applicant to engage with the community
ii) No discussion with the HPC
iii) Invitations to meetings have been ignored
e) In the letter to the District Council, the HPC need to give reasons why councillors should vote on the side of the villagers and not on that of the business. Those reasons were discussed and agreed as follows:
i) Odour. 3 specialists have given advice. They cannot equate the smell, but the report states they do not know the impact, it also states that the worst affected property is Station House, and that local properties and businesses will be affected, and driven away from the village. The landscapes will compound this problem.
ii) The template for these developments is away from villages where smell can disperse without effecting the residents.
Tom Siddons cannot be neutral; he has to make a clear decision. His ruling should be live by Friday 6th March or Monday 9th March 2020.
10 TRAFFIC AND SPEEDING WITHIN THE VILLAGE
a) Letter to be sent to new PC once they have been appointed.
Action: HJ
11 VILLAGE SIGN
The location of the new Harmston sign was discussed. It was agreed that the most suitable location was adjacent to the Memorial Hall.
12 ALLOTMENTS
No updates to discuss.
13 HARMSTON PLAY AREA
a) Operational Report re Park was shared.
b) Cllr M Jones shared the costing of buying and fitting a fence. It was previously agreed that the fencing required would be 100m in total. A 25m square including one double gate. It was agreed the fence should be oak. Should the costing for supply & fitting come in under £3,500.00 it was agreed it would go ahead. This will be considered at the next meeting. The quote received was for 75 metres of picket fencing at a total cost of £3,500.00. It was agreed that a written quote was necessary, that the fencing should be 4-foot-high, and that two more quotes were necessary before a decision cold be made. Quote to be agreed at the next meeting.
Action: MJ
14 CLIFF CLUSTER
a) There were no updates to discuss.
15 MATTERS RAISED FOR THE NEXT MEETING
a) The costing for supplying & fitting of fencing for the play park should be considered and a final decision made as to whether this is affordable for the PC.
b) Grass cutting of play area
c) Contribution towards church clocks
d) Parish Clerk position
16 DATES FOR HPC MEETINGS FOR 2020-2021
The dates for the year were discussed and agreed, HJ to book hall for the year ahead, post on website and in noticeboards.
Agreed dates (pending availability of Hall) for 2020/21
Tuesday 19th May (inc AGM) 2020
Tuesday 14th July
Tuesday 22nd September
Tuesday 17th November
Tuesday 26th January 2021
Tuesday 16th March
Action: HJ
17 DATE FOR NEXT MEETING
The next meeting will be Tuesday 19th May 2020, 7:30pm at Harmston Memorial Hall. HJ to book hall and confirm.
Action: HJ
18 TO RESOLVE WHETHER TO EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC AND PRESS for consideration of the following confidential matters
Clerk role was discussed. Interim Clerk is in place.
19 OTHER MATTERS
There were no other matters to discuss.
There being no further business the Chair closed the meeting at 9.28pm