July 2024 Minutes
Harlaxton Parish Council
Chair: Andrew Cartlidge
Email: harlaxtonpc@gmail.com
Address: 3 Church Street, Harlaxton, Lincs, NG32 1HB
Website: http://parishes.lincolnshire.gov.uk/Harlaxton/
Parish Council Meeting
7:30pm on Wednesday, 24 July 2024
Harlaxton Village Hall, 3 Church Street, Harlaxton, NG32 1HU
Minutes
1. Meeting Opened: 7:30pm
2. In Attendance: Cllrs Clawson, Smith, Phillips, Wicks & Cartlidge. Also, Cllr Leadenham from SKDC.
3. Apologies (Non-Attendance): Accepted from Cllr Gabriel.
4. Declarations of Pecuniary Interests: Cllr Wicks noted an item in 8.1.1, and Cllrs Wicks and Cartlidge acknowledged their HSSC committee roles.
5. Resolution to approve minutes of Parish Council Meetings: AMC/ACM [AGM] of 26 June 2024: Unanimously Agreed.
6. Public Forum (15 Minute Presentation/Discussion): None present.
7. Updates - County Councillor, District Councillor, Police & Crime
7.1. Cllr Leadenham advised that SKDC is now in its summer recess until September.
7.2. Cllr Leadenham is organising a further group meeting with Parish Councils, SKDC and LCC in October 2024.
7.3. Cllr Leadenham advised that there is a cross border meeting planned between SKDC, LCC and Leicestershire CC to discuss road safety issues on the A607, A52 and A1.
7.4. The Emergency Action Plan was discussed, and it was agreed that a working party should be formed, inviting members of the HSSC, HVH, Church and the Manor to join. Cllrs Clawson, Smith, Wicks & Cartlidge agreed to be involved. Terms of reference prepared and invitations to be sent out.
8. Updates and Discussions
8.1. Finance Update
Bank balances and expenditures were discussed, and it was agreed that finances were healthy. However, larger expenditures, including the improvement to the Sports Field drainage, were yet to be agreed upon and spent.
8.1.1. Invoices/Expenses received
It was agreed to pay invoices from BDG [mowing] for £380, HVH for £14 for the CSW course, and £17.13 expenses to Cllr Wicks for fuel used in cutting the play area and around the HSSC building and lighter fuel for the D-Day Beacon. It was agreed not to pay the 2024/2025 subscription for the Sports Field booking website until drainage improvement works had been completed, and to ask them to put a freeze on the account.
8.2. Proposed Development off Swine Hill: No further update at this time.
8.3. Traffic and SID (Speed Indicator Device)
8.3.1. SID has been on Swine Hill. Records show that 85% of vehicles are travelling at 29mph, although the highest speed recorded was 60mph. HPC has previously been told that with the 85% less than 35mph, the police will take no action.
8.3.2. SID has now been moved to The Drift, facing south, up the hill.
8.3.3. The community speed watch [CSW] training day was on 15 July and was well attended, with 5 of the 9 participants from Harlaxton. Cllr Leadenham advised that currently, Harlaxton has only two areas allocated, The Drift and Swine Hill, because there needs to be 200m of clear sight without parked cars. Currently, the High Street is not viable for two-way CSW monitoring because of sight lines and parked vehicles. To proceed, a coordinator is required, and it was agreed to create a working party to arrange the group. Participants from the CSW event to be invited to come together and report back to CSW team. It was agreed that if there were at least three participants of the Harlaxton Community Speed Watch working party, then the Parish Council would purchase the necessary equipment, including the radar device, yellow fluorescent jackets and road signs. An approximate budget of £500 was agreed.
8.4. LCC Highway Gullies
8.4.1. LCC have written to say that they are clearing the gullies and below-ground drainage [a full cleanse] during the week commencing 5 August 2024. The distribution of letters asking villagers to avoid parking on the road and near gullies is under way.
8.4.2. It was agreed that Cllr Clawson and Cartlidge would complete the rest of the HPC gulley survey [for reporting to LCC] on Sunday, 28 July, from 8am, to cover the Drift, Rectory Lane, Dimmock Close and the west end of the A607.
8.4.3. It was reported that the contractor working on the High Street near the Obelisk has filled/blocked the adjacent gulley with debris, and concerns were shared that they had also damaged the culver running from The Pond towards the Mow Beck running behind the houses on the High Street and Willowbrook. Letter to be sent to Anglian Water to ask them to investigate and make good.
9. Village Events
9.1. Village Fayre, 31 August 2024: Cllr Smith reported that the HSSC committee continues to work on the event and will finalise the itinerary so that the HPC can have the larger notices printed for the High Street and Manor Drive/Sports Field. Per the PCM on Wednesday, 24 April 2024, it was confirmed that HPC would cover up to £100 for the promotion and advertising of the event.
10. HSSC
10.1. Car Park and Manor Drive Flooding. HPC has received three letters from experts to confirm that the route across the car park is not a culvert, and further representations are being made to AXA. In parallel, the Loss Adjuster has instructed Allied Solutions to make an independent assessment of the Claim and their report is expected shortly. It was agreed that if AXA reject the claim again, HPC will pursue AXA via the Financial Conduct Authority and the Insurance Ombudsman. A cheque for £435 has been made in the success of HPC’s complaint that AXA performed poorly during the previous two years of the claim, and AXA has awarded a further £50 in respect of HPC’s complaint that AXA’s complaint handling has been dilatory.
10.2. Channel Drain to the rear/south of HSSC: The contractor still plans to carry out these works w/c 19 August.
10.3. Solar Panels and Independent Energy Assessment: The HSSC committee advises that their first grant application has been unsuccessful but they are working with SKDC to seek other sources of grant funding.
11. Sports Field
11.1. Playing Area Equipment. Latest inspection report (Cllr Wicks) [RoSpa inspection August 2024]
11.1.1. Cllr Wicks reports that some minor maintenance is required, and they will attend to this shortly.
11.2. Playing Field/Pitches: The draft letter to recent inquirers was discussed and agreed upon and shall be sent.
11.3. Drainage/Maintenance:
11.3.1. The Cooper Plantation ditch has been cleared by a volunteer. Grateful thanks were given to Irvin Metcalf.
11.3.2. Three quotes have been received for the replacement French Drain at the top [south side] of the Manor Drive Sports Field: JC Groundwork and Drainage £12500 + VAT, Robert Duffin Hedge Laying and Groundwork £7550 + VAT, Lincoln Roofing & Building Ltd £6758.61 + VAT. However, only Robert Duffin has visited the site and discussed the work with Councillors. It was agreed to appoint Robert Duffin to carry out the work.
12. Grass Cutting, Hedges, etc
12.1. Coopers Plantation: Two quotes have been received for carrying out the whole Village Tree Survey: Maplebeck [who cleared the fallen Daybrook Close tree and term contractor for LCC] £375 + VAT, and NKDC Christopher Clay £3.50 + VAT per tree. It was agreed to adopt the fixed quote from Maplebeck.
12.2. Gregory Close: Only one quote has been received for reshaping. Other quotes pending.
12.3. Grass Cutting: The contractor for the Manor Drive Sports Field has reported that their machine is now repaired, and normal grass cutting will resume. Councillors expressed concern that the grass in the Play Area and around the HSSC and the Sports Field is a disappointment, especially with the Village Fayre pending. The contractor is to be asked for proposals to rectify, including strimming, which has also been missed. Otherwise, Councillors will need to cut this themselves.
13. HPC Bins around the Village: Villagers and Councillors had expressed concerns that the two bins on Manor Drive, the Play Area, and the High Street, have been repeatedly reported full and overflowing. It was agreed to ask the Community Cleaner to provide a monthly report scheduling the day and time the bins are emptied, to help Councillors understand the situation and to help with future improvements.
14. Village Voice: HPC has received the draft, which looks good as usual. With the HVH events taking up a larger portion, it was agreed to ask for this to be more evenly shared amongst the other advertisers in the future.
15. Any other business:
15.1. Concerns were expressed that the grass on the LCC verge on the corner of Pond Street is overflowing into the road; LCC to be notified by FixMyStreet.
15.2. Villagers have advised that Coffin Walk is in need of a trim again.
15.3. LCC has not responded to concerns about the overgrown vegetation on the Common Land down the Drift. However, Cllr Clawson advises that villagers are arranging for this to be cleared instead.
15.4. The Peter Hawkins Memorial Bench has been returned after refurbishment. Grateful thanks were offered to Nick Birch, and a letter of thanks is to be sent.
16. Next scheduled Meeting: Annual Meeting of the Council: Wednesday, 28 August 2024 at 7:30pm
17. Meeting close: 9:15pm