2023 Minutes of Meetings

Minutes of Parish Council meeting 16th August 2023 at 7.15pm

held at Mareham le Fen Community Centre

Present: Cllrs M. Percival (Chair), L. Thomas, M. Foster, W.Gray.

Not Present: None

Clerk:    A. Everard

Members of Public present: Two

Public Forum

Issues raised:

• A resident asked about the fencing on the frontage of the green verge enclosing the village name sign and the public right of way needed tidying up and when were Gleesons going to reinstate the commemorative tree they cut down when they started work on Main Street.

141/23. Apologies for absence with reason given 

Cllr W.Gray apologised for his absence due to other duties and it was proposed Cllr Percival, seconded Cllr Foster and unanimously RESOLVED to accept the apologies from Cllr W.Gray.  

142/23. Declaration of Members’ interests in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 and requests for dispensations. 

Cllr Thomas’s dispensation in relation to S/114/00477/23 – Memorial Lawn was noted.

143/23. To receive the draft minutes to be approved as the minutes of the meeting held on 27th June and 17th July 2023.

Proposed Cllr Thomas, seconded Cllr Foster and unanimously RESOLVED to adopt as minutes of both 27th June 2023 and 17th July 2023 parish council meetings. 

144/23. Any matters arising from the minutes of 27th June and 17th July 2023 and Clerk’s updates not already on this agenda.

The Clerk updated 138/22 regarding litter-picking kits and LCC reported that they had distributed the quota for 2023.  Cllr Foster advised the Clerk needed to contact ELDC officers regarding litter pickers to see how litter picking kits could be set up.  Cllrs felt that they would like to set up a group of volunteers under possible banner of Mareham le Fen Wombles to promote litter picking if the kit could be sourced and a brief Facebook consultation would find out if any interest.

The Clerk reported that he had obtained a quotation for the Church Walk hedge cutting of £130 from IDVerde Ltd and under Financial Regulations delegated authority in consultation with the Chair had authorised the work to be undertaken tomorrow while they completed the usual grass cutting.

The Clerk had also purchased black ink printer cartridges for £31.44 from Amazon under Financial Regulations delegated authority.

Five Community Speed Watch passive signs had been received by the Clerk and it will need to be decided where they are to be erected.   

145/23. To receive and note correspondence

Correspondence had been received from LALC ENews (two-weekly), LALC Training Bulletin (monthly), LCC and ELDC Newsletters, BT Openreach – Community Fibre progress and final drop-in meeting 23/8/23, PCC Churchyard maintenance – hedges, LCC litter picker tools, NHT survey and drainage survey, ELDC media releases, email requesting support for a brown tourist sign, PCC Church hedge cutting, email dipping pond issue, LCC Traffic Regulation Order TTR004675– closure of Horncastle Road 4/9/2023-1/10/23 Fieldside to Wilksby Road, ELDC email - Casual vacancies to be filled by co-option, PKF Littlejohn LLP acknowledgement of exemption from auditor’s review, Commonwealth War Graves Commission offering to install signs, delivery of 5 passive speed signs for the village.

146/23. ELDC and LCC councillors invited to make verbal or written reports on local matters.

District Cllr Foster advised about the Planning Committee to consider the Land East of Sheraton – to keep checking the Planning Committee agendas to find out when it is listed to be considered but not expected at September meeting.

Cllr Foster raised an issue brought to his attention regarding the pond area at the Community Centre and if it could be cut back and used.  Cllr Thomas responded and he advised that due to unsafe decking it had been sealed off by the Community Centre while repairs were planned while also noting that it was intentionally kept wild and uncut specifically to increase pond life and biodiversity so limited access would remain even after the repairs were completed.

County Cllr Gray advised the council about LCC advice for precautions for keeping E-bikes indoors following a number of fires caused by the batteries/ charging in households. Fire safety officers wanted residents to remain aware and cautious.

80th D-Day Commemorations in June 2024 – communities need to start thinking what they want to do. Openreach had offered to upgrade the parish’s broadband to Full Fibre and needed more households to pledge to take it on to trigger the Government funding to enable the work to be undertaken – pledges stood at 36% of the 188 needed so far and a further meeting planned at The Royal Oak next week to answer resident’s questions.

The survey of drains had been issued by LCC to see if local drains/gulleys could be checked. A neighbourhood survey had also been issued for completion by parish councillors.

Devolution discussions were picking up pace between Lincolnshire County Council, North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire which may see a Mayoral Combined Authority proposal emerge.

LCC had also issued a Traffic Regulation Order to close Horncastle Road from Fieldside to Wilksby until 1st October to complete road-widening.   

147/23. To consider and comment with material considerations on any local planning matters as a statutory consultee and to note decisions made by East Lindsey District Council

• S/114/01809/22 - LAND EAST OF SHERATON, MAIN STREET, MAREHAM LE FEN - Planning Permission - Erection of 30no. dwellings and construction of a vehicular access – awaiting ELDC Planning Committee meeting for a decision.
• S/114/00477/23 - MEMORIAL LAWN, MAIN STREET, MAREHAM LE FEN, PE22 7RL – Outline erection of 2no. dwellings – an ELDC decision was awaited.
• S/114/01397/23 - LAND ADJACENT THE COTTAGE, BEGGARS LANE, MAREHAM LE FEN - Planning Permission - Erection of a dormer bungalow and construction of a vehicular access.  Parish Council comments to support the application had been submitted.  Further public comments in favour and opposing the plans had been submitted. ELDC decision awaited.

148/23.  To consider and approve financial matters

a) To approve expenditure on the payments schedule

Proposed Cllr Thomas, seconded Cllr Foster and unanimously approved RESOLVED to make the payments in the above payments schedule.

b) To note bank account balances: deposit account £23,899.55, current account £6,818-14.

c) It was proposed Cllr Percival, seconded Cllr Foster unanimously RESOLVED to add Cllr Thomas to the bank signatory mandate and the mandate was signed.

149/23. Highways 

1. To receive updates, consider and approve spending, training preparation and volunteer co-ordination for Community Speedwatch.

The Clerk is to order the equipment and then arrange the training with Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership. The delivery of the five passive speed signs was noted.

2. To consider updates to LCC Highways faults and issues list, Fix My Street and other highway matters.

The closure of Horncastle Road to complete the road widening during late August and throughout September was noted. The issues raised during public forum were to be raised with the LCC Highways Officer.

3. To consider supporting letter for a brown tourism sign for the Community Centre.

Proposed Cllr Percival, seconded Cllr Foster and unanimously approved RESOLVED for the Clerk to prepare a letter of support on behalf of the parish council.

150/23. To consider and approve memorials for erection in the cemetery.

Two memorial applications were received and it was proposed Cllr Percival, seconded Cllr Thomas RESOLVED to approve the memorial applications.

151/23. To consider appointments to external bodies, groups and to receive reports.

The Chair advised that she had not attended any Play Area Group meeting.  A request had been received for a grant of approximately £8,500 from the parish council to support a bid  for 10% of the amount needed.  More information about who was the applicant and who the potential grant would be paid to was required so this matter was deferred to the next meeting.

152/23a). To consider and approve the steps to be taken to recruit candidates for co-option to the parish council.

Events such as upcoming Neighbourhood Fest and other events community might be suitable.  The aim would be show what a difference that the council can make to the community.  It may be suitable to obtain pens and other advertising material. Further research was needed before purchases were made.  

b) To meet and consider any applicants for co-option to the parish council following the Co-option Policy and Procedure.  The Council may resolve to go into a private confidential session in accordance with the Policy and Procedure if necessary.

None received.

153/23.  Training Bookings to be approved

Chairs Workshop and the Financial Updates training events to be booked for Cllrs Thomas and Percival.

154/23. To receive an update on the purchase of the 0.22acres of land to extend the cemetery and to approve the purchase if confirmed ready to proceed by the legal advisor.

The Clerk reported that the legal advisor was still negotiating over the hedge maintenance but had been instructed to finalise the purchase.

155/23. To approve the installation of signs by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Proposed Cllr Thomas, seconded Cllr Foster approved unanimously RESOLVED to approve the installation of free signs by the Commonwealth Graves Commission at the Cemetery to highlight three graves exist at the site.

156/23. Date of the next meeting 14th September 2023 and items to be added to the agenda.

Co-options. Grants.

The meeting ended at 8.43pm.