Minutes 2022-23

SWINSTEAD PARISH COUNCIL

Draft Minutes Swinstead Parish Council meeting held

 18.00 on Thursday 9th March 2023

Chair, Cllr A Whitworth

Cllr B Lynch, Cllr C Lunn, Cllr L Underhill, Cllr Vardy, C Hatch (Clerk)

1.0 Public Forum (15 minutes maximum) No members of the public attended. 

2. Welcome Mrs Vardy to the Parish Council. Cllr Vardy completed and signed the Acceptance and DOI forms, the Clerk will forward them to SKDC.  

3. Apologies for Absence. Cllr Lunn.  

4. To receive declarations of interest in accordance with the 2011 Local Government Act. – personal or prejudicial interest in any items for discussion. None.  

5. Draft Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 12th January 2023 to be approved as the Minutes. The Minutes were approved unanimously. 

5.1 Matters Arising. The Clerk confirmed contact with a contractor with the appropriate NRSWA certificate who will quote for the relocation of the Creeton Road Speed sign. He also confirmed the road closures for the Coronation have been agreed by Highways. SKDC Councillor Robins advised the building surveyors have confirmed “Whitegates” is not an unsafe structure.  

6.0 County & District Councillors. Cllr Robins provided a review on District Council activity, a précis of which is below. 

Digital upgrade for CCTV
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is helping to make our District a safer and more secure place. A
£284,000 project will see ageing CCTV technology upgraded, with a digital line installed and existing
analogue cameras replaced with digital equipment.
We will have much clearer imaging and better picture and video sharing capabilities, far superior to
analogue, and the new functionality could also allow us to deploy mobile CCTV in the future.

I will update you on our plans for investing the remainder of our £3.89 million UKSPF allocation as
decisions are taken.
Tourism matters
As you know, we are all committed to supporting tourism, which is incredibly important to the local
economy.
Around 40 tourism venues and visitor businesses from right across the district came along to share
ideas at a networking event in Bourne to explore how the sector can promote itself and work together better.
All the statistics point to the sector recovering well after Covid. In 2021 tourism contributed £168m
to the South Kesteven economy, recovering from the £90m economic contribution during the
pandemic lockdown and restrictions. We are waiting for the 2022 figures but that's very positive progress. It shows the sector is bouncing back and we are here to help.
Council support for Deepings Literary Festival
This year’s Deepings Literary Festival, on May 27th and 28th, is being supported by South Kesteven
District Council with a £2,179 Community Fund grant. This donation will help facilitate a book-themed weekend of activities specifically for young families, involving local children's authors and performers.
Preparations are well under way for this year’s festival, where free activities will add to the high-
quality educational opportunities already scheduled. As usual, events will take place at the Deepings Library and Community Centre and other venues. This is one of the first awards from our Community Fund for 2023/24 and we are looking forward to
supporting many more throughout year. If you would like to see if any groups you are involved with can apply, simply visit the South Kesteven District Council website and search for Community Fund.
Supporting the arts centres.
Stamford Arts Centre has been celebrating the great work of the venue and its creative contribution to the district.
In an event funded by Arts Council England, visitors enjoyed some family-friendly entertainment, performances from local and professional groups, plus displays of illuminating artwork.
We have a vibrant and diverse creative industry here in South Kesteven and Stamford Arts Centre is one of the Lincolnshire One Venues - a network that develops the cultural and creative landscape across our county.
There were live performances from the historian, Phillipa Massey, singer-songwriter Chloe Lorentzen and the Stamford Poet Laureate, Scott Coe. In addition to the performance work, workshops have been held with schools, community groups and residents to create the artwork that was put on display.
Award nomination for SKDC
I am absolutely delighted that South Kesteven District Council is in the running for a prestigious national award, having been shortlisted in the Most Improved Council category in the Local Government Chronicle Awards 2023.
These awards share best practice across the local government community, promoting and sharing
work to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of local government services across the UK.

Simply being shortlisted for an award is recognition of the hard work and dedication, on a daily basis, of all those striving to provide the best possible service to our residents and businesses, and we should all take pride in.

SKToday has landed!
Your latest edition of SKDC’s community magazine, SKToday should be with you by now.
This issue is another important one as it contains the bin collections details for the various upcoming Bank Holidays.
Our editorial team has also put together advice on how households can better cope with the cost of living, facts and figures on the Council Tax and what we do with your payments – and it also features our vital homelessness prevention work and highlights some inspirational women of South Kesteven.

SKDC Cllr N Robins.

1. Councillors Reports. None  

7. Parish Clerk report. 

       7.1Position at Bank. The Clerk presented the PC accounts to date which were accepted.

1. Cheques to be signed. Clerks’ salary £265.52, LALC Annual renewal £77.85, Mr J Hawkins £200, Jubilee Orchard Hedge cutting.  (Invoice received after publication of the agenda).  

8. Planning: 
   1. S23/0376 Mr A Baines, 20 High Street Swinstead. Reduce height pollard 1x walnut tree. (Tree preservation order). (Received after publication of agenda). No comment from PC. 

8.2 22/2368 Mr Smith, Land Adjacent to Macham Close, Swinstead, NG33 4QH. Conversion, partial demolition, and erection of extensions to existing barn, to form a detached residential dwelling. (Decision pending). 

9. Correspondence:
   1. SKDC Prosperity Fund Grant. The Clerk confirmed the Parish Council’s Grant Application for Deer Fencing to be erected in the Jubilee Orchard was successful. The Prosperity Grant Board has approved the full cost of work, which will commence shortly.
   2. Dash UK Ltd. Provided information for Commemorative Coronation Mugs. The Councillors suggested these should be given to the children (16 yrs. and below) of the Village as a memento of the day. Parents should email the Clerk to express their interest.

10. AOB The Clerk advised the Councillors that elections for District, Town and Parish Councils will take place on the 4th of May 2023. He provided all Councillors who sought re-election with an application pack and explained the process to follow. Any resident of Swinstead who qualify and would like to become a Parish Councillor, should contact the Clerk for an application pack. 

IMPORTANT NOTICE, all who choose to vote must take PHOTO ID to the Polling Station. 

Voter ID and the May local elections  

In May, local elections will be taking place across South Kesteven. There will be a big change this year with photo ID required to be able to vote at a polling station; but it’s important to note that postal voters are not affected.  

Accepted forms of photo ID include a passport, driving license, Blue Badge, Older Person’s bus pass, and identity cards with the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram. Most voters will already have an accepted form of ID - and those who haven't can apply online or via SKDC.  

The Council is making it as straightforward as possible for those who need to obtain ID so they can cast their vote. People can apply free either online at gov.uk or through SKDC by completing a paper application form or applying in person.   

SKDC administers the polls, so our preparations are well under way. The elections are a massive undertaking for us, when every District Council seat across South Kesteven will be contested - that’s 56 seats across 30 wards, as well as those for town and parish councils.  

For all the information on the May local elections, including how to register to vote, visit our website, www.southkesteven.gov.uk.  

Date of next meeting. 

     May 11th, 2023, 6.00pm at Swinstead Village Hall  

https://swinstead.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/