March 2024 Minutes
NORTON DISNEY PARISH COUNCIL
A meeting of the Parish Council was held on Monday 18th March 2024 in the Village Hall.
Those attending were:
Parish Councillors
Vanessa Hall
Clive Moles
Roy Husemeyer
Pat Gibson
Tracey Whitton
The Parish Clerk
M Salmon
County and District Councillors
District Cllr Mary Green
Apologies for absence
County Cllr Marianne Overton
Minutes of the previous meeting
Minutes of the Parish meeting held on 16th January 2024 were signed as a true and correct record.
Matters arising
The Clerk reported that he had taken up the issue of possible weight restrictions on some parish roads with Lincolnshire Highways, but this has had to be deferred because LCC doesn’t have an approved policy on the matter at present.
He also confirmed that it will be the Parish Council’s responsibility to maintain the new Parish signs and gates and that the new ‘dog waste bin’ had recently been delivered and will be placed close to The Green Man for the use of dog walkers using the nearby footpath.
County & District Councillors’ Reports
County Cllr Marianne Overton’s and District Cllr Mary Green’s monthly reports had been circulated prior the meeting to which District Cllr Mary Green added a few material comments.
Fosse Green Energy update
Cllr Husemeyer reported that the Steering committee’s ‘open-minded’ view on the building of solar panel farms and their use for generating green energy had started to change somewhat because the use of prime agricultural land on such an industrial scale could have a detrimental effect on the nation’s ability to feed itself, if unchecked.
The next Steering Group’s meeting was scheduled for March 27th. However, Fosse Green Energy had recently announced that further public consultations on their revised proposals would not now take place until the autumn, rather than the spring as originally intended.
Anti social behaviour on Bridlepath off Newark Road
Roxanne Burkitt at Grove Farm, Newark road had reported this issue to the Clerk shortly before the meeting where, firstly, cars are arriving on the bridlepath opposite Norton Disney Lodge, revving engines and playing loud music whilst probably conducting illicit ‘business’ and, secondly, off-road bikers with no number plates come at weekends and use the bridlepath for access to the Forestry Commission’s woodland behind Breedon’s quarry, which has recently been clear felled.
After discussion, it was agreed that District Cllr Green would speak to Heidi @ NKDC regarding the possibility of siting a CCTV in the vicinity, and to the Forestry Commission about access to their Wood. The Clerk has also taken up the matter with the relevant department @ LCC.
Electric vehicle charger locations
A circular letter from LCC asking for possible sites for the above in the village was discussed. The general view was that they would be preferrable in urban locations rather than in small villages.
Planning Applications and Decisions in the period 17/01/24 – 17/03/24
Applications
24/0034/VARCON – Hill Holt Wood’ application to vary condition 8 ( occupancy restriction ) of planning permission 17/1544/FUL.
Financial Report.
As at 28/02/2024 funds in the Community account stood at £4298.76 having made payments of £109.49 in February and receiving £348.00 from E Gill & Sons, Funeral Directors. Funds held in the Skipton Building Society as at 12/03/2024 were £8514.02. The interest rate was increased to 3.59%
Subsequent to the meeting, the Councillors have agreed to retain Richard Casburn as the cemetery grasscutter for another season at the same price as the previous one.
Councillors comments / AOB
Cllr Husemeyer clarified the status, nature and purpose of Parish Cluster meetings in response to a question raised by a member of the public at an earlier parish meeting. They are arranged on a voluntary, rather than a statutory basis to consider and discuss matters of mutual interest. Attendance is limited to 2 delegates from each parish, being the Chair of each Parish Council and either the Clerk or one other Councillor. In order to preserve the nature and purpose of the meetings, they are not open to the public, nor are the minutes of these meetings published.
Cllr Gibson raised the issue of recent winter floods on the river Witham leading to vehicles crossing Scotwater bridge being unable to distinguish the road verges and subsequently driving into the adjacent ditch on several occasions. Flooding on the S bend leaving the village on Swinderby road was also mentioned. Both matters have been brought to the Highways attention.
Cllr Moles updated the meeting on progress of and future planned work for both Norton Disney History & Archaeology Group and Bomber County Gateway Trust. He also asked who was responsible for replacing the recently felled diseased ash tree on Main Street.
Next Meeting
The date of the Annual Parish meeting followed by the next Parish Council meeting has been arranged for Monday 20th May @ 7pm.There being no further business, the meeting was declared closed @ 20.15 hrs.