2020 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

Minutes from the meeting of the Parish Council on Thursday 19th February 2020.
Held at the Bardney Methodist Church, Church Lane, Bardney, Lincoln

Councillors Present:

Cllr Webb                                              Anna Lawson -Clerk and RFO

Cllr Cluett                                              Pauline Fry - Administrative Assistant

Cllr Bradbury

Cllr Clee

Cllr Waddington

Cllr Darby

Cllr Newlove

Public session of the meeting commenced at 7.00pm

No members of public attended the meeting

No requests had been received by the Clerk for permission to record, video or take photos of the Council meeting, therefore the only recording which would take place was the one undertaken by the Parish Council themselves.

The meeting commenced at 7.05pm

132-2019/20  Apologies for Absence. To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Clerk prior to the meeting.

Cllr Speed

133-2019/20  To receive declarations of interest under the Localism Act 2011 – being any pecuniary interest in agenda items not previously recorded on Member’s Register of Interests.

Cllr Darby, Cllr Cluett, Cllr Corbould and Cllr Clee, all have an allotment plot in Bardney

134-2019/20  To receive and consider any dispensation requests on agenda items and decide whether they are to be granted.

None

135-2019/20  To approve as a correct record the notes of the meeting held on 16th January 2020 To authorise the Chair to sign the official minutes.

PROPOSED Cllr Cluett   SECONDED Cllr Waddington

Abstentions Cllr Clee, Cllr Bradbury, Cllr Corbould and Cllr Newlove

136-2019/20  To receive and consider a report from the Chairman of the Council.

Cllr Webb had received numerous emails and telephone calls in relation to the Cemetery hedging, all had been positive comments. 

137-2019/20  To receive and consider a report from the Clerk to the Council on any outstanding matters and correspondence received since the meeting of 16th January 2020.

Clerk Report

Development of the Community land.  The trees and hedging plants are due to arrive early March and as such the next stage is to prepare the ground across the whole field.  Since early September John and I have been trying to obtain quotes for a contractor to carry out the work however quotes have not been forthcoming.  Unfortunately, this leaves us with very few options going forward, therefore the proposal is to do the following;

• John will hire a tractor and associated equipment to prepare the soil. 
• Jonathon Major will then drill the grass seed. Quote received for £150.
• A contractor with specialist equipment will cover the seed.

Minute reference 87-2019/20 states that council have already approved an expenditure of £2000 for this work to be carried out.

Flooding.  There have been repeated incidents of flooding over the recent weeks.  Unfortunately, the current procedures to deal are not effective as we do not have the necessary out of hour’s numbers.  This situation will only get worse and we urgently need to address this problem.  We have tried to address this previously and have had contact with the LCC Flood Manager and emailed the Emergency Response Manager.   We have also received correspondence to say that LCC Highways were not aware of the extent of the problem at Stainfield.  Which is very disappointing.

Crossing Proposal.  The planning application for the Playgroup Building now contains an LCC Highways proposal for two uncontrolled tactile crossings to be installed, one on Harvey Kent Gardens and the other across Henry Lane to Alma Martin Way.  A tactile uncontrolled crossing can range from a zebra crossing to a simple ‘bobbled’ drop kerb, however both have associated parking restrictions.  The one on Harvey Kent Gardens is believed to be across the access to the school i.e. from the Gateway Centre towards Henry Lane.  The other one is to accommodate the four members of staff from the Playgroup who will be parking at the Fire Station.  When there are so many unresolved Highways issues in our area, these proposals seem very puzzling, especially as the claim is that the playgroup will not be creating a new service to the village and are a charity, independent of the LEA.

Risk Assessment. The Risk assessment was carried out last week and a list of tasks were compiled for John.  The only issues of note are;

• The crack in the wall of the raised beds has become wider, although no other areas appear to have changed.
• Graves in the Cemetery appear to have dropped quite significantly.  This issue will be discussed with the Portfolio Holder for the Cemetery on his return.
• Someone has accessed a property on the village green using a vehicle.  To do this they have removed the chain barrier and then returned it.  The resident will be written to again and padlocks will now be installed on the barriers.  If it continues legal advice will be sort.

Damage to the Fire Station  Repairs have been made to the Fire Station roof however there is still no lighting in the building.  Over the last few weeks we have had to carry out some work from home due to the low light and lone working in the building.

Website  LCC are due to change the website due to current legislation.  Both the Clerk and Deputy Clerk will be attending the training March with the new website going live in April.

Cllr Corbould had been asked by Stainfield residents to raise the issue of the badly damaged verges in Stainfield and ask what would be done to reinstate them.  Cllr Webb said that a meeting between Cllr Fleetwood, Sir Edward Leigh MP and the residents of Stainfield had been held and he did not know what was discussed.

Cllr Shaw joined the meeting at 7.15pm

138-2019/20  Financial matters:

1. To approve the bank reconciliation statement for January 2020.
   Bardney Group Parish Council

Bank Reconciliation for January 2020 as at 31.01.20

Balance as at 01.01.20                                                                                    £57556.50    

Income
Handyman                                               413.89                                               
Cemetery                                                 50.00
Misc                                                         17.18                                 

Total income                                                                           £481.07

Expenditure
Admin                                                  681.80
Salaries                                               4409.02*
Handyman                                              481.13
Cemetery                                               739.72
Village                                                        5.15

Total expenditure                                                                    £6316.82       

Balance as at 31.01.20                                                                                   £51720.65                                                                                                                                                                  

Less cheques
PROPOSED by Cllr Clee, SECONDED by Cllr Corbould, Carried UNANIMOUSLY

1. To ratify payments of accounts, salaries, BACS payments & payments already made.

PROPOSED by Cllr Waddington, SECONDED by Cllr Clee, carried UNANIMOUSLY                                              

144-2019/20  Limewoods Magazine  To consider the future of the Limewoods Magazine – deferred item from last month

This item was bought forward because Cllr Clee would be leaving the meeting early.

To help in producing the magazine, Cllr Clee requested the Parish Council purchased an updated version of Microsoft Publisher in line with the version Cllr Corbould used.  After a lengthy discussion it was agreed that the Clerk would look into the cost of purchasing Publisher 2013.

Cllr Webb proposed that we purchase 2 copies of Publisher 2013, one for Cllr Clee, to use on her own computer with the permission of the Parish Council, and one for the Parish Office.

PROPOSED by Cllr Webb, SECONDED by Cllr Waddington, AGAINST Cllr NEWLOVE, ABSTENTION Cllr Cluett

Cllr Webb proposed that Cllr Clee and Cllr Corbould met with the Clerk to set out dates when the magazine would be published in the coming year.  This would allow contributions to made to the magazine in time for publication.

Quote for the printing of the magazine would be obtained annually.

139-2019/20  Planning matters To note any approved applications received and to consider any planning applications and decide any comments that the council wishes to make.

140589 - Farm Building, Hoop Lane Apley.  No comments to be made.

140-2019/20  Co-option  To consider an application to join Bardney Group Parish Council

This item was not discussed as the person who had expressed an interest in joining the Council did not attend the meeting.

141-2019/20  Parish Charter To consider consultation from WLDC to adopt Parish Charter

Council do not have to adopt Parish Charter.  Clerk to complete questionnaire on behalf of the Council. 

142-2019/20  Allotment Fees To consider increasing allotment fees for the term 2020/2021

Proposal that allotment fees be raised by £3.00 to take annual rent to £30

PROPOSED by Cllr Shaw, SECONDED by Cllr Corbould, carried UNANIMOUSLY

143-2019/20 Electors Meeting To consider the date, structure and content of this year’s electors meeting.

Organisations who were successful in their grant bid would be invited to the meeting to receive their grant.
Refreshments would be available.  Only one electors meeting for the Parish was required, this would be held in Bardney this year.

Proposal to hold an Electors meeting on 23rd April 2020 at Bardney Methodist Church.

PROPOSED by Cllr Webb, SECONDED by Cllr Darby, carried UNANIMOUSLY

145-2019/20  Village Hall Representation To consider going forward with representation on the Village Hall Committee.

Cllr Newlove felt that we should still have a representative on the committee.  He informed the meeting that the committee was well run by volunteers and was a registered charity.  He provided the Council with feedback annually.

PROPOSAL to continue to have a representative on the Village Hall Committee.

PROPOSED by Cllr Webb, SECONDED by Cllr Corbould, Cllr Darby voted AGAINST the proposal.

Cllr Newlove wished to remain the Parish Council representative.

Cllr Darby also wished to be the Parish Council representative.

Cllr Newlove voted for by Cllr Shaw, Cllr Bradbury, Cllr Newlove, Cllr Corbould and Cllr Waddington

Cllr Darby voted for by Cllr Darby and Cllr Cluett

It was decided that Cllr Newlove be the Council representative with Cllr Darby attending meetings if he was unable to attend.

Cllr Clee left the meeting at 8.29pm

146-2019/20  Establishment – to resolve to go into closed session in accordance with Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960 to discuss the following matters

Carried UNANIMOUSLY

148 -2019/20  To approve date and time of next meeting as 19th March 2020, notification of venue to be made at a later date.