February 2025 Minutes
MARTON & GATE BURTON PARISH COUNCIL
Clerk to the council: Mrs A McArthur Field Farm Sand Lane Spalford
NG23 7HG Tel: 07392113832 clerk.magbpc@gmail.com
Website https://marton-gate-burton.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk
Minutes of the meeting held on 3rd February 2025
PRESENT Cllr S Spence (Chairman)
Cllr N Cody (Vice Chair)
Cllr M Allen
Cllr C Durning
Cllr L Musgrave
Cllr J Patrick
ALSO PRESENT Sue Moody
Cllr R Pilgrim
Penny Worrell
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE:
Anna McArthur
2 Declaration of Members Interest None
3 Public Forum
a) Penny Worrell attended to represent Marton Primary School, and the meeting discussed the ownership of the car park which the developers had promised would be in place for use by the school and at present is in an unfinished and unusable state. Mr Green, headteacher has been approached and asked if the school would take over the ownership of the car park but Penny stated that the school does not have the funds to complete or maintain the carpark which is for the sole use of the parents and staff of the school.
Cllr Spence said that the Parish council is not in a position to takeover and continue to maintain this.
To date there is still considerable work to be done before it is in a safe state for use. There is considerable outstanding work to be completed ie, fencing, lighting, safe passage for children using the carpark, cleaning of the surface and confirmation of who will be responsible for its maintenance once accepted. There is also the outstanding matter of the light-controlled crossing in place before it can be utilised.
Cllr Pilgrim said he would liaise with Penny and Steve and Tabatha Lomas of LCC as she is also dealing with this matter and the developers who are thought to be E5.
b) Sue Moody said there seems to be a discrepancy with the grave numbers which were allocated by the previous clerk to the council, and she would like to confirm that the number she has is for the correct plot.
Action: Anna to contact Sue Moody to check the details and let her know.
4. NOTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 6TH JANUARY 2025 to be approved as minutes. Proposed by Cllr Musgrave, seconded by Cllr Cody.
5. REPORTS ON MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MEETING
a). Microsoft 365? Has this now been purchased and installed on the council laptop?
Action: Check with Anna and ask for update.
b). Online banking. Cllr Durning has managed to get this organised for herself and will liaise with Anna re Id and activation code by text or letter from the bank. If this does not work Cllr Durning has a telephone number of a very helpful contact who will be able to talk Anna through the process.
6. PROPOSED SOLAR PARKS
a). Panorama is being televised at 8 pm this evening re Solar Farms.
b). Cllr Spence has also received a poster for yet another solar farm project in the area.
7. PLANNING
a). 14 new houses are planned for the land on Stow Park Road. It was agreed that the Parish Council will object to these developments siting the fact that none of the conditions for the earlier site of 39 dwellings have been adhered to and none are available yet, the earlier site is still a building site apart from 10 social housing properties.
b). Cllr Cody has proposed that the Parish Council ask for two new bus stops and bus shelters to be provided by the developers should this planning application go ahead as buses are once again running up hill.
8. FINANCE
a).Cllr Spence has a spreadsheet from Anna and a balance as of 3 February 2025. Cllr Cody wrote out cheques that were due for payment and these were signed.
b). cheques for Clerks salary and expenses £209.29 HMRC £47.40 WAVE
(Angligan Water £18.51)
9. CEMETRY
a). The meeting went through the details of the Management document and updated this to conform to Marton and Gate Burton Parish Council and amended appropriate areas of the document, all agreed it would take effect from 1 April 2025. The procedures would not be back dated and will not affect those parishioners who have already purchased plots prior to this being adopted.
b). It was suggested that the new cemetery policy that has been adopted should be distributed to local undertakers when retyped and put onto the council website. Local undertakers ie Co-op, John Thurlby, Cliff Bradbury.
c). Cllr Cody stated that the shed in the cemetery was open and insecure on Sunday when he was there, he tried to secure it.
Action Cllr Spence to check again on Tuesday 4 February 2025.
d). Cllr Pilgrim said that a ‘topple’ test should be carried out in the cemetery every 3 years, Parish Council would need to pay for this service and our public liability insurance should be checked to see if we are required to have this service carried out.
Action Anna to contact insurance company to check the details of this.
10. CORRESPONDENCE
a). Clerks and council’s directory received. It was proposed that this be passed around parish councillors and they sign the envelope before passing it on, lots of interesting and useful information is included.
Action Cllr Patrick has taken first to read and will pass it on.
b) Continental landscapes are now known as Krinkles, Cllr Spence has contacted them three times and finally received an email re the cutting of the grass in the churchyard.
Action Cllr Spence will inspect tomorrow and confirm if the grass has been cut.
11. CORONATION WOOD
a) It was reported that Mr Steve Porter has paid and planted many plants at his own expense. He has donated £500 for the use of plants in the Coronation Wood. The meeting wanted this to be recorded in the minutes.
12. ONLINE BANKING
This was covered earlier.
13. AOB
14 DATE OF NEXT MEETING Monday 3 March 2025
There being no other business the meeting was closed at 8.30 pm.