September 2024 Minutes

Tallington Parish Council
Minutes of Parish Council meeting held on 25th September 2024  

Present: Chairman Cllr P Sagar, Vice Chairman Cllr J Smith, Cllr J Brocklebank, Cllr R Sorrell and Parish Clerk N Smith, District Cllr V Smith, District Cllr R Trollop-Bellew, 11 members of the public were also in attendance.

Meeting preceded by presentation by Mark Garthwaite (Emergency Planning and Business Continuity Officer at Lincolnshire County Council) of the data mapping following drone survey of the village in relation to the flooding issues.

Minutes 

1. Public Forum: The road has dropped on the Bainton end of the river bridge. Also, the road surface between river bridge and next small bridge is very broken and uneven. Cllr J Smith to raise issue again on Fix-My-Street, as it continues to deteriorate.

2. Opening of Meeting: Cllr Sagar welcomed everyone to the meeting.
    
3. Apologies for Absence: County Cllr A Baxter, Cllr J Knox.   

4. Declaration of Interest: None.  

5. To agree minutes of Parish Council Meeting 24th July 2024: Cllr Smith proposed, seconded Cllr Sorrel, all in agreement for minutes to be signed off.

6. Matters arising from above minutes: None

7. Update on Tallington Flooding of 3rd/4th January and 22nd February 2024: Cllr Sagar continues to produce regular updates on flooding issues and progress on agreed actions. These are circulated by email and included in the Towers and Spires magazine.

The Parish Emergency Flood team met and updated the Flood Response Plan.

8. Anglian Water (AW), Network Rail (NR) and LCC: Next Multi-Agency (MAG) meeting is on 7th October. (Cllrs Sagar and Smith to attend)
NR have agreed that there is a blockage of the culvert under the railway and propose to jet it soon. AW will then camera survey the drains to confirm situation.
LCC Highways will be surveying all Tallington drains and gullies. There is a need to install silt traps to prevent the drains filling with silt.
MP Alicia Kearns is trying to link with the new Government Flooding Minister.
LCC Flood and Water Scrutiny Committee meeting due on 14th October. (Cllr Sagar will attend).
A local Parishioner has done a comprehensive review of village household insurance premiums. A short summary was presented.  His report will be available on the parish website.
It was reported that the Section 19 report could be available late September. It has been noted that villagers were unhappy with the very poor performance of the LCC Consultants employed to carry out analysis and produce report.

The MAG meetings start with a review of the list of agreed actions and progress against these actions. 

Of interest are the maps obtained from Parish Online which show Surface water collection areas around the village. And % risk over 3 levels. When the St. Lawrence Way development was in progress it was raised 1m above the then current ground level to allow for known water table issues.

Cllr Sagar encouraged villagers to write to our County Councillor, LCC and MP Alicia Kearns if not satisfied with progress of the various agencies dealing with the flooding issues. Those taking this approach are encouraged to copy the TPC Parish Clerk in all correspondence.

9. Environment Agency: Update & Actions: See 8. above and following reported by Cllr J Smith.
- EA have scheduled removal of ‘self-set’ trees at water level along the Maxey cut before Christmas 2024. Also to include further work on the Badger setts towards Copthill.
- EA are proposing to install two new heavier flap valves on each side of river just upstream from the road bridge.
- EA also investigating digging a culvert on village side of river bank from road bridge to Mill Stream to drain water from culverts on Church side of road.     
 
10. Finance: Authorisation of payments as presented by the Parish Clerk:

Holmlea – VH hedges cut                 £ 254
P Sagar – fuel/container for mower & pump             £ 69
W Burdock – MG cut                    £ 83
N Smith – Clerk Salary/expenses               £ 567.25
R A Baker – VH Glazing                    £ 420.20
PFK Littlejohn – 23/24 Audit                     £ 252
M Franklin – Community Cleaner                    £ 589
SADS – Defib pads etc                    £ 285.46

Above payments approved by Cllrs present.

VHA to be chased re payment of TPC invoices of £ 795.03. 
Metro Bank Online Access: Remove ex-Cllr Hassall, add new Clerk N Smith for viewing access. Proposed by Cllr Sorrel, seconded by Cllr Brocklebank.
Deposit a/c maturing in October – Cllrs agreed that Cllr Sagar investigate other options for the maturing funds.

11. Planning: Application S24/1455 for Solar panels – No objections. 

12. Millennium Green path works/Footpath No. 4: Contractor still being asked by the TPC to complete work to agreed spec.

13. Trees/flowers: Further trees are to be planted on MG end-December/early January. The Wild flower meadow is to be cut down to a 12inch stubble to encourage seed germination next year.

14. Reports from Councilors:
 D Cllr V Smith – SKDC will start collecting batteries, left in a clear plastic bag on top of main bins, from 16th September. 
- Mini-orchard grant open until 27th Sept.
- SKDC Local Plan. With change in Government there may be a requirement to build many more houses. Further consultations on the Local Plan are being reviewed.

For further details see full report from D Cllr V Smith attached below.

15. Village Hall and Playing Field reports: No report.

16. SK UK Shared prosperity fund: Cllr J Smith has submitted requested information and awaits response.
Church and VH have submitted further applications.  

17.  Public Forum: member of public applauded the good work being done by the Parish Council, and particularly mentioned the Chair’s role in dealing with the respective agencies, in pushing for resolution to flooding issues.

Meeting advised that the LALC webmaster had died suddenly. Parish Council would be kept informed of replacement.

There is training on Saturday 28th September on setting up and using the village pump.

Cllr J Smith to chase the Reading Room developers to provide replacement Tree for Queen as the original did not survive the move to MG.

 18. Dates of Next TPC Meetings: Wednesday 13th November 2024, 15th January 2025.    

Meeting closed at 9.36 p.m.
 

Cllr Smith, District Councillor Report - September 2024

District Matters

Recycling: From 16th September SKDC will be offering kerbside collection of batteries.  This initiative will soon include the collection of single use vapes as well.  The latter has been delayed because SKDC are awaiting an additional license for vape collection. Batteries and vapes can be left in clear plastic bags next to the wheelie bin every week.  It is hoped this new measure will reduce fires in bin lorries and recycling centres which can occur when batteries are crushed or damaged when they are inappropriately put into wheelie bins. Batteries can still be recycled at retail outlets as before.

SKDC Community Awards: Nominations are now open for the community awards and close on 20th September. Categories include: Inspirational young person, Community contribution by business, Lifetime Community Champion, Beyond the call of duty and Community in Bloom award. https://ow.ly/IBaY50SFqaI

Mini Orchard Grant: The second phase of funding for parish councils and community groups to apply for up to £1,500 to plant mini-orchards is open and accepting applications https://ow.ly/FNpl50QFAWZ (open until 27th September).

Evening for community groups on funding opportunities available: 19th September in Bourne at the Darby and Joan Hall. https://buytickets.at/southkestevendistrictcouncil/1361822

SKDC and Parish Council Forum.  Will be taking place over the next few weeks. Local Parish Clerks / Town Clerks have been invited to attend and representatives of SKDC’s core management team will be present.
Thursday 12th September – Stamford
Tuesday 8th October – Market Deeping
Monday 14th October - Bourne

Review of the SKDC Local Plan: It was hoped that there would be a further consultation (Regulation 19) at the end of this year.  However, the change of government at Westminster has come with a promise of more house building.  Consequently, the new Labour government are looking to revise the NPPF to not only enable this but also revise the thresholds for certain NSIP projects.  Consultation closes on 24th September.  If the revised NPPF goes through SKDC will need to deliver significantly more houses per year that is in the current Draft Local Plan.  The further consultations and timescales on the SKDC Local Plan are therefore being reviewed in light of this. https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposed-reforms-to-the-national-planning-policy-framework-and-other-changes-to-the-planning-system/proposed-reforms-to-the-national-planning-policy-framework-and-other-changes-to-the-planning-system

To view any SKDC active consultations go to: https://www.southkesteven.gov.uk/consultations (Currently a Proposed Council Tax Support Scheme 2024/25 - runs until 30th September)

NSIPs

Mallard Pass: Approved in July 2024

Tallington Specific:

I do not have any new issues to report

County Matters I am aware of - please contact Cllr Baxter (county councillor) for more information

Quarrying: The Lincolnshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan: Preferred Approach has opened for consultation.  Sites include West Deeping: www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/planning/minerals-waste This runs until 24th September.

Flooding: Section 19 report from LCC investigating the cause of the flooding following Storm Henk was due by August 2024. I have not seen a report.

End


Cllr Vanessa Smith
Casewick Ward
South Kesteven District Counc