September 2019 Minutes
MAREHAM LE FEN PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the meeting held on September 18th 2019
Mr J Huggins, in the Chair
Councillors:
Mr P Bourn.
Mr P Chilvers.
Mr R Cox.
Miss P Fytche.
Mr A Hawkes.
Mr C Wentzell.
County Councillor B Aron apologised for arriving late.
2 members of the public also attended.
2906. Apologies for Absence.
Mr D Loveridge sent his apologies due to a bereavement.
2907. Declaration of interests.
Cllr Bourn declared an interest in planning item 6
2908. Minutes of the Ordinary Parish Council meeting held on 21st August 2019 to be approved.
The minutes had already been circulated to the Councillors. It was proposed by Cllr Hawkes and seconded by Cllr Chilvers that these were accepted. All Cllrs voted in favour and they were signed by the Chairman.
2909. Matters Arising.
These will be discussed as separate items.
2910. Correspondence.
An email had been received from LCC showing the mowing carried out on footpaths in the village.
LCC notified the Parish Council that Balfour Beatty would be taking over highway’s issues from April 2020.
A purchase order for verge cutting had been received for 2019/20. The Clerk had already dealt with this.
The Secretary of the Parochial Church Council of St Helen’s had notified the Clerk that the contact details shown on the website for FOSH were no longer applicable. The Clerk has deleted them.
2911. Planning.
S/114/01514/19 for erection of a bungalow and house 3 houses on land adjacent to the playing field at Fieldside.
Cllrs looked at the plans and discussed this item. They objected to the development for the following reasons:
- Houses would not be in keeping with the surrounding areas, all properties here are bungalows and houses would have an affect on the existing dwellings.
- The already overloaded foul water drains would not be able to deal with extra volume.
- The exit from this road onto Main Street was dangerous which would be worsened by extra traffic.
- A different planning application last year had been rejected by ELDC for these reasons.
It was proposed by Cllr Fytche and seconded by Cllr Wentzell that the Parish Council objected to this application. Cllr Bourn abstained; all other Cllrs agreed with the proposal.
2912. Charity Commissions response re Mareham le Fen Community Centre Trustees, re refusal to accept Parish Council’s nominations.
The Charity Commission had now replied to the Parish Council’s letter.
Their main points being that the Parish Council could decide who they wish to appoint but clause 13 states that ‘members must not have a personal interest’.
They suggested that the Parish Council should contact the trustees and ask why these nominees are deemed unsuitable and what ‘significant conflicts of interests ’prohibit their appointment’. The Charities Commission also said that better communications between the Trustees and the Parish Council would be a positive step in facilitating a better working relationship.
Cllrs discussed this and asked the Clerk to write to the Trustees to find out what they considered the nominees were unsuitable and to also ask if nominees from other organisations were required to have interviews. This was proposed by Cllr Huggins and seconded by Cllr Bourn, all in favour.
Cllr Hawkes said that he felt that it was now time to put old problems behind and try and build bridges between the 2 organisations. Cllr Loveridge had notified the Clerk that he would be willing to be a nominee if it would help the situation.
2913. Benches for the Village.
Following discussion Cllrs decided to utilise the benches they already had before buying new ones, Cllr Bourn will check on these benches. Cllr Hawkes had suggested a ‘talking bench’ where Parishioners could meet and have a chat. He suggested it would be nice if children from the school could be asked to do some paintings to attach to the benches. The Clerk will contact the school and ask if this would be possible. A bench is still needed for the bus shelter.
2914 Cemetery
The heads of terms letter had been returned to Savills, nothing further had been heard from them.
A group of Cllrs had met with an advisor to discuss putting an owl box in the Chapel at the Cemetery. They had been advised that this should be sited on the west side of the building beneath the air vent, which would be removed. An owl box could be supplied at a cost of £90 which included fitting the box. It was proposed by Cllr Cox, seconded by Cllr Hawkes that the owl box should be purchased. All voted in favour and the Clerk was asked to order it.
Cllr Fytche had received 2 quotes for repairs at the Cemetery, i.e. block paving the drive up to the memorial and tiles on the Chapel roof. Cllrs checked the quotes, all Cllrs decided to accept the quote from Stephen Scott. Proposed by Cllr Fytche and seconded by Cllr Huggins. It was suggested that slabs could be put down for a bench when the black paving was done.
A new lock and notice board had been put on the Chapel door but the door could do with repainting, Cllrs suggested national Trust green. Cllr Bourn will investigate a source for the paint.
it was suggested that a bench could also be put in the Cemetery and a rose garden positioned near it. Cllr Cox agreed to lead this project.
It was agreed that the Cemetery bins should be emptied following the last grass cut, Hobsons will be asked to empty them, the bins can then be painted.
2915. Finance.
The following bills were presented for payment:
£250.00 Mr P Holderness new noticeboard at Tumby.
£575.00 LDTBF allotment rent.
£416.50 Mr D Lawrence grass cutting Aug 2019
£282.00 R K Hobson mowing at new Cemetery plot
It was proposed by Cllr Wentzell and seconded by Cllr Cox that these were paid, all voted in favour.
2916. Grass Cutting and Management.
The Clerk read out the amendment to Mr Lawrence’s contract which shows the contract expiry date as 2021 which was approved by the Cllrs.
The hedge at the end of Watery lane had been cut back but it was still difficult to turn onto Main Street, however, the property has just been sold so no further action will be requested by the Parish Council at the moment.
Cllr Aron said that he’d already contacted the Highways department about the directional signs and will bring the matter up again when he has a meeting with the new area manager next week.
Cllr Huggins asked again about a zebra crossing on the main road near the shop but Cllr Aron said that it was a low priority item but he would mention it at his meeting.
Cllr Fytche asked why the road name signs had still not been repaired/replaced. The Clerk had made enquiries with E L D C who said that they would be ordered when their (ELDC) order was large enough, Cllrs asked if the Parish Council could repaint them themselves. The Clerk will ask Cllr Avison.
2917. Grit Bins.
There are already 2 bins in the Village, Cllrs Bourn, Chilvers and Wentzell, said they would walk around the Village to see where other could be sited. It was agreed that the Clerk would be sent these details and was then authorised to contact LCC.
2918. Parish matters and items for the next agenda.
A Parishioner had sent a notice with information about the Memorial Hall and asked if it could be put on the Parish Council notice board, Cllrs read it and approved putting it up.
The meeting closed at 8.45 pm.
The next meeting will be held at the Bowls Club at 7.30 on 23rd October 2019.