2023 Minutes of Meeting

Minutes of the meeting for Scotter Parish Council held on 17 April 2023, held at Scotter Village Hall.

Parish Councillors Present: Cllr Kevin Watson - Chair, Cllr Margaret Armstrong – Vice Chair, Cllr Paul Wood, Cllr Paul Boulton, Cllr Rachel Hunter, Cllr Alex Johns, Cllr Dave Ward, Cllr Bali Kaila, Cllr Ian Thomas, Cllr Colin Wotherspoon

Parish Councillors Absent: 

In attendance:  K Mathieson – Clerk,  4 members of public

Public Participation

Chair of Paying Field Committee advised the Come and Play day is all arranged for 22nd April and the Coronation Litter pick is arranged for 30th April.  These are open events and all are welcome.

Chair of the Village Hall advised the committee has 4 new members and the anti social behaviour has calmed down.

Chair opened the meeting at 7.16pm

2304/1 Apologies for Absence

None

2304/2  To receive dispensations or declarations of interest under the Localism Act 2011

No declarations of interest received and no dispensations given

2304/3 To approve as a true record the Parish Council meeting minutes held on 20 March 2023 and sign accordingly

Proposed, seconded and Resolved to accept the minutes as a true record and duly signed by the Chair 

2304/4 Clerks Report and update on matters from the last meeting

LCC have confirmed the trees on Sands Lane have been dealt with.

PKF Littlejohn, external auditors have advised Scotter Parish Council have been randomly selected for an intermediate review.

2304/5 Sub Groups, Community Clubs and Associations Items for Update or Discussion

a) Village Hall – Council discussed the anti social behaviour and still have concerns for the overall effect on the village.  Resolved for the clerk to use facebook to encourage residents to report incidents to 101.

b) Scotter Forward – Next meeting 27/04/2023

c) Speed Watch – LRSP email re data sharing circulated 27/03/2023

March Speed Watch report circulated by email 12/04/2023

Report read out.  Resolved for clerk to work on a webpage to enable the information to be shared with residents.

d) Sports Clubs – None

e) Eau Centre and Scotter Library - None

f) Playing Fields Committee – Info on Come and Play day circulated – 12/04/2023

Up date on smart meter circulated 12/04/2023.  Noted

2304/6 Correspondence Items for noting

LALC News, all editions received – Circulated by email on 27/03/2023, 12/04/2023

LCC Parish Council Community News letter – Circulated by email 28/03/2023

NK Talk Planning – Central Lincolnshire Local Plan Inspectorate Report – Circulated 12/04/2023

KCOM – Community Engagement Letter – circulated by email 12/04/2023

Resolved to note the items

2304/7 Correspondence items for discussion and or action

Resident has contacted with concerns that the ducks at Riverside are being culled, does the council have any knowledge of this matter?

Following discussion

Resolved for the clerk to respond to any queries of duck culling advising that the Parish Council have not given permission for anyone to cull the ducks at Riverside. If this is witnessed happening, it is illegal and should then be reported to the Parish Council as landowners and the police. 

2304/8 a) Planning Application – 142460

Land West of North Moor Road Scotter Gainsborough DN21 3HT

Application for approval of reserved matters to erect 43no. dwellings considering appearance, landscaping, layout and scale – following outline planning permission 134677 granted 19 December 2017.   

Resolved to comment that the addition of affordable housing is welcomed.  There is an addition of a pumping station but how do we know this is adequate for the requirements, proof of effectiveness is required as drainage remains a concern.  Object to the lack of information available in respect of roof elevation as there are concerns of overlooking, particularly in respect the existing neighbouring properties of plot 34 and 43.

2304/9 To receive an update on the upcoming election

Clerk advised that confirmation of an uncontested election has been received from WLDC as only 8 candidates were nominated for 10 available seats.  The Parish Council will be able to co-opt to fill the empty seats at their next meeting in May.

Resolved for the clerk to advertise the empty seats.

2304/10 To receive an update on the Coronation Competition

Clerk and Cllr Hunter advised they had arranged a rock painting competition.  Pre-school, Primary School and Eau Center/library are supporting by advertising and encouraging the children to take part and being a collection point for children to hand in their entries.  If enough entries are received it is intended that they will be permanently cemented into the ground (location yet to be decided) and represent a lasting display celebrating the coronation.

2304/11 To discuss the response from Lincolnshire County Council regarding the Parish Councils request for improved lighting at the zebra crossing on Gainsborough Road

The Parish Council are disappointed that LCC will not fund the request for improved lighting.  The clerk has emailed for clarification on a few points and a response is awaited.

2304/12 Finance update and payments

a.) Approve Parish Council Current Account payment schedule/bank reconciliation for the period of 01/03/2023 – 31/03/2023

Account Start Balance £25,455.39 

Payments £4,589.24 

Receipts £3,978.72 

End Balance £24,844.87 

b) Confirm Bank Balance and Statements as at 31/03/2023

Co-operative Bank Account No 61038985 – balance £24,844.87

Co-operative Bank Account No 61797792 – balance £138,373.95 Ear marked reserves

Co-operative Bank Account No 61797404 – balance £14,807.85 General Reserves

c) Payments for approval

Muga electric from May 2023 – £115.41

Will Barker Co – Professional Fees - £375.00 + VAT

Helping Hands - £930.00 retrospective approval

LALC – Allotment Training - £82.80 retrospective approval

Proposed, seconded and

Resolved to approve the bank reconciliation which was duly signed by the Chair, agreed bank balances and statements as seen by council and approve payments.

a.) Confirm Community Infrastructure Levy payment due by end April 2023 of £522.36 

Noted

b.) Approve end of year accounts 01/04/2022 – 31/03/2023

Resolved to approve, Clerk to send out to all members in spreadsheet format.

c.) Review and approve asset register

Resolved to agree and approve.

2304/13 Urgent Highways or Maintenance Matters 

Council were advised no response was received from The White Swan regarding grass verge damage caused by their delivery drivers.  

Resolved to report on Fix My Street and advise The White Swan accordingly.

Paths around the zebra crossing have deteriorated and need maintenance.

Resolved for the clerk to report in Fix My Street

2304/14 Agenda next meeting – to take any items for members 

Formal vote of thanks to outgoing councillors

2304/15 To Confirm Date of Next Meeting – 22 May 2023 

Confirmed

Confidential Matters

2304/16 To receive update on Parson’s Field purchase negotiations and decide on how to proceed.

Clerk provided an update and advised previous offer refused.  

Resolved for clerk to resend the original lease to all members.  Agreed to increase the offer and for delegated authority to be given to the clerk to work with Cllr Thomas and Cllr Boulton to progress the negotiations only decisions must come back to full council.

2304/17 To receive update on Riverside Electricity Substation lease renewal negotiations.  

Update provided. Clerk and Cllr Thomas to continue to work together to negotiate the terms.

2304/18 To discuss and agree the proposed rental review of Goosemoor Land.

Resolved to accept the proposed increase.  Memorandum of Rental Agreement signed by the Chair.

Meeting closed 9.04pm