September 2024 Minutes
GREAT GONERBY PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Meeting held on Monday 2nd September 2024
At the Memorial Hall, Belton Lane, Great Gonerby
Present: Chairman - Cllr. T Bridle, Vicechair – Cllr K Davey, Cllr G Beckett, Cllr. J Cundall, Cllr. M Neal, Cllr K White, Cllr M Beckett, Cllr D Jacobs, Cllr E Austen, Clerk – Arlayna Bennett and 7 members of the public.
Meeting start time: 7:15pm.
Public forum: There being 7 members of the public present. A parishioner attended with their architect to provide an update for the works of sustainable houses that they’re planning to submit to SKDC for planning permission. PC advised that where they cannot make a decision on the application, they will advise where possible on areas that may cause concern to the parish. A parishioner asked about when the next neighbourhood plan meeting will be to organise category leads, the chairman advised that a meeting will be arranged in September to organise category leads and a further village meeting to update parishioners on where the neighbourhood plan currently stands.
1.Apologies for absence and reasons given - Apologies for absence with valid reasons had been received from Cllr C Cundall.
Resolved: That apologies for absence with valid reasons be accepted from Cllr C Cundall.
2. Declarations of Interest/Dispensations - None were raised.
3. Minutes signed from the previous meeting - Minutes from July’s meeting were agreed by all. Resolved: Proposed and seconded and signed off by the chair.
4. Staffing Committee
4a - Terms of reference. A discussion was had amongst all present and it was agreed that the proposed terms of reference for the staffing committee were agreed and accepted by all. Resolved: Proposed by Cllr T. Bridle, Seconded by Cllr J Cundall. Terms of Reference will be posted on the Great Gonerby Online website.
4b - Current members of the committee confirmed and/or members stepping down. With the terms of reference now confirmed, complete and in place, Cllr T Chairman agreed to step down from the staffing committee. It was agreed that Cllr M. Neal, Cllr K. White and Cllr D. Jacobs would remain in place and form the staffing committee in its entirety with all Cllrs in agreement.
Resolved: With everyone in agreement, this was then proposed by Cllr G. Beckett and seconded by Cllr D. Jacobs.
4b - Voting for staffing committee chair – A vote was held to determine who would become the chair of the newly formed staffing committee with Cllr M Neal and Cllr K White running for this position.
Resolved: The vote was held with results as follows: Cllr M Neal: 6 in favour, Cllr K white: 2 in favour… 1 Cllr abstained from the vote. Subsequently, Cllr M Neal was voted to become the Chair of the staffing committee.
4c - Clerk training – GGPC clerk requested to take part in a 12-month course with SLCC to further their training and position as Clerk, the course comes at a cost of £144.00 for a 12-month course. All Cllrs had a discussion and decided that it would be of benefit to the council for the clerk to attend this course and it was proposed that the course would be paid for using the Chairmans Discretionary Fund.
Resolved: All Cllrs voted to agree the above actions, this was proposed by Cllr M Neal and seconded by Cllr K White. The clerk will register for the course and start studies by the next meeting in October 2024.
5. Clerk & Members to report back on matters outstanding -
5a - Internal Audit Update – Clerk reported back to all Cllrs that the audit was currently sat with the external auditors waiting for the final report to be given.
Resolved: A further update shall be given by the Clerk once further feedback with conclusion has been received.
5b - Action Plan – There was concerns that the layout of the Action Plan presents in a complicated manner, Cllr T Bridle explained the reason for the action plan (being able to monitor the progress of projects and/or actions and to capture data), how it is to be used going forward for updates of ongoing actions. It was then asked of all Cllrs if the action plan was something they would like to use going forward.
Resolved: It was voted by all that the action plan will become a tool for the council to use to monitor on going projects and/or actions. This was proposed by Cllr D Jacobs and seconded by Cllr J Cundall.
5c - Arrangements for Remembrance Sunday – There has been difficulty finding a trumpet player to perform on remembrance Sunday (10th November 2024). There was a discussion regarding whether or not the council will be purchasing a fresh wreath or purchase a premade wreath for Remembrance Day. It was agreed that Cllr D Jacobs would attend the service in full military uniform.
Resolved: Cllr E Austen will seek a volunteer trumpet player to perform at the service, if this is unattainable, it was agreed to play through a speaker system for the service. Cllr J Cundall volunteered the make a fresh wreath and will gather quotations for materials only to make the wreath. All Cllrs agreed on both topics with Cllr M Neal proposing and Cllr K White seconding.
6. Official Correspondence & Circulation.
- LALC e-news – circulated to all Cllrs.
- LCC Town and Council Newsletter – circulated to all Cllrs
- SKDC Mapping layers – circulated to all Cllrs.
- LALC Summer Conference and AGM Belton Woods Hotel 24.07.24
7. Updates
7a - Neighbourhood Plan – Chairman – Cllr T Bridle reported back that he is currently waiting for the approached NP consultants to get back to us with availability and costings. Cllr T Bridle has agreed to continue overseeing the NP until a consultant can sourced. There is plans to hold another meeting for the public in September to continue the progressions and support of the NP within the community.
7b - Village Volunteering - Cllr E Austen reported back to the council as following:
We have continued to see the spirt of volunteering continue to grow with support the church graveyard continuing with several villagers supporting. The parish councillors have been fabulous supporting the tidy up around the village. A huge thank you to everyone that has managed to support over August. The next planned event is on the 21st of September. The meeting point will be the memorial at 1pm to allocate jobs, the hope is to finish clearing the brambles in the Wood and continue to get on top of the weeds in the cemeteries. Depending on numbers i would also like to get a group down to the pond area to clear the weeds there. A poster will be displayed around the village and website to seek volunteers. All being well, there will be a further planned to gather in October for a wider spread village clean up ahead of winter.
7c Christmas in Gonerby - Cllr K Davey & Cllr G Beckett.
The plan for Christmas in Gonerby is to start small and grow on this year on year with a 5 year plan. The plan for this year (Year1) is to source new lights and star for the Christmas tree in the village, host a carol singalong (St Sebastians church have agreed to sort this), a village light switch on event with the events group providing refreshments and a few local competitions for the community to get involved with. Cllr K Davey received a quotation provided by Blachere Illuminations UK LTD for the lights totalling £785.40. Allison Homes agreed to sponsor the lights to cover the costs. Eden Tree services provided a quotation of £50 to fit the new lights securely around the tree in time for Christmas. It was proposed that that £50 be covered by the chairman’s discretionary fund.
Resolved – All Cllrs agreed that they were happy with the plans for Year 1 of Christmas in Gonerby and for the £50 light fitting charge to be covered by the chairman’s discretionary fund. It was voted to go ahead with accepting the sponsorship and purchasing the new lights. This was proposed by Cllr K White and seconded by Cllr E Austen.
8. Financial Matters
8a) Accounts for payment.
Resolved - That payments made in July 2024 and August 2024 from the GGPC accounts were accepted by all, proposed, seconded and signed off by the chair with all Cllrs present.
8b) Year to Date Budget Report – he third party IT fee was not budgeted, £120 this month, but necessary following the regime change in March 2024, Otherwise the expenditure has progressed as budgeted. Financial observations - Moving the £1600 to the 30day account was a scientious idea, but the accounts are balancing low in the instant access accounts and high in delayed access accounts (30 & 95 days). The Chair and Clerk will review the last 2-year Parish Cash Flow and set minimum balance levels for each account going forward, to avoid any emergency access (creating charges) to 95 or 30 days accounts.
8c) Precept for 2024/25 – The clerk reported back to all the Cllrs that the final precept payment for 24/25 will be paid in October 2024 and the precept for 25/26 will be planned and presented to the council once the budget for 25/26 has been finalised and approved.
Resolved – Clerk will gather quotations for grass cutting and works to be carried out for the next financial year and assist the chairman and another councillor in finalising the budget for 25/26 in order to confirm the expected precept for the next financial year.
9. Advisory Groups:
9a - Amenity Areas - Update on Village Amenities – It was reported back that the Pond bollards still haven’t been repainted (due to timescales and poor weather). Resolution – The clerk shall chase this up and update when updates are available.
It was also reported back that the clock at St Sebastians church will soon be due a clock service. Resolution – Cllr K. Davey will follow this up and report back to the council when updates are available.
Millennium Wood undergrowth clearance done for better visibility through wood.
Hill Top - gardening to improve landscape in burial ground, benches cleaned, weeding of lane. PC churchyard - improvement to landscaping with weeding, undergrowth clearing and grass cutting.
Fix My Street results with authorities: Cutting of verges opposite memorial hall, clearing of obscured 30 mph sign on Newark Hill, foliage clearance of footpath/bridge from Long St to Church Walk, hill footpath from village to GHF foliage cleared. Request to LCC via Alex for double yellows on Green Street/High Street and road painting at Newark Hill/Belton Lane approach for 30mph roundels and white lining to appear road narrowing, to help reduce speeding into the village. Resolution – Cllr G Beckett to follow up with LCC to chase progress, updates will be given when available.
9b - Highway Matters (Inc. Planning) - Reported back by Cllr G. Beckett - The verge opposite the end of Covill on Belton Lane – outside the field fence but still officially a verge has been raised with LCC if their contractor could do it when they cut the verge opposite the MH as this is not on the parish council cutting maps. Cones and sign tripods have been left near MH, by the recent tree felling contractors – it has been asked that these be removed.
Reported back by Cllr J. Cundall – The PC has been in touch with Andy Savage who is responsible for public footpaths and their safety. Since then, he has put together a plan of what he sees the Parish council would like addressed. He is taking a Highways engineer out in September to look at the possibility of taking up the old path and replacing it with a new one and extending the slope at the entrance to decrease the incline.
Resolution - When this inspection has been carried out, the Council will then cost the upgrades and get back to the PC with a time scale.
Planning
- S24/1118 - 10th July 2024
Proposal: Section 211 notice for the following tree work.
05NJ - Ilex aquilfolium - Essential clear property boundary clear path. 05NN - Prunus ceracifera Nigra - Essential clear property boundary clear path.
05NU - Prunus Avium - Essential clear property boundary clear path. 05NW - Prunus avium - Essential remove suckers 2m and 4m east, haz structure and gravestones.
05P2 - Juglans regia - Essential clear property boundary clear gravestones by 1m.
Location: St Sebastian's Church, High Street, Great Gonerby, Lincolnshire, NG31 8LB
Trees in CA - Section 211 Notice
- TREES IN A CONSERVATION AREA
SECTION 211 NOTICE
Application No: S24/1051
Date Received: 19th June 2024
Proposal: Section 211 notice for proposed felling of suspected Cypress tree.
Location: Brownlow House 5 Green Street
Great Gonerby Lincolnshire NG31 8LD
Decision/Date: Work Allowed 15th July 2024
- S24/0867
Date Received: 22nd May 2024
Proposal: Proposed two storey extension to side, single storey extension to front and rear of existing dwelling
Location: 48 Belvoir Gardens Great Gonerby
Lincolnshire NG31 8LG
Decision/Date: 16th July 2024
- S24/0751
Date Received: 7th May 2024
Proposal: Renew roof, including dormers (two at the front, one at the rear),
inserting insulation between and above rafters. Insulate first floor
East gable end wall internally. Renew ground floor front window
(east end of north elevation).
Location: 36 Long Street Great Gonerby
Lincolnshire NG31 8LN
Decision/Date 2nd August 2024
- S24/0977
Date Registered: 6th June 2024
Proposal: Submission of details reserved by Conditions 3 (Tree Protection
Plan), 5 (Foul Water Drainage), 6 (Surface Water Drainage), 7
(Construction Method Statement) and part of details required by
Condition 8 (Adoptable Street Details) of planning permission
- S23/1699
Location: Development Between Longcliffe Road And Belton Lane, Great Gonerby
Decision/Date Details Approved 29th August 2024
Resolution – The planning document was shared with all Cllrs prior to the meeting, proposed, seconded and approved during the meeting.
10. Notice of motions for future meetings - Cllr C. Cundall has requested that the Gonerby Online website be discussed regarding its future use.
Cllr M. Beckett requested that a discussion be held about the potential of having an accounting software to aid the PC finances.
11. Any matters for urgent discussion - None were raised.
Circulation: All Councillors, Notice Board, Cllr. A. Maughan LCC.
SKDC Councillors: Cllr. I Stokes, Cllr. Stephen