September 2018 Minutes
MAREHAM LE FEN PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the ordinary meeting held on 19th September 2018.
In the Chair Mr P Chilvers
Councillors Present:
Mr R Cox.
Miss P Fytche.
Mr A Hawkes.
Miss I McLachlan
Mr C Wentzell.
County Councillor B Aron.
3 members of the public also attended.
2719 Apologies for Absence.
Apologies were received from Cllrs Mrs S Millen who was away and Mr A Pinder who was working.
2720 Declaration of interests.
There were no interests to declare.
2721. Minutes of the last meeting.
Minutes of the meeting held on 22nd August 2018 had already been circulated to the Parish Councillors. The minutes were approved, proposed by Cllr C Wentzell and seconded by Cllr R Cox. They were duly signed by the Chairman.
2722 Matters Arising.
Matters arising will be discussed under the relevant headings on the agenda.
2723 Correspondence.
Cllr I Moorhouse had written to the Parish Council to tender her resignation as a Councillor. A Parishioner wrote to ask the Parish Council if they could help by contacting ELDC to complain about the ‘horrendous’ noise coming from the Community Centre. Cllr McLachlan said she had also received complaints about this and suggested that recorded proof would be useful to show the volume of the noise. The Clerk was asked to write to ELDC and also to
the Community Centre Management Committee to ask for their help. The Clerk will contact the Parishioner and suggest that records are kept of the dates and times of the problem. Mareham le Fen Bowls Club had sent an email to the Clerk to inform the Parish Council that they would not be hiring out their hall next year because they didn’t want their volunteers to have to turn out in the winter to open and lock up. The Clerk had spoken to the secretary and offered to be responsible for the key and lock or unlock the hall. Lincolnshire County Council had notified the Clerk that all personal data was kept in accordance with data protection rules. Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue contacted the Parish Council that they would be willing to give talks to local clubs and groups re fire safety. LCC sent notice of road closures in the area. The notice will be put up on the notice board. A parishioner had questioned the Parish Council’s decision not to proceed with the original plans for wildflower meadows. The Clerk had replied to the Parishioner to say that the plans for the new Cemetery plot would include hedges and other features beneficial for wildlife and that they would return to the discussion at a later date. Following a letter from the Clerk, the Chairman of the football club had replied to say that there would be no problem if the Parish Council wanted to use the football field as access to the new Cemetery plot providing the vehicles were kept off the pitch. A poster warning of scam mail had been received and would be put on the notice board.
2724 Planning.
Planning S/114/01682/18. Outline application from the Mareham le Fen Village Hall and Memorial Lawn for the erection of a dwelling on the site of the existing village Hall which is to be demolished. Councillors had looked at the plans and felt there was very little difference from the plans previously submitted. It was proposed by Cllr R Cox and seconded by Cllr I McLachlan that the original objections were still valid all Cllrs voted in favour. The Clerk will notify ELDC of this decision. The original objections were: It was dangerous for the residents of the proposed development to reverse on to Main Street and there was not room for vehicles to turn on the drive. A bus stop is adjacent to the proposed drive. Rights of access to the Memorial Hall will be lost. A Village asset will be lost, the Hall was registered as a Village asset last year and it was hoped that the Hall and the 2 areas of land could be used for the social well being of the local community. The Hall is a registered War Memorial.
2725 Police Officer’s Report.
Although the Clerk had emailed the Police Officer no report had been sent.
2726 Finance.
The following invoices were presented for payment:
D Lawrence £312.00 grass cutting to 30th August 2018.
L D T D F £575.00 allotment rent ½ year
It was proposed by Cllr I McLachlan and seconded by Cllr C Wentzell that these were paid.
The Clerk had been notified that because the Parish Council’s gross expenditure did not exceed £25000.00 the Parish Council could sign a form to certify that they were exempt from a limited assurance review. This meant that the £250.00 fee would not be payable. All Cllrs agreed with this and the certificate was signed by the Chairman and the Clerk.
2727 War Memorial and War Memorial Safety.
The Vice Chairman had contacted several sign writers. Mr G Metcalf was able to carry out the work and his quote was £75.00. Other contractors had quoted £750.00 (which included cleaning) and £1150.00 which also included cleaning. Mr Metcalf had also been recommended by other sign writers. The Vice Chairman was asked to get Mr Metcalf’s quote in writing. It was also decided that quotes should be obtained for pointing the base of the Memorial. This was proposed by Cllr A Hawkes and seconded by Cllr S Wentzell, all Cllrs voted in favour.
2728 Purchase of land for Cemetery.
The Clerk had contacted Savills to ask if any progress had been made regarding the purchase of land for the cemetery. She had received a reply saying that the heads of terms for the sale had been drafted and just needed the final client approval.
2729 Silent Soldiers.
Cllrs had been asked to consider ideas for commemorating 100 years since the end of the 1st War. The following suggestions were made: The Memorial Lawn could be reseeded and maintained by the Parish Council. The Clerk will contact the owners of the Lawn and ask if this would be acceptable. A bench which could be sited near the War Memorial. A Village sign. (This would need planning permission). Cllrs will investigate further ideas and prices.
A special motion was proposed under item 2701 to revoke the decision made at the Parish Council meeting on the 18th July 2018. The decision taken originally was to proceed with the purchase of Silent Soldiers. Following further information received this purchase will not be made. The Special Motion was signed by Cllrs R Cox, A Hawkes, A Pinder, P Chilvers and S Millen. Cllr A Hawkes proposed and Cllr R Cox seconded the proposal that this purchase did not go ahead. All Cllrs voted in favour.
2730 Grass Cutting and management.
Cllr Chilvers said that there was still room for grass in the bin. He suggested that the bin should be emptied when the grass cutting season was finished and then there would be room for the hedge cuttings.
2731 Data Protection.
The Clerk had contacted LALC and had been told that it was not necessary to register with Data protection at the moment.
2732 Christmas Lights.
Christmas lighting was discussed and it was decided that battery powered lights would be the best option. Concerns were raised that batteries might be stolen but it was reported that a parishioner might be willing to house the batteries on their property. Cllr Chilvers will make enquiries. Cllr McLachlan will investigate the purchase of lights.
2733 Parish Matters.
Cllr Fytche reported that the Village pond was overgrown and full of rubbish. She had also received complaints that the hedge at the Community Centre was an eyesore and badly in need of cutting. The Clerk was asked to contact the owners.
Cllr B Aron apologised for his late arrival at the meeting. He told Cllrs that there was a new website ‘fix my street’ where reports of pot holes and other highway issues could be sent. He said that he would follow up his previous report regarding the overgrown footpath on the main road.
The meeting closed at 8.30.
The next ordinary meeting will be held at the Bowls Club Hall at 7.30 on Wednesday 17th October 2018.