2022 Minutes

Draft minutes subject to approval at the next meeting.

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Minutes of the meeting of Sutton Bridge Parish Council, held 19:00hrs Tuesday, 13 December 2022, in the Curlew Centre Bridge Room, Sutton Bridge.

Present: Cllr Simon Booth, Cllr Chris Brewis, Cllr David Bruch, Cllr Rachael Goodwin, Cllr Michelle Pitt, Cllr Colin Robinson, Cllr Anne Scarlett (chair), Cllr Terry York, Mr. Robert Smith (clerk), Mrs Karen Croxford (admin assistant), County Councillor Jack Tyrrell, one member of the public.

Absent: Cllr Michael Booth, Cllr Kim Davies

Unless otherwise stated, actions to be undertaken by the clerk.

22.265. Apologies for non-attendance were received from Cllr M Booth & Cllr Davies. .

22.266. Declarations of interest

01. Cllr Bruch, as a trustee of the Curlew Centre declared an interest in the approval of its payments

02. Cllr Brewis stated that he had been appointed to the District Council Public Services Panel. 

22.267. Representations from members of the public.

01. Disappointment was expressed about the restrictions that had been made by the new port owners to the public byway through the port and about the felling of protected trees.

22.268. Police matters.

01. An incident reported to the Police of attempted arson of fly-tipped furniture on the Memorial Park near to the back of the Curlew Centre was noted

02. Following Cllr Brewis’s previously reported shift with the local PCSO, any other councillor who wished to do the same should contact PCSO Dave Walker.

22.269. There was no report from the chair.

22.270. The clerk reported on matters arising, not otherwise covered on the agenda.

01. Information had been updated on the website.

02. Internal bank transfers had been made to cover payments.

03. The recent councillor vacancy had been advertised and no election request had been made. As the vacancy had occurred more than six months before the ordinary elections due to be held 04 May 2023, subject to any applications being received by 20 January 2023, a co-option meeting would be included in the Parish Council meeting 31 January 2023.

04. Planning comments for application H18-0898-22 had been submitted as resolved.

05. The purchase of speed indicator devices was pending.

06. The repair to the finger posts sign in the carpark had been completed. 

07. Christmas lights

i. A press release had been issued and had appeared in the Spalding Guardian 15 November 2022.

ii. A Lincolnshire County Council licence for attaching lights to streetlight columns had been received.

iii. Arrangements for electricity supply to the lights would be raised under closed session quotes.

08. Previous proposals for Christmas lighting and an event on the village green were not proceeding.

09. After attending the SLCC National Conference the clerk reported on the following items of interest.

i. The Civility and Respect campaign. This was to be raised later in the meeting.

ii. How local councils can address the climate emergency. Please contact the clerk for more information.

iii. A review of government plans for devolution, funding, community leadership, levelling up and potential reorganisation within the context of economic recession, political crisis, high inflation and a cost of living and energy crisis in a world increasingly defined by populism, post-truth, and polarisation. 

10. The Council’s Online mapping service was still being investigated for wider use by councillors.

11. Completion of Operation London Bridge procedures were still pending.

22.271. District Council (SHDC) matters.

01. Cllr Brewis reported.

i. Prior to the recent cancellation of the Christmas event, a £5.00 deposit had been made to reserve a 10ft Christmas tree. If anyone needed a tree, please contact Cllr Brewis.

ii. South Holland Voluntary Car Scheme were in urgent need of drivers. Contact Cllr Brewis for details.

iii. Changes to the right of way access at the port was unacceptable. To be discussed later in the meeting.

iv. The recent public consultation on a 210-house development was to be discussed later in the meeting.

v. Details of those helping with a new Propeller Memorial sign were to be passed to the clerk for thanks.

22.272. Following an invitation from the chair, Cllr Tyrrell reported on LCC matters.

i. Concern was expressed on the level of fly tipping in the area, particularly tyres, which appeared to be the result of illicit dumping by unprincipled businesses. The clerk had been informed that the District Council was planning to outsource its prosecution of action against fly tipping, which he hoped could be reported on at the next meeting.

ii. Following the receipt of complaints about actions by the new port owners, Cllr Tyrrell had attended a meeting with them, Cllr M Booth and SHDC Assistant Director Mr M Hogan. The owners had been asked for a full statement of their intentions. It was stated that it was not intended to bring scrap metal into the port, as this would be handled at King’s Lynn. Rather, to return the port to its previous operations. The recent felling of protected trees was being investigated by the SHDC tree officer. The port was in communication with LCC about the temporary fencing it had erected and the rerouting of the public byway that it had effected. Cllr Brewis stated that the port owner’s action rerouting the byway was unacceptable and that the proper public access needed to be reinstated immediately. 

iii. Investigations were taking place with LCC to locate the details and requirements of the Petts Lane port vehicles restrictions sign and for this sign to be reinstated as soon as possible. It was suggested that this might have been a planning requirement.

22.273. Finance

01. It was resolved to approve the October and November cash book and bank reconciliation.

02. It was resolved to approve payments to 13 December 2022 as below. Cllr Goodwin & Cllr York to authorise bank payments. Cllr Bruch abstained from approval of payments to the Curlew Centre.

03. Delegated expenditure (excl. VAT): none.

04. Receipts since last meeting: Garden of Rest receipts £50.00; bank interest £143.72. 

05. It was resolved to approve the draft budget 2023/24 rev.2, setting the precept at £77,036.

06. It was resolved to ratify approval of grant application for £1,000 from the Long Sutton Men’s Shed.

07. It was resolved to ratify the decision to open the following accounts:

i. Cambridge Building Society Council Account with an initial deposit of £80,000.

ii. Depending on eligibility and in order of preference open with an initial £80,000 deposit in either:

a) Hinkley and Rugby Building Society 30-day notice account; or

b) Lloyds Bank 32-day notice account; or

c) The Co-operative Bank 35-day notice account.

iii. A CCLA Public Sector Deposit Fund with an initial deposit of £80,000.

22.274. Correspondence.

01. Following a request to use the Curlew Centre Car Park for sale of products from a desserts van, whilst agreed in principle, it was resolved to ask for further details to be submitted once the street licence had been obtained. Cllr Brewis & Cllr S Booth abstained from voting.

19:56 hrs Cllr Tyrrell left the meeting 

02. The felling of protected trees at Sutton Bridge Port had been reported to SHDC.

19:58 hrs Cllr Tyrrell returned to the meeting 

03. As no current emergency plan was held by the Parish Council it was resolved to request further information from LCC and LALC so that a new policy could be drafted.

04. An email about the closure of New Road was noted. To be further considered under item 15.02.ii.

05. Christmas Bus Service Information would be posted on the website.

06. Correspondence with the Rt Hon Sir John Hayes CBE MP about accessible play equipment in Sutton Bridge parks was noted. Additional correspondence from Sir John to Mr Rob Barlow, SHDC Joint Chief Exec, urging the District Council to ‘proactively engage’ with the Parish Council on the improvement of local parks was noted. Despite recent assurances to the contrary, SHDC officers had yet to contact the clerk about the parks. The clerk would chase this up. It was resolved to contact Westmere Primary School to consider the details of the play project that had been undertaken in class and to involve the children and parents in future consultations.

07. An email from Sedlec-Prčice in the Czech Republic had been received. It was resolved for Cllr Pitt to approach Westmere Primary School to ask if it would like to further co-operation.

08. An electronic Christmas card from Cllr Paul Redgate, Chairman of SHDC had been received.

22.275. Planning applications.

01. H18-1168-22: 85 Princes Street. Single storey rear extension. It was resolved to support.

02. H18-1156-22: 11 Wharf Street. Tree works. It was resolved to make no comment.

03. H18-1131-22: Bridge Hardware. Replacement of Shopfront Windows. It was resolved to support.

04. H18-1073-22 Poppy Fields Caravan Park, Fields Farm South. Continued retrospective use of static caravans for residential use. It was resolved to object because the original application was granted only to house temporary seasonal workers.

22.276. Consultation from Persimmon Homes for a housing development at a site within Sutton Bridge

20:15 hrs Standing orders were suspended to allow Cllr Tyrrell to speak

01. Cllr Tyrell advised the Parish Council to speak to the builders and apply for funding directly.

20:20 hrs Standing orders were reinstated

02. It was resolved to approach Persimmon Homes and invite them to a future meeting to discuss proposed funding for the Parish.

22.277. The following planning comments submitted under the Parish Council’s Planning Policy were noted.

01. H18-1020-22: 24 Bridge Road. Change of use of first floor premises to self-contained flat – retrospective. Support as it restores former use.

02. H18-1032-22: Land 37-39 Falklands Road. Incorporate within residential curtilage – retrospective. Object as the Council believed this to be an inappropriate land grab of previously open land. It was noted that the applicant had provided evidence confirming the purchase of the land.

22.278. The following District Council planning decisions were noted.

01. H18-0621-21: Clear View King John Bank Walpole St Andrew Wisbech. Construction of open fronted storage shed. Non-determination.

02. H18-0865-22: 2 Wharf Street. Erection of Dwelling & Garage. Approved.

03. H18-0937-22: Metalair Feldbinder (U K) Ltd Tydd Bank. Works to a preserved tree. Approved.

04. H18-0898-22: Herons Path, East Bank. To allow occupation of dwelling by persons not employed at adjoining coal yard which has ceased trading. Approved.

22.279. Highways & footways.

01. There were no outstanding matters.

02. New matters.

i. Road closure notice affecting East Bank & Gunthorpe Road 03 Jan - 21 Feb 2023 was noted.

ii. Road closure notices affecting New Road 29 Nov - 06 Dec 2023 [TTR002059] and traffic restrictions affecting Bridge Road 06 December – 08 December 2023 [AD02961534407] were noted. 

iii. As previously circulated, the clerk reported on communications concerning the restriction and diversion of Byway Open to All Traffic (BOAT) at Sutton Bridge Port which had been given a priority Level 3 (> 4 months to resolution) by LCC. It was noted that no response from LCC had been received. Thanks were expressed to the clerk for dealing with this matter.

iv. It was noted that the clerk had only received occasional road closure notices from LCC Highways. The clerk had registered to receive notifications of highways events in the Parish from http://one.network. It was resolved to contact Mr A Savage at LCC to enquire why notices were not being received.

22.280. Committee and working party reports.

01. New Pavilion Committee

i. The draft minutes of the last meeting were noted.

ii. It was resolved to defer a grant application to the Grange Wind Farm Community Fund.

iii. It was resolved to contact the Architect to check on progress prior to next committee meeting

02. Cllr Bruch reported that he expected to be able to report on CCTV matters at the next meeting.

22.281. Reports from outside bodies

01. EDF Sutton Bridge Solar Farm Liaison Meeting

i. The draft minutes of the last meeting were noted.

ii. EDF had decided its Sutton Bridge Solar Farm Community Benefit Fund would be held independently, represented by a panel made up from members of the liaison committee.

iii. Current representatives on the committee were Cllr M Booth, Cllr Brewis, Mr R Smith, & Mr Neil Wright.

22.282. It was noted that the Sutton Bridge Foodbank had declined the use of an allotment plot.

22.283. Allowing a voluntary organisation the use of an allotment plot to teach and encourage the youth of Sutton Bridge to grow their own food was discussed. It was resolved to request that a detailed proposal be submitted by applicants for further consideration.

21:07 hrs a member of the public left the meeting

22.284. Civility & Respect

01. It was resolved to sign up to the civility and respect pledge.

02. It was resolved to adopt the training and development policy.

03. It was resolved to adopt the dignity at work policy.

04. It was resolved to adopt the revised equality, diversity, and inclusion policy to replace the existing equality policy.

22.285. To improve the Council’s communications with the community, it was resolved for Cllr Goodwin to share details of Parish Assembly meetings on social media.

22.286. Requests from members for items to be included on the agenda of a future meeting.

01. To consider a Community Wood (Cllr S Booth). It was resolved for Cllr S Booth to investigate further information for this agenda item.

02. To require requests for Parish Council support of community events to be brought to the Parish Council before they are published on social media (Cllr Scarlett)

03. To consider matters relating to an unauthorised gateway into the Memorial Park.

22.287. It was resolved to move into closed session on the grounds of confidentiality in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 s.1(2).    

21:25 hrs District Cllr Tyrrell left the meeting.

22.288. Following a complaint about councillors’ attendance at garden allotment site meetings. It was resolved to uphold the complaint and to send a letter of apology to the complainant. It was further resolved to move to quarterly rather than monthly inspections. The committee chair would arrange meetings as required to deal with urgent matters.

22.289. It was resolved to arrange a meeting between parties to discuss a boundary dispute relating to a business farm tenancy.

22.290. Quotes for works.

01. The clerk reported on issues relating to the supply of unmetered electricity for the Christmas lights.

02. It was resolved to purchase a combination lock up to the value of £30.00 for the gate in the Memorial Park and for the emergency services to be kept informed of the access combination.

22.291. Staffing & administration matters.

01. It was resolved to approve the amended Salaries Budget 2023/24 rev.1 as recommended by the Finance Committee. The amendments allowed for an increase in the National Living Wage from April 2023; a reduction in National Insurance contributions from November 2022; and changes in pension contributions from April 2023. 

02. Staff appraisal documents would be circulated to members by 31 December 2022 with a completion and return date of 14 January 2023. 

The chair closed the meeting at 21:45 hrs.