November 2023 Minutes
TORKSEY PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES
AN ORDINARY MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL held on Monday 20th November 2023 beginning at 7.30 pm. St Peter’s Church, Main Street, Torksey
01. Those Present.
Cllr F. Bridges. Chairman.
Cllr L. Levitt.
Cllr S. Johnson.
Cllr N. Large.
Cllr S. Scawthon.
Cllr R. Ford.
Mr R. Pilgrim. Parish Clerk. District Councillor.
Mr A. Robinson. Member of the Public. Emergency Plan.
Mr K. Connelley. Member of the public. Croquet Club.
02. Apologies for absence
Cllr M. Burke: Having been informed of the reason for his absence, Council approved his apologies for absence.
03. Declarations of Interest.
None received.
04. Approval of the Minutes of the last Meeting held on Monday 16th October 2023.
Resolved. That the Minutes of the last meeting, held on Monday 26th October 2023, be approved as a true record.
Proposed Cllr Large. Seconded Cllr Levitt. Carried unanimously.
05. Matters arising from the Minutes of the last meeting and not included in this agenda.
None received.
06. Amendments to the agenda by Resolution.
A complaint (Torksey 0123.11) has been received from a member of the Parish Council.
The complaint will be dealt with under Council’s adopted Complaints Procedure.
The Clerk outlined the terms of the Policy, and each Councillor was given a copy of the Procedure for information.
The date of the extraordinary meeting to deal with the complaint was fixed as follows.
Monday 11th December 2023, at St Peter’s Church Torksey, Beginning at 7.30 pm.
The meeting will be conducted in closed session, the public and press being excluded from the meeting.
07. Emergency Plan.
a. Contact with Cove Communities.
The Clerk has been inContact with Cove Communities. An emergency plan for the Elms has been inherited by Cove Communities, but it is badly out of date.
A copy of the template approved by Lincolnshire County Council has been sent to Cove Communities for their reference.
Cove Communities are willing to enter into joint meetings with the Parish Council to produce a plan for the Parish.
b. Formation of a subcommittee.
A committee has been formed to deal with details of the existing Parish Emergency Plan.
Resolved. That a committee be formed to deal with updating of the 2018 plan.
Proposed Cllr Bridges. Seconded Cllr Scawthon. Carried unanimously.
Members of the committee are as follows.
Cllr F. Bridges. Cllr N. Large. Cllr S. Scawthon. Mr A. Robinson. (Resident of the Elms).
The first meeting will be held on Wednesday 22nd November 2023, at the White Swan public House, beginning at 7.00 pm.
The Clerk will inform Cove Communities of the arrangements thus far.
08. Purchase of Land for the Cemetery Extension.
Confirmation of the land agreed for purchase. Marked map to be returned to Council’s Solicitors.
Resolved. That the land marked on the Land Registry map is the land formerly agreed with the landowner for purchase.
Proposed Cllr Large. Seconded Cllr Bridges. Carried unanimously.
09. Condition of the Railway Embankment and the question of ownership.
Council has been informed that the owner of the Station Road embankment lives in Sturton by Stow.
The Clerk will contact Sturton by Stow Parish Council to see if they are willing to forward an address for the landowner.
The Clerk will contact Sustrans for their intentions concerning the replacement of the bridge.
10. CSW Group. Replace or refurbish the Camera.
The camera has been returned after refurbishment and re calibration.
11. Events in St Peter’s Church.
a. FilmBankMedia. Film night. (Cllr L. Levitt).
The Clerk has noticed that FilmBankMedia offer a virtual screening service where people can watch the films in the comfort of their own homes, but as a group.
This may be something which the Parish Council could sponsor along with showing in St Peter’s Church.
Cllr Levitt has offered to look at the service and report back at the next meeting. Monday 18th December 2023.
12. Information Kiosk. Cost of refurbishment. (Cllr Levitt).
Council agreed that the cost of refurbishment is too high.
A lower cost maintenance of the paintwork, together with replacement of the glass which is missing or damaged was decided as the best way forward.
The Clerk will try to find a glazier to replace the damaged or missing glass.
The Clerk will forward details of the West Lindsey District Council plan for the supply and maintenance of a defibrillator to Councillors for discussion at the next meeting. Monday 18th December 2023.
13. Village Green.
a. Monthly Inspection.
No new issues reported.
b. Special Motion: Relating to Item 24.10 of the October 23 Minutes. Shelter for electors.
The Councillors, who duly signed the letter as per standing order 7 have discussed the matter informally and have agreed that the request from Electors warrants further discussion. We believe that a permanent shelter should be provided to meet the needs of electors using the village green. We so move.
Resolved. That the above Motion be included in the next meeting’s agenda. Monday 18th December 2023.
Proposed Cllr Bridges. Seconded Cllr Johnson.
Resolved. That in the interim the signatories should produce material for a community consultation concerning the provision of a pedestrian shelter for the Village Green.
c. EIBE: Play Fort maintenance and Painting. (Cllr N. Large).
Cllr Large has had no reply from EIBE concerning the cost of replacing some of the worn elements of the Play Fort. He will contact them again.
The Clerk will also contact EIBE for a progress report.
d. Sponsored event on the village green for July 2024.
• Confirm date as either 13th July 2023 or 20th July 2023.
Resolved. That the date of the event on the village green should be Saturday 13th July 2024.
Proposed Cllr Scawthon. Seconded Cllr Ford. Carried unanimously.
Councillor Ford will contact Sparkes Circus for confirmation of the date’s availability.
e. Bridge. There are cracks in the support of the bridge.
Trent Valley Internal Drainage Board are aware of the problem, which is not part of the load bearing structure of the bridge. TVIDB will monitor the situation for future developments.
f. Issues with the fencing around the bridge.
TVIDB regard the fencing as jointly owned by themselves and the Parish Council. The Clerk will arrange for completion of the work during early part 2024.
g. Pond. Maintenance of the water level. Policy for the future.
After some discussion it was decided that should it be necessary to pump water into the pond, and Reedman Services are not available, a contractor should be employed to do the work.
h. Damage to the Village Green. Activity by rabbits.
Resolved. That the Clerk contact the mole man, and the owner of the field next to the village green, for access to the burrow.
Proposed Cllr Bridges. Seconded Cllr Johnson. Carried unanimously.
14. Highways Issues.
Grass cutting along the A156. Western Vege, Torksey Bridge to Torksey Village.
The banking along the A156 has been cut back, so opening up the full width of the footpath.
15. Traffic Calming.
a. Street Furniture. Gateways. North end of the village. (Cllr S. Scawthon).
The position of the signs has been agreed with Highways.
Cllr Butroid has agreed to send the “application to install” forms to the Clerk.
16. Health and Safety.
a. Village Green. No issues reported.
b. Cemetery. No issues reported.
c. Play Area. No new issues reported.
RoSPA Play Safety Reports August 2023. The contents have been noted. Many of the points will be dealt with by EIBE once a quotation for the work has been received.
17. The Parish. (Cllr Large).
The Parish is now ready to be sent to the printers.
Cllr Scawthon has volunteered to pick them up when completed.
18. Facebook Page.
Material will be uploaded as and when needed.
19. Finance.
a. Financial Statement October 2023.
Resolved. That the above Financial Statement be approved as a true record.
Proposed Cllr Johnson. Seconded Cllr Bridges. Carried unanimously.
b. Clerk’s Salary and Expenses. October 2023. £322.05
Resolved. That the Clerk’s Salary and Expenses be approved for payment.
Proposed Cllr Ford. Seconded Cllr Levitt. Carried unanimously.
c. Invoices for payment November 2023.
HMRC PAYE £70.00
Burton Dyson Solicitors. £450.00
Continental Landscapes. £504.00
Continental Landscapes. £252.00
Reedman Services. £211.42
Clarke A Mole Control. £140.00
Resolved. That the above expenditure at 29.19.c be approved for payment.
Proposed Cllr Ford. Seconded Cllr Bridges. Carried unanimously.
d. Budget figures for the Precept claim 2024-2025.
Resolved. That the Precept Clain for 2024-2025 will be £16500.00.
20. Correspondence.
No comments.
21. Future Agenda Items.
Defibrillator: West Lindsey District Council Scheme.
Volunteers to help out with jobs around the Parish.
Grass Cutting Contractor for the 2024 season.
22. Dates for Future Meetings.
Monday 18th December 2023
Monday 19th February 2023
Monday 18th March 2023.
23. Closure of the meeting.
There being no further business the meeting was closed at 2120 hrs. (9.20 pm).
R. Pilgrim.
Clerk to Torksey Parish Council.