2019 Town Council Minutes of Meetings

Minutes of a meeting of Market Deeping Town Council Held on Wednesday 13th November 2019 at 7.30pm at the Town Hall, Market Deeping

Present:

Cllr Miss Collins (Chair)
Cllr Lester
Cllr Broughton
Cllr Miss Moran
Cllr Davis
Cllr Neilson
Cllr Hanson
Cllr Shelton
Cllr Brookes    
Cllr Hembrow    

2 representatives of the Rotary Club of the Deepings, the clerk and the deputy clerk were also in attendance. Cllr Miss Collins welcomed everyone to the meeting and the Open Session commenced:

The chairman of the Rotary club spoke in support of their grant aid request. He explained that the event is always sold out, but is limited in numbers attending due to the venue. The Rotary is struggling to break even on costs and does not want to increase ticket prices to the community, hence the grant aid request.

SKDC Cllr Baxter and Cllr Mrs Redshaw entered the meeting at 7.32pm.

Cllr Baxter provided members with a report of his actions over the previous month.

Cllr Miss Moran, for SKDC, and Cllr Broughton, for SKDC then advised members of their actions via a verbal report.

There being no further business the public session was closed at 7.39pm.

102.    Chairman’s Welcome & Introductions

The Chairman welcomed the members to the meeting.

103.    Apologies for Absence

Apologies were received from Councillor Mrs Sked.

104.    Declarations of Interest under the Localism Act 2011

Cllr Hanson declared an interest in agenda item 10.

105.    Acceptance of minutes of the meeting held on the 9th October 2019.

Cllr Miss Collins asked members if they were to accept the minutes of the meeting. It was then proposed by Cllr Broughton and RESOLVED unanimously to accept the notes of a meeting held on the 9th October 2019 as a true and accurate record. The Chairman duly signed the minutes.

106.    Reports: Including reports from Deepings First, The Neighbourhood Policing Panel, Christmas Market, Saturday Market, Youth Group, Remembrance Working Party, Travellers’ working party, Committees (Planning and Highways), the Clerk and the Mayor’s Diary

Deepings First 

Cllr Shelton had provided members with a report prior to the meeting. He advised members that the 6 week public consultation period ends on 2nd December and explained the process for the coming months. There is still much work to be done, and this is why he is requesting additional monies to be released from reserves – see minute 109 below.

Neighbourhood Policing Panel 

Cllr Mrs Sked had previously provided her report via the clerk. Members were advised that one of the 2 PCSOs currently allocated to the area was moving to a new job and would not be replaced. Members asked the clerk to write to the Neighbourhood Policing Inspector to object in the strongest possible terms. Cllr Mrs Sked will raise the issue at the next police forum meeting in January. The clerk then reported that she had requested a visit from the liaison officer, as requested at the last Full Council meeting, but had been informed that the police are no longer attending council meetings. Insp Blackwell asked the council to contact her if there were any specific crime issues, and advised that PCSOs will be providing a bulletin to keep residents informed of police activities.

Christmas Market 

Cllr Miss Moran informed members that plans were coming to a conclusion with the final arrangements to be made at the meeting of 14th November, to which all councillors were invited to attend. She requested that tombola prizes be delivered to the office and that anyone who could help on the day should let her know.

Stalls and pitches and the fair rides had been arranged so as to cause as little disturbance as possible, and so as not to block shops that will be open, or householders’ entrances and exits.

Saturday Market 

Cllr Miss Moran reported that the cycle of low footfall leading to less stalls participating was continuing and the market may close for the winter months.

Deepings Youth Group 

Cllr Hanson advised members that attendance continued to be good, and the group should soon have a permanent new home. Cllr Miss Collins advised that fund raising efforts were continuing.

Remembrance working party

Cllr Miss Collins advised members that the opening of the Remembrance Gardens had gone very well despite the caterer being taken ill at the last moment, and the event had been well attended. The Remembrance day parade and service had also gone smoothly. Cllr Broughton wished to thank Cllr Mrs Sked for purchasing the rockets to fire at the Riverside Park on 11th November. He reported that 40/50 people had attended for the 2 minute silence.

Travellers working party 

There was no update as no meeting had taken place.

Planning & Highways 

Cllr Brookes advised members that there were no significant issues to report. The committee was going to check the response to the county council in respect of the proposed closure of Cross Road, as it believed some rights of way, such as Bridleway Rights, should be kept. The Douglas Road parking issues and the Robin Close group who are concerned about application S19/0174 were also acknowledged.

Clerk’s Report 

The Clerk had issued members with a report prior to the meeting:

1.    The clerk has received a workbook on how Councillors may respond to Climate Change and has circulated via email and hard copy.

2.    The clerk received a short presentation on ‘ibabs’, a paperless office system that would fit with
the digital council initiative. Details are being kept for future reference.

3.    Christmas arrangements – are councillors happy for the office to close w/c 23rd December and open on Thursday 2nd January? It was RESOLVED to do this.

4.    The clerks will be attending a LALC networking day on 27th November in Cranwell.

5.    The defibrillator is not working – it has been reported to the relevant emergency services and is being investigated.

6.    The council has received a copy of ‘A Celebration of Musical Moments and memories in St Guthlac’s Church 1818-2019’. It will be kept in the office if anyone would like to see it.

7.    A reminder to all councillors that Election ‘Purdah’ is now in force.

Mayors Diary 

Mayor and Deputy Mayor’s Diary: up to 13th November 2019.

Cllr Miss Collins attended the following events:
 

Cllr Broughton had attended the following events:

107.    Correspondence to be noted and resolved upon

Correspondence to be noted

Correspondence to be resolved upon:

108.    Council Finances

a)    Income and expenditure by budget cost centre

Members had received a copy of the Council Finances and Omega report prior to the meeting. Cllr Miss Collins asked if there were any questions. There were none.

b)    Accounts to be paid

It was RESOLVED unanimously that the council pay its bills. See appendix A.

c)    Precept preparations for 2020/21

Cllr Miss Moran advised members that the council should not increase the precept without taking money from reserves. Cllr Lester advised that the plans at this stage were a ‘shopping list’ of requirements that should then be adjusted according to budgets. Cllr Shelton confirmed that at this stage it is a budgeting exercise, not a precept request.

8.25 Cllr Baxter left the meeting.

Members RESOLVED with one against to consider each item carefully and to ensure that money is taken from reserves to cover the cost of expenditure where the council feel it is needed. Cllr Brookes advised members that EMR money should be released if it was needed, but that there is good reason to have certain monies held in reserves, such as a fund to save for a replacement vehicle. Councillors need to ensure that they know what each item of Ear Marked Reserves is allocated for.

8.39 Cllr Baxter reentered the meeting.

It was further RESOLVED with one abstention that the Finance and Personnel committee should examine the budget in detail and bring their findings back to Full Council for the December meeting.

109    For members to consider a motion to release £2500 from Ear Marked reserves for the Neighbourhood plan

Cllr Shelton presented members with figures of income and expenditure since 2017. He explained that equal funding had always been sought from Market Deeping and Deeping St James councils and his current request was to fund consultants and facilitator expenses. He confirmed that the remaining amount in the reserves could not be released until after the referendum, when it would be known if any further costs were to be incurred. It was proposed by Cllr Broughton and RESOLVED unanimously to release the funds from reserves.

110    Town Centre Cash Machine

Following many requests and concerns from residents regarding the lack of a cash machine in the Town Centre, Cllr Miss Moran asked members to consider funding the installation of a machine. She advised that running costs were then funded by the installation company via a small charge to the bank. It was felt that the phone box was not secure enough for a machine, and is also a listed structure. Cllr Miss Moran advised that there were 2 ways to start the process, either through a website or to directly apply for a LINK machine, and it was RESOLVED unanimously that Cllr Miss Moran should commence the application process.

111.    Grant Aid application – Rotary

Members debated whether the grant should be awarded as if the event makes a profit, the profit would be via council monies rather than Rotary funding. It was however RESOLVED with 2 abstentions that the grand aid be awarded.

112.    Update on the proposed Leisure Centre

Cllr Miss Moran advised members that there will be a meeting in 2 weeks and that she will report back after that. She is going to return to the Lego Club of Market Deeping Community Primary school to collate the children’s input.

113.    Digital council

Cllr Brookes had been busy with other matters and had no specific information. Cllrs agreed that digital agenda packs were difficult to read and that some agenda items could be displayed on the screen in the Chambers.

Cllrs generally supported the idea of a digital council, and Cllr Neilson requested that the council buy devices for councillors to use and pay for internet connections.

114.    For members to consider plans for War Memorial(s)

Cllr Mrs Redshaw asked members if they still wished her to continue with plans to extend the current war memorial in the church with the extra names discovered by the Deepings Heritage Group. Councillors confirmed that they did and that they understood this would be a lengthy process with the diocesan faculty of the church needing to be consulted. Cllr Mrs Redshaw then asked members if they would still support the joint initiative with Deeping St James PC to erect a small memorial to 5 fallen American Airmen. Members  confirmed that they supported the plan, and that any funding not already in Ear Marked Reserves would need to be budgeted for.

115.    Report and suggested actions following the NALC conference 28/29 October 2019

Cllr Yarham, who had attended the event, was not present, so the item was deferred to the next meeting.

116.    For members to consider and discuss any points raised in the public session.
 
There were none other than the Grant Aid request already covered.

117.    Forthcoming events:

• Councillor training: Report on 10th October Planning and Neighbourhood Plans – Cllr Hembrow advised that the session had been very useful. CIL had been discussed but Cllr Shelton  confirmed that SKDC offer only S106 agreements. Cllr Hembrow advised members of an initiative from Cathorpe pc that had been agreed with the district council whereby any new developments must have the same number of off street parking spaces as there were bedrooms in the house.
• Upcoming training: 26th November Councillor training day 10-4 at Dunholme, 13th November Financial Management 1.30-4 at Saxilby
• Other events: Cllrs Surgeries at the library: Cllr Mrs Redshaw 7th December, Cllr Shelton 4th January.
• 10th November – Remembrance Day Parade 9.30am.
• 11th November, 11am, rockets fired by Cllr Broughton from the Riverside Park for the 2 minute silence.
• 17th November – Closing of the Remembrance Gardens
• Christmas Tree display in the Chambers - trees may be dropped off from 23rd November, to be collected on 1st December.
• Sunday 1st December – Christmas Market
• Carols around the Tree Tues 17th December. Cllr Miss Collins confirmed that she had a gazebo to lend the choir master for the keyboards.

118.    Confidential/Personnel Matters: Consideration to go into Closed session to discuss: Staff issues

It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED unanimously to move into Closed Session to members of the press and public in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, for members to discuss items that contained information of a confidential nature: staff issues. It was RESOLVED to ratify the clerk’s pay award in recognition of gaining the CiLCA qualification. It was then RESOLVED to come out of Closed Session.

The Chairman thanked all members for attending and declared the meeting closed at 9.15pm. The next scheduled meeting of Full Council will be held on Wednesday 11th December 2019, in the Town Hall, Market Deeping.