CC July 2022 Minutes
DEEPING ST JAMES PARISH COUNCIL
The Institute, 38 Church Street, Deeping St James, PE6 8EP
E-mail: clerk@dsjpc.co.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 Cemetery Committee meeting which was held on Tuesday 5 July 2022 at 7.00pm at the Cemetery off Hereward Way Deeping St James
Present: Councillors Halls, Olson, Shinkins-Hoppe and Stevens.
The Parish Clerk took the minutes.
23.1 To elect a Chair.
It was proposed seconded and RESOLVED that Councillor Olson should be Chairperson.
Councillors Halls Shinkins-Hoppe and Stevens confirmed that wished to remain members of this committee
23.2 To receive apologies of absence.
None received.
23.3 To receive any declarations of interest.
None declared.
23.4 To agree the minutes of the last meeting held on Thursday 16 September 2021.
The minutes were agreed and signed as a true copy of the meeting.
23.5 To receive the Clerks report.
Since the committee had last met there had been 7 burials and 5 ashes interments.
Two ‘never mind the weeds we’re looking after the bees’ signs had been made but were not yet in use.
There have been some complaints about the condition of the footpaths in the old Cemetery.
There have also been some complaints about the grasses been left uncut in the gravel gravebeds in the old Cemetery.
23.6 To consider the Cemetery grounds maintenance.
The members walked around both the old and new Cemetery and it was agreed that the grasses in the gravel gravebeds should only be cut down once or twice a year.
The members also noted that the grass in the extended section of the new Cemetery was being cut as a lawn Cemetery when it had been previously agreed that this would be left to encourage insect life. The Clerk was asked to speak to the maintenance team and request that the area was left or certainly not cut as frequently and that the ‘never mind the weeds we’re looking after the bees’ signs were installed to offer an explanation as to why to the public.
The Clerk was also asked to contact a tree service contractor to obtain a quote to trim the conifer hedges in the open space area within the designated burial land so it was in keeping with the conifer hedge with the old Cemetery
23.7 To consider improving the Cemetery footpaths.
The members looked at the paths and agreed that they needed renewing to reduce the issue of weeds, remove trip hazards and make the area more accessible to all.
Bonded resin was the favoured option although it was acknowledged that this would be costly but also a long-term solution.
The Clerk was asked to contact some contractors and arrange for them to visit the site and advise on the best options then provide quotes which would be considered by the Council.
23.8 To note the date of the next meeting – 7pm on Thursday 6 September 2022