2021 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

March 2021 Minutes

MINUTES of the Meeting of DEEPING ST NICHOLAS PARISH COUNCIL held on Monday 29th March 2021 at 7:00pm, held via Zoom video conferencing

                                                                                                                        (Recorded by the Clerk)

 

Present:          William Rodwell (Chairman), David Branton (Vice Chairman), Nicholas Watts, Andy Croyle, Deborah Croyle, Louise McGuinness, Ric Chapman, D Strudwick and Barry Hopkins

 

Angela Harrison (Clerk)

 

County & District Cllr Nigel Pepper

District Cllr Bryan Alcock

 

Two members of the Public

 

In the Chair: William Rodwell

 

  1. Apologies

 

Apologies received from:

 

Charles Sly    

Paul Barrett

County Cllr Elizabeth Sneath

District Cllr Jim Astill

 

  1. Declarations of Interest (in accordance with the LGA 2000)

 

Non-Pecuniary:

Village Hall CIO:                     N Watts, A Croyle, D Strudwick and D Croyle

Good Neighbour Scheme:      D Croyle, B Hopkins, L McGuinness, P Barrett and A Croyle

Gardening Club:                      D Croyle and P Barrett

 

  1. Public Speakers (Max 3 mins each)

 

None

 

 

  1. Minutes of the Parish Meeting held on Monday 18th January 2021

 

Proposed:       B Hopkins

Seconded:       D Croyle

 

All agreed

 

 

  1. Matters Arising from the Minutes

 

None

 

 

  1. To Receive Verbal Reports from District & County Councilors

 

B Alcock - Item 8

N Pepper - Nothing to report

 

 

 

 

  1. Community Sub Committee (DC)

 

  • With the result of the last 12 months, the focus is on wellbeing, services and service providers
    • Small communities
    • Recognise this and report on a regular basis
    • Community Wellbeing (agenda)
    • Bring these services and support into the community
  • Good Neighbour Scheme, Community Trust
    • To keep everyone up to date with what’s going on in the community

DC proposed a Community Sub-Committee with 3 under it: CTC, Gardening Club & Good Neighbour Scheme, (plus any others)

 

It was agreed to call it the Community Wellbeing Committee

DC will be the lead

 

 

8.  Update on the Village Hall (DS)

 

  • During the pandemic very little has happened
    • Looking at funding opportunities waiting on 3 out of 4
    • Meeting held on 8th April via Zoom
  • AC added that he had met with a guy from Ashwood’s who felt they were at deadlock regarding viability
  • Should be going to an SHDC Planning Committee in April
  • Happy to enter into dialogue with the CTC

Cllr Alcock was able to add that he had been pursuing this over a long period of time

  • Home Farm now reached a position David Newham’s (viability), and will now proceed to report to the Committee
  • Village Hall will be included
  • Viability hurdle has been overcome
  • Application will go to the May Planning Committee, at the earliest

AC added that he had seen an item in the press over the last 2 weeks where a development in Moulton Chapel reduced affordable homes from 15 to 2

  • Cllr Alcock stated that it was David Newham’s advice regarding viability, that reached the decision for Moulton Chapel

 

 

9.   Book Box (Request from a resident)

 

  • A resident is happy to set it up and maintain it with books, etc.
    • AC raised concerns over location on either of the greens due to damage and weather
    • Has spoken with resident that has proposed it and suggested under the Canopy of village shop

It was agreed that the responsibility should lie with the resident

  • AC happy to report back to the resident, to state that the Council gives it their support

 

 

10.  Good Neighbour Scheme (DC)

 

  • Run by volunteers happy to lend their skills and time to those in need
    • Pushed and supported by LALC/NALC
    • Befriending, Shopping
  • Contacted Sam Smith (YMCA) Mentor for GNS in South Lincs
    • Result of the latest Parish Plan Questionnaire
    • Purely run by volunteers
    • Had a Zoom meeting
    • Development Committee
  • Send out survey specifically on the GNS - Funded and administered by Community Lincs
    • Church would be happy to lend their premises
    • Bring all other services and support groups to have a get-together at the Church
    • Another meeting soon
  • GNS setup as a charity which would rely on funding
  • Successfully applied for National Emergency Trust fund with the PC as guarantor for £930 starting up fund
    • DBS checks £10 per person
    • Mobile phone
    • Laptop
    • Public Liability Insurance
  • Once results of the survey are in, we will know whether we will go ahead as a GNS or join with the Church as a befriending group
  • This will be included under the Community Wellbeing umbrella
  • Networking within the community with those that are willing to help and those that need help
  • Looking for support in general from the PC
  • Funding should be in the bank account within 10 days and needs to be ring-fenced

 

 

11.  Playing Fields & Bus Shelters

 

  • AC - The holes around the bases of the exercise equipment have been filled and will put grass seed over
  • LM – Re Bissel Poles: further to former report, will be done after the end of March
  • DC - Bus shelters.  Hop Pole needs some work done on it to stop it from filling with water
  • Littleworth crossing (opposite side of the road), chain link has come off the wire at the back and is dangerous
    • NW commented that he would have a look at it and see if it could be fixed.
  • NW stated that he had cleared up a lot of the straw from the footpath that was reported at the last meeting

 

  1.    Tongue End

 

  • Welland Rivers Trust have done some bore holes to track the water levels in the field
    • Looking at original water levels so that we can see the best area to put a pond in
  • Lincs Wildlife Fund - Nature corridor within existing areas
    • More details in the coming weeks - all free of charge at the moment
  • Laying the groundwork ready to start later this year for full impact next year
  • Following the last meeting Cllr Sneath managed to get a grant for £500 which the PC is grateful for
  • WR stated that there was money available from the Wind Farm which can applied for
  • DB suggested that we used the 2 NatWest accounts that have small amounts already in them to hold the funds, as they are not currently used
  • Notice Board at Tongue End - AC will look to update all of the notice boards in DSN (e.g., Baize and varnish) and will work alongside RC to tidy up the one in Tongue End too

 

 

  1.   Report from the Finance Committee

 

  • The Clerk/RFO had produced reports from the new Scribe accounts system, which were gladly received
    • Members were impressed with how clear it was to see where money was spent and received and the total amount held for the proposed Village Hall

 

 

 

AC, DC, DS and RC asked whether the Clerk/RFO could give them some training on Parish Finances

 

Only additions to the reports were the £2,000 from Dick Tinsley plus bank interest which is to be added to the savings accounts

 

  1.  To approve Invoices for Payment

 

Proposed: N Watts

Seconded: D Croyle

 

All agreed

 

 

  1.   Update on DSN Gardening Club (DC)

 

  • Parish Plan Questionnaire - Wellbeing activity
    • 9 months communication with Highways
      • Approval to put planters along the main road through the village
    • 7 Welcome signs will all have a planter with a placard on the front of it ‘in Bloom’ (£530 grant)
      • One gone up by Deeping Van Hire
  • Windfarm Committee have given £1,000 funding
  • Thanks to Charles Sly for the soil
  • Smaller planters Harrow Road and St Nicholas Way
  • Planters either side of the lichgate and the school
    • Bedding plants at the moment then perennials
  • People have offered to sponsor a planter, e.g., watering and maintaining
  • DB - Offered a quantity of daffodil bulbs later in the year

 

 

  1.   Report from the Planning Committee

 

  1.  H03-0265-21   General Purpose Farm Shed, Windmill Farm, Baston Fen

 

  • No objections
  • AC asked about the Campain’s Lane planning application
    • LM will forward a document and bring it to the next meeting

 

 

  1.   To discuss any information which the Chairman may legally bring to the Council’s attention

 

  • BH raised the issue of the dog bin which has still not been replaced
    • Clerk explained that it is all in hand, SHDC waiting for an available team
  • Triangle - wonderful job at cutting back the trees, but the tops have not been cut down
    • DC - missed the opportunity to take the tops down as we are now in the nesting season
  • BH stated that he and his wife emptied the bin on the Children’s’ play park and he was disgusted at what was in there, (beer cans, pizza boxes and items that he didn’t wish to mention).  He asked that it be removed.
    • DC stated that the bin couldn’t be taken out as the metal stand left would be more dangerous.
  • RC and DB suggested that the PC could pay someone to empty the problematic bins, e.g., the bus shelter cleaner
    • WR stated that he would look into it
      • BH offered to empty the bins if the PC couldn’t find anyone else to do it
  • LM - update on the Littleworth Station
    • Campain’s Lane and planning. Countryside Scheme contact highways then planning
    • Right of Way keep a very close eye on it Registered in 2016
  • Grit Bin down Banks Drove still requires attention

 

 

 

  1.   Agenda items for the next meeting         

 

The Chairman raised the issue of being able to hold the Annual Parish Meeting physically after 6th May, as it will not be lawful to hold virtual meetings after that date

  • DC thought it would be a good idea to hold the Annual meeting remotely then have the usual meeting later in May.
  • LM thought it better to have them physically, in the Church

 

A vote was taken and it was agreed to have the Annual meeting on the 24th May with the usual PC meeting straight after

 

  • AC - Queen’s Platinum Jubilee - mug for school children?
  • DC - Community Wellbeing
  • LM - Planning and Planning Protocol

 

Meeting ended at 9:00pm