March 2025

Wainfleet All Saints Town Council Meeting        

Minutes from the Town Council Meeting held on 12th March 2025 at 6.00pm in the Methodist Chapel.

Councillors present: Cllr. Steve Mitchell (SM), Cllr. Christine Mitchell (CM), Cllr. Wendy Bowkett (WB), Cllr. Jean Hart (JH), Cllr. W. Hatchman (WH), Cllr. C. Drury (CD), Cllr. D.Kettleborough (DK).
Apologies : Cllr. S.Fraser (SF), Cllr. M. Clarke (MC), Cllr S. Drury (SD).
Also present : Clerk C. Cleary (CC) and 3 members of the public. 

Mayor SM welcomed everyone and opened the public session at 1800 hrs.

1.  Public session
An opportunity for the public to ask the Council questions and to bring new observations. This session will be of maximum 15 minutes duration.
There were no questions asked by the members of the public present.

2. Apologies for absence
To receive and approve apologies for absence.
Apologies had been received from Cllrs. SF,SD and MC.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to accept the apologies.

3. Declarations of interest
To receive declarations of interest under the Localism Act 2011.
Being any pecuniary interest in agenda items not previously recorded on the Members Register of Interests and any written requests for dispensation.
None declared.

4. Draft Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 5th February 2025
To confirm the notes as a true record of the decisions made.
Draft notes from the meeting held on 5th February had been circulated to councillors prior to the meeting.

PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to confirm the notes of the meeting held on 5th February as a true record of the decisions taken. Mayor SM duly signed the minutes.

5. Clerks report and action points from the previous minutes
To receive the clerks report and deal with matters arising.
Completed issues

* Allotment plot 9 rented out
* Comparison of costs for installation/taking down of Xmas lights circulated
* Inspection of clock tower interior done by Heritage Lincs.
* Invites to forthcoming market days sent out
* UKSPF account closure
* Wildflower area at Wainfleet Bank cemetery

Issues still pending

* Rental of farming allotment plot 2 (advertised, but only 1 response)
* Quotations from Cllrs. C.Drury & W.Bowkett for CCTV
* Community Payback scheme application
* Extension of cremation plot area in Northolme 
* CCTV 
* Review of Financial regulations
* Review of co-option policy

Clerk incurred no overtime in February.

6. Reports from External Agencies
To receive reports from LCC and ELDC Cllr. Wendy Bowkett.
Other Councillors reports from external meetings.
Lincolnshire County councillor report 

Devolution has been signed and the first meeting of the greater Lincolnshire Combined Authority has taken place at Lincoln Cathedral.
 The section 19s have now all been completed from the Storm Babet and Hank and the results are now being gone through. Officers have already brought some schemes forward to do works, we will work with all partners to bring these plans forward.
The first of the fishing platforms has been put in the river, it has been signed off by the EA, the club will continue with the balance of them. There will be a total of 20 plus steps on some of them.
ELDC Pride team are doing a fantastic job tidying up areas of Wainfleet, Skegness Road footpath has been cleared of the mud and leaves, the marketplace frontage has been jet washed, plus Brooks Walk, Carr Lane and the chapel path.

7. Finance
    a. To receive the February Financial reports and updates.
    The February financial report and bank reconciliation had been sent to councillors prior to the meeting. Discussion on financial report.
    
    PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to accept the February Financial Report.
    
    b. To approve payments and receipts
    Discussion on payments to be made.
    
    PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVE to approve the payments to be made.
    
For transparency, the following payments in excess of  £100 were made in February.

  
    c. To review the proposal from LCC for verge cutting 2025/26
    The proposal for verge cutting from Lincolnshire County Council had been received. Discussion on verge cutting.
    PROPOSED, SECONDED AND RESOLVED to perform the verge cutting as required by LCC. Action: Clerk to sign acceptance and return to LCC.
   

8. Planning
To receive and discuss new applications.
S/086/00283/25     Ossian Offshore Wind Farm. Noted that this did not affect our area as yet, but concerns to be raised by Clerk.
Outer Dowsing Windfarm meeting scheduled for 25th March 7pm   Coronation Hall. Noted   Cllrs WB, SM to attend.
0023/25/TCA -35 Patten Avenue (PLATFORM HOUSING) tree work   no objection.

9. Reports from working group meetings
To receive and discuss reports from working group meetings and approve associated expenditure.
a. Allotments 
Work started on plot 9. Plot 10 doesn t seem to have had no work done. CC to send letter to plotholder.
CC to send out allotment policy to plot holders.

b. Burials & Cemeteries 
Memorial                   : Plots 756, GR30
Ashes internments    : Plots GR223, GR348
Burials                       : Plots 969
EROB                        : Plots 969, 970, GR 348
Cemetery income in February : £ 2175

Cllr. MC had circulated a proposal for using payback scheme. Discussion on proposal   needs further details. Cllr. CM volunteered to assist MC in the preparation.
Wainfleet Bank cemetery tidied by WH and wildflower planting started.

c. Marketing & Promotions
No meeting this month. Will be held Thursday 13th March at 4pm. To review the market proposal and newsletter. SM expressed councils thanks to MC for the preparation of the next newsletter. Cllrs. To review and pass back their comments.

d. Marketplace
Weeding started, bushes to be pruned. Timer for Lights on clocktower needs checking. 

e. Play area
Litter is an issue again but has been cleaned up. One board in the play area needs to be extended to the level of the matting. Proposed, seconded and resolved for contractor to do work. 
Inspection scheduled on 27th March 10.00 am. Mayor SM thanked Cllrs. CM and WH for their constant assistance with litter picking. He will organise a date in the future and expects all councillors to assist in cleaning up the area. Cllr. CM suggested a bin near Brooks Walk entrance. CC to request ELDC install bin.
Discussion on tree maintenance. DK to ask tree surgeons to visit and report.

10. CCTV
To review the quotations obtained by Cllrs. Drury and Bowkett for the installation CCTV within the parish.
Second quote for play area has been received, awaiting third. Discussion on CCTV for Marketplace. No further action on this issue.

11. Noticeboard
To review the quotations and decide on the necessity of an additional noticeboard outside the council offices.
Mayor SM suggested that a noticeboard was not necessary and that the window be used for advertising. Clerk CC to get quote for blind for his office.

12. Dates for Annual Parish Council meeting and Annual Parish meeting
To decide on the dates for the APC and APM
SM will be absent for most of May and the APC must be held in May Proposed, Seconded resolved to hold this meeting on 28th May. Annual Parish Meeting to be held on 4th June. 

13. Co-option of new councillors
To discuss the advertising for councillors to be co-opted following the recent resignations of 2 councillors. 
Clerk CC to publish notices of vacancies. Cllrs. to consider and suggest potential candidates. Cllr MC to include in newsletter.

14. Correspondence
To discuss correspondence received
* Report from Heritage Lincs on internal condition of clocktower   awaiting quotations for work.
* Environment Agency notice on planned maintenance work   already on noticeboard
* Highway Verge Parish agreement received. See item 7c.
* Vital & Viable survey (closed 7th March). No feedback as yet.
* Lincs. Flood & Water management report on impact of Storms Babet & Henck. Noted.
* Co-option letters received following the resignation of 2 councillors. Clerk to advertise.
* Enquiry to advertise in newsletter   forwarded to Cllr. Clarke
* Guidance on reporting fly-tipping from ELDC. Noted.
* Complaint from resident about parking in Mawsons Gardens. Dealt with by clerk.
* E-mail from RBLI regarding wreaths for VE Day, D Day, VJ day. Discussed. Agreed to permit the events and to purchase wreaths for the occasions.
* E-mails from L.A.N.D. requesting poster to be circulated. To be placed in noticeboard.
* Request from organisers of the Bike Festival to use Marketplace for Bikefest. Agreed. Clerk to advise.

15. Agenda items for next meeting
To receive items for inclusion on the next meeting s agenda,
Crows bridge fencing.

Mayor SM thanked all for their attendance and participation and closed the meeting at 19.22 hrs. 

Next meeting 2nd April at 6pm.

Mayor S. Mitchell duly signed the minutes at the meeting held on 2nd April 2025.