Minutes

March 2022

Uffington Parish Council

 Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held at Uffington Village Hall on Wednesday 2nd March 2022 at 7.30pm

Present: Barrie Brown – Chairman, Cllr Sheehan, Cllr Hartley, Cllr Genever, Cllr Hutchins, Cllr Barratt, Cllr Church, Cllr R Trollope Bellew and two members of the public

Clerk – Mrs. K Turner

Cllr Brown opened the meeting and formally introduced Cllr Church to all members and welcomed him to Uffington Parish Council. Cllr Church will retain his seat up until April 2023 when local elections will take place.

  1. Apologies: Cllr Kelham Cooke
  2. Approval of Minutes from 19th January

Pro: Cllr HutchinsSec: Cllr Hartley

  1. Matters Arising

UPP Broadband proposal – Currently we are aware of two potential new customers in Lindsey Road for broadband. The company have made a proposal to overcome the accessibility for the service in Lindsey Road to erect two telegraph poles onto PC land. There have been concerns expressed over the use of the wires from the poles to the houses. The Council believe that permits or permission from SKDC planning would be required before these could be installed. A suggestion of a questionnaire to be sent to all residents in Lindsey Road to request their opinions on the matter

  • – Clerk to contact Cllr R Trollope Bellew to query with planning department on the process of poles being placed onto land. Clerk to contact UPP to ask if there would be minimum uptake before anything proceeded and a time scale. Questionnaire to be drafted and delivered

Council discussed correspondence from the Village Hall regarding a speed initiative request. The Council were unsure what was being specifically asked and the unclear on an objective. The members discussed that the Council have successfully actioned a move of the 30mph speed sign further out of the village (works are scheduled by LCC) and support the village Speed watch group. Therefore, it was concluded that the Parish Council feel they have taken sufficient action on the speeding issue in the village.

The Council have had no communication from the Cycle path project group since Autumn 2021. It was noted that this was discussed at previous PC meetings and due to the complexity of the project and disagreements from members for the plans, the subject was not discussed further. Cllr Barratt agreed to contact Sustainable Stamford for an update

Cllr Church reported the road surface at the corner of Charters/Greatford Road is in need of repair and in heavy rainfall and icy conditions it becomes hazardous. Cllr Trollope Bellew suggested a request to new Highway’s manager for a proposed walkabout around the village. Action – Clerk to contact LCC highways manager

  1. Mallard Pass

Keith Bushfield from the Mallard Pass action group was invited to give an update on the Solar project. Deadline for feedback on the EIA scoping report is Monday 7 March. Cllr Hutchins commented on the 60 movements a day of traffic through the village and marked as a concern. Action – Clerk to respond to report by 07/03/2022

  1. LALC Annual subscription Invoice & training invoice

Training invoice not applicable and not required for payment

Pro: Cllr HutchinsSec: Cllr Sheehan

LALC Annual Invoice required to be paid

Pro: Cllr HutchinsSec: Cllr Brown

  1.  
  1. Queens Platinum Jubilee

Discussed and agreed in principle for the Parish Council to provide a commemorative mug for every child 0-16 years of age who reside in the village of Uffington. Cllrs to leaflet drop in the village to try and estimate how many would be needed so that a cost could be put forward for agreement. Cllr Hutchins agreed to investigate suppliers and personalisation. Clerk to investigate a possible grant from SKDC community funding for help with cost

Pro: Cllr Genever Sec: Cllr Hartley

One Cllr abstained from voting

  1.  
  1. Update on Playground and Wildflower area

Still awaiting 1 quote for playground maintenance. Clerk to follow up

Gardening group – Cllr Sheehan, Cllr Brown and Cllr Hutchins to meet for some maintenance of the area. Cllr Hutchins kindly offered to purchase and donate wildflower seeds

 

  1. Reports from outside bodies

Cllr Trollope Bellew gave her monthly report. Finances are being looked into for next year and unfortunately the Cllrs award will no longer be running. Deeping leisure Centre refurbishment is still going ahead and proposed 2–3-year project. Contractors and material costs are causing some delays.

Grantham is holding a folk festival on 19 March with free entertainment. Bourne in Lights is also being held on the evening of 19 March the first one held in this area. Cllr TB reported that there is and was not any intention of closing the Arts centre’s. Box office opening times have been reduced largely down to percentage of bookings now being placed on-line. The Cellar bar remains closed at present. The café is under a separate lease to the Arts centre. Question was raised regarding payment of rent from the café and this was responded to by confirming all rents have been and are being made.

Question from Cllr Genever to Cllr Trollope Bellew regarding housing allocation corruption this was responded to by not being fair to comment on actions of others

Question from Cllr Genever on why meetings were held at the Mears Leisure Centre in Grantham and not at the Council chamber at SK house. This was answered by explaining that there was not enough room to safely socially distance the number of people in the chambers therefore an alternative venue had to be found so that social distancing could be maintained due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Cllr Cooke full Report can be found on Parish Council website

  1. Accounts

Expenditure Out

Clerks Wages Jan£170.68

Jubilee Plaque £119.99

J Hartley (Feb Litter pick)                                £40.00

 

Total                                                                        £330.67

 

Payments In

Allotments                                                           £160.00

Uffington VH                                                       £10000

MB Building Society                                          £7550.00

             Somes Trust                                                       £8000.00

 

Bank balance as at 24.02.2022

Treasurer’s account: £25612.96

Business account:£5606.51

 

Pro: Cllr BarrattSec: Cllr Hartley

  1.  
  1. Declaration of Interest
  2.  
  3. Planning
  4. – Mrs. Kent - Replacement of second floor timber frame window, Casewick Hall, North House, Casewick Park, Casewick, Lincolnshire, PE9 4RX – No objections
  5.  
  6. Correspondence – Full list of correspondence received

Noticeboard use – Discussion regarding Parish Council notice board being locked. Full Council unanimously agreed for the PC notice board to be locked at the meeting dated 8th December 2021. This was due to the Council receiving a formal complaint in 2021 regarding transparency and for all associated and necessary paperwork to be displayed on the notice board. Paperwork has also been removed and defaced. Unfortunately, the decision was necessitated by actions of members of the village. Cllr Brown asked for any comments from PC Members. Cllr Genever noted that there may be a possibility that the board may have to be moved. Any notice regarding the Parish can be sent by email or post to the Clerk to be displayed on the board

Allotment tenant query – Parish Council believe all queries raised have been resolved and decisions agreed upon in the new agreement. An allotment meeting will be held in the year with the allotment group and tenants to give an opportunity for tenants to raise anything with the allotment working group members. Invitation was given for the allotment tenant to attend tonight’s full Council meeting and was declined. No further discussion.

LALC advice regarding use of personal email addresses was discussed. Four members of Council have set up specific council email addresses going forward.

 

  1. Any other business

Cllr Church raised a query with Number 2 School Lane and the height and density of the conifers that have been planted against the wall which is in the Uffington conservation area. There is now visible damage to the wall which is crumbling. Cllr Trollope Bellew to investigate if the height can be controlled. Number 8 School Lane is having wall replaced. Uffington C of E school has replaced a window with UPVC this has been reported and will be changed.

Sign on Casewick Lane is broken and has been reported to Fix my street. Bollards and chains on Bertie Lane have been reported as broken. Cllr Trollope Bellew reiterated that items need to be persistently reported by individuals.

Parking on Casewick lane along the verge was mentioned. Member of public reported nuisance van parking outside of Number 2 School Lane. Action – Clerk to contact PCSO for a visit to the village and if possible, at a time from 3.15 onwards for school pick up.

Cllr Sheehan drafted a letter to the new highways manager for a request to extend the Greatford road footpath along to the Cricket club. This has been forwarded by the Clerk. Await any response.

Meeting closed at 9.25pm

The Annual Meeting of the Parish will be held at the Village Hall on Tuesday 19th April at 7pm followed by the next Full Council Meeting at the Village Hall on Tuesday 19th April at 7.30pm