Minutes 2022-23

SWAYFIELD PARISH COUNCIL – CHAIRMAN’S ANNUAL REPORT MAY 2022

Following a couple of years of holding this meeting by zoom call, it’s a delight to be back in the Village Hall face-to-face as the Council’s meetings too are now held.

We have 7 Parish Councillors and I am grateful to Derek Metcalfe, Kevin Holden, Amy Roberts, Jenny Geeson, Maria Johnson and Richard Green for the work that they have put in to conducting Parish Council business.  And indeed we are grateful to Chris Hatch, our Parish Clerk.  As a Council we have generally agreed on everything that has come our way.

Each Councillor has a specific role within the Council as well as being involved in general matters and the Council’s finances – these roles are reviewed on an annual basis and currently they are

            Derek Metcalfe is the Vice Chairman

Kevin Holden looks after the defibrillator and issues relating to Pingle Lane

            Richard Green looks after highways, bye ways, footpaths and street lighting

Jenny Geeson keeps an eye on the Call Connect bus service

            We all have responsibility for Community Events

            Maria Johnson looks after the telephone kiosk which contains a book exchange and a daily

                        delivery of newspapers and periodicals

Amy Roberts keeps an eye on the play equipment on the Recreation Ground while I look after

            the fabric of the Ground

The Parish Council has been very well supported throughout the year by Councillor Nick Robins who is our local District Councillor and up until his untimely death. Councillor Bob Adams who was our local County Councillor.  Bob was an excellent Councillor and we welcome Charlotte Vernon in his place.

Without going in to too much detail, the main issues that we have dealt with this year have been

• Highways – our liaison with a representative from LCC Highways has continued and the Council will continue to monitor all matters that require attention, but we must all be aware of budgetary constraints.  However the quality of some of the work in the recent past has been a matter for concern, and this has been drawn to the attention of our local Councillors.  I would though like to encourage all Parishioners to use the SKDC or LCC websites to report matters as they occur as the more reports that those Councils receive perhaps the more likely they are to react – or is that wishful thinking …... You will have noticed that some patches of resurfacing of the roads in the village was done recently, and I’m sure that opinions vary on the job that has been done.

However, one encouraging note is that the Parish Council is this year again expecting to receive about £340 from LCC in lieu of them cutting some of the grass verges within the village.  The Parish Council appreciates the efforts that parishioners make to keep our verges looking tidy.

The Definitive Map Modification Order Application to have Pingle Lane re-established as a footpath and marked appropriately remains in the County Council’s in-tray together with a host of other ones from around the county.

While on the subject of highways – how best we can discourage vehicles from speeding through the village.Unless we have hard evidence the District or County Council will not make any changes, so the first thing to do is to gather evidence using the technology that is available but at a price and so anything along these lines will need to be included in our annual expenditure budgets.

• Community Events – we have had a quiet year with regard to community events because of the covid restrictions, but if anybody feels that there is a need for a community event in the future then please do speak to us in good time.  Coming up next moth though will be the Platinum Jubilee celebrations – the Parish Council will be lighting the beacon at 21.45 on Thursday 2nd June and I commend to you the programme of other events that the Jubilee Committee has organised.
• LincsBus Call Connect Service – do please speak to Jenny Geeson about the LincsBus Call Connect Service should you need to know any details.
• Planning Applications – several planning applications have been considered by the Parish Council during the year and our comments where applicable have been passed to the District Council. 
• Telephone Kiosk – the kiosk continues to be used as a book exchange and newspaper/periodical collection point.  It also contains a noticeboard on which any Parishioner may post a notice that is relevant to his/her business or village life.
• Grants Policy – as the Council has money within its funds that is available to be spent for the benefit of the community we introduced a Grants Policy in November 2017, details of which are posted on the Village Notice Board.  Please do consider applying for a Grant if you think it appropriate.
• Parish Council Website – in compliance with the Transparency Code the Parish website is maintained by the Parish Clerk.
• Dog Fouling – unfortunately dog fouling continues around the village - could all dog owners please ensure that they clear up after their dogs and either take the waste home with them or put it in the bin at the High Street end of the Recreation Ground.  And when walking across farmland please ensure that your dogs are under close control or on leads.
• Skip – in the autumn the Council organised and paid for a skip into which parishioners could put their garden waste – this was well received and the skip was filled during the day so I expect that the Council will repeat the process later this year.

And finally,

Finances – our accounts are shown in the financial statement and they remain in a healthy state.  The Parish Council’s accounts are in the process of being audited– a copy of the audited accounts will be placed on the Village Notice Board and on the website for your perusal in due course.  As prices for most goods and services are rising almost on a daily basis, one encouraging piece of news is that the Parish Council has reduced the precept for the coming year in line with the guideline that our annual surplus should not exceed our annual precept so what last year was £3,228.75 this year will be £2,200.00.

10th May 2022

Simon Frere-Cook

Chairman, Swayfield Parish Council