December 2022 DRAFT Minutes
DEEPING ST JAMES PARISH COUNCIL
The Institute, 38 Church Street, Deeping St James, PE6 8HD
E-mail: clerk@deepingstjames-pc.gov.uk
Tel: 01778 343266
Webpage: //deeping-st-james.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk Facebook: Deeping St James Parish Council
Parish Clerk: Julie Fortnum
The minutes of the meeting of Deeping St James Parish Council held in the meeting room at The Institute 38 Church Street Deeping St James PE6 8HD on Tuesday 20 December at 7.30pm.
Present: Parish Councillors Denman, Dilks (County and District), Gilbert, Hall, Robinson, Rose, Shinkins-Hoppe and Stevens (District)
The Assistant Clerk took the minutes.
23.119 To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Parish Clerk prior to the meeting.
Councillors Bowell, Fowler, Halls, Hosking, Little, Olson and Thomas sent their apologies, which were accepted.
23.120 To receive declarations of interest under the Localism Act 2011 – being any interest in agenda items not previously recorded on Members’ Register of Interests.
Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe declared a pecuniary interest in the payments section 23.124.1.
Cllr Steven declared an interest in 23.124.4 Library grant funding.
23.121 To approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on Tuesday 22 November 2022.
The minutes were approved as a true representation and signed.
23.122 To receive the Clerks report and receive an update on matters arising from previous minutes.
A storage unit to be located at the Cemetery has been ordered with a delivery date of mid-February 2023
The Hall Meadow Estate Charity return for 2022 has been submitted to Charity Commission.
A conifer has been removed from the old Cemetery of Hereward Way under a five-day notice as there was movement at the roots. Also, work has been completed on the overgrown conifers in the open space off Hereward Way to hopefully reduce the anti-social behaviour that was occurring behind them.
The project to install a donated Christmas Tree on Jubilee Park off Thackers Way has not been completed. It will be re-visited in Autumn 2023 with a view to it being completed for Christmas 2023.
Further communications with the Finance Manager and Interim Asset Manager at South Kesteven District Council have taken place and Draft heads of terms have been received in respect of the transfer of ownership of Jubilee Park. An external valuation has been requested to obtain a nominal transfer value and notice of the proposed transfer will be advertised in accordance with section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972 to allow the public to make comments.
Voting by Councillors was unanimously agreed to proceed with the transfer of Jubilee Park.
The school fence separating Woody Heights recreation area from the playing field has been vandalised yet again and there have been several incidents of anti-social behaviour noted.
The piece of play equipment on Jubilee Park which was fire damaged has been replaced by South Kesteven District Council and the Clerk has chased the District Council to obtain an update on when the toddler swing removed on health safety grounds from the Hereward Way play area in the Summer will be returned/replaced.
Three contractors have visited the Cemetery and offered to provide quotes for the work required on the footpaths. Only one quote has been received to date and this will be considered at the Cemetery committee meeting scheduled to take place at 7.45pm on Tuesday 3 January 2023.
The Clerk has provided a large amount of information to the Internal Auditor both by email and in virtual meetings, acted on their advice and arranged for a number of items to be updated on the webpage. An interim Internal Audit report from them should be available early in the New Year.
The Lincolnshire County Council Area Highways Manager has confirmed that they are in communication with the Network and Traffic Manager at Peterborough Highway Services regarding increased signage leading to Deeping St James Bridge.
23.123 To receive reports from the District Councillors and County Councillor.
District and County Councillor Dilks reported that South Kesteven District Council voted against the £10.5 million refurbishment for the Leisure Centre that was previously agreed last year.
At County Cllr Baxter and Cllr Dilks asked questions about how the Leisure Centre is going to be handed back and in what condition. County expect all the certification to be in place to be handed back.
At County, the representatives of the Devolution deal are to continue talking to the government and to seek approval for a Greater Lincolnshire extra tier of government, with an elected Mayor for the whole of Greater Lincolnshire. Cllr Dilks and South Kesteven have previously voted against this.
Cllr Dilks attended the County Executive last week where there was a discussion over performance of Academies. Council involvement now requires going through the Regional Commissioner for Academies should there be a problem in an Academy.
Draft funding settlement for local government was delivered on Monday. County got a 9% increase in government funding, which is below inflation and not enough to pay for services that they wish to deliver next year.
Cabinet approved a £384,985 funding for Stamford Arts Centre Roof which is leaking, this building is leased to Council from Burghley Estates on a full repairing lease.
District Councillor Stevens reported that the Leisure Centre opened in 1974 and SKDC ran it for 50 years at a huge cost, when they didn’t own it. The lease had still not been signed by the Department of Education, so even if there was £10.5 million, SKDC still wouldn’t have had tenure on it from the 70’s.
Cllr Stevens is determined that the library does not fall into this kind of mismanagement and wants to acknowledge the arrangements between the Community Centre and Library are interlinked. The relationship needs to remain clear.
Scaffolding will be going up on January 4th in the Library due to the leading on the leaking roof, which therefore affects the ceilings. Lincolnshire County Council do not have funds to decorate the wooden windows, which are part of a Grade II listed building and will rot if not repaired. Cllr Stevens plans on approaching tradesman in the New Year to prevent this problem from getting worse.
The portfolio holder for Libraries will be informed of the issue.
Deeping Christmas Group been very helpful to families on Facebook. Councillor Stevens plans to be involved over Christmas.
23.124 Financial matters:
1. To approve the payments for December 2022
It was proposed and seconded and RESOLVED to pay accounts to the value of £17,404.32. Councillors Shinkins-Hoppe abstained from the vote.
2. To note the income for December 2022
Income to the value of £162.08 was noted.
3. The Parish Council are required to sign the Lincolnshire Pension Fund valuation results declaration form, to certify the contributions (both primary and secondary, where appropriate) will be paid over the next three years. Council agreed to continue with this. It was RESOLVED that the Clerk will action this.
4. To receive a request from Deepings Community Library for grant funding of £6000 for the financial year 2023/24
It proposed and RESOLVED to continue to support Deepings Community Library. Precepted in 2023/24 budget.
5. To receive a request from Deepings Youth Group for a grant of £6000 for the financial year 2023/24
Council proposed and RESOLVED to continue to support the Deepings Youth Group. Precepted in 2023/24 budget.
6. To consider a request from LIVES Lincolnshire for financial support with their defibrillator replacement campaign.
LIVES have requested £80 towards replacement pads for defibrillators. Defibrillators themselves cost £1,530, a donation of £80, can provide a vital set of defib pads.
A proposal of £160 was put forward, seconded and RESOLVED.
23.125 Planning and Transport matters:
1. To consider the minutes and any recommendations from the Planning and Transport meeting held on Tuesday 13 December 2022.
2. To consider the following planning application
S22/2334 Amber Real Estate Investments (Agriculture) Ltd
Erection of an agricultural workers dwelling and associated infrastructure at
Stowgate Poultry Farm Stowgate Deeping St James PE6 8RW
Councillors discussed whether an agricultural tie should be placed on the building, this is to be requested via the Planning Department.
3.
23.126 To consider the following correspondence.
1. Feedback has been received from the Police priority setting meeting.
Woody Heights has been added to the priority listing, meaning the PCSO does regular patrols and other police check when in the area. The PCSO was at community event at Deepings school. Councillors are to keep reporting any issues to the PCSO’s, so that they can remain current.
2. The National Association of Local Councils and Society of Local Council Clerks are requesting Parish Councils support the New Early Day Motion to re-visit its response to the Committee on Standards in Public Life report on local government ethical standards, including the introduction of tougher sanctions to deal with poor behaviour in local councils.
It was agreed and RESOLVED to sign the new letter template for the attention of Cllr John Hayes.
3. An open letter from Chair of the National Association of Local Councils acknowledging the work of Local Councils was received and noted.
4. The Emergency Planning and Business Continuity Team have asked for information from the Parish Council to assist in creating an interactive community facing map on the Lincolnshire Resilience Forum website
The Clerk has sent DSJPC plans several times, but has yet to receive an approval for our plan.
5. Notification has been received from the Small Authorities Audit Appointments Ltd of external auditor appointment for the 2022-23 financial year for the 5-year period until 2026-27
A new auditor has been appointed.
23.127 To receive and consider a report about obtaining a vehicle.
Financial information regarding the lease hiring and buying of a vehicle was provided by Councillors Halls and Shinkins-Hoppe.
Councillors discussed the potential reasons for needing a new vehicle, where the vehicle would be stored and who would drive it. An open backed pick-up vehicle is preferred to accommodate all uses. Councillors decided that they would like further information regarding the pros and cons of having a vehicle before continuing.
A neighbouring Town Council shared information on their owned vehicle, on the day of the meeting, Councillors have asked for time to digest this before making any decisions.
£10,000 has been precepted for the purpose of obtaining a vehicle, pending a decision to proceed. It was agreed to provide the information requested at the next meeting.
23.128 To receive and consider minutes and recommendations of other committees, reports from advisory committees, members reports from external bodies and reports of meetings, seminars, training and events attended on the Council’s behalf:
1. Virtual meeting between representatives from the CfBT Academy Trust, The Deepings School and Deeping St James Parish Council on Tuesday 29 November 2022 to look at options available to provide a new 3G Astra Turf Pitch following South Kesteven District Council’s decision to cease providing leisure services in the Deepings.
Cllrs Shinkins-Hoppe and Gilbert along with the Parish Clerk, attended this meeting which was a fact-finding meeting and no decisions were made.
2. Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils Clerks Networking Day and Society of Local Council Clerks Annual General Meeting was held at Dunholme on Wednesday 7 December 2022 and attended by the Clerk and Assistant Clerk.
3. Meeting at 9am on Monday 12 December 2022 between representatives from the Deepings School, the Football Association, Deeping Rangers Football Club, Deeping United Football Club and to which a representative of Deeping St James Parish Council was invited to consider the future of the bid for grant funding for a replacement Astroturf. Unfortunately, due to other commitments neither the Chairperson or Parish Clerk were able to attend but a brief update has been provided by the Deepings School Business Manager.
4. Community pre-Christmas celebration and network event at the Deepings School between 4.30pm and 6.30pm on Wednesday 14 December 2022.
Cllrs Stevens, Shinkins-Hoppe, Dilks and Olson attended.
5. Pre-Christmas drinks with Market Deeping Town Council from 9pm on Wednesday 14 December 2022.
Cllrs Shinkins-Hoppe and Bowell attended.
6. Music and Carols in Jubilee Park off Thackers Way from 6:30pm on Friday 16 December 2022.
Considerations were made for a Plan B for 2023 in case of poor weather, the Open-Door Church was suggested so that within 48 hours we can make a change.
It was discussed that the Carols timings need to be re-evaluated for future occasions. Perhaps a new start time of 7pm moving forward so that the Salvation Army can attend at 7:30pm.
Thanks are to be offered to Lee Sutton for the lights; John Dearden for the entertainment, Ian Prentice for Rudolph and Simon Bateman from Round Table for the Sleigh/Santa/Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
Thanks were offered to the Clerks with reference to the Christmas Trees at the Christmas Tree Festival and the advent window. Councillors were asked to vote for the best advent window, the winner wins a £25 voucher to a charity of their choice.
23.129 Parish Pump – items for information or inclusion on future agendas.
Councillors would like to raise the discussion of dog waste management at the next Full Council meeting.
It was asked that consideration of PIR/Solar lighting along the footpath between Spalding Road and Millfield Road be added to the next agenda. Questions were also raised about the visibility along Church Walk.
Councillors were informed about the woodchip fly tipped at the Allotments in the gateway, whilst a tenant was still on site, leaving her trapped. The Maintenance team has moved the wood chipping from the gateway to further in the site allowing access and exit.
Apologies were offered regarding the proposed Christmas Tree, which did not get completed due to running out of time. The contractor needed to rearrange. It is proposed that this is put into action when the Jubilee Park transfer takes place and CCTV is installed.
A Rowan Tree given to a Parishioner in Wade Park Avenue, to replace a tree that had to be felled, has been stolen.
Two trees have been dug up from Priory Farm Corner that were planted inconsiderately and one is to be planted at the Cemetery and the other could possibly be offered to Wade Park.
Hampers were handed out by Cllr Gilbert.
Grimethorpe Colliery Band at Kingsgate, went well and was attended well by Deeping St James Parish Councillors.
It was asked that the Sand and gravel extraction plans for Baston, Langtoft and West Deeping be brought to the next Full Council meeting.
Meeting ended at 21:13pm
Dates for the diary for the coming month –
7pm Tuesday 3 January 2023 – Cemetery Committee
7.45pm Tuesday 3 January 2023 – Recreation and open spaces committee
7pm Tuesday 10 January 2023 – Planning and transport committee
7.45pm Tuesday 10 January 2023 – Allotments committee
7.30pm Tuesday 17 January 2023 - Council
6pm Tuesday 31 January 2023 – Local Government Association Code of Conduct presentation with question-and-answer session from South Kesteven District Council’s Monitoring Officer at the Open-Door Church 5 Spalding Road Deeping St James PE6 8NJ