2019 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

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Minutes of a meeting of Crowland Parish Council held on Monday 2nd September 2019 at 7.30pm in the Parish Rooms, Hall Street, Crowland.

Present - Coun B Alcock, Mr M Atkinson, Mr J Boor, Mr R Boot, Miss C Elphee, Mr P Green,

                 Mr G Searle & Mrs A Williams

Also, Present – Mrs S Tansley and Ms J Woodroffe

In the Chair – Mr D Ancill

Clerk - Mrs B Stanojevic

92. Apologies for Absence

Mr D Kempton, Mr D Ringham and Mr W Brown (Lincs Free Press & Guardian)

93. Declaration of Interests as per the LGA 2000

British Legion – Mr Boot & Miss Elphee

Crowland Abbey – Mr Atkinson

Crowland Cares – Mr Atkinson and Mr Searle

Hub – Mr Green

Land – Mr Boor

Voluntary Car Scheme – Mr Searle

94. To Agree as a correct Record the Minutes of the Previous Meetings

The rope for the Parish Room will arrive this week.

The Chairman and Amenities Chairman have been made aware of the broken handles on the children’s play area facilities.

The minutes were proposed as a true record by Mr Green, seconded by Mr Boot.  All agreed.

95. Clerks Report to include follow-up of actions from the last meeting

·       Youth Awards missing certificate and photograph has now been rectified.

·       Clerks contacted Calthrops twice for a copy of the signed Lease for the Sports Hall

·       General workers have made repairs to the ruts left on the Snowden.

·       General workers keeping an eye on the bark under the basket swing and raking regularly.

·       After many emails to the office, Mr Boor has managed to sort the problem the Junior Football had with the Park Run, he advised them that they must work together to solve this issue.

·       Mr Atkinson and Mr Boor are arranging for the necessary piece of machinery to put in the stakes at the boundaries of Parish Council Land.

·       Mr Green and Mr Atkinson have organised 2 books of condolence in response to letter 8 of the August Minutes – more suitable quotes being sought for bespoke book. The Parish Council have the responsibility for these and would need to register their existence with The Palace. The suggestion is for 2 books at each end of the town eg Parish Rooms & The Legion. They would be stored in the Parish Council archives.

·       Clerks chased estimate for Maintenance work from Couplands on 3 occasions.

·       There has been a priorities workshop meeting and an extraordinary meeting of the Full Council is being arranged to discuss these priorities on 10th September.

·       The new cycle hoops are now in place in the town centre and are being used.

·       Mr Green has provided us with details of CCTV suitable for the skate park. 2 police officers have visited the site and will also advise on what/how is required

·       5 more allotment cages have arrived and will shortly be installed but 3 of the 5 have been let.

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·       The seat to be sited beside the new play equipment will be installed at a quieter time for our general workers. Bin due to be delivered.

·       Mr Boor has measured up the strip of land that SHDC would like us to add to our grass cutting contract, this is behind the houses on Thorney Road. Mr Boot has the measurements 1400sq metres so the cost to do can be calculate.  Usually they give the rate – Action Clerks to liaise with SHDC.  We cut the small area at Pinnacle Close.

·       Mr Boor will discuss the offer from an allotment tenant to be the tenant’s spokesperson, at the next meeting of the G & G Committee.

·       Mr Boot is looking at the trees in West Street that we have received a concern about. He thinks they belong to LCC and was part of the Regeneration Scheme

·       There is a notice up in the allotment building regarding the lockers and cages.

·       Health & Safety meeting for staff and members – Wednesday 4th September at 2pm in the Parish Room

96. Assets working party – Report

      The planning application is progressing but taking longer than anticipated -there may be a

      decision by October.

97. Health and Well-Being Centre

Apologies from the Committee Chairman for the late report.

The leak in the corridor area has now been fixed by a local tradesman at short notice – the invoice is in tonight’s accounts for payment - £500. Whilst there he gained access to the main roof and discovered most of the gutter drainage was blocked with footballs etc, which were removed. This should improve the situation, but we will need to address the roof exteriors in the future.

We are aware that this project is a priority and does continue to drain the PC finances.

Following the last working party meeting it was agreed to produce a plan based on the specification of works required to maximise use with a gym and using the main hall.  An indicative cost of works required is being sought and other ongoing costs are being determined.  Using the results of the survey and existing usage including income from proposed new customers an estimate of income can be determined. It is important to produce a Business Plan to present to the Full Council in the near future with logistics as to how the project would operate and a decision to be made going forward.  You will recall that using a “Charitable Incorporated Organisation” is suggested in order that we may apply for a mandatory and discretionary rate relief – rates are the largest cost. There are several legal loopholes to go through and I am preparing the information on those for members including registration with the Charity Commission and preparing a “Governing Document”.  Additional Funding is being investigated.

The next meeting for the Working Party is 11th September when the above matters can be progressed and plans set for the quotations for construction, gym equipment, flooring etc.

In the meantime, the Sports Hall does continue to be rented out.

98. Finance Committee

Verbal Report given -

Financial constraints have eased but the General Expenses are of a concern. Correct reallocation required in the accounts and further work on the Scribe system. Staff costs are in line with the budget. A finance meeting will be arranged soon.

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99. Farms & Gardens Committee – Chairman’s Report

Land amalgamation and re-letting. Our agent is working through a plan to put smaller parcels of land into bigger blocks for more efficient use of the land and hopefully reducing admin costs.

Stopping of Yellow Stocking

Still awaiting formal instruction of what needs to be done from LCC.  Mr Atkinson advised that it take time and as it is a legal process will need to go through the courts.

Trees

Parish Council area on the corner of Hall Street/Postland Road.  We have received a couple of complaints from residents regarding our trees encroaching their properties. The Chairman and our workers have been to look, and we need to do some work in that area - due to the height of the trees we need to get a tree surgeon to do the same and will need to get quotes.

Guthlacs Close.  Resident complaining that our tree is damaging his BT cable.  We have looked into this and been advised that the resident needs to report to BT who then should ask our permission to cut our tree to protect their equipment. Our clerks have advised the resident, but his response wasn’t polite.

The installation of a barrier near to the Implement Shed being investigated – needs to be of a robust nature and siting considered in conjunction with the new development. A pedestrian gate to the skate park is needed.  Will be on the next Farms & Gardens Agenda.

100. Planning Committee

To receive the minutes of the meeting

Hanging Baskets provision will go out to tender for next year.

The current baskets are past their best and will be coming down in the next couple of weeks. Watering on a Friday and then not until a Monday doesn’t help in hot weather.

To discuss proposed street names for new developments on Crease Drove.

The proposed names do not appear to have any links with Crowland.  Action Clerks – to ask SHDC if names can reflect or have links with the history and character of Crowland.

101. Amenities Committee –To receive a report from the Committee Chairman

There hasn’t been a meeting since the last full council – our next meeting is due on 16th September.

Skate Park - Awaiting date from Gravity for the Open Day.  A snagging report has been prepared and is being sent to Gravity.  A seat has been installed and the bin has arrived today and will be installed this week. Reports very positive about this facility.

At the next amenities meeting subjects for discussion will be Play Areas, extra use of the pavilion, Tennis courts after tree removal. Progress of providing a MUGA and outside Gym equipment and the Youth Club building.

We are Community Champions with the Co-op and funding will be due – keep using your dividend cards everyone.

To discuss CCTV Camera for the Skate Park area – one quote received.

102. Health & Safety Committee

Awaiting Risk Assessment for the Re-enactment event

Concerns re horses at the event, where the waste skips will be, the footbridge being lit up near the dyke. Mr Ancill will follow up with the organisers.

Mr Searle will join this committee.

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103. Parish Council Vacancy – Election/Co-option of New Members

There are 4 vacancies on the Parish Council. All interested parties will be invited to provide details of themselves and what they can bring to the Parish Council and then they will be asked to an interview with a panel made up of the Chair of Committees.

104. Police Matters

Crime stats for July circulated from the police website. Mr Ancill will look into for future meetings to make more meaningful by comparing with previous months/years.

105. Christmas Lights 2019

The Light switch on will be Saturday 30th November. Road closure applied for and letters to businesses/organisations will be sent out this week. To go in magazine.

106. Re-enactment Weekend

See item 102. 

107. VE75 in 2020

Miss Elphee have been investigating.  The first May Bank Holiday next year is now on Friday 8th May – VE day.

Nationally on the day – Cry for Peace, Beacons, Bell ringers, Battles over by Bagpipes, Town Crier, Pubs to do a toast at 3pm.

Street party – North Street 1940 style with a Civic Service in the Abbey

Miss Elphee and Mr Boot will liaise with the British Legion and the Abbey – to go on each month’s agenda.

108. Correspondence

1. Highways England - Works on the A47 Eye Green to Thorney for road surface improvements and crack repairs, refreshment of road markings and foot path repairs starting on 4 September for approx. 2 weeks. Works to take place between 8pm and 6am – weekdays only. Noted                                                                                                    2. Crowland Town Football Club - Details of new dug outs as requested in August. They are 12.5m long, 2.3m high and 2.4m deep. Photos attached. Request refused - too large permanent, a permanent fixture and concerns of being a target for vandalism                                                          3. Reenactment event - Details of portaloos - Ordered 7 normal and 1 disabled toilet, at the same cost as 2017 of £60 per unit and £80 for the disabled unit. Previously agreed.                                                                        4. Spalding CC & Fenland Grass Track – Would like to hold a 2day cycling festival to include grass track rides, leisure rides, cyclocross and would encourage local participants. Many visitors from outside the area and would need camping and caravanning on site. It would likely be the August Bank Holiday weekend or the weekend after next year. Would the Parish Council give permission?  Concern that their last event involved marking out and causing some damage to the Snowden, agreed to this in principle but members need to meet with the organisers to discuss – rubbish removal, toilet and wastewater removal, parking, caravans etc.                                                                                   5. Mr & Mrs Quinnell, Thorney Road – Letter concerning disrespectful parking along Thorney Road when Crowland Town hold their games.  Other users of the Snowden - Crowland Show etc use bollards to prevent parking and to allow emergency services clear access.  The writers would like the Parish Council to take action to ensure that Crowland Town do the same for the benefit of all.

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 Action Clerks - to reply that parking/obstruction and traffic concerns should be referred to Lincolnshire Police                                                                                                                  

6. Judith Thompson, SHDC Business Support Officer- Email concerning Lincs Training who are promoting and educating dog owners by installing dog poobag dispensers.  The dispensers will be sponsored by Lincs Training with the maintenance and stocking of the dispensers being the sole responsibility of the Parish Council.  No thank you – Parish Council incur the costs and work.                                     7. Viv Booty – Copy of email to the PCC concerning the internment of her parents’ ashes – Gordon and Kathleen Beeken. Their wish was for their ashes to be interred in the Abbey Churchyard and she has requested that the ashes be interred in a different area than under the trees on the north side in November 2017.  She was told by Rev Brown this wasn’t possible and a new internment site is being considered. She has not had any further update and is keen to have the ashes interred and asks for assistance from the Parish Council. Our PCC rep will raise at the next meeting.                          Action Clerks - to inform Mrs Booty of action                                                                                               8. Andrew Bowell - Email with Farmer’s guide to illegal encampments that has been written by Market Deeping and Deeping St James Councilors to help Farmers/Landowners protect their land. Circulated to all members before meeting.

109. (i) Accounts for Payment

The payment for the cycle hoops is the balance – deposit was paid on ordering.

The accounts were proposed for payment by Mr Boot, seconded by Mr Green.  All agreed.

        (ii) S137 payments - None

110. Matters to be considered for inclusion on a future Council Agenda

        Community Pay Back Scheme - Marc Jones, Police & Crime Commissioner has announced he

         will be putting funds into the scheme.

         Parish Council Web Site

Meeting closed at 9.15pm