RAOS May 2024 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 the recreation & opens spaces Committee held at 8.00pm on Tuesday 14 May 2024 in the meeting room at the Institute 38 Church Street Deeping St James PE6 8HD.Present: Councillors Hosking, Rose, Smith and Stevens.
The minutes were taken by the Parish Clerk
24.58 To receive apologies of absence.
Apologies had been received and were accepted from Councillors Halls and Shinkins-Hoppe.
24.59 To receive declarations of interest.
None declared.
24.60 To agree the minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 9 January 2024.
Agreed and signed .
24.61 To receive the Clerk’s report and any update on matters arising from the previous minutes.
Another successful annual parish meeting and making a difference award evening took place on Monday 29 April 2024. It was well attended with great entertainment from the DSJ Community Primary School Choir, and informative presentation from an LCC Officer about recycling and waste disposal, a number of interesting table top displays from local community groups and many nominations for MAD awards.
All in attendance agreed that it had been a successful evening the rock choir were really good, the recycling talk was well presented and received well, and the refreshments were good. Councillor Stevens recommended that the event should be held in the Priory Hall again next year and that the making a difference awards needed rebranding to encourage more nominees especially from youngsters
The transfer of ownership of Jubilee Park from South Kesteven District Council is progressing with both the Solicitors and SKDC being advised that DSJPC have approved version 6 of the TP1 document. Further words have been added to the ST1 document applying for adverse possession of the small area of the Park which remains unregistered and the Solicitors advice has been sought as to whether this is sufficient to complete the application or whether further information is required.
Councillor Smith advised that he had applied for funding from the UK Prosperity Fund via SKDC and had heard informally that the bid had not been successful. He had attempted to clarify this with SKDC but had not been able to do so. Councillor Smith did add that the application made by the Deepings Green Walk had been successful.
Action point: Councillor Smith to continue to establish the outcome of the application for funding towards Jubilee Park improvements and report back to full council.
Councillor Stevens asked if the member of the public who had contacted the Parish Council regarding locating a memorial bench within the Parish had been offered the suggestion of locating it on the grass verge outside the entrance to the old Cross School car park. The Clerk advised that this had been offered but not agreed. Councillor Stevens asked the Clerk to speak with the Clerk to the Deeping St James United Charities to enquire if a third bench could be located on their gardens on Church Street. If agreeable this could be suggested to the member of the public.
Regular meetings continue to take place to organise the joint community event on Sunday 7 July 2024 - Deepings Fun Day Sunday.
Councillor Townsin advised that the working party were meeting again on 23 May to agree the programme of events. There would be musical entertainment and games for youngsters as well as refreshments, a bar and stationary vehicles and the insurance, temporary entertainment licence, stage and sound system, portable toilets and first aid cover has been agreed
At the full council meeting held on Tuesday 23 April 2024 Councillors Halls, Hosking, Shinkins-Hoppe, and Stevens volunteered to form a working party to consider marketing and communications. A time and date for the first meeting needs to be agreed.
Councillor Stevens advised the members that a meeting would be arranged following after Story Fest which was to take place on 15 and 16 June 2024
A meeting has been arranged with representative from the Salvation Army Band to discuss their involvement in the Christmas Carol event. It will take place on 6 June 2024 and Councillors Shinkins-Hoppe and Stevens will represent Deeping St James Parish Council.
Grass cutting has commenced with two cuts having been completed at Woody Heights and one on the Riverbank. The Highway verge grass has been cut once although the maps LCC have provided are misleading and some areas have been missed by the contractor. The Clerk is in contact with LCC to obtain better maps which when received will be shared with the contractor. Please note the price for the highway verge grass cutting contract will need to be re-costed once the new maps are received.
The Clerk will continue liaise with LCC to correct the maps provided and contact the contractor asking them to provide a price for the cutting of the additional areas
Parish Council funded activities for primary school aged children have been arranged for the first three weeks of the school summer holidays (22 July 2024 to 9 August 2024). They will be organised and run by Our Forest Garden, Artivity Studios and MADCAPS out of school club.
On Thursday 2 May 2024 the Clerk spoke to the Chair of the Langtoft, Deepings and District Branch of the Royal British Legion about the need for a meeting inviting representatives from all organisations involved to consider future Remembrance Parades. He advised that he would speak to other members to move this forward.
24.62 To finalise the requirements for the Beacon lighting at 9.15pm on Thursday 6 June 2024 for the D-Day 80th Anniversary.
The Clerk advised that a member of the public has provided the wood to fill the beacon and the maintenance staff will be able to fill it and cordon the area of prior to the event. The beacon will be lit by one of the maintenance staff.
Councillor Kate Shinkins-Hoppe, Chair of Deeping St James Parish Council will be reading the International Tribute.
The Priory Church bell ringers have been asked to ring at 6.30pm and they have responded saying they would like to, so if they can they will
Invitations to participate have been sent to the local Royal British Legion branch, Scouts/Cubs, the Guides/Brownies, both primary schools and the secondary school and neighbouring Councils. Confirmation of attendance and participation has been confirmed by the Royal British Legion branch. A response advising that they are unable to participate or attend has been received from the Deepings School and the Guides.
Councillor Stevens wished it to be noted that she would like to investigate having our own Town Crier or adopting a Town Crier from another area to call on these occasion.
No time to meet was agreed.
24.63 To consider organising one or more parish footpath walks during 2024.
The need for these to take place was reinforced by Councillor Hosking advising that the definitive map line relating to public right of way number 5 and 14 were not being maintained across the fields leading to users walking around the field edges
The committee agreed to hold 3 footpath walks during September 2024 as follows
6pm Thursday 5 September 2024 – Frognall incorporating public right of ways 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13
6pm Thursday 12 September 2024 – Linchfield incorporating public right of ways 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
2pm Sunday 22 September 2024 – Stations Road incorporating Deeping Lakes, public rights of way 909 and 14
The Clerk was asked to contact local public houses to obtain a price for refreshments after the first two walks and the Exotic Pet Refuge for light refreshments following the last walk
These were to be advertised on the Facebook page on the Parish Council noticeboards and in the local magazines
24.64 To consider organising a Dog Show during 2024.
Councillors Stevens and Rose had discussed this as there was interest from members of the public for a Dog Show to take place. It was suggested that due to the number of events taking place during June and July that it would be more beneficial to consider organising it during September. Councillors Hosking Rose Stevens and Townsin volunteered to form a working party to progress this with the first meeting to take place at 7pm on 20 June 2024.
At this point Councillor Stevens commented that the agenda did not include an item about the Parish Council’s involvement at the Rose and Sweetpea Show and she felt that a presence at this was valuable as it was local to Deeping St James. Councillors Rose Smith and Stevens volunteered to assist at the event and the Clerk was asked to contact the organisers to book a pitch for the Parish Council’s gazebo.
Also, the agenda did not include an item to consider a Parish Council presence at the Deepings Raft Race or the Deepings Duck Race although the next meeting of this committee is scheduled for 9 July 2024 where these could be further considered. It was felt that as the former attracted a large number of people who were from outside Deeping St James the Parish Council’s presence was not as beneficial so it was agreed that this year a pitch for the gazebo would not be requested at the Deepings Raft Race. As for the Deepings Duck Race this was a smaller more parochial event however it was not felt that a Parish Council presence was beneficial.
24.65 To consider the proposal put forward by the Madcaps out of school Leader of introducing a passport system involving children getting stamps each time they attend one of the sessions offered by three organisations providing summer activities with a small award being given to children who have the most stamps at the end of the three-week period.
The proposal was considered by the committee and rejected as it was not felt to be fair as not all children would have an equal opportunity to attend all the summer activities on offer due to family and holiday commitments.
The Clerk was asked to contact Linchfield Primary School and Deeping St James Primary School to see if they were interested in working with the Parish Council to organise a playscheme as they were within the parish boundary making accessibility for Deeping St James residents easier than to Market Deeping Community Primary School, although it was noted that they had both declined last year.
24.66 To note the date of the next meeting – 8pm on Tuesday 9 July 2024.