September 2020

Minutes of the Ropsley & District Parish Council Meeting held virtually via Zoom Video Conference on Monday, 14 September 2020

One member of the public was in attendance to observe the meeting and did not participate.  The meeting commenced at 7.31pm.

1. WELCOME REMARKS BY THE CHAIRMAN (20/39)

The Chairman welcomed Members to the meeting and thanked them for their attendance.  Those in attendance, the Vice-Chair Councillor Marshall, Councillors Leslie, Porter, Reeves and Sentance, District Councillor Trotter and the Clerk Mrs Gascoigne. 

2. APOLOGIES:  TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND TO RESOLVE TO ACCEPT REASONS GIVEN (20/40)

Councillor Gosbee gave his apologies, the reasons for which were accepted.

3. DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTEREST AND REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATION (20/41)

Councillor Reeves declared an interest in agenda item 7.7 as Chairman of the Ropsley Colts football team.

4.    APPROVAL OF MINUTES (20/42)

4.1          The Chairman proposed that the Clerk’s notes of the meeting held on 13 July 2020 be approved as a true record.

Resolved: The Clerk’s notes of the meeting held on 13 July 2020 were approved and duly signed by the Chairman.

5.            DISTRICT AND COUNTY COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS (20/43)

5.1          Councillor Trotter reported that she had been approached regarding the cutting of the hedge on the Green.  An officer from SKDC had made a site visit, which confirmed that the District Council was responsible for the hedge on the Green side, whilst the other side was the responsibility of the householders.  The Council would only cut the hedge once a year outside nesting season.  Councillor Trotter reported that she had received a report from Councillor Gosbee regarding damage to the triangle of grass near the new Village Hall by the contractors. The Chairman informed Councillor Trotter that he had attended a Village Hall meeting last week where the matter was raised, and the contractors had resolved to make good the damage.  Councillor Sentance reported that some trees on the Village Green needed to be trimmed back and that there was also a tree that needed to be cut down.

Action: Councillor Trotter to conduct a site visit with Councillor Sentance to look at the trees on the Green.

Councillor Trotter informed Members that she would need to leave the meeting at 8pm.  The Chairman therefore moved the meeting to agenda item 12.1 in order that Councillor Trotter could contribute to the item.

12.1        Councillor Trotter informed members that she had spoken with both Planning and Environmental Protection colleagues at SKDC regarding the advertised camping, shooting, fishing and motocross activity between Humby and Ropsley.  Both she and the Parish Council had received correspondence from concerned parishioners, with the main issues raised being excessive noise disturbance, the closure of footpaths, traffic and road safety, COVID safety and planning and licensing considerations.  Members discussed whether the activity could be classified as temporary, which would have implications for the planning permissions required.  Councillor Rowbotham suggested that parishioners be encouraged to write individually to the relevant person at SKDC to air their concerns.  The Chairman informed Members that he had not yet spoken to the landowner, although Councillor Trotter added that County Councillor Hill had spoken to the secretary of the motocross club on the day and he was informed that it was a one-off event.

Action:  The Clerk, Chairman and Councillor Trotter to conduct further research on the relevant planning and environmental health regulations, and to circulate this with suggestions for further action to Members in advance of the next meeting.  Councillor Trotter to establish the relevant Cabinet Member for correspondence.

Councillor Trotter left the meeting at 8.07pm

6.            CLERK’S REPORT (20/44)

6.1          Members noted the contents of the Clerk’s report, providing updates on actions taken since the last meeting.

6.2          The Clerk reported that she had attended Zoom training from Lincolnshire County Council regarding the new website content management system.  She advised Members that content on the new website would need to be in the form of web pages rather than pdf files as at present, in order to meet accessibility requirements such as for visually impaired people using reader software.  She reported that there was likely to be a requirement for additional work transferring content from one website to the other before the old sites were closed down at the end of the year.               

7.            FINANCE (20/45)

7.1          Members noted the income received.

7.2          The Chairman proposed that the items of expenditure listed be approved.

Resolved:  To approve the proposed items of expenditure.

7.3          The Chairman proposed that Members approve the bank reconciliation previously circulated by the Clerk.  Resolved:  To approve the August bank reconciliation.

7.4          Members noted the budget monitoring statement showing expenditure and income against the 2020/21 budget to date previously circulated by the Clerk.

7.5          The Clerk informed Members that Lloyds were not currently accepting applications for new accounts due to Coronavirus, and that she would update the Council when this position changed.              

7.6          The Clerk informed Members that the Council should consider earmarking reserves in excess 6 months of income, as general reserves beyond this might be considered excessive.  Members noted the reason for the higher than usual reserves was the grant of £10k received from InvestSK.  Members discussed uses of reserves such as the new village sign, village gates, noticeboards, park benches and painting the remaining telephone boxes.  Members discussed the importance of ensuring funding was evenly distributed throughout the parish.Action: Members to talk to their parishioners to establish their aspirations for the villages.  Councillor Porter to obtain a quote for sandblasting the telephone boxes in Sapperton and Braceby prior to painting.  The Clerk to add consideration of the quote to the next agenda. 

7.7          The Chairman proposed that S137 applications received from Ropsley Colts requesting £150 and Braceby Church requesting £100 be approved.  Councillor Reeves abstained from the vote regarding Ropsley Colts by virtue of his declared interest.

Resolved:  To approve the applications from Ropsley Colts and Braceby Church as requested.

Action: The Clerk to contact the organisations to make payment.  The Clerk to follow up with the Village Hall Committee and Ropsley Baboons regarding their applications which had not yet been received.

7.8          The Chairman proposed that the request from the Royal British Legion for a donation of £120 be approved.

Resolved: To approve the application from the Royal British Legion as requested.

Action: The Clerk to contact the Royal British Legion to arrange payment.

8.            PLANNING (20/46)

8.1          Members discussed correspondence from a parishioner regarding planning application S20/0659 (38 High Street).  The Chairman reiterated that the Council had previously made representations in support of the parishioner’s views, but that it had limited powers in relation to planning.  Members discussed whether it may be preferable for the parishioner to correspond personally with the Planning Authority and whether he may benefit from expert planning advice on some of the points raised.

Resolved: To write to the parishioner expressing support and suggesting that he contact the Planning Authority and consider taking expert advice.

Action: The Chairman to draft a response, to be circulated to Members for agreement before being sent by the Clerk.

8.2          Members considered application S20/1147 and had no comments.

9.            NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN (20/47)

9.1          The Chairman reported that printed copies of the Neighbourhood Plan had been produced for public consultation, although the process for this would have to be amended to comply with social distancing.  SKDC would be appointing examiners, following whose comments the plan would go to examination next 

10.          HIGHWAYS (20/48)

10.1        Members discussed the response received from Lincolnshire County Council Highways in response to the Clerk’s report regarding potholes on Risewood Lane and Grantham Road.  Councillor Marshall reported that motorists had to stop if a car approached in the opposite direction, and that the condition was of serious concern.  She proposed that the matter be escalated to County Councillor Hill.

Resolved: To escalate the matter to County Councillor Hill.

Action: The Clerk to forward correspondence regarding potholes on Risewood Lane and Grantham Road to Councillor Hill.

10.2        Members noted temporary traffic restrictions on Braceby Road and Long Hollow from 14 September to 23 October.

11.          CEMETERY (20/49)

11.1        Councillor Sentance had nothing to report.

12.          COMMUNITY UPDATES (20/50)

12.1        Brought forward by the Chairman following item 5 above.

12.2        Members discussed the prize to be awarded to the cover photo winner in the photo calendar competition.  Councillor Marshall proposed that a hamper of local produce to the amount of £70 should be purchased.  Members agreed that the top thirteen photographs should be circulated to Councillors to vote, with the photograph with the greatest number of votes receiving the top prize.

Resolved: To approve a prize of a £70 hamper of local produce for the Photo Calendar Competition winner.

Action: Councillor Marshall to purchase the hamper.                 

12.3        The Chairman provided an update on progress with the Village Sign.  He informed Members that there were technical issues to be resolved between the designer and the company who would engrave the sign before a quote could be finalised.

Action: The Chairman to provide an update to the next meeting, and the Clerk to add to the agenda. 

12.4        Members noted correspondence from a parishioner requesting gating of Braceby and Sapperton Restricted Byway No. 9 at either end to prevent fly tipping and hare coursing, along with the response received from Andrew Savage at Lincolnshire County Council which indicated that gates could not be installed due to the legal requirement to provide access to walkers, horse riders, cyclists and carriage drivers.  The Clerk confirmed that she had forwarded Mr Savage’s response to the parishioner.

12.5        Members acknowledged the hard work of Councillor Gosbee and Mr Charles in painting the Humby telephone box.  Members asked whether Mr Charles might be approached to provide a quote for painting the other phone boxes in Sapperton and Braceby. The Chairman proposed that the Council provide a token of thanks to Mr Charles for his hard work, and a token to Mrs Charles for her work on the floral planters.

Resolved: To purchase a token of thanks for Mr and Mrs Charles in recognition of his painting the phone box at Humby.

Action: Councillor Sentance to speak to Mr Charles regarding a quote for the remaining phone boxes.

12.6        Councillor Sentance proposed that a donation of £100 be made towards the costs of plants to replenish the planters.  Members also discussed the purchase of further bulbs for Humby, Braceby and Sapperton.  Councillor Sentance reported that he had previously bought two sacks of daffodil bulbs for Ropsley.

Resolved: To approve a donation of £100 to the costs of plants to restock the planters.

Action: The Clerk to contact Mrs Charles to arrange payment of the donation.  Councillors Buckley, Leslie and Porter to enquire whether bulbs might be required for their respective villages.

12.7        Councillor Reeves advised Members that practical completion of the Village Hall works was on schedule for 18 September.  There would then be a two-week period to move contents from the old Hall to the new, and to put Health and Safety procedures in place, prior to opening on 1 October subject to COVID regulations. The Chairman asked whether the November Parish Council meeting could be in person subject to COVID risk assessments, with which Councillor Reeves agreed.

12.8        Councillor Buckley reported that there was concern that contractors in heavy vehicles attending a potential building site in Little Humby might cause further subsidence, and asked that closure of the side road to through traffic be added to the next agenda.

13.          CORRESPONDENCE (20/51)

13.1       Members noted general correspondence circulated for information since the July meeting.

14.          STAFFING (20/52)

14.1        Members noted the Local Government Pay Award for 2020/21 which resulted in an increase of 34 pence per hour in the Clerk’s salary.

15.          DATE OF NEXT MEETING (20/53)

15.1       Members discussed whether meetings should continue to be on a Monday, or revert to a Thursday as previously.  Members agreed to continue to meet on Mondays, and to commence future meetings at 7pm.  The next meeting to be on Monday 9 November at 7pm in the Village Hall unless changes in social distancing guidance in the interim prevent an in-person meeting.

The Chairman closed the meeting at 9.18pm