2019 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

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Minutes of a meeting of Crowland Parish Council held on Monday 4th February 2019 in the Parish Rooms, Hall Street, Crowland, PE6 0EW

Present: Coun B Alcock, Mr D Ancill, Mr M Atkinson, Mr J Boor, Mr R Boot, Mr P Green,

Mr D Kempton, Mr J Parnell, Mr G Quince, Mr D Ringham and Mrs A Williams.

In the Chair:Miss C Elphee

Clerk:Mrs B Stanojevic

229) Apologies for Absence

Mr P Cooper, Mr P Haselgrove, Mrs J Head, Coun J Astill, Coun A Harrison, Mr W Brown and PCSO Timms.

230) Declaration of Interests as per the LGA 2000

Crowland Abbey & Crowland Cares – Mr Atkinson

Land – Mr Boor

British Legion – Mr Boot & Miss Elphee

The Hub – Mr Green

Crowland Cares – Mr Quince & Mr Ringham

231) Police Matters

No police present but crime report sent.

Criminal damage – 2, ASB 7, Hare coursing – 3, Theft- 4 and RTC -1

Owner of the noisy car spoken to.

232) Clerks Report

·       Clerks have given RBL Mr Bywater`s email address in order for him to help them with their “Asset of Community Value” application

·       RBL Have supplied 4 names to join a working party. Four volunteers from PC. Joint meeting being arranged,

·       The Grass Track Cycling event has been confirmed for 31st August 2019.

·       Overhanging trees from old SV School site has been reported to highways again.

·       Farewell to Jeff Roberts – well attended by staff & members

·       Jubilee Way & Normanton Road have been adopted by LCC Highways, but the Open Spaces have yet to be adopted by SHDC. Action Clerks – to follow-up as to who cuts what areas of grass

·       Burghley Close Open Space is in the process of being adopted but not yet confirmed.

·       Preferred contractors asked for report and quote for war memorial repairs.

·       Youth Club – Volunteer leaders have resigned so club not running.  Suggest a flyer in next Town Magazine advertising for replacements.  Assistance promised from Youth Worker at LCC. Miss Elphee, Mr Ringham and Mrs Williams will assist with the wording of the flyer.

·       Orders for hanging baskets 2019 now being taken – 90 firm orders so far.  Cost to us same as last year

·       Annual dinner went well – nice food, good company

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233) To Agree as a correct Record the Minutes of the Previous Meeting &

Reports on matters outstanding of the previous meeting not on this agenda

The erection of the Christmas Lights cost by the electrician is £135.

Minutes proposed as a true record by Mr Ancill, seconded by Mr Boor.  All agreed.

234) Assets working party – Update

3 quotes requested for the new allotment car park works – one received so far.

Planning application on the old allotment site going through the planning process.

No acknowledgement or reply from SHDC re the old allotment roadway.  Several marker posts in that area have been removed and thrown down.

Next AWP meeting is on Tuesday.

235) Finance Committee

No meeting.  Next meeting set for 25th March 2019.

One of the investment deposits has matured and the funds released.

236) Farms & Gardens Committee Recommendation

Council received the minutes of the previous meeting of 21st January.

Representatives of the Crowland Gardening Club committee attended the meeting – they are concerned that they are all getting old, no younger members and believe that they are about to lose their premises. Several parish councillors present hadn’t heard of them so asked them to explain who they are and what they do. They have been advertising in the Town Magazine in recent years.

It was always an objective of the Assets Working Party to get this group working together with the allotment holders.  The new allotment building could be used – the Allotment Open Day planned for May would be an ideal time to help with this.  An article to go in the Town Magazine and ask the Free Press for assistance in advertising the club.

Miss Elphee and Mrs Head are organising the Open Day.

Access for the emergency services was raised as the main gate is locked and chained. It was agreed that the small gate is always open and the emergency vehicles would not try to enter the site at this time of year as their vehicles would get stuck.  A full Risk Assessment has now been completed for the new allotment site and checked by Mr Quince.

Hedging down the south side has been suggested – poles being taken out from the Adventure Playground may be used as edging. The idea is to prevent vehicle access.

237) Planning Committee Recommendations

Council received the minutes of the previous meeting.

There will be smaller baskets at the Bridge end of North Street as Crowland in Bloom will no longer fund them. 

Mr Ancill has been negotiating a better deal for the cycle hoops and Mr Green has now found a local supplier so this will be on next week’s planning agenda.

Action Clerks – To chase up the letter to SHDC re car parking.

Concerns with the development work that has just started off Crease Drove – deep open trenches at the side of the road and mud on the road.  The District Councillors are all aware.

238) Amenities Committee

No meeting but the quotes for the Adventure Playground and Skate Park were considered and approved at the council meeting on 22nd January.

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The zip wire is in stock and Mr Boor to assist Mr Ringham and the General Workers in removing the old items. They are to be aware of the matting that is already there. Payment has been received.

Action Mr Ringham to arrange a site meeting with the contractors to discuss installation, site access, insurance, payment terms.

Skate Park – drawing now available so we can talk to the planning department. No advance payments required – just staged payments.

Meeting held with Crowland Juniors who are concerned with a large dip on the pitch. It appears that there was an old dyke there which was filled in and the hot summer has caused the dip to be more pronounced.  Our workers to fill will soil – from the new allotment site, approx.20 trailer loads, fork in level and reseed. It was proposed by Mr Parnell, seconded by Mr Atkinson that this goes ahead. All agreed.

1 quote received for new lights in the Sports Hall – 2 more being sought.

The electric bill for the Youth Building and the Pavilion is high this month and both premises checked by members and the electrician.  Heaters had been left on 24/7.  Additional thermostats fitted.  Action Clerks – To remind caretakers to turn off heaters at the end of each hire, just leaving the frost thermostats on.

The Dementia Café has booked the Pavilion in March and this may become a regular weekly booking.

The new flooring is to be fitted at the end of this week.

239) Report from the Health & Safety Committee

No meeting – one to be arranged this month.

240) Parking – update

Dealt with in item 237.

241) New office computer

Quotations to be dealt with “In Committee”

242) Parish Council – raising profile

Parish Room signage is on the Planning Committees agenda.

Corporate paint colour been discussed.

Several projects are now almost complete and need promoting in the press and the Town Magazine.

Mr Boot is to do several sessions on “Come and See us” to explain who the Parish Council is and what it does.  As this is election year new members will be needed. Action - Clerks

Annual Open Meeting – Monday 15th April 2019

243) West Street Bus Shelter

Several suggestions have been put forwards on what to do with this bus shelter. The Parish Council want the Planning Committee to look at all the options and report back.

244) Crowland Diesels, Carrington Drove

Several concerns raised with this site. Action Clerks – to ask SHDC to investigate planning consents etc.

245) Wildflower Meadow

Has to be managed correctly.  Action Clerks – RSPB,  Natural England, Crowland Wildlife Group

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246) Correspondence

1. Lincolnshire Co-op - Email from Lincs Co-op about the Community Champions Scheme. A donation to the nominated scheme is received every time a member uses their Dividend Card in store. Between June and September 2019 they will be supporting local groups who are improving their physical environment and they anticipate each group will receive between £1,000 and £5,000. An application form is included. Already applied for by Amenities.
2.  Abbey345 preschool  -  Email from the playgroup  explaining that that the Children’s Centre and themselves have discussed a whole site critical incident, lock down or site evacuation and understand that the Parish Council may need to be involved if the sports hall is being used  at any time during school hours.. They currently have an arrangement with the Children’s Centre and South View school that children can use a room in the Children’s Centre or if that is unavailable the school hall while they wait for parents to collect. In the event of a whole site closure the school has historically named the Abbey as their collection point.  As 345 is a much smaller group a suggestion was made that the Parish Rooms may be suitable for them. They emphasise that this would only ever be if there was a whole site closure, and would only be until parents collected the children. They are aware that the Parish Rooms have limited opening hours but part of the plan will include names and phone numbers of key holders for the various buildings. They hope we are able to help. The Parish Council will assist.  Action Clerks – Clerk to send contact details as requested
3. Utility Aid - Email regarding the utility needs of the Parish Council. They manage hundreds of Parish Councils as their recommended energy broker to drive down the energy bills. Other services include Energy audit and Price comparison, commercial energy contracts, wholesale energy contracts, collective purchasing, smart meters, invoice validation and onsite audits. All they need in order to help is a recent bill, and an LOA on headed paper. Noted.
4. LCC - Letter asking for help as they are preparing policy documents for mineral working and waste management. They would like to know how we think they can better communicate with us on planning policy documents. They want to make sure that information is getting through at the right time, through the right channels. They have put together a replacement SCI document which they would like comments on and this is available via www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/minerals and waste. To planning.
5. SHDC - Email giving details of the South Holland Open Arts 2019. This is open for professional and amateur artists and is taking place 4 - 10 April at the South Holland Centre. It is open to anyone over 14 living or working in Lincs, Cambs, Notts, Rutland, Northants, Norfolk, Leics or Fenland. They can enter up to 3 pieces of work in 3D, Photography, digital, oil, pencil, pastel, water colour, acrylic or gouache. The 3 categories include the public vote trophy, best newcomer and the young person award. There are brilliant prizes up for grabs. Full details of how to enter, entry forms and the rules are available from SHDC, The South Holland Centre, Ascoughfee Hall, libraries and galleries around South Holland or on email to community@sholland.gov.uk. Noted.
6. Coun N Pepper - Email regarding the fact that members were somewhat dismissive and negative about Community Speed watch. This is not the reaction he usually sees at other Parish Council meetings. He includes more information for clarity as it can be members of

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the parish that participate and not necessarily Parish Councillors. Details to go in Town Magazine/Notice Boards and on our website.

7. Circus Tyanna - Email in response to us advising them that we already had a circus visiting Crowland in 2019.  They will come in 2020 but to let them know if the other circus cancel.
8. Citizens Advice - Email including their annual review. Last year they helped 11859 unique

 new clients, and 2116 who were assisted at the first point of contact. Service was driven forward by fully utilizing technology in the form of telephone advise, email and web chat, and helped by the introduction of “initial check” service where people visiting the offices are directed to help themselves on line or signposted to specialist organisations. They are requesting a small grant. Request denied.

9. Liz Harper, Methodist Anglican Partnership (MAP) – They are supporting a week-long night shelter for the homeless here in Crowland between 18 & 25th March 2019. The “guests” will be brought to Crowland by taxi in the evening, share an evening meal with the 4 volunteers at the Methodist Church. They will sleep there in beds provided by the Light Project Charity. S cooked breakfast will then be provided before returning to Peterborough by taxi at 8.30am  The MAP are asking for a small donation to support this week long project.  Action Clerks - Agreed to donate £25.
10. Speed watch - Email with a flyer to include in town magazines and notice boards regarding them looking for volunteers to get involved with Community Speed watch. See letter 6.
11. Jeff Roberts - Email from Jeff thanking everyone for the card, flowers, gift voucher and the really nice evening that both he and Heather had enjoyed. He was really pleased to see everyone. Noted.
12. Government events – Email with an invite to “Transforming Town Centres and Communities Conference taking place in London on 22 May 2019. The places are on a first come first served basis and there are 3 early bird rate places available. The event will provide an invaluable opportunity to gain updates on support for community regeneration and to hear about the funding opportunities. Noted.

257) (i) Accounts for Payment

Action Mr Boor – to look at the stop tap to prevent it leaking

The payments to Glen Farrow and Wellers Hedley to be checked before being sent.

All other payments approved for payment

 (ii) S137 payments – None

247) Matters to be considered for inclusion on a future Council Agenda

Large pothole in Gravel Causeway, Falls Drove bridge all to be reported to Highways.

Members reminded that any typing errors and highways fault to be reported direct to the office,

Meeting closed 9.45pm