30th September 2020
Minutes
Haconby & Stainfield Parish Council
Parish Council Meeting
on Wednesday 30th September 2020
A remote meeting on Zoom video conferencing commencing at 7.00pm
Present: Councillors Richard Dixon-Warren (Chairman), Brian Blackbourn (Vice Chairman)
Derek Bailey, Philippa Dixon-Warren, Paul Smart, David Winn
County Councillor Martin Hill
District Councillor Dr Peter Moseley
Parish Clerk – Mrs Wendy Gray
No members of the public requested to join the meeting
1) Chairman’s Introduction, Announcements. Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting. This is our second Zoom meeting, no particular announcements, no members of public requested to join in.
2) Public Questions, Comments or Representations. None.
3) Apologies for Absence. Cllr Rayfield, Police
4) Updates – LCC/SKDC/Parish Council/Police.
a) LCC Update: Cllr Hill – nothing to report since last meeting, Covid-19 still battling on, we are currently doing what we can to help situation. Rates of infection remain very low in Lincolnshire, rate of increase in line with national rate. In a reasonably good place. Testing situation is improving people can get tests. We had to give up testing capacity to other parts of the country where rate is high.
Cllr R Dixon-Warren asked if there was any specific information on cause of increased infection, noting that following latest review of restrictions pubs closing at 10 pm result in putting people on the streets to carry on socialising.
Cllr Hill – we are learning as we go along – will have to do our best and follow ‘Hands, ‘Face and Space’ key behaviours.
LCC Waste Unit – current requirement will continue until Spring, 5 days a week using booking system.
b) SKDC Update: Cllr Moseley – similar within SKDC as LCC. Have been able to run funding project like Best Kept Village Competition.
Fly Tipping – keep eyes peeled. If discovered, previous owners of flytipped waste face prosecution, ensure those disposing of waste have valid waste carrier’s certificate.
Bulk Collections – have to ring up for it – 15% more customers than expected using green bin system.
Looking at enhancing recycling system – purple Bin – looking at splitting paper and card – scheduled to arrive in this district by 2022. Involves extra bin to be collected.
Question – did Parish Council get planning consent? Cllr R Dixon-Warren – application accepted, comment from Black Sluice Inland Drainage Board, no decision yet. Cllr Moseley – will chase up.
c) Police – Cllr R Dixon-Warren – nothing to report.
5) Disclosures of Interests. Cllr R Dixon-Warren (11b) – Secretary PCC, Cllr Bailey (11(a) ii) – Tenant. Dispensation agreed to comment.
6) Minutes. To resolve that the minutes of the meeting of the Council meeting held on 8th July 2020 be signed as a correct record. All in agreement. Retrospectively proposed by Cllr Blackbourn and seconded by Cllr Bailey.
7) Matters arising from the Minutes 8th July 2020.
Shooting Rights – Cllr R Dixon-Warren to contact current holder.
Zoom meeting with PCC on transfer of authority for churchyard – to be considered.
8) Administrative Report and Correspondence Received. Emails forwarded to Councillors.
LALC Annual Report.
Thank you letters to Cllr Hill and Cllr Moseley re support.
Update on income and expenditure to date. Spreadsheet circulated to all Councillors via email.
9) Budget and Invoices to be agreed for payment.
7th September 2020:
HMRC - £69.40
Parish Clerk Salary – £138.54
Ladywell Accountancy (Payroll) – £64.50
30th September 2020
Parish Clerk Expenses – £39.72
Community Cleaner/Grass cutting – £234.28
D Bailey (Sign for Allotment Gate) – £4.99
P Taylor (Internal Audit) – £100.00
Cllr Bailey enquired if Parish Clerk had managed to source better rate on telephone charges. Parish Clerk advised new contract set up with effect from 30th October.
All in agreement. Retrospectively proposed by Cllr P Dixon-Warren and seconded by Cllr Smart.
Question raised – going forward could any regular payments be set up by Direct Debit? Parish Clerk to draw up list of organisations to which this might apply for authorisation by the Council. Cllrs agreed that transition to electronic banking be investigated.
Income Received: None.
Cllr R Dixon-Warren advised we need to focus on Budget prior to next meeting, once done in place and there for the future.
10) Planning Applications Update.
Awaiting SKDC decision on Parish Council application for planning permission for change of use for Parish Land.
11) Business Items:
a) Parish Land.
Parish Council paid £360 for burn site clearance and removal. Person responsible refused to reimburse. Advice taken. Council lacks staff and financial resources to follow up debt recovery courses advised. Options: write off or keep open to give person responsible the opportunity to do the right thing.
All in agreement that Council should not write off the debt, so will keep open for the time being and review in 12 months’ time. Retrospectively proposed by Cllr R Dixon-Warren and seconded by Cllr Winn.
Plots 1 and 2 – good to see work carried out in preparation for handover of tenancies, more to be done. Parish Council approved request for delay by a month to enable completion of clear up.
Hedge cutting reminder sent – some work has been done.
Allotment Gardens (Plots 5C and 5D) – some work has been done on one, one remains untended despite reminders being sent.
b) Transfer of Responsibility for Churchyard Maintenance.
Cllr R Dixon-Warren reported that he had not yet followed up Cllr Blackbourn’s report on the condition of churchyard (particularly the wall at the south-east corner) but plans to visit to take photos.
An invoice for closed churchyard grass cutting this year is awaited.
c) Maintenance – Grass Cutting. Discussion on review of contracts to take place early in 2021. Parish Council duty to ensure value for money in contracts and to explore potential alternatives.
d) New Parish Council Website. Cllr Bailey gave a demonstration on what has been completed so far and highlighted amendments made. Parish Cllrs to advise Cllr Bailey on any further thoughts on content and layout. Cllr P Dixon-Warren thanked Cllr Bailey for all his hard work so far on this.
12) Any Other Business.
LALC AGM 13th October 2020 – Cllr R Dixon-Warren invited volunteers to represent the Council. Afternote: Parish Clerk to advise that no one will be able to participate from Haconby & Stainfield Parish Council.
Cllr Winn suggested a Parish Council walkabout to check condition of villages, bus shelter and Parish Land, and to update risk assessment.
13) Date of Next Meeting. Monday 23rd November 2020 – Remote Meeting commencing 7 pm on Zoom.
The meeting closed at 20.56 pm.
CLOSED SESSION
14) Contingency Planning. No points to discuss in closed session.