June 2020 Minutes

Scopwick and Kirkby Green Parish Council
http://parishes.lincolnshire.gov.uk/ScopwickandKirkbyGreen/

Parish Council Meeting Minutes: 2nd June 2020, virtual meeting via Zoom.

14/2020 Welcome and apologies

Chairman of Parish Council Philip Baumber welcomed Councillors to the online meeting. Apologies were accepted from Cllr Alistair Brackenbury. No declarations of interest nor requests for dispensations were received.

Attending:

Cllr Philip Baumber (Chair), Cllr Janet Flett,, Cllr Tim Banks, Cllr David Nelson, Cllr John Money, Cllr Owen Davies.

Officer: Jill Moran (Parish Clerk).

15/2020 Minutes

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on the 28th January 2020 were approved and signed by the Chairman.

16/2020 Reports

Written reports were received and noted as follows:

(a) Clerk’s Report:

(i) Planning applications received/decided since last meeting:

1.Installation of 1.2m high post and rail fence and 2 no. gates - Land Adjacent To Main Street And Church Lane Kirkby Green Ref. No: 20/0539/FUL | Received date: Wed 29 Apr 2020 | Status: Pending Consideration

2. Erection of agricultural workers dwelling in connection to the adjacent Poultry Farm (re-submission of 17/1488/FUL). - Lincolnshire Chickens Ltd Timberland Road Kirkby Green Lincoln Lincolnshire Ref. No: 20/0534/FUL | Received date: Tue 28 Apr 2020 | Status: Pending Consideration

3. Conifers on southern boundary - fell - 36 Brookside Scopwick Lincoln Lincolnshire LN4 3PARef. No: 20/0338/TCA | Received date: Wed 11 Mar 2020 | Status:TPO not required

4. Part demolition of existing conservatory. Erection of replacement with a small extension. - 1 Church Row Scopwick Lincoln Lincolnshire LN4 3NS Ref. No: 20/0218/HOUS | Received date: Wed 19 Feb 2020 | Status: Approved 14/4/20

5. Notification of Intended Works to Trees within a Conservation AreaSCOPWICK 0DAH Willow - fell; 0DAL Horse Chestnut - fell-Land opposite 45 - 49 Main Street, Scopwick, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN4 3NW| Status:TPO not required

6. Installation of a roof window to the bathroom and also to the bedroom next door. - Teazle Cottage 101 Main Street Scopwick Lincoln Lincolnshire LN4 3NW Ref. No: 20/0098/LBC | Received date: Thu 30 Jan 2020 | Status: Pending Consideration | Case Type: Planning Application

7. Change of use of land to residential curtilage and erection of new double garage. - Plot 2 Land Adjacent To Main Street And Church Lane Kirkby Green Lincoln Lincoln LN4 3PF Ref. No: 19/1774/FUL | Received date: Mon 23 Dec 2019 | Status: Approved.

8. Erection of 2 storey rear extension and double garage to the front of existing property. Demolition of outbuildings and single storey extension on the east side of the existing property. - 1 Vicarage Lane Scopwick Lincoln Lincolnshire LN4 3NT Ref. No: 19/1772/HOUS | Received date: Mon 23 Dec 2019 | Status: Approved.

8. Removal of an internal ground floor wall and installation of appropriate structural support - 5 Main Street Scopwick Lincoln Lincolnshire LN4 3NU Ref. No: 19/1703/LBC | Received date: Tue 10 Dec 2019 | Status: Approved

(ii) Playing Field

The application for funding for new play equipment to WREN (FCC funding) had been submitted. Their board is due to make a decision in June 2020. At the moment the play park areas of the playing field are still ‘closed’ to users due to the Coronavirus restrictions.

(iii) Village Maintenance

  • Cllr Flett has agreed to continue to arrange for the regular maintenance of the benches in the parish. An application to cover the cost of materials needed will be made in advance to the parish council.
  • A report of a broken plank on the wooden footbridge at the eastern end of the village green was reported to Lincolnshire County Council who own and maintain the structure.
  • A contractor employed by Western Power has contacted the Clerk for permission to trim back trees from the power lines on the area of village green outside the village hall. He has sent through a permission form in which Councillors are asked to agree to the minimum required reduction of 2m from the power line.

(iv) Speed watch

Due to the lockdown there have been no community speed watch sessions since the last parish council meeting. Cllr Brackenbury sent through the latest data from the SID relating to Feb/March 2020 from Heath Road Scopwick. A copy of this data is available on the parish council website.

(b) Village Hall Committee

Cllr Flett reported that:

‘A coffee morning was held on 25th January to celebrate National Village Hall Week.

We hosted NKDC open house and information session re the paper recycling scheme on 4th February.

The Friendship afternoon on 25th February had the best turn out to date.

All activities in the hall were cancelled on 16th March just prior to lock down as we were aware that many participants would be considered vulnerable.

Following advice and information from our insurance company we place a closed notice on the door and nominated our caretaker to be the one person entering the hall on a weekly basis to check on security. A notice on the door instructed her of safety measures before, during and after visiting. Information was display on the notice board re closures and cancellations.

Income has completely ceased yet we still have standing charges and other outgoings. I did apply for the Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Grant to help offset our outgoings and this application has been successful and a grant of £10,000 received to cover lost income.

I have continued to send out the Village News and a recruitment drive for the Village Draw was very successful.

VE Day celebrations went ahead albeit differently from planned, there are photos on Village website.

The emergency volunteers continue to do a brilliant job collecting and delivering shopping and medication and making regular phone calls to many residents in both villages.

Sadly the Village Show is cancelled. An alternative safe distancing activity is being considered.

We do intend to hold a celebratory event whenever this becomes a possibility.

We have no activities or bookings (sadly 4 wedding receptions have had to be cancelled) and committee meetings are suspended. The annual financial audit is going ahead. The Committee are considering whether to hold the AGM due in June 2020.’

(c) Neighbourhood Planning Group

Cllr Money reported that:

‘Since the last report there has been some progress with the draft NP, listed as follows -

The Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) previously mentioned has been finalised with an executive summary added, this assessment identified housing need in the parish as expected and has been circulated to members. Members of the NPG met with Helen Metcalfe (planning consultant) on the 4th February 2020 to discuss the HNA and other matters.

Peter Reeds with the aid of parish clerk applied to Locality (the government agency for Neighbourhood Planning) for further grant funding and technical support packages on the parishes behalf; the application was successful with grant monies to cover the expected future costs up to a maximum of £8k. We have also been awarded technical support packages to address site allocations, and design codes. The NPG recently held a virtual working meeting, the minutes of which are on the parish website.

Further discussions are taking place with NKDC’s LPA and the various agencies regarding the above matters, the group will keep the parish clerk informed of the progress made, please consult the parish website for any further information including the revised timetable of events, obviously the timescale will have to be flexible dependant on when a planning inspector can review the plan.’

(d) District and County Councillor reports

These are available to download from the website.

16/2020 Correspondence

A list of general correspondence received by the Clerk was noted.

17/2020 Matters considered

(a) Following the adoption in 2019 by North Kesteven District Council of a new code of conduct for members, it was resolved to replace the existing Scopwick and Kirkby Green code with the provisions of NKDC code which apply to the members of parish councils in the district. The new code and accompanying guidance was sent out to all Councillors who will submit a declaration of interest form to update the register held by the Monitoring Officer at NKDC.

(b) It was resolved to adopt new Standing Orders for Scopwick and Kirkby Green Parish Council and the draft prepared by the Clerk from the National Association of Local Council’s template was approved.

(c) It was resolved to adopt new Financial Regulations for Scopwick and Kirkby Green Parish Council and the draft prepared by the Clerk from the National Association of Local Council’s template was approved.

(d) The Terms of Reference of the Neighbourhood Planning Group had been updated to reflect the current membership (reduction of minimum membership from 6 to 4) and to include provision for the group to continue for two years to allow for the extended time needed to complete the process. The Parish Council resolved to approve the updated Terms of Reference.

(e) It was resolved to postpone the Annual Parish Council Meeting and the Annual Parish Meeting, both usually held in May, in line with the Coronavirus Emergency Regulations.

(f) The Clerk reported that the accounts and procedures for 2019/2020 had been approved by the internal auditor. The annual audit requires the Parish Council to approve the contents of the accounting statements before submission of the forms to the external auditors. The Parish Council read and resolved to approve the Annual Governance Statement (section 1 of the Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2019/20).

(g) The Parish Council read and resolved to approve the Accounting Statements (section 2 of the Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2019/20).

(h) Village maintenance:

i. Highways and footpaths

Cllr Nelson reported crops overgrowing the footpath from Kirkby Green towards Walcott before the railway line. Garden waste had been dumped in the ditch on the green part of Vicarage Lane.

It was agreed that the Clerk would look into these matters and report to the District Council if necessary.

ii. Other

The grass in the Kirkby Green churchyard had been cut and the area was looking tidy.

18/2020 Finance

(a) Accounts summary as at 31/5/20

  • Co-operative Bank current account: £13,189.35
  • Co-operative Bank deposit account: £27,983.92
  • Total funds: £41,173.27

(b) It was resolved to approve the following payments:

Payments made from 1 Feb 2020 to 31 May 2020:

  • J Moran – Clerks expenses Dec /Jan 2020 £69.53 (Postage: 28.07; Other –Instant Ink £15.98 and 15.48 envelopes and paper; Administrative £10; travel 0 )
  • J Moran salary January 2020 £428.76
  • R Nelson batteries for defib case £10.00
  • S Flett reimburse payment to plexus media for parish website £29.95
  • SKGVHC hall hire invoice 76 (Jan 2020) £30.00
  • J Moran salary February 2020 £428.76
  • Atkinson Arb tree work invoice 503 £594.00
  • Planning with people; NPG consultancy fees £750.00
  • J Moran clerks expenses Feb/Mar 2020 £37.63
  • J Moran salary March 2020 £428.76
  • Calico UK annual fee for parish website £52.80
  • Groundwork UK repayment of NPG grant £5809.35
  • SPCC agreed donation for grass cutting of Vicarage Lane cemetery £1000.00
  • Greenvale tree services for tree work on village green £660.00
  • J Moran salary April 2020 £428.76
  • C B Maintenance grass cut invoice 713 £465.00
  • LALC annual membership fee £232.64
  • LALC training scheme fee £120.00
  • Zurich; annual insurance premium (yr 3 of 3 year contract) £574.16
  • J Wood internal audit fee 2019/20 £50.00
  • CPRE annual membership subscription £36.00
  • J Moran salary May 2020 £428.76

To be paid before next meeting:

  • J Moran clerks expenses April/May 2020: postage0 .76; HP instant ink £15.98; Admin costs £10.00 £26.74
  • J Moran salary June 2020 £428.76

19/2020 Date of next meeting

Tuesday 28th July 2020 – Parish Council meeting 7pm venue to be decided.

Minutes submitted by:
Jill Moran, Parish Clerk. Dorset House, Vicarage Lane, Scopwick. Tel: 07512 234965.
Email: clerkscopwick@gmail.com