March 2025 DRAFT minutes STILL TO BE APPROVED
Draft Minutes of the Meeting of Reepham Parish Council held on
Tuesday 25th March 2025 at 7.30pm in Reepham Methodist Chapel
Present: Cllrs D Perkins (Chairman), A Brammer, B Wharton (also acting as Clerk), D Davies, J Oxby, H Gee, C/Cllr I Fleetwood, D/Cllr M Palmer. One member of the public also attended.
Meeting started at 07.30pm.
Matters raised by members of the public:
A resident raised the ongoing question of the state of the road surface in Meadow Close.
Standing Orders were resumed at 07.35pm.
1. Apologies: D/Cllr T Bridgwood, Cllr C Wilson, Cllr N Ward, Cllr M Doughty.
At the proposal by Cllr J Oxby, seconded by Cllr D Davies, it was RESOLVED that the apologies be accepted
2. Declarations of Interest: None.
3. Minutes of Meeting held on 25th February 2025:
At the proposal by Cllr A Brammer, seconded by Cllr D Davies, it was RESOLVED
that the minutes be accepted.
4. Clerk’s Report: A report was read out by Cllr D Perkins.
Village Litter Pick: Reminder of the 30th March date and publicity of the event. An email requesting clearance to purchase small presents for Mother’s Day attendance at the Litter Pick, from Cllr M Doughty was discussed.
At the proposal by Cllr J Oxby, seconded by Cllr D Davies, it was RESOLVED
that these sweets may be purchased in a similar manner to the Christmas sweets.
5. Correspondence:
Cherry Willingham Neighbourhood Plan – It was noted that no-one had been able to attend the event. There was a wish to ensure that the Reepham request for the boundary copse to be retained and for suitable planting to maintain a soft aspect to the Eastern boundary.
At the proposal by Cllr A Brammer, seconded by Cllr D Davies, it was RESOLVED
that this be made known to the Cherry Willingham Group.
WLDC – Free event for Parish Councils in village hall 10-1200 on Monday 31st March.
Resident’s email requesting knowledge of ownership of fencing, edging and trees along their boundaries should receive an email response to direct them towards the information.
An email was received from a resident describing the state of the pathway of the High Street on the corner near Lawris Cottage and also between Mellows Close and Manor Rise.
6. Financial matters
a) Presentation of Accounts for Payment:
M Vail – Mar salary £ 248.15
PAYE – Mar £ 62.00
M Vail – April salary £ 248.15
PAYE – April £ 62.00
M Vail, homeworking allowance, Jan- Mar £ 15.00
M Vail, expenses, Norton renewal £ 64.99
Sage payroll, Mar £ 12.00 (inc. £2.00 VAT)
Sage payroll, Apr £ 12.00 (inc. £2.00 VAT)
Bus shelter clean £ 45.00
TOTAL £769.29 (inc. £4.00 VAT)
At the proposal by Cllr H Gee, seconded by Cllr D Davies it was RESOLVED that these be paid, and that the already agreed quote for the bus shelter clean, be paid at £45.00 plus VAT?.
b) INCOME (Oct 2024 – March 2025)
Barclays, Compensation for poor service £ 50.00
LCC, Grass cutting contribution £1288.12
Interest, December £ 222.42
Interest, March £ 210.99
TOTAL £ 1771.53
c) Agree payment of Glendale’s invoices for March (if any March cut takes place) and April as they arrive; provided they are as per original quote.
At the proposal by Cllr H Gee, seconded by Cllr D Davies, it was RESOLVED that these invoices be paid.
d) Agree payment of Npower’s invoice for Xmas tree lights electricity power consumption as it arrives; provided it is within acceptable limits
At the proposal by Cllr A Brammer, seconded by Cllr D Davies, it was RESOLVED that this invoice be paid.
7. Planning Matters
Report from Planning Committee: Nothing to report from the past month. 2 new applications have just been received. One raises the complication of the installation of a heat pump that it failed its noise test. The point has raised that there has been no information passed down as the whether comments on this subject can be answered without further information. This to be queried.
Lansdown Villa wall – The correspondence with the Member of Parliament was read out and it was agreed that the Clerk should write to authorise the MP to represent the Parish Council and write to WLDC.
Goods Farm Development: Nothing to report.
Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group: The Chair of the Steering Group reports that the Draft Plan is complete and is being line checked, ready for submission to WLDC for approval. Following receipt of WLDC’s approval t proceed the plan will be presented to the parish through the Reepham News..
8. Roads and footways
Mellows Close to Manor Rise footpath – holding item
Mellows Close yellow lines – holding item
Bus shelter, Lincoln bound travellers at the bus stop in Fiskerton – holding item
Residents’ concerns. Meadow Close pothole position is to be presented by C/Cllr Fleetwood to the Highways Dept.
With respect to the received email concerning the High Street pathway, it was agreed that the resident should be made aware that there is little that the Parish Council can do in land adjacent to highways where LCC Highways Dept hold management responsibility. Also, that the footpath mentioned has been under scrutiny for some time and that funding is being sought for a replacement surfacing.
Cllr A Brammer informed that the 30/40mph stick-on signs for the wheelie bins had been distributed.
9. Field Footpaths and Bridleways
Reepham /Greetwell PF 131: Delayed works: holding item.
10. Conservation area
Village Green: To proceed to the next stage of the map production, the design presentation is to be circulated to the Parish Council for scrutiny and advancement to production.
Following the proposal of Cllr A Brammer, seconded by Cllr B Wharton, it was RESOLVED that the Glasdon litter bin be purchased from the Grant Funding.
11. Amenity areas
Play Area inspections – internal: Inspection found no faults.
12. Trees/vegetation
Trees on The Green: At the proposal by Cllr D Davies, seconded by Cllr A Brammer, it was RESOLVED that Glendale’s quote of £80.00+VAT be accepted for the work on the hawthorn tree on the green. The large tree will be taken down at a later date.
Railway-side Brambles: A response from National Rail that the few brambles creeping through the fence need no work is to be refuted – a letter to be sent to National Rail explaining the problem fully.
13. Business for next agenda:
Audit.
Witham Valley Access Group to be invited to present to the May Parish Meeting.
14. Date of next meeting:
Annual Parish Meeting: Wednesday 14th May 2025, 7.15pm, Methodist Chapel.
Annual Meeting of the Parish Council: Wednesday 14th May 2025, 7.30pm, Methodist Chapel.
The meeting closed at 08.20pm.
Cllr Brian Wharton, Temporary acting Parish Clerk. 31st March 2025.