2019 Town Council Minutes of Meetings

Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Market Deeping Town Council Held on Wednesday 12th June 2019 at 7.30pm at the Town Hall, Market Deeping

Present:

Cllr Miss X Collins (Chair)
Cllr Mrs Redshaw
Cllr Mrs Sked
Cllr Brookes
Cllr Shelton
Cllr Lester
Cllr Miss Moran
Cllr Hembrow
Cllr Hanson
Cllr Davis
 
Two members of the Raft Race committee, the Clerk and the deputy Clerk were also in attendance. Cllr Miss Collins welcomed everyone to the meeting and the Open Session commenced:

The members of the raft race committee spoke in support of their grant aid application and confirmed to members that they were advertising widely to attract visitors to the Deepings. The charities being supported include North Lincs Air Ambulance, Deafblind, Dementia awareness and the Deepings Football club. Cllr Miss Collins reiterated that this is a very good event for the Deepings.

Cllr Miss Moran had presented members with a written report of her own and Cllr Baxter’s SKDC activities prior to the meeting.

There being no further business the public session was closed at 7.41pm.

30.   Chairman’s Welcome & Introductions

The Chairman welcomed the members to the meeting.

31.   Apologies for Absence

Apologies were received from Cllrs Neilson and Broughton.

32.   Declarations of Interest under the Localism Act 2011

No declarations of interest were made.

33.   Acceptance of minutes of the meeting held on the 15th May 2019.

It was proposed by Cllr Miss Collins, seconded by Cllr Hanson and RESOLVED unanimously to accept the notes of a meeting held on the 15th May 2019 as a true and accurate record. The Chairman duly signed the minutes.

34.   Appointment of additional Councillor to the Town Hall and Cemetery Committee

It was proposed by Cllr Lester, seconded by Cllr Hanson and RESOLVED unanimously to accept Cllr Hembrow onto the committee.

35.   Reports: Including reports from Deepings First, The Neighbourhood Policing Panel, Christmas Market, Youth Group, Committees (Planning and Highways, Town Hall and Cemetery, Amenities and Open Spaces), the Clerk and the Mayor’s Diary

Deepings First

Cllr Shelton advised members that, following a period of public consultation, the referendum will take place in December 2019 or January 2020.

Neighbourhood Policing Panel

Cllr Mrs Sked advised members that following the vote of no confidence expressed in the Lincolnshire Police force, the senior police officer who was due to meet with the policing panel had not attended the meeting.

Christmas Market

The clerk had provided members with notes of a meeting held on 29th May. Cllr Miss Moran informed members that all was proceeding well. The clerks had logged the event on stall finder, issued applications, and were already receiving a lot of interest. Cllr Miss Moran had been contacting food stalls and it was confirmed that Taylor’s fair would not be attending and small rides only would be provided in the Iron Horse car park. The issue of providing an external power source is ongoing and Rotary will be asked to provide their own generator if a power source is not in place.

Deepings Youth Group

Members had been provided with a report from the group, including accounting details, prior to the meeting. It was confirmed that membership was increasing and that the group was fundraising on a regular basis. Cllr Miss Moran advised members that the efforts of the group to help themselves and to present more thorough accounts were seen favourably and members felt better able to support the group.

Planning & Highways

Cllr Brookes advised members that due to them not receiving the minutes of the meeting of 5th June, this would be reported on at the next meeting.

Town Hall and Cemetery

Members had been provided with draft minutes of the meeting held on 22nd May. Cllr Lester advised members that the committee preferred to receive paper copies of agenda packs. He advised that Cllr Mrs Redshaw would be the designated archivist for the council, and asked that any comments or ideas regarding refurbishment of the Town Hall be passed to the clerks for consideration by the committee. He also advised that the Saturday stall holder who was using the Town Hall electricity would be prepared to pay £30 per quarter in charges.

Amenities and Open Spaces

Members had been provided with draft minutes of the meeting held on 22nd May. Cllr Miss Collins asked members if they would approve the proposed expenditure of approximately £4000 on a reconditioned flail arm for the upkeep of the BMX track and hedges. It was RESOLVED unanimously that this could be purchased. Cllr Miss Collins then asked members if they would approve the proposed expenditure of £398.50 on a planter to be sited next to the bench outside the Rectory paddock and it was RESOLVED unanimously that this could be purchased.

Clerk’s Report

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

1.   The post office has advised that they will not accept cash to be banked into the Barclays bank account. This will cause unforeseen issues with banking in future. It was agreed that the park keepers could take the clerks to the bank in Peterborough in the Town vehicle in the short term whilst this was investigated further.

2.   The annual audit has been completed and sent off. An acknowledgement has been received.

3.   The clerk is in correspondence with Barclays regarding adding Cllr Shelton as a third signatory to the bank accounts.

4.   The damage to the Town Hall window is due to be repaired w/c 10th June.

5.   The date of the Civic Service is now 15th September.

6.   We have had several complaints regarding either damage to the public toilets or issues with plumbing and have reported this on more than one occasion to SKDC. UPDATE: Repair person came 7th June and will return 10th June to remove and replace blocked pipework. As at 12th June the work is still in progress.

7.   All DPI forms have now been received for logging with SKDC.

8.   Members of the AOS and TH&C committees have suggested a change to the time of the TH&C meeting to 7.30pm. Are members happy to accept this? Members agreed to accept this change.
 
9.   Councillors are reminded that the July meetings of the AOS and TH&C committees will take place on the John Eve Field and in the Cemetery from 6.30pm.

10.   A second Poppy flag has been purchased and flown for the D Day 75th Anniversary event. Cllr Lester laid a wreath at the Riverside Park on 6th June and crosses were planted. The crosses and the wreath will be removed and displayed in St Guthlac’s church grounds.

11.   The clerk met with Mark Jones of SKDC CCTV unit on 6th June and discussed issues around anti-social behaviour. She then presented a report of the meeting. Mark advised that the cost of a new pole with camera and monitoring by SKDC would be £16,000 plus ongoing monitoring costs. He advised the council to consider funding a private patrol to supplement PCSO availability as this can have a greater effect. He also recommended that the council considers additional lighting in areas of concern. Mark invited the clerk and any members of the council to visit the CCTV unit to see what is being done. He emphasised the need to report all incidents to 101. Councillors asked the clerk to arrange a meeting with Sally Picker regarding ‘Designing out crime’ so that all members could attend to discuss Mark and Sally’s suggestions. Cllrs Davis, Miss Moran, Brookes, Shelton and Mrs Sked would like to visit the CCTV unit and the clerk was asked to arrange this.

12.   The clerk is on annual leave w/c 17th and 24th June so the office will be closed on Friday 21st and Friday 28th June.

Mayors Diary

Mayor and Deputy Mayor’s Diary: up to 12th June 2019.

Cllr Miss Collins attended the following events:

Cllr Broughton did not attend any events

36.   Correspondence to be noted and resolved upon

Correspondence to be noted

Correspondence to be resolved upon:

37.   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 and there were none.

b)   Accounts to be paid

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

38.   For members to agree period of insurance cover

Members had previously agreed to continue with existing insurance cover arrangements and the provider had asked if the council wanted to accept a 5% discount on fees in return for a three year contract. It was RESOLVED unanimously to continue with a one year contract.

39.   Raft Race grant aid application

Members agreed the raft race committee were doing an excellent job. It was proposed by Cllr Miss Moran, seconded by Cllr Hanson and RESOLVED unanimously to award the payment.

40.   For members to agree a donation for a Poppy Wreath for the D Day 75th Anniversary

Cllr Lester advised that he had requested a wreath to lay at the Riverside Park in recognition of the anniversary and it was RESOLVED unanimously to make a contribution of £25 for the wreath.

41.   For members to consider whether to continue the Saturday Library surgery

This was discussed at some length. Cllr Miss Moran advised members that DSJPC were no longer attending. Members felt they would like the service to continue. Some members felt that lack of privacy was an issue and the clerk was asked to ask the library if councillors would be able to use a separate room to meet with residents. The clerk was also asked to speak to the library manager to see if she wished the service to continue, and to ask for confirmation from DSJPC that they were stopping altogether. The item can then remain on the agenda for discussion at the next meeting.

42.   For members to consider whether any profit made from the Christmas Market should go to the Mayor’s charities

Cllr Miss Collins advised members that 2018 was the first market that had made a profit so this was a new situation. Cllr Shelton confirmed that he was able to donate £1000 to each of Market Deeping CPS and William Hildyard Schools special needs areas, plus £1000 to Dementia support South Lincs following his Mayoral year. This included profit from the Christmas Market, raffle and tombola proceeds and proceeds of the Mayor’s Ball. The issue was discussed and it then RESOLVED unanimously to move any profit made from the Christmas Market to the Mayor’s charities.

43.   Update on the provision of an external power source for the Town Hall

Cllr Miss Collins confirmed that the external source had been agreed at the January meeting of the Town Hall Committee. Cllr Shelton advised that following discussion with the ex chair of the committee it had been agreed to approach the conservation officer to find out if this was feasible. The conservation officer agreed  that it was but the fitting must meet the requirements of a listed building. Cllr Lester confirmed that this item would be put back on the Town Hall agenda for progression. Cllr Lester advised that the stall holder currently using the Town Hall electricity will not be able to use the current source when the Christmas lights are switched on. He advised that power supplies can be sunk into the ground. The power source would be chiefly for the  use of the council for events.

44.   For members to confirm that the council will assume the ongoing costs and public liability requirements for the proposed new War Memorial
 
Cllr Davis asked if this had been costed and it had not. Cllr Davis then proposed that it be costed before liability was taken on by the council. It was discussed and then RESOLVED with 7 in favour and 3 abstaining that the liability be costed. The clerk was asked to do this and report back at the next meeting.

45.   For members to consider and discuss any points raised in the public session.

This was addressed under minute 39.

46.   Forthcoming events: Parish Walk Tuesday 11th June, (cancelled) Councillor Training evenings 6-9pm 18th June in Gainsborough/2nd July in Pinchbeck/9th July Mablethorpe and 16th July Normanton

Cllr Mrs Sked asked if members attending training courses could disseminate information to other councillors and it was agreed that this could be done.

47.   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 then RESOLVED to come out of Closed Session.

The Chairman thanked all members for attending and declared the meeting closed at 9.14pm. The next scheduled meeting of Full Council will be held on Wednesday 10th July 2019, in the Town Hall, Market Deeping.