February Minutes
Minutes of the Meeting of Fiskerton Parish Council held on Thursday 22nd February 2024 at 7:00pm in Fiskerton Village Hall
Present: Cllrs A Walker, P Whitt, C Darcel, C Hill, L Matthews, J McGeachie (arrived at 7.10pm), K Brereton, D/Cllr M Palmer, Mrs M Vail (Clerk), and 13 residents.
Open session commenced at 7.00pm.
038/24 Open Session:
One resident spoke to thank Councillors for their response to his Freedom of Information request which he will reply to in due course.
The resident then advised that they, along with several other residents in attendance, were some of the 24 residents whose village questionnaire returns had been disallowed by resolution at the January 2024 Council meeting, as these questionnaire returns had been submitted after the original deadline date. They were in attendance to reach agreement in respect of what they considered to be an undemocratic decision; not within the ruling of good neighbourhood planning of being a community effort. Opinion was expressed that the true outcome of the questionnaire had therefore been falsified. Therefore, the validity of this, as well as previous questionnaires, was called into question, alongside the credibility of the Council. Noted that an official written complaint on behalf of all 24 residents, has been handed to the Clerk at this meeting.
Concerns were also raised that most of the village did not know about the questionnaire despite it having been advertised in Fiskerton News.
Noted that Cllr A Walker has not yet written individually to each respondent to explain that an error had been made, as agreed at the January 2024 Council meeting.
Several residents then spoke at length on the above, and it was RESOLVED during discussions to extend the Open Session beyond the allocated 15 minutes.
During the above, at one point the resident was asked to be more respectful in how he talked to Councillors about the work they do, as volunteers, for the village. At another point, a resident expressed concerns about views being expressed that FPC was being underhand in its actions, and that these were unpleasant to have to listen to.
In response, the Chairman explained that, in deciding to extend the deadline for questionnaire returns, the intent had been to allow those who had been evacuated from their properties for up to a week, opportunity to respond. However, he acknowledged that an error had been made, as FPC had no way of equally and fairly informing the whole village of the extension which gave unfair advantage to only people present at the meeting. The Chairman also confirmed that the questionnaire addressed more than just the Neighbourhood Plan, but the resident was focussing just on the Neighbourhood Plan element. He advised that FPC is currently considering the use of Facebook for communications and will be looking at wider communications methods in the future. He will write individually to those individuals affected by the decision taken at the January 2024 Council meeting. In response to a question from a resident, he then ended by summarising the history of Fiskerton Neighbourhood Plan; and issues which had caused lengthy delays, such as the Covid Pandemic and the Central Lincs Local Plan Review.
Open session then moved on to the following new matters:
A resident asked about the viability of setting up a Basic First Aid Course for residents in the Village Hall, having already enquired and received no reply to date. She was asked to email the Village Hall Booking Secretary and advised that a hall hire fee would be applicable.
A second resident enquired as to any updates from the police on village matters, noting that residents pay a lot to the police but seemingly get little in return. He also noted that verges are being churned up; and that LCC had advised that they would put additional signage up but there are fewer signs than ever. The Chairman explained that the police have advised that parking on footpaths is an LCC Enforcement Team matter, and that the police are finding out what is required to report such incidents. Action: Cllr A Walker to chase. Action: Cllr K Brereton to talk with workmen.
A third resident queried how many houses should be being build on the Paddock. There should be 8 plus one barn conversion. Action: Cllr A Walker to visit and confirm numbers.
Meeting began at 7.45pm.
039/24 Apologies for absence: D/Cllr T Bridgwood. Cllr J McGeachie advised that he would be leaving the meeting early.
040/24 Declarations of interest: None.
041/24 Approve draft minutes of meeting held on 25th January 2024 as a true record:
RESOLVED unanimously to accept the minutes as a true record, and they were duly signed.
042/24 To receive observations of the District and County Councillors:
D/Cllr M Palmer advised that District Cllrs are undertaking training.
D/Cllr C Darcel had nothing to report.
043/24 Chairman s report:
There has been a recent fire to the rear of the village hall, and smoke entered the bar area. This has been reported to the police, and the VHMC will be improving security lighting and cameras.
A new flood alert system, bespoke to Fiskerton and Short Ferry, has been set up by the Environment Agency. This will be publicised to residents via Fiskerton News. Owl boxes on the riverbank are being relocated as, if any young owls hatch whilst the boxes are in their current location, this could delay remedial works to the bank.
Councillors were reminded that they are required to draft Terms of Reference for their individual areas of responsibility.
A motion activated light has been installed above the village hall defibrillator.
There are 40 unallocated King s Coronation bookmarks. It was agreed that these can be donated to the school.
ALLOTMENTS:
044/24 Report from Allotment Inspectors: consider and resolve on the following as required:
a. Update on production of draft risk assessment report
b. Update on untended plot
c. Update on talks with tenant of the grazing land
d. Update on putting plans into place to increase number of plots
e. Agree any further steps
Noted that the above items are all works in progress, and that there is no update at this time.
FINANCE
045/24 ACCOUNTS
a. Receive circulated schedule of payments/receipts made for Jan 2024: Noted.
b. Approve any known non-regular accounts for payment for February 2024: None. Noted that the Church Commissioners will pay the hall hire fees for their meeting.
c. Confirm verification/signing of bank reconciliation/bank statements Qs 1, 2, 3: Cllr J McGeachie is working through the Accounts ahead of the March meeting.
PLANNING: to consider and agree actions as required:
046/24 Neighbourhood Plan update, draft policies, liaison with school, public consultation, meeting with Church Commissioners on 30/01/24, resolve to submit NP draft plan documents to WLDC and move to Regulation 14 consultation:
Deloitte, on behalf of the Church Commissioners, are hosting a public consultation on 27th February 2024, 3 - 7pm in Fiskerton Village Hall on a proposed development for up to 150 dwellings on land north of Corn Close, Fiskerton. They have delivered a leaflet advertising this event to residents. This is an outline application, with all matters reserved except access. Their plans will feed into work on the Neighbourhood Plan.
047/24 Neighbourhood Plan: Procedural issues (Cllr C Darcel)
i. I believe the Neighbourhood Plan Group in the parish council operate under the identical standing orders to those of the parish council. So the vote to extend the deadline for the closing date for some residents should not have been discussed without a special dispensation from the council as the matter had previously been voted on by the group in July
ii. I cannot see how the Neighbourhood Plan Group can choose who it receives responses from. I was surprised Cllr Hill s motion to accept all the returns was not supported by the group.
iii. Surely in rejecting the paper responses the Neighbourhood Plan Group has rendered the whole consultation process now and void.
It was explained that matters already considered can only be brought back before Full Council again after 6 months have elapsed, or if three councillors make a written request for a special motion. It was further noted that the decision to extend the village survey from two to four weeks had not passed through this process. As such, FPC had breached its own procedures which is deemed a serious issue, and it was felt that a discussion on this matter would be required in a closed session at a future meeting.
048/24 Village questionnaire update:
Discussed earlier in the meeting. A Dropbox folder is to be set up to allow the survey results to be saved for future access.
At 7.56pm, Cllr J McGeachie left the meeting.
049/24 Gallagher Developments - Land north of Fiskerton Road East, Cherry Willingham - public consultation event in Spring 2024, date TBC
D/Cllr M Palmer advised that this proposed development is not included in either the Local Plan, nor in Cherry Willingham s Neighbourhood Plan. Noted that the distance between Fiskerton and Cherry Willingham would be eroded, with the proposed development being close to the boundary with Fiskerton.
050/24 Proposed development for up to 150 dwellings on land north of Corn Close, Fiskerton. There will be a public consultation on 27 February (4-8pm) at the village hall in Fiskerton, hosted by Deloitte LLP. (Note: This is an outline application, with all matters reserved except access. The site is allocated for residential development in the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan (April 2023). A pre-application pack was submitted to West Lindsey District Council in 2023):
Noted that the revised consultation hours are 3 7pm. The Local Plan allows for 122 houses for Fiskerton, but the Church Commissioners are pushing for 150. At the public consultation, they should be asked what the village will receive in exchange. This is an outline application only at this stage, and the details will come later on in the process. A resident noted that additional housing would help to keep the village alive, and to consider an exchange of the Paddock for the additional homes.
CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED: to consider and agree actions as required:
051/24 LCC advising change to their processes regarding planning applications:
LCC will no longer chase consultees who have not responded by the deadline dates, but will instead assume that any such consultee has no comment to make.
052/24 Police: Parish Council Engagement Session on Road Safety, 20th Feb 2024, Teams: This session had not been attended by any councillor, but it was hoped that a recording of the session would be circulated in due course.
053/24 Police: Monthly report: Circulated. Action: Clerk to put link to police website onto FPC website.
054/24 Police: Parish Council Engagement sessions, 4th July 2024, Teams, appoint attendees: Action: Clerk to recirculate details. Cllr A Walker will attend if no other Councillor volunteers.
NEW ITEMS: to consider and agree actions as required:
055/24 To note that, in respect of agenda item 24ii (January 2024 meeting), Cllr C Darcel has since advised that he had made an error and 5000.00 was the correct figure suggested should be returned to the Hodgson Trust, and not the 50.00 he stated in the January 2024 meeting:
Noted. As agreed at the January 2024 meeting, it was reiterated that it is for the Hodgson Trust to decide how they spend their money, not for FPC to decide for the Hodgson Trust, and it is for the Hodgson Trust to address matters if they consider that the abovementioned monies were not being managed properly.
056/24 Large easy to use instructions for the defibrillator to be printed and placed on the village hall wall (resident request via Cllr C Darcel);
Noted that the instruction printed on the cabinet is to dial 999; at which point the key code to the cabinet will be issued. The defibrillator talks the user through what to do, therefore there is no need for written instructions. Action: Cllr C Darcel to advise resident.
057/24 Suggestion that the police speed camera s position be moved from place to place and not just be stationed at the Primetake site (resident request via Cllr C Darcel):
Lincs Road Safety Partnership (LRSP) have advised that the Primetake location is an area of high probability for speeding. Evidence of need is required before the camera can be placed at other locations. Noted that two speed indictor devices (SIDs), as purchased recently by FPC, will be erected on the Bardney side of the village once LRSP have installed the mounting posts. The positioning of all SIDs is being evaluated. They can be relocated if needed.
UPDATE REPORTS: to consider and agree actions as required:
058/24 Draft constitution documents for Village Hall: car park agreement, play area agreement, and Village Hall Management Committee constitution any update from Charity Commissioners, joint meeting with VHMC with an independent Chairperson:
An independent Chairperson is to be contacted for their availability.
059/24 Financial matters raised by Cllr C Darcel in the January 2024 meeting:
In respect of a number of items which had been bought by FPC for the village hall from grant monies surplus from the work to the village hall roof, Cllr C Darcel queried where the paper audit trail was. He was advised that at the time, Cllr A Walker had regularly circulated information to all councillors whilst works were underway. Financial paperwork is on file and recorded within the accounts spreadsheet, which have passed through internal and external audits. Action: Cllr C Darcel to provide a list of items which he wishes to query, then he can be shown the relevant paperwork.
060/24 Village gateway project installation of speed indicator devices, update on gates, LRSP review of new locations, LRSP speed survey:
SIDs were mentioned under item 057/24 above.
Quotes will be obtained for village gates, but exact locations for these are required to inform the sizes to generate correct prices. The gates will not be big, and there may be an increase to grass cutting costs as the gates will need to be strimmed around. A plan is to be produced for the Council to review.
The results of a LRSP survey have been circulated, and a second survey is to be requested.
061/24 Witham Valley Access Group February 2024 meeting, improving the Nelson Road-riverbank footpath:
The minutes have recently been received and will be stored in a Dropbox folder which is being set up.
062/24 Repairs/replacement play equipment, grants:
Grant funding is being researched.
063/24 Emergency Plan:
Work is progressing well. Cllr K Brereton has spoken with a Short Ferry resident, and a meeting is being set up.
064/24 Action log to consider any other items which have an update:
Many actions have been completed. Updates were given on those actions remaining, outstanding or in progress.
MEETINGS:
065/24 Matters for inclusion on next agenda: None.
066/24 Date of next meeting: 28th March 2024, 7 9pm, Fiskerton Village Hall
Meeting ended at 8.46pm.
Mrs Michelle Vail Clerk/RFO to Fiskerton Parish Council Dated 11.03.24