Minutes of the Council Meeting held on
Monday 30 January 2006 at Martin Village Hall at 7.30 p.m.

• Apologies for absence: Cllrs M Corbett, W Busby

Present: District Councillor F Ambridge, Councillors H Ambridge, J Evans, F Phillips, Z Scoley, M Stephens and C Vickers; County Councillor Patricia Bradwell; parish clerk, M Lockyer.   Members of the public present: Sue Gammon.

• Cllr F Ambridge declared an interest in items 6a and 6d. 
• Minutes of the last meeting: Minutes approved.  Proposed Cllr Stephens, seconded Cllr F Ambridge.  All in favour.
• No reports from outside bodies.
• No questions had been received from the public.
• Matters Arising
• Sports field – goal posts and info on websites.  Cllr Stephens reported that the goal posts had not been taken down.  Cllr Phillips offered to take them down and off site with the help of Martin Youth Bikers.  This would be done tomorrow (31 Jan).  Cllr Stephens had attempted to put the information on the MACLA and MartinTimberland websites without success.  The clerk reported that last time she had checked the websites, the Parish Council information was there.

      Cllr F Ambridge reported that he was continuing to keep the pressure on NKDC over  the sports field.  There was to be a meeting on 31 January with the head of Environment Services, the head of Planning and fund raisers to discuss ways forward.  He had also passed on to them information about top soil available from British Sugar at £6 per tonne.

• Hedge and verge cutting: Cllr F Ambridge reported that overhanging trees and bushes at the back of Wyatt Close and along the edge of the sports field have been cut back by the electrical company. 
• The clerk reported that the hedge at North Moor Lane had been cut by Philip Baumber. 
• The clerk had contacted Robert Beever who would cut the roadside verges for £16.50 per hour.  Cllr Evans proposed that this should be done.  Cllr F Ambridge seconded.  All in favour.
• The clerk had written to Mike Credland about his overhanging shrubs.  No reply had been received.  Cllr Stephens declared a personal interest.  It was agreed that another letter should be sent requesting in stronger terms that the shrubs be cut back.
• Roneo machines: Cllr Phillips had not been able to find out how much the machines might be worth.  Cllr Stephens proposed that they should be put on ebay with a reserve of £25 each, and a starting price of £10.  Cllr F Ambridge seconded.  All in favour.
• Dog waste bin replacement – Moor Lane:  Cllr Vickers and Busby had not done this.  Cllr F Ambridge expressed his deep disquiet over this, as the matter had first come up in July and was still not sorted.  Cllr Phillips said this was a job Martin Youth Bikers would do.  He would arrange to collect the bin and post from Cllr Busby.

         Cllr F Ambridge reported that the dogbin in North Moor Lane was full to overflowing.  He had reported it to NKDC.

• Allotment: a letter had been sent to Mr Wilkinson .  Cllr F Phillips declared a personal interest.  Cllr Stephens proposed  that a letter be sent to Mike Howarth expressing concern over the ploughing up of part of the trackway, and stating that the trackway needed to be a minimum of 12 feet wide to allow access for the widest agricultural equipment.  The Parish Council would arrange to have the bushes trimmed back to also facilitate this.  There should be no turning on the track.  Robt Beever to be asked to trim the bushes.  Cllr F Ambridge seconded.  All in favour.
• Lincolnshire Village Ventures competition: Cllr Phillips had not done anything with this.
• Static caravan at Turner’s Farm, Martin Dales: the clerk had spoken to NKDC planning department.  They had previously investigated this and had been told the caravan was being used as an extension to the house for the daughter, and was not being slept in or lived in.  Cllr Vickers expressed his strong belief that the caravan was being lived in by the family.  The clerk to write to NKDC planning dept with this information.
•  CAF Bank account: the council’s application had been refused, as the council was not a charity.
• War Memorial: Cllr Stephens had obtained information from English Heritage about the restoration of war memorials.  He had been given a list of national agencies who can assess the state of a memorial and carry out remedial work.  He had contacted two of them and was awaiting estimates.  He would check how many estimates were needed.  The next funding round was October, which gave time for putting the case together.
• Parish council Dinner  9 February 7 pm: menu choices were collected in.  Cllr Vickers gave his apologies: he would be unable to attend.
• Newsletter: the clerk reported that more copies were needed.  The print run next time needed to be 350.  Cllr F Ambridge drew the council’s attention to the fact that he, Cllr H Ambridge and Cllr  Scoley should all have declared a prejudicial interest when the decision  was made to photocopy the newsletter at the Friends of Metheringham Airfield.  Cllr Evans should have declared a personal interest.  It was agreed that the clerk should obtain estimates from 2 other printers and the decision reviewed at the next meeting.

      The clerk would need information for the next newsletter by mid-March.

• County Cllr Bradwell arrived at 8.05 pm en route from another meeting.  On highways issues, she reported that the Road Safety Partnership had a backlog of work, which was the reason for the delay with the school safety zone.  She is in discussion with Alan Aistrup about the road marking for Martin Youth Bikers.  The trees have been done on Witham Bank.

     Two potholes were reported to her: One at the T junction at the top of Moor Lane, and   one on the High St, near the barn development.  

7.  Correspondence –
For information

• NKDC Christmas Waste Collection
• Boundary Committee of England: Final Recommendations.  Cllr F Ambridge drew the Council’s attention to the fact that Martin ward would now be combined with the Billinghay ward as a 2 member ward.  He expressed his concern over the size of the Martin-Billinghay ward.  No response to questionnaire.
• Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership: Attendance at Parish Events
• LALC: information about training; newsletter
• NKDC: Affordable Housing, Funding: Cllr F Ambridge
• Community Council of Lincolnshire  Cllr F Ambridge declared an interest
• NKDC Model Complaints Procedure  Cllr Stephens proposed that this should be adopted.  Seconded Cllr F Ambridge.  All in favour.  All councillors to receive a copy with the next agenda and minutes.
• North Kesteven Community Safety Partnership: Safety Strategy 2005 – 2008
• NKDC: Area Advisory Forum Meetings 2006: no one to attend
• LCC Travel and Transport Briefing
• Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Standards of Conduct in English Local Govt: The Future  Cllr Stephens to read
• NKDC: Linkline delivery:  all councillors had received their copies
• NKVSC Empowerment Meeting Cllr Stephens did not attend as it was not relevant to him
• Clerks & Councils Direct
• NKDC: Applying for Funding Talk Cllr Stephens had not been able to attend due to another engagement
• NKDC: Footway Lighting Programme 06/07  Cllr Phillips proposed that a light was needed in Moor Lane alongside the sports field, as it was very dark on that stretch of footway.
• LCC Street Lighting: PFI Expression of Interest
• EMDA News Magazine
• Dogs Trust: Poster to be put on noticeboard
• LCC: Doorstep Crime Seminar: Cllr Evans to attend

For Action

• NKDC: Standards Committee Representation and Meeting 25 January  A new representative needed as Cllr Corbett had resigned from the committee.  Cllr Scoley proposed that Cllr Evans be the representative.   Seconded Cllr F Ambridge.  All in favour.
• LCC: Lincolnshire Capital Grant Aid 2006/2007:  Cllr F Phillips took the information.
• Clerk: resignation due to other commitments.  Cllr Evans expressed her thanks to the clerk for her help during her chairmanship.  Sue Gammon had been approached and had expressed an interest in the post.  The post would have to be advertised in the Post Office and on the noticeboard in the village. 
• Sports Outreach NK: audit of activities.  Cllr Stephens to complete.

8.  Planning Applications - to receive details of any applications received since the last planning meeting on 12 January 2006
Planning appeal at Chestnut Farm, Witham Bank, M Dales: appeal withdrawn

Planning permission granted:

• Conversion of existing barns to 2 residential units, Martin South Drove, M Dales
• Erection of house and detached garage: land adjacent to 10 High St, Martin
• Single dwelling, Linwood Hall Farm

      Planning applications received:

• Amendments: 19 Church Rd, Martin Dales (information only)

9.   Financial Matters - approval of accounts
Balance at 23 December 2005:  Current a/c £2638.05 Reserve a/c £6882.61

Cllr F Ambridge proposed that all the accounts be accepted.  Seconded Cllr Evans.  All in favour.

Cllr Stephens proposed that £1300 be transferred from the current account to the reserve account.  Seconded Cllr F Ambridge.  All in favour.

The Precept request had been sent in to NKDC.

The clerk requested that, as Cllr Corbett was unlikely to be available for Parish Council matters in the near future, another councillor could take on her role of supporting the clerk with financial matters.  Cllr Stephens agreed to take on the role in the short term.

• Items for Discussion  and Information –

• Cllrs F Ambridge and H Ambridge informed the Council that they would be tendering their resignation at the Annual Parish Council meeting, as they would be moving away from the village.  Cllr Scoley expressed her regret at this news, and thanked them for all they had done whilst on the Parish Council.
• Cllr Scoley had been approached about the need for a bus shelter in Martin Dales, by the bridge.  It was agreed that enquiries should be made about the process of acquiring a bus shelter, and who would pay for it.
• Jubilee Close bench: a complaint had been received about the amount of litter which young people were leaving around the bench, and about the behaviour in that area.  Cllr F Ambridge said there was an increasing amount of antisocial behaviour in the village, near the school, the village hall as well as the Jubilee Close area.  It was agreed to contact PC Daniels and raise these concerns with him.
• It had been reported to the parish clerk that the wall in Royal Oak Lane had fallen down.  It was thought to be District Council property.  Cllr F Ambridge to follow up.
• Annual Parish Meeting:  Cllr Scoley proposed that a speaker from the First Responders should be invited.  All agreed.

• The meeting closed at 9.10 pm.  Date of next meeting: 27 March 2006