March 2025 Minutes
Minutes of the meeting for Scotter Parish Council held on 17 March 2025, held at Scotter Village Hall.
Parish Councillors Present: Cllr Paul Boulton (Vice Chair), Cllr Dave Ward, Cllr Karen Ward, Cllr John Fardell, Cllr Brian Gilchrist
Parish Councillors Absent: 4
Vacant Seats: 1
Quorum: 4
In attendance: K Mathieson – Clerk, 6 Members of Public
Public Participation
Pre-school building set to start by end of March.
Resident raised concerns about agenda item 8b
Cllr Boulton (Vice Chair) opened the meeting at 7.05pm
2503/1 Apologies for Absence.
Cllr Watson, Cllr Green, Cllr Hunter
Noted
2503/2 To receive dispensations or declarations of interest under the Localism Act 2011.
Cllr K Ward, Cllr D Ward, Cllr J Fardell and Cllr B Gilchrist all declared an interest in agenda item 9 due to having affiliation to the community groups that have submitted a grant application.
The above councillors were granted a dispensation on the basis that without doing so the meeting agenda item would become inquorate and the business could not be transacted.
2503/3 To approve as a true record the Full Parish Council Meeting minutes held on 17 February 2025 and sign accordingly.
RESOLVED to accept the minutes as a true record and sign accordingly.
2503/4 To consider any co-option of new councillors.
Three application received. RESOLVED to co-opt Philip Calvert to the position of councillor. He was asked to join the meeting.
2503/5 Clerks Report and update on matters from the last meeting.
Benches and bins have been fitted at The Green and the grant has been finalised and completed with WLDC. Granary Fold bench is to be fitted as soon as the anchor kit is ordered. Scotterthorpe defib has been fitted and is now operational. VAT claim for the year has been processed and has been paid by HMRC. Moles at The Rookery Park have been delt with. Chased County Councillor regarding traffic review of High Street with consideration for school safety and halo lights for Gainsborough Road zebra crossing. She responded but doesn’t have any updates yet. Goosemoor land tenant has sold up and new owner wants to continue the lease.
2503/6 Correspondence Items for noting.
NK Talk Planning, Central Lincolnshire Authority Wide Design Code, Notice of Forthcoming Consultation – Circulated by email 25/02/25
LALC News – circulated by email 25/02/25, 10/03/25
WLDC March meeting agenda - circulated by email 26/02/25
Lets Talk Lincolnshire, child care survey 2025 – circulated by email 26/02/25
LALC Summary Report, Lincolnshire Flood and Water Management Scrutiny Committee Report: Impacts of Storms Babet and Henk in 2023-24 and S.19 Flood Investigation Reports – circulated by email 26/02/25
LCC Town and Parish council newsletter February 2025 - circulated by email 26/02/25
WLDC Parish News - circulated by email 03/03/25
Monthly Policing Figures - circulated by email 10/03/25
Lets Talk Lincolnshire, Public Rights of Way Consultation - circulated by email 10/03/25
Speedwatch monthly SID figures - circulated by email 10/03/25
RESOLVED to note the items.
2503/7 Correspondence for discussion and or action.
a) Email from resident regarding concerns of traffic safety on High St/Scotton Road – circulated by email on 25/02/24
RESOLVED to contact highways directly for a review of the road safety and request a 20mph advisory speed limit. Email school to co-ordinate a response.
b) Email from resident regarding consideration for road signs to make drivers aware of the ducks circulated by email on 26/02/24
RESOLVED to contact Lincolnshire County Council Highways department and make them aware of the problem.
2503/8 To review and consider responses to the following planning applications and any applications
that may have been received following the agenda being set.
a) Planning Application WL/2025/00147 - 11 GAROBEN THE ROOKERY SCOTTER GAINSBOROUGH DN21 3FB - Planning application for two storey rear extension.
WLDC Planning Application WL/2025/00147
RESOLVED to submit no comment.
b) Planning Application WL/2025/00165 - LAND REAR OF 11 & 13 HIGH STREET SCOTTER GAINSBOROUGH DN21 3TN - Application for approval of reserved matters to erect 3no. detached dwellings, considering appearance, landscaping, layout and scale following outline planning permission 144002 granted 24 February 2022.
WLDC Planning Application WL/2025/00165
RESOLVED to review the last objection and reiterate the objection in respect of any matter that has not been addressed. Include an objection regarding no provision for the placement of dustbins when being emptied and ask for a review of the trees due to conflicting information.
2503/9 To review the application for community grant funding from the council for the financial year 2025/26. Agree and approve the successful applications.
RESOLVED to approve and award the following grants
Scotter Junior Football Club - £285.00 towards the purchase of a boot scraper.
Scotter Bell Ringers - £420.00 for a Simbel 6 bell ringing simulator.
Eau Community Centre - £800.00 for CCTV and roof repairs.
Scotter Tennis Club – £2497.50 for surface paint
Scotter War Memorial Playing Field - £2497.50 for a new litter bin and path to pavilion.
Scotter Forward - The Parish Council agreed to purchase the road signs up to a value of £500 and keep them as a community asset.
Scotter Bowls Club – Application was unsuccessful because it didn’t meet the grant criteria.
2503/10 To receive confirmation from Scotter Village Hall Committee and Scotter Pre-School that all third party funding is in place, review, agree and approve the draft grant funding agreement and schedule of payments.
It was noted that the advice the Parish Council had received regarding VAT exemption for the build conflicted with the advice the village hall/pre-school committee had presented. The Parish Council made the village hall/pre-school committee aware of the risks of rating the project as exempt for VAT if it did not meet the criteria outlined on the government website. They accepted the risks as their own.
RESOLVED to approve the draft funding agreement and provide the funding amount of £100,000 on the basis that the Parish Council will not be responsible for any short fall in funding or responsible for any further funding. Agreed to transfer £25,000 a month for 4 months.
2503/11 To consider a working group to make recommendation regarding future plans for Parson’s Field. Terms of Reference for working group to be agreed.
RESOLVED to approve the working group terms of reference and for the following councillors to be members of the working group. Cllr Rachel Hunter, Cllr Karen Ward, Cllr David Ward, Cllr Brian Gilchrist and Cllr Philip Calvert
2503/12 To advise of Lincolnshire Association of Councils summer conference and consider attendance by councillors and clerk.
RESOLVED for clerk and Cllr Paul Boulton to attend, payment to be made from training budget.
2503/13 To consider dates and plans for the Annual Parish Meeting.
The pro’s and con’s of the parish meeting were discussed. In recent times attendance has been as low as only one person. Last year the council collaborated and held the meeting on the community day but that didn’t impact to attendance greatly. Council felt that in light of the amount of applications received for community grants and the correspondence received from resident the community are aware they can engage with the Parish Council throughout the year therefore RESOLVED to not hold a parish meeting.
2503/14 To review the existing arrangements for emptying the litter bins at the playing fields.
RESOLVED to continue to empty the litter bins at the park and MUGA but due to the amount of dog waste in the litter bin next to the dog walking track the Parish Council maintenance contractor will no longer empty this bin.
2503/15 Finance update and payments.
a.) Approve Parish Council Current Account payment schedule/bank reconciliation for the period of 01/02/2025 – 28/02/2025
Payments
Giff Gaff Mobile Phone 8.00 27/02/25
Microsoft IT Subscription 21.72 28/02/25
K Mathieson Wages 1,090.77 26/02/25
Instant Ink Ink Subscription 5.49 19/02/25
LPF Pension 368.03 12/02/25
Chattertons Solicitors & Wealth Management Legal Fees - Parsons 1,200.00 14/02/25
Cloud Next Ltd Domain Hosting - Email 119.98 03/02/25
Land Registry Land searches 7.00 03/02/25
Land Registry Land searches 14.00 03/02/25
David Ogilvie Engineering Memorial Bench 1,971.60 26/02/25
Earth Anchors Ltd Installation Kits 861.60 26/02/25
Ricks Grass & Tree Care Cemetery Tree 144.00 26/02/25
Receipts
06/02/25 Cliff Bradley FD Ashes Interment BC12 75.00
06/02/25 Cliff Bradley FD Memorial Application 80.00
Start Balance £ 37,112.08
Receipts £ 155.00
Payments £ 5,812.19
End Balance £ 31,454.89
b.) Confirm Bank Balance and Statements as at 28/02/2025
Co-operative Bank Account - Current – balance £31,454.89
Co-operative Bank Account - Ear Marked Reserve – balance £188,431.98
Co-operative Bank Account - General Reserve – balance £15,224.72
c.) Payment for approval
WLDC Invoice for Scotterthorpe defibrillator £600 – To be paid from community Infrastructure Levy funds.
RESOLVED to approve the bank reconciliation, agreed bank balances and statements as seen by council. Approved payments.
2503/16 Urgent Highways or Maintenance Matters.
Cllr Fardell to send pictures through of the damage the road sweeper is making to the pavement near the bridge.
Clerk to report the zebra crossing area to Lincolnshire County Council to be cleaned up.
2503/17 Agenda next meeting – to take any items for members.
None.
2503/18 To review the date for April meeting and confirm date of next meeting – 14 April 2025.
Noted
Meeting closed 8.36pm.