September 2022 Minutes
Kettlethorpe Parish Council
Minutes of the meeting of the Parish Council held on Tuesday 6th September 2022 at 7pm in Kettlethorpe Village Hall
Present:
Cllr Richard Elliott, Chairman
Cllr Richard Barnard
Cllr Catherine Turner
Mr Geoff Cleworth, Clerk
Guests:
Mr R Brownlow
Mr R Gee
Mr & Mrs M Hill
APOLOGIES
Cllrs Paul Bussoopun, Tim O’Callaghan, Jez Willis
D/Cllr Jane Ellis
MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
The minutes of the meeting held on 5th July had been circulated to all councillors and were proposed, seconded and approved by all Councillors.
It was pointed out that there had been no meeting in August as this was the Council annual holiday.
MATTERS ARISING
Local Policing issues
The Police Crime report for August listed 4 burglaries, 2 thefts, 4 vehicle crimes and 2 instances of criminal damage in the Gainsborough Rural South district, but none affected this Parish.
Jubilee Park
There had been no progress on the new Springies and Soft Pour tarmac. Richard Bingham will be chased up on these jobs. He will also be approached regarding the replacement of loose bricks in the walls surrounding the park.
Highways
Park Farm – HGVs using the private road outside permitted hours: there had been no progress. The Chairman will chase. Attempts will be made to arrange a meeting with WLDC to press for resolutions of this and outstanding planning issues.
Tree Walk
Mr Brownlow reported that the application for funding had been submitted and a decision was awaited.
Flower troughs
These had not been treated as yet, Additionally, the recent very hot weather had substantially affected the plants and a number had not survived.
Christmas lights
The lights had been tested and it had been discovered that the battery was lasting only around four days. The process of seeking an alternative/remedy is in hand.
Parish notice boards
A treatment is in course of being investigated, but no progress as yet. This will be chased.
CORRESPONDENCE
Correspondence for July and August had been distributed to all Councillors at the end of August.
PLANNING
Application reference 145381
Mr Mills (applicant) outlined to the meeting his wishes and the rational of his plans. Councillors questioned him on various aspects of the plans. He then left the meeting. The meeting was informed that the owners of the properties adjoining Fairview House had expressed a desire to have their objections communicated to WLDC by the Council. This would take the form of a composite objection which would not identify any individual householder. This will be passed on to the Clerk to communicate to WLDC. The main concern of the meeting was the proximity of the proposed double garage to The Rosary on Kettlethorpe Road. This will also be communicated to WLDC as our comments.
Application reference 144120
Erection of agricultural building on Kettlethorpe Road, Fenton. Problems had arisent over the August Bank Holiday weekend. A trench had been dug across Kettlethorpe Road and the field which was the site of the application connected to the main sewer. A manhole previously sited on the road had not been re-instated. The work had damaged wi-fi access, which has now been restored by Openreach. The work was genereally thought to be substandard. Additionally, the weekend had seen many cases of anti-social behaviour. Both the Chairman and the Chair of Fenton Parish Council had made represntations to WLDC and the granters of the planning permission, and to LCC, who sanction the work on the road. Both PC Chairmen will make further representations. A letter had been received by Mr Gee the outgoing clerk from residents of Kettlethorpe Road, complaining about potential departures from the approved plan, the attitude of the applicant and the anti-social behaviour. The clerk will forward a copy of the letter to WLDC Planning Enforcement and to Steve Phillips at LCC Highways. He will also reply to the residents.
Application reference 145186
The Council’s response to this application had already been forwarded to WLDC, however a lady resident had spoken to the Chairman, complaining that the proposed building is too close to her home. The Chairman has discussed this with her.
FINANCE
The following invoices for August were paid after agreement by the Council:
ALL ROUND GARDENS – invoice 143 - £230
F5 COMPUTING – invoice 10386 Managed services - £39.06; invoice 10866 remote tech service - £18.00; invoice 10779 Microsoft monthly sub - $40.86
MR G CLEWORTH – re-imbursement for DBS check - £18.00
As outgoing clerk, Mr Gee had paid the following invoives in anticipation of his retirement:
RoSPA – invoice 65833 annual insoection of Jubilee Park - £105.00
F5 COMPUTING – invoice for Managed services - £40.86
PAYE AND SALARY
These items were ratified by the meeting
PARISH ACCOUNTS
end of July: balance £15125.37; expenditure £6534.21
end of August – balance £14721.50; expenditure £7339.13
These were agreed and accepted by the meeting
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION
WLDC queries regarding Parish cemetery – no further action
There was a report of a HGV parking at the entrance to Lincoln Road. There had been no complaints to date, therefore no further action
New Parish Councillor. As Mr Gee had intimated that he did not intend to take up a seat on the Council, there was a vacancy. Two possible candidates had emerged, and the Chairman will speak to both.
The incoming clerk raided a number of points:
His access to the HSBC bank accounts was in hand
Our internal auditor had recently passed away and there was therefore a vacancy. A possible successor will be looked into.
He raised the matter of the new Council laptop and when it will be available. This will be chased.
New Clerk domain address. F5 have this in hand to sort out.
The Clerk advised the meeting that his current printer does not have the facility to scan or photocopy, both of which are vital to the Clerk’s role. He was authorised to investigate a new all-encompassing printer and will liaise with the Chairman before processding.
The Clerk had recently attended a course regarding the new LALC portal. This recommended that access should be limited to the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Clerk. This was agreed.
The Clerk’s DBS check certificate was now available.
Mr Gee had reported that HMRC were imposing two fines of £100 on him for late payment of PAYE. These had not been paid late and he is to appeal the decision to HMRC. The meeting agreed that as the employer, it was the Council and not Mr Gee who should be liable for any fine and that he would not be out of pocket in this matter. The Clerk pointed out that the proposed moving of meeting dates to the second Tuesday of the month increased the risk of this occurring again, and suggested that authorisation should be given to the payment of the clerk’s salary and PAYE on the last day of the month, not after the monthly meeting. This was agreed.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
This will take place in Kettlethorpe Villiage Hall at 7pm on Tuesday 4th October 2022
The Chairman closed the meeting at 8.55pm, by offering the Council’s thanks to Mr Ron Gee for his many years of service in the role of Parish Clerk .