October 2023 Minutes
DONINGTON PARISH COUNCIL
Clerk not in attendance – italic responses from clerk
Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 5th October 2023 at The Ruby Hunt Centre.
Present Cllrs Lovell, Burdall, Harris, Hawkins, Geaney, King, Lunn, Slater, Stanley, and Wray. District Cllr Geaney
PUBLIC FORUM
Member felt room would be better set with public forum at the other end. Chair could see no reason why not and would try it next meeting.
MFBHH – Open meeting for Matthew Flinders to advise villager of plans on Thursday 19th October in Church. Lots of people involved and good responses of the event. Not all people can be in Church on the day but differing things happening over the weekend with schools and residents.
Raffle tickets for the Christmas Fayres on 3rd December for members to sell. Request for raffle prizes.
PUBLIC FROM POLICE
Cllr Wray asking if any updates from contact with Police. Cllr Lovell also asking if any response has been received regarding the damage to the wall and the vehicle hit by a tractor.
COUNTY CLLR UPDATES.
Ward walks around on 19th October, any areas to report please send to Clerk.
DISTRICT CLLR UPDATES
Cllr Geaney, nothing to report for Donington.
93/23 APOLOGIES were received and accepted from Clerk. Cllr Walsh. Paul Slater has offered his resignation for personal reasons. Thanks to Paul for his work. Notice for replacement will be advertised.
94/23 TO RECEIVE DECLARATION OF INTEREST IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LOCALISM ACT 2011 none.
95/23 TO RECEIVE DRAFT NOTES OF LAST MEETING HELD 7TH SEPTEMBER – Were signed as a true copy, to become minutes. Proposed Cllr King seconded Cllr Hawkins.
96/23 TO RECEIVE CLERK’S REPORT ON MATTERS OUTSTANDING AND UPDATES FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS –
Toilets – automatic time-controlled doors are to be completed this month.
97/23 TO RECEIVE CHAIR UPDATES
Damage to Bowling Green Fence – thanks to Cllr Harris or repairing. No access to building.
Reminder that communications by emails should be to all the Council, not selected members.
Parking along the wall. Should the last parking space nearest to Chemist be made a disabled space. Provides a much-needed space for disabled. Proposed Cllr Lovell.
Council agreed a good idea in principle, but Cllr Wray asked if legally there were correct actions to be taken. Cllr Harris agreed this could be the case and policing it would be hard. Cllr Lovell to put sign up but Clerk to obtain further information on the legalities. Regarding wall, Cllr Burdall asked why the original work, agreed by the Council, was not carried out but the Chair had an alternative course of action which he took independent of the Council. Chair argued work had been free of charge. Iron bar was to be donated and a previous BT worker to advise on any underground cables. Cllr Burdall felt wall will still be hit. Following discussions, agreed Chair had acted contrary to the PC’s agreed course of action but to leave it for now.
Did anyone have any update from Peter Lorimer of trail sign? Cllr King had been advised it would return. Clerk to write once again for its return. email sent, sign ready for fixing on stakes. Having problems, clerk advised if he can’t PC arrange.
Jubilee bench was to be moved to outside of Co-Op. Any update? None known.
Electrics in toilet. Cllr King has been given a date from SHDC for works to be carried out. Spoken and will be done next week.
Toilets, do PC actually own the building yet. Documents signed not dated as waiting for final works
Christmas Market – Any expenditure for the event must come before the full Council for approval. Cllr King advised that Clerk and she did mention some meetings ago the Market and Council were not unduly interested other than agreeing for it to continue with plans as normal. Chair concerned that openness and transparency in all matters is of utmost importance.
Christmas Trees. Requests that trees be erected. Chair advised batteries only last 14 days. Not worth having trees up in time for Christmas Market as it is in daylight and lights will then not last until Christmas. Chairs suggestions is trees and lights are checked. Put timers from 10 – 3, give all stalls two or three for the day. Put them away again. Get out around 14th December, that way only costing one set of lights. Would be in the way and H & S issues. Not really PC decision to make. Market is run by committee and not PC. Money spent is not PC
Irrigation system in a local yard, what originally felt to be a lost caused, now have them working. Controller being the most expensive part, whole project will be £500 maximum as opposed to original thoughts of £2,000..
Chair has purchased digital recorder, himself to assist in minute recordings.
98/23 TO RECEIVE UPDATES FROM IDEA
Finance always an ongoing concern. Firework evening is the main income, but IDEA is now approaching the Council to ask for financial assistance when discussing the precept. Account sheet produced which Chair suggests is given to Finance Committee before precept discussions take place.
Cllr Burdall asked again why IDEA is not a Charity as opposed to a Company Limited by Guarantor. Cllr Hawkins advised they had been set up that way and it was recommended they stay with that status.
99/23 TO RECEIVE UPDATES FROM CEMETERY COMMITTEE
a) To Approve Tender Details – looks detailed but all legalities covered. If no objections should be put out.
Cllr Harris commented, he felt some legal aspects required. Cllr Harris to speak with Cllr Wray to discuss further and upon these amendments being made, agreed in principle.
Cllr Lovell advised working well to bring the cemetery back to an acceptable level of maintenance and with the loss of Paul Slater offered to replace him on cemetery committee until such time as new member had been found that may wish to be on the committee. Moles in cemetery – Arnhem Oak Service Cllr Stanley reported to state of the cemetery including moles. Chair had received quotation from Pete Williams. £60 for 1st mole, £20 each mole, thereafter, could take three or more visits. Two-week guarantee, none caught, no fee. Cllr Burdall reported environmental company had been at churchyard leaving small blue contraptions in mole hills. No one seems to be aware of who is that was.
Bier shed in cemetery, covered in ivy. Chair hoping to have volunteers clear off and tidy.
100/23 TO RECEIVE FINANCE REPORT AND APPROVE PAYMENTS AS PER SCHEDULE - Prop Cllr King seconded Cllr Hawkins
a) To Approve Donation for Remembrance Wreath – Proposed Cllr Lovell, seconded Cllr Stanley donate £100 as last years. Chair usually responsible for laying wreath on Remembrance Day. Chair would like to involve Councillor Hawkins, as with his previous connections and Bryan Robinson as ex Councillor who was part of the armed forces for many years. All in agreement.
b) To Discuss/Approve Fencing in Garden of Rest. Chair had provided quotation for all materials. Poles, Chain link and various differing items approximately £302. All agreed.
c) To Arrange Finance Meeting for Precept Proposals. Finance Committee to agree.
Chair following up on comment from Cllr Slater last month regarding interest rate achieved from investment if invested had been. Future investment options to be approved by the Finance Committee.
101/23 TO DISCUSS PLANNING APPLICATIONS RECEIVED THIS MONTH.
H04-0788-23 80 Station Road, convert outbuilding to annex.
H04-0787-23 1 Beech Grove, erection of boundary fence (retrospective)
H04-0794-23 The Walnuts 23 Quadring Road – tree works.
H04-0791-23 Station House, Station Road – proposed single storey front extension.
H04-0854-23 Wykes Farm Wykes Lane – proposed agricultural Storage Building resubmission.
H04-0870-23 Off Town Dam Lane – moderation to existing residential development 6 houses.
H04-0866-23 Thomas Cowley High School – tree works (significant cost – my comment not planning)
Important that comments are left for all applications whether approved or not.
No objections to any applications
102/23 TO RECEIVE MEMBERS REPORTS
SH – Bowls Club. – not sure of responsibility, but boundary fence is poor. Will need attention in the future. 4 Committees connected with Council, are there policies in situ for all Committees that we have? Yes there are
CW – Is there opportunity or thoughts for ongoing events or newsletters for Matthew Flinders. Nothing known at this time.
103/23 TO RECEIVE CORRESPONDENCE
Council previously had been advised it should have a .gov.uk email address. Following communication from external auditor, replied received ‘In terms of the email address, it is in our view that a council specific email address, even if not with a .gov.uk or org.uk domain, does meet requirements. That being said Doningtonpc@yahoo.com is acceptable but councillors should also have that email domain too.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING – Thursday 2nd November 2023