December 2023 Agenda
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
Dear Parish Councillors Bowell, Denman, Dilks (County and District), Fowler, Gilbert, Halls, Hosking, Rose, Shinkins-Hoppe, Smith, Stevens and Townsin.
Copies to District Councillors Denniston and Ley
You are hereby summonsed to attend a meeting of Deeping St James Parish Council which will be held in the meeting room at The Institute 38 Church Street Deeping St James PE6 8HD on Tuesday 19 December 2023 at 7.30pm.
Julie Fortnum
Parish Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer
Published on Wednesday 13 December 2023
AGENDA
There will be an open forum, lasting a maximum of thirty minutes, to permit residents to address the Parish Council prior to the items listed below being considered.
24.105 To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Parish Clerk prior to the meeting.
24.106 To receive declarations of interest under the Localism Act 2011 – being any interest in agenda items not previously recorded on the registration of disclosable pecuniary interest forms.
24.107 To approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on Tuesday 21 November 2023
24.108 To receive the Clerks report and any update on matters arising from the previous minutes.
24.109 To receive reports from the District Councillors and County Councillor.
24.110 Financial matters:
1. To approve the payments for December 2023.
2. To note the income for December 2023.
3. To receive the minutes and recommendations from the finance policy and personnel committee meeting held on Tuesday 12 December 2023.
4. To consider the Coronation Hall grant application.
5. To consider the Citizens Advice Bureau South Lincolnshire proposal and grant application.
24.111 Planning matters:
1. To receive the minutes and any recommendations from the Planning and Transport committee meeting held on Tuesday 12 December 2023.
24.112 To consider the following correspondence.
1. The Rt Hon Sir John Hayes CBE MP – response to DSJPC’s request to support the Zero Hour campaign and the Climate and Ecology Bill.
2. Invitation to respond to the consultation on a Greater Lincolnshire Devolution proposal. Consultation ends on 29 January 2024.
3. Invitation to respond to South Kesteven District Council Corporate Plan 2024-2027 consultation. Consultation ends 19 December 2023.
4. Royal Life Saving Society – Acknowledgement and thank you for the recent donation in lieu of CPR and AED training provided by SKDC’s Contract Swimming Development Manager.
5. LIVES – Acknowledgement and thank you for the recent donation.
24.113 To receive an update regarding the transfer of Jubilee Park and agree how to progress
24.114 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. Lincolnshire Association of Local Council Clerks networking day and the Society of Local Council Clerks AGM at Cranwell Village Hall held on Wednesday 22 November 2023 and attended by The Clerk and Assistant Clerk.
2. Police and Parish Council’s Engagement Session held virtually on Thursday 7 December 2023 attended by Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvwU7oMaqac
3. Joint meeting held at Market Deeping Town Hall to consider the Deepings Leisure Centre Community Group CIC funding request held on Monday 11 December 2023
4. Making a difference award working party meeting held on Tuesday 12 December 2023 attended by Councillors Rose, Shinkins-Hoppe, Stevens, and Townsin.
5. Introducing ChatGPT and AI training offered virtually via Scribe Accounts on Thursday 14 December 2023 attended by the Assistant Clerk and Councillor Smith
6. Carols in Jubilee Park held on Friday 15 December 2023
24.115 Parish Pump
Dates for the Diary
7pm Tuesday 9 January 2024 – Recreation and open spaces committee meeting
8pm Tuesday 9 January 2024 – Cemetery committee meeting
7pm Tuesday 16 January 2024 – Planning and transport committee meeting
8pm Tuesday 16 January 2024 – Allotments committee meeting
7.30pm Tuesday 23 January 2023 – Councill meeting
Agenda item 24.108 - Clerks report
The Neighbourhood Police priority setting from was completed and returned on 4 December 2023.
Rather than duplicate the Clerk has contacted South Kesteven District and Market Deeping Town Councillor Pam Byrd, as she is aware that she has been in communication with the Deepings Practice, about arranging a meeting in the New Year to discuss issues.
The Deeping St James Allotment Association have been advised of that their request to lease plot 32B at peppercorn rent was not accepted and, if they do not wish to rent the plot at half plot rent it will be offered to a member of public on the waiting list.
A representative from Deeping United Football Club contacted the Parish Council office to enquire if anything could be done to reduce the amount of inconsiderate parking on the grass verges along Spalding Road as a resident of one of the cul-de-sacs had contacted the Club. I explained that it was not the Parish Council’s land although they had been given permission previously to install some birds mouth fencing to ease the issue so they should contact LCC Highways as it is a highway verge verge over which the Welland and Deeping Internal Drainage Board has rights.
A member of the public advised that they had reported the lock gates at High Locks to the Environment Agency as they had started to screech at 3am on 28 November 2023. The Environment Agency were seen visiting the site later that week.
The Clerk contacted the Local Highways Manager at Lincolnshire County Council to chase the replacement of the street light that was removed from along the public right of way on Jubilee Park in February 2023 and I have been advised that the target date for the completion of this work in the end of December 2023. At the same time, I was advised that an initial assessment was carried out on the footway between Swallow Walk & Linchfield Road (across Jubilee Park) by the Footway & Surface Treatments team in November and he is awaiting confirmation of the findings of this assessment, and will update on receipt of this.
A build-up of miscellaneous rubbish in the dyke near the wooden bridge on public right of way 4 off Linchfield Road was reported to the Welland and Deeping Internal Drainage Board on 5 December 2023 and they arranged clearance of it on the same day.
A further flood alert for the lower Welland was received on 5 December 2023 and shared on the Parish Council’s Facebook page. The sand hopper at Stowgate Road/Eastgate junction was topped up with sand supplied by Market Deeping Town Councillor Bob Broughton.
Four road closed signs have been given to Deeping St James Parish Council by Market Deeping Town Council as they had more than they required.
Agenda item 24.110.4 - Coronation Hall Grant aid application form
APPLICATION FOR GRANT AID
PLEASE NOTE that it is the policy of the Parish Council to only award grant aid to organisations that benefit the residents of and/or with members who permanently reside in Deeping St James.
You will be requested to attend a meeting of the Parish Council to clarify or expand upon answers given on the form and you may give a short presentation in support of your application. You will also be asked to provide a copy of the organisation’s constitution and the most recent accounts.
Please ensure that your application form is returned to the Parish Clerk by at least a week prior to the Parish Council meeting you wish it to be considered at.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Parish Clerk if you have any queries concerning the form.
It is a condition of any grant made by the Parish Council that where practical, acknowledgement of the Council’s support is made on letterheads, notices, programmes etc.
The Market Deeping Coronation Hall The provision and maintenance of a hall for the use of local inhabitants.
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Gill Godden 01778347709 23 Dovecote Road Market Deeping Peterborough PE6 8DS
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(It is helpful to express this in terms of senior and junior members, where applicable). There are no actual members as the hall is hired out to various clubs etc.
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£500 or as much as is possible. |
If yes, give details. No |
As our energy bills are increasing we would like a grant to help with these costs so that we do not have to increase our hiring charges. The hall is very well used by various clubs and societies which provide much needed social contact for the people of The Deepings. We are concerned that if we have to increase our hire charges some of the groups may not be able to afford it.
As I have no idea how much grant may be available I put £500 as a nominal figure.
Our only source of income is from the lettings.
I have also applied to Market Deeping Town Council. |
7. Signature of Secretary/Treasurer: G.Godden
8. Date: 6/12/2023
Agenda item 24.110.5 - Citizens Advice funding proposal Nov 2023
Deepings funding proposal
Citizens Advice South Lincolnshire (CASL) would like to seek funding to deliver an advice service in the Deepings area of South Kesteven. Apart from a limited service in Deeping St James, there has been no face-to-face provision in the Deepings since before the COVID pandemic. Whilst Deepings residents can access our services through Adviceline or other offices, we feel that there is a gap in provision, particularly for the most vulnerable. We are currently helping fewer people in the Deepings in comparison with 2019.
We know that there is increased need and demand for Citizens Advice services as a result of the cost-of-living crisis. We know that people are struggling more financially and finding that people are coming to us with ever more complex problems. We know that our help makes a difference to people’s lives. 8 out of 10 people say that they wouldn’t have solved their problem without our help, and 9 out of 10 people say that we helped them find a way forward. 60% of people say that their lives are easier after our help.
Our services ever more stretched and do not have the resources to meet current need. Our pool of volunteer advisers is diminished, meaning that we cannot deliver services in the way we did before COVID. We are dealing with more telephone enquiries than ever before and trying to keep our main offices open for face-to-face enquiries. This does mean that we have no resource to deliver outreach across all our communities and we have been unable to re-open the Deepings outreach.
We would like to employ an outreach adviser, who will deliver a service for one day per week in Market Deeping, helping people from the local community. This will provide a drop-in service in the morning and appointments in the afternoon. They will help 130 people each year with around 300 issues and generate additional income for those clients of over £100,000.
An outreach service in the Deepings is likely to help older and more vulnerable people as they are more likely to access face-to-face services. This is our most pressing need in terms of demand and for future funding.
The funding will pay for the adviser salary, quality support and management and administrative support. There will also be premises costs. This would cost £8,500p.a. If funding is confirmed we will identify a venue in Market Deeping to deliver the service.
Agenda item 24.112 – Correspondence
Item 2
Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire councils are consulting on a Greater Lincolnshire devolution proposal.
We’d like as many people as possible to have their say and promoting the opportunity, explaining the concept and encouraging responses is a huge part of that.
People can take part in the consultation in several ways. These include attending an event, taking a survey on paper, over the phone or online at Have your say: Greater Lincolnshire Devolution | Let's Talk Lincolnshire
You will receive promotional materials in the post shortly. Should you require more, please email us on engagement@lincolnshire.gov.uk
The consultation is open now until 29 January 2024.
Please make sure you fill in a survey yourself via https://www.letstalk.lincolnshire.gov.uk/devolution
Engagement and Communications Team
Lincolnshire County Council
Item 3
South Kesteven District Council is currently refreshing our Corporate Plan. The Corporate Plan is our premier strategic document establishing our Vision, mission statement, priorities and ambitions for the next four years. Through the Golden Thread all the Council’s other strategies, plans, projects and day to day tasks will be ultimately working to deliver the contents of the Corporate Plan. The Corporate Plan sets out: who we are as a Council, our aspirations for the district, and what we will be focusing on.
As the parishes are crucial local partners of the Council, we are keen for your views on our proposed vision, mission statement, priorities and ambitions.
The consultation is linked https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/SKCPG2024
The consultation can also be accessed on the consultations page of our website. Hard copies of the survey are available from our access points in Grantham and Bourne.
The consultation will commence today Wednesday 22nd November and closes Tuesday 19th December 2023.
The new Plan will be approved in the New Year and run from 2024-27. The outgoing (2020-23) Corporate Plan can be viewed - Appendix A - Council Strategy.pdf (southkesteven.gov.uk)
SKDC Corporate Policy
Item 4
Hi Deeping St James ,
We would like to say a huge thank you for your recent donation to the Royal Life Saving Society UK. Without donations like yours, we wouldn’t be able to provide children and their families with the vital water safety education needed to ensure they can enjoy water safely.
How donations help:
• £3 Teaches a child a water safety lesson
• £40 Trains a volunteer to teach water safety
• £75 Educates a classroom of children in water safety
• £250 Trains someone to be a lifeguard who would otherwise not have the opportunity
Read more about the charity’s achievements in the Charity Impact Report.
Thank you again for being a lifesaver and supporting the Royal Life Saving Society UK. Your donation helps us to provide expert lifesaving education in the UK and Ireland, protecting families from the sudden and devastating impact of drowning.
Agenda item 24.112.1 - Climate and Ecology Bill - The Rt Hon Sir John Hayes CBE MP resp
Agenda item 24.113 - Update on Jubilee Park transfer of ownership document
Questions sent by DSJPC’s Solicitor on 21 November in black and responses received from SKDC’s Solicitor on 12 December 2023 in red
1 There is a public right of way running through the park and which is actually shown on the transfer plan. I am told that part of the footpath is registered and part unregistered. There are also various lamp post columns in the park. Previously, we have received an email on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council which confirms that the tarmac path and the light columns will remain the responsibility of Lincolnshire County Council but this has not been confirmed in the TP1. Can this please be included as a positive covenant by the transferor?
We cannot include a positive covenant in the transfer as LCC are not a party to the transfer. An acknowledgement could be included in the transfer in relation to maintenance of the light columns. See also my comment made in the paragraph below in relation to amendment of the transfer and transfer plan for the adopted footpath.
2 My client has asked “whether Deeping St James Parish Council would be liable for any restrictive covenants, legal charges or clauses associated with the historical titles and the planning permission granted in 1977”. I am not sure I understand this question or what the 1977 planning permission relates too but are you able to shed some light on this before I revert back to my client?
My client is also not sure what the 1977 planning permission relates to that your client refers to and is unable to shed any light on this query. Please rely on your own searches and enquiries in relation to this.
3 My client has asked if all of the restrictive covenants in clause 12.4 of the TP1 can be removed to allow the Parish Council freedom to use the park to benefit all the community. In particular, clause 12.4.3 needs to be removed because the Parish Council cannot be responsible for and control what the general public do on the public open space. Although there is some CCTV it is not viewed twenty four/seven.
The restrictive covenants in clause 12.4 cannot be removed as they regulate the use of the land being transferred for the nominal value and the community or amenity purpose will include community use. In relation to clause 12.4.3, the wording of the covenant has been amended and attached is an updated transfer for your approval.
4 My client has asked if the Lincolnshire County Council is aware of any service media on the land. I note that you have deleted clause 7 in the agreements and declarations and this probably answers this question but please confirm.
My client is South Kesteven District Council and not Lincolnshire County Council. South Kesteven District Council are not aware of any service media on the land however, please rely on your own searches and enquiries in this respect
5 Can you please confirm that South Kesteven District Council are not aware of any contamination issues with the land. Local knowledge suggests that the area was the dumping site for building waste when the houses were built. My client has therefore asked how I can check this but I will await to hear from you before suggesting that I can do an environmental search.
We suggest your client obtains an environmental search to identify any contamination issues.
6 With regard to the statement of truth relating to the unregistered part of the land, I note that the statement is already signed on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council. However, can you please help with the following:
a. The statement refers to a plan showing the relevant land edged purple. I apologise if this plan has been previously sent to my colleague but I would be grateful if you can please let me have the plan to be attached to the statement.
The plan referred in the statement is the transfer plan and I attach a further copy of this. Please note that my client is in the process of amending this plan and details outlining why the plan is being amended is set out below.
b. I do not believe that the information in panel 5 will be sufficient to convince the Land Registry to grant possessory title. Are you able to include more detail? For instance, I am told that the open space is surrounded by fifty residential properties and one commercial property which determines the boundary of the land and any fences, walls or hedging on those boundaries are the responsibility of the residential properties and the commercial property. However, I understand that there is some hedging planted along these boundaries and which the Parish Council have maintained as part of a grounds maintenance contract. It would be helpful if this detail can be included in part 5 of the statement.
My client has asked for the PC to provide details as to what else they would like to be included at panel 5 so that they can seek approval from the authorised officer of Council who will be signing the statement. Attached is a word version of the statement of truth (including the amendment referred to below). Please can you provide draft wording that your client would like to be included here so I can take further instructions?
c. I note that panel 10 refers to title numbers LL31045 and LL164485. Should title number LL19899 also be referred too?
Title LL19899 has been added.
Agenda item 24.114.3 – Deeping Leisure Centre Community Group CIC funding application meeting
On Monday 11 December 2023 the Deeping St James Parish Council Clerk and Councillors Kate Shinkins-Hoppe, Gordon Smith, Judy Stevens and Kay Townsin attended a meeting at Market Deeping Town Hall along with 8 Market Deeping Town Councillors (Bob Broughton, Pam Byrd, Xan Collins, Debbie Jones, Nick Neilson, David Shelton, Jean Sked and Pam Steel) to discuss the funding application received from the Deepings Leisure Centre Community Group CIC.
After an hour of discussion, it was concluded that at this point in time neither local council could precept for the funds requested as more information was needed in order to do so.
All in attendance at the meeting agreed that a short statement should be issued so the DSJPC Clerk has issued the following statement to the Deepings Leisure Centre Community Group CIC on behalf of both Councils –
‘Market Deeping Town Council and Deeping St James Parish Council are in support of the re-opening of the Deepings Leisure Centre and when more information is known we can move forward with the funding request’
Julie Fortnum
Parish Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer
Deeping St James Parish Council
13 December 2023
Agenda item 24.114.4 - Working Party - Making a Difference Awards
Date.: Tuesday 12 December 2023
Present: Councillors Rose Shinkins-Hoppe Stevens and Townsin
The group proposes that the MAD nomination categories should be reduced to two and that members of the public should be encouraged to nominate people to be considered for the following – the individual to most make a difference or the young person to most make a difference. This should be promoted ASAP with a deadline for entries of mid/end of March 2024 dependent on the agreed date of the Annual Parish Meeting (where the awards will be presented) in April 2024
It is also proposed that all community groups within the Deepings should be invited to attend the Annual Parish Meeting with an opportunity to provide an 80-word paragraph providing a brief description of what they do and space to display a table top presentation.