March 2023 Minutes
Harlaxton Parish Council
3 Church St, Harlaxton, Lincolnshire, NG32 1HB
Email: harlaxtonpc@gmail.com
Parish Council Meeting 29 March 2023
19.30hrs Harlaxton Village Hall
MINUTES
1. Meeting Opened 19.32hrs by Cllr Cartlidge (Chair)
2. In attendance - Cllr. Cartlidge (Chair), Cllr. Wicks (Vice Chair), Cllrs Brown, Darcey, Gabriel. County Cllr. Vernon, one member of the public.
3. Apologies (Non-Attendance) - Cllr. Smith, Cllr. Whitworth
4. Approval of minutes
4.1. Approval of minutes of Parish Council Meeting held 22 February 2023 – Approved and signed.
4.2. Approval of minutes of EGM held 17 March 2023 – Approved and signed.
5. Parish Councillors Declarations of Pecuniary Interest - None
6. Public Forum (15 Minute Presentation/Discussion)
A member of the public delivered correspondence to the Council. This will be considered and responded to in due course.
7. Updates - County Councillor, District Councillor, Police & Crime Commissioners Office
County Councillor Vernon provided the following information from Lincolnshire County Council.
A reminder that Voter ID will be required by anyone wishing to vote in the upcoming elections in May.
HAF holiday clubs will be running during the Easter School holidays for eligible children.
Lincolnshire County Council are running a “Good Citizens Award” and are seeking nominations.
The deadline for applications to close streets for Coronation celebrations is 31 March.
No reports from District Council or Police and Crime Commissioners office.
Action: Links to relevant LCC webpages to be put on the HPC Facebook page. (Cllr. Cartlidge)
8. Matters arising from last meeting – Updates and discussion.
8.1. Preparation of Job description and person specification for Parish Clerk.
Deferred until after elections.
8.2. Harlaxton PC Standing Orders - update from Standing Orders Working Party
Deferred until after elections.
8.3. LALC Training for Councillors
LALC will be arranging New Councillor training courses after the elections.
8.4. HSSC
8.4.1. CCTV – update on purchase of signage and installation of additional camera and solar lights.
Signage now in place. Camera and lights still to be installed.
Action: Cllrs Wicks and Gabriel.
8.4.2. Accessible Toilets
Cllr. Cartlidge provided an update on progress with the plans for accessible toilets at HSSC. Plans are now being finalised. Once the drawings are available, quotes for the building work can be requested. A contribution from the SKDC Prosperity Fund may be available to help with building costs.
8.4.3. Car Park and Manor Drive Flooding.
Harlaxton Manor have been assisting exploratory work to try to locate the drainage pipes and identify the problem. Further investigation is necessary.
2 quotes have been received for possible repairs to drains under the carpark and resurfacing the area. Both are in excess of £40,000. A further quote is awaited.
Further approaches will be made to the Insurance Company regarding HPC’s claim.
Action: Cllrs Cartlidge and Wicks to liaise with contractors and Insurance Company.
8.4.4. Blocked rainwater goods to west side of HSSC building.
Problem to be investigated and remedied. Repointing of wall may be required.
Action: Cllrs Wicks and Gabriel
8.4.5. Drainage of patio area to south side of HSSC building
The patio is too high and a new drain between the patio and the building is required.
Action: Cllr Wicks to obtain 3 quotes for the work.
8.5. Village Hall
8.5.1. Update on damp treatment
Work not yet completed.
Action: Cllrs Gabriel and Cartlidge to undertake work.
8.5.2. Line markings
Cllr Cartlidge reported that the contractor will redo the white lines but is waiting for better weather.
8.6. Playing Field
8.6.1. Playing Field Equipment – Update on purchase and installation of replacement beam. Latest inspection report Cllr Wicks reported that the replacement beam is due to be fitted next week.
8.6.2. Monthly Inspection report
Some minor repairs are required to various pieces of equipment and a drop bolt is required for the gate.
Action: Cllr Wicks to carry out repairs with assistance from other councillors if required.
8.6.3. Damage to Bowls Club fence and hedging
The hedge and fence adjacent to the Bowls Club has been damaged during the construction of a storage area for the Portuguese Football Academy (PFA). The fence can probably be fixed by Councillors and the PFA will be asked to contribute to replacement hedging.
Action: Cllrs. Wicks and Gabriel to mend fence. Cllr. Cartlidge to contact PFA. Cllr. Brown to write to Bowls Club.
8.7. Pearson Gregory Field – Considerations to develop and improve.
Deferred until after local elections. SKDC Prosperity Fund may be able to contribute to any future work in this area.
8.8. Provision of Defibrillator.
A refurbished defibrillator plus cabinet has now been purchased with the intention of siting this at HSSC. Cllr. Cartlidge has fitted a lock to the cabinet. The defibrillator will need to be wired in by an electrician.
Action: Cllr. Cartlidge to liaise with HSSC re. access to electricity supply. Cllr. Wicks to obtain 3 quotes for connecting up the Defibrillator.
8.9. Saltby Airfield
Cllr. Brown advised that the Planning application will be considered by Melton Borough Council on 30 March 2023. A representative from Croxton Kerrial Parish Council and a member of the group opposing the application will speak at the meeting.
8.10. Traffic in Harlaxton & Speed Indicator Device
Cllr. Brown reported that the results from the Speed Indicator Device showed that speeding on Swine Hill travelling out of the village was more prevalent at weekends with around 15% of vehicles travelling out of the village exceeding 30mph. The fastest speed recorded was 50mph. It was agreed that the next location for SID would be on the High St. Cllr Brown was asked if they would be willing “manage” the Speed Indicator Device after the Elections in May when she will no longer be a Councillor. She agreed and this was approved.
8.11. Proposed Development off Swine Hill
Nothing to report on this. SKDC’s Local Plan review has been delayed until later in the year following the publication of a national government consultation on amendments to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
8.12. Telephone Box
Cllr. Wicks reported that the telephone box is now back in situ and the new clips and glass have been purchased. A new noticeboard will be put into the box. It was agreed that the top windows should show “Harlaxton” instead of “telephone”. The provision of solar lighting will be investigated. It was suggested that Harlaxton History Society should be asked if they with to display any information in the box along with other information about the village.
Action: Cllrs. Wicks and Cartlidge to fit glass and Cllr. Gabriel to investigate solar powered lighting.
8.13. Coronation of King Charles III
Cllr. Darcy reported progress to date on organising events for the Coronation on 06 & 07 May 2023.
HSSC will be open on 06 May for villagers to watch the Coronation together if they wish.
On 07 May at 10.30 there will be an outdoor Coronation Thanksgiving Service at HSSC followed by a Community Gala starting at midday. Events will include a Fancy Dress Competition, Teddy Bears Picnic, Dog Show, Children’s games and activities, Mini Fantasy Garden Competition and stalls and displays by local organisations.
Posters and leaflets for distribution around the village will be needed. The Church has offered to help with leaflet distribution. Prizes will be needed.
A discussion about provision of commemorative mugs for the children of the village concluded that, owing to the poor take up of Queen Elizabeth ll Platinum Jubilee mugs, this would not be a good use of Parish Council funds.
Action: Cllrs. Cartlidge and Gabriel to prepare posters and leaflets, Cllr. Brown to contact Harlaxton Manor re. printing.
8.14. BronzeCon Use of Playing Field
More information about the event has been requested from the organiser in order to address concerns about parking and provision of toilet facilities.
8.15. Parish Council Website
Councillors thought that the Website was much less cluttered as a result of work by the Website Manager. It was agreed that the Council would purchase 10 hrs of LALC’s Website Management Service.
Action: Cllr. Brown to advise LALC re. Website Management subscription.
9. RFO Financial Report
9.1. Monthly Report
Cllr. Cartlidge provided financial reports generated by Scribe. Budget allocations for 23/24 were discussed and agreed with formal reserves set for possible future work to Council owned property.
Year end returns will soon be due and it is expected that this process will be less complicated now that the Council is using Scribe software.
It was agreed that the Payroll Manager would be asked to continue with his support for financial matters in the 23/24 financial year.
Action: Cllr. Cartlidge to contact the Payroll Manager to discuss further support.
10. Insurance Renewal
HPC Insurance brokers have sent a pre-renewal questionnaire prior to policy renewal on 01 June. Answers to the questions were discussed and agreed.
Action: Cllr. Cartlidge to complete and return questionnaire.
11. Annual Parish Meeting. Feedback from meeting on 20 March 2023
It was agreed that the Annual Parish Meeting was well attended by local groups and organisations but it would have been good to have seen more village residents who are not attached to local groups at the event. The draft minutes from the Annual Meeting will be published but these cannot be approved until the next Annual Meeting of the Parish.
12. Village Voice
Cllr. Brown is currently responsible for the production of the Village Voice Newsletter but will not be standing for election in May. She was asked if she would be willing to continue to work on the newsletter as a volunteer and she agreed to do this. It was also agreed that a Village Voice email address would be set up for correspondence as Cllr. Brown will no longer have access to HPC emails.
Action: Cllr. Brown to set up a Village Voice Gmail account.
13. Planning
13.1. Applications
13.1.1. S23/0449 Insertion of second floor windows to north and south side elevations. 8a The Drift, Harlaxton, NG32 1AE.
Cllr. Wicks commented that the grass verge opposite 8a The Drift had not been reinstated by the developer as required by Lincolnshire County Council and this should be commented on in relation to this application.
Note: As application S23/0449 has been made by the householder and not the developer and not the developer it is not relevant to this planning request and it would be more appropriate to contact LCC regarding the reinstatement of the verge.
13.2. Decisions
13.2.1. S23/0260 Notification under Regulation 5 of the Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 to utilise Permitted Development Rights for the installation of 3 telegraph poles De Ligne Drive, Pond Street and Manor Drive Harlaxton- No objection.
13.2.2. S23/0228 Installation of one telegraph pole New Bungalow Trotters Lane. No objection
13.2.3. S23/0114 & S23/0115 Works within the curtilage of listed building (including realignment and alteration of boundary walls and patio) and removal of internal fireplace (retrospective). 17 Church Street, Harlaxton, NG32 1HB. Permission Granted
13.2.4. S23/0418 Notification under Regulation 5 of the Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 to utilise Permitted Development Rights for the installation of a single 10m wooden telegraph pole Dimmock Close Harlaxton- No objection.
All noted.
14. Correspondence
14.1. 20/02/2023 Holly Carter of The Manor – accepting request to meet ref Manor Drive Flooding
14.2. 23/02/2023 Keep Britain Tidy Great British Spring Clean 17 March to 02 April
14.3. 23/02/2023 Village Hall – request to action repairs to the car park lining
14.4. 28/02/2023 JS – request to use the playing for a bronze age convention.
14.5. 04/03/2023 SS – invoice for works on HSSC roof.
14.6. 10/03/2023 ST – preliminary drawings for HSSC Accessible WC
14.7. 14/03/2023 BHIB Council’s Insurance
14.8. 17/03/2023 TSGP CallConnect/ConnectBus Saturday operating hours
14.9. 20/03/2023 PKF Littlejohn - 2022/23 AGAR external auditor instructions
14.10. 22/03/2023 T&J – Pearson Gregory Gate needs repair
All noted. Action already taken where required.
15. Closed Session – None required.
16. Any other business.
16.1. Cllr. Cartridge advised that a quote had been received for work to drain and roll the HSSC playing field. It was agreed that 2 more quotes should be obtained for this work and a decision to carry out the work made at a future meeting.
Action: Cllr. Cartlidge to seek more quotes.
16.2. It was acknowledged that a new post box had been installed on Daybrook Close to replace the one removed from The Drift.
17. Next scheduled Parish Council Meeting is the Annual General Meeting on 15 May 2023.
18. Meeting closed at 23.00hrs