January 2021 Minutes

APPROVED Minutes of the BILLINGBOROUGH PARISH COUNCIL Meeting held via Zoom on Tuesday 12 January 2021

Present: Cllrs C. Woodhead (Chairman), R. Stafford, V Vince, D Cope, J Surtees, From Agenda Item 5, Cllrs P Major and C Labinjo

In Attendance: Mrs H. Beaver (Clerk & RFO), D Cllr J Hansen (SKDC) until after Agenda item 11 and C Cllr M Hill until after Agenda item 3

There were no members of the public present, so the Chairman opened the Meeting at 6.30pm.

Chairman’s Opening Remarks

440. The Chairman welcomed everyone to the virtual meeting and thanked them for attending. She also reminded all Cllrs, that particularly with the difficulties of operating Council business during the pandemic, how important it was to reply to emails swiftly and act on any tasks given as quickly as possible.

Apologies for absence

441.The Clerk reported that apologies for absence had been received from Cllr Stevenson. It was RESOLVED to accept this absence.

3.     To receive any External Reports. (Moved forward due to C. Cllr Hill’s time restraints)

442.C. Cllr M Hill reported that LCC intended to submit plans for 25 houses on the former  Aveland site and sought the Council’s thoughts on that intention. He estimated that plans would be submitted in December 2021.He also reported that the flooding on Birthorpe Rd, the white lines, and the missing sign on the A52 were all being dealt with. 
After queries being raised by Cllrs Woodhead and Surtees regarding the state of the road in Birthorpe village and on the Folkingham Rd and Mareham Lane at Stow, and the responsibility for and ownership of, the jitties in the village, Cllr Hill said he would look in to these matters.He also reported that the vaccination program was going well.

443. D Cllr Hansen reported that he too had reports that the vaccination program was going well. He also reported that there was a possibility that the County Council elections could be postponed due to the pandemic. He had been lobbying re the missing sign on the A52.

4. Receive any new Declarations of Interest

444. There were no declarations of interest notified.

5 To Approve the Minutes of the Meetings held on the 3 and 17 November 2020.

445. It was RESOLVED, by a show of hands, to accept the DRAFT Minutes of the Meetings of Tuesday 3 and 17 November; the Chairman signed the file copies.

Councillor vacancies and possible co-option

Two applications for co-option had been received and circulated prior to the meeting. The Chairman had had telephone conversations with both candidates, who were asked to wait in the waiting room whilst Cllrs discussed the applications and voted. The Council Unanimously Resolved to co-opt Philip Major and Catherine Labinjo. Both signed an Acceptance of Office form when they rejoined the meeting.

To receive any community reports

447. No Community reports received.

Clerk's Report and Correspondence 

448. The Clerk advised that the monies had now been received from Horbling PC.It was suggested that as LCC were not able to provide grit bins, the Council could consider provision of grit bins in another financial year. It was also suggested that the Council continue to seek volunteers to help around the village, when necessary, and that this would be advertised again in the newsletter. It was noted that the litter picking equipment was being used by volunteers and again suggested that this be advertised in the newsletter.

Finance Matters

F/Y 2020/21 Accounts to Date

Approval of Expenditure

449. It was RESOLVED, by a show of hands, to accept the previously circulated lists as a true record of both the accounts to Dec 31 2020 and motions agreed via email.

b) Approve payments of current annual subscriptions.

450. It was Resolved, by a show of hands, to carry on with the subscriptions as per the previously circulated list in the next F/Y, 2021-22.

c) Approval of Budget for F/Y 2021-22 and Precept

451. It was RESOLVED, by a show of hands, to request a Precept of £15,000

452. It was RESOLVED, by a show of hands, to accept the previously circulated budget with a £500 reduction on the Pavilion Electricity, making the agreed total expenditure £64,950.

10 Village Matters

Parish meeting

453. It was RESOLVED, by a show of hands, that as the meeting was almost definitely going to be via Zoom this year, that it would be carried out as normal, encouraging reports to be submitted, rather than attendance.

b) New website

454.The Chairman advised that this was now live and work in progress but overall, much improved and she asked for a volunteer to help with the administration of it. No volunteer came forward.

c) Village passageways

455. It was RESOLVED, by a show of hands, that the Clerk should write to the residents bordering the passage way between Burton lane and Brewery Rd regarding the overgrown trees.

d) Parking issues

456. Following a suggestion that the Council try a campaign of leafleting offending vehicles, it was RESOLVED that Cllr Vince should approach the Primary School to ask if the pupils could design a leaflet.

e) Noticeboard

457. Further research is needed but it was hoped that an agreement on this could be reached via email before the next meeting.

f) Additional Speed Sign

458. As the Chairman is meeting a representative from the road safety partnership in the coming weeks, a decision was deferred to be agreed via email after feedback from that meeting had been circulated.

g) Planters

459. Cllr Vince said she had been unable to do the spring planting as planned, but offered to clear the planters out in readiness for summer planting.

h) Aveland land Development Plan

460. As it looked unlikely that the transfer of the land would take place this year, it was agreed that nothing could be taken forward at present.

) BAGS Agreement
   461. The Chair advised that the temporary clause about locking the gate could be taken out, Chairman to query the situation regarding residents from out of the village.

j) Sports Pavilion

462. As only one quote had been received, it was agreed that the decision of who to award the contract to could be agreed via email once the other quote had been received and circulated.

k) Play Park

463. It was RESOLVED, by a show of hands, to accept the quote from Aztec signs and install the signs for the sum of £229.95 + VAT. Clerk to advise. It was agreed to defer a decision regarding the allocation of work to repair the surface of the play park until a quote had been received from the company who carry out the annual inspection. A

l) VE  Day Bench

464. It was RESOLVED, by a show of hands, to accept the quote from G Hallam for £130 for the installation of the  VE Day bench. Chairman to contact.

m) Springwells Island

465. Following a discussion about the best place for the stone to be delivered, it was agreed that the best area would be in front of the Bungalows. Clerk to contact the residents of the Bungalows to ask if they would consider parking elsewhere whilst the work was being carried out. The Village hall car park was suggested as an alternative parking site. Clerk to contact.

n) Springwells area decoration

466. It was agreed that once quotes had been received and circulated then this could be agreed via email.

o) Cemetery – new rental contract for Horsefield .

467. An application to rent the had been received and it was agreed that as long as the applicant agreed to the contract, the applicant could be accepted.

It was RESOLVED, by a show of hands, to adopt the previously circulated Equine Grazing Licence as the contract for the letting of the field to the rear of the cemetery.

Planning Applications

468. There were no applications that needed discussion.

Closed Session-Cricket Club Agreement

469. The Chairman read the required statement and it was RESOLVED, by a show of hands, to move into closed session in accordance with the public bodies (admission to meetings) Act 1960 due to the confidential nature of the item being discussed.

470. It was RESOLVED, by a show of hands to keep the arrangement as an Agreement.

471. It was RESOLVED, by a show of hands, to accept the previously circulated agreement with the discussed insertions at points 3, 4,5,6,16 and 20. To remove point 7 and keep point 27 in. Once point 7 is deleted, all following points to be re numbered.

Clerk to action.

The Chairman closed the meeting at 08.20 pm

Next Meeting of the Parish Council: Tuesday 9th March 2021 commencing at 6.30 pm via Zoom