October 2022 Minutes

GREETWELL PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF GREETWELL PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 3 OCTOBER 2022 IN THE VILLAGE HALL SUDBROOKE

PRESENT:  Councillors John Taylor (Chairman), Mrs Sarah Bates (Vice Chair), Ms Sue Pullen, Vernon Stuffins, Mike Taylor

Clerk Mrs Christine Myers, County Councillor Ian Fleetwood, District Councillor Mrs Anne Welburn

63 – 22/23  PARISHIONERS ITEMS -  None.

64 – 22/23  TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES AND REASONS GIVEN

Councillors Keith Johnson and Chris Thatcher.  That the reasons given be accepted unanimously Resolved.

65 – 22/23  TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST ON ANY ITEMS ON THE AGENDA – None declared.

66 – 22/23  COUNTY/ DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORTS

CC Ian Fleetwood updated the meeting in that funding for the crossing in Greetwell had been agreed and it should be completed in the spring of 2024.

DC Anne Welburn’s report attached to these minutes.

67 – 22/23  NOTES OF MEETING HELD ON 5 SEPTEMBER 2022

That the notes be approved proposed by Councillor Mrs Sarah Bates, seconded by Councillor Mike Taylor and Resolved.

68 – 22/23  CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTS

A  Correspondence received since last meeting, * sent to residents email list.

22.8.2022 - Central Lincolnshire Local Plan – consultation on addendum to the Sustainability Appraisal
*26.8.2022 -  Nettleham Medical Practice newsletter
2.9.2022 – Play area inspection report 26.8.2022
6.9.2022 – LALC Weekly News
9.9.2022 -  LALC Guidance on Council business during a period of national mourning
9.9.2022 -  WLDC – National mourning guidance   
14.9.2022 -  Information on Anglian Waters proposed new reservoirs 

B  Pedestrian crossing – referred to in CC Ian Fleetwood’s report (minute 66 above).

C  Area of land Hawthorn Road/The Chase – update from LCC on tidying – It was stated that the verges would be incorporated into the verge maintenance agreement and that the area of land adjoining The Chase would be maintained until December 2023 as part of the LEB scheme.

The Clerk was instructed to forward recently taken photos of the area to LCC.

D  Street furniture on bypass – reply from LCC if received – County Councillor Ian Fleetwood would pursue this on behalf of the Parish Council.

A dog or litter bin had however been requested from WLDC on either side of the bridge.

E   Marking of roundels on A158 – CC Ian Fleetwood had pursued this with Highways and it was hoped that they would be marked during September.

F   Greetwell Litter Pick – There had been a disappointing turn out for the Litter Pick (3 persons).

G   Community Speedwatch – Nothing to report.

69 – 22/23  THE CHASE – TO RECEIVE AND CONSIDER AND WORKS REQUIRED FROM THE ANNUAL PLAY EQUIPMENT INSPECTION

The annual inspection report had been received and the Clerk was instructed to forward this to Ed Morton, Play Equipment Inspector for pricing up any works recommended.

70 – 22/23  FINANCE

A     Income – VAT Refund - £213.20

B  Accounts to pay

Glendale – Village gateways and Westfield Ave roundabout - £31.37 net, £6.28 VAT, £37.65 gross
Sudbrooke Village Hall – Room hire – 3/10/2022 - £15.00
Sudbrooke Village Hall – Room hire – 7/11/2022 - £15.00
Mrs C Myers – Reimbursement of purchase of First Aid kit (to replace outdated items) - £20.00
Staffing costs October –Total £498.14 (to be paid 31.10.2022)
Mrs C Myers – expenses September – Use of home as office - £13.00, mileage - £8.10 - £21.10

That the above payments be made by Bacs unanimously Resolved.

C     Bank Reconciliation to 30.9.2022 – deferred to next meeting due to non-receipt of statement to date.

D     Budget against spent to 30.9.2022 – This had been circulated to members and noted that the Council was within budget.

E     To consider offer of funds from Councillor Anne Welburn’s Community Fund – DC Anne Welburn offered the surplus of her Community Fund to finance stakes and protectors for the trees, possible purchase of a larger specimen tree, along with a plaque.  It was noted that the PC already held £341.09 from the fund towards a seat when required.

71 – 22/23  PLANNING

Application145404 - Application for approval of reserved matters to erect 3no. dwellings considering appearance, landscaping, layout and scale - following outline planningpermission 143954 granted 9 February 2022 - Land north of Wragby Road East North Greetwell Lincoln LN2 4RA -  To ratify comments sent to  WLDC – ‘Greetwell Parish Council expresses concern about vehicles egressing westwards onto the busy A158 from this development.  This currently being the position for all existing properties on the north side of the A158 in North Greetwell.’

That the above comments be ratified unanimously Resolved.

72 – 22/23  CLERKS REPORT

The Clerk suggested that it would be beneficial to have another two signatories on the Parish Council bank account.

Resolved that Councillors Ms Sue Pullen and Vernon Stuffins be added as signatories.

73 – 22/23  CHAIRMANS REPORT

Nothing to report.

74 – 22/23  DATE OF NEXT MEETING 

Monday 7 November 2022, 7.30PM, Bramham Lounge, Sudbrooke Village Hall. 


District Councillor Anne Welburn’s Report

Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme
A Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme for funding application bids to support further decarbonisation of public buildings will open shortly. West Lindsey need to submit a technically compliant, high-level assessment (HLA) bid on the opening day if they wish to be considered, as funds are allocated quickly on a first come first served basis. To this end, Officers have been working with Midlands Net Zero Hub (MNZH) in an iterative process to examine the suitability of The Guildhall, Gainsborough Leisure Centre, and Trinity Arts Centre for PSDS3b funding and ensure readiness for any subsequent bid.

 High level appraisals of all sites have been completed, with the Guildhall seen as the outstanding technical candidate for PSDS3b. It offers fewest constraints and an opportunity to replace fossil fuel heating plant and associated equipment that may be coming towards the end of its viable life with a modern, low carbon alternative. A vital point to note in section is that all PSDS3b applicants are required to contribute the like-for-like costs of a fossil fuel replacement boiler in addition to any PSDS grant funding provided. 

At the Guildhall, current estimates put this figure at anywhere between £60k - £90k for a modern replacement. With escalating fuel costs as well as a commitment to respond to the UK Govt’s climate emergency as well as WLs own net zero carbon commitment, refitting these sites now, with low- carbon heating alternatives may be seen as the right thing to do, and it delivers against the action in the Sustainability, Climate Change and Environment Action Plan to upgrade heating systems across council buildings .

 WLDC has begun the process of decarbonisation works already and there is a track record in this area of delivering commitments against a Carbon Management Plan. The Council achieved a 35% reduction in Carbon Dioxide emissions from baseline year 2008/9 by 2021. However, there is a general feeling that many of the ‘easy win’ projects – those that pay back in financial terms as well as C02 reductions such as energy efficiency improvements – have already been undertaken. 

WLDC has previously applied for funding from the Governments Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) with success. In March 2021, the Council was awarded £68k of PSDS money in Round 1(PSDS1), following a bid the previous year. This helped fund solar PV and battery storage at the Caenby Corner depot. The works have now been built out, are delivering energy savings, and financial savings for the council that would not otherwise have been achieved.

Submission of the application was agreed by Councillors are the CP&R committee on 29th Sept 2022 , if the grant application is successful notification is expected by the end of January 2023,

Councillor Initiative Fund
All my Councillor Initiative Funding has now been allocated; I would ask that applications are submitted as soon as possible as the fund will be closing soon.

Levelling Up Parks Fund 
On 1st August 2022, the Government launched the Levelling Up Parks Fund as part of its mission to level up people’s pride in the places they love. The fund is designed to improve both the equality of access and quality of green space in over 100 neighbourhoods across the UK.

West Lindsey has been included on the list of eligible places. This fund is not competitive. Eligible places will receive a grant of £85,000 for the creation of a new or significantly refurbished urban green space.

Three places in Gainsborough were identified by government as being in the priority category.Given the clearly identified priority area within Gainsborough, a strategic review of existing evidence that incorporates open space, green space and play provision has been undertaken. This has included the Green Infrastructure Strategy, the Gainsborough Neighbourhood Plan, and the adopted Local Plan. Across this evidence base, there are undoubtably a number of sites that have been identified as in need of improvement.

At this present time, the site that stands out as one which provides an opportunity for improvement within the time frames required and is located within the priority neighbourhoods themselves is Scouts Hill, Sandsfield Lane which is in the ownership of WLDC. It was previously a children’s play area and football pitch. The site was subject to vandalism and in recent years all assets such as play equipment and changing rooms were removed from the site. In utilising the opportunity of the Levelling Up Parks Fund there is potential to return some of this space into use as a valuable green space for the community.

Illuminate
On Saturday 26th November 2022, Gainsborough will once again be filled with light and sound with fabulous projections onto the walls of Gainsborough Old Hall, a fire garden in the grounds of All Saints’ Parish Church, street performers and a guided walk along Trent Riverside.

This year’s event theme is ‘West Lindsey Voices,’ featuring local people’s thoughts on the district’s past, present, and future, gathered through schools’ workshops and community consultation by lead artists Electric Egg. There will be daytime activities at Gainsborough Heritage Centre and an art trail through the town centre, and evening activities around the Old Hall and All Saints’ Parish Church  with activities throughout the day from 10am until 8:30pm. More details in the November report