2019 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

Caythorpe and Frieston Parish Council

Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on 1st May 2019

 

Present: Councillors: B Nelson (Chairman)

R Dix, G Ashcroft,R Greybrook, A Roberts, R Brooke, N Fritzsche

 

District Councillor: B Sampson

 

Clerk: Mr M. Stevens

        

Cllrs M Budden, M Woodward 

 

These minutes were presented for approval and signed by the chairman as a true record of the meeting.

 

There were no matters arising

 

4.1 The Chairman of the Parish Council Cllr Nelson presented an update of achievements that had occurred during the year about the revised Parish Plan that had been published in 2016.  The presentation gave details of the aims and objectives with special emphasis on the actual progress and achievements realised throughout the year.  During the presentation the Chairman asked for comments from those attending the meeting.  Attendees, numbering in excess of 30 in total, included other Councillors and members of the public.

4.2 The complete revised report can be found in appendix 1 of these minutes and the following notes record comments that were raised within the presentation under the relevant section of the report

4.3 Roads Parking and Congestion

4.3.1 Cllr Roberts wished to record special thanks to the Chairman and Cllr Maughan for the support given to date in obtaining the progress achieved during the year with this project.

4.3.2 The question of speed down Back Lane was raised from a public attendee as there was evidence of speeding along this road that raised safety concerns to school children. It was asked if the council could consider reducing the speed limit form the existing 30 mph.  

Cllr Nelson responded that this issue had been raised previously with LCC Highways without success, however suggested that this issue should again be considered by the new Parish Council.

 

4.4.1 The question of stiles was raised by an attendee from the public and specifically referred to the series of footpaths near Caythorpe Hall.  It was stated that this particular footpath network consisted of a number of stiles that presented particular problems for those residents that are less agile.  It was asked if the Parish Council could approach LCC Highways to ascertain whether some of these stiles could be replaced with an alternative such as gates.

Cllr Nelson responded that this issue would be passed on to the new Parish Council but emphasised that the matter would have to be actioned through the footpath department of LCC Highways and in conjunction with the land owner.

4.5.1 Mid(UK)

Cllr Nelson emphasised the current issue relating to the recent applications from Mid(UK) regarding the increase of working hours.  The fact that the applications were submitted at the time of change of Parish Council appeared to have been actioned as a deliberate attempt to add confusion.  Cllr Nelson stated that the Parish Council were clear on the approach taken to date by the Parish Council and stated that the new PC would have to support this submission or restate any amendments and that they would need to reinforce these by nominating a councillor to attend the LCC meeting scheduled for 13th May.

When asked for the view from the attendees at the meeting unanimous support was given to those actions recorded in the PC minutes of 20th March 2019

4.6.1 Frieston Mail Box

Since the collapse of the wall that was housing the Post Box, Defibrillator and Noticeboard in Frieston, some 12 months ago, Cllr Nelson stated that progress had been made and the new noticeboard was under construction.  Furthermore, the new site for the defibrillator has been identified.

However, despite two separate attempts by the Parish Council the replacement post box has not been forthcoming from Royal Mail and it is understood that this is due to the current criteria which apparently is based on distance from alternative existing post box (High Street) and also usage records.

In view of this situation members of the public presented a petition on behalf of the Frieston residents that could be used to add weight to the claim for a replacement and asked that this be submitted to Royal Mail by the Parish Council.

Cllr Nelson thanked the attendees for the petition and stated that this matter would be passed to the new Parish Council for further action.

4.7.1 Cllr Dix reiterated the statement made within the report and emphasised the point that anyone from the village wishing to assist in helping secure the future of the Playing Field should attend either the Social Club AGM or the Playing Field AGM which are scheduled for 21st May and 23rd May respectively. 

4.7.2 Cllr Dix stated that the Police Building as outlined in the terms of a legal agreement is for use by the Parish Council and the Playing Fields Committee only, and if the Police wish to dispose of the Police Building in the future that under that legal agreement of sale they would in the first instance have to offer the sale to the Playing Field Committee based on the land price only.

4.7.3 Following the discussion regarding recent comments made within the latest version of News and Views Cllr Nelson stated that the editors of the publication have full editorial control of the document as defined in the agreement between the editors and the Parish Council

4.8 Community Safety

4.8.1 Cllr Nelson raised the recent issue of the felling of the tree on the triangle at the junction of the High Street and A607. Cllr Nelson went on to say that some months ago it was established that the land and the tree were the property of LCC.  At this time, it was established that the tree was a danger to the public and traffic as it was severely diseased.  Based on this information the LCC Tree Officer recommended that it was felled.  

This matter has been referred to County Councillor Maughan, however, it has already been established that LCC are under no obligation to keep the Parish Council informed of tree matters, such as unsafe trees, where there is a potential danger to the public.  This is not the practice adopted by the Parish Council and although it is understood that a process will be introduced to cover this matter in the future, the new Parish Council will be asked to investigate this issue further.

Attendees for the public suggested that at the very least a replacement tree should be planted, or alternative road furniture sourced.

5.1 There was no any other business

5.2 With no additional business Cllr Nelson thanked all for attending and the meeting was closed

 

 

Appendix 1 - 

 

 

 

1. Please find below reports on the activities of the Caythorpe and Frieston Parish Council throughout 2018/19 and including the actions taken following the publication of the revised Caythorpe and Frieston Parish Plan in the summer of 2016. The revised Parish Plan set out the aims and objectives for the Parish for the following five years

 

To support policy H1 (or updated policies that have a similar effect) of the SKDC Local Development Plan Framework, thus ensuring that any future developments within the parish (i) are proportionate to its current size, (ii) reflect the need for affordable, eco-friendly housing, and (iii) minimise pressure on existing local infrastructure

• To support the housing policies of the LDF in ensuring that development is proportionate to the size of the parish and provides affordable housing.

• To work with providers to secure additional units of social housing to meet local need.

• To encourage social landlords, wherever possible, to provide accommodation for people with local connections and support, e.g. both young families and older people.

The Planning Committee have met as and when required and have commented in depth on all applications that have come before it.

 It has again not been possible to secure any additional units of social housing although a very constructive meeting recently held with SKDC should give rise to some draft proposals from them in due course which it is hoped may bear some fruit although at this stage it is far too early to be specific about any details.

 

We have had a very good close working relationship with our District Councillor Mr Bob Sampson whose advice and support has been greatly valued. Cllr. Sampson is not standing for election this May and we thank him for all of his support and guidance over the past eight years.

 

To give the highest priority to resolving the long-standing parking and congestion problems in the parish, liaising with partner agencies as necessary.

• To resolve the persistent parking and congestion issues through a combination of traffic calming and rearranged parking strategies.

• To work closely with LCC to bring about improvements to the condition of local roads.

• To work in tandem with LCC and the police authority in introducing educational and enforcement approaches to improve road safety.

• To consider sympathetic herringbone parking in Back Lane at the rear of the school as a step towards alleviating parking problems in the vicinity. 

With regard to the issue of congestion within our High Street we have agreed that (1) limited use of double yellow lines (2) road markings indicating bus stops and(3) the creation of an area of hard standing in Back Lane should when implemented go some way to help allieviate the problem. In addition we have raised concerns with regard to the sharp bend in the road just below PGL and the narrow bridge on the same road adjacent to Mid UK.

  We are working closely with County Cllr. Alexander Maughan whose help and guidance in our dealings so far with LCC Highways has been very useful.

 It is very pleasing to note that the Back Lane project has now been completed by LCC which will help reduce congestion on the High Street and in particular give users of both our school and Village Hall some where to park.

We have joined Community Speed Watch and as well as displaying signs raising awareness of the statutory limits have undertaken an exercise with a mobile speed camera. The issue of speeding traffic remains of concern but these two initiatives appear to have had an impact.

The condition of local roads has continued to give rise for considerable concern in that (a) repairs are not undertaken in a timely manner and (b) that when repairs are carried out it is to such a poor standard that they require further attention within a short space of time . We have of course drawn this to the attention of County Cllr Maughan as well as LCC Highways and Cllr. R Davies who is the LCC portfolio holder.

 

To ensure that pavements and public footpaths are ‘fit-for-purpose’, well maintained and safe for residents of all ages

• To implement an integrated educational and enforcement campaign to reduce persistent dog fouling.

• To make more dog poo bins available at strategic places.

• To enlist the help of local voluntary groups in monitoring and reporting blocked pavements and footpaths.

• Through liaison with LCC, to invest in more signage and information boards at strategic places on the footpath network.

• To consider pressing for a footpath to be incorporated into Back Lane in the interests of public safety.

The issue of indiscriminate dog fouling has been given a lot of publicity (articles in News & Views and in social media) this will continue for as long as is necessary. As ever it is a small minority of owners who give dog owners in general a bad name. It is interesting to note that our experience locally is mirrored nationally. We have recently purchased new bins for use by dog owners and will be emptying them at our expense. It is anticipated that the SKDC Dog Warden will be making some visits to the parish.

The issue of a footpath along Back Lane has been raised with LCC Highways but was not seen by them as being a priority.

We continue to make residents aware of the difficulties that arise when over grown trees and hedges interfere with narrow footpaths.

We are looking into the possibility of funding some sensory pavements within the village in order to help visually impaired residents and we await further details from LCC Highways with regard to this initiative.

     

To maintain the current level of local transport links, obtaining improvements where possible, whilst ensuring that the infrastructure of local highways is maintained to as high a standard as possible.

• To ensure that the Grantham/Lincoln bus link is maintained and where possible to improve the level of service at the end of each day.

• To advocate with the bus companies, SKDC and LCC about improving east-west public transport options, especially on market days.

• To investigate the re-routing of the Grantham-Lincoln bus service by using both High Street and Old Lincoln Road in Caythorpe, as part of an integrated strategy to reduce congestion.

This is an ongoing area of work which to date has not given rise to any issues.

 The possible re-routing of the bus will be considered once all initiatives to help reduce congestion in the High Street have been exhausted.

 

To ensure that the parish is a clean, safe and visually appealing environment in which to live and work and that all residents are made aware of the issues of recycling, energy efficiency and sustainability

• To continue to promote and improve the waste and recycling services within the parish by working closely with SKDC.

• To continue to work closely with the owners/operators of the local recycling facility and appropriate regulatory bodies in order to ensure that environmental standards are maintained. 

• To work closely with all parishioners with regard to the issues of energy efficiency and sustainability. 

• To revitalise interest in re-entry into the Lincolnshire Best Kept Village competition. 

• To consider instigating ‘litter clearing days’ involving volunteer teams.

The Parish Council continues to attempt to work closely with the owners of the local recycling facility, but our efforts appear to have fallen on stony ground as they failed to communicate to us their latest planning application with regard to an increase in working hours ostensibly for cleaning purposes. At the time of this report the Parish Council have objected to LCC Planning in the strongest possible terms over the applications and the deliberations of the LCC Planning Committee on 13th May, at which CFPC intends  to exercise its right to  attend and speak 

The PC continue to employ a local litter picker and several volunteers have augmented the valuable work that he does and collected a vast amount of rubbish most of which has been discarded by passing motorists. In addition we have sought to make use of the SKDC Big Clean initiative. We will continue to monitor the impact that this has on our environment as well as issues caused by indiscriminate fly tipping which appears to be on the increase.

 

To ensure that current services are maintained and, where possible, that new enterprises reflect local needs and demands.

• To encourage parishioners to use local shops, businesses and facilities in order to support their viability and sustainability.  

• When necessary, campaign to ensure that the parish does not lose vital services as these are core to the viability of the entire community.

• To encourage the establishment of new local shops and businesses in line with what parishioners need and want.

• To maintain and consolidate cordial relationships with major local employers such as RAF Cranwell, PGL and Mid UK Ltd so as to make people of working age aware of local employment opportunities. 

• To maintain an up-to-date directory of all business activities conducted within or from the parish so that the Parish Council can keep abreast of business and commercial interests and needs locally.

There has been no further significant loss of any shops and or services.

 The Waggon & Horses public house has now reopened and is being well used.

We continue to explore the possibility of getting a suitable permanent site for the weekly visit of the mobile fish and chip shop.

We continue to have a close working relationship with PGL and their support and help at village events is greatly appreciated.

 

To protect the valued and hard fought for resources and facilities in the parish currently available to young children and their families

• To help ensure that the Children’s Centre and pre-school facility are used to their maximum capacity.

• Maximise the involvement of the primary school, Children’s Centre and pre-school facility, and young children in general, in planning for activities that affect them directly. 

• To enlist help from people who have indicated an interest in volunteer work with young children and families (see section 3.11 on volunteering and skill sharing). 

• To explore the feasibility of improving access to childminders, babysitters and holiday play schemes.

Initiatives in order to help achieve these objectives are still being considered although the Parish Council contributed £400 towards the cost of a new laptop for use by the Children’s Centre last year.

 

To help ensure that all residents are provided with as broad a range of facilities and activities that serve their leisure and recreational needs, taking into account the parish catchment area and available resources

• To continue to explore sites for a new village hall.

• To improve the range of activities for younger people, particularly teenagers, drawing on advice and expertise from young people themselves. 

• To explore the scope for more age-integrated leisure activities.

There are a good range of leisure activities but work needs to be done to help ensure that they cover a wider age range than currently. Whilst a new site for the Village Hall is highly desirable it is totally dependent on areas of farm land adjacent to the village becoming available, this is not seen as being likely in the short to medium term.

There are concerns over that fact that the Playing Field Committee are currently unable to organise and run a number of previously held fund raising activities which are key to the longer term financial health of the facility. The PC will be monitoring the situation.

 

To ensure that the parish continues to be a secure and safe environment in which to live

• To assess the scope for introducing traffic calming and rearranged parking options in order to improve road safety.

• To review the reintroduction of a local home-watch scheme.

• To help ensure that parishioners are not subject to anti-social behaviour by working closely with both SKDC and the local police authority.

The Parish Council at its meetings continues to monitor the levels of antic-social behaviour and crime which without being complacent are considered to be low. The continued use of the Rural Beat Office in Old Lincoln Road is very much welcomed.

 The issue of traffic in the High Street in particular as noted above is under consideration.

 

To ensure that the local countryside is accessible to all for leisure and recreational purposes.

• Liaise with the Caythorpe Walking for Health group and SKDC to extend the availability of information on local walks and footpaths through the production of maps and leaflets.

• To support the maintenance of all current footpaths, bridleways and public rights of way in liaison with local landowners, LCC and local voluntary groups.

• To ensure that the local farmland is maintained for the production of food and the enjoyment of the public by actively opposing any inappropriate developments on good quality agricultural land.

The Parish Council have previously worked closely with the owner of Caythorpe Hall in order to be able to find a solution with regard to the footpath that runs between Caythorpe and Fulbeck

The Caythorpe Walking for Health continues to thrive.

 

To exploit the untapped reservoir of human capital in the parish by enlisting more volunteers of all ages to support community activities.

• To develop a skills and interests data bank reflecting community talent and ensure that it is put to good use.

• Make appeals for assistance with specific activities from volunteers in preference to making generalised appeals.

• Assist local clubs, societies and groups to recruit younger people to their committees and task groups.

The lack of volunteers is a growing concern and recent attempts to get help with News & Views and to help run fund raising sporting events at the Playing Fields both failed to get any responses. It will require continued effort and publicity.

 

To ensure that all parishioners are able to access up-to-date and accurate information with regards to all issues of importance in the parish and to encourage wider participation in parish events.

• To continue to support the redeveloped parish newsletter, News and Views, by ensuring that it is properly funded, with news and information contributions from as many residents and interest groups as possible.

• To encourage greater involvement by parishioners in the local community by widely publicising all parish activities.

• To upgrade the design of the parish council website with an eye on its user-friendliness.

• To encourage greater use of parish Face book pages as an effective route to speedy fact-finding and information dissemination.

• To consider enabling IT classes for all, but especially older residents, so that the full benefits of IT and social media can be reaped.

• Consider holding occasional ‘meet the councillor’ evenings to familiarise the community with its locally elected representatives. 

• To continue the search for a central resource office for community activities including IT.

News and Views continues to flourish with its new Joint Editors Laura and Pete Leeds   producing a high quality publication which local businesses are keen to advertise in and thus help pay for its production costs. 

The Parish Council is now using its face book page facility as well as the one for the village.

The Parish Council website is kept up to date by the Parish Clerk and is a very useful source of information both past present and future.

 

 

 

 

Councillor Bruce Nelson 

Chairman 

Caythorpe and Frieston Parish Council

 

2nd April 2019