2019 Town Council Minutes of Meetings

Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Market Deeping Town Council Held on Wednesday 10th July 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 Davis
Cllr Broughton
Cllr Hanson
Cllr Yarham
Cllr Neilson

A representative from the Deepings Business club, the Deeping Rangers Football club, the Clerk and the deputy Clerk were also in attendance.

Cllr Miss Collins welcomed everyone to the meeting and the Open Session commenced:

The representative of the Deepings business club spoke in support of the grant aid application and confirmed to members that the leaflets being produced would be distributed within a 30 to 40 mile radius of the  Deepings in order to attract visitors to the area. Members were given a leaflet to read and advised that the cost of production was being applied for from both Market Deeping Town Council and Deeping St James parish council, with each council being asked for half of the cost. The club had been unable to obtain any funding from InvestSK.

The representative of the Deeping Rangers Football club then spoke in support of their grant aid application. He explained that the club was run by a volunteer committee and provided facilities for 250 children and 80 adults. He explained the costs involved with running the club and training coaches.

Cllr Miss Moran had presented members with a written report from Cllr Baxter prior to the meeting. Cllr Miss Moran informed members that she had attended a full council meeting of the SKDC and provided an update on the purchase of the Town Hall, which is to be gifted from SKDC to the council for the sum of £1. Cllr Broughton advised members that he had also attended the Full council meeting at Grantham and had attended Peterborough Crown Court in support of a resident who was due to be evicted.

There being no further business the public session was closed at 7.43pm.

52.    Chairman’s Welcome & Introductions

The Chairman welcomed the members to the meeting, with a special welcome to Cllr Yarham who had recently been co-opted on to the council.

53.    Apologies for Absence

There were none.

54.    Declarations of Interest under the Localism Act 2011

Cllr Yarham declared a personal interest in respect of planning issues.

55.    Acceptance of minutes of the meeting held on the 12th June 2019.

It was proposed by Cllr Mrs Redshaw and RESOLVED unanimously to accept the notes of a meeting held on the 12th June 2019 as a true and accurate record. The Chairman duly signed the minutes.

56.    Acceptance of minutes of the extraordinary meeting held on 19th June 2019

It was RESOLVED unanimously to accept the notes of a meeting held on the 19th June 2019 as a true and accurate record. The Chairman duly signed the minutes.

57.    Appointment of Councillor Yarham to Committees

It was proposed by Cllr Lester, seconded by Cllr Hanson and RESOLVED unanimously to accept Cllr Yarham onto the Amenities and Open Spaces committee and the Planning and Highways committee.

58.    Reports: Including reports from Deepings First, The Neighbourhood Policing Panel, Christmas Market, Youth Group, Committees (Planning and Highways), the Clerk and the Mayor’s Diary

Deepings First

Cllr Shelton advised members that the public referendum will take place in January/February 2020. The draft plan will be published in August and there will then be a period of six weeks for members of the public to read the plan and suggest any revisions.

Neighbourhood Policing Panel

Cllr Mrs Sked advised members that there had been no meeting since the last report and there had also been no senior officer available to attend a meeting with the panel as previously agreed. Cllr Yarham advised that he had received a letter from PC Jones, and had met with Insp Martin and also John Hayes and would provide any information forthcoming in due course.

Christmas Market

Cllr Miss Moran informed members that all was proceeding well and there had been roughly 9 bookings each for pitches, stalls and for the craft tent. The fair arrangements had not yet been confirmed.

Deepings Youth Group

Cllr Hanson advised members that the group had been out to local events, and that attendance rates were up to 35-40 every Friday. Cllr Miss Collins advised that fund raising efforts are continuing well and the Bowls Club and the Oddfellows will also be providing sponsorship to the group.

Planning & Highways

Cllr Brookes advised members that there was nothing from the June and July meetings that needed to be ratified by Full Council. There had been a large group of residents attending the July meeting regarding the BP petrol station proposals and the main concerns were with highway issues.

Clerk’s Report

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

1.    The repairs to the Town Hall window are due to be completed w/c 8th July.

2.    The public toilets continue to be an issue. Some plumbing work has taken place but water is still not flowing correctly and the disabled toilet needs repair.

3.    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 at 6.30 and 7pm respectively.

4.    The cemetery alarm has been serviced.

5.    The new photocopier has been installed but is still awaiting networking capability.

6.    The office will be closed on 19th and 22nd July due to staff leave.

7.    The Clerk and deputy clerk attended training on 4th July at the LALC networking day. Topic covered included Devolved Services, Traffic, Highways and Event management and Insurance requirements and Risk Assessments.

8.    As three months’ notice is required for a TTRO, and there is no meeting in August, would councillors like the clerks to apply for Temporary Road Closures for: Sunday 3rd November – Opening of Remembrance Gardens?

Sunday 10th November – Remembrance parade? (Last year there were issues with lack of volunteers to man road closures)

Sunday 17th November – Closing of Remembrance Gardens?

If so, care will need to be taken with excessive staff working hours as staff are not legally allowed to work more than 13 successive days. Cllrs advised they would like to apply for all of the above road closures.

(Sunday 01st December – Christmas Market TTRO has already been agreed)

 9.    The Deepings Summer Ball committee has contacted the office and advised that £3600 has been raised for charity. They thanked the council for allowing banners to be displayed.

Mayors Diary

Mayor and Deputy Mayor’s Diary: up to 10th July 2019.

Cllr Miss Collins attended the following events:

Cllr Broughton attended the following events:

52.    Correspondence to be noted and resolved upon

Correspondence to be noted

Correspondence to be resolved upon:

53.    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. The council also RESOLVED unanimously that the bills for August could be paid whilst the Council is in recess.

54.    Grant aid application: Deeping Rangers

Members RESOLVED unanimously to award the amount of £500 requested.

55.    Grant aid application: Deepings Business Club

It was RESOLVED unanimously to award the amount of £445 requested.

56.    For members to consider Cllr Yarham’s representation of the council at NALC forthcoming events Cllr Yarham presented members with a document listing the expenses that would be involved for his attendance at the NALC open day in July and the Annual General Meeting in October. Cllrs discussed Cllr Yarham’s representation of the council at these events and it was RESOLVED unanimously that he should attend and feed back his findings to the council.

57.    For members to consider whether to continue the Saturday Library surgery
This was discussed at some length. Various options, including running sessions at the Town Hall and holding stands at local events were considered. Members felt that residents knew where to contact councillors at the current venue so there was no need for change. It was eventually proposed by Cllr Miss Moran and RESOLVED with 2 against that the surgeries should continue in the library but that the district and county councillors’ presence was not required.

58.    For members to consider the management of grass verges in the town

Cllr Miss Moran advised members that Rotherham council had saved £25,000 on costs by seeding their verges rather than mowing them. There were benefits apart from cost, as drivers’ perception was that the road was narrower than a mown verge, so speeding reduced, and it also discouraged parking on the verges. Cllr Miss Moran had conducted a Facebook survey and 250 residents had approved of the idea. The clerk was asked to contact Rotherham Town Council to ask how they had implemented this.

59.    For members to confirm that the council will assume the ongoing costs and public liability requirements for the proposed new War Memorial

The clerk had contacted the insurers regarding the additional cost of this proposal and reported that it would be £17.82 pa. It was RESOLVED with 12 in favour and 1 against that the council accept this liability.

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

This was addressed under minutes 61 and 62 above.

61.    Forthcoming events:

Councillor Training evenings 16th July 6-9pm at Normanton
17th July 10-12.30 (Risk Management) at Legbourne
4th September 10-4 at Boston
St Guthlac’c Church Fete 13th July
Deepings Raft Race 4th August

62.    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 9.08pm. The next scheduled meeting of Full Council will be held on Wednesday 11th September 2019, in the Town Hall, Market Deeping.