At the Meeting of Firsby Group Parish Council held at 7.00 pm on Wednesday 15 February 2023 in Little Steeping Village Hall.
Present: Mr R. Kidd, who took the Chair;
Mr R. Heane; Mrs S. Wilford; Miss H. Smithson Whitehead; Mr C. Moore and LCC Cllr Mrs W. Bowkett.
Apologies were received from Mr G. Holmes; Mr R. Harman; Mrs L. Mitchell; ELDC Cllr Sid Dennis and PCSO Jayne Richardson.
Mr & Mrs Ward addressed the Parish Council with a proposal that the 7.5 tonne weight limit be extended to Ings Lane and Millfield Road, Bratoft to ease some of the heavy traffic that travels along the very narrow roads. They stated that if 2 trucks meet one would have to back up into residents properties so that they can pass. Following a discussion about alternative routes for these vehicles, Councillors stated that diverting large trucks onto Wainfleet Road would affect Burgh, where there is a school.
Cllr Bowkett stated that she would need to arrange a meeting between herself, Mr & Mrs Ward and Highways so that the proposed route could be walked and a decision could be made whether it would possible or not to do the work required.
1. Minutes of the last Meeting
It was agreed that these be signed as a correct record of the proceedings.
2. Matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting
Miss Smithson Whitehead stated that a box had been put up opposite Redwood House to monitor traffic speeds.
Councillors asked for a further letter to be sent to Matt Warman MP regarding NHS Dentists that are taking on new patients in Skegness and Boston. It was stated that information he had supplied was incorrect. Cllr Bowkett stated that there was going to be a new dentistry school in Lincoln and that could possibly help.
3. Police Matters
PCSO Jayne Richardson sent her apologies. Cllr Bowkett stated that although half of the PCSO’s numbers are being cut, there are new Police Officers being trained to take their place. There are currently 16 new Officers being trained in Skegness.
4. County Councillor’s Report
Cllr Bowkett and submitted the following report:
Lincolnshire County Council will vote on the 4.99% increase to council tax on Friday.
Discharge flow of hospitals is easing, and the main impact now is when the emas strikes are taking place.
Highways are currently agreeing the details with our contractors for the planned program for 2023/24.
300 surface dressing schemes over the summer months were completed along with the renewal of the white lines and stud replacements.
The footway and carriageway slurry program began in April and was completed in November. There is also a program of siding that will see excess vegetation that is growing over existing footway.
The third and final grass cuts has been completed we have carried out a variety of small and medium drainage schemes.
Fix my street – 5873 reports In January, work continuing behind the scenes to improve how progress to reports can be updated to keep residents up to date with when things are going to happen. A grit bin layer to fix my street has been added to enable reporting of empty bins a map will be included to be able to pin point the location of the bin.
Call connect app trialed in Sth West of Lincolnshire and resulted in higher passengers, the app will now be rolled out across Lincolnshire.
Elections will be going ahead in May, purdah will commence on the 15th March.
Mrs Wilford discussed the matter of the locked gates across the rail track at the end of Ings Lane, Little Steeping. Mrs Wilford explained that Network Rail will not accept the fact that access has been permitted for many years. Cllr Bowkett explained that this is more to do with safety and the fact that Network Rail will not want to accept liability if an accident happens. Mrs Wilford handed Cllr Bowkett a petition signed by 66 residents of Little Steeping in support of having a hand gates installed for pedestrians to use to cross the tracks.
5. District Councillor’s Report
Cllr Denis sent his apologies and stated that he had £400 of grant money left if the Parish Council required any more funds. It was agreed to ask for funds towards the costs of the 30mph & 40mph wheelie bin stickers, 5 x I meter planters, soil, shrubs & bulbs, one for each village and laminated information sheets with Parish Councillors details on them.
6. Correspondence
a) Email received from Nigel Roylance, Treasurer Bratoft PCC, thanking the Parish Council for the Churchyard Maintenance payment.
b) Email received from BSPLaceEast regarding requests from the Parish Council for the relocation of the salt bin and replacing the stile with a kissing gate by the Church, both in Little Steeping
c) Email received ELDC reminding the Parish Council that in order to vote in the upcoming Elections a resident will need to produce photo ID when attending a polling station.
d) Email received From Mr Morgan on behalf of the Great Steeping Community Group requesting a grant towards maintenance of the Churchyard surrounding the Old Church Great Steeping. Mr Heane proposed and Mr Moore seconded and all agreed to pay the sum of £250 towards the maintenance.
e) Email received from Marian Woolhouse regarding the operating costs for the last year and details of adverts purchased for the coming year. A discussion took place regarding the costs of producing the newsletter. The end goal is to make the newsletter self-funding but in the meantime a request to the Charitable Trust for funding could be made.
f) Email received from Mrs Mitchell stated that she had received a quote for the new Village signs and is awaiting a response from Cllr Dennis for funding. Mrs Mitchell has also been asked who has locked the gates from the Eastern Bank of the Lady Wath Beck. Mr Heane stated the gates are locked because they are broken and will swing open if not locked. In any event the land belongs to the EA and it is not a right of way so people are not supposed to walk on it. It was suggested that a letter be sent to the EA to request either a legal sign be put up to state it is not a right of way or to ask if it could become a permissive footpath.
7. Plans
Application No S/023/01771/22 by Mrs J Mackinder for Planning Permission – Erection of a detached building to provide a linen store, washroom and garage machinery store at The country Cottages, Bratoft Lane, Burgh. It was agreed to support this application.
Application No S/064/02193/22 by Mr K Maduro for Panning Permission – Change of use, conversion of and alterations to former Methodist Chapel into a dwelling and construction of a vehicular access at Church Opposite the Laurels, Firsby Road, Great Steeping. It was agreed to comment in the following terms: The applicants have stated that surface water and foul sewage will be disposed of in the main sewer. There are no main sewers in this village. When the Chapel was used for service, foul sewage from the toilet was diverted, with the permission of a neighbour to their septic tank. This access has now been withdrawn. The Parish Council is in favour of the Chapel serving some useful purpose such as a dwelling rather than standing empty. But the issue of the disposal of foul sewage and surface water needs addressing.
Full Planning Permission has been granted on conditions – Erection of a triple garage. Existing double garage to be demolished and storage tent removed at The Paddocks, Wainfleet Road, Firsby.
Full Planning Permission has been granted on conditions – Change of use, conversion of, extension and alterations to the existing agricultural building to provide a dwelling and construction of a vehicular access at Land at, Monksthorpe Lane, Great Steeping.
Full Planning Permission has been granted on conditions – Extensions to existing dwelling to provide additional living accommodation at Berrington House, Wainfleet Road, Firsby.
8. Highways
Notification has been received of a temporary traffic restriction – Halton Holegate/Great Steeping for a road closure order on the B1195 (between Monksthorpe Lane to Sand Lane). The road will be closed for 12 days during the period 13/3/23 – 24/3/23.
It was agreed to report the following matters to be dealt with:
At the junction of Sandy Lane/Aerodrome Road, Great Steeping –trucks that are turning right from the recycling centre in Monksthorpe have caused a step in the road which needs attention.
A sunken drain cover on a bend on the B1195 just past Halton Holegate heading towards Spilsby needs attention.
A request to be put in for the lay-by next to Little Steeping Church to be re-stoned.
9. Accounts
It was agreed to pass the following accounts for payment:
Little Steeping Village Hall for use of room £20
LALC Subscription £276.36
Great Steeping Community Group for Churchyard Maintenance £250.