October 2023 Minutes
Wyberton PARISH COUNCIL
Mrs Val Austin, Clerk, Wyberton Community Centre, 295 London Road, Wyberton, PE21 7DE
Telephone: 01205 351450
Email: clerk@wyberton-pc.gov.uk
Minutes taken by The Clerk Mrs Val Austin, for the Parish Council meeting at Wyberton Parish Council, which was held on Wednesday 11th October 2023 at 7pm in Wyberton Community Centre
(These minutes will be checked at the next meeting before the council amends/approves them as a correct record)
Present: Cllr Jason Stevenson (Acting Chair), Cllr Richard Austin, Cllr John Smith, Cllr Heather Ainsworth, Cllr Steve Slater, Cllr Maxine Stones & the Clerk Val Austin.
The meeting was called to order at 19:02pm
1. Chairman to open meeting: Hello & thank you for coming on this cold and wet windy night.
2. Apologies for absence: To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Clerk prior to the meeting:
• Cllr Mike Sharp (Chair) – Absent due to holiday.
3. Public Forum: To resolve to suspend the meeting for a maximum of 10 minutes to allow members of the public to ask questions or make short statements to the council.
• No members of the public were present.
4. Declarations of interest (if any): To receive declarations of interest under the Localism Act 2011 – being any pecuniary interest in agenda items not previously recorded on Members’ Register of Interests: - No Interests declared
5. Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Wednesday 13th September 2023- To resolve as a correct record and to authorise the Chairman to sign the official minutes.
• Cllr Hev Ainsworth proposed and Cllr John Smith seconded for the minutes to be signed by Chairman Cllr Jason Stevenson.
• Cllr Steve Slater, asked if the two councillor vacancies had been advertised. The Clerk advised that the vacancies are on the website and noticeboard in the community centre, and that the councillors are free to spread the word.
• Cllr Richard Austin, updated the councillors with the felling of dangerous tree at the church, and thanked the parish council for their contribution towards the cost of the removal of the tree.
6. Lincolnshire County and Boston Borough Councillors – Reports to be sent to The Clerk before the meeting.
a) Cllr Mrs Alison Austin: Not present- Report send via email before the meeting, see annex A below.
b) Cllr Mr Richard Austin:
• Boston Borough Council have received £20 million from Central Government, for the councils that have been left behind.
• Increase in traffic on West End Road, the road requires a new traffic count, this should be judged when the new store opens.
• Wyberton Primary School are looking for a school crossing person (lollipop), can the Parish council help with the advertising of the position. The clerk to contact the school.
• Cllr Steve Slater, mentioned that FIXMYSTREET items are not being actioned quick enough.
• Cllr Steve Slater, asking if the speed limit along Fen Road can be reduced to 50mph to 40mph instead of the current 60mph to 40mph. The clerk to contact highways.
c) Cllr Mr Chris Mountain: Not present, no report issued.
7. Update from the Community Centre Committee meeting held on 9th August 2023
a. The Clerk to get quotes for a built-in noticeboard at the front of the community centre.
– Ongoing
b. For safety issues, the clerk to find out prices of extra security cameras around the community centre.
• Received a quote from GBSG for £2499.10 plus VAT for updated security cameras and new CCTV unit.
• Cllr Hev Ainsworth proposed and Cllr John Smith seconded, with all councillors in agreement to accept the quote.
• The clerk to contact GBSG to arrange for the installation.
• The councillors also agreed for the intruder alarm and tags to be re-set and re added, due to security purposes. The clerk to action.
8: Update on Items from previous agendas:
A: LHP Land Parthian Avenue Village Green / Play Area – Ongoing – Awaiting one further quote and the outcome of the grant request.
• Cllr Steve Slater has been in contact with LHP, ongoing.
b: Footway Lighting – Update:
Cllr Richard Austin, has contacted the other parish councils, to arrange a meeting.
The Clerk contacted BBC and received the original letter and the signed agreement from WPC, stating they would take on the footway lights.
• Cllr Richard Austin, nothing further to report on this, other than a light out along West End Road, which is taped up. Who is responsible for this?
• Cllr Steve Slater to contact the home owner where the light is situated to find out what happened to the light. Cllr Slater to report back at month’s meeting.
c: Website – Update – Cllr Jason Stevenson to update on progress.
• Cllr Jason Stevenson has mentioned that he has been in contact with DNA and should have a response by Thursday 12th October.
d. The Memorial Plaque: - The Clerk emailed the councillors with the companies that do Brass plaques and the costs, to agree on the company to use.
• All councillors in agreement to use Hutson’s for the plaque, this will not be brass, it will now be the recommended aluminium composite with digital print.
• The clerk to contact Hutson’s to arrange.
e. Wyberton Parish Gates: The clerk contacted Highways LCC to confirm the positioning of the gates, received a response to confirm that the gates are in the Wyberton Parish and they are not meant to be a boundary sign.
This item has now been resolved, unless Frampton PC make a formal complaint to Highways LCC.
• Frampton Parish Council emailed the Chair Mike Sharp, advising they have rejected the two solutions to the gates, Cllr Mike Sharp to reply on his return.
9: Councillors to discuss & resolve the following items:
9:1. Councillor Allowance – To discuss and resolve
All councillors to have a set amount of £500, to spend without prior permission from full council, the spending should be used for legitimate reasons and within the council powers. Example, powers to spend on flowers for the parish. (Request for payment via the clerk)
• All councillors resolved the councillor allowance.
• Cllr Maxine Stones, asked if the allowance can cover funding of Hi Viz Vests for the primary school at Wyberton. The clerk to look into and get advice from LALC.
9:1.1 To agree to have £250 per councillor for the remaining six months of the financial year
• All councillors in agreement (resolved) to start from October for the remaining six months.
9:2. Wyberton Recognition Award Scheme – To discuss and resolve – Cllr S Slater
Reward scheme for individuals /groups/businesses, that make a difference in the village
• Cllr Steve Slater, mentioned that there is a lot of good work going on in Wyberton and the volunteers are not recognised for the work they do in the village. There should be different levels of recognition to the community.
• Cllr Jason Stevenson recommended that Cllr Slater put together a scheme for the next meeting. Update at next meeting.
• Cllr Maxine Stones suggested putting together a Health & Fitness class for the community, which would be run by Body Max, a free class for the residents of Wyberton. Update at next meeting.
9:3 Location for making a difference – To discuss and resolve – Cllr S Slater
Each councillor to suggest a location and a display idea that will improve the village.
• For each councillor to adopt a part of the village, to give the village an identity.
• Cllr Steve Slater mentioned that since the grass has been cut around several areas of the village, the rubbish has been less, people are having more pride in the village.
• Cllr Jason Stevenson, has information with regards putting art work on open reach green boxes.
• All councillors in favour. – Update at next meeting.
10: Finance
A. Approve Payments of Accounts
All councillors resolved for Cllr Jason Stevenson to sign the payment list.
• Payments to be made October 23 - £6,876.65
• Payments made in between meetings - £880.15
• Receipts received from 13th September to 11th October 2023 - £2.501.26
• 2nd Instalment of Precept received - £28,250.00
B: Bank statements – Dated 11th October 2023
• Treasures Balance £27,359.22
• Business Bank Insta £93,835.12
11: Planning matters: Town and Country Planning Act 1990 - To consider and make observations on all planning applications received and to note planning approvals, refusals, enforcement complaints and appeal decisions advised by the Borough Council – The parish clerk has delegated authority to respond to planning applications, in consultation with the councillors via email.
To include those received between the day of posting this notice and the day of the meeting
• All planning matters received throughout the month have been advised to Boston Borough Council with no objections.
Next Meeting: Wednesday 8th November 2023 – at 7pm
Close of meeting: 20:24pm
Item 6 – A – Cllr Alison Austin Report – Annex A
Good afternoon,
Please accept my apologies for this evening's meeting. I'm keeping a low profile having recently had Covid.
I've just picked up an email today advising us of a road closure on West End Road between Tytton Lane West and Wyberton West Road to repair a burst water main in the period 30 October - 10 November.
I advise members to keep an eye on this because Anglian Water are one of the worst offenders with regards to starting road works and then going away and leaving them and their barriers.
I can find nothing else specific to Wyberton to report on this month. There are some night-time road closures and diversions on the A16 in coming weekends relating to the Marsh Lane Roundabout, but I cannot be any more detailed than that. There will obviously be some impact on Wyberton.
I'm trying to find more detailed information about Call Connect. They are introducing a booking app in some parts of the county, and this should be available shortly in this area. I believe that Call Connect operates Mon - Fri, 7am - 7 pm and 8-6 at weekends, however this needs more research.
Some parents at Wyberton School were asking for a light-controlled crossing on Saundergate Lane near the school. I've been advised that to source funding would be extremely unlikely and that the best option would be to recruit a new "lollipop person". A crossing near the school could result in traffic tailing back on to the A16. The school can submit a request, but these consequences should be borne in mind.
I have not been notified of the date for installation of the new light-controlled crossing on London Road near the Co-op.
Kind regards
Alison Austin
Councillor for Boston South Division
Lincolnshire County Council