April 2020 Minutes
Deeping St James Parish Council
The Institute, 38 Church Street, Deeping St James, PE6 8HD e-mail: clerk.dsjpc@btconnect.com
Tel: 01778 343266
Webpage: parishes.lincolnshire.gov.uk/deepingstjames
Facebook: Deeping St James Parish Council
Parish Clerk: Julie Fortnum
Minutes of the remote meeting of Deeping St James Parish Council held on Thursday 30 April 2020 at 7.30 pm via Zoom.
Present: Parish Councillors Bowell, Dilks (District), Gilbert, Hall, Halls, Hardy, Hosking, Kornfeld, Lilley, Robinson, Shinkins-Hoppe, Stevens (District), Thomas (District) and County Councillor Dobson.
116.20 To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Parish Clerk prior to the meeting.
Apologies had been received and were accepted from Councillor Blessett.
117.20 To receive declarations of interest under the Localism Act 2011 – being any pecuniary interest in agenda items not previously recorded on Members’ Register of Interests.
Councillor Gilbert declared an interest in agenda item 121.20 which included a payment to his business.
118.20 To approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on Thursday 27 February 2020
Agreed as a true copy to be signed by the Chairperson when the social distancing restrictions have been relaxed.
119.20 To receive the Clerks report
• Woody Heights recreation area and Millennium Wood have both been closed to the public with explanatory notices being put on all entrance gates. The District Council have also closed the gated play area on Churchfield Close, Jubilee Park and Hereward Way. There have been a few incidences noted where restrictions are not being adhered to but on the whole individuals have followed the guidance.
• The Allotments and Cemeteries have remained open in accordance with government guidance and notices have been placed at both sites reminding people of social distancing and hand washing requirements.
• The Clerk continues to work in the office behind a locked door 4 days a week and the Assistant Clerk is working from home 3 mornings per week.
• The new member of maintenance staff started work on Thursday 9 April 2020 and all three members of the maintenance team are continuing to work adhering to government guidelines on social distancing and hand washing.
• The fortnightly visits of the un-paid work team from the HLNY community rehabilitation company have been suspended for the foreseeable future.
• It was agreed on 27 March 2020 to postpone putting the Welland Footbridge project out to tender for the foreseeable future.
• The Parish Council office telephone number has been registered with the Lincolnshire Resilience Team as a community hub for signposting the elderly and vulnerable to appropriate volunteers or organisations who can help with shopping deliveries, prescription collections, befriending and financial need. As a community hub Lincolnshire County Council have provided the parish council and all the named volunteers with indemnity insurance cover. Some enquiries have been received in the office but many more are being made directly to voluntary groups who are keeping the parish council informed of who and how they are helping.
• The grass cutting contractor has confirmed that they intend to cut (and one cut has taken place) the highways verges riverbank and Woody Heights but have advised that they are unlikely to meet the full contractual obligations of 8 and 16 cuts respectively between March and October
• Other contracts such as waste disposal and bus shelter cleaning will continue with close monitoring.
• The government has published regulations extending accounts and audit deadlines for 2020 meaning the deadline for approval and of the Annual Governance and Accounting Return is now Monday 31 August 2020.
• Events within the community that have been cancelled to date include: Allotments Association AGM, Great British Spring Clean, Annual Parish Meeting, the Royal British Legion Poppy Party, Walk Happy 2020 Charity walk, VE Day 75 event, Rotary Road and Fun Run, the first parish council footpath walk, Volunteers Buffet, Dog Show the Priory Church Rose and Sweet Pea Show and Rotary/Lions Carnival.
• The Welland Rivers Trust have contacted the parish council inviting them to become involved in a National Lottery funded community engagement project later in the year. The Clerk has replied to confirm once social distancing restrictions have been lifted a meeting will be arranged to discuss this further.
• The Parish Council have received a Business Support Cash Grant of £10,000 from the Government due to being in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief
• The Insurance renewal documentation has been received and checked by the Clerk and Councillor Bowell, the Chair of finance and general purposes. This is due for renewal from 1 June 2020.
• Councillor Stevens had received several reports of fly-tipping in the parish which when reported to the District Council they had acted upon promptly.
• County Councillor Dobson had provided the following report:
Call-connect buses are continuing to run, with all essential journeys now free of charge during the Coronavirus outbreak. This service can be booked at www.lincsbus.info. Support services and the police haven’t seen an increase in reported domestic abuse, although there was a murder in a situation in Lincoln. Reports or referrals of domestic abuse services can be made to, EDAN Lincs Domestic Abuse Service are available for those suffering or fleeing from domestic abuse. They can be reached on 01522 510041 or at www.edanlincs.org.uk.
A new mortuary has been installed at Woodhall Spa on military ground. This will be capable of storing 500 bodies.
Currently there are 44 Care Home facilities in South Kesteven now in isolation.
Due to the amount of fly tipping that has been occurring throughout the county, there is a move to open the recycling centres (tips) again.
Lincolnshire Trading Standards are advising people who use social media for shopping and keeping in contact to be aware of fraudsters.
Online use of libraries has seen a dramatic take-up in usage. Councils are expecting to lose out on millions of pounds due to reduced income caused by the lock-down. However, one bit of good news is that the leisure centre is progressing well and I am having a meeting with the SK team shortly to discuss the two options that are currently being drawn up and priced.
120.20 To ratify the resolution (made via email on 19 March and 27 March 2020) to adopt the Business Interruption Contingency Plan - Ratified
121.20 Financial matters
• To ratify the payments made in March 2020 – it was ratified that payments of £10,356.22 had been made in March 2020.
• To approve the payments for April 2020 – it was proposed seconded and Resolved to make payments valuing £10,179.29 in April 2020.
• To note receipt of income in March 2020 and April 2020 – it was noted that amounts of £377.85 and £92,763.39 respectively have been received.
• To note that grant payments of £500 each have been made to Lincolnshire Lives First Responders, Deeping Round Table and Deeping United Football to assist with their efforts supporting the community during the Covid-19 pandemic – noted.
• To note that the Parish Council have received a Business Support Cash Grant of £10,000 from the Government due to being in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief – noted.
122.20 To consider the how to use the Business Support Cash Grant received from the Government to help businesses and charities across the country during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and the grant – It was proposed, seconded and unanimously Resolved that the parish council should in principal support the initiative being developed by representatives from the parish council town council, business club and other voluntary organisations to offer expert advice (financial, marketing, sales IT & systems, HR, process re-engineering etc.) to Deepings Businesses adversely affected by COVID-19. It was proposed seconded and Resolved (with one abstention - Councillor Dilks) to pledge up to £5000 for this use after confirmation had been obtained by the Clerk that the parish council were legally able to do so.
123.20 To agree the date of the next meeting – it was agreed to a hold the annual parish council meeting at 7.30pm on Thursday 28 May 2020 remotely using Zoom.
Meeting closed at 9.30pm