December 2018 Minutes
WHAPLODE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
WEDNESDAY 12TH DECEMBER 2018
AT WHAPLODE ST CATHERINE VILLAGE HALL
Present as per register.
Present; Dist Cllr Pepper, one member of the public and the Clerk.
Apologies:
Cllrs Mackman and Clay.
Public Forum:
Alan Beal introduced himself as the prospective Conservative candidate at the next elections.
Matters arising:
The minutes of the October meeting and the November finance meeting having been previously circulated were agreed by members. Re the Tulip fields play are Cllr Stafford had followed up and the Clerk will write again as the area is still untidy.
Police matters;
No report had been submitted.
Finance Report;
The Clerk reported the following cheques for payment which members agreed,
101890 G Hawkes salary/expenses £ 398.67
101891 HMRC £ 79.20
101892 T Chambers sign £ 275.00
101893 MGM £ 360.00 vat £60.00
101894 Palmer Tree Services £ 1,485.00
101895 M Goose £ 3,000.00 vat £500.00
Balances:
High interest a/c £ 69,804
Business Prem £ 25,413
Current a/c £ 2,965
Less cheques £ 2,600
Balance £ 95,582
Precept: The Clerk presented the 2019-2020 precept, it was proposed by MS and seconded by RM that the Clerk salary increase by £500, and that the precept increases by 5% to £ 14,175, this was agreed by members.
Date of next meeting:
The date for the next finance meeting is 16th January 2019 and parish meeting on the 20th February 2019 at Saracens Head. 2019 meeting dates were circulated to members.
Planning applications,
The Clerk reported that applications had been dealt with as per annexed. The next part of the South East Lincs local plan consultation runs from 30th November to 14th January 2019.
Allotments;
The Clerk reported that notice had been given to Carter Jonas that we wish to relinquish the Crown Land.
Cllr Barlow reported that he had reviewed the 139 acres that the parish council own on which we receive rent of £10,500 per annum, this as an asset needs to be registered at the land registry. Some had tenancy agreements but many were sub let. He proposed that the land needs to be professionally valued and measured those that farm the land be offered new tenancies at current market rates, we will need to send notice to quit to our tenants with effect from 30th September 2019, the rest will go out to tender, this was proposed by Cllr Barlow, seconded by Cllr Merchant and agreed by members.
Star of India footpath:
Mr Sampson has written saying there is no encroachment, members have other evidence to the contrary and have asked the Clerk to arrange a site visit with Mr Sampson to resolve this.
Highway matters:
Whaplode village – Cllr Chandler has been in touch with the Post Office and Co-op about the proposed closure of the post office.
Saracens Head – Cllr Langstaff advised that the Saltney gate streetlighting was causing a problem which County Cllr Pepper will report to Highways.
Whaplode St Catherines – Cllr Barlow reported that there were numerous pages of data recording excessive speeding.
Whaplode Drove – the SID is now in place but not necessarily in the prime position.
Interactive traffic indicators: the police can receive a data package from the SID device if the software is downloaded.
Whaplode St Catherines playing field:
The field was reported in good order.
Whaplode playing field;
Cllr Merchant reported that the play equipment for toddlers was now in place.
The Elizabethan Centre:
The Clerk will speak to Cllr Mackman about the ongoing funding needs of the centre and the fund raising request to the wind farm fund.
Whaplode cemetery report by Clerk:
Cllr Stafford advised that Part 1 of the tree work had been completed and it was agreed that a site meeting is arranged for 16th January 2.00pm to review on site issues and consider the next stage for the cemetery extension.
Whaplode village sign;
Cllr Rout has placed following the refurbishment work of T Chambers.
General correspondence & general business;
British Red Cross – a training session in Saracens Head village hall has been arranged.
Pride in South Holland - ward areas to be reported to the clerk, Cllr Merchant reported Stockwell Gate and High Road Whaplode as needing tidying.
Response to complaint letter to be sent by the Chairman.
There being no further business the meeting closed at 21.30