January 2024 Minutes
Minutes of Parish Council Meeting on 4 January 2024 held at Westborough Village Hall at 7.30 pm
Present Cllrs B Lett (Chair), T Arnold, J Ford, J Forman, County Cllr A Maughan, the clerk W McCallin and 5 members of the public.
01/24 Public Forum Comments included: leaving scrap metal for ad hoc collection and the alternatives, Westborough flooding.
02/24 Apologies were received from Cllrs A Durham, and District Cllr P Wood.
03/24 Minutes of the meeting on 12 October were confirmed by council and signed by the Chair.
04/24 Declaration of Pecuniary Interests None
05/24 Flooding in Westborough in October
a) Storm Babet on 20 October caused the River Witham banks to burst flooding 6 properties and cutting off normal access to 25 other dwellings. No flood alert was given to vulnerable residents and only a general alert on 18 October. The river level hit the footbridge near the church that then acted as dam deflecting water into the village. The Parish Council resolved to
a) form a working group to see what we can achieve locally. Cllrs Forman and Arnold will form a working group;
b) contact LCC regarding raising or modifying the footbridge
c) to lobby the Environment Agency for improved channel clearance of the river.
d) Council resolved to accept SKDC offer of sand and sandbags.
06/24 Allotments
There is a long-term tenancy on the Charity Poor’s land in Dry Doddington and other options can be explored if there is demand for ‘affordable allotments’.
07/24 Parish Mowing
Council resolved to accept the LCC highways mowing scheme payment for 3 cuts.
Mowing charges by SKDC for Dry Doddington Green are still to be confirmed.
08/24 Highways
- Litter pick dates were agreed as Sunday 25 Feb with 10 March as a reserve. Cllr Forman to co-ordinate Westborough and Cllr Birnage to co-ordinate Dry Doddington.
- Work on Hougham Road, Dry Doddington is scheduled. Part of Clensey Lane may be done at the same time or else done in sections in the future.
09/24 Finance
a) Council approved budget for 2024-25
b) Council unanimously resolve the precept for 2024-25 to remain at £2700.
c) Council approved payment for LALC training course for £24,
Payment has been received from LCC mowing for £680.81, Westborough Village Hall donation of £1335.00, SKDC Community Cleaner grant £463.32, HMRC VAT reclaim £579.34, Copley solar to be chased.
Payments made for volunteer thank you’s for Green and village maintenance £142.25, SKDC for mowing £254.11, Prestigious developments for 5 tonnes sand and 200 sand bags £350+VAT.
d) Council confirmed Parish Council details for Melton Mowbray Building Society account.
10/24 County Councillors report - County Cllr Maughan reported on the proposed devolution for Lincolnshire and budget implications, LCC consultation on electric cars.
11/24 Clerk’s report
a) Cllr S Woodward has resigned today.
b) Trustees for Poor’s land charity are still to be appointed.
12/24 Public Forum The clerk’s salary remaining unchanged was commented on.
13/24 Matters for urgent discussion
a) The vacancy for Cllr will be advertised in the newsletter with expressions of interest invited by the end of February.
14/24 Date of next meeting confirmed as – Thursday 7 March 2024, 7.30pm, Dry Doddington Village Hall. The meeting closed at 9.00 pm
SIGNED DATE