January 2024

Minutes January 2024

Meeting Minutes – 17th January 2024

19:00 in Wel-But Cottage

 

Present

Cllr Michael Priestley  (Chairman)                  Cllr James Pask (Vice-Chairman)       

Cllr Gill Ikin                                                      Cllr Alan Gilbert                     

Cllr Jonathan Fisher                                        Cllr Sarah Trotter (SKDC)

                                     

In Attendance 

Roel van Aken (Clerk)

 

Apologies

 

1. Apologies for Absence

Cllr Martin Hill (LCC)

 

2. Confirmation of eligibility, quorum and Declaration of interest

All councilors present are eligible, the meeting was quorate and no declaration of interests declared.

 

3. Public Representations

The public were allowed to be in attendance, but on this occasion no parishioners attended.

 

4. Minutes of previous meeting

It was resolved that the minutes of the previous meeting dated 6th December 2023 were an accurate record of the parish council meeting and were signed off by The Chair.

 

5. HSBC Bank Account Mandate

The meeting authorized the clerk to update the mandate for the parish council bank account due to several councillors retiring and new councillors joining. The relevant HSBC form was duly completed and signed.

 

6. Flooding Issues

 

  • Situation is slowly improving due to the current dry spell.
  • Blocked drains: no further update as to when the blocked drain at the east end of the village will be jetted. WPC have also contacted LCC to inspect the situation near the spring and see if an extra pipe under the road could alleviate the flooding or if any other measures could alleviate the problem of spring water running across the road. Also the clearing of the existing pipe / culvert to be investigated.
  • Welby Emergency Plan: the most appropriate location for the Emergency Box is the church. Draft plan to be updated and circulated for review.

 

7. Solar Farm Proposals

 

WPC is aware of the following 3 proposals:

  • S23/0587: Church Lane: a public information event will be held on 29 Jan and WPC will attend.
  • S23/2235: ASH Tree Solar Farm: no further update.
  • S23/1845: Pasture Farm, Welby: no further update.

 

8.   Reducing speeding through Welby

 

  • Speed watch: to receive an update from the speed watch team.

           No update as no sessions have taken place.

  • SID: review results to date: results from Church Lane show that the average recorded speeds were substantially higher than recorded during previous periods. Also the maximum speeds recorded were much higher. This is also in line with anecdotal evidence from villagers.

 

9. County and District Councillor Reports (if Councillors present at meeting)

  • No update from County Councillor Martin Hill on Lincolnshire County Council matters.

 

  • No significant developments to report from the District Councillor Sarah Trotter on South Kesteven District Council matters.

 

10. Correspondences

To receive a report from The Clerk on relevant correspondences received and action taken since last meeting.

Date

Type of Correspondence

Received from

Reference

Action taken

weekly

Email

SKDC –Planning

Summary of weekly planning list for district.

Circulated to Councilors for information.

7/12/23

Email

Concerned villager

Drain Clearance

Circulated to Councilors for information. WPC have responded with details of actions being taken.

18/12/23

Email

SKDC

Grantham Funding Workshop on 18 Jan ’24.

Circulated to Councilors for information. Two WPC representatives have attended.

19/12/23

Email

Island Green Power

Meeting wrt updated proposals for Welby Solar Farm Proposal on 24 Jan ’24.

Circulated to Councilors for information.

22/12/23

Email

SKDC

Invitation to stakeholder workshop 18th January - SKDC Tree & Woodland Strategy

Circulated to Councilors for information.

9/1/24

Email

PS Renewables

Potential Solar Farm Development Consultation - Church Lane Solar Farm

Circulated to Councilors for information.

12/1/24

Email

PS Renewables

Details of public information day scheduled for Monday 29th January at Belton Woods Hotel

Circulated to Councilors for information.

 

11. Planning Applications: 

Planning applications to consider with the following planning applications received:

 

Reference

Name

Location

Proposal

S23/1276

Anglian Water

 

Off Church Lane

Revised site lay-out and construction details for the proposed pumping station. WPC have provided comments. Awaiting decision by SKDC. Anglian Water have been contacted re the blown-over fences on Church Lane.

S22/2222

Anglian Water

Land Along The Grantham To Bexwell Pipeline Scheme

Amended Wildlife Hazard Management Plan and

Construction Environment Management Plan. No need to comment. Awaiting decision by SKDC.

S23/1845

Island Green Power

Land North Of Welby

Proposal for a solar farm. Currently only a Request for an EIA Screening Opinion. EIA Not Required.

S23/2235

Ash Tree solar farm

Land At High Dike Road, Londonthorpe

Proposal for a solar farm. Currently only a Request for an EIA Screening Opinion. Awaiting decision by SKDC. WPC have provided comments.

 

12. Highways

 

Update from The Clerk on highway faults including those reported by WPC to LCC Highways and SKDC.

 

Council Ref:

Date Logged

Description of Fault

Update

426606

22/6/22

Saxondale road surface

Has been reassessed and considered to be not deteriorated enough to warrant repairs at this stage.

-

13/11/23

Faulty street light Church Lane

Scheduled for repair. Old lantern is beyond repair. A new LED lantern will be installed to replace this light and also they will replace the damaged bracket

481903

7/12/23

Blocked drain in field at east end of the village

Has been investigated and Highways team have issued this work out to one of their delivery gangs.

482111

9/12/23

Blocked drains in Welby all along Main Street

Has been investigated and works are being scheduled.

 

 

13. Village Matters

a. Repairs to bench and village sign:

     * village sign: metal post needs sanding down and repainting – awaiting better weather.

     * park bench near bus stop: will need repainting at some point in the future.

14. Finance

Current bank balance stands at £3,358.14.

Since last meeting the following income has been received:

 

Date

Method

Amount

From

For

19/12/23

BACS

463.32

SKDC

Community Cleaner Grant Payment

 

Since last meeting payments made from bank account:

Chq No

Amount

Payee

Payment for

-

17.64

EON

Electricity village green (Nov ’23)

-

40.00

Sara Barnes

Bin Red Lane (Dec ’23)

-

8.00

HSBC

Bank a/c fees

-

280.00

Greenstripe

Grass cutting fees

 

Cheques raised during meeting:

 

Chq No

Amount

Payee

Payment for

 

 

 

 

 

The Chairman signed off Cashbooks as a true record after agreement from Councilors that both bank statement and cash books were accurate.

 

15. Urgent business

 

To consider any urgent business.

Please note if it is “urgent” only because it was not notified in time to appear on the agenda, it should be left till the next meeting. If it is genuinely “urgent”, that is it was too late for the agenda and it will be too late for action if left till the next ordinary meeting The Chairman and The Clerk need to decide whether an additional meeting should be called or actioned during this meeting.

 

16. Decide next meeting of the parish council.

 

The next ordinary meeting of Welby Parish Council will take place on Wednesday 20 March 2024 at 19:00 in St. Bartholomew’s Church.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Signed: ……………………………………………………………..   Chairman

 

Dated:………………………………………………………………..