March 2022 - Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting
Minutes of the 2022 Hemswell Annual Parish Assembly
Held by Hemswell Parish Council on Monday 21st March at 7.00 pm
Members Present: Cllr. B. Mander (BM)(Chair); Cllr. J. Roberts (JR) (Vice-Chair);
Cllr. M. Foster (MF); Cllr. C. Black (CB); Cllr. P. Watkinson (PW).
In Attendance: District Cllr. P. Howitt-Cowan (PHC) + 4 members of the public
1. Apologies: none received
2. Chair’s Welcome and Annual Report
I’d like to welcome everyone to the 2022 Annual Parish Assembly.
Looking back over the last fiscal year the continuing issue that faced all of us was the second wave of Coronovirus and the restrictions that were placed on our lives. We started the year continuing to conduct virtual meetings until June when we were allowed to hold our first face-to-face meeting. The use of the virtual medium to hold meetings, brought with it challenges and opportunities that I’m pleased to say the council members, embraced and managed throughout its use. I would like to thank the council and members of the public who attended for their willingness to adapt to the restrictions and still keep our local democracy functioning.
The council has continued to operate effectively whilst being two councillors down and without a permanent clerk. Our recent full internal audit has however shown that our systems and processes are in very good order allowing us to continue to serve our community in a competent and transparent manner.
Over the year more council information has been loaded to our website making our activities even more transparent and accessible to the public and has links to other services of interest. I would encourage all members of the public to take a look at the information and if they feel additional info may be useful, please get in touch with the clerk.
Our thanks go out to Mr Richard Marfleet for his years of service to the community keeping the village greenery in check and going above and beyond his contracted activities, to keep our village looking good. Mr Marfleet has decided not to continue the grass cutting this year, so the council is now looking to engage another contractor to carry out these duties. Thank you for
Neighbourhood Plan – Steering group submitted the plan with supporting documents. Thanks to the group for a splendid piece of work and I look forward to the public referendum when hopefully our parishioners will vote to accept the plan which will provide our voice to WLDC in local planning matters which in the past was not always heard or recognised. If adopted this will be a legal document which must be taken into account when planning decisions affecting the parish are made. The Plan is out for consultations with representations and comments invited for return to WLDC by 14th April 22.
A continuing issue in the village has been speeding traffic. To help combat this, the council has, in consultation with the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership, purchased a speed indicator device which will be mounted in various locations throughout the village to warn motorists of their speed. The unit will record traffic data and this can be analysed and passed on to the police for further action.
I would like to acknowledge the support from our district councillor (Cllr Paul Howitt-Cowan) and our colleagues at Lincolnshire County Council. In addition to its statutory duties, the council were pleased to be able to provide donations to the Parish Church, to cover the church yard grass cutting, and contributing with the Village Hall Committee towards the village Christmas tree.
Looking forward, our council hopes to replace old and add additional seating in our open green spaces and are looking for ideas how we can make better use of the pinfold.
3. Approval of Minutes from 15th March 2021
Proposed: MF Seconded: CB Carried: unanimously
4. Reports from
4.1 County Councillor
None received
4.2 District Councillor - Paul Howitt-Cowan
DEVOLUTION:
Despite Lincolnshire submitting a bid to Westminster, The Government in its Levelling Up failed to include Lincolnshire, therefore devolution is not a possibility for a little while yet
My response
- Lincolnshire should have a referendum on this which has so far been denied
- here is the matter of the ‘democratic deficit’ how this new devolved Council will relate to our communities and Parish Councils and Meetings.
- Scotter Rural has a problem now under the present structure in the non attendance of its County Cllr which is causing waves, therefore how will a devolved council fare at the grass root level?And although virtual has a place, it is no substitute for a physical meeting or presence from outside representatives,
- One of the reasons for supporting devolution is the promise of millions of pounds to invest in Lincolnshire, but that will come at a price , ie the weakening of the democracy at the very grass roots and furthermore, if the Government has these millions to dispose of why does it not invest now when there is such an urgent need to invest in our economy
- After Covid, I thought we had learned that ‘small is beautiful’
NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN:
I have followed Hemswell’s journey,which has not been straight as hoped for but for good reason. The input by the Community has been greatly appreciated. We await now the results of the last stage of this journey before the Referendum is held, I am a great supporter of neighbourhood plans and in the Hemswell Ward 3 have been approved and 2 are in their final stages, namely Hemswell and Hemswell Cliff.
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Large solar farms are being proposed in WLDC namely at Corringham & Gate Burton which are not subject to normal planning applications ie they come under a Government Inspector. And the revised Local Plan for Greater Lincolnshire is advocating huge wind farms in WL but their proposed locations have not been identified.
What the UK requires is reliable energy, renewables such as wind and solar are subject to the weather, storage of energy is key but the most reliable is nuclear in conjunction with renewables.
WL DEPOT CAENBY CORNER
This is now operative and state of the art build embracing renewable technology.
VIRTUAL MEETINGS FOR COUNCILS
There is a national petition to make virtual a standard mode of transacting local government business. But virtual is not all it is cracked up to be and I have moderated my views in the light of experience. Virtual Council meetings ended under the current legislation. It played its part in maintaining local democracy however as an experiment I think there is no substitute for a physical meeting, which gives you a better understanding of body language during meetings and debates. Initially there was much hype that virtual was the way forward however I think over the past year or so we have moderated our initial thoughts. Virtual is very useful for staff meetings and for working groups within reason but not for Full Council and committee meetings. I would resist any attempt to make it mandatory. We are social animals and virtual denies you the feel of atmosphere, the body language the eye contact which you receive in a physical meeting. People like to both see you and meet with you.
Sustainability Policy at WLDC is advocating virtual meetings across the board to reduce use of petrol and travelling which impacts on the environment but not everyone has the internet, and there are numbers in WLDC with poor reception and to to impose virtual goes against the democratic principle.
COMPOSITION OF WLDC [ 36 cllrs]
In the past year the composition has changed slightly but the numbers are interesting.
Conservative [blue was 18 now 17[9 the Conservatives lost Nettleham due to a by election]
Liberal was 12 now 13 The Liberals won Nettleham due to a by election]
From May 2022, I do not expect much headway in Council business as this will be the last year of the Council’s 4 year term and in the New Year there will be a build up to the elections.
Independents [ 6] green
Lincolnshire Independents 2
*Gainsborough Independents 2
*Independents 1
Independent 1
*these 3 are aligned with the Conservatives and propping them up!
If for example all the Independents aligned with the Liberals the Conservatives would lose power immediately.
Cllr S England is sadly not enjoying good health, he is incapacitated and that may lead to his premature retirement and therefore a possible by election in Welton .
The 2023 District Elections which involves Parish Councils will be an interesting election, as several cllrs are to retire
At this moment in time, I hope to fight to continue to represent the Hemswell Ward. Look out to see how the Independents fare in the 2023 election they may hold the key to power because no one party has sufficient numbers to rule independently. When I was first elected in 2010, the Conservatives had sufficient numbers to rule without support and there has been a significant growth in Independents.
It is disappointing that political labels come into district council elections, I have always considered myself a Community Cllr since I was elected in 2010.
CULTURAL:
WEST LINDSEY CHURCHES FESTIVAL 2022
The Festival has not been held since 2019 due to Covid -19.This is a flag ship of WLDC.
After a successful Conference held at Hemswell Court the brochure is now available and we look forward to a greater footfall and participation. I am sorry that All Saints’ Hemswell is not taking part.
GAINSBOROUGH OLD HALL
This is the Jewel in the Crown and although not under WLDC, it is located in the district, now managed by English Heritage. It now has a new site manager, Mick Grundy, an ex serviceman of 24 years and was for 2 years a gardening volunteer at Brodsworth Hall near Doncaster. From 1 of April the Old Hall will be open daily from 10am to 5pm.
Their plans are to have a single event each month. Current pencilled in events are the open-air theatre, CAMRA beer festival in November and a Christmas craft market in the first week of December. The EH Volunteer arrangements with volunteers is being incentivised with a structured training programme, varied roles and free membership with access to all EH sites after a certain amount of volunteer hours have been put in.
The Cafe and Shop are open from 10am to 4pm at the weekends.
Current staffing at the Old Hall is 1 manager, 2 supervisors and 7 assistants.
WLDC Cultural Strategy Policy remains in draft however it should be completed shortly.
WLDC INTERIM CONSERVATION OFFICER
Laura Craddock
LEVELLING UP
The Government awarded WLD £10 million which is to be spent on various projects in Gainsborough
- A refurbished bus station
- Cinema complex
- Whittons gardens to be extended and refurbished
- To promote living accommodation above shops in the Market Place
GOVERNMENT GRANTS TO VILLAGE HALLS:
During Covid the Government made significant contributions to village halls and each one in the Hemswell received generous grants to compensate losses of income. Corringham has for example invested some of the grant in upgrading the hall [with voluntary help] by refurbishing its toilets and kitchen.
MERGING PARISH MEETINGS:
There may be a strong possibility of merging Heapham & Springthorpe to form a Parish Council thereby ending their long tradition of parish meetings. If the population is under 200 then that community enjoys a parish meeting, over 200, they qualify for a parish council. Both villages are close geographically, Springthorpe has a village hall used by Heapham which also acts as their polling station and they share the same vicar. The decision has to be democratic – a referendum has to be held to determine what its residents prefer. The idea was mooted many years ago and its worth exploring once more. There is a financial incentive or disincentive, in that a Parish Council can fix a precept and both villages do not enjoy a precept as such.
4.3. Police
No report received.
4.4 Village Hall Committee
No report received.
4.5 Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group.
Please see comments in the Chair’s report for details of the Neighbourhood Plan progress.
5. Parishioners Statements and Questions
A Member of the public raised a question but asked to raise it in the ordinary meeting following this Annual Parish Assembly.
6. Meeting closure – 7.35 pm
Date of Next Meeting: Monday 20th March 2023
Signed: B C Mander Date: 24th March 2022