January 2023 Minutes
Tallington Parish Council
Minutes of Parish Council meeting held on Tuesday 10th January 2023
Present: Chairman Cllr P Sagar, Vice Chairman Cllr J Smith, Cllr J Mackenzie, Cllr A Hassall, Cllr K Otter and Parish Clerk W Gray, 3 members of the public were also present. District Cllrs K Cooke, R Trollope-Bellew arrived during meeting.
Minutes
1. Public Forum – No questions.
2. Opening of Meeting – Cllr Sagar welcomed everyone to the meeting.
3. Apologies for Absence – Cllr K Cooke, Cllr R Trollope-Bellew, Cllr Mackenzie, resident Ann Knox and daughter.
4. Declaration of Interest – None.
5. To agree minutes of Parish Council Meeting 8th November 2022 – proposed Cllr Otter, seconded Cllr Smith all in agreement for minutes to be signed.
6. Matters arising from the above minutes – None.
Anglian Water Re Flooding – Cllr Sagar will write to them.
Tree – Area Manager re Potholes south side of road.
Following meeting held on 22nd September at West Deeping Quarry Offices – where West Deeping and Tallington were represented there was mention of a Public Exhibition (no dates through yet Parish Clerk to chase).
7. Finance
Authorisation of payments:
Payments Agreed at meeting:
Parish Clerk Salary December/January £426.18
Parish Clerk Expenses December/January £77.60
Watts Farm Services – Grasscutting £360.00
Community Cleaner November £76
Community Cleaner December £76
All above payments approved by Cllrs Present.
Precept 2023/2024 – Cllr Sagar had circulated a paper prior to the meeting with the various options for review. Meeting went through the figures and it was proposed that we adopt option C. to Increase Precept to £8,400 (plus £600/7.7%) an increase on a Band D property of approx. £1 or 4.5 % at £23.46. It should be noted that this figure may well change per property by April due to additional houses registering for council tax payments. We have increased the grant to the Church by £100 this year to £600 and insurance and other costs are rising along with the need to cover the materials costs to repair to paths on Millennium green that we will also probably have to dip into the reserve invested funds for. Also 2 of our 3 notice Boards are in need of substantial repairs. Cllr Smith seconded, Cllrs Otter, Hassall and Mackenzie also in agreement.
8. Planning
S22/2052 (Heron’s Close) – objections were put in before 14th December – copied in to all District Councillors. Cllr Cooke advised not yet been determined.
S22/2175 and S22/2176 (Crooked Billet) revision of plan objected to last year.
PL/0129/22 – Breedon – Development to vary condition 2 of planning permission S19/0497 to amend the mineral extraction boundary and reduce the standoff distances from Rectory Farm, Crown Farm and The Lodge. Email circulated.
9.Mallard Pass Solar Farm – latest update circulated - suggest register as an interested party. Parish Clerk to register TPC as an interested party.
10. Millennium Green – Rob Golland has submitted last invoice, unable to carry on cutting due to loss of staff. May only need to cut twice a year and new contractor Jack Griffin being interviewed next week. Cllr Sagar to talk to No.2 Red house paddocks re goal posts. Action re-signs etc for MG.
11. LCC & Footpath No. 4/TPC paths – LCC volunteer scheme, still best way of getting any work done to paths in Millennium Green and Village hall Car Park repairs – cost of labour provided free by LCC Volunteer scheme (Balfour Beatty staff) with cost of equipment and materials paid by Parish Council £2,125 & Village hall committee funds. Village hall have agreed the works proposed and funding of materials and equipment for car park repairs at £2,482. Further site meeting planned with Ellie Baker of LCC volunteer scheme in early February to agree final works for MG paths.
12. Trees – At November PC meeting - Revised plan was mostly accepted with the exclusion of 5 trees bordering the hedge at the back of Jacqueline Knox’s property. The meeting thought they would be too close to the existing trees /hedges.
It was again agreed that the area be used as a wild flower meadow as had been attempted some years ago. Cllr Mackenzie again raised concerns over lack of a comprehensive watering plan. However the meeting again felt that with offer the of support from residents presented at the September and November meetings to water during periods of drought via a possible water supply from adjacent field of M Thurlby that a volunteer system was sufficient.
On the basis of the above all Cllrs present wished to go ahead. Cllr Otter volunteered to assist Cllr Mackenzie in finalizing plan and monitoring the watering. Cllr Mackenzie confirmed quantities and other parish councils that will be involved.
13. Environment Agency (EA)– various issues raised at last meeting – flaps on bridge either side main concern – have on their list to repair fence both sides of the river, keeping an eye on hemlock situation, deal with rabbits before Christmas. Re-install of missing vertical pipe as part of valve guard on Bainton side of river just upstream from Road Bridge. Cllr Smith will continue to chase the EA to get this work done.
14. Reports from Councillors –
Casewick Lane – Cllr Cooke confirmed that the overgrown green spaces created by the development of St Lawrence Way was at last in the process of being transferred into the ownership of SKDC who will then be able to cut back the overgrown hedges and drainage channels that have been neglected for many years. Cllr Smith stated that in his opinion a small digger was required to unblock a culvert at the Main road end of Hawthorn Row which was probably causing the flooding outside Esme Gray’s bungalow. There was an update on Tallington Lakes.
Gate protecting access to footpath from Main road into St Lawrence Way green space now missing creating safety issue for children running straight into Main road.
No update from Heron’s Trust.
15. Village Hall and Playing Field reports – Cllr Sagar updated meeting on conversation he had with a lady who’s child had been bitten by a donkey and complained to clerk. Subsequently signage was agreed with owners warning that the Donkeys may bite and not to feed. It was interesting how far people travel to use facilities.
16. Public Forum – bins outside the village now back on the layby – Cllr Sagar raised again with Cllr Cooke – request for bins to be removed. Request for more signage.
Blue P sign fallen off post going towards Stamford. Daniel Adams – new Highways Manager. Invite him to village for a Walk Around.
17. Date of Next Meetings: Tuesday 14th March 2023 commencing at 7.30 p.m.
Tuesday 16th May 2023 following Annual Parish meetings.
Meeting closed at 9.13 p.m.