Minutes for April 2025

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DRAFT MINUTES: CORBY GLEN PARISH COUNCIL

Draft Minutes of the meeting held on Wed April 9^th 2025 at 7.30pm in the Willoughby Memorial Gallery, Corby Glen.

Present: Cllrs Walsingham (Chair), Baker, Ellam, Green, Mardling, Shepperson (Vice-Chair) & Waumsley

In attendance: 3 residents; Mrs. S. Woodman (Parish Clerk).

Open Forum: Cllr Walsingham welcomed all attendees.

A resident asked about using available funds to purchase bulbs for the planters by NISA. To be added to the agenda for the next meeting to enable cllrs to approve the expenditure.

Another resident provided background and history relating to planning application S25/0554 to be considered by cllrs during discussions of that application.

The clerk reported that the accounts are with the internal auditor. It is hoped that the internal audit will be available for consideration and approval by cllrs at the next meeting. The clerk also reported that as invoices have still not been received from the grass maintenance company, the end of year balance for 2024-25 does not take account of these.

The clerk explained that the audit for 2025-26 will expect cllrs to use ideally @gov.uk email addresses. It is not yet clear whether the current @coprbyglen.com will be acceptable. However, the clerk’s email address will now be clerk@corbyglen.com.

1. Apologies for absence: Cllrs Harty & Harwood. Reasons given & accepted.
2. District and County Councillors’ Reports: None present.
3. The Draft Minutes of the meeting held on Mar 12^th 2024 were approved unanimously.
4. Councillors’ Declarations of Interest: Cllr Mardling declared an interest in Planning Application S25/0527.
5. Review of Action Log:

O/F: Chevron signs – still no response – LCC has passed the request to the relevant department for assessment.

25/02/23 Dawson Commemorative Tree: Cllr Shepperson & a resident have agreed a suitable location.

25/02/25 Lest we forget Memorial Bench: In progress.

25/02/24 Grass areas to be left uncut: Cllr Walsingham to liaise with the grass cutting contractor.

25/03/22 Statistics collected from SIDs: Statistics from SIDs have been published.

25/03/24 Plans of utilities for the village: Purchased via Digdat.

6. Clerk’s & Chairman’s reports on matters outstanding:

01 Neighbourhood Planning: No update.

02 S106 funds from new developments: SKDC believe that S106 funds can be used to fix the village pump. Cllr Shepperson will seek 2 further quotes; the clerk will seek listed building consent. Once these are available, it was agreed unanimously to apply for S106 funds to cover the cost.

A resident had previously suggested a new noticeboard be purchased with the S106 funds. Quotes are to be sought for both recycled plastic (Cllr Shepperson) & Stainless Steel (Cllr Baker).

03 Emergency Planning: No progress.

04 Issues associated with the new housing estates – sewerage issues: Ms Kearns, MP, has reported on Facebook a meeting with planners and developers. The council is disappointed that it was neither informed nor involved in the meeting and has not received any minutes. Likewise, the promised telemetric data has not been made available.

The plans obtained via Digdat indicate that the actual layout of the sewers varies greatly from the built drawings.

Now dosing is underway from both major developments, the smell is reduced (limited to a slight smell probably from the NCHA development), but there is grave concern that the smell would return if dosing were discontinued.

The clerk was requested to express the council’s deep disappointment to Ms Kearns at not being included in her meeting, and to request the promised data and minutes of the meeting. The clerk was also asked to request an update on the situation from SKDC.

Parking issues: Cars from houses on the Allison Homes development which front onto Swinstead Road are on occasions being parked on Swinstead Road arguably causing an obstruction on what is already a narrow road.

Hereward Homes: Despite promising not to, contractors’ vehicles are being parked on The Green. Clerk to email the developer requesting this to cease.

05 State of Trees / Progress on tree tags: The next tree inspection is scheduled for May (when the trees should be in full leaf). Epicormic growth to be cut back in advance of inspection. Clerk to request a resident for assistance

Concern was expressed about tree branches covering SIDs. Cllr Shepperson to send clerk photos; clerk to apply for consent for tree work in conservation area.

06 Agree action re Parking on the Green: Cllr Walsingham is preparing a note for the web site, and notices for the Green.

07 Agree action regarding cementing of village pump: See item 02 (S106) above.

08 Agree process for obtaining / distributing sandbags: Cllr Shepperson is looking into options for ‘grit bins’

09 Location / emptying of rubbish bins throughout the village: Some residents had commented unfavourably on the siting of the new bin at the top of St John’s Drive, despite its being re-sited. The bin is to remain in its current position & the situation monitored.

Cllr Ellam requested 2 bins for lamp posts on Swinstead Road. Cllr Shepperson to obtain costs.

10 Consider the situation regarding floodlighting of the Willoughby Gallery: No response yet received from the Willoughby Trust. Cllrs to investigate.

11 Agree Staffing Committee Terms of Reference: It was agreed unanimously to accept the Terms of Reference drafted by the Staffing Committee & circulated prior to the meeting. Cllr Green to provide the clerk with a copy for the records.

7. Matters to be resolved:

12 Consider Anti-Social Behaviour in the village: Incidents are understood to have occurred in the field adjacent the Ron Dawson Hall. The situation is to continue to be monitored.

13 Consider Christmas matters: A public meeting with interested parties is to be arranged in the Willoughby Gallery before the July council meeting (July 9^th).

14 Review of council policies:

Risk Assessment: Cllr Ellam had undertaken a review of current risk management arrangements and applied minor corrections to the Risk Assessment document, an updated copy of which had previously been circulated to all cllrs. It was agreed unanimously that the revised Risk Assessment be adopted. Cllr Ellam will continue to assess the council’s risk management strategy and propose improvements as necessary.

Cllr Green had circulated a revised Code of Conduct to all cllrs before the meeting. The revised document was accepted unanimously.

Cllr Waumsley had considered LALC’s new model Financial Regulations. It was agreed unanimously to accept the document with 2 paragraphs highlighted as not relevant removed.

Cllr Baker had reviewed the Complaints, General Privacy and Subject Access Request policies and made comments.

The review of the remaining policies will continue.

8. Reports from:

Planning: to consider planning applications received prior to & after publication of the agenda:

S24/0263 New Houses, Station Rd: Removal of tree (conservation area) – variation of planning application: No objections

S25/0341 DWH – Add solar panels (non-material amendment – already approved by SKDC)

S25/0527 Mr Wass – 1 Station Road – extend time limit for planning permission: No comments

S25/0456 Mr Love – The Larches, Tanners Lane – Vary Condition 2: Although the changes will result in a larger dwelling, the council did not feel it impacted other residents detrimentally, so had no objections

S25/0554 Mr Butcher – 17 Church St – Various renovations: This application was discussed at length, taking account of the resident’s comments earlier and the documents accompanying the application. It was agreed unanimously to object to the application, and that the clerk should request the District Cllr to call the application in.

9. Greens Working Group:

17 Playground Equipment Maintenance: The Greens Committee have concerns regarding the flooring under the rocking horse, and the paint on the framework of the toddler swings – the paint has been chipped on both the uprights & the cross bar, which is showing signs of rust. The junior swings are out of action & have been disabled following malicious damage to the wooden uprights– awaiting replacement metal uprights.

Other malicious damage has caused broken stepping posts. Cllr Ellam hopes to be able to repair these. A budget of £100 was agreed unanimously for this.

Cllr Walsingham requested that the war memorial is examined for damage when the play equipment is checked.

10. Payments and Accounts

(i) Bank balances – monthly update approved unanimously as set out below.

(ii) Invoices for payment – Councillors resolved unanimously to approve payments as set out in schedule below.

11. Matters to be further discussed at the meeting:

17 Consider insurance options in advance of renewal: The market cross is not currently insured as it has not proved possible to obtain a valuation.

The insurers are now expecting assets to be insured at replacement value – for the accounts, assets must be valued at cost less VAT. Cllr Ellam will estimate replacement costs for the council’s assets & add these costs to the Asset Register.

18 VE / VJ Day Anniversary Commemoration – Flag / Beacon: Cllrs Shepperson & Walsingham met Cllr Harwood to arrange the beacon lighting. Cllr Shepperson outlined the programme for the day (Thursday May 8^th):

9.00am    Flag raised, and ‘Town Crier’ declaims an address. Optionally, a lamp may be lit. (Cllr Green will enquire whether either school would like to participate.) All cllrs are requested to support if possible. A lifting device is required to fill the beacon with wood – Cllrs to make enquiries. Social media shout out for a volunteer ‘village crier’.
Cllr Shepperson was unanimously voted a budget of £100 to purchase a flag etc.

6.30pm    Church bells rung

9.30pm    Beacon Lighting.

19 Consider the Bowls Club’s request for support: The council has in the past donated funds to support the Bowls Club Open Day. It was agreed unanimously to donate £100 again.

20 Agree amount to transfer to Reserve Account: As previously agreed, the clerk has transferred £10,000 to the reserve account. She recommended that now the precept has been received, a further £10,000 be transferred. Further, that the council authorises her to give notice (35 days) to transfer £5,000 back into the current account when the balance of the current account falls below £5,000. The council voted unanimously to grant this authorisation.

Cllr Ellam is to request on-line access to the council’s accounts.

12. Next meeting:

The next regular meeting will take place on Wednesday May 14^th 2025 at 7.30pm (or following the conclusion of the Annual Parish Meeting and Annual meeting of the Parish Council), in the Willoughby Memorial Gallery, Corby Glen.

Meeting closed at 9.47pm.                                                                                                            Mrs. Sue Woodman – Parish Clerk

Action Log 9^th April 2025 – TO BE UPDATED PRIOR TO NEXT MEETING going forward.