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DRAFT Minutes of a meeting of Crowland Parish Council held on Monday June 2nd at 7.30pm in the Parish Rooms, Hall Street, Crowland.
Present - Coun B Alcock, Mr M Atkinson, Mrs M Beardshaw, Mr P Bird, Mrs L Boor, Mr R Boot,
Mr J Parnell & Mr G Quince.
Also present - PCSO Adam Davis, Benjamin Damazer JP
In the Chair - Mr D Kempton
Clerk - Mrs D Halliwell
32. Apologies for Absence
Apologies were received from Mr D Ancil, Mr P Cooper, Mrs T Croxford, Miss C Elphee,
Mr P Haselgrove & Mr D Ringham
33. Declaration of Interests as per the LGA 2000
Mrs Boor declared an interest in land
Mr Boot declared an interest in The Royal British Legion
Mr Kempton declared an interest in Bloom
Mr Atkinson & Mrs Beardshaw declared an interest in the churchyard.
34. To Agree as a correct Record the Minutes of the Previous Meeting
Coun Alcock proposed the minutes as a true & accurate record of the meeting.
Seconded by Mr Bird.
All agreed.
35. Reports on matters outstanding of the previous meeting not covered on this agenda
PCSO pointed out that his surname should be Davis (without an “e”).
Item 6 - Chase SHDC for a reply regarding CCTV Action - Clerks
Item 13 - PCSO still waiting for a reply from South View School re the boarding up once it is closed.
The community room consultation was attended by several members and was “interesting “ Clerks to write and ask Carol Helen for an update. Action - Clerks
Item 13 in correspondence - Mr Bird had spoken with members of the ROI Team when they visited Crowland market. He has been given a contact name for the ROI team. The team had managed to interview a constant stream of people. Mr Bird has given several of the market traders the hotline number for parking issues. This number is also displayed in our notice boards.
36. Police Matters
PCSO explained that police are no longer able to put out no waiting cones for Crowland Show. He will forward an e-mail to the clerks explaining this new directive.
Clerks should approach highways to see what needs to be done and include Helen Turpin in
the e-mail
Crime figures were reviewed and show a reduction on 2013.
These figures represent reported incidents
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The eggs & flour incidents may be linked to the 4 that were caught at the school.
The burglary at the school on Friday 30th May 2014 is still being investigated.
Two people were caught and arrested on the roof of the school on Sunday 1stJune 2014
PCSO Davis left the meeting at 7.55pm.
37. Assets working party
The working party has a meeting arranged with Western Power at their surgery at Grantham.
They will try and discover how broad the blockage is regarding the fact that there is insufficient capacity available on the grid for our proposed wind turbine and is there anything that the Parish Council can do to help with this problem.
The working party was disappointed to find that they are unlikely to be allowed to put PV Panels on the roof of the school.
The working party continue to try and obtain alternative quotes for the Town Planner for the proposed residential development.
Mr Atkinson proposed that council allow the working party to move forward with the most appropriate of the bids. Seconded - Mr Parnell. All agreed.
38. Chance to Share/Community Use at former St Guthlacs School
The working party continue to work on this although progress is slow.
The “Heads of Terms” still has several issues, which LCC are coming back to the working party on.
Access/car parking is still a big problem. LCC have found a way to create 5 more parking spaces but this would be at a cost to the Parish Council.
LCC have been asked to get estimates for “essential work”
39. Commemoration of the commencement of World War 1
There is to be a meeting at the Royal British Legion this week. Mr Boot will report after that meeting.
The Sunday school are going to be planting poppies by the gate in the churchyard.
40. Revision of Members Interests
Reminder to members to update all information supplied.
It would be prudent for each member to look through their form on an annual basis.
41. Report from the Finance Committee
The Council’s Insurance was due for renewal, and we were being asked for an increase.
Mr Haselgrove had telephoned the councils existing insurer and explained that we had been given alternative quotes that were offering the same insurance cover at a lower cost.
As a result of this year’s negotiations the council were offered a reduced renewal quote of £3789.00
If we accepted a 3 year deal we could renew for a cost of £3599.00, with years 2 & 3 being increased on an index linked basis.
The 3 year deal was accepted.
We still need to arrange the coding of invoices. Clerks should talk to the internal auditor on this matter.
Action - Clerks
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It was established that Mrs Knight’s honorarium had not been paid last year and a proposal was made that this amount be paid to her charity. Mr Kempton expressed a wish that his proportion of last year’s chairman’s honorarium also be paid to Mrs Knight’s charity.
This was proposed by Coun Alcock and seconded by Mrs Beardshaw. All in agreement.
Clerks to raise a cheque. Action - Clerks
42. Report from the Farms & Gardens Committee
Everyone had received a copy of the minutes.
Mr Boot will look at the churchyard and meet with the grounds men to see if it may be more worthwhile replacing the small grass cutter with a larger one.
There is also a need to consider alterative makes of grass cutter.
Mr Boot will look into why the Bamford grass cutter had made such a poor job of cutting the junctions. Action - Mr Boot
Mr Bird asked that proper trials were conducted to establish that 2 larger grass cutters would prove to be more efficient.
The Farms & Gardens Committee will look at the amount of grass cutting being done at the junctions. Action - Farms & Gardens
Mr Boot is currently looking at all of the Parish Councils trees and has discovered that many of them require work done on them. There is no legal requirement regarding the felling of trees outside of the conservation area. Three quotes need to be obtained and the committee need to work with the Assets Working Party regarding the removal of any trees near the proposed residential development site.
43. Report from the Planning Committee
Everyone had received a copy of the minutes.
Members were reminded that it had been proposed and approved by full council that the 2 Town Signs that had been put up in the wrong position were moved to the position as shown on the licences issued.
All members were in agreement that the council should abide by the Full Council’s original decision.
Clerks to advise Holland Wing to move the signs. Action - Clerks
Nick Rhodes from the Environment Agency had met with several members today to look at the Wash Bank and how it has sunk over the years; He had advised them that Crowland is due a visit from the reservoir agency in the very near future.
Mr Rhodes agreed that the trees behind the footpath that have caused it to sink be removed.
Mr Kempton had asked that the Parish Council were issued with a copy of the actual report following his visit.
It had been discussed at a recent meeting of the Planning Committee that the large Christmas decoration that has been left up behind the bridge be taken down; even if this meant that it was not put up again.
Mr Parnell proposed that a cherry picker was hired to remove the decoration and that the cost of this be met by the parish council
This was seconded by Margaret Beardshaw. 8 members voted in favour & 1 member abstained.
44. Report from the Amenities Committee
There had not been a meeting of this committee.
The Football Club have their annual tournament coming up and they will do their own traffic management at this event.
There is a problem with the floodlights at Trinity Bridge, some are permanently on and some don’t work at all. Clerks to contact electrician to rectify. Action - Clerks
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45. Report from the Health & Safety Committee
There has not been a meeting of this committee.
46. To appoint Internal Auditor
An Internal auditor needs to be proposed.
Coun Alcock proposed that we continue to use Godfrey Parkes.
Seconded by Mr Atkinson
All agreed.
47. Tourism
Tourism has been led by the Abbey Church.
Consideration could be given to a heritage trail for Crowland to complement the existing Abbey Church trails.
Locals should be invited to a meeting to see if a small working party could be set up to create this.
Idea to be included in the Town Magazine asking that anyone interested let us know. A notice saying the same should be placed in our Town Centre Notice Board. Action - Mrs Beardshaw & Clerks
48. Events on the Snowden Field
The council has concerns that the Snowden fields are underutilised.
Locals should be encouraged to organise events.
Clerks & Chairman will discuss how best to advertise this. Action - Chairman/Clerks
49. To consider By-Laws
Dogs on the Snowden that are not on a lead remains a problem due to the lack of a by-law. If there was a by-Law the Parish Council members would be in a position to do something about it.
Benjamin Damazer requested permission to speak at this point and permission was granted.
He pointed out that legally Parish Council Members could not also be Wardens as you cannot be both Judge & Jury and as such volunteers may need to be sought to police this.
The Chairman will investigate the process to get by-laws in place. Action - Chairman
50. Highways Matters
Clerks to report a very large pot hole in the road between the end of Kemp Street and towards the junction with West Bank & Gravel Causeway, This is in excess of 40mm.
Clerks to report the very large dip at the end of Peterborough Road opposite the hand car wash.
Clerks to report that Chevrons are missing from the end of Postland Road near the junction with James Road
The hedge covering a wall at the end of Kemp Street near the junction with North Street is very badly overgrown and is causing traffic to have to use the opposite side of the road. Clerks to write to the occupier at 113 North Street and copy to LCC Highways.
The Hedge at the junction of Albion Street & Broadway remains is a very overgrown condition despite 2 letters to the occupier and I report to highways. Clerks to chase highways on this one.
Although the brown sign that had been knocked from its mountings at the end of Postland road has been collected from the office it has not been put back up. Clerks to chase
Clerks - action all 6 items
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51. Loan of donated PA System
Mr Boot proposed that the Parish Council allow The Royal British Legion to have this system on a long term loan, but make clear that it must be made available to others who may wish to use it.
Seconded by Mr Parnell. All agreed
52. Best Kept Town Competition/In Bloom Judging
Bloom judging is to take place on Monday 7th July 2014.
There are 3 rounds of judging for the Best Kept Small Town that are to take place in June, July & August 2014.
We need to ask our workers to keep up the town centre neat & tidy.
Clerks to ask the road sweeper if he could visit Crowland in the very near future and again just prior to the 7th July 2014. Action - Clerks
Bloom would very much like to have a nominated person from the Parish Council to liaise with them on different issues. Members were asked to give this some thought and this would be added to the July Full Council Agenda. Action - Clerks
53. New pots for war memorial plants & 2 redundant hanging basket stations
Two of the flower pots with lids at the war memorial require replacing,. All present agreed that these pots should be replaced by the Parish Council. Action - Through Bloom
Bloom had wished to have the 2 redundant hanging basket stations outside of the Bakery in North Street and the Co-operative in West Street removed. However, it was suggested that Bloom make a request to the ward councillors to fund the purchase of baskets for them. Action - Through Bloom
54. Correspondence
1. Helen Kempton - E-mail from Helen advising us that Bloom judges will be in Crowland on Monday 7th July2014 from 2.00pm Noted. Mr Kempton will be attending.
2. Lincs Alert - Notification that a substantial amount of red diesel had been stolen from Slooten Nursery, Cowbit Road, Spalding between 20.30 hrs on 19 May2014 & 08.30 hrs on 20 May 2014. Please call 101 if you saw anything suspicious. Noted
3. APOCOA Parking Contractors - Response to our e-mail regarding breaches of parking restrictions in Crowland on Market day. They will forward our concerns to the enforcement team for them to look into. They have also supplied a designated hotspot line for anyone to report breaches, the number is 01522 511142 and has been displayed on our town notice board and will be put in the next Town Mag. Already covered in item 35. Clerks to e-mail PCSO The phone number.
4. Dog Fouling Notice /stickers – The dog Warden has left us a supply of “No Fouling” stickers to use locally. Noted. Members will take some.