2023 Parish Council Meeting Minutes

MINUTES HEYDOUR with AISBY and OASBY PARISH COUNCILLORS MEETING

Tuesday 14th November 2023 at 7.00 pm in Heydour Parish Hall

Councillors Present: Cllr Ballaam, Kennedy, Peace (Chair), Smallwood, Sylvester and Turner

In attendance: Parish Clerk Boden and fifty-two members of the public.

AGENDA

Chairman's Welcome and Housekeeping.

23088. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SESSION

To receive reports from outside bodies. 

Questions or Points raised by residents and members of the public. Many homes had been flooded in the recent storm Babet and it was established that the meeting would focus on the flood points within the villages. Storm Babet deposited a month's rain over 2 days and the discharge of water was too great for the villages to cope.

Many of the villagers and members of the public have a vast amount of knowledge and experience and it was felt that the Parish Council and villages could benefit from this. Residents were and still are very focused on helping each other.

Points to note:

• A member of the public has Flood Evaluation Scheme experience and is willing to help.

• Various landowners are willing to help where they can.

• The substation is next to the beck and at one point was 18” deep in water. A member of the public has contacted National Grid and has spoken to them about both the incident and arranging a meeting. They will report back when they have information.

• The Parish Council is willing to be the co-ordinator of any flood prevention scheme that is created.

• Due to the speed of the storm and flooding it was found that some communication between SKDC and LCC was discorded when giving out information.

Possible solutions:

• Could a section of the wall by the substation be removed and replaced with railings? This would allow movement of the water rather than standing.

• The pipe on the far side of Village Street is only 9” which is holding the water back rather than allowing it to get away. It was felt also that many pipes could be upgraded and a larger size installed.

• The old culvert in the centre of Aisby could be cleared and re-opened, allowing water to be diverted.

• The residence just outside the village has three fishing ponds and these could be used to hold water back. A resident has spoken to the landowner and they are happy for any surveys to be carried out and possibly have sluice gates installed.

• Riparian ditches and drains need to be kept clean by residents who own them.

Report from C. Cllr Hill. LCC is the lead flood authority. Over 400 homes in Lincolnshire have been flooded and it will take time for these to be investigated. The definition of ‘flooded’ is that water has entered the property and not water is in the garden. If your house has been flooded then it needs to be reported on the LCC website and then LCC will need to investigate. Grants of £500 for flooded properties (SKDC) and up to £5000 for flood prevention (LCC) will be made available shortly.

Cllr Hill has walked around the villages and appreciates the concerns of the people and would like to involve them and use the local knowledge.  LCC is jetting pipes and drains where needed.

Members of the public are being encouraged to organise self-help. LCC can have sandbags and half a tonne of sand from LCC if they have the storage.

Report from D. Cllr Trotter. Cllr Trotter was ‘out’ in the villages on the night of the flood and was trying to help as many people as possible. She has been working with Cllr Hill regarding the situation. At present SKDC is working on the final communication of grants available and they will send the information out shortly.

COUNCIL SESSION

23089. Declarations of Pecuniary Interest. Cllr declared an interest in planning application S23/1924

23090. Apologies for Absence. All Cllrs were present

23091. Approval of Clerks Notes – Tuesday 12th September 2023. It was resolved to approve the minutes of the meeting held on the 12th September 2023 and for the Chair to sign.

23092. Clerk’s Report. To receive an update of outstanding matters from the previous meetings. The clerk asked permission to apply for a grant from the National Lottery towards the costings of the playground equipment that needs replacing. It was resolved for the clerk to carry out this work.

23093. Finance: 2023/24

a) To receive the clerk's report on payments between meetings

It was resolved to accept the clerk's report of the payments made between the meetings.

b) To review and consider approval of bank reconciliations. It was resolved to accept the bank reconciliation.

c) To review and consider the 2nd quarter of the budget spend. It was resolved to accept the 2nd quarter spend against the budget.

d) To consider the budget spend for the financial year 24/25. To be finalised at the January meeting for submission to SKDC by the 19th January 24. It was resolved to consider the budget spend for the financial year 24/25. This will be finalised at the January meeting, allowing for the 3rd quarter spend to be added.

23094. To receive an update on the S106 Anglian Water Sewerage Application for Lower Aisby. Cllr Peace explained that the S106 Anglian Water Sewerage Application has been refused but it can be appealed against. If the appeal is successful it could take up to 10 years for it to be completed due to deadlines on Anglian Water’s side. The villagers needed to be aware that there could be much disruption for up to 2 years with the digging and road closures that were needed. It was resolved to find out if the support from the villagers was still there before the Parish Council appealed. It was resolved to send out a questionnaire to the residents of Aisby explaining the situation and to gain a view from the public.

23095. To review the recent flooding within the villages. The notes from the public participation cover this point.

23096. To review and consider the email ‘Slow Ways National Walking Network’. It was resolved to respond to the email and engage the Parish Council with the ‘Slow Ways National Walking Network’.

23097. To review and consider the tree inspection carried out by NKDC. The tree inspection has been carried out by NKDC and two of the trees require an essential crown lift and the third tree requires a desirable crown lift. It was resolved for the work to be carried out.

23098. Planning matters: 

a) New – To discuss the planning applications received from SKDC

b) Current

TRO - Mill Lane, Oasby, 30 MPH speed Limit - Approved.

S23/1579 (Bowlby) - Land Off Mere Lane, Aisby, NG32 3NF – Approved.

23099. To consider items for inclusion on the agenda for the next meeting.  Update of Melioras Charity, flooding and S106 sewerage application. Update on Nightingale Woods.

23100. Date and time of next Parish Council Meeting Tuesday 9th January 2024 at 7.00pm.

CLOSED COUNCIL SESSION:

Items of a confidential nature to be debated in the absence of the press and public. Under the Public Bodies (Admission to the Meetings) Act 1960 (due to the confidential nature of the business).

23101. To review the NALC pay awards accepted for financial year 2023-24. It was resolved to accept the NALC pay award for financial year 2023-24.

The meeting closed at 9.10pm.

Parish Council Comment to Application: S23/1913 – Land Adjacent To Wildwood Nightingale Lane Aisby Lincolnshire NG32 3NE 

Heydour with Aisby and Oasby Parish Council held a Council meeting on Tuesday 14th November to consider the above application. The Council would like to comment as below:

The application was granted Class Q status in 2022 under S22/1235. This allowed for the conversion of the agricultural building to a residential house, without planning permission.

Following the SKDC Local Plan 2011-36, the Parish Council is aware that under Policy SP2 Aisby is defined as a smaller village and development will be supported in accordance with Policy SP3, SP4, and all other relevant policies, where development will not compromise the village’s nature and character.

SP3: Infill Development. In all settlements defined in Policy SP2 infill development will be supported provided that:

a) It is within a substantially built-up frontage or re-development opportunity (previously developed land),

The proposed development is behind existing houses and away from the frontage of the neighbouring buildings nor is it on previously developed land. Additionally, Appendix 1 of the South Kesteven Local Plan outlines the definition of previously developed land. This definition explicitly excludes land that has been or is currently occupied by agricultural buildings.

b) It does not cause harm or unacceptable impact upon the occupiers amenity of adjacent properties.

Due to the positioning of the proposed build, it is believed that it would result in negative consequences for the residents in neighbouring properties. The size and scale of the build from a small barn to a large four-bedroom house is the main concern. However, the proposed new build is taller than the previous application, potentially resulting in an impact on the surrounding landscape and causing a subsequent loss of privacy for adjacent residents.

“SP4: Development on the Edge of Settlements. Proposals for development on the edge of settlement, as defined in Policy SP2, which are following all other relevant Local Plan policies, will be supported provided essential criteria are met. The proposal must, along with other points:

a) Be well-designed and appropriate in size/scale, layout, and character to the setting and area. The proposed build is considered inappropriate in scale and character for this setting.

b) Not extend obtrusively into the open countryside and be appropriate to the landscape, environment, and heritage characteristics of the area. Due to its location, it is well beyond the development footprint of Aisby and the proposed development extends well into the open countryside.

It was felt by Heydour Parish Council the application is not sympathetic towards the village of Aisby and the character of the village will be changed. Based on the previously mentioned reasons, it is evident that the proposed development is in direct conflict with both Policy SP3 and SP4. Consequently, it should not receive support following Policy SP2.