September 2020 Minutes
MEETING OF DIGBY PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes from the virtual Digby Parish Council meeting held on 16th September 2020 at 7pm.
PRESENT Parish Cllrs James Bourne (JB) Chairman; Tracy Bourne (TB); Gerald Garton (GG); Colin Harvey (CH); Karen Groves (KG) and Amanda Redsell (AR)
In attendance: Angie McDonald, Clerk and Proper Officer.
PUBLIC FORUM
No members of the public joined the meeting, so it was RESOLVED to continue.
DISTRICT & COUNTY COUNCILLORS’ MATTERS
Apologies were received from District Councillor Jim Clarke. Both District and County Councils have been producing regular reports that have been forwarded to the parish councillors.
POLICE
No report received.
1. CHAIRMAN’S OPENING REMARKS. (20/115)
a) The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
2. APOLOGIES (20/116)
a) Apologies.
There were no apologies.
3. DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTEREST & APPLICATIONS FOR DISPENSATION (20/117)
a) Declarations of Interest.
There were no declarations of interest.
4. SIGNING OF THE MINUTES (20/118)
a) It was proposed by TB, seconded by KG and RESOLVED to accept the notes of the Parish Council meeting held on Wednesday 19th August 2020 as a true and accurate record of that meeting.
5. PLANNING MATTERS (20/119)
a) Planning Applications Received
20/1031/VARCON Land at North Street, application to vary condition 6 (Approved Plans) attached to application 18/1739/RESM, to delete footpath links
It was agreed to write and request the footpaths remain.
20/0528/FUL Bloxholm Farm, Bloxholm Lane – Construction of agricultural workers dwelling in connection to the adjacent Poultry Rearing Farm (resubmission of
17/1474/FUL)
No comments.
b) Decision Notice.
Nil
6. GENERAL PARISH MATTERS (20/120)
a) Old Pond area of North Street.
A site meeting is still to be arranged with a ground maintenance company. It will then be discussed how to manage the site.
Action: Clerk to arrange a meeting and invite all of the councillors to attend.
b) Sunken Footpath off North Street.
The Chairman reported the work has commenced on the nearby development site and therefore the repair will soon be carried out.
c) Progress of the ‘Happy to Chat’ bench.
The bench is due to arrive on 18th Sept, AR will arrange the installation.
Action: AR to notify contractor to install the ‘Happy to Chat’ bench, the replacement bench at Harrowby Close and the litterbin in the playing field near the Dug-out
d) Dog Fouling around the Village.
Increased signage has not helped the situation, it was agreed the council would be open to suggestions on how to improve the situation.
e) Litter Picking Grant from NKDC.
The Clerk confirmed the grant has been applied for and the annual litter report sent to NKDC.
7. HIGHWAYS (20/121)
a) Potholes or Highways problems.
The Chairman has reported the potholes along Digby Fen. The south side of Beck street has had some repairs carried out but one large hole still remains near the bridge at the east end of the Beck.
Action: The Clerk will report the additional pot hole.
b) Repair work to BT cable laying.
CH was concerned that BT have not been and grassed seeded the areas they had dug up along the banks of the Beck. This has been done, but due to the very dry weather it has not grown
c) Cyclists on the footpath from North Street to Harrowby Close.
A resident has complained about cyclist using this footpath. It was agreed to contact LCC Highways to ask for recommendations for signage. AR also pointed out the ivy growing over the footpath in this area is restricting the width of the path.
Action: Clerk to contact Highways and to write to the landowner to cut back the ivy.
8. THE VILLAGE HALL (20/122)
a) Elect a Village Hall Rep.
It was proposed KG become the new village hall representative.
Action: The Clerk to inform the Village Hall committee.
b) Hedging/shrubs around the Village Hall Garden.
The shrubs and hedging have been cut back from the footpaths around the Village Hall garden.
9. DRAINAGE (20/123)
a) Updates from IDB or the Environment Agency.
There were no updates. GG reported Greendykes is getting very overgrown, and due to the development, access along the path is restricted for machinery to cut back the grass and weeds. It was agreed to obtain a quote for an alternative way of cutting back the weeds and clearing out the Greendyke.
Action: The Clerk to obtain a quote for the next meeting.
b) Further Meeting with the Environmental Agency.
It was agreed now the weed has been cut in the Beck a further site meeting is required to look at the silt build up in the Beck.
Action: The Clerk to book a site meeting.
10. PLAYING FIELD, PLAY AREAS AND VILLAGE GENERAL (20/124)
a) Monthly Inspection of play equipment and Annual Report received from RoSPA.
RoSPA have completed the annual inspection of the play equipment. There are no major works to be carried out. There are a couple of general maintenance points to be looked at and the Clerk will supply details of these for the next meeting so work can be arranged.
Action: List of maintenance work to be added to next agenda
b) Hedges/shrubs at the Manor House.
The overgrown footpaths that had been reported, have now been cut back in the vicinity of the Manor House.
11. ALLOTMENTS (20/125)
a) Update from the Allotment representative.
There have been no meetings due to the Covid19 restrictions.
12. FINANCE (20/126)
a) Bank Balances and Approval Bank Reconciliation.
The bank balances were reported as:-
PC General Acc 23,003.44
Allotment Acc 5,075.61
Mary Gresswell Trust 5.45
Copies of the bank reconciliation had been sent to the councillors prior to the meeting and was accepted.
b) Income Received.
There was no income during the month of Aug.
c) Approval for the following Payments.
It was proposed by GG, seconded by AR and RESOLVED the following payments are approved for payment.
Invoice VAT Total
Salaries/Expenses/HRMC 635.50 635.50
MalcFirth Grass cutting Aug 351.63 70.33 421.96
RoSPA inspection 93.00 18.60 111.60
d) NALC Salary rates for 2020-21,
It was proposed by GG and seconded by CH that the clerk’s rate of pay, on the current SCP, be increased in line with the NALC recommendations and back dated to 1st April 2020. It was also agreed as from Sept the Clerk should be moved up SCP 19.
All agreed.
13. CORRESPONDENCE (20/127)
a) LALC – Fortnightly newsletter. Distributed to all councillors
b) NKDC Weekly Newsletter – Distributed to all the councillor
c) County Councillors Report- Distributed to all the councillors
d) Temporary Road Restriction – 5/10/20 to 30/11/2020 closure of North Street and Station Road when required during this period.
e) Notification of Village Hall AGM 28th Sep and Agenda
f) Waste Services – Paper and Card Collection. LCC report pilot worked well. NKDC to start rolling out the collection from autumn 2021.
14. DATE OF FUTURE MEETINGS (20/128)
Parish Council meetings for 2020
21st Oct, 18th Nov, 16th Dec
Parish Council Meetings for 2021
20th Jan, 17th Feb, 17th Mar, 21st Apr, 19th May.
Annual Parish Meeting – Delayed until further notice
15. ANY BUSINESS TO NOTE FOR THE NEXT AGENDA (20/129)
Teenage Shelter - To be considered when the lockdown is lifted Village Boundary Sign – To be considered when the lockdown is lifted
16. CLOSED SESSION (for confidential items in accordance with the Public Bodies Act 1960). (20/130)
This item was not required.
19.53hrs There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed