October 2023 Minutes
Washingborough Parish Council
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Wednesday 18th October 2023 at 6.00pm in the Community Centre, Small Hall, Fen Road, Washingborough, Lincoln. LN4 1AB
At the start of the meeting the Chairman advised that he would be filming (with three cameras) and recording the meet-ing. A Councillor queried the filming and advised that they were uncomfortable with it.
Present:
Cllr G Kent – Chairman
Cllr Mrs B Bland
Cllr R Clark
Cllr Mrs M Gibbons
Cllr Mrs L Hannam
Cllr R Harrington
Cllr G Peck
Cllr Mrs L Simons
Cllr Mrs W Skelton
In Attendance: Miss K Broddle (Clerk) and Mrs E Salter (Assistant Clerk)
Also Present: Cllr Lindsey Cawrey (LCC)
Members of the Public: Three members of the public were present.
Public Forum: No questions were asked.
Reports from LCC and NKDC – LCC and NKDC reports appended.
49. Localism Act 2011 requirements:
a. Apologies and reasons for absence were received from Cllrs Mrs J Aspinall and Cllr Mrs R Whip also Cllr C Goodwin (NKDC). Cllr Carrington had advised that he would be attending but would be slightly late.
b. Declarations of Interest received from Cllr Harrington regarding the request for a Splash Pod. Cllr Kent was unsure if he should declare an interest in some items and asked the Clerk if he should, the Clerk advised that the decision to de-clare an interest was the responsibility of the Councillor, but would always advise that if unsure, to declare an interest.
c. Applications for Dispensation: None.
A Councillor stood up and addressed the Chairman stating that they no longer had confidence or respect for him, and were unable to support him in his role and would not stay in the meeting with him as Chairman.
The Councillor left the meeting room and was followed by other members of the Parish Council.
The meeting became non-quorate and finished at 6.07pm.
Washingborough Parish Council Meeting
18 October 2023
County Councillor Report
£10m Extra Funding for Roads Maintenance
Due to underspend returns, and our careful and diligent management of our spending, we are in a healthy fiscal position to put an extra £10m towards roads maintenance this year.
This comes on top of the £19m we previously put into roads maintenance to further expand Highway’s ef-fectiveness at keeping roads open and in working order.
We face significant cost pressures in keeping our road network usable on a daily basis, and this additional money will be vital in our efforts to carry our as many improvements to the 5,500 miles of roads across the county.
Every single penny of this latest additional funding will go a long way to getting more potholes filled, surfaces repaired, and other issues dealt with. As a key concern for our residents and businesses, we know this move will be a welcome one.
Electric Vehicle Installation
The county council has been successful in the latest £5.6m electrical vehicle (EV) bid to get more chargers set-up across Lincolnshire.
It’s a vital step in our efforts to improve EV charging infrastructure across the county, and will be of particu-lar benefit to those who do not have access to off-street parking and may struggle to charge their vehicle otherwise.
We are continually keen to make greener choices and the success of this bid for funding will have a very positive effect and hopefully encourage further growth in the sector.
Fen Road Re-surfacing
I have reminded Highways that, in spite of the works being identified for scheduling, the works still haven’t been carried out.
Devolution Deal for Greater Lincolnshire
The county council is currently discussing with members the final draft of the government’s devolution offer to Lincolnshire County Council, North Lincolnshire Council and North East Lincolnshire Council. Details of this offer will be made public shortly and a public consultation exercise will be organised following December full council. I will give you more details when I have them.
I am happy to answer any questions on these matters or any other that arise.
Thank you.
NKDC Report
September / October
Reece, Ian and Carola
Right Thing Right Bin reflections, two years on!
Two years ago NKDC were working out how the first District-wide collection of clean and dry paper and cardboard only had gone… and NKDC were amazed by the results.
98.5% of purple-lidded bins in that first wider collection in September 2021 had exactly the right things which was massive thanks to households’ efforts to put only the right things in, and through the support of Members and colleagues in sharing #RightThingRightBin messages.
Two years on and residents are still doing amazing things for recycling in North Kesteven, with a fantastic rate of 98.62% perfect quality paper and cardboard collected last year. We’ll be sharing more information again on Right Thing Right Bin as we approach Halloween and Christmas, and generally over the coming weeks, to help keep up this amazing work together. Thank you for your continued support. You can find a video HERE to share on social media, if you wish.
Please do also keep pointing residents towards our Right Thing Right Bin leaflet, which is available online HERE.
Go-ahead granted for £8.9m scheme to meet housing need.
An £8.9million investment providing much-needed extra-care housing for independent living in Sleaford is also making room for more wildlife habitat and biodiversity gain.
Described as a well-designed scheme, that contributes to the carbon net zero aspirations for the area, the North Kesteven District Council-led plan for 1.8 hectares of land at the old highways depot at The Hoplands has now been given planning permission.
Working in partnership with Lincolnshire County Council, the development will include 40 extra-care apartments for older people and 12 maisonettes community-supported living accommodation specifically for adults with learn-ing disabilities, physical disabilities and those who are autistic – all 52 offered at affordable rents – plus 20 houses to further expand local provision.
The landmark extra-care block will include a roof garden as well as enclosed private garden space and the broader development will support an estimated 10% increase in biodiversity, with tree planting, protection measures for existing trees, bird nesting boxes for swifts and sparrows, bat roosting boxes and hedgehog holes within the fencing.
North Kesteven’s planning committee was enthusiastic in its support for the scheme, after hearing that it made a significant contribution to meeting the accommodation needs of three distinct cohorts of people within the dis-trict: those aged over-55 with care and support needs; working-aged adults with learning disabilities, physical disa-bilities and those who are autistic; and those looking for smaller local market properties.
It will all be built in line with North Kesteven’s C02-sy Homes standard of Net Zero Carbon in use and potentially to its higher Passivhaus level, which is a highly energy efficient way of living.
There will be solar panels for renewable energy generation and design specifics which maximise potential for solar gain without overheating of the accommodation.
There will also be public open space, associated landscaping, contribution to footpath enhancements and almost £30,000 towards capacity expansion within local healthcare.
Delivered in partnership with Lincolnshire County Council, the 40 self-contained extra-care apartments will be flex-ible and easily-adaptable to meet the residents’ needs as they change and allow residents to remain independent as their needs increase. The accommodation is designed to create an ‘enabling environment’ and to adapt and fa-cilitate the delivery of care and support services, considering the dynamics of ageing over time, including disability and complex health needs. Eleven will be two-bed apartments and there will be dedicated dining facilities on site.
At present, there is no extra-care accommodation within the District, which has been a long-held aim of the Coun-cil. Based on current projections there is presently a need for 43 units to meet the needs of the Sleaford area’s population of 1,711 over-75s alone. With expectations for the number of over-75s to increase by 32% up to 2035 and 63% up to 2040, this points towards a growing issue for accommodation for older people and demonstrates an explicit need. This new provision of 40 units championed by the two councils working in partnership was seen by the planning committee to ‘make a significant contribution towards a current shortfall for people with care and support needs’.
For more information visit HERE.
Annual Household Canvass – Visits to non-responders
All households within the North Kesteven District have now received a canvass communication form which re-quested residents to inform Electoral Services of any changes to occupancy.
Those households that have not yet responded and were required to do so will either receive a phone call from the Electoral Services Team or have a visit from an appointed NK Electoral Services Canvasser. The Canvasser will encourage the householder to either inform of any changes at the doorstep, complete the online response or to return the paper form to Electoral Services. Canvassers will be ‘door-knocking’ from 2 October and will always be carrying ID.
North Kesteven building projects to be recognised nationally.
Two North Kesteven building projects have been singled out as among the best in the East Midlands and put for-ward for national recognition in the Local Authority Building Control Awards.
A windmill conversion at Scopwick and a school extension at Norton Disney were considered as the best in their categories against others submitted from across the five counties of the East Midlands.
As clients of the North Kesteven District Council Building Control Service they had already won the Council’s Build-ing Excellence Awards and are now set for national consideration.
Lincoln builder Rob White also won the regional category for Best Residential & Small Commercial Builder and the Council’s showcase scheme of eight Passivhaus council homes built to the highest energy efficiency standards at Potterhanworth was highly commended as Best Small Scale Housing Development.
The Windmill in Scopwick is a self-build conversion and extension to an historic windmill which was last used a cen-tury ago. The applicant had a vision and with architect David Parish, delivered on that vision. With the use of old photos to restore listed features and innovative approaches to meet modern safety standards the skill, craftsman-ship and approaches employed in this self-build project ensure its completion to the highest standards.
Witham Prospect School in Norton Disney is a classroom extension which incorporates a student dining area, de-signed by Ryland Design Services. The multifunctional educational space has resulted in a comfortable, spacious, bright facility with all of the amenities needed to enhance opportunity for a brighter start to life. The extension blends seamlessly into its surroundings and is overall a very aesthetically-pleasing functional design. The proactive management of the site, maintained by a thorough approach to health and safety, led to an outstanding project delivery.
Rob White has 20 years of experience in the trade, the last seven working for himself. He is an excellent builder who shows an enormous amount of customer care and pride in his work with a mantra that the work he produces should be good enough for his own home.
In Potterhanworth – Lindum BMS’s construction of eight highly energy-efficient homes for North Kesteven District Council, designed by Low Carbon Box, have been built to the international Passivhaus standard of airtightness. Their design and exceptional execution stops the unnecessary movement of air, avoiding loss of warmth.
Feedback from the Passivhaus inspector was exceptional, placing these advanced homes within the top 1% for air tightness in the UK. The properties are an example of what can be achieved through innovative thinking and ex-ceptional foresight and engagement.
By placing trust in the excellent, professional and good-value services of North Kesteven District Council’s Building Control Team, customers are also automatically eligible for their projects to be nominated for the LABC Awards. Architects, designers, builders, sub-contractors and property owners working alongside the Building Control team contribute not only to a better built environment but also one that is contributing positively to North Kesteven as a place where climate concerns are acted on.
The national final will take place in London on Friday 19 January 2024 with the Scopwick and Norton Disney projects and Rob White all set to be championed and celebrated.
For more information visit HERE.
New sources of funding for energy projects
Community Energy Fund
This funding for energy generating projects (e.g. solar panels, EV charging, wind and water-based energy) has been announced and guidance is expected in the near future.
You may wish to begin preparations and/or keep an eye on DESNZ channels for further details to be released, as it is expected that the timescales for applications may be short.
Local Authorities such as North Kesteven District Council cannot apply, but community groups and Parish Councils can, and the projects should be community-based.
More details HERE.