2024 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

Welbourn Parish Council

MINUTES OF WELBOURN PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY 12 JUNE 2024 IN THE WELBOURN VILLAGE HALL AT 7.30 p.m.

PRESENT 

Not Present

1. Chairman’s welcome

2. Acceptance of reasons for absence 

2.1 Apologies were received from Cllr Short who is on holiday and Cllr Bighi due to child minding duties. 

3. Declaration of interest in any matter on the agenda - None declared 

4. Notes of meetings held on 8 May 2024 to be approved as minutes. Proposed by Cllr Spedding and seconded by Cllr Stark.

4.1 Resolved: That these be accepted as minutes of the meeting. 

5. Parish Councillor Vacancy - Consideration of candidate(s) for co-option. 

5.1 Louise Troy put herself forward as a prospective Parish Councillor. Cllr Stark proposed that Louise Troy be co-opted as a member of Welbourn Parish Council. This was seconded by Cllr Spedding. 

5.2 Resolved Unanimously: That Louise Troy be co-opted as a member of the Parish Council. 

6. Clerk’s Report on matters outstanding from 8 May 2024 meeting: 

6.1 Regarding Item 16.2 – A letter has been sent to the Manor Care Home requesting that they check the condition of the stonewall adjoining The Green. No response has been received so far.

6.2 Also re Item 16.2 - A site meeting was held on 29 May 2024 with Richard Fenwick Highways Asset Manager of Lincolnshire County Council to consider further the proposal to construct a swale running parallel to the stone boundary wall of Manor Care Home on The Green. Those attending included two Parish Councillors, County Councillor Overton, and two villagers.  Constructing a swale will do away with the sandbags which currently divert flood water into the nearest gulley. Mr Fenwick agreed with the proposal to construct a swale and to dig an exploratory trail hole to identify the source of water gushing from the verge following a downpour. He explained that this would be a temporary solution until such time as a more comprehensive scheme can take place in the financial year 2025/26.

6.3 An email has been received from a resident regarding the Welbourn Neighbourhood Development Plan (WNDP) asking whether clarification had been received from North Kesteven District Council (NKDC) as to how it might need updating. 

6.4 Action: Parish Clerk to respond to the resident explaining that the Parish Council is in contact with NKDC and the village curtilage currently remains as per the adopted WNDP. 

6.5 A questionnaire has been received from the Valuation Office Agency requesting information on the operation of the Welbourn Forge so its rateable value can be reassessed. 

6.6 Action: Parish Clerk to complete the questionnaire using information supplied by a Welbourn Forge co-ordinator. 

6.7 The speed indicator device has been passed on to Coleby Parish Council. 

7. Public Forum - No public present. 

8. County and District Councillors update 

8.1 District Councillor Lucille Hagues asked members to read her June newsletter. She read out some housing statistics pertinent to NKDC. Also, Cllr Andrew Hagues is the new Chair of NKDC and his chosen charity for his term of office is The Lincs Rural Support Network. 

9. Current and future maintenance responsibilities 

9.1 A resident has requested that certain trees on Castle Hill open space amenity be pruned. The Council viewed photos of the trees in question as viewed from the residents back garden and the Castle Hill open space amenity. 

9.2 Resolved: That the Parish Clerk write to the resident advising that Castle Hill is a designated wildlife haven and the trees in question are not problematic. 

9.3 The same resident has requested that plants growing in the moat and adjacent the residents stone wall be trimmed back. The Council viewed a photograph of the area in question. 

9.4 Resolved: That the Parish Clerk write to the resident advising that the moat is part of a designated wildlife haven and the vegetation in question is not problematic. 

9.5 Only one quote has been received for replacing the treads on the wooden pedestrian bridge over the moat after 3 contractors had been approached. A minimum of 3 quotes is required. 

9.6 Action: Parish Clerk to obtain at least a further 2 quotes to comply with financial regulations. 

9.7 The Council considered the condition of a large cherry tree opposite 46 The Green which is on Parish Council owned land. 

9.8. Resolved: That no tree works be carried out as there is no discernible damage being caused by the tree and that the situation be kept under review and its growth be monitored. 

9.10 Taylor Lindsay have installed a Lincolnshire post and rail fence to the development land opposite the village shop. 

9.11 Resolved: That the Parish Clerk write to Taylor Lindsay thanking the firm. 

9.12. The concessionary footpath on the railway embankment is overgrown. This was previously maintained by the landowners who no longer work the adjacent land. 

9.13 Action: Parish Clerk to contact the Footpath Officer at Lincolnshire County Council to request advice on the next steps. 

(District Councillor Hagues left the meeting at 8.25 pm.) 

9.14 A resident has complained about the condition of the village pond / beck. 

9.15 Action: Parish Clerk to a) request the Environment Agency and NKDC to advise on what remedial action is required; b) to research whether there are any community volunteer bodies willing and able to carry out remedial action. 

10. Planning Matters to consider and discuss: 

10.1 Planning Application Reference: 24/0537/LBC

Proposal: Replace windows and door to the rear with timber double glazed units and install an exterior wall light to the front of the property.
Location: End Cottage 18 The Green Welbourn Lincoln Lincolnshire

10.2 Planning Application Reference: 24/0490/LBC

Proposal: Replace two single glazed Georgian sliding-sash timber windows to rear with two double glazed Georgian sliding-sash timber windows
Location: 12 The Green Welbourn Lincoln Lincolnshire LN5 0NJ

10.3 Notification of Receipt of Amended Plans/ Additional Information

Application Reference: 24/0209/HOUS
Proposal: Erection of a carport, canopy and two storey side and rear extension
Location: Chestnut Tree Cottage, The Heath Wellingore 10.4 Resolved: That the Council has no adverse comments to make in respect of these 3 applications. 

11. Notifications of Planning Decisions: None 

12. Finance Report: - From the Responsible Finance Officer (RFO): - To review bank balances, invoices paid since last meeting since, items to be paid before next meeting: -

12.1 Accounts value (4 June 2024):

12.2 Bank reconciled:    £0 discrepancy.

12.3 Payments made since 8 May 2024

12.4 Payments received since last meeting: 

12.5 Expected payments within the next meeting (10 July 2024): 

12.5 a) Resolved: That the Council notes items 12.1 – 12.5 and approves these items. 

12.6 AGAR Documents: - The Responsible Finance Officer presented the following documents in detail to the Council:

•   Internal Audit Report 2023-24
•   Annual Governance Statement 2023-24
•   Accounting Statement 2023-24

12.7 Resolved: The Council notes and approves these 3 documents which will now be published on the Parish Council website and noticeboard. 

13. Report on the final instalment of the FCC CF grant for the play park upgrade – 13.1 The RFO presented this report on behalf of Cllr Bighi. The outstanding work to the Welbourn play park upgrade has now been completed by a group of volunteers led by Cllr Bighi. The materials involved for this work had to be purchased up front in accordance with FCC Community Foundation requirements. The amounts spent including VAT are are shown in Item 12 above under the following headings: Listers; Toolstation: Simpsons Arb; Travis Perkins and Brauncewell Quarries. FCC CF has committed to fund £689.96 (excluding VAT) of this final stage and this will be sent to the Council’s bank account on 13 June 2024. There is therefore an overspend of £189.01 (excluding VAT) which needs to be funded by The Parish Council. 

13.2 Resolved: That the Council approve covering this overspend of £189.01 and thank the volunteers led by Cllr Bighi for their work in completing the project. 

14. To reconsider the erection of a mobile telephone mast to improve the mobile telephone signal. 

14.1 Cllr Cross reported that a resident had asked that the Council to consider inviting a mobile phone company to erect a phone mast on its land in order to improve the signal strength. If this happened the Council would benefit from a windfall amount from the mobile, but this would put the Council’s annual precept at risk. When this proposal was considered several years ago, there had been many objections. 

14.2 Resolved: The Council will not facilitate the erection of a mobile phone mast on land owned by the Council. Any planning application received from a private landowner for the erection of a mast will be considered in the usual way.  

15. To receive an update regarding the proposed Deed of Trust between the Parish Council and the Village Hall and Playing Field Committee. 

15.1 The Parish Clerk outlined advice received from Wrigley’s Solicitors in connection with the drawing up of a Deed of Trust between the Parish Council and the Village Hall and Playing Field Committee.  

15.2 Resolved: That the Parish Council accept this advice and proceed with the Deed of Trust in consultation with the Village Hall and Playing Field Committee. 

16. Portfolio Holders Updates 

16.1 Cllr Troy reported that a villager has complained about the long grass on the football pitch. 

16.2 Resolved: That the should football teams requiring shorter grass should liaise with the Village Hall and Playing Field Committee and bear the cost of the extra cut to the pitch. 

16.3 Cllr Troy agreed to take on the Health and Welfare Portfolio. 

17. Agenda items for the next meeting – Solar farms update. 

Meeting closed at 9.20 pm. 

Next meeting:

Wednesday 10th July 2024

Copies to: Parish Councillors, County & District Councillors, Parish Council Web Site.

Future Parish Council Meetings in 2024:  All meetings to commence at 7.30 pm