SCOTTON PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD AT SCOTTON VILLAGE HALL NORTHORPE ROAD DN21 3RB
THURSDAY 7TH JULY 2022 AT 6.00PM

Present: Councillors R. Walker (Chairman), S. Walker, Dr. M Johnson, and R. Littlewood

In attendance: Leticia Cooper (Clerk & RFO)

There was one member of the public.

The chairman opened the meeting at 6.00pm.

Item 057/7/22 Chairman’s welcoming remarks
The chairman opened the meeting with the public forum. There were no comments.

Item 058/7/22 To receive apologies and reasons for absence
There were none.

Item 059/7/22 Disclosure of interests in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 and consider any requests for dispensation
There were none.

Item 060/7/22 To receive and approve the notes of the meeting on 9th June 2022
It was voted upon and unanimously RESOLVED to accept the notes of 9th June as a correct record and signed as Minutes and to further amend Item 027/5/22(a) Finance matters in the minutes of May.

Item 061/7/22 Finance
a) It was voted upon and unanimously RESOLVED to approve the expenses for July as follows:-
Clerk’s salary: paid by Standing Order
Clerk’s mileage: £19.35 paid by Bacs
Printing: HP Instant Ink £7.99 paid by Direct Debit
Winawood Speyside Bench + fixtures: NBB Recycled Furniture £511.20 paid with Named Debit card of R. Walker
x2 Engraved plaques: Carradale Gifts £17.98 paid with Named Debit card of R. Walker
Village Maintenance: Clive Williams £180.00 paid by Bacs
b) The financial reports were noted.

Item 062/7/22 Queen’s Jubilee Benches Project
a) The plaque had been fixed to the seat at the Community Orchard. Arrangements to place the seat at the Village Hall had been finalised and work was scheduled to begin by 18th July.
b) The budget against expenditure report was noted.
c) Following discussion it was agreed to defer consideration of the budget until the seat at the Village Hall had been installed.

Item 063/7/22 Eastgate Development
a) A response from West Lindsey District Council had been received to the Parish’s letter of complaint. (Circulated prior to the meeting). Cllr. R. Walker gave a summary of the letter and opened a discussion. Further advice would be sought from LALC, and the matter would remain on the agenda for discussion at the next meeting.
b) The comments made by the Council for application number 144232 were re-evaluated and no review was considered necessary. The Council noted that the application appeared to have been open longer than the usual statutory period and that the appropriate scaled drawings requested by WLDC, had apparently not been received yet.

Item 064/7/22 To consider request for information from WLDC concerning the Five-year Housing Plan and consider any actions
The Five-Year Housing plan is updated annually to identify deliverable planning proposals for the development of residential dwellings, to meet the district council’s housing requirement. Email correspondence had been received from Shaun Nettleship asking for contact details for the sites referenced in Scotton’s Neighbourhood Plan:-
- 937 Site 9 Land of Eastgate (address obtained but name of landowner unknown)
- 938 Site 13 Land off Westgate (Unknown)
- 939 Site 2 Land at the Three Horseshoes (advised to contact Three Horseshoes public house)
It was vote upon and unanimously RESOLVED to give generic contact details where available. Councillors had received reports that WLDC had contacted some of the above and therefore may have found the information needed.

Item 065/7/22 Allotment and Community Orchard
a) Cllr. R. Walker had been to the Community Orchard to clean the bench, cut the grass and strim near the trees. The Old English fruit trees were doing well but the Cherry trees were not growing as hoped and could fail. The trees would continue to be monitored closely.
b) There were no other allotment matters.

Item 066/7/22 Village Maintenance
a) Following discussion it was noted that the main difficulty at junctions was the approaching speed of vehicles and that a reduction in speed would improve manoeuvrability and safety at these points in the village. Further information and costs for the scheme would be obtained and brought back for discussion.
b) The management and maintenance of Recreation Wood was discussed following an email from a resident reporting that it was overgrown and difficult to walk through. Following this report, the walk around Recreation Wood had been visited and assessed. It was found to be passable but with some areas of long grass which grew along the path but did not impede access to the permissive path. The wood would be monitored regularly over the summer but did not need cutting back for the time being.

It was further suggested that cutting to the public right of way on Beck Lane should stop altogether and the contractor redirected to cutting back at junctions. It was voted upon and unanimously RESOLVED to stop cutting grass on the public right of way from Beck Lane and focus on junctions in the village which were becoming overgrown.
It was noted that Crapple Lane leading to the junction could do with cutting back. It was voted upon and unanimously RESOLVED to ask the contractor to cut back in this area and if other areas where later identified outside of a meeting, these should be included. An additional 5 hours were approved for this work.
c) A resident had reported that the public right of way from Eastgate which branched off to Westgate and Middle Street was becoming obstructed by hedging next to the path. The matter had been reported to LCC for further action. However, the Council noted that it was a popular route in the village and discussed sending a polite letter to the owner / occupier asking if the hedging could be cut back to enable residents with prams or mobility scooters to pass more easily. It was voted upon and unanimously RESOLVED to write to the owner/occupiers.

Item 067/7/22 Jubilee Tree - Replacement of the plaque
a) Cllr. S. Walker had arranged a poll and canvassed opinions from residents regarding the options for replacement of the plaque near the Jubilee tree. There had been overwhelming support for the suggestion of an information board. The clerk would contact LCC Highways to ask for permission to erect this on the verge near the tree.
b) Following discussion it was suggested that a competition could be arranged, and residents asked to submit designs and content for the board with a prize awarded to the winner/s. To be considered at the next meeting.

Item 068/7/22 To hear any updates about the refurbishment of the book kiosk and agree any actions
Following the resignation of Cllr. A. Robinson the matter was deferred.

Item 069/7/22 To hear any updates on the Speed Indicator Device
The sign had been moved as usual, and stats collected. Cllr. J. Robinson had resigned from the Council but had kindly offered to continue collecting the stats and moving the sign as needed.

[6.40pm: Cllr. R. Littlewood arrived at the meeting.]

Item 070/7/22 To hear any reports from the Village Hall Management Committee

• Bookings continued to be low.
• Six companies had been invited to quote for the Muga project. There had been three responses and one quote received for £52,000.
• The surface of the tennis court appeared to be deteriorating fast.

Item 071/7/22 Planning applications
a) Decisions pending

• 144232 Land south of Eastgate DN21 3QR
  Continued to be open for comments. Properly scaled drawings apparently not yet received.

b) Appeal decisions
There were none.
c) Applications determined
There were none.

Item 072/7/22 Parish Councillors’ Report – Information only

• Cllr. R. Walker noted that there were two planning applications received following publication of the agenda which should be considered before the next meeting in September. The chairman proposed calling an extraordinary meeting for the 21st July to discuss the applications. Those present were in agreement with the proposal. 
• The clerk had informed WLDC of the resignations of Cllr. J & A Robinson. If an election were not called the clerk would begin the co-option process over the summer.
• Cllr. Dr. Johnson mentioned that he had to rearrange training for September, due to unforeseen circumstances.

Item 073/7/22 Date of next meeting
1st September 2022 at 6pm

There being no further business the meeting ended at 6.50pm.