2019-20 Parish Council Meeting Agendas and Minutes

MINUTES of the Hough on the Hill Parish Council meeting  held at 7.30 pm on Thursday 5th December 2019 at All Saints Church Community Area, Hough on the Hill.

Present:  Cllr R Kingscott (RK) (in the Chair), Cllrs. R. Holden (RH), Sue  Morgan (SM),                      Steve Rowland (SR),  Cty Cllr A Maughan,   Dist Cllr Milnes plus 2 members of the public including Cllr Richard Davies.

A member of the public raised the issue of the pooling of water on the C001 at Brandon which is now going into the nearby property.  Apparently there is a pipe that goes across the road which may be blocked as the water is not getting away; it may also be that the dyke it goes into is blocked with vegetation.

1.    Chairman welcomed those present. 

1. – None. 

33/19. Chairman declared a non-pecuniary interest in planning application S19/1937.

1. of the meeting held on 19th September were read and it was agreed that two amendments be made and it was then resolved unanimously to accept them as a true record, and they were duly signed.

S18/0078 – Brandon Wood Clay Shoot – There is to be a public enquiry between February 25 and 27 2020 (venue not yet known).An Enforcement Notice was issued when the allowed 50 days was exceeded and the Appeal is against said Notice.There is also a query over the original decision. Cllr Milnes provided an update and urged residents to complete noise report sheets.

S19/0735 – Drive through coffee shop at A1 petrol station site – plans for a re-designed site layout have not been received and Cllr Stokes has said the application is likely to be refused.

S19/1418 and 1419 – separate barn conversion into two dwellings at Old Hall Barn – approved.

S19/2024 – tree works at New Hill, Hough – no objections.

S19/1937 – Hall Farm, Brandon – conditions for approval – response needed by Christmas.

36/19.   Playing field:

               Clerk to get a quote for replacing the entire net on the climbing frame.  Wait for report from

              Wicksteed regarding play area base before ordering play bark.  Cllrs Kingscott or Holden will

              put plastic tie locks on top of swings frame.  Agreed that the goal post is solid so can stay

              put.  Agreed that soft gate closures will be put onto gates to ensure they close (RK)– point

              was made that children who may suffer bullying in the play area must still be able to make

              an easy exit.

37/19. Road safety/Highways:

               [a]  Brandon gates on the C001 will be painted white when the weather is conducive. 

               Brandon sign still awaited from Highways.

               [b] Road closure for works on Hough bridge at  Frieston – this has been extended to 8 weeks

               to allow for drying time in cold and wet weather.  The road is too narrow to allow a

               traffic light system so has to be closed. The PC suggested the works be delayed until later in

               the year so that the diversion does not involve steep hills on un-gritted roads.

              [c] Flood alleviation at Church Lane, Brandon and C001 at Brandon – gulleys were cleaned in

              May – the pipe under the road needs to be checked.  167 dwellings have been flooded in the

              LCC area and are under investigation.  LCC will be holding sandbags and sand for PCs to

              Collect from Barrowby/A1 depot. 

              [d] SKDC is responsible for the sewer dyke to rear of the Brandon phone box which isn’t

              flowing and needs cleaning. – Cllr Milnes will chase.

              [e] Overflowing water at Lower Road, Hough – Internal Drainage Board are taking action.

1. Cllr Davies gave an explanation of the history of this and FP7.  FP7 remains

open but more negotiations are required to resolve issues with FP8.

39/19. Brandon Electricity Pole Diversion:work completed.

1. annual maintenance check carried out by CHT – nothing major to report.

1. 12th March, 14th May, 3rd September, 10th December.

42/19. Communications:John Lord has repaired Gelston noticeboard – Clerk to request invoice

and offer thanks. OnSide – has been printed and is ready for circulation.

43/19. Financial matters:

[a] Bank balances at 30.11.19 £4406.63 (deposit a/c} and £4969.83 (current a/c).  

[b] Resolved to sign the bank reconciliation/income and expenditure accounts at 30.11.19.

[c] Clerk had provided projection expenditure to 31.3.20 as against budget and it was resolved to keep the Precept the same for 2020/2021 as the current year (£6,562).

1. None to hand.

Cllr Maughan advised LCC is budget setting and that the Fairer Funding Review is on hold.  They will receive an extra £15,000,000 for Adult Social Care.  There is likely to be an increase in Council Tax of between 2 and 4%; over recent years the Government grant has reduced from £211,000,000 to £20,000,000 but LCC has reserves of £56,000,000.  There is a 10 year rolling programme for capital spend.

LCC is trying to get the 3 Councils in Central Lincolnshire to work together more closely.

Energy from Waste facility has been very successful.They hope to be carbon neutral by 2050.

Broadband is an ongoing project but 94.6% currently have superfast broadband and 4% are being added – the remaining 1.4% are likely to get mobile broadband from the 4G network. Coverage for the next phase should be announced in April 2020.

Cllr Milnes said that the temporary CEO is not staying and the position of CEO has been advertised.  Most things are on hold due to the forthcoming election.  InvestSK is under scrutiny – the Leader and Deputy are directors but do not get financial reward.  SKDC are also looking at being carbon neutral by 2050.  They will be planting more trees creating a new orchard and finally, an Armed Forces discount card has been issued.

46/19. Next meeting:    12th March 2020 at 7.30 pm

Meeting closed at 8.50 pm.