RAOS 2024 Minutes

 

Present: Councillors Rose, Shinkins-Hoppe, Smith and Stevens.

 

The minutes were taken by Julie Fortnum, Parish Clerk 

 

25.1 To elect a Chairperson.

It was proposed seconded and RESOLVED that Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe should remain Chairperson. 

 

25.2 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 an accepted from Councillors Hosking and Townsin. 

 

25.3 To receive declarations of interest.

None declared. 

 

25.4 To agree the minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 14 May 2024.

Agreed and signed by Councillor Stevens who chaired the meeting. 

 

25.5 To receive the Clerk’s report and any update on matters arising from the previous minutes. 

-Notification has been received from the company completing the annual play equipment operational inspections that due to high demand DSJPC’s inspections will more than likely take place in September rather than August 

-An issues opening the Defibrillator cabinet was noticed by one of the maintenance team on 26 June 2024. The Clerk has arranged for a representative from the Manufacturers to attend the site on Wednesday 3 July 2024 to resolve the issue   

-The goalposts ordered on 16 April 2024 and paid for on 22 April 2024 have not yet been delivered The Clerk has made contact with the company several times to arrange this and is awaiting a delivery date. 

-The Deepings River Action Group held their first litter pick on Saturday 29 June 2024 with 20 volunteers collecting 13 bags of litter and one wooden pallet 

-Following the hot weather during week commencing 22 June 2024 one of the DSJPC maintenance team noticed that the safety play surface under some pieces of play equipment at Jubilee Park owned by SKDC had shrunk moving away from the concrete edging leaving a significant gap and trip hazard. This has been reported to the Team Leader in Leisure Parks and Open Spaces and the Acting Asset Manager at SKDC to hopefully be resolved before the transfer of Jubilee Park to DSJPC is finalised. 

-The paperwork to transfer Jubilee Park from SKDC to DSJPC has been signed by Councillors Shinkins-Hoppe and Smith witnessed by the Parish Clerk as Proper Officer of the Parish Council and will in due course be forwarded to the Solicitor for them to liaise with SKDC’s Solicitors to finalise matters.  

-In view of the ongoing grass cutting issues the Parish Clerk has confirmed that should the transfer complete prior to the end of the 2024 grass cutting season that SKDC should continue to cut Jubilee Park for the season. This will be reviewed in the Autumn along with all other grass cutting contracts.

-The Clerk has continued to communicate with the contractor currently responsible for the cutting of the Highway verges the Riverbank and Woody Heights. They have acknowledged that to date they have not been completing the cutting in accordance with the agreements however they have said that thy will continue to visit the Parish and cut these areas during 2024 though when and how frequently hasn’t been established.   

Update – The Clerk spoke to the Contractor on Thursday 27 June and several emails with photos of uncut areas have been forwarded to them by both Councils however and this will continue. It was noted that the Parish Council needs to consider who to employ for 2025 to complete all the grass cutting requirements within Deeping St James.   

-Councillor Stevens and the Parish Clerk have been in communication with District Councillor Ley a SKDC’s grass cutting of the areas within the parish they are responsible for has been poor this year. They acknowledged that they did have machinery problems when they visited Jubilee Park in May and Manor Court Gardens which was very long was cut on Monday 1 July 2024 however there are still a large number of small open spaces in dire need of cutting

Update – the Clerk advised that SKDC grounds maintenance team were in the Deepings on Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 July and all areas they are responsible for have now been cut   

-The Clerk is working with SKDC’s Head of Public Protection and CCTV Supervisor to establish if the CCTV cameras installed at Woody Heights and Jubilee Park are compatible with the newly upgraded system and what the cost implication is of them being linked to the control centre at Grantham to be monitored more frequently. 

-No further incidences of anti-social behaviour at Hereward Way play area have been reported since the police visited on the evening of Friday 14 June 2024 although investigations are ongoing in the Manor Way shops and Manor Court garden area although there has been several incidences of graffiti at Jubilee Park and Woody Heights which the maintenance team have been able to clean up with the appropriate products.   

 

25.6 To receive an update about the refreshments to be provided following the footpath walks on 5 and 12 September 2024.

Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe advised that she had contacted The Waterton Arms who were able to provide a buffet for up to 20 people on the evening of both 5th and 12th September. It was agreed that Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe should confirm the booking for 5 September 2024 and contact the Walnut Tree to see if they were able to cater for the Parish Council on 12 September. If they were this should be booked, if not the 12th should also be booked with the Waterton Arms. 

The Clerk was asked to confirm with the Exotic Pet Refuge that they would be able to open their café (for a donation) so that those attending the walk on Sunday 22 September 2024 could have a cup of tea and slice of cake (provided by the Parish Council)  

 

25.7 To receive an update about the Dog Show 2024 following the working party meeting held on Thursday 20 June 2024 and decide if the Parish Council are to have a gazebo at the event. 

Councillor Stevens advised that a meeting had taken place and that the date of Sunday 29 September had been agreed. Councillor Stevens and Rose would work towards organising trade stands, sponsorship and entries but would need support with this and help on the day of the event.  

 

25.8 The Deepings Raft Race and Duck Race – whether to have a pitch at these events (mentioned under agenda item 24.64 of the May meeting)  

Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe who was not present at the May meeting suggested that a pitch at these events would be beneficial to promote the Deepings Neighbourhood plan and the housing needs survey. It was agreed that a pitch should be booked at the Duck Race event on 1 September as happened in Deeping St James and attracted people from the parish but not the Raft Race as this brought people in from further afield and once the race had started the crowds moved towards Market Deeping. 

The Clerk was asked to book the pitch with the Deepings Lions.  

 

25.9 To consider whether to include more entertainment alongside the Salvation Army at the DSJ Christmas event to be held in the Marquee at The Waterton Arms on Friday 13 December 2024.  

Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe had spoken to the proprietor of The Waterton Arms and it had been agreed that no further entertainment other than the Salvation army band and Choir should be provide at the event being held in the Marquee on the evening of Friday 13 December 2024

Councillor Stevens agreed to contact the Salvation Army about a license for collecting donations and to confirm that they were able to accept card payments. Councillor Stevens also agreed to organise the design and printing of posters and banners.    

 

25.10 To consider the Coronation Living Heritage funding to plant a Community Orchard 

and also, the donation of two 10ft Horse Chestnut trees for planting on a community open space.  

The Clerk informed the committee that she had requested permission to use the District Council open space between Fraser Close and Burchnall Close as the location for the orchard project and was awaiting a decision. 

The Clerk also advised that she had contacted District Councillor Ley who was agreeable to endorsing the application once confirmation had been received from SKDC. 

It was noted that previous trees that had been planted there by previous Ward Councillors had no survived so it was imperative that any further trees were watered perhaps by purchasing slow-release self-watering bags.

Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe agreed to price up fruit trees and the self-watering bags and then once approval from SKDC had been received complete the application.   

 

25.11 To consider the grounds maintenance of open spaces within the parish. 

Councillor Stevens expressed her concern that Manor Court Gardens land owned by South Kesteven District Council had bene enhanced by Deeping St James Parish Council in 2010/11 and had initially been well maintained by volunteers and the use of the Probation Service Community Payback team. Recently however, it was not being looked after so well and Councillor Stevens suggested that the Parish Council should either employ someone or pay a contractor to do the work.

The Clerk stated that the care and maintenance of various flower beds within the parish was listed in one of the Maintenance Workers job descriptions however on part-time hours it was challenging to keep on top of all the tasks, which were increasing, that were required to be completed. This along side the loss of the Probation Service was noticeable not only at Manor Court Gardens but in other locations. All the members agreed that what the Parish Council is doing isn’t working as a service is not being provided at a satisfactory level. This may require additional staff but also requires job specifications for each task listed within a job description. Councillor Rose volunteered to look at the job descriptions and see if she could provide some template job specifications that could be used as guides. 

The Committee agreed to RECOMMEND to the finance, policy and personnel committee that a new member of staff was recruited on a full-time basis to act as the ground maintenance Supervisor.    

 

25.12 To consider organising an event to commemorate for VE Day 80 which falls on Thursday 8 May 2025.  

Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe advised that the document circulated from the Kings Pageant Master spoke of an event was almost identical to the event for D-Day 80. She suggested that in order to make it more of an event some entertainment and a food outlet could be organised. It was agreed that the Clerk should contact a local 1940’s singer and that Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe would contact a mobile fish and chip outlet to see if they were available.  

 

25.13 To note the date of the next meeting – 8pm on Tuesday 3 September 2024.