January 2022 Minutes
Digby Parish Council
The notes of Digby Parish Council meeting held on Monday 10th January 2022 at 7pm, in Digby War Memorial Hall.
PRESENT - James Bourne (Chairman) (JB); Tracy Bourne (TB); Gerald Garton (GG); Karen Groves (KG); Kenneth Hand (KH) and John Fry (JF)
In Attendance - Angie McDonald, Clerk and Proper Officer.
Public Forum
There were no members of the public present.
District & County Councillors' Matters
Apologies were received from District Councillors Jim Clarke (JC) and Steve Clegg (SC)
It was RESOLVED to continue with the meeting.
1. Chairman's Opening Remarks (22/001)
a) The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
2. Apologies (22/002)
a) Apologies have been received and accepted from Colin Harvey (CH) due to illness. The council RESOLVED to accept the reason.
3. Declarations of Pecuniary Interest & Applications of Dispensation (22/003)
a)JB declared an interest in item 6f ad took no part in the decisionto reimburse the Chairman.
4. Signing of the Minutes (22/004)
a) It was proposed by GG, seconded by KG and RESOLVED to accept the notes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Monday 8th November 2021 as a true and accurate record of that meeting.
b) There were no minutes for December as the meeting was cancelled due to sudden changes in the Covid regulations.
5. Planning Matters (22/005)
a) Planning Applications Received
21/1968/PNND Springwell Barn, Beck Street Change use of agricultural building to dwelling house.
There were no objections to the application, but it will be requested the public footpath route be protected.
b) Decision Notices
Nil to date
6. General Parish Matters (22/006)
a) Update on measures to reduce speeding.
Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership have carried out speed surveys on both the B1188 and Church Street in November. We are awaiting the results of these surveys. It was agreed to request 'Warning Children Crossing' signs for the B1188 either side of the bus shelters.
Action: The Clerk to write to Cllr Kendrick to request the new signs from LCC Highways.
b) Grant Request from Digby Elves.
The Digby Elves delivered 2 mince pies to every house in Digby at Christmas and although the cost of the ingredients are covered by donations there has been a cost for the packaging of the mince pies. This was £34.56 and the Elves have requested if the parish council would consider a grant to cover this expense. It was proposed by JB, seconded by TB and RESOLVED to give a grant of £35.
Action: The Clerk to contact he Digby Elves and sort the payment of the grant.
c) Village beacon and Possible Site.
After much discussion it was agreed not to purchase and erect a beacon.
d) New phone contract required for parish council - Pay as You Go system finishing.
The Clerk is to collect information and forward to the councillors prior to the next meeting.
e) Councillors' Areas of Responsibilities Update and the Defib rota.
The list of the areas of the village were revised and councillors have been nominated for those areas. The Defib check list has been distributed to the councillors.
Action: The Clerk to amend the Councillors' Area of Responsibilities sheet and publish on the noticeboard and website.
f) Christmas Tree Festival.
The Church held a Christmas Tree Festival in Dec and invited the parish council to take part. Due to there being no meeting in December it was confirmed by email from 3 councillors, plus the Chairman that we should take part and purchase a tree. The Chairman agreed to purchase and decorate the tree. It was ratified by JF and GG that the Chairman be reimbursed £16.00 for the cost of the tree.
7. Highways (22/007)
a) The Fen Road verges and road surface have suffered because of the road closure of the Billinghay/Walcott road for the upgrading of the cyclepath. It was agreed to request LCC inspect the Fen road with the view to repair sections and report back to us.
Action: The Clerk to write to Cllr Kendrick to request the road be inspected.
b) Village 'Walk about' with Highways.
The walk about took place on 9th Nov. Various pathway issues were identified and the damage to the footbridge from North Street to Harrowby close photographed. All were reported via 'Fix my Street' after the meeting. The Highways Officer, Rowan Smith, agreed to look into why the School Safety Zone is no longer being considered, why the drop kerb was not installed at the end of the Greendykes footpath at the Rowston Road end and why the maintenance contract for the new flood scheme has not been signed off yet with the IDB. The Clerkhas since chased the response to these questions and to date has not received a reply.
c) Response from Primary School
When we were notified by LCC Highways that a school safety zone will not be put in place on Church Street, we wrote to the school asking for other suggestions to protect the children. A response has been received, this will be forwarded to Highways via our councty councillor.
Action: The Clerk to forward the schools response.
8. The Village Hall (22/008)
a) Minutes from the latest meeting.
JF relayed the thanks from the village hall committee for the offer of the grant towards the village hall insurance, becasue of the increase cost, it will be a great help.
b) Update on the Village Hall Garden Maintenance.
The gardeners to commence work on 12th Jan and will meet with KG. 4hrs have benn allocated for January and a review of the hours will be discussed at the next meeting. It was agreed the purchase of new shrubs will be an agenda item for next month. JF gave a vote of thanks to the Chairman for helping with the the removal and disposing of berberis bushes. All agreed.
JF is waiting for a response on replacing the damaged post on the perimeter fencing. It is not cost effective for the original contractors to provide a replacement post.
An old sweeping brush was broken in earlier work, it was not known who it belonged too, so at this time it will not be replaced.
9. Drainage (222/009)
a) EA review of the Beck -
Correspondence on the review has been received from EA. After all the meetings and discussions we had with EA, it is confirmed they will not be digging out the silt in the Beck and they will not remove the weeds left on the banks. They will be providing digital information packs to explain how residents can protect their onw properties.
Action: The Clerk to request details on the digital information packs.
b) Flood Relief Scheme
It still has not been confirmed that the maintenance contract for the new flood relief scheme has been signed with the IDB.
10. Playing Field, Play Areas and Village General (22/010)
a) Monthly Inspection of the Play Equipment.
This is to be carried out by GG and a report provied.
b) Update on the Grant Application for New Outdoor Gym Equipment.
The application was submitted on 28th Nov. It has been reveiwed by the grant funders and accepted. Additional information was then requested by them as part of the application and it was sent to them on 10th Dec. The grant funders have confirmed the project has now been moved to the next stage of the assessment. The final decision takes place during the 1st week in March. Wicksteed have been informed and are aware of the dates.
The Chairman thanked the Clerk to completing the lengthy application process.
c) Update Spires and Steeples Footpath No.5
JF stated he has received 11 completed the forms confirming the link from footpath No.5 to the Beck Street exists and has been used regularly. A resolution was past confirming JF has permission to act on behalf of the Council for this matter. JF will now forward the completed forms to the LCC Countryside Offier
d) Play Equipment Inspection Training
LALC are privding training in June. JF and KH agreed to attend
Action: The Clerk to book 2 places on the course.
e) Review of Aillage Assets
A visual inspection of the listed assets was carrried out by the Clerk on 19th November. The list has been forwared to the councillors. There were no major repairs required. Several seats and bins need lichen cleaned off them and a couple of wood items require preservative. Cllrs agreed to check and report back to the Clerk if the old notice board is needed, before any repairs take place.
Action: The clerk to arrange the seats and bins to be cleaned, GG to obtain details of a contractor for the preservative.
f) Dog Fouling Compliant
A complaint about the about for dog fouling and loose dogs on the Playing Field has been received. It was agreed to look at extra signage for dogs to be kept on leads/clear up after your dog.
Action: The Clerk to provide details of signage for the next meeting.
11. Allotments (22/011)
a) Allotment Committee.
Therer will be no meetings until the spring.
12. Finance (22/012)
a) Bank Balances and Approval of Bank Reconciliation
The bank balances were reported as:-
PC General Account 26,534.96
Allotment Account £6,342.88
Mary Gresswell Trust Acc £5.45
The bank reconciliation was approved. For information the Litter Picking Grant is still due from NKDC and the Allotment Land Rent (invoice sent Nov)is expected.
b) Income Received.
From Western Power £8.31 to be banked. Not included in above totals.
c) Approval the following payments
It was proposed by GG, seconded by JB the following payments are made.
Salaries/Expenses £607.90
Village Hall - meeting rent £2.00
Autella Payroll Services £44.63 + £8.93 VAT = £53.56
Snowden - Bus shelter land rent £5.00
Digby Elves £35.00
JB Christmas Tree £16.00
It was ratified by GG, seconded by JB that approval of the following payments were authorised due to the December meeting being cancelled.
Salaries/expenses £650.10
Village Hall - meeting rent Oct £12.00
HMRC £48.20
d) Precept for 2022/23
The Clerk had forwarded copies of the proposed budget for 2022/23 and details of the precept calculator from NKDC.
The councillors considered the budget and it was proposed by GG, seconded by JF and RESOLVED the Precept be set at £19,501.00.
JF proposed a vote of thanks GG and Clerk for their work on the budget. All agreed.
13. Correspondence (22/013)
a) LALC Newsletter - Distributed to all councillors
b) NKDC Newsletter - Distributed to all councillors
c) Holiday Sports Club Proposal
d) Quickline - Better internet connection
e) LCC temporary road restriction - Digby Fen 5th Jan to 7th Jan, Anglian Water
f) NHS Services consultation
14. Dates of Future Meetings (22/014)
Parish Council meetings
For 2022 - 14th Feb, 14th Mar, 11th Apr, 9th May, 13th Jun, 11th Jul, 8th Aug, 12th Sep, 10th Oct, 14th Nov, 12th Dec.
15. Any Business to Note for the Next Agenda (22/015)
Suggestions for ways to celebrate the Queens Jubilee
16. Closed Session (22/016)
(For confidential items in accordance with the Public Bodies Act 1960)
At 20.35hrs it was RESOLVED to go into closed session.
a) To review the litter pickers rate of pay.
It was agreed to award the increase in the Litter Pickers rate of pay.
20.40 There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed