March 2025

Minutes of Bracebridge Heath Parish Council held at The Heath: Village Hall and Library on 11th March 2025 at 7pm  

Present: Councillors C Callan, S Manders, C Broad, A Carr, B Emes and K Trought.

In attendance: Clerk to Council, Mrs S Knowles, Deputy Clerk to Council, Mrs R Fraser

Two members of the public were in attendance.

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.

25028.      TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES AND ACCEPT VALID REASONS FOR ABSENCE – It was RESOLVED: That apologies for absence be accepted from Cllr Marden. It was RESOLVED: That apologies for absence be accepted from Cllr Moran. It was RESOLVED: That apologies for absence be accepted from Cllr Neilson. It was RESOLVED: That apologies for absence be accepted from Cllr Barr.

25029.         DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

a. TO RECEIVE MEMBERS’ DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ADOPTED CODE OF CONDUCT –Cllr Callan declared an ‘other-registerable’ interest in matters relating to the Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils (LALC). Cllr Manders declared a non-pecuniary interest in matters relating to correspondence regarding SEND Consultation.

b. TO RECEIVE AND CONSIDER MEMBERS’ REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ADOPTED CODE OF CONDUCT AND STANDING ORDERS – Nil

25030.         TO CONFIRM THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING – 4th FEBRUARY 2025 - It was RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 4th February 2025 be approved and signed as a true record by the chairman.

25031.        FINANCE AND GOVERNANCE

a. TO RECEIVE THE CLERK’S REPORT ON PAYMENTS BETWEEN MEETINGS –. Direct debit payments for February and payments made to return deposits to hirers on 28th February 2025. Payments made between meetings including salary for employee leaving the council and three hirer deposits on 7th March and 13th March.

All reports can be downloaded from https://bracebridge-heath.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/downloads/download/64/meeting-reports-march-2025

b. TO REVIEW AND CONSIDER PAYMENT OF ACCOUNTS - It was RESOLVED: That payment of accounts as presented at report 25031b and one deposit return be accepted and signed. All reports can be downloaded https://bracebridge-heath.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/downloads/download/64/meeting-reports-march-2025  

Cllr Callan abstained from voting on the payment to LALC.

c. TO REVIEW AND CONSIDER APPROVAL OF BANK RECONCILIATIONS – It was RESOLVED: That bank reconciliations 428-430 and savings account to 31 January 2025 be accepted and signed by Cllr Carr. Bank balances were reported as: Current Account: £217,446.74 and Savings account: £146,306.57.

d. TO REVIEW BUDGET, INCOME AND EXPENDITURE AND CONSIDER ANY BUDGET VIREMENTS – A written report was given. No concerns raised.

e. TO CONSIDER THE COUNCIL’S ACTION PLAN – It was RESOLVED: That the revised Action Plan be adopted subject to an amendment to state that action referring to the iron railings only relates to those within the ownership of Bracebridge Heath Parish Council.

f. TO CONSIDER THE COUNCIL’S ASSET REGISTER –

Additions within the financial year:

2 x dual purpose litter bins (Lichfield Road and Stane Drive) –£422.42 (combined value)

1 x lamppost bin - £129.95

1 x Christmas lights for The Heath £264.99

1 x 3D Christmas Tree £316.66

1 x Projector, Screen and Sound system £5869.00 (combined value)

Disposals within the financial year:

1 x Lamppost litter bin (Lichfield Road) £112.00

It was RESOLVED: That the asset register dated 28.02.2025 is accepted and the above addition and disposal of assets are approved.

25032.         TO RECEIVE THE CLERK’S REPORT ON CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED AND CONSIDER ANY RECOMMENDATIONS –

Items noted:  

• Events group request for planting in the Woodland Walk approved
• Lincs Cleaning price increase
• Central Lincolnshire Authority Wide Design Code Stage 2
• Refund from WAVE for leak overpayment
• Residents concern regarding right of way through Goddard Way during Canwick Avenue roadworks

25033.         TO RECEIVE AND ACCEPT A REPORT ON DECISIONS MADE USING DELEGATED AUTHORITY – The following report was accepted:

• Payments made as reported at item 4a.
• Credit card statements
• Authorised purchase of Display Screen Equipment (monitor, keyboard etc) following an updated DSE assessment.
• Authorised expenditure for a service of the air conditioning/heating units in The Heath. One unit had become faulty and the system was due a service. A full service was carried out avoiding a one off call out charge. The cost was £300+VAT.

25034.         TO RECEIVED DRAFT NOTES FROM THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE MEETING ON 18TH FEBRUARY 2025 AND CONSIDER ANY RECOMMENDATIONS – a written report was given and there were no recommendations. The Council gave its thanks to the departing village caretaker.

25035.         PLANNING

a. TO CONSIDER PLANNING APPLICATION –

25 0265 PNTEL – Removal of phone box on London Road Comments to be submitted using delegated authority as usage statistics had not yet been provided.

25 0182 OUT - 1 Worcester Close It was RESOLVED: That a strong objection to the application be made, the following comments were agreed:

The application for outline approval for the erection of a single dwelling was previously refused in 2007. Although the plans for the size of the property have been reduced, Bracebridge Heath Parish Council does not consider that the risks and implications on the neighbouring trees have altered. North Kesteven District Council’s Tree Officer has provided a report on the disharmony between development in this location and the presence of the trees – the proposed property would be in shade and overhung by the tree canopies for a significant part of the year. Bracebridge Heath Parish Council is in agreement and supports the comments of the Tree Officer in this regard. In addition, it should be noted that the trees in consideration are not in the ownership of the applicant (the owners are North Kesteven District Council and Bracebridge Heath Parish Council (for trees in the St John’s Cemetery)). These trees which are subject to Tree Preservation Orders, could not therefore be managed by the applicant or the management enforced as a planning condition as stated in their application.The effect on the trees is the primary reason for the council’s objection but it should also be noted that the following matters also contravene local planning policies:

CLLP Appendix 2 and Bracebridge Heath Neighbourhood Plan (policy 3) – The proposal does not meet the car parking standards. A minimum of 2 spaces are required for a 2-bed dwelling and adequate off-street parking should be provided for the scale of the proposed scheme.

Bracebridge Heath Neighbourhood Plan (policy 3) – the proposals do not provide infrastructurefor charging electric plug in vehicles.

Bracebridge Heath Neighbourhood Plan (policy 4) - The Parish Council notes there is no provision for cycle storage. The policy states that ‘Residential development should be accompanied by adequate, safe and secure cycle parking.’

CLLP Policy s53: Design and Amenity - This policy states that proposals should ‘Relate well to the site, its local and wider context and existing characteristics including the retention of existing natural and historic features wherever possible and including appropriate landscape and boundary treatments to ensure that the development can be satisfactorily assimilated into the surrounding area’. The proposed dwelling has no garden at the front and is proposed to be built so that the front door directly steps on to the public pathway. This is not in keeping with the rest of the properties on Worcester Close which all have a large frontage and garden area separating them from the highway.The proposed property will be smaller in height than other properties on the close and will look an unnatural addition to street scene.

Should North Kesteven District Council be minded to approve this application, Parish Council would like to recommend that a full contamination land survey is undertaken prior to approval being given. The proposal is adjacent to the locally named ‘The Hump’ which is understood to contain contaminants from the former St John’s Hospital.

b. TO RECEIVE A REPORT ON PLANNING DECISIONS – a written report was given.   

25036.         TO CONSIDER THE COUNCIL’S MEETING SCHEDULE FOR 2025/2026 - It was RESOLVED: That the council’s meeting schedule for 2025/2026 be adopted.

25037.         TO CONSIDER A SUBSCRIPTION TO AMAZON PRIME FOR BUSINESS - It was RESOLVED:  In order to balance business continuity with value for money, that the council subscribes to Amazon Prime.

25038.         TO CONSIDER AN EVENTS WORKING GROUP

a. TO APPROVE AN EVENTS WORKING GROUP AND ADOPT TERMS OF REFERENCE - It was RESOLVED to appoint a working group and adopt Terms of Reference 1.0 outlining the scope of the group and its responsibilities.

b. TO APPOINT MEMBERS TO THE EVENTS WORKING GROUP - It was RESOLVED that the Clerk and Deputy Clerk, Cllr Emes, Cllr Carr and Cllr Manders be appointed to the Events Working Group.

25039.         TO CONSIDER COUNCIL EVENTS – it was agreed the Annual Parish meeting will be held on 1st April 25.

It was RESOLVED: That the draft plan for Parish Council Community events 2025 be accepted.

25040.         TO CONSIDER A SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF LINCOLN COUNCIL FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND MONITORING OF CCTV - It was RESOLVED: That the City of Lincoln Council Service Level Agreement be accepted and be signed subject to a minor amendment to the name of the site on the document.

25041.        TO CONSIDER CO-OPTION TO COUNCIL VACANCIES – Council session was temporarily suspended to enable the co-option candidate to address members.

It was RESOLVED: That Peter Adey be co-opted to Bracebridge Heath Parish Council.

Council session was temporarily suspended to enable documents to be signed.  

25042.         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.

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.

25043.        TO CONSIDER PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF CCTV AT THE HEATH: VILLAGE HALL & LIBRARY - It was RESOLVED: That subject to the necessary permissions in place for broadband access, the quote for 4 fixed cameras and remote monitoring by City of Lincoln CCTV be accepted. The cost of £2521+VAT be funded from the earmarked reserve for the village hall.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 20:03.   

Signed___________________________Chairman                                                                                                                                                                     1st April 2025