2020 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

Minutes from the meeting of the Parish Council on Thursday 17th September 2020.
In accordance with The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020, the meeting will take place remotely using the Zoom platform. 

Councillors Present:

Cllr Webb - Chair                                        Anna Lawson - Clerk and RFO                               

Cllr Darby - Vice Chair                                Pauline Fry - Administrative Assistant                                                   

Cllr Papworth                                                               

Cllr Waddington

Cllr Shaw – joined after 40-2020/21

Cllr Speed

Cllr Clee

Public session of the meeting commenced at 7.00pm

No questions asked.

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

37-2020/21  Apologies for Absence. To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Clerk prior to the meeting. 

Cllr Corbould

38-2020/21  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.

None received

39-2020/21  To receive and consider any dispensation requests on agenda items and decide whether they are to be granted.

None received

40-2020/21  To approve as a correct record the notes of the meeting held on 23rd July 2020. To authorise the Chair to sign the official minutes.

PROPOSED BY Cllr Waddington, SECONDED by Cllr Shaw, Cllr Clee ABSTAINED.  All other Cllrs voted in FAVOUR of accepting proposal.

41-2020/21  To receive and consider a report from the Chairman of the Council.

Rogers Shield had been presented to the Nags Head.

Planning application for houses to be built on Wragby Road has been agreed by LCC without going to committee as requested by the Parish Council.  Approval notice has only just gone on WLDC website so BGPC are unable to appeal as it is outside the statutory 6 weeks to allow for an appeal.  Residents who have since contacted The Clerk have been informed to contact the Ombudsman directly with their complaint.

BGPC have received a complaint regarding a Road Traffic Orders.  One has been implemented and the second has been proposed by LCC.  Because of where these TROs are being placed it has been perceived as being racist as the businesses it affects are owned and run by Asian families and the TROs put forward by BGPC and have not been agreed affect businesses run by local or white people.  LCC and the Equality and Human Rights Commission have been informed that this complaint had been received.  This had been done as the complainant thought that it was BGPC who decided where TROs should be put in place.

LCC have informed residents that application for TROs should be directed in the first instance to the Parish council.

Full Council meetings are to return to monthly via Zoom. 

Guidelines from NALC say that meetings should still be held remotely.

7.35pm The meeting was adjourned to allow the technical problems being experienced by Cllrs to be sorted out.

Meeting resumed at 7.50pm

42-2020/210  To receive and consider a report from the Clerk to the Council on any outstanding matters and correspondence received since the meeting of 23rd July 2020.

Behaviour

Over last few months been several incidents of staff and councillors being abused. 

Environment (Fly Tipping) Policy

It is difficult to find a policy as such as it appears that councils simply issue a fine for anyone caught fly tipping.  Then if the fine is not paid it is progressed to the Magistrates court.

Traffic survey

The traffic survey has been carried out regularly during September.  The results have been very interesting, especially when compared with figures

Wragby Rd

Planning application 140854 has been approved however the decision document is dated 23/7 however it was only made public on 13/9 after it was noted on 12/9 that the status had been amended.  NB the time frame for a JR is six weeks from the date of the decision document which should be made available as soon as possible.  Have spoken to solicitors, this could be challenged however would need physical evidence that only gone on line, i.e. screen shots of the planning portal etc.

OT

Although agreed to pay all OT outstanding to office staff, due to the expense staff have asked to save some OT to take in lieu instead.  Deputy Clerk 9hrs, Clerk 12hrs.

43-2020/21 Financial matters:

1. To approve the bank reconciliation statement for July 2020.

  Bank Reconciliation for July 2020 as at 31.07.20

Balance as at 01.07.20                                                                               £79931.84

Income
                                      
Cemetery                                                  1324.00
Handyman                                                 215.28 

            Total income                                                                                     £1539.38

Expenditure

Admin                                                            922.51
Salaries                                             4026.91
Handyman                                          170.40
Grasscutting                                     1322.06
 Community land                                300.00
Village                                                                  5.09
Cemetery                                                14.46

Total expenditure                                                                  £6761.43

Balance as at 31.07.20                                                                              £74709.79                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Less cheques
 

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

1. To approve the bank reconciliation statement for August 2020

Bank Reconciliation for August 2020 as at 31.08.20

Balance as at 01.08.20                                                                               £74709.79                                                  

Income
                                                  
Cemetery                                                  715.00
Petty Cash                                               175.00
VAT rebate                                              1870.90
Grant                                                      11544.19
 

                                   

Total income                                                                                     £14305.09

Expenditure

Admin                                                              397.92
Salaries                                             4856.14
Handyman                                          378.46
Community land                                420.00
Allotments                                            25.00
 

Total expenditure                                                                  £6077.54

Balance as at 31.08.20                                                                              £82937.36                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Less cheques
 

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

1. To ratify payments of accounts, salaries, BACS payments & payments already made for August 2020.

iv      To ratify payments of accounts, salaries, BACS payments & payments to be made September

44-2020/21  Planning matters To note any approved applications received and to consider any planning applications and decide any comments that the Council wishes to make. 

No planning applications received.

45-2020/21  To consider adoption of small piece of land on Station Rd. To consider request from a member of the public.

Request received from a Parishioner seeking permission to adopt a small parcel of land which at the moment is unsightly.  The Parishioner would like to tidy it up and make a small garden area.

This item has been deferred until the next meeting to allow time to find out who owns the land.

46-2020/21  To receive notice of the theft of Mole Traps from the Community Land.  

Item discussed and Clerk to speak to Handyman regarding ideas to monitor the situation.

47-2020/21  To consider Addendum to the Allotment Tenancy Agreement.

Cllrs made aware of the reason for the addendum. Discussion held regarding the inclusion of an additional £25 deposit if allotment holders wish to keep chickens on their allotment.

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

48-2020/21  To consider the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) for Silver Street.  To consider the proposal from Lincolnshire County Council.

Discussion held regarding the proposal from LCC to paint double yellow lines on one side of Silver Street. 

It was felt that there were other areas in the Village, which have already been agreed by LCC, that would give more benefit to the village to have TROs put in place.

Agreed to respond    'Bardney Group Parish Council support any road safety measures proposed in our area.  However the council have concerns over the proposal for Silver Street as it is currently drawn up.  It must be noted that the proposal will also remove two parking spaces on a layby. 

BGPC would very much welcome the opportunity to have an open and constructive dialogue with LCC Highways, and for our local knowledge to be heard and applied, in order to improve the current situation for local residents.'

49-2020/21  To consider purchasing of Poppy Wreaths for the Remembrance Day. 

The Clerk informed the meeting of the arrangements in place for the Parish villages to commemorate Remembrance Day.

Cllr Darby will attend Bardney, Cllr Corbould will attend Stainfield and Cllr Shaw will attend Southrey.

The Clerk will purchase the appropriate number of wreaths.

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

50-2020/21  To receive report on the Ride on Lawn Mower and consider future expenses.

This item was deferred until the next meeting.

51-2020/21  To consider quotes for benches, picnic tables and plaques for the Community Land.  Purchases to be made using the grant funding received from WLDC.

Proposal to go with quote B. To purchase 1 picnic bench and 1 bench.  Remainder of money to purchase a plaque.

PROPOSED by Cllr Webb, SECONDED by Cllr Darby, carried unanimously.

52-2020/21  To consider proposal to suspend use of the BGPC Facebook page.

Decision made to suspend BGPC Facebook page.

53-2020/21  To consider using funds raised from allotment clearance to purchase further hedging plants to protect the allotments.

     Quotes for replacement hedging

Agreed to purchase hedging from Company A

PROPOSED by Cllr Darby, SECONDED by Cllr Clee, Cllr Shaw ABSTAINED, remaining Cllrs voted in FAVOUR.

54-2020/21  To consider the response to the changes to the No 10 bus route.

Cllr Shaw to contact PC Coaches and the Clerk to write to Cllr Fleetwood regarding bus route.

55-2020/21  To consider BGPC support for the newly created Bardney Larder/Foodbank .

Decision deferred until BGPC receive a formal proposal from The Larder to see what support they need.

56-2020/21  To receive update on the new LCC Parish Council website.

New website is causing huge problems.  It is felt that it is not fit for purpose.

Complaint to be made to LCC.

57-2020/21  To consider response to the proposed changes to local Government and creation of a Unitary authority.

Discussion held regarding the proposed changes.

Response to LCC from BGPC will be that a complete review is needed.  A copy of the response will also be sent to Dept. of Local Government and The Secretary of State.

58-2020/21  Establishment – to resolve to go into closed session in accordance with Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960 to discuss the following matters.  A separate meeting ID and password will be provided to councillors.

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

59-2020/21  To consider breach of terms and conditions in the Cemetery

60-2020/21  To consider response to planning application decision.

61-2020/21  To approve date and time of next meeting TBA in September.

15th October 2020 via Zoom.

Cllr Webb asked that Cllrs ensure any technical issues are resolved before the next meeting.  Cllr Darby is available to assist.

If Cllrs are unable to attend meetings then apologies should be sent to the Clerk before the meeting.