January 2025 Minutes
Parish Council Meeting
7:30pm on Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Harlaxton Village Hall, 3 Church Street, Harlaxton, NG32 1HU
Minutes
1. Meeting Opened: 7:30pm
2. In Attendance: Cllrs Wicks, Gabriel, Philips & Cartlidge
3. Apologies (Non-Attendance): Cllrs Smith, Wilson & Clawson.
4. Declarations of Pecuniary Interests: Cllrs Wicks and Cartlidge acknowledged membership of HSSC committee, and Cllr Cartlidge as one of the sponsors for the Harlaxton Cricket Club.
5. Resolution to approve minutes of Parish Council Meetings: PCM of 18 December 2024: Unanimously agreed.
6. Public Forum (15 Minute Presentation/Discussion)
6.1. Correspondence was received from a villager on 6 January advising that the High Street had flooded again. They and neighbours had been out in the early hours to try and clear the blocked gulleys. They have requested the use of the HPC drain rods.
6.2. A villager thanked HPC and LCC for their efforts in pursuing the drainage cleansing.
6.3. A villager stated that there are two principal drainage issues affecting the High Street, which are linked but unrelated (i) Runoff from Trotters Lane, and (ii) Flow and Flooding from the Mow Beck. They additionally wanted to emphasise to villagers that they should “not drive through the floodwater” affecting the High Street “because the bow wave pushes significant water towards adjacent buildings”. “Driving through at speed is irresponsible and distressing to those volunteers trying to clear gulleys and protect their properties”. They suggested that drivers either proceed very very slowly through the floodwater, but “preferably they should find another route, for example via Swinehill, or Rectory Lane”.
6.4. A villager asked about options to close the High Stree during flooding.
Villager Bason volunteers to join the LCC Emergency Plan and undertake training to be a Flood Warden, which will give authority to use LCC signage to temporarily close the road during flooding.
6.4 Villager Aslin has written to HPC and would like to be added to the LCC Emergency Plan.
7. Updates - County Councillor, District Councillor, Police & Crime: None
8. Financials/invoices/expenses: The HPC bank account remains healthy, although there are some larger items to be drawn down from invoices received: Invoices received from Charrington Tree Services Ltd, £1440 + £720, for works to Coopers Plantation trees; Scribe for the accounts software of £331.20; and LALC [Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils] yearly subscription of £276.42. All were discussed, and individual unanimous motions were made to pay.
8.1. Charity Commission Returns for Chipps, HVH and Pearson Gregory: The Annual Returns were presented for the three charities and approved for submission.
9. Defibrillators: These are being inspected on a monthly basis. Grateful thanks were given to Cllr Wilson.
10. Flooding
10.1. Recent High Street flooding [inc. request to use HPC drain rods]
10.1.1. The flooding on the High Street and Willow Brook, on the morning of 6 January, was discussed. Concerns were raised about whether the LCC cleansing had been effective. It was reported that the village shop had flooded, and the flooding of houses on Willow Brook was perilously close. Through the actions of volunteer villagers, the gulleys were cleared, and the water levels gradually dropped. It was agreed that there was no objection to villagers borrowing the HPC drain rods, although concern was raised as to whether inadvertent rodding may compound any congestion or cause damage. It was suggested that Willowbrook villagers conduct a drainage inspection first to determine if there are blockages before rodding.
10.1.2. LCC has recently repaired a gulley pot on the Hight Street, which was reported as being blocked.
10.1.3. Following the recent heavy rain, concerns have been raised about the condition of Swinehill, where the verge has collapsed into the adjacent drainage ditch.
10.2. Gulley/Drainage Cleansing by LCC: Questions have previously been raised via Cllr Vernon on the adequacy and audit of LCC's previous drainage clearing in the High Street, as well as when the A607 drains would be cleared, of which the runoff is a principal cause of the flooding in the High Street. A response is awaited from Cllr Vernon.
11. Traffic & Highways
11.1. Update from CSW Coordinator: Thanks were given to the CSW team. Villagers have regularly commented that their sessions are positively changing driving habits. There is an ongoing call for more villagers to help the Community Speed Watch team from time to time.
11.2. A607 50mph to 40mph consultation: The consultation period ends on 31 January. No further update.
11.3. Parking outside Harlaxton Primary School on Swinehill: Another villager has expressed concern about atrocious driving during school waiting times: Parking on and over the zig-zags, blocking entrances and causing chaos for traffic, buses and coaches. It was suggested that the school write to LCC and the police, expressing concern for child safety. It was further suggested that LCC be asked to paint double yellow lines opposite the zig-zags to further reinforce that the area outside the school is a no parking and no waiting zone.
11.4. Street Lights / Illumination following SKDC replacement with low-power LED’s: Many villages have reported that the village is now very dark in places following the installation of the LED lights. This has previously been reported to SKDC Cllr Leadenham with a request that they carry out a night-time survey. Action is required by SKDC to address the numerous new dark places between streetlights. These were noted to be principally on Swinehill, Manor Drive and Parklands. Trees were also reported to obscure lights on at least the High Street.
12. HSSC
12.1. Car Park and Manor Drive Flooding: Letters have been received from AXA’s agent and have been responded to. The Loss Adjuster working for HPC has reported to be making progress with the directors of PEN and AXA.
12.2. Channel Drain to the rear/south of HSSC: No response has been received following several telephone messages to the contractor. It was agreed to try one more time, before arranging for others to complete the work.
13. Sports Field
13.1. Drainage/Maintenance: The contractor’s start date is still pending. It was noted that the south end is currently very wet. HPC to follow up with the contractor.
13.2. Play Area: Cllr Wicks reports that minor maintenance is required when the weather is drier. The “No Dogs” sign needs to be replaced.
14. Grass Cutting, Hedges, etc
14.1. Village Tree Survey & Tree Work: Cllr Gabriel provided an update on work as advised in the MapleBeck Tree report: Two dead trees at the south of Coopers Plantation should be removed. The fallen tree in the Pearson Gregory Field should be removed. Suckers on the Gregory Close trees should be cut back, along with the removal of two low branches in the Gregory Close wooded area, and in the Gregory Close triangle, some low branches should be removed over where the cars are parked. Cllr Gabriel advised that they would deal with the mentioned matters in the Gregory Close wooded area. Grateful thanks were given to Cllr Gabriel.
14.2. Gregory Close Trees: A date is pending from the contractor to reduce the Maple in the Gregory Close crescent area.
14.3. HPC Grass Cutting, Coffin Walk & LCC Verge on A607: The HPC chosen contractors have been appointed and written back to confirm.
14.3.1. The contractor for the Manor Drive Sports Field grass cutting has written to ask whether they can install a concrete garage-style storage facility between their two containers on the edge of Coopers Plantation. Concerns were raised about what this would look like, on what base this would be installed, and whether this meant the white container would definitely be removed. It was further suggested that the visual aspect of the storage facilities should be improved, e.g. by cladding and painting the stores. Cllr Wicks to contact the contractor to request further clarity.
15. PCM Dates for 2025/2026 [new dates after May 2025]: The following dates were agreed upon: Wednesday, 30 July; Wednesday, 24 September; Wednesday, 26 November; Wednesday, 28 January 2026; Wednesday, 25 March 2026; and Wednesday, 27 May 2026, with additional meetings called as Extra Parish Council meetings as necessary.
15.1. Annual Parish Meeting: Date agreed: Wednesday, 30 April 2025 (must occur between 1 March and 1 June)
15.2. Annual Meeting of the Council: Date agreed: Wednesday, 28 May 2025 (must occur within May)
16. Village Voice: The draft has been agreed. Thanks were given to Cllr Wicks for writing the introduction for the Spring edition. (distributed with Village Link magazine around 09 March)
17. Any other business
17.1. HSSC Solar Panels: No acceptable structural calculations have been received. The HSSC committee has reported that (i) over the older part of the building above the bar area, the upper parts of the rafters on the north elevation, and some on the south, are wet, (ii) there is dampness around the chimney stack, and (iii) the underfelt has perished in various places. The HSSC committee has requested that HPC carry out further investigations and make repairs as necessary so that the Solar Panels can be installed.
17.2. The HSSC committee license agreement ends in December 2025. It was discussed that any new license agreement should be similar to other agreed licenses on HPC properties. A new license agreement, in the same format as for the Village Hall, should be sent to the current HSSC committee.
18. Next scheduled Meeting of the Council: Wednesday, 26 February 2024, at 7:30pm in the Village Hall
19. Meeting close: 9:25pm