Minutes of the Council Meeting held on
Monday 27 September 2004 at Martin Village Hall at 7.30 p.m.

1. There were apologies for absence from Councillors M Stephens and C Vickers Present: County Councillor P Bradwell, Councillors F Ambridge, H Ambridge, W Busby, M Corbett, J Evans, F Phillips and Z Scoley; 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 5 July 2004 were received and approved for accuracy. Proposed: Cllr Corbett, seconded Cllr Scoley. All in favour.

4. Reports from Outside Bodies

a. PC Daniels was welcomed to the meeting.
A new inspector has been appointed, Inspector Julie Gillott. Cllr Corbett reported that hare coursing had taken place in the field opposite her a week ago. She had reported it to the police. PC Daniels commented that the police have been successfully tackling this issue in the district, but there is limited personnel available: usually only 2 officers on duty at the weekend. He encouraged councillors to continue informing the police of this sort of activity.

On the issue of a youth shelter, PC Daniels had made notes, which he gave to the Council, on what had been learnt from Ruskington when they were considering this. There is the NIMBY factor to take into consideration! The police are willing to help financially, and there is still money available.

b. County Cllr Bradwell:
Amalgamation of local primary schools, Martin and Walcott. The amalgamation will work on a collaborative basis for first year: sharing the head, but 2 governing bodies. Next stage would be one head, one governing body. Funds would be the same as for 2 separate schools. It allows small schools to share expertise. Cllr Scoley reported that it was still early days with this new arrangement, but it seemed to be working alright.

Kirkstead Bridge: grass cut, and area looking very good.
Cllr Busby raised the issue of subsidence at Witham Bank: Cllr Bradwell will follow up. Also subsidence on North and South Drove. The worst bits have been done with additional money, but Cllr Bradwell will follow up with Alan Aistrup.
Cllr Ambridge commented on the pot holes in Wyatt Close. Cllr Bradwell will follow up. The clerk had informed Karl Smith of the problem after the last meeting. He had said the road would need permanent patching. There would be a three or four month wait for this type of repair.

Cllr Bradwell raised the issue of the positioning of the proposed mobile camera sites, which were related to the fatal accident last year. She felt the speed limit needed extending over Kirkstead Bridge, as the exit out of Church Lane was dangerous. The Parish Council had received information from Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership about the mobile camera sites and felt they were not in the right place. After discussion, it was decided to invite a representative from the Road Safety Partnership to come along and discuss the proposed camera sites and road safety issues. To be invited to the next meeting.

c. Cllr Ambridge reported on the situation with the playing field: the Environment Agency wants more tests done. The same company will be employed. Mark Taylor, NKDC Environmental Officer, is willing to come to speak to the Parish Council. He is to be invited to the January meeting. Cllr Scoley raised the issue of the recreation field at Pound Rd. Ownership of the field still not known.

5. Public Question Time - There were no members of the public present.

6. Matters arising from the previous minutes-
a. Highways: Wyatt Close; grass at Kirkstead Bridge: dealt with under item 4b
b. Crime/disorder grant (youth shelter): to be considered under correspondence
c. Post Office: opening 7 October. Cllr Ambridge reported that Alison Wallace had contacted him about an official opening. He had contacted Jane Wells, Head of Planning and Economic Development at NKDC, but he hadn’t heard back from her yet. Cllr Ambridge would follow this up. Cllr Evans was disappointed that the Post Office hours were only to be 19 hours a week.
d. Village Improvement Officer: no one has applied. Clerk to continue advertising the post.
e. Speed notices: clerk reported that Steve Empson at Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership had been contacted. The cost of interactive speed signs was £4,000 plus erection plus power supply. Funds are only available for targeting accident reduction sites. Cllr Bradwell suggested contacting the Road Safety Partnership about 30 mph speed notices which could be attached to lamp posts, as has been done in Metheringham.
f. Burial ground waste bin: Cllr Ambridge had been informed that only the black bin would be provided because it was likely that visitors would not know what should be put into the brown/green bins.
g. Headstone insurance: the clerk had checked with AllianzCornhill. We are covered by our public liability insurance. The headstone is the property of the deceased’s relatives. If a headstone is not secure, the relative should be approached. If there are no relatives, the Parish Council would need to take steps to make it secure.
h. Village Hall loan/donation: the letter from Cllr Ambridge read out to the meeting. The clerk had checked the background to the £2,000 payment. It had been made in March 2001 as an interest free loan, to be reviewed every 12 months. It was reviewed in March 2002 and left as an interest free loan. It had not been reviewed since then. Cllr Ambridge reported that the new curtains had cost £3,400 and the repairs to the rear windows £1,000. The Village Hall had contributed £1,600 of this, and the rest had been paid by grant. This had used up all the Village Hall funds. If the £2,000 had to be repaid, it would mean the Village Hall would fold. Having given this background information, Cllrs Fred Ambridge, Hazel Ambridge and Zena Scoley declared a prejudicial interest and left the room. After further discussion it was proposed by Cllr Corbett, seconded by Cllr Busby, that the £2,000 remain as an interest free loan, to be reviewed in 12 months. All in favour. The clerk to diary the review for Sept 05.

7. Clerk’s report
a. Burial of Mr Graham Ashby and reservation of plots for Mrs Jayne Ashby and Miss Margaret Kennywell
b. Clerk’s salary: the clerk had contacted LALC. This year’s pay settlement had not yet been determined. They had sent the figures for 2003. This showed the hourly rate for part-time clerks in parishes under 5000 population. However, the clerk had not been able to find out how the current salary had been arrived at. There are no agreed hours of work. Neither of the two previous clerks was able to clarify the matter. The current salary seemed to represent 6 hours work a week. It was proposed by Cllr Evans, seconded by Cllr Corbett, that the clerk keep a record of hours worked to enable a realistic assessment of salary to be made. All in favour.
c. Filing cabinet and redundant office items: as agreed at the last meeting, the clerk had purchased a secondhand filing cabinet for £25. The old filing cabinet was available. It was proposed by Cllr Busby, seconded by Cllr Corbett, that this should be given to Martin Youth Bikers. All in favour. There was also a small metal filing box, belonging to the council, which the clerk did not need. It was agreed to loan this to Cllr Evans. Proposed Cllr Scoley, seconded Cllr F Ambridge. All in favour.
d. Report back from training on financial risk management: the training had been informative and useful. A key point had been that finance must involve all the members. A number of recommendations arose: control systems should be in place eg: when cheques are signed, the invoices should also be signed; the budget should be prepared by the clerk and at least one councillor. When preparing the budget, contingency should be taken into account. It was agreed that Cllrs Corbett and Evans would work with the clerk on preparing the budget.
e. Allotment rents: the invoices had been sent out. Payment due 23 October.
f. Street light out: junction of Mill Lane and High St. This had been notified and rectified.

8. Correspondence for information
a) Deposit draft Lincolnshire Waste Local Plan: period ending 20 Aug 04
b) NK Community Safety Partnership: Audit of Crime and Disorder: Meeting 25 August. Clerk had requested more information.
c) NK Community Safety Partnership: Reporting of Anti-Social Behaviour
d) LCC Award of Merit 2004: poster displayed on noticeboard
e) Local Alchemy: re-inventing local economies
f) Sleaford & District CAB AGM: 4 August 2004
g) Walking Opportunities in North Kesteven: leaflet
h) NKDC: Cost of Emptying Dog Waste Bins: raised by £10 per bin per year to £60
i) Page Nelson Solicitors: Notice of application for Justices Off-licence for Post Office
j) LCC Local Transport Plan Progress Report 2004
k) Lincolnshire Police: information re new inspector, Inspector Julie Gillott
l) LALC: County Circular
m) NK Council for Voluntary Service: Election of new board members, AGM 14 October and newsletter
n) CPRE information
o) W Lincs NHS: Annual Public Meetings: 7 Sept and 15 Sept
p) NKDC: Holy Trinity Churchyard: District Council to take over responsibility of maintenance from 1 Sept 2004
q) Lincolnshire Police: Mobile Police Station 24 September 2004
r) Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: 1. Draft Code of Conduct for Local Government Employees 2. Review of Restrictions on Political Activities of Local Authority Employees and Pay of Political Assistants
s) Local Police and Community Forums: 19 October, South Kyme
t) Beacon: A series of static and temporal interventions by artists at sites in Lincoln and its rural surroundings
u) NKDC: Standards Committee: Agenda, Minutes and Reports
v) NKDC Leisure Connection: Funding Fair and Sports Outreach Newsletter
w) Privy Council Office; Churchyard Closure

Correspondence for decision/action
a. Boundary Committee Electoral Review of NKDC: NKDC’s recommendation would affect Cllr Ambridge, as Dogdyke would be added to his area.
b. Chris Brooke re MartinTimberland website: Chris wanted to know what the council wanted to go on their homepage, and whether the minutes should be copyrighted to Martin Parish Council. The approved minutes of each meeting are already published on the website. It was felt that the newsletter information should be on the website, together with an urgent plea for a village improvement officer. The question of a request for a small donation towards the upkeep of the website was discussed. The clerk to ask Chris to give precise details of what the money would be spent on.
c. LCC Capital Grant Aid 2005/6: Cllr Scoley proposed, seconded Cllr Phillips, that the council should prepare a grant application for the second round of awards, as there was not time to submit an application preview form, due in by 1 October, for the first round. The application would be for help with re-turfing the sports field.
d. Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership: dealt with under item 4b
e. Society for Lincolnshire History and Archaeology: Sleaford Group: a request for information about a firm of architects and contractors, known from about 1845 to 1891 as Kirk and Parry. None of the councillors had any knowledge about this. The clerk to pass the letter on to Ken Slone, who had done research into local history.
f. NKDC: Tackling the Causes and Impact of Anti-Social Behaviour: a workshop to be held 30 Sept in Washingborough. Cllr Phillips to attend.
g. Lincolnshire Police Authority: Local Safety Fund 2004/5: it was agreed to apply for a grant to help with the purchase of a youth shelter. Cllrs Scoley and Phillips to prepare the grant application. PC Daniel’s notes were passed over to them. Cllr Stephens to be asked if he would like to be involved. If he could not, Cllr Ambridge would help.
h. NK Local Plan Inquiry: Cllr Evans had responded to the Council’s written representation in respect of the council’s objection to Policy DC4. She had reiterated that there were employment opportunities as well as recreational facilities in Kirkstead Bridge and Martin Dales. There is also an hourly bus service.
i. NKDC: Planning Enforcement: Cllr Scoley to read and comment
j. Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Allotments survey. Clerk to complete
9. Planning Applications - to receive details of any applications received since the last planning meeting on 2 September
a. To fell a tree, 43 High St, Martin: no objections
b. Amendments to plans for The Old Blacksmith’s Shop, High St, Martin: the council were concerned about a window overlooking the neighbouring property.
c. Amendments to plans for 74 High St, Martin: for information only

Permission has been granted on:
• Extension to 69 High St, Martin

10. Financial Matters - approval of accounts
Balance at 20 September 2004: Current a/c £1313.63 Reserve a/c £6652.45

Cllr Evans raised a query about the number of newsletters printed. The clerk to check previous invoices.

The allotment rents will be in by end of October. Cllr F Ambridge proposed, seconded Cllr Evans, that the clerk move an appropriate sum from the current account to the reserve account when the allotment rents are paid. All in favour.

11. Items for Discussion and Information -
a. Newsletter: distribution: the newsletter had been given to the girls on Sunday. It should be delivered within the next few days. The clerk to check the number of households on the electoral roll. Deadline: it would be helpful if information for the newsletter could reach the clerk by 1 December, so that the newsletter could be printed before Christmas for delivery by 1 January. Concerns were expressed that information might not be available by that date.
b. Cllr Evans raised a health and safety issue: the pub is planning a bonfire for Nov 5. Concerns had been expressed to her about the safety of this. Cllr Ambridge to approach Environmental Services and possibly the Fire Service.
c. Cllr Busby had been approached about the playing field dyke. Cllr Scoley reported that the Parish Council owned the north end of the dyke, the Trustees of Mrs Mary King’s School owned the lower end. The Trustees have asked for two tenders to have the dyke cleaned out. Once the tenders are in, the Trustees will approach the Parish Council for a contribution towards the cost. The dyke would be cleaned out before the next parish Council meeting.

12. Date of next meeting was arranged for Monday 29 November at 7.30pm.