May 2024 Minutes
Tallington Parish Council
Minutes of Parish Council meeting held on 28th May 2024 following Annual Parish Meeting and Annual Parish Council Meetings
The meeting commenced at 8.10 pm
Present: Chairman Cllr P Sagar, Vice Chairman Cllr J Smith, Cllr J Brocklebank, Cllr R Sorrell and Parish Clerk W Gray, new Clerk N Smith, District Cllr R Trollope-bellew, 12 members of the public were also in attendance.
Minutes
1. Public Forum: Nettles by the Bridge to be cut down (near Dog Bin) Louise advised Andy would sort problem. Cllr Sagar advised that Countryside Officer team will be asked to visit.
2. Opening of Meeting: Cllr Sagar welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Cllr A Baxter arrived for this meeting.
3. Apologies for Absence: Cllr J Knox, District Cllr V Smith.
4. Declaration of Interest: None.
5. To agree minutes of Parish Council Meeting 12th March 2024: Cllr Sagar proposed, seconded Cllr Smith, all in agreement for minutes to be signed off.
6. Matters arising from above minutes: District Cllr V Smith asked to be included in attendees of March meeting.
7. Update on Tallington Flooding of 3rd/4th January and 22nd February 2024 – Already covered in Annual Parish Meeting. Flood Minister visited Tallington on 8th May at behest of Alicia Kearns MP and met with councillors and members of the Flood resposne team and villagers. Ben Thornley of the Enviroment agency had promised the minister that he would arrange a multi agency onsite meeting to agree the way forward to better protect the village and agree funding for the drainage repairs.
8. Anglian Water, Network Rail and LCC – Latest update circulated in Annual Parish Report distributed to all households. Further meetings to be held next month. Cllr Smith asked if all agencies could meet sometime in June who is going to own plan to resolve issues – will involve multiple agencies? Cllr Sagar – think LCC should be the lead on this to take forward – awaiting dates for meetings to be set up. When get meeting with Ben (AW) include Cllr A Baxter, Cllrs Sagar and Smith etc. Cllr Sagar will pursue. Funding for the work is still the issue, who’s Budget AW/EA/LCC?
9. Environment Agency - Update & Actions: Already discussed.
10. TPC Website- Update: Website has been revamped. Now includes photographs, links and village updates. Maintenance is now being undertaken by LALC webmaster service.
11. Finance - Authorisation of payments as presented by the Parish Clerk:
J Smith – MG Seeds £237
N Smith – clerk laptop and printer £501.49
J Griffin – MG maintenance/ cut etc £240
Smartwheelie – Bin signs ref engine £68
W Gray – Salary £511.18 (chq)
LALC – Affliation fee £293.70
Above payments approved by Cllrs present.
12. Planning: Breedons Quarry Consultation – completely new application not a variation. Environment Committee meeting may delay consultation.
13. Mallard Pass Solar Farm – Application submitted by Mallard Pass has been sent to Secretary of State. Decision now postponed until end June.
14. Millennium Green path works/Footpath No. 4: It was hoped to commence work soon – contractor had to stop work in December as too wet – water has done some damage and washed away some of top layer.
15. Trees – Discussed in first meeting.
16. Reports from Councillors:
County Cllr Ashley Baxter – Flood Committee meeting 15th June at County, had no feedback about Section 19 plans.
- Breedon’s Quarry covered. Cllr Baxter and Cllr Cooke spoke against at recent LCC meeting.
- Uffington Traffic : National Grid Utilities carrying out works.
- Mill Lane : area has to be re-laid – will come back in the summer. AB will speak with Highways Agency about it.
- Deeping Leisure Centre : discussions continue, further information expected.
District Cllr Vanessa Smith submitted Report:
Recycling: Following the role out of the twin stream recycling earlier in the year, the contamination rate of the grey bin fell from around 30% to around 17%. The new paper and card bin was found to have a contamination rate is 1%. It has always been the council’s intention to reject bins that were obviously contaminated at the kerbside. However, after abuse from the public these plans were put on hold in February. The council is now reintroducing this. Initially there will be a period of advisory tagging of contaminated bin, as before. This will run from 13th May. However, from 10th June rejections will re-start. The criteria will be more relaxed than previously. Data will continue to be collected and analysed to ensure resources including education and communication are targeted effectively with the hope that contamination can be minimised as much as is possible over the summer months. Telephone 01476 406544 or email recycling@southkesteven.gov.uk if you have any concerns.
Review of the SKDC Local Plan: The consultation on the Draft document has now closed. There will be another consultation later in the year when the Pre-submission document is complete (Regulation 19).
Emergency Planning meeting was held on Wednesday 1st May. It was coordinated by SKDC and LCC (Phil Swinton and Mark Garthwaite respectively) for representatives from nearby villages. Unfortunately, the event was poorly attended with only members of Uffington and Tallington PCs being present. Very useful information was shared. Key points: If a village or group of villages would like to put together a plan a group at least three key people are required. There is a template that can be completed and the LCC Resilience Team will then help finalise the document. LCC Resilience Team have a drone which has been used for mapping relevant areas. Once a plan is drawn up, residents can sign up to an SMS service for local alerts. A box with emergency supplies is given to the village for safe keeping to be ready for times of need. If someone would like to get involved with assisting in emergencies but a local emergency plan is not drawn up they can be trained up to be a 'Ready for Anything' volunteer.
Recent local elections: As well as the re-election of the Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire, SKDC also saw elections for the newly formed Grantham Parish Council.
Flooding: Section 19 report from LCC is due by August 2024. I have no further updates.
Anglian Water Pipeline: I have raised this matter with the enforcement team at SKDC as work seems to have stalled and other PCs have asked how long this will be for and whether the land could be restored in the meantime. AW have provided the following statement to SKDC: Work is still progressing, however as we’ve experienced the wettest winter on record and continue to be impacted by the exceptional circumstances that are affecting large infrastructure projects such as the continued impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, labour shortages, supply issues caused by the war in Ukraine there has been an impact on our delivery programme. As a business we remain 100% committed to delivering the entirety of the programme and all of the environmental obligations associated with it. However, because of the challenges we’ve faced and continue to face, we are rephasing some of the work planned in the region and are working through these options with the relevant stakeholders. The committed works will be completed but the programme is being re-jigged. Furthermore, the SKDC officer has provided the following additional comments:
In terms of planning controls, while there is condition requiring the land to be reinstated, we do not have any control over the time period for the construction of the project.
To view any SKDC active consultations go to:
https://www.southkesteven.gov.uk/your-council-and-democracy/have-your-say/current There is currently a consultation running on the SKDC Economic Development Strategy (Closes 9th June 2024)
Mallard Pass: The decision by the SoS has been postponed and is now due by 13th June (I do not know what impact the General Election will have on this)
SKDC facebook team are asking for all tourism venues, local community groups and businesses who are planning events in South Kesteven over the summer (June to September) to get in touch so that they can help promote events in the District
SKToday: Now digital https://www.southkesteven.gov.uk/sktoday
Funding: 1. UKSPF: Funding still available, particularly for Green Space interventions https://www.southkesteven.gov.uk/UKSPF 2. Mini Orchard fund is still available
Quarrying: Plans for a new site at West Deeping with public consultation on 5th and 10th June (online and in W. Deeping VH respectively)
Tallington Specific: Drainage along Casewick Lane and under railway to the north of the village: I have raised this multiple times with SKDC. Ultimately it is a matter for LCC to follow up as the Lead Local Flood Authority. I have asked Cllr Baxter to address this with LCC.
Engine Idling Signs on A1175: Referred to Cllr Baxter as LCC Highways responsibility.
17. Village Hall and Playing Field reports: Village Hall is taking more bookings including Table tennis and Messy Church.
- A number of windows require glass replacement.
- Rospa Safety Check report carried out last year on Playground : minor issues that are or have been addressed. New Safety inspection company being appointed.
18. SK UK Shared prosperity fund – Chair will assist Village Hall and Playing fields committee to reapply for funding to repair stone walls surrounding Village Hall Playing Field.
Cllr Smith to apply for funding to cover Millenium Green wild flower seeds and more trees.
19. Public Forum: State of stiles raised. It had been noticed that the Reading Room development had moved the Village notice board.
The village has received a portrait of the King to be placed above the corner unit by the road-end wall.
Presentation made to retiring Clerk, Wendy Gray, with thanks for her support since 2010.
20. Dates of Next TPC Meetings: Wednesdays 24th July, 25th September 2024.
Meeting closed at 9 p.m.