At the Meeting of Firsby Group Parish Council held at 7.00 pm on Wednesday 15 June 2022 in Great Steeping Church.
Present: Mr R. Kidd, who took the Chair;
Mr R. Heane; Mr C. Moore; Mrs S. Wilford; Mr G. Holmes; Mrs L. Mitchell; Mr P. Gilbert and 3 members of the Public.
Apologies were received from Miss H. Smithson-Whitehead; Mr R. Harman; LCC Cllr Mrs W. Bowkett; ELDC Cllr S. Dennis and PCSO Jayne Richardson.
Neil Cooper, now a planning consultant, addressed the Parish Council regarding a pre-planning application for advice that he is going to submit for a proposed aggregate washing and recycling site on Ings Lane, Bratoft. He explained that the site will contain 2 lakes that will be used to wash dirty aggregates, grade them and then recycle them. If permission is granted, Mr Cooper stated that passing placing will be put in along Ings Lane. The site will be completely contained by hedgerows to reduce noise levels with 70% already in place. The site will also contain a vehicle wheel wash to keep the lanes clean. The Parish Council are in favour of recycling in general. The only concerns that they have is the impact the lorries will have on the roads which are already in a poor state. In reply entry and exit roads to the proposed site was discussed.
1. Election of Vice- Chairman
Mr Holmes proposed, Mrs Mitchell seconded and all agreed to re-elect Mr Heane as Vice-Chairman for a further year.
2. Minutes of the last Meeting
It was agreed that these be signed as a correct record of the proceedings.
3. Matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting
A response has been received from Highways regarding the positioning of the Irby Noticeboard. No safety concerns have been found but the Parish Council will have to retrospectively make an application for permission to erect structures in the Highway. The application form was completed and permission has been granted retrospectively.
The date for the meeting with Little Steeping Village Hall to discuss the moving of the village telephone box has been arranged for Monday 27 June at 2pm. Mr Heane to attend along with Mr C Hinchcliffe if possible.
Mrs Wilford would like Cllr Bowkett to arrange a site visit with Roger Morris from the Environment Agency to discuss the blockage at the end of the permissive footpath in Little Steeping as no response has been received.
Mrs Wilford asked for a letter to be sent to the Secretary to David Sisson requesting information as to why the £10,000 award was not paid to Little Steeping as agreed.
Mrs Mitchell reported that the abandoned vehicle in Steapas Close is still there.
Mr Moore requested that the 5 Parishes newsletter be amended to direct villagers to their village noticeboard to ascertain the location of the next Parish Council Meeting.
4. Correspondence
a) Email received from received from Peter Bateson of Witham Fourth Drainage Board with attachments. The view of the Parish Council is that it does not address the questions asked. At a PACM Meeting, David Sisson said they were considering, if there was an incident, that the doors would be opened up. Mr Heane stated that the doors would need to be serviced first. Cllr Bowkett stated they had been serviced. Mr Heane also reminded the Parish Council that James Grant attended a meeting in Firsby where he stated that the doors should be sorted out. If the doors could be opened water could be let through in a controlled way if there is another event.
b) Email received from Matt Warman acknowledging receipt of the Parish Council's letter dated 4 May.
c) Email received from Dean Flower, Planning Enforcement Officer, regarding the enforcement of planning conditions imposed on 1 Main Road, Little Steeping. Mr Dean explains that all of the conditions imposed on this site and those that have not been met are, for various reasons, unenforceable and no further action will be taken. It was agreed to write to the Enforcement officer and Chief Planning Officer to ask the question why ELDC are putting conditions on planning applications that cannot be enforced.
d) Email received from Louise Brand on behalf of the South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership. No action taken.
e.) Letter received from the Lincolnshire Feildpaths Association with the Spring/Summer newsletter and request for renewal of the annual subscription of £5. It was agreed to continue with this subscription.
f) Mr Moore addressed the meeting regarding the matter of making payments via an App for coastal car parking. He stated that at least 6 coastal car parks are now only receiving payment for parking by using the APCOA connect app which has to be downloaded onto a smart phone. In some cases there is no advance warning that this is the only way to pay for parking at these sites. He states that it is discriminatory against older people and those you do not use or are unable to afford a smart phone. It was agreed to write to LCC and Matt Warman MP to ask why this is happening and whether all car parks will be changed to this system.
g) Mrs Wilford addressed the meeting asking why Irby Parish Meeting and Bratoft Parish Meeting monies have not be transferred to the Firsby Group Parish Council. The 5 Parishes were grouped together by Order dated 17 March 1973, and section 8 clearly states:
"8 The legal interest respectively in parish property of the parishes of Bratoft, Firsby, Great Steeping, Irby in the Marsh and Little Steeping shall remain vested in the representative body of each of the said parishes and each representative body shall in all respect act in manner directed by the Parish Council of the Firsby Group.
...
8(c) Subject to the provisions of clause 8 hereof, all property and liabilities vested respectively in or attaching to the existing representative body or parish meeting of each of the said parishes shall by virtue of this Order be transferred to and vest in or attach to the Parish Council of the Firsby Group."
A copy of the Order will be sent to Irby Parish Meeting and Bratoft Parish Meeting for their respective comments.
5. Plans
EAST/MBLA/LS/H99 Consent has been granted for the erection of 3 structures (1x Noticeboard, 1x Planter, 1x Bench) on the Highway at the junction of Pinfold Lane and the B1195, Irby in the Marsh.
Full Planning Permission has been granted on conditions - Erection of a calf shed at Barn View, Wainfleet Road, Firsby.
Full Planning Permission has been granted on conditions - Erection of an agricultural building to store hay/feed and machinery at The Laurels, Wainfleet Road, Irby in the Marsh.
Tree Preservation Order No EZY/0053/22/TPA by Mrs Lynne Day for T3 - Ash (T001on plan) -reduce in height by removing dead wood to prevent injury to persons on the road alongside at Byways, Ings Lane, Little Steeping. It was agreed to support this application.
6. Highways
It was agreed to report the following matters:
School Lane, Great Steeping and Aerodrome Road all the hedges need cutting back.
Brambleberry Lane, Bratoft the hedges need cutting back.
To re-report Mill Lane, Irby in the Marsh, the passing places have still not been repaired.
7. Accounts
It was agreed to pass the following accounts for payment:
Great Steeping Church for use of room £20
Lincolnshire Fieldpaths Association renewal of subscription £5
Clerk's honorarium £625.