December 2023 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
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.
Present: Parish Councillors Bowell, Denman, Dilks (County and District), Fowler, Hosking, Rose, Shinkins-Hoppe, Smith, Stevens, Townsin and District Councillor Ley.
The Minutes were taken by the Parish Clerk.
24.105 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 Councillors Gilbert and Halls.
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.
Councillor Stevens – Agenda item 24.110.4 as partner is a member of the Coronation Hall Committee
Councillor Smith – Agenda item 24.111.1 planning application S23/2157 as known to applicant
Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe – Agenda item 24.109 as a Deepings School Governor
24.107 To approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on Tuesday 21 November 2023
Agreed and signed
24.108 To receive the Clerks report and any update on matters arising from the previous minutes.
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. The Clerk advised that a response had been received to this offer and the Assistant Clerk was dealing with the concerns raised including who would be clearing the plot for use, concerns about contamination issues from debris burnt on the area.
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 over which the Welland and Deeping Internal Drainage Board has rights. Councillor Smith volunteered to make enquiries with the WDIDB with a view to extending the birds mouth fencing
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. Councillor Dilks informed the Parish Council that he had been advised the work would happen last week so he will chase.
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.
The Clerk contacted the proprietor of the local free ads paper following the reduction in their deliveries and it has been agreed that the monthly advert for the Parish Council meeting will be included in the issues closet to the meeting date.
The Clerk contacted the IT Technician who has recommended Gmail as an alternative to way to accessing the .gov.uk emails instead of the BlueMail app. He has offered advice on how to set this up and his support if it is needed. The Clerk was asked to provide the IT Technicians contact details to all the Parish Councillors.
The National Association of Local Councils have advised that the Government has once again excluded local councils from council tax referendum principles allowing precept increases without consultation with the public.
The Christmas Tree offered to the Priory Church by Councillor Stevens is in situ at the church entrance and Councillor Townsin has erected and decorated the DSJPC Christmas tree in the Church as part of the Christmas Tree festival.
OPEN FORUM
Tracey Muscroft representing The Coronation Hall Committee joined the meeting and spoke on in support of the funding application. She stated that they currently had a profit of £235 and if things continue as they were they would be in deficit by the end of the year. Councillor Bowell acknowledged that they were only making a net profit but the accounts stated that there was £42000 in the bank. Tracey Muscroft explained that this was there to cover capital expenditure for items such as roof repairs as the building was old and the income generated was used for revenue expenditure that is the running costs of the building.
Councillor Stevens offered to share some grant funding schemes for public buildings that she was aware of and also asked if they had shopped around for the best fuel deals which Tracey confirmed that they had.
Councillor Bowell stated that he could not see a building insurance premium included in the accounts so if this was missing and needed to be added it would take them into a deficit.
Tracey Muscroft left the meeting
24.109 To receive reports from the District Councillors and County Councillor.
DISTRICT COUNCIL
Councillor Ley provided an update regarding the Benedict Court project stating that work to the path had taken place but the fencing had not yet been done.
Councillor Dilks advised that he had attended a meeting that morning where residents had chosen the fencing which when installed would hopefully reduce the anti-social behaviour issues occurring by some pupils who were cutting through there from the bus stop.
Parish Councillor Fowler asked Councillor Ley to chase the cutting of the hedges at Foxgloves at it had not yet happened
Councillor Dilks advised that he had visited the housing staff to thank them for their work towards moving from special measures. He stated that there had been lots of improvements but there were still more challenges especially in respect of voids and the length of time to re-let as half of all voids require major improvements.
Councillor Dilks advised that the Council were due to meet on 11 January 2024 to air their views about the Deepings Leisure Centre Community Group CIC’s expression of interest.
Councillor Dilks stated that the Deeping United Football Club planning application decision was still being considered and he had met representatives and committed to support where possible. He understood that Sport England were pushing for them to build before sowing any grass.
Parish Councillor Smith advised that the SKDC website was not up to date and he was also aware that the field was heavy with stones and an archaeological dig would be required neither of which helps the issue.
Parish Councillor Denman stared that Sports England would be a statutory authority for consultation so they would need to make their comments known.
COUNTY COUNCIL
Councillor Dilks stated that Strom Babet had hit parts of the County hard and it was acknowledged that improvements to the flood response needed to be made and it was agreed that action would be taken.
He advised that the he also sat on the Police and Crime panel and was aware that the Independent Office for Police Conduct had been investigating the Chief Constable recruitment process to ensure it was fair and open and he advised that they would not be prosecuting.
Councillor Dilks encouraged everyone to complete the Greater Lincolnshire devolution consultation.
Parish Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe asked Councillor Dilks to raise the condition of the footpaths on Linchfield Road leading to the new Linden estate as they are very poor.
Councillor Dilks had been informed that during the second quarter of the year public right of way no 1 from Linchfield Road to Sweet Close would be re-surfaced. Surfaces on Burchnall Close, Crowson Way, Thackers Way, Swallow Close, Horsegate Manor Way, Cranmore Drive, Curlew Walk and Linnet Close would be topped/patched. Also work would take place on the traction on the corner of Blenheim Way on the Northfields Industrial Estate Market Deeping.
Parish Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe said that she had spoken to the Manager of the Linden Estate who was requesting certification for each layer of the 5 to be laid on the roadways there to avoid issues that had been suffered previously. LCC Highways had said that this would lead to delays of 5/6 weeks between each layer. Councillor Dilks noted this to investigate.
Councillor Dilks said that the requires improvement Ofsted report for the Deepings School was concerning as if 3 at this level were received a new academy would need to be sought.
As a School Governor Parish Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe said that Ofsted had visited at the beginning of a new academic year, if they had visited at the end of an academic year, it would have been a very different report and this had been acknowledged by Ofsted themselves.
24.110 Financial matters:
1. To approve the payments for December 2023.
It was proposed seconded and RESOLVED to pay £24261.00
2. To note the income for December 2023.
Income totalling £1758.30
3. To receive the minutes and recommendations from the finance policy and personnel committee meeting held on Tuesday 12 December 2023.
Councillor Bowell introduced the minutes from this meeting from which there was 2 recommendations.
Minute 24.43 – It was recommended that quotation 1 was accepted. RESOLVED. The Clerk confirmed that the 3 grass cutting contracts would be offered to Malc Firth Landscapes Ltd.
Minute 24.43 – It was recommended that if the Parish Council resolved to support agenda item 24.110.5 below that the money from the Community Amenity and Heritage earmark reserve pot and Cemetery earmark reserve pot is utilised rather than increasing the precept. RESOLVED
4. To consider the Coronation Hall grant application.
It was proposed seconded and RESOLVED to grant £500 funding
5. To consider the Citizens Advice Bureau South Lincolnshire proposal and grant application.
Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe stated that when she had attended the SKDC economic forum at which the Citizens Advice South Lincolnshire representative was not pleased that SKDC could not support them but had spent funds on other items such as Christmas lights. Councillor Stevens explained that the funding for the lights came from the UK prosperity fund which could not be used to fund the Citizens Advice South Lincolnshire .
It was proposed seconded and RESOLVED to fund this proposal to the value of £4250 using earmarked reserves as resolved in agenda item 24.110 above.
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.
Councillor Smith introduced the minutes from the meeting from which there were three recommendations.
Minute 79.24 - The Committee has agreed to complete an evaluation of the local trees to establish which ones should be entered onto the Ancient Tree Inventory website. Councillors Hosking, Rose, Shinkins-Hoppe, Stevens and Townsin volunteered to do a walk around and complete the form. RESOLVED
Minutes 80.24 – S23/2057 Mr T Hicks proposal to change the use of existing agricultural hard surfaced land to open storage at Hards Lane , Frognall, Peterborough, PE6 8RP. The committee recommend to support this application as the area has a shortage of storage areas plus the site is close to industrial area although in open countryside. The Council agreed to add a condition that there should be some sort of screening (hedges) and that there should be a height limit (5 metres) on what is stored there so the products were not visible. RESOLVED Councillors Dilks and Fowler abstained.
Minute 79.24 - S23/2069 Mr J Charity proposal to demolish existing dwelling and residential development (outline) at 38 Spalding Road, Deeping St James, Lincolnshire, PE6 8NJ. The committee recommend that no comments are lodged.
Councillor Denman asked if the hedge was to be retained or whether there was going to be some inter planting or a new hedge. It was RESOLVED that Councillor Smith would look at the hedge and possibly add a condition. Councillor Dilks abstained
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.
Councillor Smith was dismissive of the response as there was no mention of the present Governments actions for Climate and Ecology improvements and he proposed that the letter should be shared with the Zero Hour Campaigners. Seconded and RESOLVED
2. Invitation to respond to the consultation on a Greater Lincolnshire Devolution proposal. Consultation ends on 29 January 2024.
Noted.
3. Invitation to respond to South Kesteven District Council Corporate Plan 2024-2027 consultation. Consultation ends 19 December 2023.
Noted.
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.
Noted.
5. LIVES – Acknowledgement and thank you for the recent donation.
Noted.
24.113 To receive an update regarding the transfer of Jubilee Park and agree how to progress.
The Clerk advised that the information that had been shared was now out of date as further information had since been received and they felt that the issue was very difficult to progress around the Parish Council meeting timetable. Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe recommended that the Council should delegate the progress of this matter to the Clerk and Councillors Gilbert, Shinkins-Hoppe and Smith who would keep the Council up to date at each monthly meeting. Seconded and RESOLVED
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 was attended by The Clerk and Assistant Clerk. The event was very well attended and had focussed heavily on mental health and well-being.
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
Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe advised that there had not been time for her to ask her question relating to policing in the Deepings as the meeting had spent more time allowing the Police to provide statistics to show how well they were doing. Councillor Dilks stated that as the number of Police Community Support Officers had been reduced from 149 to 50 but the number of Officers had increased although not on the frontline. Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe stated that as the Parish Council have installed CCTV at two open spaces members of the public have asked us to view and pursue incidences they have witnessed rather than report it themselves.
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.
The Clerk along with Councillors Shinkins-Hoppe, Smith, Stevens and Townsin attended this meeting along with eight Market Deeping Town Councillors where it was agreed to wait the outcome of the District and County Councils scrutiny of the expression of interest prior to considering the funding request. It was noted that there was to be an extraordinary meeting of the finance and economic and culture and leisure overview committees on 9 January 2024 and an extraordinary meeting of the Council on 11 January 2024 at South Kesteven District Council where this would be considered.
4. Making a difference award working party meeting held on Tuesday 12 December 2023 attended by Councillors Rose, Shinkins-Hoppe, Stevens, and Townsin.
Councillor Stevens reported that the working party had decided that there were be two awards this year – the young person and individual to most make a difference. All voluntary and charitable organisations would be recognised by inviting them to provide an 80-word presentation which a representative could read out at the Annual Parish Meeting where they would be able encouraged to have a table top display promoting their organisation and networking with others over refreshments. All would receive a certificate to acknowledge their contribution to the community.
5. Introducing ChatGPT and AI training offered virtually via Scribe Accounts on Thursday 14 December 2023. The Assistant Clerk had only been able to attend half of the training session and Councillor Smith had not joined it at all but both intended to watch the presentation.
6. Carols in Jubilee Park held on Friday 15 December 2023
Councillor Stevens suggested that in future the event should start at 7pm with only the Salvation Army Band in attendance. As the wet weather had caused some issues the installation of an area of hardstanding was also suggested as well as a QR code for donations to the Salvation Army Band has it was noted that contributions were lower due to it people not carrying as much cash. The recreation and open spaces committee will consider all this at a future committee meeting.
24.115 Parish Pump
Councillor Stevens requested that an item to consider publishing a newsletter was added to the January agenda.
Meeting ended at 9pm