2023-24 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

Coningsby Town Council Meeting 

March 28th 2024 

Coningsby Community Hall 7.30pm

In attendance – Chairman Cllr Amanda Bowen, Cllrs Matthew Mason, Chris Waites, Paddy Donnellan , Ruth Sharples, Dick Johnson, Glyn Olive, Tabbi Bannister, Tracey Firth, Mary Walker.

County Cllr Tom Ashton , District Cllr Martin Foster, apologies from DC James Knowles.

2 members of public attended – no comments or questions. 

1.   Chairman welcomed all to the meeting. 

2.   Apologies and reasons heard from Cllr Kevin Moorhouse – proposed /seconded Cllrs RESOLVED acceptance 

3.   No declarations of interest declared at this point. 

4.   Notes previously circulated from February 22nd council meeting – Proposed Cllr Johnson, seconded Cllr Sharples –RESOLVED all in favour.

5.   Reports from District and County Councillors

East Lindsey District Councillor Martin Foster – informed the meeting he had called in the application to increase the numbers of residences on the application Off Greenfield Road. 

Lincolnshire County Councillor Tom Ashton – reported the Scrutiny Committee are chasing up the replacing and repainting the safety road markings around schools in the County also looking at the possibility of cameras to deter the parking offenders – the funding of this may be a stumbling block but it will be investigated. 

Standing water  and other drainage issues on the High Street – this job has been escalated to a find and fix to save having to return to complete any findings that may be causing the issues, unfortunately there is no date for these works at the moment. 

There are considerations of long term restoration works of the land from Tumby towards Horncastle following the flooding of the area.  There is also a little further away a project to refurbish the Grand Sluice Locks to ensure the alleviation of fresh water into the salt possibly by use of the navigation lock. 

6.   Smiths construction – contracts for the works to reinstate the damaged 3 G pitch proposal to sign to complete the works, Proposal for Chairman  Cllr Bowen to sign witnessed by Vice Chair Cllr Mason and retired Chairman Cllr Donnellan, seconded and RESOLVED all signed , clerk will return one copy to Smiths – once received the contract is binding and works can begin. 

7.   Finances – to consider and approve as listed payments for March 2024, proposed Cllr D Johnson, seconded Cllr C Waites all voted in favour. 

8.   Planning – S/035/02114/23 – material alterations – comments submitted to East Lindsey ; Cllrs requesting information on the Highways comments and continue to wish their concerns for safety at the Leagate Road entrance to the estate including the entrance to the proposed farm shop. S/35/00325/24 -10 Curtis drive – extension to existing dwelling (SUPPORTED)  

S/035/00332/24- Land off Greenfield Road – additional properties permission requested (OBECT) to the changes – also see item 5 above.  18 Old Boston Road – new build in garden 

9.   Council Standing Orders and Financial Regulations have been updated to the latest available versions – these were circulated to Cllrs prior to the meeting Cllr Johnson proposed the Standing orders be adopted, seconded  Cllr Donnellan, all voted in Favour RESOLVED        Proposal from Cllr Donnellan that the latest Financial Regulations be adopted, seconded Cllr Waites, all voted in Favour RESOLVED.

10.   Proposal Cllr Donnellan the following policies are approved as of today’s date with a review date of March 2026, seconded Cllr Mason, all voted in Favour. RESOLVED   Biodiversity, Code of Conduct, Environmental, Equal Opportunities,  Equality & Diversity, Freedom of Information- publication scheme, GDPR data breach, Data Protection, GDPR Records Retention, Health & Safety, Media , Lone working, Recording of meetings, Safeguarding & child protection Policy. 

11.   Youth Club update – Really good news from Cllr Bowen – the Council backed youth group have been successful in applying for a Duke Of Edinburgh awards licence, this is a 3 year commitment which is very exciting for the group and the Council, Cllr Matthew Mason has signed the licence which should be up and running by June 2024, Cllr Bowen will manage the delivery of the programme with her key assistant Hannah .....   All the legal requirements will be dealt with by the clerks – this is a fantastic achievement for the community. 

12.   Clerks Report – No legal documentation has been completed by solicitors with regard to land at the Community Hall, Custodian Trustees or Land Registry.  Cemetery Mapping – one company has come back with a template – clerk asked that cllrs took a look at the system already in place at Horncastle Cemetery to get an idea of what to expect.   Annual Parish meeting – Question Time style event – Cheese and wine, tea, coffee and cake served. 

Thank you to Carole Jones internal auditor for highlighting the issues with the accounting system, however Clerk announced that the massive task of rewriting/inputting a  whole years accounts and reconciling the monthly balances has been done by Deputy Clerk Sarah Kulwicki , a mammoth task completed in time for the year end , Cllrs echoed their thanks to Sarah.

Councillors requested an invite be sent inviting Tattershall with Thorpe Parish Councillors to meet to discuss the idea of a joint council. Clerk to action this.

Proposal to move into closed session for awards details to be revealed to Councillors. RESOLVED all in favour

These will be announced and presented at the Annual Parishioners meeting on April 18th 

Closed session ended.

Meeting closed     8.45pm