Annual Meeting 12 May 2025
Present: Councillors: Charles Henriques, David Hayden, Paul Smith, and Richard Burbidge
Residents: Valentino Calabrese
Others: Bernard Champness – Clerk, County Cllr C Vernon and District Cllr P Robins
Open Forum
Mr G Plews who was present addressed the Council on the following matters. It was confirmed to him that his emails had been circulated before the meeting.
1. There was no notice given of a cycling event held in the village recently. He was not against such events but wanted to know if they needed permission to do this and why they did not inform the residents. The Clerk would write to Bourne Wheelers asking them for prior notification in future.
2. He had removed several old radiators and a quantity of cardboard which had been fly tipped on the edge of the village and wanted to know if it was possible for the area to be secured, but it was pointed out this was private land.
3. He had reported on FixMyStreet the poor state of the footpath from the village to the crossroads and understood that although LCC had agreed the work, nothing had been done. He had spoken to Highways and understood work should start by June 2025.
4. He was concerned about the regular road traffic accidents at the crossroads the last of which resulted in a fatality and wanted to know what could be done. Cllr Henriques summarised all that the council had done in the past to resolve this problem, which had resulted in a reactive junction warning sign with advisory 40-mph speed limit on the approach from Toft, double white lines on a lengthy part of the road and the cutting back of vegetation to improve sightlines, but there were still accidents. In the past it was felt that a mini roundabout was the ultimate solution or at least a 40 mph enforceable speed limit from Toft, but these requests had been refused. Cllr Vernon said that she would request Highways to come and revisit the site with members of the Parish Council.
Cllr Henriques said that he had received a letter from Mrs Plummer which he would deal with under matters to report,
The meeting was formally opened at 19.35
1. To elect a Chairperson and to receive the Chairperson’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office and if not then received to decide when it shall be received
1.1 Cllr Henriques was the only nomination and was duly elected as Chair for the forthcoming year.
2. Declaration of Acceptance of Office for Chairperson
2.1 Cllr Henriques signed the Acceptance of Office which was witnessed and signed by the Clerk
3. To elect a Vice Chairperson
3.1 Cllr Smith was the only nomination and was duly elected as Vice Chair for the forthcoming year
4. Cheque signatories and banking arrangements
4.1 Resolved: that all Councillors be cheque signatories. Any two could sign a cheque.
5. To adopt and/or amend the Standing Orders, Financial Regulations and Risk Assessment
5.1 Resolved The Clerk explained that the Standing Orders had recently been amended with paragraphs 14 and 18 being the only paragraphs that were altered. He had amended the Standing Orders and had sent a copy to each Councillor before the meeting Resolved: that the Amended Standing Orders be adopted and approved. The Financial Regulations had not been altered, and they were adopted as was the Risk Assessment.
6. Apologies for absence, acceptance of Apologies
6.1 No apologies were received as all Councillors were present.
7. Declaration of Interest – To receive Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary and Other Interests, as set out in Chapter 7 of the Localism Act 2011 and the nature of those interests relating to any Agenda item
7.1 No one declared an interest in any matter that was on the agenda.
8. Minutes of the last meeting held on the 3 March 2025 (24-06)
8.1 Resolved: That the minutes of the 3 March 2025 be signed by the Chair as a correct record.
9. To Co-opt a Councillor
9.1 Valentino Calabrese, who was present, confirmed he would be prepared to serve as a parish Councillor if co-opted by the Council. He is well known to other councillors who raised no questions for him, although the Clerk asked the two mandatory questions. Was he an undischarged bankrupt or did he have a criminal record? To which he responded no to both questions. It was resolved that he be co-opted onto the council and was asked to take his seat at the table. He was then handed a declaration of acceptance of office which he completed and signed which was witnessed by the Clerk. He was also handed a register of interests form to complete to be returned to the Clerk within a week.
10. Matters to Report
10.1 • Cllr Calabrese handed out a sketch plan he had prepared showing how he thought a mini roundabout could be laid out at the crossroads.
• The Clerk was asked to remind Cllr Vernon about our request for a weight limit on lorries passing through the village.
• Regarding the letter from Mrs Plummer, who wanted to raise the following matters:
1. Prior notice of future cycle events should be obtained.
2. She again raised the question of adopting the old telephone kiosk. She was concerned that it might be removed now that the telephone had been taken out by BT. However, as a listed structure this is extremely unlikely to be permitted and it was hoped that we could continue to maintain it and paint it periodically.
3. She wanted to know what was happening with the Stocks and was concerned that the attempts by SKDC to make it safe, detracted from this focal point in the village. Cllr Robins said that she would deal with this in her report and that she would request regular updates on when the remedial work would be undertaken by SKDC.
4. She wanted to know who was responsible for the village website. This is the Clerk’s responsibility, but the task is proving to be frustrating and time consuming and he apologised for it not being up to date. He is currently liaising with someone at LCC who is being very helpful and uploading documents, without charge, but this will take time to bring it fully up to date. Cllr Haydon volunteered to assist the Clerk, as he has relevant expertise in this field.
11. To receive a report from the County and District Councillors.
11.1 County Cllr Charlotte Vernon did not have a report but would raise the question of the crossroads again with Highways, considering the recent tragedy that had occurred. If there was anything else the Clerk was to contact her. Cllr Henriques asked if she could follow up the position regarding Bottom Street, which is still in disrepair.
11.2 District Cllr Penny Robins gave a report as follows:
There is not much from me tonight owing to the period of Purdah for the County Council elections. As you know it was a very much hard-fought campaign and as a result Councillors and their teams were working very hard door knocking, this had an impact on the volume of Council work.
SKDC Conservative Group selected Nikki Manterfield as their New Leader after Graham Jeal stepped down. She has been a District Councillor for many years. I am sure she will bring a lot of experience to the role.
There is a petition to improve the traffic flow through the Bourne tip site calling for efficiency and accessibility improvements. It is currently single-track flow through the site causing congestion for those who use the rubble and scrap containers and have to join the queue again in order to leave the site, pushing the tail back even further down the access road. If you would like to add your name to the petition this link will take you to the website, change.org.
12. Clerks Report and Correspondence received.
12.1 The Clerk had circulated in advance notice of the various e-mails received since the last meeting. If anyone wanted to see any e-mails, they should let him know and he would send it on.
13. Planning applications:
13.1 Planning Applications to Approve:
Although at the time that the agenda was posted there were no plans to consider two plans have now been received. The Clerk explained that if just one Councillor thought either plan was contentious then we would have to call a special meeting. If not we could deal with them tonight and give the Clerk delegated authority to respond. It was resolved that the Clerk be given delegated authority to respond. That being so the plans received were as follows:
S25/0717 - Proposal: Section 211 notice to remove horse chestnut tree.
Location: Palace Farm, Main Street, Witham On the Hill, App Type: Trees in CA - Section 211 Notice, Resolved no comment or objections
S25/0714 - Proposal: Section 211 notice to re-pollard weeping willow tree (T1) at 6m.
Location: Chilterns, Main Street, Witham On the Hill, App Type: Trees in CA - Section 211 Notice
Resolved: no comment or objections
13.1.2 Planning Applications approved: none to note
13.3 To note any Planning Applications refused or withdrawn: none to note
13.4 To note any Application appealed or any decision made regarding an appeal: none to note
14. To receive any data from the reactive sign
14.1 Cllr Smith apologised for not being able to provide up to date data. He would arrange to download the data and prepare a report, before reinstalling the sign at the other end of the village.
15. Audit of 2024/25 Accounts
15.1 To approve the Annual Governance Statement 2024-25, Resolved: that the Annual Governance Statement 2025-25 be approved after answering the required questions
15.2 To accept the Accounting Statement 2024-25 as a true record. Resolved: That the Accounting statements be accepted as a correct record.
15.3 To sign and approve the Exemption certificate. Resolved: that the Exemption Certificate be signed by the Chair and submitted for Audit.
16. To consider and agree the Insurance cover and whether we wish to include or remove anything from the schedule
16.1 The Clerk had provided details of the Insurance cover that Zurich were providing, and it was agreed that it was in order and that we were adequately insured.
17. To confirm Expenditure
£187.73 – Zurich Municipal (Insurance premium)
£376.00 – B M Champness (salary for April May and June)
£93.80 – HMRC (PAYE)
[ ]denotes those payments paid between meetings, which have been approved by the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the Parish Council or at a previous meeting but not listed
Payments made by Direct Debit - £
17. 1 It was resolved that the payments be made
18. Any other business – Reminder – by law no decision can be made under this item only information exchanged.
18.2 There being no other business the meeting was formally closed at 20.39
19. The date of the next meeting – to be held on Monday 7 July 2025 at 7.00 p.m. at St Andrew’s Parish Hall, Witham on the Hill