March 2024 Minutes
Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 5th March 2024 at The Ruby Hunt Centre.
Present Cllrs Lovell, Burdall, Harris, Hawkins, Geaney, King, Lunn, Rollinson, Stanley, Walsh, and Wray. Clerk Diane Fairweather
PUBLIC FORUM
Resident reporting there is no Church Street sign at the Marketplace end and emergency vehicles had difficulty in finding properties there. Although Highways, Clerk will report. Resident commenting on 4 x 4 vehicles in public footpath next to skate park. Two vehicles were stranded in the mud and had a recovery vehicle.
Owner of the café wanting to put out tables and chairs in front of the. Previously had caused damage to the tarmac. No objections as long a tarmac is not damaged.
Residents feel strongly of the colour of some buildings within the conservation area. Dist Cllr Geaney asked for more information from the resident.
POLICE REPORT
Vandalism at Bowls Club. Chair had met with Police and the criminal investigation team to recover evidence. Police at this time were very helpful. A letter from PC to thank them. Cllr Rollinson felt the guilty parties were known and feels the Parish Council should act. There will be a crime scene report, which may give further evidence, which the Chair will receive a copy.
TO RECEIVE UPDATES FROM COUNTY COUNCILLOR
Ward walks on 15th, report any faults to Clerk to pass to Cllr King. Speaking with LCC Highways regarding the disabled space. Wall required straightening, this will be done on 15th March and lines painting on 18th. No cost to PC. Also filling in main car park lineage with full lines.
Highways also offered to repaint other lines in village if required. Asked to do no parking and keep clear signs.
TO RECEIVE UPDATES FROM DISTRICT COUNCILLORS
Planning of 8 3 bedroomed dwelling in Northorpe Road, refused again.
32/24 APOLOGIES none.
33/24 TO RECEIVE DECLARATION OF INTEREST IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LOCALISM ACT 2011
34/24 TO RECEIVE DRAFT NOTES OF MEETING HELD ON THURSDAY 1ST FEBRUARY 2024– Were signed as a true copy, to become minutes. Proposed Cllr Walsh seconded Cllr Harris.
35/24 TO RECEIVE CLERK’S REPORT ON MATTERS ARISING AND UPDATES FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS –
Contractors for churchyard trees did not take away that in old cemetery gateway. Local farmer is to clear.
Met with Derek Smith had received quotation for £1960 for two 3-point steel fitted doors but needed to check measurements as not standard size and not square. Ordered and will be fitted week commencing 18th March.
CCTV signs purchased, to be erected at the same time as the doors.
Pride of South Holland have been asked if they can clear brambles from Bicker entrance Matthew Flinders sign and tree from A52 approach and clean all three signs.
Met with Margaret Wright – Finance now sorted and payment of £640 is on schedule for approval.
Doningtonian magazine. Have received good quality articles and a few deliverers come forward. Hope to go to print next week.
Requested trail sign again from Peter Lorimer. Will have in place by June, together with the one near the statue.
Cllr King & Clerk met with Laura Richardson the Police Officer for this area now. Advised it is VERY unlikely that there will be any replacement PCSO’s as they are being removed all over the County.
Spoke of various vandal attacks:
Behind Get A Head
Flinders Park
Toilets
Bowls Club – spoken with lady that reported to us and Police. She had a recording on social media which has been forwarded to Laura and the Head of the High School who is aware of who they are. Inspected the bowls club. Officer is also going to call the Chair for a further meet to survey the area.
Has been in talks with the Head of the High School who is willing to help and felt a surgery with school, PC, Police and SHDC, may be helpful.
Office reiterated that it is imperative that everything and anything is reported to get a picture of happenings in the village for them to be able to deploy PCs to the area. Asked for SHDC Crime Officer to be present in the village.
Officer suggested it may be good to meet in six weeks as she is getting to know the area.
36/24 TO RECEIVE CHAIR’S UPDATES
Nothing to report.
37/24 TO RECEIVE REPORTS OF COMMITTEES
a) Cemetery – tenders to be discussed later. Cllr Stanley asked if a further bin could be placed at cemetery gate.
Clerk still awaiting confirmation from Firth’s regarding memorial repairs before final invoice to be paid.
b) IDEA – Wicksteed to carry out repairs. Trees will be cut back with the grant funding. All money from magazine is still to go to IDEA, as before.
c) Library – footfall increasing. New groups coming forward to use.
d) Matthew Flinders Picnic in The Park – last open meeting held. All going well. Money received from three District Councillors and waiting for result of grant application.
38/24 TO REVIEW DIGNITY AT WORK POLICY AND SAR PROCEDURE.
Following last month’s discussion, revised new Policy to be reviewed. Approved and adopted, proposed Cllr Walsh seconded Cllr Rollinson.
39/24 TO APPROVE TENDERS FOR CEMETERY MAINTENANCE WORK FOR
2024/2025
Cemetery tenders provided for councillors.
1. Much cheaper than others but they work on Viking Link site and work is good.
2. Good references, work for LCC.
3. Very good references but very expensive.
4. 8% more than last year’s figures
Two only quoted March to October whereas tender specification asked for all year working. Following discussion, it was agreed to take the cheapest quote on a twelvemonth contract with the probably of taking off new cemetery.
Cllr Rollinson advised that as the figures do differ significantly, two of which are too high percentage of precept.
Proposed Cllr Walsh to take into closed session as finding it difficult to discuss properly.
Cllr King. Casting vote to Chair agreed to carry on discussion.
Proposed Cllr Rollinson if contractor 1 is prepared to do at least four more cuts a year to accept. Seconded Cllr Lovell. 4 for, 3 against 4 abstentions.
Cllr Rollinson commented that as a cemetery committee, their proposition should have been brought to the full Council for approval and not to be discussed again. Cllr Hawkins felt that it had been difficult as quotations were on differing criteria.
40/24 TO RECEIVE DETAILS OF MATTHEW FLINDERS BIRTHDAY EVENT
To advise that there is to be a linked celebration with Australia on 16th March, Matthew Flinders birthday at 6.a.m. which the everyone is invited to. It is the opportunity to check technology for main event in July. Ballot is also to take place for remaining seats in Church. To go on social media sites.
41/24 TO DISCUSS FUTURE OF BOWLS CLUB – in closed session.
Problems with car parking in village, felt ideal for permit parking for employees of businesses. Pre-application works completed and almost at stage of approval in May.
Cllr Wray proposed to proceed with pre-application, seconded Cllr King to proceed. Unanimous.
42/24 TO DISCUSS FUTURE PLANS FOR HIGHWAYS DEPOT AND LIBRARY - in closed session.
Cllr King and Clerk met with LCC regarding Library. Advised PC not wishing to purchase now. Request made to extend lease to include back room and the grounds. They didn’t see any reason why this could not happen.
They asked if a transfer of asset could be a possibility whereby it is transferred to the PC at zero cost, but the PC then has the responsibility for maintenance work and any other works required to make back room and gardens in order. There is a program of works in the pipeline and depending on what stage we would take it on, if at all, would have an adverse effect on those works. There is the £15k capital grant still available as per the original program in 2016 and the £5167 annual payment would continue. If the PC wish to proceed with this staff at South Holland would help to put together a management plan as PC has to justify to the LCC Property Manager that we can continue running the library and are willing to take over ownership.
Proposed Cllr Wray to accept asset transfer and LCC to complete works, seconded Cllr Geaney. Unanimous.
43/24 TO RECEIVE FINANCE REPORT
a) Council payments authorised as per schedule. Proposed Cllr Walsh seconded Cllr King.
b) To Approve Additional Rubbish Bin Collection for Cemetery. Meeting held with Jane Pearson, volunteers for churchyard. Asking if for a couple of months, the bin can be emptied fortnightly as opposed to monthly. £31.67 per lift. JP advised that this is not required as local farmer bringing trailer and PC bin not being used.
44/24 TO DISCUSS PLANNING APPLICATIONS RECEIVED THIS MONTH.
H04-0093-24 13 Church Street proposed two storey extension.
H04-0150-24 46 Quadring Road, garage conversion into annex with first floor extension. Resubmission. No objections.
45/24 TO RECEIVE MEMBERS REPORTS
PL – Bloom project progressing, Chair requesting that the Bloom monies be used for additional baskets and new batteries for the watering machine.
SH – are PC responsible for skate park? It is but not necessarily at the specification they are looking into.
MR – no blue plaque where Matthew Flinders site. Can PC apply when applications acceptable again.
JS – received request from resident if a seat can be placed in new cemetery. Clerk had already spoken with him. A52, Malting Lane, Beech Grove and Towndam Lane potholes. Cllr King will include when meeting with Highways. Resident is cutting the new cemetery himself and looking it’s best for a long time. Can letter of thanks be sent.
46/24 TO RECEIVE CORRESPONDENCE
Request from LCC to communicate how many EV charging points there are in the Parish and to identify any relevant locations suitable.
Document from Wave, advising we had a leak at bowls club. Not the case.
Chair of SHDC is holding a Charity bake off.
LCC will be carrying out flood checks in area and may require access to public buildings. Tenants has floods again although the problem has now been fixed, but the gate to secure the premises has dropped and is exceedingly difficult to open.
Having visited you can see the track the weight of the gate is making. It possible requires cleaning and filling with concrete. Committee representative to have a look and advise. A resident from Crosslands has asked if there can be a dropped kerb along the school playing field in Browntoft Road. There is nowhere safely for invalid carriages and pushchairs to get to the village without going on the road. Request also went to Police; it was agreed when Cllr King went on next walkaround with Highways this would be put to them.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING – Thursday 4th April 2024