2020 Town Council Minutes of Meetings

Minutes of a Meeting of Market Deeping Town Council Held on Wednesday 14th October at 7.30pm

Zoom meeting code 847 4082 3046

Password 912382

Present: Cllr Miss Moran (Chair) Cllr Miss Collins

Cllr Brookes Cllr Neilson

Cllr Hembrow Cllr Mrs Redshaw

Cllr Shelton Cllr Davis

Cllr Broughton Cllr Mrs Sked

Cllr Dolan

LCC Cllr Trollope-Bellew, a representative of the Neighbourhood Plan and the Clerk were also in attendance.

Cllr Miss Moran welcomed everyone to the meeting. The Neighbourhood Plan representative then advised members of the ‘Green Recovery Fund’ bid that had been placed naming the council as lead.

She advised that the money was available as part of the Lottery Heritage fund and that the applications would be assessed by DEFRA. The theme under which the bid had been submitted was ‘Connecting People with Nature’, and was concentrated on the Green Walk, as detailed in the Neighbourhood Plan, which would improve access to the walks and pathways surrounding the Deepings. The bid was made in conjunction with the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and would fit with social prescribing recommendations. It would hope to install a ‘green gym’ for all to use, plus the employment of an administrator and a walk co-ordinator. The representative will forward details of a Power Point presentation to the clerk for all members to access with further information. The result of the bid should be known by the end of October. Members thanked the representative for attending and she left the meeting.

7.35pm SKDC Cllr Baxter entered the meeting.

Cllr Mrs Trollope-Bellew then advised members that she had had no prior notice of the cycle rack that had been unexpectedly installed in the Market Place by LCC, and, since requesting its removal, she had received no information regarding when it would be removed and/or re-sited. Cllrs expressed their disappointment that it had been installed when the council was in negotiations about which rack should be purchased and where it should be placed.

7.49pm Cllr Miss Collins re-entered the meeting.

Cllr Baxter then advised members that he too disagreed with the type and location of the cycle rack. He advised of planning applications that he had called in and of the recommendation for the Mill Field site to be preserved as the last open space in Market Deeping, and thanked all involved in the campaign. SKDC ‘LeisureSK’ had been set up to manage the Deepings, Bourne and Stamford Leisure centre plans and it was possible that the Bourne CiCLE Festival may be able to take place again in future.

Cllr Broughton had nothing to report on behalf of SKDC, and Cllr Miss Moran confirmed that the Protection Order had been granted for the Spinney and adjoining areas regarding dogs being kept on leads.

102. Chairman’s Welcome & Introductions

Cllr Miss Moran welcomed members to the meeting.

103. Apologies for Absence

Apologies were received from Cllrs Yarham and Lester.

104. Declarations of Interest under the Localism Act 2011

Cllr Miss Collins declared an interest in agenda item 9, the Deepings Youth Group.

105. Acceptance of minutes of a meeting held on 9th September 2020

Cllr Miss Moran asked for an amendment to be made regarding item 95; the decision of the Full Council to pass the approval of the Alfresco Landscaping contract to the Town Hall and Cemetery committee was legal and not against any regulations. She then asked members if they were to accept the minutes of the meeting including this amendment. It was then proposed by Cllr Shelton, seconded by Cllr Dolan and Resolved unanimously to accept the notes of the meeting, as amended above, as a true and accurate record. The Chairman will sign the minutes when safe to do so.

106. Reports: Including reports from Deepings First, Committees (Planning and Highways), Mayor’s Diary and the Clerk

Deepings First

Cllr Shelton advised that the examiner for the Neighbourhood Plan had visited the Deepings and had been here for two days. If a public hearing is necessary, it will be held next month. In any event, the examiner’s report will be passed to SKDC and it is hoped that by December the plan will be available for referendum, although due to Covid restrictions a referendum would not be able to take place until May 2021.

Planning & Highways

Cllr Brookes advised members that the main issues arising from the last meeting would be dealt with under agenda items 8 and 10. He confirmed that the cycle rack installed by LCC was not to the committee’s liking and that the committee had been in the process of selecting an alternative when the actual cycle rack was placed.

Amenities and Open Spaces

Cllr Broughton advised members that in respect of item 32, he has asked the contractors to dig out further to provide suitable drainage. Cllrs Mrs Sked and Hembrow confirmed that the contractors had completed 5 areas and that the workmen were hardworking and pleasant to deal with. Cllr Brookes then proposed that the recommendations of the minutes were accepted by the council and this was Resolved with 10 in favour and one against.

Town Hall and Cemetery

Cllr Miss Moran advised that as the minutes of the last meeting had only recently been published, she would not raise any issues at this meeting.

Mayor’s Diary

Cllr Yarham had attended the following events:

10/09/2020 – Reopening of the Deepings Youth Group face to face sessions.

Clerk’s Report

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

1. The office overhead light has been replaced as it was not working.

2. PAT testing has been carried out in the Town Hall and the Park Keeper’s shed.

3. The annual telephone and broadband review has taken place and we have been allocated a faster broadband speed of 80/20 for the same cost per month.

4. The survey report for the Town Hall has been received.

5. A new deputy clerk has been appointed. References have been received and she will start work on 20th October.

6. Following last month’s Full Council meeting, and queries regarding the land transfer for the allotment and adjoining land, we have not received any response from Anglian Water, and LALC recommended that we seek specialist advice. However, Cllr Shelton has spoken to a planning professional, who is a member of the Neighbourhood planning team, and has obtained further information. He will put a pack together, recommending figures regarding the commuted sum for future maintenance of the areas to be adopted, and will discuss this with Cllr Brookes before the next meeting.

7. The Playscapes work is proceeding according to schedule, and the contractors have spoken with Cllr Broughton and Cllr Hembrow, who are monitoring the work, and also Cllr Mrs Sked and the clerk. There have been concerns regarding drainage, and Cllr Hembrow will meet with the contractors to agree appropriate soakaways.

8. The RBL coordinator has advised that the council will be offered 10 places at the restricted service on Remembrance Sunday. This may include spouses/partners and the clerk has asked for confirmation. The clerk will notify councillors and will collate numbers of those wishing to attend. Cllrs Mrs Redshaw, Mrs Sked, and Miss Collins would like to attend. Cllr Miss Moran confirmed that we will be unable to facilitate a parade on Remembrance Sunday, but that the Opening and Closing of the Remembrance Gardens would proceed with limited numbers attending. Cllr Broughton confirmed that he has passed the fireworks to mark 11am on the 11th November to the park keeper to fire in his absence.

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 Moran asked if there were any questions. There were none.

b) Accounts to be paid

It was proposed by Cllr Shelton and Resolved unanimously that the council pay its bills. See appendix A.

c) Preparations for Precept Planning 2021/22

The clerk had issued members with a copy of the Ear Marked Reserves held, in addition to the omega report, and asked that members consider these in conjunction in advance of the next meeting so that recommendations and requests for 2021/22 could be considered by the Full Council at that time.

109. For members to ratify the decision of the Planning and Highways Committee to proceed with the bus shelter tender quotation from Externiture

The clerk had provided members with quotations from both of the companies who had submitted tenders prior to the meeting, and Cllr Hembrow had prepared a report on the tenders submitted. Cllr Miss Collins was concerned that the minutes of the Planning and Highways meeting were not available. Members therefore voted on whether they felt they had enough information to make a decision and it was Resolved with 7 in favour that there was enough information to hand to decide.

8.52pm Cllr Trollope-Bellew left the meeting.

Cllr Hembrow advised that there were some items missing from the quote provided by Chris Groome and he believed that the Externiture quotation was more thorough and better suited for purpose. It was acknowledged that work to bus shelter number 9 was not required as this shelter was due to be replaced entirely. Cllr Miss Moran then proposed that the decision of the Planning and Highways committee to proceed with the bus shelter tender quotation from Externiture be ratified and it was Resolved unanimously to proceed with this company.

8.51pm Cllr Neilson left the meeting

110. Grant aid: second payment to Deepings Youth Group

The clerk had provided members with a copy of the accounts sent by the trustees prior to the meeting. Cllr Miss Collins advised members that the running of the Youth Group depends on both Market Deeping Town Council and Deeping St James Parish Councils and that she is a Trustee on behalf of Market Deeping Council. Cllrs Miss Moran and Mrs Sked then asked questions regarding the accounts and Cllr Miss Collins was unable to provide an answer. Cllr Davis therefore suggested leaving the money in Ear Marked Reserves until the accounts were clarified and Cllr Brookes cautioned members that the council should not spend money without having accurate projections of what the money is for. Members discussed the issues for some time and it was then proposed by Cllr Broughton that the balance of the money be paid. There were 3 votes in favour, 3 against and 4 abstentions. Cllr Miss Moran, as chair, then gave a casting vote against the balance of the money being paid at this time.

111. For members to agree a response to the Government White Paper on ‘Planning for the Future’

Cllr Brookes had provided some feedback on the paper prior to the meeting. Cllr Shelton then advised that he had read the 84-page paper several times on behalf of the Neighbourhood Plan and had offered to collate responses to each of the 26 questions asked on behalf of the council also. Cllr Miss Moran asked members if they were happy for Cllr Shelton to prepare the responses on behalf of the council and then proposed that he do so. It was Resolved with 6 in favour and 4 abstentions.

9.19 Members agreed to a short break

9.24 he meeting resumed

112. For members to receive an update on Digital Council and to agree how to proceed

The clerk advised members that the transfer of information to the new website is progressing well and that the company hired to do the work was confident it would be completed before the deadline of the end of December. The company will also prepare a guide on how to use the new website. The clerk also advised that the new email domain had been set up and the addresses were ready to use. Cllr Davis offered to produce a guide for members as to how to access and use the new email addresses. Cllr Miss Moran asked members if they were happy for Cllr Davis to do this and they were. The clerk will notify members of the new addresses.

For members to agree a flag flying schedule for all council owned areas

The clerk had provided members with the existing schedule prior to the meeting. Members discussed the fact that 2 committees on occasion had flown different flags to those listed on the schedule and it was acknowledged that there had been some one off events such as the VJ day celebrations this year. Cllr Brookes suggested that the schedule be updated to read that the flags will be flown at both the Riverside Park and the Town Hall, and Cllr Miss Moran asked members to contact the clerk if they wished a flag to be raised on any occasion other than detailed on the schedule.

113. Forthcoming events: For members to consider arrangements for the Opening and Closing of the Remembrance Gardens and the Remembrance Day service/parade

Members acknowledged that under current regulations, the maximum people that should attend the Opening and Closing of the Gardens should be 30 for each occasion. Cllr Broughton proposed that the council stick to this number and it was Resolved unanimously to do so. The clerk was asked to contact Rev’d George Holding to officiate at both services, and Cllr Mrs Redshaw will provide a list of groups who would expect to be invited.

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

Members commented on the lack of acknowledgment by SKDC of concerns regarding planning applications. It was generally felt that the council needed more and better input into the planning process. Cllr Brookes advised that SKDC need to clearly set out their planning policies so that the council can refer to supporting them in comments made. Cllr Shelton reminded members of the meeting that had been arranged approximately 2 years ago with members of the planning team at SKDC and volunteered to arrange another such meeting. Deeping St James PC could also be invited, as many planning issues were relevant to both councils. It was agreed that Cllr Shelton should proceed to arrange the meeting.

115. Confidential/Personnel Matters: Consideration to go into Closed session to discuss:

Staff issues

There were none.

Cllr Miss Moran then thanked all members for attending and declared the meeting closed at 9.50pm. The next scheduled meeting of the Full Council will be held on Wednesday 11th November 2020, virtual meeting details will be given when the agenda is published.