Minutes for February 2025

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DRAFT MINUTES: CORBY GLEN PARISH COUNCIL

Draft Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday Feb 11^th 2025 at 7.30pm in the Willoughby Memorial Gallery, Corby Glen.

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

In attendance: 7 residents; Mrs. S. Woodman (Parish Clerk).

Open Forum: Cllr Walsingham welcomed all attendees.

The planning application S24/2193 (Change of use of sawmill to industrial units) was discussed by local residents and the applicants. See below.

Another resident asked for updates on his previous comments and commented on the Green (access/parking) and the proposed planting of a memorial tree to the Dawson brothers.

Another resident suggested changes to the locations of rubbish bins (see below).

The question of the Parish Council web site was discussed. Cllr Green is in the process of bringing it up to date.

1. Apologies for absence: Cllrs Ellam & Harwood. Reasons given & accepted.
2. District and County Councillors’ Reports: An email update from Cllr Hill was read out by the clerk:
   The government has formally announced their intention to abolish Lincolnshire District and County Councils by the end of this parliament which will probably entail elections to a new Unitary council in 2027.  The Mayoral & County council elections will proceed as planned on May 1st this year.

LCC is consulting on a 3% council tax increase for next year. The future will be more challenging with the government diverting money from rural areas to urban.

Flood teams remain very busy but the resolution of Irnham Road problems remain in the highways programme. 

3. The Draft Minutes of the meeting held on Jan 14^th 2024 were amended as follows: “Another resident raised the issue of rubbish bins, especially on the new estate/s and also generally in the village” and then approved unanimously.
4. Councillors’ Declarations of Interest:
5. Review of Action Log:

O/F: Chevron signs – still under investigation.

O/F: Cllr Hill reports that weeds have bene sprayed and grass ‘sided’.

24/12/15: Terms of Reference for Staffing Committee: in progress

25/01/23: Cllr Shepperson to purchase cones as agreed.

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

01 Neighbourhood Planning: The clerk shared the update from the working group with the meeting – to be posted on the web site.

02 S106 funds from new developments: The clerk summarised the position:

The applications for a mower for the Bowls Club had been refused – this is being looked into further with Cllr Robins. The applications for SIDs for A151 & Swinstead Road & replacement swing uprights had been accepted. There is still a balance in the DWH fund of £7,886. The Chair suggested the mower issue can be re-visited at the next S106 working group.

After some discussion, it was agreed unanimously that the SIDs should be located as planned.

It was agreed unanimously that the SIDs and swing uprights should be ordered now by Cllr Shepperson (SIDs) & the clerk (swing uprights).

The data obtained from the existing SIDs was discussed and some statistics quoted. Further statistics will be published in due course.

03 Emergency Planning: No progress.

04 Leaflet with useful contacts etc: Cllrs had been circulated with the draft. Comments to be emailed to Cllr Shepperson by 18^th Feb (1 week hence). The Chair suggested hard copies be distributed.

05 Issues associated with the new housing estates – sewerage issues: Cllr Waumsley reported that the smell is still present, despite dosing apparently being carried out on both Allison & DWH sites. This has been reported to Anglian Water who will install odour loggers. There has been no effective response from Environmental Health. Cllr Waumsley will continue to monitor & agreed to escalate as appropriate.

06 State of Trees / Progress on tree tags: Deferred til tree inspection

07 Purchase of 30mph signs – update: Ordered. Clerk had attempted to arrange collection / delivery but had been unable to contact LRSP.

08 Consider opening an interest-bearing account for reserves: It was agreed unanimously that the clerk should open an interest-bearing account with Nat West in order that the reserves will gain interest.

09 Consider suitable recognition of past service: The council requested Cllr Baker to proceed.

10 Consider the condition of flags / replacement? In progress

11 Agree action re Parking on the Green: Cllr Walsingham recommended that the council should join the Open Spaces Society (OSS) – cost £45 pa – which would provide access to current legal advice. This was agreed unanimously. Cllr Walsingham is finalising a statement for the web site clarifying the position regarding the Green based on previous legal advice and historical records.

It was reported that parents of primary school children have recently been parking on the Green. It was agreed unanimously to request the clerk to write to the school requesting that parents do not do so.

Members of the council & the community group have been working to improve the Green.

12 Agree responsibility for Community Speed Watch (CSW): Cllr Mardling is arranging an initial meeting to re-start the group.

13 Consider matters concerning social media: Cllr Green will review the web site and update outdated information.

14 Agree action regarding cementing of village pump: The clerk was requested to obtain 3 quotes to repair.

7. Matters to be resolved:

15 Consider new contract for grass maintenance: The clerk had circulated 3 quotes. The council agreed unanimously to accept the quote from Malc Firth Landscapes, and requested the clerk to arrange a meeting on site to ensure the new contractor is familiar with the site.

16 Agree process for obtaining / distributing sandbags: A publicly accessible site is sought for storage. The resident of the Sawmill offered their site.  Chair will investigate an option and thought of location ideas for all Council chattels is needed.

8. Reports from:

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

S22/0731 Allison Homes / S21/1841 David Wilson Homes / S22/1808 Nott’m Housing Assoc’n)

S24/2193 Mr Tom Wire – The Sawmill – Station Rd – Retrospective change of use to work units:
Further discussions with residents and the applicants, with Chair’s permission for fairly time-limited contribution. The council welcomes more employment opportunities in the village but is mindful of the potential impact on local residents and road safety issues. Clerk to circulate response for Cllrs comments before responding to SKDC.

S21/2303 – New Development: Plot naming. Potential for confusion between the proposed ‘Glen View’ and West Glen Way (NCHA site), and the proposed ‘Mill Field House’ and existing Mill House.

S24/2000 – New Development: Utilities connection/s under The Green: Clerk to ask Anglian Water for plans of the location of pipework under the Green and A151 / Tanners Lane.

Greens Working Group:

17 Playground Equipment Maintenance: Some of the planks on the picnic table need replacing.

9. 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.

10. Matters to be further discussed at the meeting:

18 Location / emptying of rubbish bins throughout the village: A resident suggested moving one of the bins in the square to the top of St John’s Drive. It is clear that there is a need for a bin at the top of St John’s, but the bin in the square serves the bus stop so should remain. Clerk to ask SKDC about emptying a potential new bin at the top of St John’s Drive, and to check with LCC highways as to whether this would be permissible.

19 Consider the situation regarding floodlighting of the Willoughby Gallery: A resident reported that the floodlights had been purchased in the past by the Parish Council. Consideration to be given in the first instance to replacing the light bulbs with more efficient ones. Cllrs to investigate if current bulbs could be replaced with more efficient ones; Chair suggested a community poll on financial year 25-26 spend on this if costs cannot be reduced with better bulbs.

20 Agree resolution to email issues: Now appears resolved.

21 Consider support for suggested weight limit on Tanners Lane / Irnham Road / [Irnham/Hawthorpe/Bulby/Kirkby Underwood] / A15 route: Request from out of parish resident. Chair suggested a community poll but Cllrs believed that any such weight limit would not be complied with and could not be effectively enforced so a poll not required. Thinking was that heavy vehicles would still need access to visit concerns en route and any road signs would reflect that.

22 Consider use of polls to gather community views.  Thinking was that when a poll was suggested by a Cllr, and timing needed before next Council meeting, Cllrs could make this happen with majority approval.

23 Consider request for Dawson brothers’ memorial tree to be planted on The Green: The Council apologises for any unintentional upset to the applicant by the suggestion that the tree be planted at the Ron Dawson Memorial Hall.  Cllrs have no objection to the tree being planted on the Green, providing a suitable site can be found. Cllrs suggest near the flagpole / beacon.

24 Consider ‘re-wilding’ areas around the village: The proposal is for the grass in the areas along in very narrow margins at the riverside and at the bottom of St Johns Drive to be allowed to grow rather than being mowed regularly. It is appreciated that incorrect terminology had been used – this is not true re-wilding. Cllr Walsingham will mark the area to be left with stakes in time for next mowing or new contractor meetings / instruction & respond to the resident’s email on the subject. Further marginal long growth in other areas and true re-wilding might be considered in the future.

25 Confirm design for ‘Lest We Forget’ Memorial bench: The design proposed by Cllr Waumsley with the plaque was agreed unanimously. The possibility of a donation to a suitable charity as no memorial bench will be actually purchased was debated. To be reconsidered at the time of Remembrance Day.

26 Appoint internal auditor / arrangements for external audit: It was agreed unanimously to re-appoint Additions Accounting as the council’s internal auditor at the rate notified.

The clerk reported that in previous years the council had been exempt from external audit as the year’s income had been less than £25,000. With the additional S106 funds, this year’s income will exceed the threshold; the council’s accounts will therefore be subject to external audit by the governments’ nominated external auditor at a cost of £210.

11. Next meeting:

The next regular meeting will take place on Wednesday March 12^th 2025 at 7.30pm in the Willoughby Memorial Gallery, Corby Glen. District & County Councillors will be advised of the day change.

Meeting closed at 9.36pm.                                                                                                            Mrs. Sue Woodman – Parish Clerk

Action Log 11^th February 2024 – TO BE UPDATED PRIOR TO NEXT MEETING going forward.