Minutes 2025

WADDINGTON PARISH COUNCIL

                                       MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

                                       HELD ON 13th JANUARY 2025

                                       IN THE COMMUNITY HUB

Present:        Councillors:              Barling, Bayston, Carcass, Forrester, Gallagher,

    Mrs Hopkins, Hadfield, Sanders (Chair),

    Tennant, Richardson, Williams

Clerk:                   Mrs Smith, Mrs Mumby

OFFICIAL BUSINESS OF THE COUNCIL

A minute silence was held in memory of District Councillor Peter Burley

1.   Apologies for absence. (Reasons to be given to the Clerk in advance of the meeting)

Apologies were received from Cllr Hurst due to family commitments, and Cllr Wilson who was at work.

It was proposed by Cllr Sanders and seconded by Cllr Mrs Hopkins that they accept the apologies and reasons for absence.

All agreed.  Carried.

2.   Declarations of interest for any agenda item.

Cllr Sanders declared a prejudicial interest in agenda item 8.

3.  Signing of the minutes.  To accept the Clerk’s notes from the meeting held on 9th December 2024.

It was proposed by Cllr Barling and seconded by Cllr Mrs Hopkins that the minutes of 9th December were a true record of the meeting, and they were agreed to be signed.

9 Agreed, 2 Abstention Carried.

4.   Finance

a)   Monthly finance report – to receive and accept the monthly finance report.

It was proposed by Cllr Gallagher and seconded by Cllr Richardson that the finance reports be accepted.

All agreed.  Carried.

b)   Authorising of the payments. To resolve to authorise the BACS payments listed by the RFO and certify invoices.

It was proposed by Cllr Richardson and seconded by Cllr Bayston that the BACS payments and invoices could be signed.

All agreed.  Carried.

5.   Clerks Report and Correspondence.

The Clerk informed that she would like to purchase a litterbug turbo 770 pedestrian sweeper, for the handymen to use around the shopping areas, to help sweep up the small bits of litters that are difficult to pick up with the litter pickers.

It was proposed by Cllr Gallagher and seconded by Cllr Mrs Hopkins that they go ahead and purchase a litterbug turbo 770.

10 agreed, 1 abstention.  Carried.

An email has been received from LCC regarding their budget, this email has been forwarded to all the councillors for their information.

An email has been received from NKDC regarding consultation on a Heritage Strategy, this email has been forwarded to all the councillors for their information. 

The Clerk informed that she had received an email from Cllr Collins informing that he was resigning, as he was being posted to another RAF base.

The boiler in the Village Hall stopped working during the Christmas period.  It was established that it was the pump, they had managed to get it back up and running for the time being, but a new pump has been ordered.  As it is a commercial part it will cost over £1,000.

6.   Matters arising from the last meeting.  Only for discussion.

None.

7.   Arrange dates for future meetings.

a)   Annual Parish Meeting. 

It was agreed to have the meeting on the 31st March at 6.30pm in the Village Hall.  Suggested speakers were Lindum, Community Emergency Plan team or the Chief Constable.

b)   Sub-Committee of the Community Emergency Plan.

It was agreed to have the meeting at 6pm on the 10th February, prior to the Parish Council Meeting.

c)   Sub-committee of the Summer Fair.

It was agreed to hold the meeting at 6pm on the 10th March, prior to the Parish Council Meeting.

It was also agreed to hold a Planning meeting on Monday 27th January at 6pm, to discuss some plans that had come in.

Cllr Sanders left the meeting.

8.   Annual Grass Cutting Contract.  To discuss the grass cutting for the upcoming year.

Cllr Barling chaired the meeting for this item.

The cutting of the grass verges is remaining with L S Services. 

Despite meeting with four companies, the Clerk had received two quotes for the grass cutting of the burial ground, Grantham Road Playing Field, Sidney Hall Field and Redwood Drive Field.

It was proposed by Cllr Bayston and seconded by Cllr Hadfield that they go with J Wallis to cut the burial ground at £190 per cut and L S Services to do the rest at £875 per cut.

10 Agreed, 1 Abstention.  Carried.

Cllr Sanders re-entered the meeting.

9.  Office Computers.  To discuss replacing the office computers.

The Clerk informed that the computers were 7 years old, and that recently they had been having some problems with them.  They had returned to work after Christmas to one computer not working at all, and it had taken some hours to get it up and running.

It was proposed by Cllr Gallagher and seconded by Cllr Mrs Hopkins that they give the Clerk power to deal, up to £1,000 per computer.

All agreed. Carried.

10.   Urgent matters for attention – Items which the Chairman is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency due to special circumstances.

The Chairman asked Cllr Williams for an update on the Ridges and Furrows Artwork.

Cllr Williams informed that due to family commitment he hadn’t been able to progress much further.  He had contacted some contractors to do the repairs, but they were not interested. 

Some helpful suggestions were made by other councillors for him to look at.

11.   Date of the next meeting.  Monday 10th February 2025 in the Community Hub.

Meeting closed at 8.35pm.

Open Forum

County Councillor

Cllr Dyer informed that to date there was no update on the North Hykeham Relief Road, they don’t expect to hear anything to May/June.  However, LCC were carrying on to their schedule.

Thursday last week on Station Road, Anglian Water had closed the road due to Health & Safety reasons, they will be fined £500 for unauthorised road closure. 

Flooding last week, there had been some flooding in Waddington but no internal flooding, but close. 

LCC are carrying out a public consultation on the budget, they can raise it up by 5% but they are proposing a 3% rise.

Cllr Gallagher asked about the repairs to the bus shelter on Grantham Road by Tinkers Lane.  As there was now a hole in the roof.

Cllr Dyer informed that he had not been able to find the person that had contacted the Clerk, but he had spoken to Deon Fischer at LCC, who had asked if the council would like to replace the bus shelter with a new one, in keeping with the others in the village.

District Councillors

Cllr Pennell sent his apologies.

Cllr Sanders informed that NKDC had extended the time on the offer of free trees.  The refurbished market place in Sleaford is now open.

Cllr Cooper sent his apologies.