Minutes November 2021
Minutes of the Ropsley & District Parish Council Meeting held at Ropsley Hall on Monday 8 November 2021.
Public Session
There were no members of the public in attendance.
The Chairman opened the meeting at 7.03pm
1. WELCOME REMARKS BY THE CHAIRMAN (21/48)
The Chairman welcomed Members to the meeting and thanked them for their attendance. Those in attendance, the Vice-Chair Councillor Marshall, Councillors Gosbee, Leslie, Rowbotham and District Councillor Trotter
The Chairman, Councillor Patrick Buckley announced his intention to retire from the post. This was for work, personal and family reasons and comes after 6.5 years in the role. He explained he would like to do this as soon as possible but equally, in the correct manner and ensuring an orderly handover. Councillor Buckley explained that legally the PC has to have Chairman in the seat. None of the other Councillors present wanted to take on the Chairman role. Councillor Buckley agreed to speak to the Parish Clerk to work out the best way to affect his resignation from the PC. The vacancy will be advertised and in the meantime all Councillors agreed to think about prospective candidates for the role to ask to apply.
2. APOLOGIES: TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND TO RESOLVE TO ACCEPT REASONS GIVEN (21/49)
The Chairman gave apologies on behalf of Councillors Sentance, Porter and the Parish Clerk Nikki Gascoigne the reasons for which were accepted. Notes of the meeting were taken by the Chairman.
3. DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTEREST AND REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATION (21/50)
Councillor Reeves declared a pecuniary interest in relation to item 8.1.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (21/51)
4.1 The Chairman proposed that the Clerk’s notes of the meeting held on 13 September 2021 be approved as a true record.
Resolved: The minutes of the meeting held on 13 September 2021 were approved and duly signed by the Chairman.
5. DISTRICT AND COUNTY COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS (21/52)
The County Councillor did not attend the meeting.
District Councillor Trotter reported on the following matters:
Parking around/near Ropsley Memorial Green
Councillor Trotter spoke to the owner of the garage and explained there was a growing feeling in the community about the danger posed by the garage cars parked around the Memorial Green. She also asked that all cars be removed for the Remembrance Service. It was a cordial meeting and the owner agreed to help.
Parking and sandbag on School Lane (side spur), Ropsley
Councillor Trotter has been liaising with a resident who is having issues accessing and parking their car caused by a neighbour’s large sandbag on the highway verge. Cllr Trotter has passed the matter to LCC Highways who are investigating.
Tree Trimming
Councillor Trotter is liaising with the Environmental team at SKDC to arrange a village walkabout to look at those trees in public spaces that need pruning/cutting back. She will advise in due course.
Finally, she explained that she now sits on SKDC’s Police & Crime Panel which will be helpful in ensuring the safety of the Parish.
6. CLERK’S REPORT (21/53)
6.1 Members noted the contents of the Clerk’s report, providing updates on actions taken since the last meeting.
6.2 Clerks update on banking arrangements deferred to the January meeting.
7. FINANCE (21/54)
7.1 Members noted that no income had been received.
7.2 The Chairman proposed that the items of expenditure listed below be approved.
Resolved: To approve the proposed items of expenditure.
Payee Purpose Amount £
Ropsley Hall Grant payment 2,000.00
PKF Littlejohn Audit fees 240.00
Wave Cemetery water 43.45
Employment Costs September 2021 485.45
PrintHub Newsletter printing 50.51
Employment Costs July 2021 485.45
Cllr Gosbee Ropsley fuel costs 65.28
C McGarrigle Humby fuel costs 41.91
LALC Annual Conference 33.00
Autela Payroll Payroll Services 53.56
Employment Costs October 2021 523.45
Cllr Marshall Photography Prize Hamper 75.00
Community Heartbeat Trust Chargepack and electrodes 125.76
7.3 The Chairman proposed that Members approve the bank reconciliation previously circulated by the Clerk.
Resolved: To approve the October bank reconciliation.
7.4 Members noted the budget monitoring statement showing expenditure and income against the 2021/22 budget to date previously circulated by the Clerk. The Chairman drew the Councillors attention to all items of expenditure above the budget which was noted and agreed as correct and in order.
7.5 Consideration of correspondence from SKDC regarding the Council Tax Support Scheme for 2022/23 deferred to the January meeting
8. PLANNING (21/55)
8.1 Members considered the following planning applications and resolved not to comment:
S21/2049 Reduce eucalyptus, 19 High Street Ropsley NG33 4BG
8.2 S21/2126 Single storey rear extension, demolition and rebuild of side porch, new decking to the rear, 5-7 Chapel Hill Ropsley NG33 4BW
8.3 Members noted correspondence from Lincolnshire County Council regarding consultation on the Local Transport Plan.
9. HIGHWAYS (21/56)
9.1 Speeding and Parking issues in Ropsley.
Some of the parking issues were already discussed in item 5 above. Councillor Reeves suggested that the PC may want to look into a ‘permit parking’ system as an alternative to ‘yellow lines’ with domestic residents being given permits. He also felt that the PC should again investigate the viability of an ‘electronic’ speeding sign, noting that many other small villages now have them e.g., Welby. He asked that the Clerk should again look into the cost and what ‘grants’ for these signs are available.
Action: The Clerk to obtain information and viability for Ropsley and costs for a ‘parking permit system’ and an electronic speed sign and grants available for discussion at the next meeting.
9.2 Drainage Matters
Update on drainage matters in Ropsley deferred to the next meeting.
9.3 Salt Bags
No additional / extra salt bags are required at the moment. However, Councillor Gosbee noted that many of the permanent ‘salt bins’ in Ropsley are empty and need filling.
Action: The Clerk to request the refilling of the salt bins in Ropsley and elsewhere in the Parish as required
9.4 Councillor Gosbee noted that the footpath from Ropsley to Little Humby had been cleared with new gates.
10.1 CEMETERY (21/57)
10.1 Cemetery Rules and Memorial Tree Policy
The Chairman read through the draft rules as previously prepared by the Clerk. In discussion between the Councillors, the following additions were requested to be added. The exact form of words to be agreed:
o The positioning of any future benches must in no way interfere with the current maintenance regime, the current burial pattern or impact on land required in future for burials. The same clause to be added for trees/roses.
o The positioning of any future benches must not breach Health and Safety rules or be a Health and Safety risk. Consideration must be made to falling trees and branches. The same clause to be added for new trees/roses referencing falling or hazardous branches, slip hazards from fallen leaves & fruit, roots interfering with maintenance and causing a trip hazard.
o Ashes are not permitted to be scattered around the cemetery or the pond.
Action: The Clerk to benchmark these rules against 3 or 4 other cemeteries and make the changes accordingly and make the necessary recommendations at the January PC meeting.
10.2 Memorial Tree Request.
Councillor Gosbee met the resident who asked to plant the memorial fruit tree. Various locations were reviewed and a site in the top south-west corner of the cemetery was identified behind the fire area. This is outside any current or future burial pattern, away from the areas of maintenance and public walkways. Therefore, the Council felt it fitted with the above criteria and it has been agreed.
10.3 Councillor Marshall produced a draft H&S brochure for the cemetery shed to accompany the rules. This was reviewed and amendments suggested.
Action: Councillor Marshall to produce a final version
11. COMMUNITY UPDATES (21/58)
11.1 Village Sign
The Chairman reported that work on the production of the timber for the sign was progressing/in hand.
11.2 Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
Arrangements/early planning for celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022 were discussed. It was agreed that the Council would provide support and finance to a subcommittee which would be drawn from volunteers. Councillors would approach members of other village groups and the community to ask if they would form a committee to run the project.
11.3 Photo Calendar Competition
Councillor Marshal gave an update on the photo calendar competition. The orders have gone well, and 185 calendars have been ordered including 70 by a local business for their clients. All surplus funds over costs will go to local projects. It was discussed that next year’s calendar should be on the ‘people of the Parish’ and Councillor Marshall will put out a notice asking people to start taking notable photos from now on.
11.4 Treescape Fund Application
The Chairman informed the PC that LCC could not award the Parish any trees based on the (mainly Highway verge) sites that the PC proposed. The timescales to find sites were too short to get the necessary permissions for private land and the PC may want to think about a more considered green plan with permissions for future offers.
11.5 Braceby Mowing
The PC voted to approve the donation of £100 for mowing in Braceby.
11.6 Tree Maintenance Works
The update on tree maintenance works was discussed in item 5 above.
11.7 New Planters
The PC decided to hold on ordering new planters for now as the existing one are still serviceable, but it was agreed to review this again next year.
11.8 Potential Allotments
Councillor Marshall reported that the local resident who is promoting the idea of a potential allotment in Ropsley had been trying to contact the relevant department in SKDC to discuss this but with no response yet. District Councillor Trotter said she would follow this up with SKDC.
11.9 To receive community updates from Councillors.
o Councillor Rowbotham informed the PC that further new chargepacks and electrodes would be required next year including for Braceby, Humby and Ropsley. The cost to be confirmed but she thought in the range of £400/£500. The Clerk to be asked if there was a contingency in the budget for defibrillator costs.
o Councillor Leslie asked if the phone box had formally been adopted now by the PC. Councillor Rowbotham said she would get a quote for the transfer or the electric for the defib to the phone box.
o In his absence, Councillor Sentance asked if the PC would agree to the donation of money towards the cost of the flowers in the village boxes. £100 to be agreed at the January PC meeting. He also noted the BBC Look North new piece about the WI’s wonderful poppy memorial at Ropsley Church.
Action: The Clerk to update the PC on the Braceby phone box adoption process.
12. CORRESPONDENCE (21/59)
12.1 Members noted general correspondence circulated for information since the September meeting.
13. DATE OF NEXT MEETING (21/60)
13.1 Monday 10 January at 7pm at Ropsley Hall.
The meeting closed at 8.30pm