Minutes - Full Council - 03 December 2024
Minutes of Bracebridge Heath Parish Council held at The Heath: Village Hall and Library on 3rd December 2024 at 7pm
Present: Councillors C Barr, C Callan, B Emes, V Marden, S Manders, and K Trought
In attendance: Clerk to Council, Mrs S Knowles and Cllr Lindsey Cawrey. No members of the public were in attendance.
The chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
COUNCIL SESSION
Code of conduct reminders
Nolan Principles
Members were reminded of the Nolan Principles which underpin the Council’s Code of Conduct - Selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty & leadership.
Register of interests
The Chairman reminded members that they should submit to the Monitoring Officer at North Kesteven District Council any changes to the content of their Register of Member Interest forms. Interests should be declared in accordance with the Code of Conduct.
The Chairman invited Cllr Lindsey Cawrey to speak during a public participation session.
Cllr Cawrey thanked the Parish Council for the recent village events including Remembrance Sunday and the Christmas Community Event in The Heath. Cllr Cawrey also extended thanks to the chairman and a family member for their work in keeping the village tidy ahead of these events.
Cllr Cawrey reported on:
- a request from the Patient Participation Group at The Heath Surgery for establishing a yellow box junction on London Road outside the entrance/exit from Red Hall Lane. Drivers were finding it very difficult to join traffic on London Road in this location. Cllr Cawrey supported this request.
- seeking support from NKDC to apply for a sequential test to be applied for the development of greenfield land. This would help to ensure that previously developed land would be prioritised for commercial and industrial use.
- issues at Dalewood – Cllr Cawrey had agreed to get in touch with the housing association who owns the properties to determine if the access to the field could be closed and another entrance provided at a nearby car park. Installation of a dog bin on Larne Road was also being investigated
24165. TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES AND ACCEPT VALID REASONS FOR ABSENCE – It was RESOLVED: That apologies for absence be accepted from Cllr Broad. It was RESOLVED: That apologies for absence be accepted from Cllr Stone.
24166. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
a. TO RECEIVE MEMBERS’ DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ADOPTED CODE OF CONDUCT – Cllr Sue Manders declared an ‘other-registerable’ interest in matters relating to The Priory Academy. Cllr Callan declared an ‘other-registerable’ interest in matters relating to the Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils (LALC).
b. TO RECEIVE AND CONSIDER MEMBERS’ REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ADOPTED CODE OF CONDUCT AND STANDING ORDERS – Nil
24167. TO CONFIRM THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING – 5th November 2024 - It was RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 5th November 2024 be approved and signed as a true record by the chairman.
24168. FINANCE AND GOVERNANCE
a. TO RECEIVE THE CLERK’S REPORT ON PAYMENTS BETWEEN MEETINGS –. Direct debit payments for November and payments made by delegated authority on 15.11.2024 including two deposit returns. All reports can be downloaded from https://bracebridge-heath.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/downloads/download/60/december-2024---meeting-reports
b. TO REVIEW AND CONSIDER PAYMENT OF ACCOUNTS - It was RESOLVED: That payment of accounts as presented at report 24168b be accepted and signed. All reports can be downloaded from https://bracebridge-heath.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/downloads/download/60/december-2024---meeting-reports
c. TO REVIEW AND CONSIDER APPROVAL OF BANK RECONCILIATIONS – Cllr Moran was selected to review bank reconciliations but was not in attendance. Item deferred to January 2025.
d. TO REVIEW BUDGET, INCOME AND EXPENDITURE - Report noted. No concerns raised.
e. TO CONSIDER THE COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE LEVY REPORT– It was RESOLVED: That the CIL report for 2023-2024 is accepted.
It was RESOLVED: That the balance of the earmarked reserve for CIL be reduced to £0 to reflect the intention to spend these funds in 2022-2023.
f. TO RECEIVE THE DRAFT BUDGET FOR 2025-2026 FOR INFORMATION ONLY – The draft budget was discussed. It was noted that work may be required on the War Memorial in the next financial year and that grants would be sought for this work.
24169. TO RECEIVE THE CLERK’S REPORT ON CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED AND CONSIDER ANY RECOMMENDATIONS –
Items noted:
- Request for tree work to one of the council’s trees in the woodland walk. The triennial tree inspections were due in January 2025 and any work would be identified then.
- Priory LSST politics conference – It was agreed that Cllr Manders would represent the council at this event
- Active Travel Strategy – consultation open
- Telephone correspondence with an update on the gate between the Bracebridge Manor estate and the Recreation Ground. Canwick Parish Council had received notification that planning permission was not required subject to the fence height remaining under 2m. Canwick Parish Council was to seek three quotes for the work and update Bracebridge Heath Council in due course.
- Opportunity to apply for free trees – This was discussed and members agreed that the sentiment was well intended but small saplings were unsuitable for planting on the recreation ground.
24170. TO RECEIVE AND ACCEPT A REPORT ON DECISIONS MADE USING DELEGATED AUTHORITY – The following report was accepted:
- Payments made as reported at item 24168a.
- Credit card statements
- Expenditure incurred to purchase a new defibrillator battery
- Planning applications – comments sent to NKDC for two planning applications (tree works)
- Bracebridge Heath Parish Council will support the recommendations made by the North Kesteven District Council tree officer.
- Bracebridge Heath Parish Council will support the recommendations made by the North Kesteven District Council tree officer.
24171. TO RECEIVE DRAFT NOTES FROM THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE MEETING ON 19th NOVEMBER 2024 AND CONSIDER ANY RECOMMENDATIONS – Draft notes were accepted. The committee made one recommendation to Full Council in respect of the 2025-2026 staffing budget. It was agreed to consider this recommendation in January 2025 when the council considers the whole budget.
24172. PLANNING
a. TO CONSIDER ANY OTHER PLANNING APPLICATIONS RECEIVED SINCE THE LAST MEETING OF THE COUNCIL – Nil
b. TO RECEIVE A REPORT ON PLANNING DECISIONS – Two decision notices had been received for 20 Medland Drive – 23/0793/LBC and 23/0793/HOUS.
24173. TO CONSIDER THE ANNUAL PLAY PARK INSPECTION REPORT AND CONSIDER ANY ACTIONS REQUIRED - It was RESOLVED: That the annual play park inspection report be accepted and the required actions noted.
24174. TO CONSIDER REGISTERING THE BRACEBRIDGE HEATH WOMBLES WITH THE WOMBLES COMMUNITY CHARITY NETWORK – It was RESOLVED: That the Bracebridge Heath Wombles be registered with the official Wombles Community Charity Network.
24175. TO CONSIDER CO-OPTION TO COUNCIL VACANCIES - No applications received.
24176. TO CONSIDER ITEMS FOR INCLUSION ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING – Items to be emailed to the Clerk.
Items of a confidential nature to be debated in the absence of the press and public, under the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 (due to the confidential nature of business)
It was RESOLVED: That the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the consideration of the following items on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information.
24177. TO CONSIDER QUOTATIONS FOR GROUNDS MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS
a. PARISH COUNCIL OWNED AREAS– It was RESOLVED: That Glendale Countryside Ltd be awarded the 2025-2027 grounds maintenance contract for parish council owned areas.
b. HIGHWAY VERGES UNDER THE PARISH AGREEMENT – It was RESOLVED: That Glendale Countryside Ltd be awarded the 2025-2027 contract for cutting highway verges under the Parish Agreement.
It was RESOLVED: That officers be authorised to request additional cuts as required up to the value of the contribution from Lincolnshire County Council.
24178. TO CONSIDER A QUOTE FOR INSTALLATION OF HIVE HEATING AT THE HEATH: VILLAGE HALL & LIBRARY – It was RESOLVED: That the quote from SK Electrical Ltd (£640) be accepted to install Hive Heating in The Heath: Village Hall & Library.
It was RESOLVED: That earmarked reserves for the Library and Village Hall would be used to fund this work.
24179. To consider a quote for inspection of the council’s trees – It was RESOLVED: That the quote from the Tree Officer at North Kesteven District Council for tree inspections is accepted and the work is scheduled for January 2025.
There being no further business, the meeting closed at 20:00.
Signed___________________________Chairman 14th January 2025