February 2020 Minutes EOM
Deeping St James Parish Council
The Institute, 38 Church Street, Deeping St James, Peterborough PE6 8HD
E-mail: clerk.dsjpc@btconnect.com
Tel: 01778 343266
//parishes.lincolnshire.gov.uk/deepingstjames
Parish Clerk: Julie Fortnum
The minutes of the meeting Deeping St James Parish Council held on Thursday 27 February 2020 at 7.30 pm at The Institute.
Present: Parish Councillors Blessett, Bowell, Dilks (District), Gilbert, Hall, Halls, Hardy, Hosking, Kornfeld, Shinkins-Hoppe, Stevens (District), Thomas (District) and County Councillor Dobson plus five members of the public (one representing The Deepings Carnival Committee, two representing the safe spaces project and the other two applicants for the cooption vacancies)
Open Forum
Tony Plunkett representing the Deepings Carnival Committee spoke in support of the grant application. This year the carnival will take place on Sunday 29 June 2020 which is the same weekend as Armed Forces Day and the Royal British Legion are inputting into the proceedings
Denis Holden Practice Care Coordinator at the Deepings practice introduced the safe spaces project in Lincolnshire - a service to listen and signpost individuals suffering from low level depression, anxieties, social isolation and bereavement. Local initiatives have been set up in Spading Stamford and Bourne and it is hoped that a similar initiative can be set up in the Deepings. Funding is available to train two mental health first aiders. Emma Lannigan founder of Walk Happy is on board and aware that there are a number of groups out there who offer support (healthy walking groups, craft and art therapy groups, and coffee and cakes sessions but Emma and Denise want to bring them together.
County Councillor Dobson has visited Eventus on the industrial estate to resolve issues between the current business tenants and the new management about payment for repairs. He is pleased to see that the section outside the skatepark entrance has now been tarmacked. As Deputy Leader of SKDC and head of growth and leisure he confirmed that £200,000 had been put in the budget towards new Astroturf and funding could be applied for from the Football Foundation although this type of surface would not be suitable for competitive hockey. A representative of the Northern Footbridge Forum has contacted him suggesting funding for the Welland footbridge for advice and support in an application that has been made to Rural Development for England.
District Councillor Stevens confirmed that the Development Funding Manager has helped towards successfully obtaining funding of £17,500 of external funding for local organisations. Eight new computers have been installed in the Library and additional sessions will be run at the Deepings Youth Group as well as the purchase of additional equipment. District Councillor Dilks advised that he has supported the proposal to rewild the boundary around Jubilee Park off Thackers Way which SKDC would be consulting the public on shortly. He confirmed that the District Council would set their budget on Monday 2 March 2020. Also, the applicants have appealed against the refusal of the application for the petrol station on the outskirts of Market Deeping. Councillor Dilks thanked Councillors Baxter and Moran for organising the Deepings Shorts film festival. Thanks also should go to SKDC Officer Michael Cross. Finally after obtaining an Arborist’s report stating that work could eb done to prolong the life of the tree the Prince of Wales Oak Tree in the Priory Hall car park Tree Preservation Order is now permanent and all three DSJ District Councillors have met with Priory Hall Trustees offering a third of their ward grants to cover the cost of the required tree work.
PCSO Everitt had sent her apologies but had sent the Market Deeping and Uffington neighbourhood policing monthly report which had been shared with all councillors
104.20 To receive apologies for absence.
None received.
105.20 To receive notifications of interest and consider requests for dispensations, if any.
Councillor Dilks – agenda item 108.20.2
Councillor Stevens – agenda item 108.20.2
Councillor Thomas – agenda item 108.20.2
Councillor Bowell – agenda item 109.20
Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe – agenda item 113.20
106.20 To approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on Thursday 30 January 2020.
Agreed and signed.
107.20 Clerks Report.
The volunteers at The Deepings Lakes were nominated for the Lincolnshire Environmental Awards 2020 on 19 February 2020, the closing date for nominations is 31 March 2020, after which if shortlisted a judge will visit for a short discussion and tour. The Community Payback Team have visited the Parish on two occasions clearing undergrowth from the pavement on Spalding Road between Broadgate Land and Frognall and clearing under and overgrowth on PROW 8 (aka Church Walk)
An IT provider has visited the office on two occasions and commenced work to improve the IT provision within the office.
The grounds maintenance contracts for the Riverbank and Woody Heights recreation area have been offered to the chosen provider. The grounds maintenance contract for the Highway verges has not been offered to the chosen provider. The Town Council opted for an alternative (marginally cheaper) provider and as the contract is a joint one covering The Deepings due the boundaries of the Town and Parish joining and the requirement of the provision of an equal service the contract has been offered to EnvironmentSK (the Parish Council’s second choice)
The poor road repair after the laying of electricity cables on Linchfield Road has been reported to Western Power Distribution whose contractors have been asked to return and correct.
Lincolnshire County Council Highways have extended the tarmac surface past the entrance to ‘Woody Heights’ recreation ground to remove the trip hazard and cover the gravel that was laid previously.
108.20 Financial matters:
1. To approve accounts for payment – it was proposed seconded and Resolved to approve payments totalling £5,250.64
2. To consider the grant application in respect of The Deepings Carnival Committee – It was proposed seconded and Resolved that a grant of £600 should be made
109.20 To receive and agree the Council’s response to correspondence received since the last meeting.
Raunds Town Council
Councillor Bowell has received an invitation from the Mayor of Raunds, Councillor Richard Levell, to attend the Civic Service to be held at St Peters Church Raunds at 3pm on Sunday 29 March 2020. Would the Parish Council like Councillor Bowell to accept the invitation and represent them?
It was Resolved that Councillor Bowell should attend to represent Deeping St James Parish Council
CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England) The Country Side Charity
Thanking the parish council for their involvement in the recent Lincolnshire Best Kept Villages Competition. They also advise that as South Kesteven District Council have decided not to fund the competition this year the CPRE cannot run the competition. Also, CPRE Lincolnshire has decided to close due to the retirement of a number of trustees so the national CPRE will support future activities in Lincolnshire. Noted
110.20 To consider the applications received for Co-option.
It was Resolved to co-opt Wendy Lilley and Peter Robinson who were both welcomed to the parish council.
111.20 To consider the tender for contract for The Welland Footbridge Project prior to it being placed on Contracts Finder.
Councillor Blessett who had circulated a paper introduced this item saying that this is a large project in the parish council’s name which is now ready to be placed on government’s contracts finder website to invite tenders. Councillor Gilbert added that the parish council needed to be in full agreement with this tender and the implications of it on the employees and parish council - the office staff may be out of their depth taking on the responsibility for this tender and any questions that may arise from it so would need the parish councillor’s support.
He advised that although the parish council are named as the main contractor when a building contractor was chosen it was likely that they would take on the principal contractor status. The parish council will be responsible for all payments using the grants obtained from funding providers however the VAT element would be paid from parish council funds and reclaimed so there would be periods of time between the claim and receipt of the refund that the parish council’s bank balances would be affected. The management of the project would be primarily the responsibility of the Northern Footpaths Forum although as the contract is in the name of DSJPC the office staff and the parish council’s itself would need to remain involved and kept up to date at all times. It was proposed, seconded and Resolved that the contract in the parish council’s name be submitted to the government’s contract finder website as soon as possible.
112.20 To receive an update and agree the next steps for the Neighbourhood plan and the Deepings First group.
Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe who had circulated a paper introduced this item. She proposed that the parish council accept the Deepings Neighbourhood plan in its most recent draft form and agree that it should be submitted to South Kesteven District Council for the next stage of the process. This was seconded and Resolved with one abstention.
113.20 To consider taking ownership and responsibility of some new play equipment donated to the Parish Council.
After a discussion with the Chair and Vice Chair of Deeping St James United Charities Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe (also a Trustee of DSJUC) had been invited to put a paper together requesting a financial donation towards renewing play equipment in the parish especially at Jubilee Park where improvements were needed especially as the District Council had recently removed 3 small pieces of equipment on health and safety grounds. On the whole the parish council were in favour of investigating this further and acknowledged the offer from DSJUC although it was felt that more funding and a better understanding of what was required could be found if a volunteer group such as the mini friends of Jubilee Park which the friends of Jubilee Park and Councillor Stevens were trying to set up. The next meeting of the Friends of Jubilee Park would be held on 9 March 2020.
114.20 To receive and consider minutes and recommendations of committees, reports from advisory committees, members reports from external bodies, members reports of meetings, seminars, training and events attended on the Council’s behalf:
1. Deepings Youth Group Awards Night held on Friday 31 January 2020 – Councillor Gilbert commented that it was a well-attended event with a number of Parish Councillors present.
2. Staffing Sub Committee meetings held at 3pm on Tuesday 4 February and 1pm on Wednesday 19 February 2020 – Councillor Hosking advised that the clerk’s appraisal had been completed and the clerk would now complete an appraisal of the 3 other members of staff. There had been a good response to the recent advert for a third part time maintenance worker and the committee would shortlist and interview over the coming weeks.
3. Meeting at SKDC offices on Wednesday 12 February 2020 with representatives from the Parish District County Councils and The Deepings School regarding the playing fields on Spalding Road/Linchfield Road and future leisure provision in the Deepings – Councillor Gilbert said that whilst had been good to get all interested parties together the meeting had not progressed the issue.
4. Events Committee meeting held on Thursday 20 February 2020 – Councillor Stevens advised that there were no recommendations from this meeting as it had been called purely to finalise the details for the annual parish meeting on 21 April 2020
5. Allotments footpaths and open spaces meeting held on Thursday 20 February 2020 – Councillor Hardy advised that the Allotments Association who can get funding to installed a toilet at the allotments site thought DSJPC would take on the insurance and maintenance responsibilities as this was not the case they are now looking at alternatives where no insurance or maintenance by the parish council or the allotments association are involved. The committees preferred location for a flagpole had been discussed and it would be between the streetlight and the tree near the footpath (Lincolnshire County Council public right of way 1) that goes through the park. The clerk had met with an Officer from SKDC who had agreed a flagpole could be sited on the park provided it was not too close to trees streetlights or residential boundaries. The Officer had also advised that it was good practice to undertake a consultation exercise.
6. Deepings Camera Club Annual Photographic Competition at The Deepings Community Centre from 10am on Saturday 22 February 2020 – Councillor Gilbert said that this was a fantastic event and encouraged others to attend in future.
7. Youth Committee meeting held on Thursday 13 February 2020 – Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe introduced the minutes from which there was one recommendation from item 25.20. It was proposed that Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe and the clerk approach Market Deeping Town Council to discuss the summer playscheme being a joint initiative in 2020 provided by Madcaps. Resolved
115.20 Parish Pump – items for information or inclusion on future agendas
Councillor Stevens reminded everyone that the annual spring clean event will take place from 11am on Sunday 29 March 2020 from Jubilee Park off Thackers Way
Councillor Stevens advised that the newsletter would be delivered on Friday 27 March 2020 so all articles to be included were required by Friday 20 March 2020
Councillor Bowell requested that reviewing policies and procedures should be included on the finance and general purposes agenda for the meeting on Thursday 19 March 2020
The Clerk advised that the date for the Frognall footpath walk had changed from Thursday 2 July 2020 to Thursday 9 July 2020.
Councillor Stevens confirmed that the annual Dog Show would be held on Jubilee Park on Sunday 7 June 2020.