FOTHERBY PARISH COUNCIL.
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF FOTHERBY PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 6 NOVEMBER 2023 AT ST. MARY’S CHURCH.
Present: Cllr S Mansfield (Chairman), Cllr T Hunter, Cllr C Chen, Cllr K Ensell, Cllr L Sutton.
In attendance: Mrs V Davies (Clerk), ELDC Cllr Mossop, LCC Cllr A Hall
The meeting commenced with an open forum. 5 residents were present.
OPEN FORUM
Recent flooding issues arising from the exception rainstorm on Friday 20th October (Storm Babet) were discussed in item 163/2023
151/2023 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
There were no apologies for absence.
152/2023 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – TO BE STATED IN ANY PROPOSITION
There were no declarations of interest.
153/2023 APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF 2 OCTOBER 2023.
Cllr Hunter proposed, seconded Cllr Ensell approval of the minutes of 2 October 2023. Cllr Mansfield signed the minutes.
153/2023. CLERKS UPDATE/CORRESPONDENCE.
There had been contact from a parishioner requesting information regarding the actions taken by the parish council to address flooding issues. This is discussed under 163/2023.
154/2023 MATTERS ARISING FROM THE ACTION PLAN
This would be updated. Action Cllr Ensell
155/2023 FINANCE
Proposed Cllr Ensell seconded Cllr Chen approval of the cheques below:
1364 M S Cook Bus Shelter Refurbishment £1950.00
1365 V Davies Clerk Salary £195.80
1366 Bush Landscaping Mowing £600.00
1367 PMP Printing Keyhole £116.95
1368 V Davies Clerk Expenses £98.39
1369 Information Commissioner Data Protection £40.00
Balances. Treasurers Account £8361.26 (13.10.23), of which £209.78 is ring-fenced for Fotherby Common
Business Bank Account £2516.149 (11.9.23)
Cllr Mansfield had verified the bank reconciliation.
Income
9.8.23 Lloyds Bank Interest £1.86
11.9.23 Lloyds Bank Interest £2.35
Cllrs noted the Monthly Financial reports.
TO APPROVE ANY OTHER EXPENDITURE SUPPORTED BY A SUCCESSFUL PROPOSAL
There was no further expenditure.
TO DISCUSS/AGREE THE BUDGET FOR 2024/2025
Cllrs considered the budget for 2024/2025. Following extensive discussion about anticipated expenditure in 2024/25, the probability of a lower inflation rate and a review of 4 options tabled, it was proposed by Cllr Ensell, seconded Cllr Sutton to agree a precept of £9544 (a 5% increase) and approved by all Councilors. Resolution: The parish council agreed to a precept of £9544.
156/2023 PLANNING
N052/02126/2. Land at rear of Styles Furniture, Main Road, Fotherby. An appeal had been allocated to a Planning Inspector. Every resident who made representation would be contacted to advise of the start of the Appeal. The Parish Council had sent a letter to oppose the appeal.
To note.
N/052/01682/23. Hedge End, Peppin Lane. Planning Permission, Construction of Vehicular Access. Retrospective planning permission. Approved. The parish council questioned whether the access had to be to LCC highways adoptable standards across the verge as this land belonged to LCC?
157/2023 MAINTENANCE AT THE DOCK
Discussion took place about finding a sustainable solution for the Dock gardens to maintain them in good condition as a focal point in the village. Whilst the landscape contractor maintains the shrubs, they do not undertake general gardening duties. Cllr Mansfield had met with a gardening contractor at the dock who would advise if he could undertake the works. Cllrs had made provision within the 2024/2025 budget to provide 4 hours per month gardening from April to end of September.
The parish council noted that the bull rushes at the dock needed reducing in number. Cllr Hunter advised that the contractor had estimated costs to be £400-£500 to remove a substantial proportion of the bull rushes. However, the cost to take the waste away was prohibitive. The parish council agreed to remove a portion of bull rushes each year, so that the waste could be managed locally. Cllr Hunter would contact the contractor to request him to remove a small amount of bull rushes in due course when the rushes are dormant.
158/2023 ALLOTMENTS
The Parish Council resolved that allotments should be well maintained and be productive as part of the re-letting agreement. Cllrs noted that the tenant at allotment 1 had terminated the tenancy. The vacant allotment had been advertised on the Fotherby Facebook page and in the Keyhole but to date there had been no interest. The plot would continue to be advertised as vacant in Keyhole in the hope that the plot might be taken in the spring.
Following discussion last month about the allotment hedges, Cllr Mansfield will contact the hedge cutting contractor again to find out when they might be cut. Action Cllr Mansfield
159/2023. FOTHERBY COMMON UPDATE
There was no further update. There was tree which had split and fallen over the pathway. A parishioner had volunteered to resolve the issue.
The clerk had responded to the request for a memorial bench at the common. The clerk had advised that the parish council agreed in principle. However, to be more ecologically friendly and to remove future maintenance costs for the parish, it requested that there be consideration in obtaining a bench recycled plastic. Cllr Hunter noted that these cost in the region of £150-£250. No response had been received to date.
160/2023 LITTER STRATEGY
The had been an incidence of fly tipping (3-wheel trims) on North Elkington Lane. This had been reported to ELDC for collection. The Parish Council noted that litter levels are low because of the strategy and efforts to pick small amounts of litter regularly.
The Clerk had emailed Cllr Hall to ask about the progress of the proposal to gate up the Western end of Short Lane to prevent car access but maintain access for walkers, cyclists and for periodic maintenance of hedges and ditches by landowners. When the Manager of the highways team had inspected the area in February there was no fly tipping present and he had deemed that no action would be required. Cllr Ensell challenged the decision noting that on a spot inspection, it was very unlikely that fly tipping would be present and therefore this should not influence any decision. The dead end remains a hotspot for littering, consuming of takeaways and alcohol consumption. It was proposed that LCC Cllr Hall would have further discussions with the Manager of the Highways team to reverse the decision.
Following an e mail to ELDC, it was confirmed that the Pride in East Lindsey initiative would continue as part of the base budget in 2024/25 which would continue to support minor maintenance issues in Fotherby.
161/2023 FOTHERBY TOP ROAD
This was progressing. Cllr Ensell would draft the bid when time allows in the coming months. A quotation would be required for road remediation. A draft road specification had been received from LCC Highways. Cllr Sutton would source a quotation based on a pragmatic road repair solution.
162/2023 VILLAGE ASSETS
Refurbishment of the bus shelters had been completed. The roof had been replaced on bus shelters 1 & 2. The Parish council had been awarded an East Lindsey Council community grant of £450 via ELDC Cllr E Mossop towards the cost of the bus shelter refurbishments. Cllr Ensell confirmed that the quality of roof repairs far surpassed what had gone before and that all shelters were now in a safe and sound condition. The parish council thanked Cllr Mossop for the grant.
Cllr Mansfield apologised as due to time constraints he had not yet cleaned up the 30 mph signs. However, it was considered that possible three signs required replacing. Further discussion would take place at the next meeting.
Defibrillator Funding
There is currently funding available to provide defibrillators across villages in Lincolnshire open for bids until September 2024. The parish council had asked for information regarding the status of the defibrillators. There are two defibrillators in the village one of which (Fotherby House) was 5 years old. The defibrillator at the church was a second-hand defibrillator and given to the Church and is located in the church. Both defibrillators are registered with the national database. Fotherby Jubilee Committee met the expenses for the battery and pads for the defibrillator at Fotherby House. The Church currently met expenses for the battery and pads for the defibrillator at the Church. It was resolved to review the provision of such important lifesaving equipment in the village to place this on a more sustainable basis given the costs of ongoing maintenance.
163/2023 FLOODING IN THE VILLAGE
There had been contact from a parishioner requesting information regarding what the parish council had done to address flooding issues. The Parish council had responded that the rainfall was exceptional across Lincolnshire over the 24 hours of Friday 20thOctober. The Parish Council had made good progress in helping to resolve several routine flooding issues in the village in the past 12 months and noted the comments.
Cllrs had assessed the issue of flooding on 20 October. Fotherby House had experienced some ingress into the kitchen as unfortunately they had removed their flood gates. There had also been flooding to properties in Church Lane and Allenby Crescent/Close. Cllr Ensell had rung the Environment Agency and ELDC. By early evening the water in Fotherby was receding. However other villages in Lincolnshire had experienced very severe flooding. It was proposed that the Parish Council purchase a suitable quantity sandbags and sand and find a suitable place near the village centre to store sandbags for use in the community. This simple, low-cost emergency resource which could be deployed if heavy rain is forecast might easily alleviate the small number of issues seen in the village in late October. A similar offering was noted in Old Bollingbroke village. This would be an agenda item at the next meeting.
Cllr Mansfield had completed a search on the land registry to find the legal owner of the field between Main Road, Fotherby and Allenby Close/Crescent beside the old garage. The clerk had written to the registered owner asking if they are the owner and advising that properties in Allenby Close were having issues with water coming from the field.
164/2023 UPDATE ON SPEED INDICATOR DEVICE (S.I.D.)
A parishioner would reinstall the Speed Indicator Device when time allows.
165/2023 RATIFICATION OF POLICIES
Proposed Cllr Ensell, seconded Cllr Mansfield and agreed by all councillors to ratify the Asset Register.
Proposed Cllr Ensell, seconded Cllr Mansfield to ratify the policies below: -
Financial Regulations
Risk assessments.
Standing orders
175/2023 REMEMBRANCE SERVICE
A further remembrance wreath had been ordered. The remembrance wreaths would be placed on the war graves following the service at the Dock on Saturday 11 November. The details of the service and wreath placing would be put on the Facebook page. The wreaths would be preserved after the event to reduce waste. If these were preserved for reuse, a donation would be made to the Royal British Legion by the parish council in lieu of repurchase in the next financial year.
176/2023 ANY OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
177/2023. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting will take place on Monday 4 December 2023.