June 2025 Minutes
Morton and Hanthorpe Parish Council
5, The Paddock, Morton, Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 0NY
Telephone: 07547171357 Email: mhpc.clerk@btinternet.com
Clerk’s Notes:
Morton & Hanthorpe Parish Council Meeting
held at St. John the Baptist Church Hall on Tuesday 24th June 2025
In attendance: Cllrs: R. Wells (Chair), W. Lawrance, S. Reynolds, A, Morris, C. Walker,
M. Tuohy, R. Carlton.
Also in attendance: County & District Cllr. S. Woolley, County Cllr. M. Hill,
Police Supt. P. Vickers & Sgt. C. Wilson
N. Walker (R.F.O. & Clerk), 9 Members of the Public.
2 Police Officers attended the meeting, primarily in respect to the rave that took place over the late May Bank Holiday weekend. Given the pressing nature of their responsibilities Cllr. R. Wells (Meeting Chair) invited them to present first. The respective content can be found at Item 9, Reports From Outside Bodies.
PUBLIC FORUM:
Members of the Public raised a number of concerns / questions:
Parking behind (east of) the Church. This continues to be an issue with certain vehicles causing visibility problems. obstructions. This has been raised / reported as an issue on a number of occasions. Only the Police have the authority to sanction / move offending vehicles however this is not seen as a priority given their area of duties / responsibilities. Highways are considering placing bollards around the affected are to prohibit access / parking and the respective damage that is inflicted to the are in winter.
Road cleaning / sweeping. It is recognised that we live in a rural area and that some debris will deposit on the roads (mud / straw etc.). With the propensity for Station Rd. to flood can it be arranged for the roads to the east of the church to be swept in the autumn to remove this detritus and fallen leaves to aid drainage.
Area of grass in Bakers Way not or badly cut. Clerk to investigate.
House on corner of Bakers Way restricting grass cutting ability for SKDC as support props to the fence
Obstruct access.
High Street red telephone box. The question was raised as to the future of this telephone box. The Parish Council were offered to ‘adopt’ it some years ago but then the offer of adoption was recinded by BT as it was still being used for calls. October last year the PC was again offered to adopt the box, however the condition had significantly deteriorated. The PC had an integrity survey carried out and found that repairs
Would cost in excess of £2,500. Adoption was respectfully declined. Why has it been repainted after telephone equipment has already been removed? Unknown!
PARISH COUNCIL MEETING:
1. TO CONSIDER APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE.
Apologies received from Cllrs.: B. Hyde, K. Morris, M. Harris, A. Tilley
2. TO RECEIVE ANY DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN ANY ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
None Raised
3. TO CONSIDER CLERK’S NOTES OF MEETING HELD ON 6th May 2025 FOR
APPROVAL AS MINUTES.
Following a proposal by Cllr. M. Tuohy, seconded by Cllr. R. Carlton, the Clerk’s Notes of
the meeting held on 6th May 2025 were approved as Minutes and duly signed by the Chair
Person, Cllr. R. Wells.
4. CLERK’S REPORT AND CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED.
Report:
Accounts approved and returned by independent auditor.
AGAR submitted to Government Auditors PFK Littlejohn.
Public Rights Notice plus requisite information published on Morton & Hanthorpe website, Facebook & noticeboard.
Parish Public Liability Insurance renewed.
Correspondence:
Business rate relief review/return for Haconby Lane Cemetery
Siting of broad band pole in East Lane – objections noted and submitted.
SKDC Flooding enquiry: Clerk to provide updates.
Notification & survey received for proposed power lines (north of Haconby).
5. TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF PAYMENTS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH BUDGET:
Payments:
|
Mr. N. Walker |
Clerk’s salary for April. |
£ 651.66 |
|
Viking Direct. |
Lam. Pouches, envelopes & A4 card. |
£ 50.41 |
|
Mr. N. Walker |
Reimbursement P.A.Y.E. / Nat. Ins. S/fall demand. (card pay required). |
£ 22.96 |
|
Smith of Deby |
Church clock repair. |
£ 1,278.00 |
|
Mr. N. Walker |
Clerk’s salary for May. |
£ 651.66 |
|
Mr. N. Wilkie |
Litter picking 20/4 to 11/5 |
£ 87.60 |
|
Mr. N. Wilkie |
Litter picking 17/5 to 6/6 |
£ 87.60 |
|
Zurich Insurance |
2025/6 PC Public Liability Ins. |
£ 541.17 |
|
Mr. N. Walker |
Reimbursement for Ind. Audit fee. |
£ 168.00 |
Total payments in period= £ 3,539.06
Following a proposal by Cllr. S. Reynolds, seconded by Cllr. A. Morris, the Council
approved the payments.
Receipts:
|
J. Durrant |
A15 Field – Annual rent 2025 |
£ 288.00 |
|
Louth |
Hanthorpe Field – ½ yr. rent. |
£ 50.00 |
|
Barclay’s Bank |
Cem fees. (Int). |
£ 330.00 |
|
Barclay’s Bank |
Cem fees ( x3) |
£ 375.00 |
|
Morton C of E School |
Playing Field – Right to Share fee. |
£ 170.00 |
|
HMRC |
VAT refund for 2024/5 |
£ 811.81 |
|
Memorials Ltd. |
Cemetery memorial fee. |
£ 125.00 |
Total receipts in period = £ 2,149.81
6. TO CONSIDER PLANNING MATTERS:
Applications:
S25/0987 Mr & Mrs Peat. Land off Edenham Rd. Hanthorpe. Demolition of existing structure &
erection of 2 no. 2 bed bungalows. Means of access from Edenham Rd.
The Council were concerned that the proposed access was in close proximity to a
very tight, semi-blind corner on a single carriage stretch of road. Concern was also
raised that any delivery vehicles attending the proposed 2 properties would obstruct
the Edenham Rd. which at peak times (school) is busy. The Council directed the
Clerk to object to SKDC Planning accordingly.
S25/0696 Ms. N. Rogers. 28 Waterloo Drive. Erection of wooden single storey lean-to car port.
No objection or comments raised.
S25/1125 Mr. N. Hall. 6 Station Rd. Morton. Erection of single storey rear extension &
alteration to real elevation doors of host dwelling.
No objection or comments raised.
S25/0596 Mr. A. Jones. Forty Foot Farm, 6 South Fen, Morton. Creation of a sand & fibre
menage 20 x 40 mtrs. with post & rail fencing on 2 sides and 1 entrance gate.
As per the application the Council wish to highlight that this facility is not for
commercial use. Clerk to raise comment to SKDC Planning accordingly.
S25/0688 The Rookery. Station Rd. Morton. Reduction of walnut tree by 3 metres. Withdrawn
S25/0708 Elvidges Farm, South Fen. Morton. Vary condition of small steel agricultural
building.
Due to planning required response date on S25/0708 Councillors were consulted on
the above application. No objections or comments raised.
S25/0801 Co-Op. 2 Bourne Rd. Morton. Retrospective application for siting InPost Parcel
Locker.
Due to planning required response date on S25/0801 Councillors were consulted on
the above application. Objections were raised i.r.t. partial obscuration of the car park
entrance sign when approaching from the north, unsafe parking by InPost courier
vans & users of the facility. Objections (including photos) lodged with SKDC
Planning.
Decisions:
S25/0170 14 East Lane, Morton. Removal of W.C. outhouse plus addition of: single
story side extension’ render and cladding to existing dwelling. Granted
S25/0466 20 The Broadway, Morton. Single storey front extension for downstairs w.c. Granted
S25/0625 40 Bakers Way, Morton. Removal of conifer hedge & refit 3m high fence. Granted
7. TO CONSIDER MAINTENANCE OF PLAY EQUIPMENT:
The play equipment at the Station Rd. play park is in need of refresh maintenance.
This has been raised by the annual inspection by RoSPA. This includes the goal posts,
which, under separate discussion were proposed to also be moved (east) and clear of
the depressed ground (then to be filled).
Following a proposal by Cllr. W. Lawrance, seconded by Cllr. A. Morris, the Council
approved the proposal and directed the clerk to obtain quotes accordingly.
8. TO CONFIRM THE DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING: TUESDAY 29th JULY 2025
9. TO RECEIVE REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES.
Police Superintendent Phil Vickers & Sgt. Claire Wilson attended the meeting. Supt. Vickers was duty officer on the May Bank Holiday Sunday morning when the rave took place on Paddock Lane / Bourne Woods. Calls were received from around 1.00 am and officers deployed. People attending were spoken with, at its height it was estimated that there were 500 people / 200-250 vehicles. Vehicles indicated that there was national attendance but attendees also identified that another rave was taking place in the south of England.
Force drones were deployed to survey the area / people locations monitored etc.
The decision was made that there were too many people to safely address in the dark and any action decision was deferred until the morning. Key issue was that attending vehicles were strewn across the area obstructing access for EMAS (medical emergency) vehicles should they be required. The experienced Police Officers on site had vehicles moved to enable this access should it be required.
Given the intelligence that another rave was taking place in the south of England and that many of the rave goers expressed that they would move on to that, the number of Police Officers it would require to close the rave down would adversely impact the Forces emergency response capability across the whole of Lincolnshire County it was decided to maintain a presence but let the rave run its course. As to the protection of life a number vehicle drivers were alcohol and drugs tested.
The Police in the southern England location were informed on the oncoming surge of the ravers leaving Hanthorpe.
A question was raised as to why the Police did not just confiscate the music equipment? It was answered that the organisers would have back-up, and back-up back-up equipment that could be called in.
So, although within the Police powers it would not have addressed the situation.
It was asked if the Police knew who the organisers were? The Police are aware and investigations are continuing.
It was noted that the Co-Op suffered some thefts but overall, the rave was well behaved, reasonably well tidied up after, no one was hurt and the emergency response capability across the County maintained. Therefore, the actions taken are seen as the right decision.
The Parish Council, Cllrs. Woolley & Hill thanked the officers for their attendance and their full and frank communication.
---o0o---
CC & DC Cllr. Sue Woolley reported to the meeting that Highways had finalised their investigations into a possible pedestrian crossing at the crossroads of the A15 and that the threshold had been met. A procedural submission would now be made to the respective Executive. (A fuller notification has been posted on M&H Facebook).
CC Martin Hill highlighted the proposed Electricity Grid infrastructure expansion; with proposed 50mtr. high pylons traversing either just north or just south of Haconby. Key questions to note were: are they really necessary? Why pylons and not under-sea, under-ground cables. It was also noted that with the availability of such infrastructure it could invite further solar / wind farms along its route. The first local Public Consultation is this coming Saturday (28th June) at Morton Village Hall.
OTHER MATTERS:
Concern had been expressed that vehicles were speeding past the 30mph sign and
although slowing down constituted a risk on entering the village. (Surveys have shown
that withing the stretch of the A15 through the core of the village speeding is
minimal). CC Cllr. Hill suggested that ‘gates’ (white picket type fence) could be
installed on the verges as has been done successfully at nearby villages. The Parish
Council concurred that this would be a good action and tasked the clerk to obtain
costs accordingly.
The Clerk had been approached in respect to uncut verge grass areas in Hanthorpe. 2 areas have been repeatedly missed over a number of years. These are SKDC responsibility and the clerk on a number of occasions reported these missed areas. It is proposed that the clerk approaches SKDC to release to the Parish Council these 2 areas plus one other currently cut by neighbouring householders. These areas can then be included in the PC responsible cutting areas for the next 3 year tender pack to be release at the end of this year (Commences April 2026). In the mean time the clerk will seek to address the current problem areas.
There being no further business the meeting concluded at 9.19pm
Original Signed
N. Walker Clerk & R.F.O., Morton & Hanthorpe Parish Council