2022 Parish Council minutes of meetings

Minutes of Parish Council meeting 18th May at 7.15pm

held at Mareham le Fen Community Centre

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

Not Present: Cllr K. Deane

Clerk:    A. Everard

Members of Public present: 3

Public Forum

Issues raised about consultation with proprietors before Community Assets re-registered, problems with Church Walk footpath to the butchers, hedge on park field.

104/22. Election of the Chair and Declaration of Acceptance of Office signed.

Cllr Percival was proposed by Cllr Millen, seconded by Cllr Bourn and elected Chair RESOLVED that Cllr Percival is elected Chair of the Parish Council and signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

105/22. Apologies for absence with reason given

Cllr Deane had given apologies at the previous meeting for this meeting and Cllr Hill proposed, Cllr Bourn seconded and it was approved RESOLVED to accept the reason for absence for Cllr Deane.

106/22. Declaration of Members’ interests in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 and requests for dispensations

None were declared.

107/22. Election of Vice Chair and Declaration of Acceptance of Office signed.

Cllr Hill was proposed by Cllr Millen, seconded by Cllr Bourn and approved RESOLVED that Cllr Hill is elected Vice Chair of the Parish Council and Declaration of Acceptance of Office signed.

108/22. To receive the draft minutes to be approved as the minutes of the meeting held on 20th April 2022.

Proposed by Cllr Hill, seconded by Cllr Millen to adopt the draft minutes and approved RESOLVED to adopt the minutes of 20th April 2022 meeting and signed by the Chair.

109/22. To consider any matters arising from the minutes of 20th April 2022 not already on this agenda.

None

110/22. To receive the minutes of the Jubilee Committee dated 17th May 2022 and adopt the decisions and recommendations made by the Committee.

Proposed by Cllr Millen, seconded Cllr Hill and approved RESOLVED to delegate to The Clerk for £100 expenditure by debit card on printing for the Jubilee.  It was noted that the Committee had proposed getting a quotation for cutting the grass on the Football Field prior to the Jubilee weekend to improve tidiness of the village.

111/22. To consider and comment on any local planning matters

• S/114/01622/21 - LAND AT MOAT FARM, WATERY LANE, MAREHAM LE FEN – no decision or change since the last meeting.
• S/114/02220/21 - LAND ADJACENT CROESO, MAIN STREET, MAREHAM LE FEN – further comments noted from neighbours and others particularly about increased flood risk.  Parish Council were concerned that removing the recreation area from the South East of the site and placing buildings there may increase the flood risk. Parish Council asks if the comments raised by the resident of Taverna had been dealt with adequately and will the concerns raised by Anglian Water be dealt. Flood risk remains a concern and has this been rigorously addressed.

112/22. To receive updates and approve any action to be taken on,

112/22a) Cemetery – proposed memorial by William Kent for J.Thomas considered and proposed by Cllr Bourn, seconded by Cllr Millen and unanimously approved RESOLVED to permit the proposed memorial to be installed; the Clerk informed the parish council that their solicitor had contacted the vendor’s solicitor and was establishing title for the cemetery extension land and no action was needed at this meeting; the Clerk advised that he was undertaking regular groundwater testing and it was currently about 1.6m below the surface and this data collection was relevant to obtaining planning permission to extend the cemetery because from 1 April 2022 new planning permission under section 57 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 is required; the clerk also advised that the complaint to the Solicitors Regulation Authority regarding the payment made to the council’s former solicitor last year had resulted in the funds being successfully transferred to the parish council’s new solicitors’ client account and the Clerk asked if parish council still wanted to pursue a complaint through The Legal Services Ombudsman regarding the former solicitor so it was proposed by Cllr Bourn, seconded Cllr Chilvers and approved RESOLVED that the Clerk is to pursue the Parish Council’s complaint with The Legal Services Ombudsman.

112/22b) Benches – delivery was extending up to 14 weeks for the selected design and supplier so the Clerk asked parish council if they wished to change the supplier and type of bench.  The meeting was suspended from 19.55 to 19.59 while the new benches and tables outside Community Centre building were viewed.  It was proposed by Cllr Hill, seconded by Cllr Millen and approved that the order be placed with Earth Anchor if a similar recycled bench material and price could be obtained RESOLVED to proceed with the purchase of two benches with an alternative supplier but similar material.

112/22c) Noticeboard – the Clerk advised that an invoice had been obtained and payment awaited for authorisation at this meeting.

112/22d) Grass-cutting contracts – compliments continued to be observed for the village tidiness and care shown by the contractors to protect Spring flowers. 

112/22e) Bus shelter – the Clerk advised that no quotations had been tendered. Ideas and suggestions would be considered for the next meeting.

113/22.  To consider and approve financial matters

113/22a) Payment Schedule

Cllr Hill proposed, Cllr Millen seconded and it was unanimously approved RESOLVED that the following expenditure is authorised

113/22b) To note other income received VAT reclaimed £1073.36, fee invoices issued £2605 and £5,500 precept income

114/22. To note items of correspondence LALC E-News, Invitation to nominate Community Centre Trustees, The Rural Bulletin, Police reports, Town and parish council news, ELDC Parish Council Jubilee Grant Scheme, letter of thanks from the primary school and invitation to the presentation morning, email from Saville’s regarding options for the Parish Council uses for the Playing Pitch field and Cllr Gray’s report.

115/22 To consider options for the Playing Pitch field in Mareham le Fen and submission to the land owner/ land agent to consider and approving the community asset re-registrations in the village.

Councillors discussed options including seeking a draft lease. Cllr Hill proposed, Cllr Bourn seconded and it was approved RESOLVED to seek a year’s lease to allow time to put together a longer term proposal. It was proposed Cllr Hill, seconded Cllr Bourn and approved

RESOLVED to form a Playing Field Committee of all councillors to be able to consider options in detail to bring back to parish council meeting and Cllr Hill was appointed to be the Chair of the committee.

Councillors wished to conduct more research into the Community Asset scheme before the next meeting when they will be able to make a decision on re-registration of current assets.

116/22. To consider the ELDC Parish Council Jubilee Grant Scheme

Councillors considered the scheme and proposed by Cllr Hill, seconded by Cllr Millen and approved RESOLVED to submit a grant application to the scheme as the parish council was doing much to improve well-being in the community and delegated this task to The Clerk.

117/22 To invite verbal or written reports from ELDC or LCC councillors and to consider that information.  Cllr Gray’s report was read out by the Chair of the meeting. 

118/22. To consider and approve any action on highways matters.

There was no update to items previously minuted at the last meeting.  Residents encouraged to report issues on Fix My Street – response is usually prompt.

Cllr Hill proposed joining Community Speed Watch, seconded by Cllr Chilvers with a Task and Finish Group should be formed to meet on Saturday 25th June 10am-11am to agree the way forward and approved RESOLVED to join Community Speedwatch and the application fee to be paid by council debit card by the Clerk once the application form was completed.

119/22 Co-options

There were none to be considered at this meeting.

120/22 Dates of the ordinary meetings for the civic year ahead

Usually, third Wednesday of the month unless otherwise indicated

It was proposed, seconded and unanimously RESOLVED to set the following meeting dates

2022 – 23rd June (Thursday), 20th July, 17th August, 21st September, 19th October, 16th November,

2023 – 18th January, 15th February, 15th March, 19th April, 17th May - AGM.

Meeting Closed 9.00pm