2022 Parish Council minutes of meetings

Minutes of Parish Council meeting 20th April 2022 at 8.18pm

held at Mareham le Fen Community Centre

Present: Cllrs M. Percival (Chair), D.Hill (Vice Chair), P. Chilvers, S. Millen.

Clerk:    A. Everard

Members of Public present: 10

Public Forum

No issues were raised.

89/22. Comments from the Chair

The Chair thanked members of the public for staying after the Annual Parish Meeting prior to this meeting and hoped to get through business as quickly as possible.

90/22 Apologies for absence with reason given

Cllr Bourn – his reason for absence was proposed for approval by Cllr Hill, seconded by Cllr Millen and unanimously RESOLVED to approve.

91/22. Declaration of Members’ interests in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 and requests for dispensations

None

92/22. To receive the draft minutes to be approved as the minutes of the meeting held on 24th March 2022.

Proposed by Cllr Chilvers, seconded Cllr Millen and unanimously approved so the Chair signed the minutes.

93/22. To consider any matters arising from the minutes of 24th March 2022 not already on this agenda.

None

94/22. To receive the minutes of the Cemetery Committee dated 24th March 2022 and Jubilee Committee dated 19th April and adopt the decisions and recommendations made by the Committees.

The Clerk is to use the debit card to purchase sweets for the forthcoming Jubilee activities to be used as prizes with a maximum budget of £50.  Proposed to adopt Cllr Hill, seconded Cllr Millen and unanimously approved

RESOLVED to adopt the recommendations and decisions made at the Cemetery and Jubilee Committees.

95/22. To consider and comment on any local planning matters

• S/114/01622/21 - LAND AT MOAT FARM, WATERY LANE, MAREHAM LE FEN – two further letters regarding removal of trees.  Decision awaited.
• S/114/02220/21 - LAND ADJACENT CROESO, MAIN STREET, MAREHAM LE FEN – no change at this meeting.

96/22. To receive updates and approve any action to be taken on,

1. Cemetery – proposed memorials by William Kent – proposed Cllr Chilvers, seconded Cllr Millen to permit the memorial and unanimously approved RESOLVED to approve their request;
2. It was considered the amount of fees to be paid by Lincolnshire Co-operative Funeral Services in respect of two interments arising in 2021 following representations made by them and it was proposed by Cllr Millen, seconded Cllr Chilvers and unanimously approved to RESOLVE to approve the Clerk invoicing two lower fees due to an error in the quotes issued in 2021;
3. received an update from the council’s solicitor regarding the purchase of land to extend the cemetery - the Clerk advised that the vendor’s solicitor had been contacted and the paperwork was awaited for our solicitor to review;
4. to receive updates on fees and other charges and any actions that arise from that update by The Clerk, the interment of ashes was taking place for a non-resident and the new fees had been paid without issue.
5. Update on groundwater testing contractor – the dipwells had been installed and The Clerk was measuring groundwater regularly.  The Clerk advised that groundwater was about 1.5 to 1.7m below the surface.

b) Benches – councillors had not received any feedback so the purchase was to go ahead as previously decided. Lincolnshire County Council had granted permission for their installation.

c) Noticeboard – councillors considered if they needed locks on the noticeboard for the community side and it was proposed by Cllr Hill, seconded Cllr Millen to pay for additional locks which will cost £100 and it was unanimously approved RESOLVED to purchase locks on both sides of the noticeboard.

d) Grass-cutting contracts – Cllrs had received generally positive feedback.  The Clerk will look into the Ormsby House Drive pathway and the Council noted the interest in potential re-wilded areas to encourage biodiversity and natural wildlife.

97/22.  To consider and approve financial matters

a) To approve expenditure on the payments schedule

b) To note VAT reclaimed, fee invoices issued and other income

The Clerk advised that VAT reclaims for up to £1,200 had been submitted to HMRC, invoiced for £672 rent to the tenant, £1410.00 to a funeral director for last year’s interments and £780 for a new interment of ashes for a non-resident.

c) To note end of year accounts and consider any feedback from the Annual Parish Meeting.

The end of year accounts needs to be shown on the website by 1st July and submitted to the external auditor.  The Annual Governance and Accounts Form has been received from the external auditor for completion.  The Clerk had explained the expenditure for 2021-22 in the earlier Annual Parish Meeting and explained that with the late income being sought in the previous item and the now-increased cemetery fees the financial situation was stable.

98/22. To note items of correspondence for information and decide on items for future action – LALC E-News, Invitation to nominate Community Centre Trustees. 

Councillors noted the correspondence.

99/22. To nominate a parish councillor to become a Mareham le Fen Community Centre Trustee.

Cllr Hill was considering this and wanted to meet the Trustees first so it was proposed by Cllr Millen and seconded by Cllr Hill and unanimously approved RESOLVED to support Cllr Hill being nominated

100/22. To consider and receive details about any other parish matters and items for the next agenda.

Insurance renewal, Highways – speed and wilding areas

101/22 To consider various highways matters raised with the parish council and to specify what action they sought Lincolnshire County Council Highways to take to resolve matters via the County Councillor

1. Rule 243 Highway Code beaches – It was proposed by Cllr Hill, seconded by Cllr Millen and approved RESOLVED that double-yellow lines were placed near junctions on Main Street
2. Double white lines on Revesby Corner – proposed by Cllr Millen, seconded Cllr Hill and approved RESOLVED to seek double white lines on Revesby Corner to reduce overtaking and speeding into the village.
3. Extend the 30mph speed restriction zone westwards before the sharp bend – proposed by Cllr Chilvers and seconded by Cllr Hill and approved RESOLVED to seek extension of the 30MPH speed restriction zone westwards.
4. Speed restriction repeaters need to be sought to ensure speed limits are visible – the Clerk is to make contact with the Road Safety Partnership to see if the number can be increased.

102/22. To meet and consider any applicants for co-option to the parish council following the Co-option Policy and Procedure.  Mrs K. Deane had put in an application and came forward to meet the council and expressing her desire to serve because she had a nice feeling living in the village.  Cllr Millen proposed, Cllr Chilvers seconded and it was approved RESOLVED to co-opt Mrs K. Deane to the parish council.

103/22. Date of the Annual Council Meeting – 18th May 2022.

There being no further business the Chair closed the meeting at 9.12pm.