October 2020 Minutes
BIGBY PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY, 20th OCTOBER, 2020
CHAIRMAN – COUNCILLOR D. COWLING
PRESENT: Councillors – D. Cowling, P. Hannath, B. Orr, W. Pinney, C. Wilson
Also in attendance: -
Mrs. A. Hannath – Clerk to the Council
Cllr. Paul Howitt-Cowan
BUSINESS TO BE TRANSACTED
44 Notice convening the meeting.
Taken as read and approved.
45 To Receive Apologies and Reasons for Absence
Cllr. L. Bishop
46 a) To Record any Declarations of Interest by any member of the council in respect of the agenda items listed below. Members declaring interests should identify the Agenda Item and the type of interest being declared.
None
b) To Note any Dispensations given to any member of the council in respect of the Agenda Items listed below.
None
47 TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM COUNCILLOR TURNER ON COUNTY COUNCIL MATTERS
No report provided
48 TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM COUNCILLOR PAUL HOWITT-COWAN, WHO IS THE DESIGNATED POINT OF CONTACT WITH WLDC UNTIL THE ELECTION IN MAY 2021 OF A NEW DISTRICT COUNCILLOR
Cllr. Howitt-Cowan had provided a written report prior to the meeting, which was circulated to the councillors.
Cllr. C. Wilson asked what procedures WLDC had in place to deal with a potential increase in the number of people with COVID 19, especially given that there are residents who commute on a regular basis to towns/cities with high levels of infection.
Cllr. Howitt-Cowan reassured the meeting that there were ample test centres locally, which now include a site in Gainsborough, the Lincolnshire Showground and Lincoln University.
49 Police Matters
PCSO Dawn Cowling advised, on 5th October 2020, that correspondence with the 29 villages within the community will now take the form of a monthly newsletter. This was circulated to councillors.
50 To Receive any Correspondence (for information only).
a) Email received, after publication of the agenda, from WLDC asking for an estimate of the precept for 2021/22. The Clerk advised that an estimate in line with last year’s precept should be a fair reflection of the Parish Council’s needs for 2021/22
b) Resignation letter from Councillor Shirley Large. The vacancy has been advertised.
51 To Receive an Update on any outstanding issues from the clerk.
a) The Clerk has renewed her membership of SLCC
b) The problem of blocked drains on Main Street will be discussed as an agenda item.
52 Public Question Time
There were no members of the public present.
53 To Receive any Questions from Members.
None notified
54 a) TO RECEIVE AND APPROVE THE MINUTES, AS CIRCULATED, OF THE MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY, 1st SEPTEMBER 2020
It was resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 1st September, 2020, having been circulated should be taken as read and approved.
Proposed: Cllr. C. Wilson Seconded: Cllr. B. Orr
b) TO RECEIVE AND APPROVE THE MINUTES, AS CIRCULATED, OF THE MEETING OF THE VILLAGE HALL COMMITTEE HELD ON TUESDAY, 1st SEPTEMBER 2020
It was resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 1st September, 2020, having been circulated should be taken as read and approved.
Proposed: Cllr. P. Hannath Seconded: Cllr.C. Wilson
55 ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT
a) To Receive the following Financial Report and Approve the Accounts for Payment: as at 14th October 2020 (Documents attached)
30/09/2020 JB Rural Services Grass cut £78.00
05/10/2020 SLCC Membership fees £78.00
15/10/2020 Petty Cash Top Up £79.06
It was resolved that the accounts for payment listed above and the Statement of Accounts be approved.
Proposed: Cllr. C. Wilson Seconded: Cllr. B. Orr
b) To Undertake a Quarterly Review of the Accounts. (Documents attached)
It was resolved that the First Quarter Review of the Accounts be accepted.
Proposed: Cllr. D. Cowling Seconded: Cllr. B. Orr
56 PLANNING APPLICATIONS AND DECISION NOTICES
Members are reminded that applications can be received after the deadline for the publication of the agenda. The clerk will forward any further applications to you before the meeting for your consideration.
a) DECISION NOTICES
Application Reference Number: 141543
Planning application for single storey pool building adjacent existing outdoor pool.
Manor House, Main Street, Bigby
APPROVED
57 TO NOTE AND AGREE THE PAY RISE AWARDED TO EMPLOYEES BY NATIONAL JOINT COUNCIL (NJC) FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE EMPLOYEES
The Clerk advised that the new hourly rate for SCP 1 is £12.73. (Previously £12.39 per hour.)
NOTED
58 TO CONSIDER HOLDING THE CHRISTMAS WINDOW EVENT, ONCE AGAIN IN DECEMBER, 2020, AND, TO DETERMINE THE LOGISTICS NECESSARY FOR IT TO TAKE PLACE IN A COVID COMPLIANT MANNER
It was resolved that this event should take place on Friday 18th December at 6.00 pm. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to meet in the Village Hall for mulled wine.
A list of participating houses will be posted on the noticeboards and leaflets will be available to pick up from the Little Library. The event will be advertised in the Autumn newsletter.
Proposed: Cllr. B. Orr Seconded: Cllr. P. Hannath
60 TO CONSIDER INITIAL QUOTATIONS FOR SIGNAGE WITHIN THE PARISH.
The Clerk advised that some simple street name signs would cost approximately £100.00 plus VAT and fitting. A decision will be made when full costings are available for signage for:-
* Welcome to Bigby
* Village Hall
* Orchard
* Defibrillator
* Pingley Park
Proposed: Cllr. D. Cowling Seconded: Cllr. P. Hannath
61 TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE FROM THE CLERK ON THE BLOCKED DRAINS AND POTENTIAL UPSTAND ACROSS THE FARM TRACK OPPOSITE THE CHURCH
a) The Clerk advised that she had once again raised this issue with LCC Highways Department via telephone.
b) Frustrated at the lack of response, she raised a complaint.
c) She was advised that a Highways Officer, Robin Gill, is responsible for this area and that he would be asked to contact her.
d) The Clerk has asked on several occasions that Robin Gill contact her to meet on site and see the cause of this ongoing problem. There has been no contact to date
e) There has been a reply from Fix My Street, advising that the blocked drains will be cleared on the authority’s annual maintenance run in November.
f) The Clerk has also been in contact with the owner of the troublesome unadopted road, Richard Strawson. He suggested that the users of the road, himself and the Parish Council jointly fund a solution. The Clerk responded that as an upstand is very expensive, it would be difficult to ask users and the Parish Council to fund this.
g) The Clerk asked if he would give permission for the Village Handyman to dig some gullies into the road to reduce the volume of water streaming down it during heavy downpours. (One such gully was dug 3/4 years ago, just above the stable block, and did go some way to reduce the flow of water.) He had no objections to this course of action.
h) The Clerk has spoken to the Village Handyman and the suggestion is that 2 gullies be dug, one above and below the stable block. Obviously, he would need to be paid for this work.
Cllr. Howitt-Cowan asked the Clerk to provide him with an outline of the problem and he will look into the matter.
The meeting closed at 7.40 pm