November 2019 Minutes
Minutes of the meeting held on 20 November 2019
Present
Cllr Hinton (Chairman), Cllr Harvey (Vice Chairman), Cllrs Candler, Farley, Goodman, Hayward, Mellows, Webber.
In attendance
County Cllr B Adams, District Cllr C Benn, 6 members of the public.
Apologies
Cllr Thomas.
1. Declarations of interest
None
2. Approve minutes 16 October 2019
The notes of the 16 October 2019 meeting were approved as minutes and signed by the Chairman. Proposed by Cllr Harvey, seconded by Cllr Mellows, all in favour.
3. Matters arising - upper green steps
District Cllr C Benn had made arrangements for an SKDC building inspector to make a site visit; the inspector declared the steps to be fit for purpose. The Councillors agreed to pay the third and final instalment of £2280 as set out in the 6 February 19 schedule and payment plan; JMB will have to accept in writing that this is the final payment before the cheque is issued.
4. County Council matters
County Cllr B Adams that flooding had taken priority over non urgent business. More traffic and parking enforcement officers were being deployed in towns and villages. Park and Ride schemes were being considered. (Cllr Candler arrived at 20.00).
5. District Council matters
District Cllr C Benn said that a meeting had taken place between SKDC and The Old Quarry developers who were now both considering their legal position on whether the developers had exceeded planning permissions.
6. Discuss Village Hall Committee and Parish Council relations
Five members of the Village Hall Committee were in attendance. Cllr Hinton said the disappearance of the sand bins from the back of the village hall was the subject of a police report. Chris Wright had given permission in 2008 for bins to be placed at the back of the Village Hall therefore the Parish Council should have been told the bins were to be removed. The VHC members said that there did not know where the bins were at present. Looking to the future, it was proposed to have a written agreement between the Parish Council and the Village Hall Committee on location of the sand bins that would allow access to the back of the Village Hall - Cllr Hinton to prepare a draft agreement. The VHC were applying for a European Rural Development Fund for smart energy - a feasibility study had been carried out; quotations would be obtained for roof insulation and a new boiler; the fund would cover 38% of the costs. The kitchen was in need of commercial catering equipment; Cllr Hinton to check with NALC whether the Parish Council could make a contribution as current NALC advice is against making grants to church owned property such as the village hall. Cllr Candler asked the VHC members whether they were compliant with legislation with regard to CCTV operating inside the Village Hall as there was no notice to inform of public filming. Cllr Hinton said that the Village Hall had been chosen as an emergency centre; the Parish Council would provide a connection for an emergency generator; an emergency pack was already located at the hall.
7. Precept 2020-21
A decision on the precept will made at the December meeting. It was agreed in principle that from the 2020-21 precept 50% would be paid into the deposit account.
8. Discuss purchase Christmas tree for the Upper Green
The Councillors unanimously agreed on spending up to £140 on a Christmas tree for the Upper Green. Western Power will be asked to restore power for the tree lights after disabling it during connection for the Upper Green step lights.
9. Planning issues - verbal report from the Planning Working Group
The Planning Working Group had no matters to report.
SKDC has granted planning permission for the following applications:
S19/1437 - Pineview, Holywell Road; approval of reserved matters relating to layout, appearance and landscaping following grant of outline permission ref S17/2137
S19/1719 - 57 Glen Road; removal 1 Scots Pine and 1 Leylandii.
10. Amenities Working Group report
Cllr Webber presented the AWG report. Cllrs Webber, Hayward and the clerk had made a cemetery site visit; the recommendation for location of the replacement Austrian Pine was the recently cleared area in line with existing trees.
Clerk to ask two tree surgeons for professional advice on trees bordering Cumberland Gardens. Cllrs Candler and Hayward to seek recommendations and quotations to reinstate/lay paths following a site visit to mark out paths and written brief prepared; the site visit was scheduled on 1 December. The Working Party suggestion was for pathways to be rolled and cut extremely short but quotations for preparing and resurfacing will also be obtained. Michael Wright has been instructed not to carry out maintenance that he deemed to be unsafe; the clerk has a copy of Michael’s insurance. Cllr Harvey had carried out the playing field monthly inspection on 13 November; the top edges of the wooden step retainers on the southern slope were quite slippery and a trip hazard as they protrude above the grass steps. Clerk to contact Tim Smith with regard to the post replacement at the far end of the playing field. Cllr Candler will assess the quality of benches produced by Men in Sheds in respect of recommendations for replacing damaged benches. Cllrs Webber, Hayward and Harvey will check that grit bins are well stocked before the winter weather (note, the Chairman had already done this in September). Quotations for cost of 2010 playing field inspection to be obtained from Fenland Leisure and ROSPA. Michael Wright will be asked to clear leaf waste from the pavements. Damage to kerb of High Street and Heathcote had been reported. Richard Kent will be thanked in writing for his work at the pond during the recent rainfalls. Cllr Webber had met with the D of E volunteer and his father to discuss on work to be carried out, the agreement was to focus on leaf and litter picking with particular attention to the pathway between Church Lane and Cumberland Gardens. Cllr Hayward had reported a number of pot hole and drain faults. The cobbled curb at the High Street - Castlegate junction will be painted with white masonry paint to alert drivers not to take a left turn from the High Street.
11. Consider purchase plastic based benches for the playing field
Deferred.
12. Cemetery matters
Covered in item 10.
13. Pond matters
Cllr Hinton said that a new lock and key had been bought for the sluice gate lock.
14. Correspondence
- SKDC Chairman’s Office - Cllr Linda Neal’s death announcement
- SKDC - Parliamentary General Election notices - on notice boards
- SKDC parish update
- Flood action week - 11-17 November
- Cancellation flood action week
- NHS Alliance webinar
- E - mail from resident on quarry lorries destroying verges in Counthorpe Lane
- Colsterworth Rural highways report
- Invest SK
- LALC News
- Rural Bulletin
- Public sector executive online
- Community Lincs/YMCA upcoming merge
15. Accounts
Credited:
SKDC - community cleaner grant £213.46 [BACS]
Cheques approved:
R Webster - playing field mowing £460.80 [101223]
M Wright - upper green, river bank, cemetery £140.00 [101224]
P Hinton - reimbursement notice board replacement glass £59.08 [101225]
S Robinson - reimbursement Royal British Legion wreath £20.00 [101226]
16. Councillors’ verbal reports
Cllr Candler has asked Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust’s Chief Executive to attend a PC meeting with regard to the two fields above the Fishpools.
Cllr Goodman said that Lincolnshire Integrated Voluntary Emergency Service (LIVES) had offered free defibrillator training.
Cllr Hinton said that a promotion event for the community shop would take place on 23 November in the village hall; Work on the foundations should start on 2 December and the building delivered mid January. The shop was scheduled to open at the end of April.