DRAFT Minutes of meeting 17.5.23
NOTES of the Hougham Parish Council meeting held on Wednesday 17th May 2023 at 7.20 pm in Hougham and Marston Village Hall.
Present: Cllr John Wright (in the Chair), Cllrs P Baker, J Forbes, P McAllister and Jo Wright. Cty Cllr A Maughan joined during the meeting. There were no members of the public present.
Cty Cllr Alex Maughan advised that the LCC budget spend is £595,000,000. Highways is only a small proportion of that at £47,000,000. If we would like a meeting with Highways then we should let Alex know and he will organise it with Rowan Smith. £9,000,000 of reserves is no longer required and has been released into the budget as a Development Fund, over 2 years. Changes to Public Rights of Way are being pushed by the Ramblers Association. Microsurfacing of footpaths will be carried out in the summer. The last quarter saw 96% success rate for the criteria for repairs. Coach Lane jet patching has been done and Alex will find out when we are due to have it re-treaded. Speed assessment a few years ago showed that there was not enough development or accidents to justify a speed reduction between Hougham and Marston on Bridge Street; however we should ask for a follow up – clerk to email Alex. There is a new County Speed Policy under review.
Trading Standards has seized around 5000 illegal vapes in the period April to December 2022, primarily in market towns.
01/23. Apologies had been received from Dist Cllr Wood. SKDC is having to form a coalition as the Conservatives only got 24 seats at the elections and they need 28. Likely to be a fractious 4 years.
02/23. There were no declarations of interest.
03/23. The Minutes of the meeting held on 8th February 2023 had been read and approved and it was unanimously agreed that the Chair should sign them.
04/24. Planning matters: S23/0088 – 3 Grange Farm Barns – approval to regularise amendment to rear boundary. S21/0469 – no error found with positioning of garage or height of fence.
05/24. Highways – the C001 was assessed in March and the outcome is awaited.
06/24. Defibrillator – is fine and the books have been cleared up.
07/24. Financial matters -
[a] Resolved to sign bank reconciliations at 28.2.23, 31.3.23 and 30.4.23.
[b] Resolved to sign the AGAR Certificate of Exemption.
[c] Resolved to sign the AGAR Annual Statement.
[d] Resolved to sign the AGAR Accounting Statement 2022/2023.
[e] Discussion took place regarding the request by Rev S Hadley to increase the donation made to the Church for grass-cutting. Their costs have increased. Resolved to hold back on this until we discuss the precept later in the year.
[f] Resolved to pay Zurich £201.27 – we are in the 3rd year of a 5 year agreement.
[g] Resolved to pay the Internal Auditor £50.
08/24. Clerk gave Cllr Baker dates of two Councillor training sessions. He will attend the July one at Carlton Scroop. Cllr Forbes advised that the Emergency Plan has been updated. Bob Chalklin has been taken off as he is no longer a councillor – Jo Wright will replace him. Cllrs Forbes and Baker will be flood wardens.
09/24. Next meeting – 19th July 2023.
Meeting closed at 8.20 pm.