January 2024 Agenda
FREISTON PARISH COUNCIL
Email: clerk@freiston-pc.gov.uk
The next meeting of Freiston Parish Council, will be held on Thursday 18th January 2024, at 7:30pm in the Danny Flear Community Centre.
Mrs Val Austin, - Clerk to the Parish Council, 10th January 2024
AGENDA
1. Chairman to open the meeting:
2. Apologises: To receive and accept apologises where a valid reason for the absence has been given to the clerk prior to the meeting.
3. Public Forum: To resolve to suspend the meeting for a maximum of 10 minutes to allow members of the public to ask questions or make short statements to the council.
4. Police Matters: Stats & incidents are available to view on the police website.
• October 23 and November 23 – To be presented at the meeting
5. Minutes: To approve the minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on the 16th November 2023. To resolve as a correct record and to authorise the Chairman to sign the official minutes
6. Declarations of interest (if any): To receive declarations of interest under the Localism Act 2011 – being any pecuniary interest in agenda items not previously recorded on Members’ Register of Interests
7. Planning update: Town and Country Planning Act 1990 - To consider and make observations on all planning applications received and to note planning approvals, refusals, enforcement complaints and appeal decisions advised by Boston Borough Council. – No planning received.
8. Updates /Notes / Discuss and resolve the following items.
8.1. Street Lights – Ongoing. – No further information
8.2. To Note: - Signage on the A52 for Post Office and Butchers – Cllr Shaun Pearson has been asked about the procedure for permission for the signage on the A52. The Clerk has contacted LCC highways to find out the necessary procedure.
8.3. Highway & Roads – Update
8.4. Play Equipment purchase – Councillors to decide on what contactor to use.
8.4.1 List of Contactors – See Appendix A below
8.5. Christmas in Freiston – Update – The majority of the councillors agreed to the following winners:
1st Prize O’Malley The Sycamore’s
2nd Prize Bourne’s The Elms
3rd Prize Foster’s The Old Chapel
Best Tree McCartney’s Avonlea
Councillor Nigel Marshall, presented the prizes to the winners. Details of the winners will go on Facebook. (Cllr Marshall gained permission from all the winners for their names to be published)
8.5.1 To Note: The Christmas Tree: the clerk gave Cllr Nigel Marshall more lights for the tree the plug was damaged, however Cllr Marshall repaired the plug, the clerk purchased a star for the top of tree, unfortunately both were not added to the tree.
8.6. Horses in residents garden – To discuss and resolve action to take regarding the horses in the residents’ garden. The clerk has looked into this and according to research, the resident would require planning permission to keep horses in her garden.
8.7. Flag on flagpole – To discuss and resolve: regarding the flying of a flag all year round. – See appendix B below.
8.8. Parking along Church View – To discuss and resolve: what action to take for the grass verge along Church View, taken from November 2023 meeting.
8.9. D-Day Celebrations 6th June 2024 – To discuss and resolve: do Freiston want to participate in the celebrations and to purchase a lamp of light?
8.10. March 2024 Newsletter – To discuss what is required in the March newsletter.
8.11. Policy to be adopted – To agree and resolve: -
Subject Access Request Procedure
The clerk sent the policy to all councillors.
9. Finance:
9.1 Bank Account: Statement of accounts as at 18th January 2024
9.2 To approve the accounts for payments
9.3 To note – The saving account has now been set up by Lloyds Bank.
9.4 To note – The precept request has been received by Boston Borough Council, dated 8th January 2024, for the total of £35,000, as agreed in the November 2023 meeting.
10. Date of next parish council meeting: Thursday 15th February 2024 at 7:30pm
11. Any other business to go forward to the February 15th 2024 Agenda.
8.4.1 List of Contactors –Appendix A
A: Calcoo Total cost £10,788.00 – Grass mat pads for roundabout. Plus approx. £2,800 for wet pour, just under the roundabout, not including the swings and other play equipment.
B: GL Jones Total cost option 2 £14,175.00 – Grass mat pad for roundabout, not including the swings and other play equipment.
C: Sovereign Total cost option 2 £23,970.71 – This price includes the Black Wet pour for the roundabout, not including the swings and other play equipment.
D: Wicksteed Total cost £17,360.49 – This price includes the Coloured wet pour – (This price may change as they are re-quoting) Wet pour for swings etc is £7,435.00 (this price may change)
Flag Flying - Item 8.6 – Appendix B
Flags are a very British way of expressing joy and pride – they are emotive symbols which can boost local and national identities, strengthen community cohesion and mark civic pride.
The government wants to see more flags flown, particularly the Union Flag, the flag of the United Kingdom. It is a symbol of national unity and pride. The government has recently issued guidance encouraging the flying of the Union Flag on all UK government buildings throughout the year, alongside other national and local flags.
(Freiston do not have a government building, however as Freiston are a local governing body, it should still apply)
We are keen for local authorities and other local organisations to follow suit. We have made it easier for the Union Flag to be flown alongside other flags, so organisations can highlight their local identities, as well as their national identities, and celebrate special days or events which champion civic pride.
In England, the flying of flags is treated as advertisements for the purposes of the planning regime to ensure the flags do not impact on safety or amenity. Some flags require formal consent (permission) from the local planning authority, whereas others like the Union Flag do not. The detailed controls over flag flying are set out in detailed regulations (see links below).
This plain English guide provides a brief summary of the regulations so that individuals and organisations can easily understand when they can fly a flag in England without the need for consent. It incorporates the latest changes to the regulations introduced in June 2021. These regulations now allow for the Union Flag to be flown with another flag from the same flagpole, provided certain conditions are met.
If you are unclear about whether consent is required for flying a flag, you should contact your local planning authority who can provide detailed advice.
Please see link below for further details.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/flying-flags-a-plain-english-guide