December 2020 Minutes
Minutes of a meeting of Crowland Parish Council
Held on Monday 7th December 2020
Remotely, via Zoom at 7:00pm
Present: Cllr B Alcock, Mr D Kempton, Miss C Elphee, Mr P Green,
Mr G Searle, Mr R Boot, Mr D Ringham and Mrs A Williams
Clerk: Mrs A Harrison
District Cllr: Jim Astill
Lincs Free Press: Mr W Brown
In the Chair: Mr D Kempton
1) 109. Apologies for Absence
Mr D Ancill, Mr M Atkinson, Mr J Boor, Jan Woodroffe, Lee Quince
County & District Cllr N Pepper
2) 110. Declaration of Interests as per the LGA 2000
David Ringham: Crowland Cares
Graham Searle: Crowland Cares & SH Voluntary Car Scheme
Cllr Bryan Alcock: Normanton Land
3) 111. To Agree as a correct Record the Minutes of the Previous Meetings
Proposed: C Elphee
Seconded: A Williams
All agreed to approve the Minutes as a true record of the meeting held in November
4) 112. Matters Arising from the previous minutes and Clerks’ Report - to receive the Clerks’ report of actions outstanding
- Still need to update General Workers’ and Caretakers’ Job Descriptions
Action: Mr Boor & Mr Ringham
November 2020 - Still ongoing
- There has been no further progress with the Electric Car Charging Points at the Health Centre Car Park due to the Coronavirus
Pandemic.
Action: Miss Elphee/Clerk
November 2020: information in hands of both solicitors
- Electricity usage in the Parish Council Building needs to be monitored to see how we can reduce this cost.
Action: Mr Ringham, Mr Boot & Mr Quince
- Still waiting for further quotes for replacement heaters for our Parish Council Buildings.
Action: Mr Ringham
November 2020: It was suggested that expert advice should be requested on the best heating system to be installed and the Amenities committee should report back to full council with their findings
- The Man Shed for Crowland has been put on hold during the pandemic and will be followed up once circumstances permit.
Action: Mr Ringham
No further action during November due to second lockdown
- The AWP has submitted a challenge for the Allotment building to be classed as an agricultural building for ratable purposes.
Action: Cllr Alcock
Confirmation received in November, stating that our submission was being considered
- Mr Ancill will write again to the Police inspector
Mr Searle has had very pleasing meetings with PC during October and November 2020
- Mr Ringham, Mr Alcock, Mr Boor and Mr Kempton had visited areas that have the play equipment we may wish to install.
Action: Mr Ringham
November 2020: Amenities committee had discussed concerns and would like to recommend to full council that the Company’s plans that have been received and considered, are given the go ahead.
- The Farms &Garden Committee had held a working party meeting to agree the values for annual allotment rents. The allotment tenants had all been advised of the new rent amounts. Invoice will be prepared and sent in early August.
Action: Mr Boor
Further rents received November 2020 and letters to take back unpaid allotments have been posted.
- We are still working on the Lease of an area of land that belongs to the Church.
Action: Mr Boor & Mr Atkinson
Clerks Contacted Savills again
- Mr Searle has sent our letter regarding Parking outside the school to LCC together with letters of support from Police, School and County Councilor (October 2020).
Mr Searle has updated Mrs Tomlins at SV school on this but has had no response from LCC on the letters during November 2020, so Mr Searle and the Clerks have sent reminder email.
- In Bloom has requested to replace the 2 planters outside the Parish Rooms and requested a donation. Chairman will take this to full council for approval.
Action: Chairman
November 2020Authority from Full Council to order new Planters.
Classic Printers have offered to pay half of the cost of the second planter as Bloom can only fund one.
The PC will fund the other half of the second planter.
November 2020: 2 Planters ordered.
- The exterior of the implement shed compound requires tidying up. Mr Boor has seen some suitable material and will cost this.
Action: Mr Boor
Quotations to be received “in Committee”
- It was suggested that a hard-standing area be created at the implement shed/scout hut for parking, concurrent with the proposed barrier
Action: F & G Committee
November 2020: Not yet actioned
- Mr Kempton & Cllr Alcock are looking at the possibility of extra CCTV on the Snowden
Action: Mr Kempton & Cllr Alcock
November 2020: Meeting arranged with SHDC
- Looking at the possibility of purchasing a jump start kit for the General Workers
Action: F & G Committee
- Clerks to check with BHIB Insurance to see if they require any of our contents itemised.
November 2020: Insurers confirmed that we do not need to specify any single items
- Mr Boor will give Clerks an itinerary of Implement Shed contents for our insurers.
Action: Mr Boor & Clerks
November 2020: still to be given to Clerks to forward to Insurers
- Parish Council to source materials for volunteers to level graves in church yard.
Action: Mr Boor
November 2020: still to be completed
- Paving slabs need to be laid at the Youth Building Toilets as a matter of urgency.
Action: Mr Boor and General Workers
Mr Boor will organise this with the General Worker once he knows exactly how many slabs and where to site.
- Consideration to an Emergency phone number to be supplied at the allotments
Action: Mr Boor and General Workers
- Hanging Basket Brackets to be checked for Safety before 2021 Baskets are put up.
Action: Mr Boor and General Workers
- Photos of Dog Bins being misused to be posted on Facebook and in Town Mag with information that bins will be removed if they are abused.
Action: Miss Elphee, Mr Quince & Mr Green
November 2020: Miss Elphee passed photos to Mr Quince & Mr Green to post
- Cllr Alcock asked Mrs Williams to let him have details of the costings that the Deeping Youth Club have.
Action: Mrs Williams
The Chairman stated that most items that require actions are being picked up or have been completed, and that old, completed actions need to be removed.
Other observations made at the meeting were:
· CCTV - Have a meeting arranged for Thursday 17th December with the people at SHDC
· GDPR progress – G Searle will send a request to J Woodroffe requesting a progress report
Action: G Searle & J Woodroffe
o Add GDPR Progress to next month’s Agenda
Action: Clerk
· Cllr Alcock - 3rd bullet point down - Quote should read for the ‘inspection’, not usage but the Contract has now been let, so that can be removed
Action: Clerk
· 6th bullet point down - awaiting outcome of the Challenge
· 7th bullet point down - take this out, as the letter has been written and several meetings have taken place
Action: Clerk
· Allotments, Parking at the School and Planters can all be removed
Action: Clerk
· P Green requires an invoice to Classic Printers for payment of the planter
Action: Clerk
5) 113. Chairman’s Report - to receive the Chairman’s report (See Appendix 1)
The report was received with no further comments.
6) 114. Amenities Committee - to receive the Chairman’s report and recommendation for child’s playground replacement (See Appendix 2)
· The Clerk advised the members present, that J Boor had sent an email, in his absence, to record his vote for the recommendation to purchase equipment from FLP
o Cllr Alcock and D Kempton stated that ‘Proxy votes’ were not allowed, and although the Clerk explained that this was not a Proxy vote, but his own, personal vote, it was still deemed to be impermissible.
· D Ringham stated that he had placed an order for the fence, and that it would be erected next week, weather permitting
D Ringham moved that the Council accept the proposal for the new play equipment on the children’s play area
P Green seconded
· B Alcock requested that there be some liaison with the Finance Committee, as in his words, “the Sports Hall project is progressing and until sufficient funds have been received, we don’t want to find ourselves in an embarrassing situation where we don’t have sufficient funds”.
o D Ringham stated that he was happy to liaise with the Finance Committee with regards to installation
A vote was taken on the proposal, with the following result:
6 voted for
1 voted against
1 abstention
· The Chairman and Vice Chairman wanted it recorded that they did not vote in favour as they did not believe the equipment was suitable for the location.
o D Ringham stated that he did not agree with this statement, but that he felt it was an extremely good deal and came with a 20-year guarantee
D Ringham asked that the Fire risk assessment be taken ‘in Committee’, as there is a quote to be discussed
The Chairman requested that there be a program for essential works for the Pavilion building, along with ‘costed’ recommendations, with a priority list
Action: D Ringham
G Searle raised the issue of the Youth Club Building - both downpipes broken with water pouring down
Action: D Ringham
7) 115. Finance and Admin Committee - to receive the Chairman’s report (See Appendix 3)
The report was received
Cllr Alcock added that the latest date to submit the Precept request, is mid-January, so Budget will be discussed at the next meeting, or at an extra meeting if required
8) 116. Farms & Gardens Committee - to receive the Chairman’s report (See Appendix 4)
· Quotations for some work will be raised in Committee
· RB spoke on behalf of J Boor, to say that he felt that the works that he wanted to carry out on the Implement Shed and the placement of the Barrier, had been approved at an earlier Full Council meeting and would be self-funding through the sale of equipment
o The Chairman spoke to say that his concern was not the funding, but trying to understand where the barrier would be placed, in relation to the new housing development
o B Alcock suggested that R Boot is given a copy of the plans so that he can mark out exactly where the barrier will be placed
o Parking would be before the barrier
o R Boot will liaise with Paul Bywater and Jon Boor so that they can depict the exact place for the barrier
· The Chairman requested a quote for the hardcore to put down for parking
Action: J Boor
· Flailing is still in hand, just awaiting to hear when the flail mower is available
9) 117. Planning Committee - to receive the Chairman’s report (See Appendix 5)
C Elphee requested that the comments made on the planning applications, be approved
Proposed: D Kempton
Seconded: R Boot
All Agreed
10) 118. Safety & Security - to receive the Chairman’s report (See Appendix 6)
G Searle added that he had met again with the Police officer, and taken Mr Flowers along with him, to build a relationship with the Police in the town. There has however been an increase in low level crime in the town, including a couple of electric boxes that were broken into
· Working with J Boor with regards to risk assessments
D Kempton requested that a letter of thanks, on behalf of Crowland PC and the residents, be sent to Crowland Cranes and the Fire Station for organizing the Santa Sleight this year
Action: Clerk
11) 119. Fitness & Well-being Centre - to receive the team’s report (See Appendix 7) and CIO Governing Document
· Convert the sports hall to a paying gym and set up a group of trustees to run it
· 17-page document - looking for questions or comments
· Hope to get the application in before Christmas
· Standalone Charity - not for profit - not run by the Council - Council will have trustees, but will not have overall control
The Chairman asked for the Council’s support
· GS raised a question around the number of trustees that the Council could appoint, and it was agreed that it would be a maximum of 3 out of the 8 trustees, as there would need to be less than half
· 3 Parish Councillors have put their names forward, so there will now be 5 needed from the community - need to have a variety of people with different skills
It was agreed to go forward with the document
The PC has invited tenders from 5 different building contractors, but have only received 3 quotes for the building work
12) 120. Assets Working Party - to receive the team’s report (See Appendix 8)
· The report was concise, but there is a lot of work going on concerning the Abbey Farm development
· Council is in a good position and we look forward to things progressing in the new year
· A third deed of variation has been negotiated that moved completion back to February 2021 at the request of the purchaser
13) 121. Council Meetings - Clarification of devolved powers and public access
Proposal: that all meetings of the Council, when held virtually, will be live streamed concurrently on the Council’s Facebook page
· Apart from full council and planning committee meetings, the other committees do not need to have regular meetings and can hold working parties instead
· If a resident would like to attend a meeting, to speak on a particular Agenda item, they can speak for the duration of 3 minutes, if requested to do so by the Chairman
All agreed
14) 122. (i) Accounts for Payment (See Appendix 9)
(ii) S137 Payments
· The RFO added that payment 351 had been authorised and paid, following the November meeting and that there was a Direct Debit payment for £41.50 that had been missed off the list.
· C Elphee declared an interest in the Royal British Legion, with regards to the payment for the wreath
· The Chairman requested that the payments to E-on and Total Gas & Power were checked, as both should have been moved over to Bulb.
o The RFO had not been made aware of this, but had seen no correspondence from a company called Bulb
Proposed: R Boot
Seconded: D Ringham
All Agreed
15) 123. Matters to be considered for inclusion on a future Council Agenda
1. GDPR
2. Stopping off of The Chase
3. Leases for the Church Land
Meeting ended at 8:37pm