16 April 2019 - Annual Parish Meeting
Middle Rasen Parish Council
Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting on 16/4/19
Present:- Mr M Stamp (Chairman), Mr D Pattison, Mrs G Dennis, Mrs J Ranby, Mr M O’Connor,
Mr J Padley and Mrs J Trotter (Clerk)
Visitors:- None.
1) Apologies for Absence:- Cllrs S Smith and Cllr P Dawson
Resolved: To accept apologies from Councillors listed above.
2) To approve minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on 17th April 2018:-
The minutes were signed as a true record.
Resolved: To approve draft minutes.
3) Chairman’s Report:-
Council Members:
Council Membership has remained stable over the course of the year, however Cllr Sue Smith will not be standing in the May 2019 elections.
We thank her very much for her service to the Parish Council and wish her well in the future, she will be sadly missed. The remaining members of the Parish Council will stand for re-election in May and I thank you all for your service to the Council over the last four years.
Planning Applications:
29 Applications – increase of 8 than 2018. The increase in numbers is due in no small part to the number of applicants who make multiple resubmissions. The Parish Council continue to be frustrated with planning decisions by West Lindsey District Council, who appear to have scant regard of the views of the Parish Councillors. A letter has been lodged with both West Lindsey District Council and Chestnut Homes regarding the Parish Council’s concerns regarding an increase in flooding, once building begins on the large Caistor Road development, coupled with concerns regarding volume of traffic using George Street.
Grants:
Rase Heritage Society - £100.00
Middle Rasen Village Hall - £1000.00
Middle Rasen District Horticultural Society - £200.00
Middle Rasen Charity Gala - £230.00
Middle Rasen PCC Community Magazine - £250.00
Poppy Appeal - £50.00
Precept:
Following last year’s rise in Precept, which was the first rise in 6 years by the Council, it has become clear that the Parish Council will need to make a further rise in Precept, and for 2019-20 the Precept will be raised to £18,000 - a rise of £1000.00. The Parish Council took this decision after serious consideration, and after a period of review of the necessary spending, whilst being mindful of the political climate, which currently sees the devolution of more services from Local Authority level to Parish level.
Contractors
A big thank you to both Green Grass Contracting and Lincolnshire Landscapes for their work over the year. These contracts were reviewed early in order to ensure fiscal prudence in budget setting, and the Council are pleased to report that both contractors have been awarded contracts to cover 19-20 and 20-21.
Lincolnshire County Council will continue to provide a twice yearly safety cut on amenity grass sites within the parish.
Winter Weather contracting arrangements were arranged but unnecessary due to relatively mild winter.
Parish Maintenance
The new noticeboard purchased in 18-19 for The Furlongs Estate, was repeatedly vandalised over the year, and the Parish Council made the sad, but necessary decision to move this noticeboard to Wilkinson Drive. A further new noticeboard for The Brambles Estate will be erected to replace the current wooden noticeboard in 2019.
The flood alleviation scheme for the A631 was undertaken this year, and whilst the works have ensured flooding in this area of the Parish is now resolved, the scheme was not without its issues. Thank you to all the Parish Councillors for their patience in this matter, who dealt with Parishioner concerns professionally and respectfully.
The Council is working with a cluster of neighbouring parishes to implement a new speed limit and signage system on the A46 Caistor/Top Road to try and stem the number of fatalities in this area. Thanks go to Cllr Pattison for his work on this project.
Thanks also to both our Lincolnshire County Councillor and West Lindsey District Councillor for their continued support of both the Council, and the parishioners - particularly with regard to planning and highways issues.
Thanks to the Clerk for her hard work over the year.
4) Financial Report:-
The Clerk presented the financial overview for the year 2018-19 to the meeting. Overspends and underspends were issued, and there were no queries. The financial information will be available to view on the website as per regulations, and the Council will file an exemption certificate given that Council spending for the 2018-19 period remained under £25,000. The public rights notice will be placed in line with regulations.
The Clerk reported to the Council that 1 freedom of information request had been received from a member of the public and that a template has been devised which will be displayed on the website.
Councillors thanked the Clerk for her diligence with the accounts.
5) Open Meeting
No comments were forthcoming.
There being no other business the meeting closed at 7.15pm.
Date……………….....…. Signed…………………………………… (Chairman)