November 2024 DRAFT Minutes
NOVEMBER 2024 MINUTES
The Parish Council meeting was held on Thursday, 7th November 2024 at 7.00 p.m. in Hough on the Hill Church community area.
Present: Councillors S Sharman (Chair) (arrived at 7.42p.m.), R Harris, S Allen, L Rann, A Seage (arrived at 7.07p.m.), V McLean and 1 member of the public.
Clerk/RFO - Donna Lang
Absent: Councillor Pope, District Councillor P Milnes and County Councillor A Maughan
Cllr Harris took the chair for this meeting.
Public Participation:
A member of the public wished to raise the point that the Hough Relief in Need Charity is a small fund available to parishioners who may qualify for extra help financially. The MOP would like a suitable notice to be placed on the website and noticeboards, wording to be provided by the Charity. The MOP would also like volunteers to take over the Community Speed Watch. The clerk said that she would ask Cllr Pope to put a post on Next Door. The MOP had noticed that there was a large amount of litter along Hough Road and would like a litter pick organised. The clerk would ask Cllr Pope to put a post on Next Door asking for volunteers. The MOP also pointed out that flooding issues were still impacting on Hall Road Brandon. Cllr Harris said that this would be dealt with in the meeting under Agenda item 9 by Cllr McLean.
50/24 To receive apologies and valid reasons for absence, these having been submitted to the Clerk prior to the meeting. Apologies for absence had been received from Cllrs Pope, Cty Cllr A Maughan and District Cllr P Milnes. Cllr’s Sharman and Seage had advised that they would arrive late to the meeting as they were in meetings and travelling back from London.
51/24 To receive Declarations of Interest in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011 and receive Requests for Dispensations. There were none.
52/24 To approve the draft notes as the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 5th September 2024 and for the Chairman to sign them as the agreed minutes. It was proposed by Cllr Rann, seconded by Cllr McLean and resolved to approve the Parish Council minutes. The minutes were duly signed.
53/24 To receive reports from County and District Councillors (for information only). These had been sent to all Councillors prior to the meeting and are attached to the minutes.
54/24 To note the list of correspondence since the September council meeting. Noted.
Planning and Tree Matters:
55/24 To note tree works applications received from SKDC: Section 211 notice to remove sycamore tree, 7 Gelson Road, Hough on the Hill. This had been received after the agenda had gone out, it had been sent to all councillors and no comments received. Noted.
56/24 To note planning application received from SKDC: None received. Noted.
57/24 Play Area. To note play inspection reports received for September and October 2024. No action required as at 31.10.24. Noted.
58/24 Emergency Group and Drainage issues: Cllr Sharman/Cllr Allen update Emergency Plan. Cllr McLean update drainage.
Emergency Plan Cllr Allen advised that she had met with Cllr Sharman to finalise the template. The template had been sent to all councillors and Cllr Allen requested that they review the content. The next stage is to seek volunteers from across the parish. N.B. It is clear that without volunteers then the Emergency Plan will fail.
Drainage Following a concerted effort from a parishioner and with support from the PC (Cllrs Sharman and McLean) and in particular Cty Cllr Maughan and Brendan Shaw of the Reactive Team, the drainage problem in Church Lane Brandon seems to have been resolved. LCC cleared the gullies/drains with works due to be completed in March 2025. A MOP had previously asked about the drainage issues along Hall Road, Brandon. The clerk asked the MOP to provide a detailed description of the issues, timescale and maps and she would pass these on to Brendan Shaw to action.
59/24 Neighbourhood Plan/Design Code: Cllr Sharman update. Cllr Harris had been briefed by Cllr Sharman prior to the meeting. He advised that the Open Plan Consultant had adjusted the Design Code, made the necessary amendments and planned to submit in the New Year. Cllr Sharman confirmed that as a result of the consultation of the NP in the summer, comments received have now been incorporated into the revised NP. Following the general election the initial advice from SKDC was that the Local Plan would have to be rewritten and that the NPPF was also being reviewed and that we should aim to submit the NP and DC to SKDC in the NY. It appears that the minor changes to the DC do not require consultation but advice is being sought to confirm. Whilst aiming to submit the NP and DC in the New Year this advice has now been revised with the direction that it should be submitted ASAP.
60/24 SID/Community Speed Watch: Cllr McLean is very busy and cannot organise a fund raiser for a new SID but would ask Alistair Knott who had previously volunteered for this role. The clerk would ask Cllr Pope to do a post on Next Door asking for volunteers for the Community Speed Watch. Cllr Harris expressed his thanks to Andrew Barrett for his consistent hard work in moving the SIDS in each village and for his kind offer to keep the CSW equipment in his garage.
61/24 Brandon Church parking: Cllr Allen update. Cllr Allen has collected around 60 signatures in support of this. The funding will be provided by a source of grant for churches. The clerk would arrange a meeting with Highways and Cllr Allen to discuss whether the materials intended to be used for the parking area would not create further drainage issues.
62/24 Lower Road, Hough on the Hill. Discussion and resolution to request a restriction on large vehicles using Lower Road or suitable signage advising that the road is unsuitable. Cllrs McLean/Allen to update. Cllr McLean advised that a lorry had got stuck on the scaffolding attached to her property and there were other issues with pedestrians walking with prams and dogs not being seen by large vehicles. Cllrs Allen and McLean wished for there to be better signage advising of pedestrians and that the road is single lane traffic. They believed that the sat nav is sending them via Lower Road. The clerk would ask Cty Cllr Maughan as to whether there was any possibility of improving the signage.
Financial matters:
63/24 To approve bank reconciliations for 30.09.24 and 31.10.24. The bank reconciliations had been checked by Cllr Sharman prior to the meeting. It was unanimously resolved to approve the monthly accounts. They were duly signed.
64/24 To note MKM invoice for £108.00 for purchase of play bark for play area. Noted.
65/24 To note Royal British Legion invoice for £20.00 in respect of poppy wreath for Remembrance Day. Noted.
66/24 To note Hough Gardening and Handyman Services invoice for £732 in respect of grass cutting in September and £244 for grass cutting in October. Noted.
67/24 Precept Budget 2025-2026: Resolution to approve the SKDC precept budget for 2025/26. The precept balance sheet had been forwarded to all councillors prior to the meeting. It was proposed by Cllr Rann, seconded by Cllr Seage and resolved to approve the precept budget 2025-2026.
68/24 Resolution to approve the payment of Clerk’s expenses September and October 2024 for £112.03. This has been forwarded to all councillors prior to the meeting. It was proposed by Cllr Rann, seconded by Cllr McLean and resolved to approve the clerk’s expenses.
69/24 To note dates of meetings in 2025. Thursday 6th March, Thursday 8th May, Thursday 11th September and Thursday 13th November 2025. These dates had been forwarded to all councillors prior to the meeting. Noted.
A member of the public left the meeting at 7.42p.m.
70/24 CLOSED SESSION. To resolve to move into closed session in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 for the following item on the grounds that publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted. It was proposed by Cllr Rann, seconded by Cllr Harris and resolved to move into closed session.
The clerk left the meeting at 7.43p.m.
71/24 To review staff appraisal. It was unanimously resolved to approve the clerk’s appraisal.
The meeting closed at 8.08p.m.
Please be advised that these are notes of the meeting taken by the Clerk and cannot in any way be regarded as the official minutes of Council proceedings until they are approved and signed at the next meeting.
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Attachments:
District Councillor P Milnes’ report
Correspondence since September 2024 meeting
County Councillor A Maughan’s report
Hough on the Hill Parish Council 7 November 2024
Councillor Penny Milnes, District Councillor Report
Agenda Item 13:
The roads in the parish are unsuitable for HGV’s that have no need for access. Thes state of the parish lanes need improving and have been degraded by extra traffic from road diversions and heavy traffic.
I agree that new and improved signage on all our roads is required to prevent this continuing to happen. It is a problem on many rural roads when HGV drivers get lost or use an inadequate satnav not designed for HGV’s.
I think that when it happens it would be useful to have evidence - photographs, number plates, name of business on lorry, date and time of day etc.
Another example is on Gelston Road when coming from Stragglethorpe Lane. The ‘Unsuitable for HGV’s’ sign is on the far side of the bridge!!! This is too late. It should be on the Stragglethorpe Lane side of the bridge near the access to the storage site. That would give the drivers a chance to turn around at that point.
Planning: Have your say on how new development will look like
A Design Code is being prepared which, once approved, will set out SKDC’s design expectations for planning applications and sit alongside the Local Plan.
SKDC is one of five local authorities to have been awarded £80,000 by the Office for Place and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) as part of a Design Code Pathfinder project, and is keen to evaluate and update its existing design standards.
“Knowing the positive difference that has already been made thanks to our pioneering Design Guide which was adopted some time ago, there is confidence that moving forwards with a stronger Design Code will build on that progress and give potential developers an even clearer steer on the high quality of design we expect in new developments across South Kesteven.
Further engagement events are planned for later this year and in early 2025.
New Customer Services Centre
A new customer services centre was opened in the Picture House (underneath the council offices and part of the cinema building) on 14 October.
Remembrance
I have been able to obtain 2 wreaths from SKDC to lay at Hough on the Hill and Caythorpe on Remembrance Sunday.
Correspondence received since the September 2024 council meeting:
Hough Gardening August Invoice
LCC Temporary traffic restriction – Hough on the Hill
SKDC Proposed Council Tax Support Scheme 25/26
LALC presentation zoom meeting on proposed changes to NPPF
Parishioner email regarding overgrown hedges in Brandon on COO1
Brendan Shaw LCC – flooding issues in Brandon
Parishioner email – flooding issues in Brandon
LALC invoice – NP workshop
LALC News
Parish Online Newsletter
SKDC Community Awards District Flyer
SKDC Climate Change
LCC Town and Parish News – Gritting sand supply
Lincolnshire Police – safety and security of elected officials
NALC National Planning Policy Framework update
LALC Neighbourhood Planning workshop slides
LALC Planning workshop slides
Neighbourhood Planning Team Newsletter
Greater Lincolnshire Devolution update
SKDC free parking for Xmas
SKDC surplus council defibs to help save lives in Ukraine
SKDC – clerks report of fly tipping along Hough Road, Hough on the Hill
LALC News
LALC – Pete Langford’s sudden passing (LALC’s webmaster)
SKDC Biodiversity
V Clark internal audit form
Hough Gardening Services invoice for September
SKDC pension credit advice letter
SKDC A design code for South Kesteven consultation link
LALC newsletter
SKDC Parish/Council Town Forums 2024
Lincolnshire Wildlife Park Golden Oldies Xmas outing
SKDC Biodiversity project
SKDC Antisocial behaviour and bullying newsletter
SKDC tree planting guide
SKDC views sought on Wyndham Park Grantham
SKDC flood action week newsletter
Parishioner email regarding handover of Community Speed Watch
SKDC Parish Council Forum presentation slides 2024
LALC News
LALC Training Bulletin
Recommendation:
Council to note the correspondence
CLLR ALEXANDER MAUGHAN
LINCOLNSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2024
Traffic Regulation Order to preserve historic Viking Way
Members of Lincolnshire County Council’s Planning and Regulation Committee have voted unanimously in favour of a new Traffic Regulation Order (TRO), which will restore and protect the historic Sewstern Lane and The Drift, preserving the area's heritage and improving accessibility for non-motorised users.
This new TRO will restrict motor vehicle access on four key sections of Sewstern Lane and The Drift, which are part of an ancient Drove Road linking Long Bennington and Sewstern in Leicestershire, a vital recreational area for walkers, cyclists, horse riders, and local communities.
The benefits of the new TRO will include:
• Restoration of Historic Paths: The TRO will protect the ancient Drove Road from further degradation by motor vehicles, allowing for full refurbishment and ensuring it remains a valuable recreational asset for the community.
• Enhanced Accessibility: By restricting motor vehicles, the TRO will make Sewstern Lane and The Drift more accessible to walkers, cyclists, horse riders, and other non-motorised users throughout the year.
• Environmental Protection: The reduction in vehicular use will help to restore and protect the area's diverse ecosystems, preserving important local wildlife and preventing further habitat destruction.
£110m relief road funding at threat
As one of the first acts of the new Government since the General Election, a review of all capital schemes is underway. This has put the £110m funding secured for the North Hykeham Relief Road, as committed by the previous Government, under threat.
The county council has already poured £14m into the project, secured planning permission, and are just over a year away from breaking ground. Further to this, losing this funding would mean not being able to unlock land for 4,500 homes, 7 hectares of employment space, and over £350m in economic benefits over the next sixty years.
It would be a massive blow for our county, and the £110m gap is simply too large for our council to fill. We’ve got support from Dr Caroline Johnson MP and have also reached out to Lincoln’s new MP and the transport secretary, urging them to safeguard this vital project to ensure our area does not miss out.
Devolution for Greater Lincolnshire confirmed
Prior to the general election being called Lincolnshire County Council, together with the Councils of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire, agreed a devolution deal for the Greater Lincolnshire region.
Whilst devolution deals for Norfolk and Suffolk have been dropped by the new Labour Government, our deal is confirmed to go ahead with the same financial package as agreed with the previous Conservative Government.
The devolution deal will involve the creation of a Combined Mayoral Authority, covering the region of Greater Lincolnshire from the south bank of the Humber down to the Wash. The authority will be led by a directly elected Mayor, voted in by the public. The election for a Greater Lincolnshire Mayor will take place alongside the County Council elections in May 2025.
The additional funding promised as part of the devolution package comprisea £28million for one-off projects already commenced by Lincolnshire County Council, and a £25million annual budget for the new Mayor.
Council joins with Woodland Trust for major tree planting initiative
Lincolnshire County Council and the Woodland Trust have officially launched the LincWoods project. The ambitious initiative aims to plant 200,000 trees across Lincolnshire by 2026, significantly enhancing the region’s green spaces and biodiversity.
The agreement outlines a collaborative effort to deliver the MOREwoods and MOREhedges schemes to landowners across Lincolnshire. Through this initiative, landowners can receive substantial subsidies and support for planting trees and hedges, contributing to the county’s environmental goals.
This funding from Lincolnshire County Council, combined with support from the Woodland Trust and Lloyds, ensures that the cost to landowners is minimised, encouraging widespread participation.
For more information about the LincWoods project and how to get involved, please visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/trees.
Lincolnshire loves its libraries
Lincolnshire’s residents visited libraries a million times last year and took out over two million items. This represents a 16 per cent rise in visits and a 17 per cent rise in issues compared to the year before.
On top of these regular lending visits, 87,000 people enjoyed activities and events put on at our libraries, including story time sessions, craft and coding clubs, family history and reading groups.
Lincolnshire’s love of their library service is also shown in customer feedback, with users rating both the staff and customer experience 4.9 out of a possible 5 stars. Additionally, 80% said that ‘access to a wide range of books and other resources’ was the best thing about their library service.
Discover how much more your local library has to offer at www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/libraries
Disappointment at solar farm decisions
The news that proposals for giant solar parks for both Mallard Pass and Gate Burton have been approved is deeply disappointing for all those who will have to live with these huge developments on their doorstep.
These industrial sites will change our county landscapes dramatically, with both proposals expected to cover over 2000 acres each, degrading the quality of life of our residents who have also been vocal in their opposition to the plans.
As a council we have consistently argued Lincolnshire should not be a dumping ground for these enormous infrastructure projects - our agricultural land in particular should be protected, playing a key role in our nation’s food security. But these pleas are not being heard by the Labour government now in charge of environmental policy.
How we’ve cut our carbon emissions by 74%
The county council’s operational carbon emissions have reduced by 74.6%, when compared to the national 1990 baseline. In real terms, that means we’ve cut our carbon emissions from over 55,000 tonnes per year, to around 14,000 tonnes.
This drastic reduction has been down to various factors such as: updating heating systems and upgrading insulation; installing energy efficient LED lighting in our buildings, street lights and traffic lights; and installing roof mounted solar panels on our buildings - to name but a few.
We’ve made huge strides in the way we operate to make us more energy efficient as a council, and we will continue to do so through our Green Masterplan and Carbon Management Plans - which you can read more about at: www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/greenmasterplan
Repairing our rural roads in Hough Division
Our local roads remain the top issue in my inbox, and I have worked with local Parish Council’s to lobby for the priority schemes in our area. The additional funding that Conservative Councillors have invested in our highway network this year, opposed by Independent Councillors at County Hall, has enabled a number of local road schemes to be completed this summer.
Clensey Lane, Dry Doddington/Stubton
Work has started on a 3 year programme of roadworks for Clensey Lane/Doddington Lane between Dry Doddington and Stubton. This section has long been in need of repair. Following site meetings I held last year, I am pleased to see Lincolnshire County Council has heard our local concerns and committed to a rolling programme of works over 3 years to resurface the entire section between the two villages.
Phase 1 of this scheme (highlighted orange) has been completed this summer, with the remaining sections to be completed in 2025/26 and 2026/27. The scheme is being split into 3 stages to make it affordable, with an estimated total cost of £1million.
High Street, Caythorpe
A full reconstruction of the carriageway along Caythorpe High Street has been completed this summer, creating a much improved road surface through the village.
Moor Lane and Fen Lane, Long Bennington
A re-tread scheme has been completed this summer along Fen Lane, Long Bennington. This section of unclassified road has been in long need of repair, with local residents businesses waiting many years for this scheme to come to fruition. I am delighted to see our calls heard and a scheme completed with the additional highways investment made this year.
In 2023 a similar road, Moor Lane, also in Long Bennington had a similar re-tread treatment which has vastly improved the road condition. This summer, the Council has applied a top dressing to level and seal this road and secure it for the future. This type of chip and tar treatment typically improves the lifespan of a road by 5-10 years.
A607 resurfacing schemes planned for 2025
Caythorpe – resurfacing of the A607 from the Caythorpe Heath Lane junction to the edge of Fulbeck village.
Provisional dates at this stage are from the 31 March to 23 May 2025, subject to changes once final designs are completed and contractors are appointed.
Honington to Carlton Scroop – resurfacing of the A607 from the level crossing at Honnington through to the village boundary at Carlton Scroop.
Provisional dates at this stage are from 26 May to 1 August 2025, subject to changes once final designs are completed and contractors are appointed.
I am fully aware of the challenges a closure of the A607 poses and the impact this will have on local businesses, motorists, and bus services. I continue to liaise with the project team managing these works to ensure that the impact is minimised as far as possible. Early dialogue with Stagecoach and local school bus providers has already begun. Additionally, I am mindful of the many thriving local businesses we have along the A607 who rely on passing trade. Highways are currently considering a mix of day-time/night-time working for these schemes to reduce and spread the impact on trade. Please contact me with your comments.
Parish walkabouts to highlight your top priorities
As part of my ongoing liaison with the County Council Highways team I offer Parish Council’s an opportunity at least annually to meet up in your village with myself and the Local Highways Manager to highlight your local priorities on all things roads, footways, streetlighting and verges. These meetings are invaluable opportunities to secure improvements for our villages, including a number of local schemes completed this year as well as reactive pothole and other defect repairs.
If you would like a parish walkabout in your village please contact me at cllra.maughan@lincolnshire.gov.uk
How to contact me
Follow me on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/AlexanderMaughan to keep up to date with local news and my work, on your behalf, as County Councillor for Hough Division.
For highway defects, potholes, damaged pavements, overgrown trees – please report these in the first instance at www.fixmystreet.com. If your report has not been dealt with sufficiently by the County Council (repairs should take no longer than 90 days on rural roads) please email me your report number at cllra.maughan@lincolnshire.gov.uk so I can raise this with the Local Highways Manager.
For other queries relating to council services, including but not limited to flooding, adult social care, children’s services, or more complex highways matters, please email me at cllra.maughan@lincolnshire.gov.uk or call 07707 060 022.
To keep track of planned road works in your area you can see all road closures and planned works around the country at https://one.network/
Alexander Maughan
Lincolnshire County Councillor for Hough Division
Mobile: 07707 060 022 Email: cllra.maughan@lincolnshire.gov.uk