July 2021 Minutes
Great Ponton Parish Council
Minutes of the meeting of Great Ponton Parish Council held on 5th July 2021 at 7pm.
Present: Councillors E.Booth chairman, D.Booth, I.Cruickshank, G.Taylor
County Councillor B.Adams. District Councillor David Bellamy.
Chairman’s welcome.
Open public forum. No public in attendance. Member of the local press asked a question regarding the A1. Answers given by County Councillor Adams and Parish Council chairman.
October 2019 a general meeting of interested local parties took place to see the way forward with the A1. Nothing has happened since then. Possibility of short term safety measures such as average speed cameras between Little Ponton and Colsterworth, although there is evidence that folk ignore them and are willing to pay the fines. Openings across the A1 and also driveways and farms direct onto the A1, more properties and businesses are being built along the road and the original slip roads are just not long enough. To close any A1 opening will need to go to a planning meeting, but at some stage, something has to be done with the speeding as when an accident occurs it can close the road for several hours, diverting through local villages/towns and in turn affecting businesses.
Administration.
a. Vacancy for parish councillor. Application had been received from Carol Ramsey. Carol gave a brief presentation of why she would like to become a parish councillor. It was resolved by all to co-opt Carol to the parish council. Carol duly signed the Dpi.
b. Resignation had been received from Peter Jackson, his letter was read out. It was resolved to accept this resignation and the clerk will send the necessary documents to SKDC. It was agreed for the clerk to send out a letter of thanks.
1. Apologies. Apologies had been received from Councillor J. Booth. Reasons given and accepted by all.
2. Declarations of interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2001. None received.
3. Notes of the general meeting held on 10th May 2021 These had previously been circulated and it was resolved to accept these as a true copy of the minutes.
4. District and County Councillors reports.
No report had been received from the District Councillor other than stating the next general elections will be in 2023.
County Councillor Bob Adams report: Potholes are now being done and no makeshift repairs are acceptable they will all be cut in and sealed. On 19th July a group will meet to discuss the speeding lorry traffic at the quarry and the quarry owners will complete their extraction in 2042. Councillor Taylor asked about the A1 verge cutting as this is quite poor. Councillor Adams stated that the verges can only be cut where it is safe to do so, otherwise it means closing off the A1 for safety. There is a scrutiny committee to oversee the standard of works.
Both Councillors Bellamy and Adams left the meeting at 7.40pm
5. Matters arising from the minutes.
a. Highways matters. Reporting of potholes is still happening and some road repairs have already been completed. Councillor Adams was earlier reminded of the broken gully that he was getting repaired. The village school has purchased two signs asking drivers not to park on the grass verge. Grass down the side of the church to the paddock hasn’t been cut. Clerk to check with the contractors.
b. Community Speed Watch. 15644 vehicles, maximum of 60mph at 1.25pm with an average speed of 25mph.
c. Boundary Village Centre. Still ongoing.
6. Village Centre matters and reports.
At the previous meeting accounts of the village centre had been requested. It wasn’t possible to have details of the accounts as some were still being worked on by the auditor. Councillor Cruickshank was the only trustee available to offer up information, he said it does state in the constitution that the sum of £4000 must be kept in the bank at all times, this is to cover the forthcoming years expenditure of roughly £3-4000.
The village centre committee has now repaid back the loan they borrowed from the parish council for their insurance, as grants they had applied for had now been paid. The trustees recently had had a meeting, the parish clerk had offered her assistance in getting the paperwork in order but it was turned down due to her living in France, yet she is the parish clerk and works successfully from France. The Village Centre is well supported for bingo and coffee mornings, although more local support would be very welcome. An email had been received from a charity textile collecting company asking if it was possible to have one of their collection bins sited on the village centre car park, this is additional to that belonging to the Salvation Army. The village centre committee had agreed.
7. Community Playing Field.
a. Playing field. Reports had been received of kids riding motorised bikes on the field and signs had been purchased to the contrary. Councillor Taylor had approached them but was given verbal abuse. Next time this will be reported to the police. Someone had tried to steal the bench, this was fixed to some concrete slabs and it had been dragged across the field. It has now been retrieved and securely fixed to more concrete slabs. The A1 access road is overgrown and needs cutting back and spraying. Clerk to arrange with Streetwise. It was agreed at ask Mr Hodson to cut the vegetation in the church car park which is now overgrown.
b. Football Club. Clerk had been in contact with Grantham Football Academy with their future plans of the football pitches. They are to have a meeting now a new manager has been appointed, it may be that the under 7s have this as their new home.
c. Campsite. The Camping and Caravan Club had recently done their annual inspection of the site, several issues had been raised. Clerk had been in contact to discuss these and another site visit will take place to see the way forward of continuing with the campsite. Councillor Taylor had made contact with local firm Galliford Try who are currently working close by. A meeting was held to discuss them offering to put down a hardstanding area for caravans and around the cabins. Ongoing. Caravans etc are still coming to stay and a rally is taking place on 22nd July.
8. Financial matters.
a. The finance report had previously been circulated. It was resolved to accept the figures given.
9. Browns Trust. The clerk had been in contact with the solicitors who had set up the Browns Trust many years ago, to ask as there is very little interest from the bank now to offer each beneficiary a small sum each year, what was the possibility of cashing in the bond of £26000. The reply was it was down to the parish councillors are they are the trustees and would also need to have a public consultation too.
10. Planning matters.
No planning applications had been received. A previous application submitted to reopen an access road onto the A1 had been withdrawn.
11. Correspondence.
a. Any correspondence received had been included in the agenda.
b. Email had been received offering webite management via LALC. The clerk explained in greater detail and it was resolved to accept this offer.
c. Email received from concerned resident regarding the parking of a vehicle next to property on the grassed area. This vehicle belongs to a disabled person who stated that its not always necessary to park next to her front door.
d. Email received from concerned resident regarding the smoke from a rather large bonfire from a property on the A1. The smoke was acrid and permeating through windows. Also copied in on the email was both District and County Councillors. Clerk made contact with both of them asking if they intend to do anything about it, they both replied no!
e. Email received from local newspaper Grantham Journal reporter asking for a comment to a story being written regarding the A1. Reported was invited to attend the meeting and the question was raised in the public forum.
12. Councillors reports and items for the next meeting.
None requested.
13. Date for the next meeting. Provisionally set for 6th September 2021.
14. To resolve to go into closed session.
No.
Meeting ended at 8.50pm
Meeting ended at 8.15pm