2022-23 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

March 2023 Minutes

MINUTES OF THE HOGSTHORPE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON THURSDAY 2nd MARCH 2023AY 1 APAY1 APRIL1

 

Present: Cllrs Les Wildman (Chairman) Chris Rolph, Mary Banks, Ellen Smith and George Green

 

The Chairman welcomed all those present.  He noted that there was no clerk for the meeting but a recrding would be taken for Minutes to be completed.

 

PUBLIC FORUM

  • A member of the public spoke about the fall of the church wall.   He believed that this belonged to the church and, as such, they should be responsible for its repair.  Noted.
  • The same member of the public also noted his concern at the planning application for lodges at Ivy Lodge Farm and brought to the council’s attention that there are two Ivy Lodge Farms.  It is clear from the planning application where this particular site is but it is not known who the owners are.  This will be discussed by the council.
  • Another member of the public noted that the bin in the churchyard is working well.  He also brought the council’s attention to the broken fence on the southern side of the cemetery.

 

  1. APOLOGIES – An apology had been received from Cllr Worley who had tested positive for covid and was, therefore, isolating.

 

  1. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – None

 

  1. APPROVAL OF NOTES OF MEETING

The Minutes of the meeting of the 19th January having been amended were approved as a true record of the proceedings.   The Minutes of the 2nd February required an amendment and these would be retyped and distributed again to the councillors for their approved.  They would then be signed at the next meeting.

 

  1. CLERK’S REPORT

There is no clerk’s report.

 

  1. CORRESPONDENCE

No correspondence had been passed on.

 

  1. FINANCIAL MATTERS
  1. It was agreed that payment of accounts be made for £30.00 for hire of village hall and £150.98 to the Chairman in repayment of £80 for Xmas event gift of flowers and £70.98 to an IT specialist for retrieving information from the Parish’s laptops which had been wiped clean.
  2. The final budget for the year 2023/24 was unanimously agreed. 
  3. The revised Asset Register was unanimous agreed.

 

  1. REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES
  1. Cllr Banks reported that there was to be a cluster meeting for the village hall on 13th March for general discussion about all village halls in the area.
  2. Cllr Banks reported that there would be a meeting next Monday evening for the Charities Farm.
  3. Allotments – the Chair reported that there was one empty allotment at the moment and there will be two at the beginning of April.  There is a long list of applications mainly from Chapel.
  4. Cllr Rolph asked that there be a closed session at the end of the meeting to discuss staffing issues.  Agreed and resolved to move into closed session.

 

  1. POLICIES

It was unanimously agreed that the policies on Standing Orders and Financial Regulations, having been previously circulated to all councillors, be adopted.  These would be posted on the web site as soon as possible.

 

 

  1. HIGHWAYS AND VILLAGE MAINTENANCE

The Chair noted that the employment of a maintenance person was unaffordable for the coming year.   He had spoken with a handyman in the village who would be willing to fix any emergency maintenance problem at a reasonable cost as and when required. 

The grasscutting contract was now in its third year and would need to be looked at.

 

  1. CHURCHYARD REPORT

Repair to the wall was being looked into and Lincoln Diocese would be contacted re this to work out the way forward.

As reported in the public forum, the bin system is now working well. 

The broken fence will be checked.

 

  1. PLANNING
  1. N/0800156/223 The Stables 2 storey house, garage and gym over.  Cllr Banks stated that this was refused last year. There is nothing substantially different in this new application but it is encroaching into the green area again and if it goes ahead it will need a footpath to join with the A52 footpath. Objection to be sent to Planning Department.
  2. N/08400126/23 Manor Farm – erection of 4 dwellings – Until such time as Environmental Health recommendations are fulfilled the council will object to this application – reply to be sent to Planning Department.
  3. N/08402405/22 Mill House Farm – 6 static caravans – Council already objected to this application.
  4. N/125/02427/22 Land adjacent to Ivy House Farm – 5 log cabins – see Public Forum note on discussion as to where exactly this was.  Cllr Banks read out her reasons for rejection – these to be taken as the basis for the council to object to the application.

The chairman stated that as there was no clerk he had not had sight on any of the applications.  It was agreed that he and Cllr Banks would meet and discuss them fully, e-mail out to all the councillors and put in the appropriate replies to the Planning Department.

 

  1. PLAYPARK REPORT

Cllr Smith, who is Chair of the Playpark Committee noted:

  • A risk assessment is now in place to be done monthly, or twice monthly in the busy period.

The garden area at the back of the changing rooms as been tidied up.

  • She is in talks with a team of girls to use the playing field
  • The event for the King’s coronation is being progressed.
  • A facebook page has been set up.

 

  1. CONFIRM DATE OF AGM AND PARISH MEETING

Date currently fixed at 4thMay 2023.   As it is an election year, there will need to be election of officers after the councillors are known.   The Chair has paperwork for anyone wishing to apply to be a councillor and would hand to anyone who wanted them.

 

  1. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Thursday 6th April 2023

 

15  ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Two queries for the next meeting – (1) the burned out house and (2) house opposite Dance Studio which had not been completed even though started many years ago.