At the Meeting of Firsby Group Parish Council held at 7.00 pm on Wednesday 16 November 2022 in Little Steeping Village Hall.
Present: Mr R. Kidd, who took the Chair;
Mr R. Heane; Mr C. Moore; Mrs S. Wilford; Mr G. Holmes; Mr P. Gilbert; Mrs L. Mitchell and DC Cllr S. Dennis.
Apologies were received from Miss H. Smithson-Whitehead; Mr R. Harman; LCC Cllr Mrs W. Bowkett and PCSO Jayne Richardson.
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
The War Memorial in Great Steeping Churchyard is owned by the people of Great Steeping. As it stands within Church grounds, a faculty is required to carry out any works. Unless the Parochial Church Council for Great Steeping Church agrees to the works being carried out, the remedial works cannot be done.
The overgrown hedges on Brambleberry Lane have now been cut back.
Mrs Wilford gave an update on the permissive footpath from Little Steeping Church to Ings Lane. Mrs Wilford has spoken to Roger Morris from the environment agency regarding reopening the footpath. Mr Morris stated that if it is re-opened it can also be closed at anytime. Following their discussion it was agreed to write to the Environment Agency, with a copy to Matt Warman MP to request if they would designate that section of land as a permissive footpath for a period of 10 years.
4. County Councillor’s Report
Cllr Bowkett sent her apologies and submitted the following report:
“Hospitals are still under great pressure, especially A and E and our ambulance service. Please remember if it is not life threatening to call 111 and they will give you advice whether you need to go to hospital or a doctor.
County council have procured 60 intermediate beds for 16 weeks to allow residents to be moved out of hospital for reablement, freeing up much needed beds. This is being paid for by health.
Lincolnshire councils alongside groups like the Integrated care board , Heath and care providers, faith and community groups and charities and local businesses have come together to help support residents as we enter the winter months.
The partnership has set up a task force to review the potential impacts caused by the cost of living and to harness efforts across all partners to help in supporting where possible.
At the county council we have set up a cost of living support page high lighting the range of support available including the Household support fund, food programmes, help with childcare costs and financial support for carers. There are links to district council webpages with list of local support within the districts.
The page https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/council-councillors/cost-of-living
Connect to support Lincolnshire is an online information and advice library for adults and has some useful numbers and links and is being updated all the time
Https://Lincolnshire.connectsupport.org
The issue with the footpath from Ings Lane, I am working with a resident and the drainage board. They have checked old maps and they believe it maybe an old public right away, this is stated on one map, they are looking for more information then will report back where to go to rectify the issue. They will also inform us of legal land owners of fields and banks.”
5. District Councillor’s report
Cllr Dennis gave his report to the Council which included that the 3 District Councils, Boston, South Holland and East Lindsey are still coming together. There is a policy being prepared about single use plastics. He also stated that all the District Council’s assets are being sold off.
Cllr Dennis stated that the Hawthorn surgery is in special measures. There was also a discussion about how the surgeries do not talk to each other and the difficulties faced when treatment has been given e.g scans or x-rays and this information is not passed on. There is so much time wasted unnecessarily if only there was better communication between the respective surgeries and hospitals.
Cllr Dennis also stated that he was on the Caravan Licensing Scrutiny Committee. There are 262 Caravans sites, 26 of which are residential sites. He stated that there are 6300 people living illegally on caravan sites on the coast. If these people are evicted then the District Council has to re-house them at great expense.
Cllr Dennis also sated that he still has some grant money if it is required.
6. Correspondence
a) Email received from John Guillain regarding the Ings Lane Level Crossing. Mrs Wilfrod informed the Parish Council that she had been in talks with the Route Level Crossing Manager and arrangements will be made to access the land across the level crossing. Mrs Wilford also informed the Parish Council that Dyson Farming are going to have their land planted to encourage bumblebees with wildflower margins and footpaths for people to enjoy.
b) Email received from War Memorials Trust regarding the owner of the Great Steeping War Memorial.
c) Email received from Mary Burdett thanking the Parish Council for removing the vandalised telephone box from Little Steeping.
e.) Email received from Alan Osbourne regarding a Police & Crime Consultation. The chairman agreed to complete the survey.
f) Email received from Kevin Mapley thanking the Parish Council for taking part in the act of remembrance at RAF Spilsby memorial and for the laying of a wreath.
g) Verbal request from Mrs Wilford regarding the footpath across the parkland in Little Steeping as this land is now being sold. When finalised, check if there is an application to put a footpath across it.
h) Verbal request from Mr Moore for a letter to be sent regarding the problems encountered with the introduction of the purple lidded bin. He feels that the black bin is no longer of sufficient size.
i) Verbal request from Mrs Wilford stating that she has been contacted by various residents to ask if the Newsletter could include 2 months of Parish Council draft notes so that they run consecutively. At present only every other month is included. The Clerk to ask the editor to include 2 months of draft notes in each edition of the Newsletter.
7. Plans
Amended Application No S/064/01477/22 by Mr S Crutchlow for Section 73 application in relation to condition no.2 (approved plans) previously imposed on planning permission ref. no. S/064/00214/18 for change of use of land for the siting if 33 no. static lodge caravans with decking, sheds and lighting bollard’s. Construction of internal roads and vehicular parking areas. Excavation of land to from a wildlife pond and waterway. Plans and details submitted to show sewage treatment plant position and details at Kelsey Wood Country Park, Great Steeping Road, Monksthorpe. There is no clear plan as to where the water is going. It should go down a drain. The Parish Council agree with the objection raised by Mr Currie namely: "...there is now only one bio-tech unit not two, and the soakaway for the proposed bio-tech unit is now to be located just the other side of our boundary, when previously the soakaway was central to the plot. We further note that the bio-tech unit and soakaway are yet to be designed. It seems wrong to be asked to comment on something that has yet to be designed. Nonetheless we believe in principle that the soakaway is in the wrong location. We don't understand how the 12,000 litres a day are going to soakaway into clay soil without overflowing. The water table in this area is approx 2m below the surface. There are 40 caravans proposed and the average water consumption per person is 150 litres, with a minimum occupancy of two persons, giving 12,000 litres per day, a very significant quantity. We believe that the soakaway should be moved back to it's original location in the centre of the plot as there should be no reason not to. If it was moved to alleviate a potential issue with the amount of water to be disposed off, then that is the very reason why it should not be placed adjacent to our boundary where it will flood our land with dirty water. We look forward to receipt of full design information before this application is decided. Please note I am a building services engineer of 35 years experience".
Application No S/039/02015/22 by Mr T Spencer for Panning Permission – Change of use of land for the siting of 109no. static caravans with associated internal access roads and landscaping at The Hollies, High lane, Croift. It was agreed to support this application.
Application No S/104/02129/22 by Mr K Palmer for Section 73 application in relation to condition no. 2 (approved plans) as imposed on planning permission reference no. S/104/01789/20 which was for erection of a detached house with a 3 bay detached garage with an annexe above and construction of vehicular access at Ivy Cottage, Main Road, Little Steeping. It was agreed to support this application.
Full Planning Permission has been granted on conditions – Change of use, conversation of and alterations to existing garage to provide a holiday let at Tudor Lodge, Summergates Lane, Bratoft.
Full Planning Permission has been granted on conditions - Extension to existing livestock building to provide a first floor farm office (works already completed) at Rookery Farm, Pinfold Lane, Bratoft.
Approval of Section 73 Application has been received on conditions - in relation to condition no.2 (approved plans) previously imposed on planning permission ref. no. S/064/00214/18 for change of use of land for the siting if 33 no. static lodge caravans with decking, sheds and lighting bollard’s. Construction of internal roads and vehicular parking areas. Excavation of land to from a wildlife pond and waterway at Kelsey Wood Country Park, Great Steeping Road, Monksthorpe.
8. Highways
It was agreed to report the following matters to be dealt with:
Re-report the overhanging tress and hedges along School Lane, Great Steeping and Aerodrome Road.
Deep potholes outside P Gilberts Farm, Firsby.
It was also agreed to ask why there is such a delay in removing road closed and diversions signs when work have been carried out.
9. Accounts
It was agreed to pass the following accounts for payment:
Little Steeping Village Hall for use of room £20
Bolingbroke Deanery for printing of December /January Newsletter £80.