Minutes of the Council Meeting held on
Monday 24 January 2005 at Martin Village Hall at 7.30 p.m.

1. Apologies for absence: County Councillor P Bradwell. Present: District Councillor F Ambridge, Councillor H Ambridge, W Busby, M Corbett, J Evans, C Vickers and Z Scoley; Mark Taylor, Environmental Health Officer, NKDC, PC Derek Daniels and parish clerk, M Lockyer. There were no members of the public present.

2. There were no declarations of interest at this point in the meeting.

3. The minutes of the meeting held on 29 November 2004 were received and approved for accuracy.

4. Mark Taylor, in charge of the team dealing with environmental protection at NKDC, spoke to the meeting about the Martin Playing Field issue. He presented a time line tracing progress from when the issue was first raised, in Sept 03 by Martin Parish Council with NKDC, to the present. As analysing contaminated land is specialist work, NKDC had had to bring in consultants to report on 2 issues: a) the effect of contaminants on users of the field and b) water pollution. The consultants, Atkins, reported that issue a) could be dealt with by capping the field, as the biggest problem they identified was shards of glass coming to the surface of the field. On issue b) their view was that there was a low risk of contamination. The Environment Agency had had to be consulted. They wanted more work done on the ground water issue, and in August 04 had further amended their requirements.

There were two possible outcomes: if there was no water issue, then the surface problem would be tackled, either by capping, or by stripping out half a metre from the surface and filling back at a cost of £500,000. This would also be very expensive because of the cost of disposing of the contaminated material.

If there was a water issue, NKDC might either have to strip the whole landfill site, exorbitantly expensive, or there might be alternative solutions, such as cleaning the material. In NKDC, there might be 1500 – 2000 contaminated sites. Mark Taylor concluded by offering to come back to the Parish Council at a later stage to give a further report on progress. Cllr Evans thanked him very much for coming and for being so informative. She stressed that the Parish Council’s concern is to have the playing field back in operation for the village as soon as possible.

5. Reports from Outside Bodies
a) PC Daniels reported that the village generally seems very quiet. Cllr Busby queried the position with hare coursing. PC Daniels reported that the Rural Police Unit, based at Billingborough, was dealing with this around the county. There are hare coursers still coming, unfortunately. He commented on the high level of paperwork involved with policing. This division has the highest detection rate of any in Lincolnshire. PC Daniels was invited to attend the Parish Council dinner. The date fixed:Thurs 10 February at the Royal Oak. He accepted the invitation, but would have to check his shifts and inform the clerk.
b) Councillor F Ambridge reported that the District Council was grappling with the budget. If any one component went above a 5% rise, the Council could be capped. The Police Authority has put in for a 7.3% rise. He had also heard that the path between Timberland and Martin is to be redone.
c) An email from Councillor Bradwell was read out commenting on the improved state of the road, speeding, and the finished footpath.

6. Matters arising from the previous minutes
• Crime/disorder grant: Cllrs Scoley reported that no progress had been made due to Mr Scoley’s ill health. She and Cllr Philips will tackle it before the next meeting
• Village Improvement Officer: notice has been displayed in the village shop
• Website donation: nothing has been heard from Chris Brooke
• LCC Capital Grant Aid: re-seeding sports field: Cllr Stephens not present
• Playing field dyke: Cllrs Busby and Stephens: the letter from Cllr Stephens reported that the ditch in question ran entirely alongside the area owned by the school. Cllr Scoley reported that this had been accepted by the Trustees of Mrs Mary King’s school, who had since paid the bill.
• Dog Waste Bin near West Grove: Cllr Stephens not present to report back
• Free trees collection: Cllr Stephens not present to report back

7. Clerk’s report/ items
a. Validity of co-option of Cllr Phillips: the clerk reported that inadvertently the notice of vacancy had not been displayed when Cllr Krampf resigned. Mr C Robinson at NKDC had advised the clerk that this should be displayed for 14 days, and if there was no call for election, Cllr Phillips could be confirmed in post at the next Parish Council meeting.
b. Distribution of Electoral Registers: all councillors had received these.
c. Audit return had come back. All was in order. The notice of closure of audit had been displayed on the noticeboard.
d. Precept request had been submitted to NKDC
e. Dog fouling signs on BT poles: the clerk had received a letter from Shaun Creighton, Client Operations Manager, saying that NKDC had received an instruction from BT that dog-fouling signs should be removed from BT poles. He requested that any BT poles with dog-fouling signs be identified, and alternative locations suggested. There are no signs on BT poles in the village.
f. Clerk’s salary: the clerk had identified the hourly rate of pay on the NJC salary scales. It was £7.40 from 1st April 2004. Cllr Judy Evans proposed that the clerk should receive back pay from this date, Cllr F Ambridge seconded, all in favour. The clerk would calculate the exact amount involved for the next meeting.
g. Dates for the meetings for the year were fixed: generally, the last Monday of alternate months: 21 March, 23 May, 25 July, 26 Sept, 28 Nov.
h. Mandy Eastwood had 2 dozen unwanted wine glasses. She wondered if the Village Hall would want them. Cllr F Ambridge agreed they would be useful. He would collect them from Mandy.

8. Correspondence –
a. Correspondence for information
a. Peter Marsh & Co: transfer of a Justices Licence, King’s Arms, Martin Dales
b. NKDC: Electoral Review of Wards
c. Lincs Police: cancellation of visit of mobile police station
d. NKDC Refuse Collection over holiday
e. LALC: Freedom of Information Act
f. National Training Strategy for Town and Parish Councils
g. W Lincs NHS Primary Care Trust: Guide to local health services
h. NKDC: Standards Committee agenda, minutes and reports
i. Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: allotments and Green Flag Award Scheme
j. Environment Agency: Safety and Security Fair
k. Lincolnshire Development: training information
l. LCC Highways: road closure information
m. PC Daniels: email with contact information
n. Metheringham Swimming Pool: newsletter and poster
o. Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Freedom of Information Act
p. Local Channel: Freedom of Information Act

b. Correspondence for decision/action
a. Sleaford CAB: request for donation. Cllr F Ambridge said he knew the CAB was very tightly stretched financially. Cllr Vickers proposed donating £35. Seconded Cllr Scoley. All in favour.
b. Martin Village Hall: request for financial assistance from precept. Cllrs Scoley, F Ambridge and H Ambridge all declared an interest. A letter and full accounts had been received. Cllr Corbett proposed a payment of £200, as last year. Seconded Cllr Busby, all in favour. Cllr F Ambridge thanked the Parish Council on behalf of the Village Hall committee.
c. Martin Playing Field Committee had submitted a request for financial support. After discussion, it was felt that a fuller set of accounts was needed with more information on their own fund raising activities before a decision could be taken. The clerk to write to this effect.
d. There had been no request from the Church for assistance. They will apply later.
e. Community Council of Lincolnshire: Cllr F Ambridge had already filled in this questionnaire
f. NKDC: Area Advisory Forum Meetings: no one to attend
g. NK Community Safety Partnership: Conference: no one to attend

9. Planning Applications - to receive details of any applications received since the last planning meeting on 30 December
a. Unit 2, Barns at Westmoor Farm: reinstate original approval: no objections
b. Erection of dwelling & garage, Chapel House, 12 Mill Lane, Martin: no objections
10. Financial Matters - approval of accounts
Balance at 17 January 2005: Current a/c £1522.22 Reserve a/c £7713.51

11. PC Dinner: decided under 5) above.

The meeting closed at 9.15 pm