October 2016
The Editors Letter
As Autumn wraps its’ comforting cloak around us and the nights lengthen bringing closer the anniversary of my birth, I quietly congratulate myself for completing yet another scene in this passion play we call existence. Another year, though, when some of my contemporaries have not been so fortunate.
I find myself getting quite reflective at this time, and there’s always plenty to be reflective about in Kirton.
In spite of the loss of several established businesses over the recent past we do still seem to maintain a certain positivity. Our cover this month shows the mini esplanade on Station Road that has, throughout the summer, been a bustling market place. With the palette of colour provided by the Flower Shop a backdrop to the chirp and chatter of customers at the ever popular Scout Shop (more power to the marvelous volunteers who keep the place going): the more recent, ‘pop-up’ shop seems to have become a near permanent fixture with its eclectic mix of furniture and fashion; antiques and curios.
And as we know, once you get folks to stop and look then they might also fancy a sandwich at Jessops, a pint at the Bull or even a haircut or a flutter on the 2:30! (Other local businesses are, of course, just as worthy).
Hopefully the kettle will be whistling at the Kirton Cafe in the near future and the village ‘centre’ can breathe again. I hold my hands up as being the first to be guilty of living too much in the past. That’s one of the dangers of ‘reflection’ and can blinker a chap, preventing one from seeing just how bright the future might be.
Change doesn’t happen overnight and is rarely a pretty performance whilst it IS happening. But change we must – and we must also make a decent fist of it.
I know it’s a bit early for resolutions – although that time will be here all too soon – but I might think about it.
It will amuse the memsahib no end if I say “I’m going to be more positive and optimistic; stand a little straighter and smile more! Be nicer to people and stroke the cat”.
She’ll be rushing outside to check the number on the front door.
But, it’ll be something different to do. For a week or so, at least!
Happy conkering....
Sam
Caring Companions
Caring Companions, Boston & District, have five tickets available for the Christmas Afternoon Show at Wicksteed Park, Kettering, on Wednesday 7th. December 2016.
The price at £34.00 includes - Coach, Christmas Lunch, Entertainmentwith a light tea at the interval. Contact details: Stanley Naylor, Tel: 01205 722594.
The Kirton Church Fund
Well done to this month’s winners, both of whom have won before. In fact most of our players have won once or more. Since we started in June 2012 we have had 46 different winners over the 51 monthly draws. Our luckiest winner has won 7 times! Remember you have to be in it to win it!
Sadly, August saw us lose another member but we did gain a new member too and also a new member has signed up to start in September so we now have 47 members taking part. However there is still plenty of room for more members and there is a very good chance of winning in the Kirton Church Fund monthly draw.
You too could join the Kirton Church Fund (KCF) monthly draw and win! Come and join us, anyone over 18 may take part. The prize fund each month is 1/4 of the money taken each month. The rest of the money goes to the Kirton Church Fund. The more people that join the higher the prize fund and the more money we raise for the church.
You can join at any time during the year and you can do it monthly if you wish at only £5 per month. (£50 if joining for the whole year and £28 for 6 months.) Registration forms are available in church or from Fay, please ring 01205 723529.
The September draw takes place on Sunday 25th with the winning numbers printed in the November magazine.
The October draw takes place on Sunday 23rd with winning numbers printed in the December magazine.
If you need more information about Kirton Church Fund please give Fay a ring on 01205 723529.
August 2016 Winners
1st PRIZE - £37.18 - TICKET NUMBER: 26
2nd PRIZE - £12.40 -
TICKET NUMBER: 32
Letters to the Editor
Dear Sam, I would like to take this opportunity to reply/react to your article in the last copy entitled “The Menace that lurks within our village”.
Dog mess on Church Lane, I am sure that readers can remember earlier this year we asked for volunteers to act as wardens to monitor and report such incidents, sadly the response was zero, accept for Councillor David Danby and Paula Davies, who both highlight the mess by spraying around it. I cannot also recall any meeting in which a dog poo bin has been request by residents of this Lane. If anyone sees a person allowing their dog to foul the pavement they should report if known o them to either Belinda Buttery our hard working Parish Clerk or to Boston Borough Council. Either way will result in legal action being taken against them. If there is anyone one out amongst our community who feels they could spare some time acting as a warden please contact me or Belinda.
You have recently received a letter from a concerned resident about excessive speed the Stag and Pheasant corner, the Parish Council also received such a letter. The day after the meeting I contacted the Local Police and they placed a speed monitor at this corner, they have also said there will be a speed patrol there in the near future. However, I would hope that anyone wishing to cross the road safely would use the two crossings some 60 yards from this corner, as the Parish and Local community worked hard to obtain. Road safety and crossings, speed bumps etc are concerns of Highways and the Parish Council can only point out issues to this body and not enforce changes.
I would hope that everyone in the Parish feel that they can attend Parish Council Meetings with their concerns or contact us through Belinda, I am sur we can deal with issues a lot quicker than going through a third party.
Acting together we can make Kirton a better place, let’s be proactive and positive. Best regards to all
Ian Turner, Chairman Kirton Parish Council
Kirton
Kids Club
The kids club opened its doors again on Thursday 1st September – a two day ‘easing in slowly’ start to the new school year.
The children were are really excited and happy to be going back, meeting their new teachers and seeing friends again.
The weather helped the kids club enormously. Playing outside is a bonus this time of year and the weather has continued to provide us with wonderful times outside as we continue to enjoy the extended summer days.
The children have already taken part in our ‘outside art sessions’ – drawing patterns and pictures on the play area. The ground is covered in beautiful bright, bold pictures – full of delightful ideas and designs.
The art will only stay as long as the rain doesn’t come and wash it all away – and then maybe we will start all over again.
Breakfast club continues to be very busy and is a hive of excited, happy children each morning After school still have some places if you are interested.
Before school starts at 7.30 am to school @ £3.50 per child per session and after school sessions end at 5.45 pm @ £5.50 per child per session.
If you are interested in either sessions and wish to know more please phone 07583 762072.
You are welcome to call and book a free taster session with your child – where you stay and watch them have fun and join in with the activities on offer.
Kirton
Library
October sees Kirton Library celebrating its first year at its new location in the New Life Centre, The Junction, 1 Wash Road, Kirton PE20 1QJ. The library has a great team of volunteers which have enabled it to continue running in Kirton and we are delighted to announce the extension of opening hours to include every Saturday morning.
From Saturday 1st October our opening times will be: 10am-1pm Tuesdays, 2-6pm Thursdays, 10am-12pm Saturdays. Call in and see us, new members are always welcome. You can join the library at Kirton - it’s free! We look forward to seeing you!
Drivers
Wanted
Boston Community Transport, a local registered charity, runs a volunteer car scheme and currently has 40 members in Kirton and the outlying parishes who use the service to attend health related appointments both locally and further afield.
We are currently seeking additional volunteer drivers to cover all the requests for transport.
Please do not hesitate to contact me for any further information.
Gill Williamson
Lincolnshire Community
and Voluntary Service
Use Telephone No 105
to report a power cut
The new, free three digit 105 telephone number to call in a power cut has gone live. You can call 105 to report or get information about power cuts in your local area.
You can also call 105 if you spot damage to electricity power lines and substations that could put you, or someone else, in danger. If there’s a serious immediate risk, you should call the emergency services too.
105 is a free service, available to people in England, Scotland and Wales.
You can call the number from most landlines and mobile phones.
About 105: Many people don’t know they should contact their local electricity network operator if they have a power cut. They often mistakenly call the electricity supplier they pay their bills to.
That’s why the electricity network operators have introduced 105 – to give you an easy-to-remember number to call that will put you through to the local people who can help.
You can call 105 no matter who you choose to buy electricity from.
What Should I Do During A Power Cut? Switch off all electrical appliances that shouldn’t be left unattended, ready for when the power comes back on.
Leave a light on so you know when the power outage has been resolved. Check to see if your neighbours are okay Wrap up warm.
Contact your network operator to report the power cut, either by calling 105 or via their other available channels.
Parish Council News
Kirton Parish Council Meeting Minutes
- August 2016
Public Forum - No residents attended.
Chairman’s comments
One resident had complained to the Chairman, Cllr Lee and the Clerk regarding the development site on Horseshoe Lane that is overgrown with weeds and rubbish. Clerk has been in touch with the selling agent and asked them to contact the land owner and ask that it is tidied up.
The Police have carried out speed checks on Boston Road and especially the Stag and Pheasant corner, also they had the speed indicator sign in place too which slowed traffic on this bend. The Police said they will do this road again.
The Chairman met with the Chairman of Frampton Parish Council to discuss the Alison Development for Middlegate Road. As yet there is no application for planning in but the Chairman assured Frampton’s Chairman that the Parish Council has given its full support in opposing the development.
Apologies for absence
and reason given
Cllrs Edwards, Danby, Carter, Ransome and Rylott gave their apologies as they were at other meetings or on holiday.
Receipt of any declarations of interest in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011, and to consider any written requests for dispensations in relation to members’ disclosable pecuniary interests. Cllr Lee declared an interest in the Town Hall item.
Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting
It was resolved after a proposal by Cllr Lee, seconded by Cllr Brotherton and agreed by the remainder, that the notes from the meeting on the 21st July 2016, previously circulated were a true account of the meeting and should be recorded as the minutes.
Police Matters
The Police reported to the Chairman that they were pleased with the positive manner that the youths that have been behaving anti-social way have been dealt with accordingly. There have been some youths that have had their behaviour dealt with on the scaled approach and the village is feeling the benefit.
Viewpoints on questions from members of the publiC - No residents attended.
Report from the minutes of the previous meeting/Clerk’s report
a) Update re cemetery extension land – nothing heard from the solicitors so Clerk chased the solicitors working for Mr Woodward – they inform us that the delay is due to a partner retiring who was originally looking after proceedings. Another solicitor has now been assigned the case and will carry it forward.
b) Clerk has made enquiries regarding the public liability cover for the areas that the Borough Council proposes devolving the maintenance to the Parish Council. The land is within the boundary of the Parish and when the paperwork is drawn up by the Borough Council transferring the maintenance responsibility for the green spaces to the Parish Council then it will automatically be covered under the same policy.
Correspondence received which the Council are invited to resolve on
a) Governance Review for Greater Lincolnshire - devolution information received from LCC.
b) Thank you received from St Peter and St Paul’s Church for support in raising £1890 for the church.
c) Consider request for donation towards renewing carpet and cushions for the hall at Christ Church Hall Kirton Holme.
d) Street Lighting Transformation Project – Switch offs A16 South – LCC are proposing switching off a number of street lights on rural trafficked routes. They are proposing turning the street lights off along the rural straight from Kirton roundabout to Sutterton roundabout.
Matters for the attention of Lincolnshire County Councillors/Boston Borough Councillors
Cllr Brookes informed members that the bollards at the industrial site which are blocking the footway are due to be moved next week at the latest.
The consultation held by the Boundary Commission regarding the boundaries in the Borough have come back with the boundaries unchanged but the names are as were requested for these areas by the Borough Council.
Cllr Smith reported that although the Highways on line reporting service states that the potholes on Sykemouth Drove have been ‘completed’ they have only been filled with loose gravel. Cllr Austin will go and visit the road and have a look.
A query was made regarding lights that were reported as the bulb having gone out. The query was why all of a sudden are these light bulbs not being replaced until routine maintenance is done in the area. Cllr Brookes informed members that this was always the case so that work could be carried out the most efficiently.
Planning applications
B/16/0284 – Proposed single storey rear extension at 175 Fairfax House, Ralphs Lane, Kirton End – NO OBJECTIONS.
Accounts for payment
It was resolved that the accounts as per payment sheet 5 of 12 dated August 2016/17 should be paid.
Town Hall
No matters raised.
Cemetery
The probation services have started painting the gates. Work continues with the painting plus weeding as requested.
The Cemetery committee are a little concerned that the maintenance strip alongside the new development is not as wide in areas as it should be. This will not be properly determined until the scaffolding comes down. Ongoing.
Cllr Brotherton still has not been contacted regarding the lock for the gate. It was resolved to leave it for 2 weeks and if still no news regarding getting it done, or it can’t be done by the person Cllr Brotherton took it to, then Cllr Foster will do the work.
Reports for
Various Bodies
The hedge outside 43 Horseshoe Lane is overgrown over the footpath again. The Friday group may be tackling this – if not Cllr Lee will inform the Clerk who will get it reported to Highways.
Members were disappointed that the trees that had been dug up to facilitate the Duckworth development on the Industrial Park had died due to not being watered. Clerk to contact Alistair Humphreys to request that the dead trees are replaced and watered for as long as it takes to enable them to maintain themselves.
It was reported that there is a puppy farm off Eleven Acre Lane. Clerk to report to enforcement officer.
It was reported that the hedges outside 97 London Road are so overgrown they are blocking the pathway – Clerk to report to Highways.
Parish matters
a) Inspection Rota. Wicksteed annual play equipment report shows that there is a handle off the play equipment – Cllr Foster will screw it back on.
b) Reports from committee meetings held since last Council meeting.
No meetings held. The Chairman suggested that each Committee nominates a budget amount for the next financial year and is unable to spend higher than that amount (will aide with setting precept) – members asked to consider and debate at the next meeting.
c) Devolution from LCC – Cllr Turner to brief members after reading all the information sent – Cllr Turner had passed round the information so each member could read it.
The Registers
Baptisms - We welcome into God’s family:
Jacob William Hicks
Darcie Mae Harrison
Weddings - We ask God's blessing on:
Oliver Charles Manning &
Leanne Alexandra Marguerite Hancock
Funerals - We commend to God’s keeping:
No Funerals this month
An Apology
May we offer an apology to the Hicks family as Jacob's name was incorrectly listed in last months magazine.
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