March 2021 Minutes
Approved Minutes of the BILLINGBOROUGH PARISH COUNCIL Meeting held via Zoom on Tuesday 09 March 2021
Present: Cllrs C. Woodhead (Chairman), R. Stafford, V Vince, D Cope, C Labinjo, P Major.
In Attendance: Mrs H. Beaver (Clerk & RFO), C.Cllr M Hill Joined the meeting at 19.05 and left at 19.20, D. Cllr Hansen joined the meeting at 19.21.
There were no members of the public present, so the Chairman opened the Meeting at 6.30pm.
Chairman’s Opening Remarks
472. The Chairman welcomed everyone to the virtual meeting and thanked them for attending. She also reminded all Cllrs, that a summons to the meeting was a legal call to attend and any non attendance should be notified to the Clerk or Chairman giving the reason for not attending.
Apologies for absence
473.The Clerk reported that apologies for absence had been received from Cllr Surtees. It was RESOLVED to accept this absence.
474 No declaration of Interests had been received.
4. To Approve the minutes of the meeting held on 12-01-2021.
475. It was RESOLVED by a show of hands to accept the DRAFT Minutes of the meeting held on 12-01-2021. The Chairman signed the file copy.
5 Councillor Vacancies and possible Co-option.
476.The Clerk advised that there were no vacancies at present but one application was being held on file.
No reports available.
The Chairman reiterated that, as reported by the Clerk, the application to appeal against the rateable value applied to the Pavilion, has not yet been submitted. The Clerk suggested that this be made an agenda item at the next meeting. The Chairman also reiterated that she had received verbal thanks from the Community Cleaner for the flowers that were given following her fall and pointed out that the VE Day bench had been delivered but help would be required to move it to site, when works were able to go ahead.
a) To agree pre circulated list of motions agreed via email
478. It was RESOLVED by a show of hands to accept the previously circulated list of motions agreed via email.
8 Finance Matters F/Y 2020/21
a) To agree previously circulated list of payments made since the last meeting.
479. It was RESOLVED, by a show of hands to accept the previously circulated list of payments made since the previous meeting as correct.
b) To agree the previously circulated accounts to the end of Feb 2021
480. It was RESOLVED, by a show of hands to agree the previously circulated accounts to the end of FEB 2021
a) To review and agree to any amendments to all policies.
481. It was RESOLVED by a show of hands to accept the statutory amendments to Standing Orders, all other policies to remain as they
b) To discuss and agree to updated version of the parish phone
482. The previously agreed contract could not be actioned as this was for a private number. It was RESOLVED, by a show of hands to commence a contract in the name of Billingborough Parish Council to the value of £12 per mth, (£10 exclusive of VAT)
CLERK to action.
c) To discuss Digital Mapping and an IT servicing contract
483. After discussion it was decided to explore this further. Cllrs to research and evaluate at next meeting.
d) To discuss cloud storage and the purchase of Council specific email addresses.
484. It was RESOLVED by a show of hands to purchase Council specific email addresses, Clerk to seek costs. After discussion, it was again, reaffirmed to maintain storage within onedrive.
As C Cllr Hill had joined the meeting, at 19.05 followed afterwards by D.Cllr Hansen, at 19.21 the external reports, which had been moved until their arrival, were heard next.
485. C.Cllr Hill reported that as the Aveland site was now looking very unkempt, he was keen to progress the housing development plans and that the comments made by the Parish council had been fed back to the appropriate department. He said that although some work had been carried out there, further works needed to be done in Birthorpe village. The ongoing queries regarding drains and ownership of the jitties, as yet had no resolutions. Parish councillors urged C. Cllr Hill to readdress these issues, and additionally the drainage on Chapel St and low St and near the Springwells. He reported that the vaccination program in Lincolnshire was going well (almost 40% of people vaccinated once), that an extra £12m had been put in the budget for local roads and that grants were available for small businesses who had so far been unable to access any help and that there was a scheme for supporting local village shops.
486. D. Cllr Hansen reported that after repeated objections, a £100k donation that SKDC were due to make towards the afterparty following the unveiling of the Margaret Thatcher Statue, it had been agreed that this donation would not take place, and instead the party would be privately funded. There are discussions around the possibility of merging the 7 District Councils into one Unitary Authority of Lincolnshire, which would be Mayor led. SKDC are also in the early stages of talks with S. Holland to amalgamate as a District. Cllr Hansen had awarded Ward Grants to several small local groups. He reported that a victory for democracy had been achieved as originally, local Cllrs had been told, due to Covid 19, no leaflets could be distributed for the upcoming local elections, after objecting, this had now been allowed. After attending a meeting with the Police Crime Commissioner, he could report that, when compared to other counties, Lincolnshire, in terms of Policing, was under funded by at least £10m, but if the average head of the population was taken into account, the figure was around £55m. He reported that burglaries were down, but hare coursing, which had decreased, was on the increase again. Cllr Hansen congratulated the PC on the renovations carried out to the island and duck house at the Springwells.
Item 8e and f were then discussed before moving on to item 10.
9e To discuss the eligibility of current projects for grant applications.
487.It was agreed for further research to be done and discuss at the next meeting.
9f To discuss SKDC offer of sand and bags and the Emergency plan.
488. It was Resolved by a show of hands to accept the offer from SKDC of sand and bags, assuming that a suitable storage area could be found. Clerk to ask local farmers. Cllr Major volunteered to instigate a new Emergency Plan.
11 Village Matters
Parish meeting
489. It was felt that the situation was the same as before, that this would take place via Zoom.
b) Parking Issues
490.Cllr Vince confirmed that she had spoken to the Primary School and they were going to produce some A5 leaflets of the children’s work about this issue. Cllr Major to speak to the owners of NISAand the Chip Shop re parking.
c) Noticeboard
491. It was RESOLVED, by a show of hands, that the Clerk should investigate if the 8 page one previously circulated was still available.
d) Speed Sign
492. Having discussed several queries that had risen, it was RESOLVED by a show of hands to go ahead with the purchase of the model previously agreed. Clerk to action.
e) Planters - update
f) Aveland Field
494.It was RESOLVED by a show of hands that the car event could not take place on the Aveland field. Clerk to notify.
g) BAGS Agreement – to agree previously circulated amendments
495. Deferred to be agreed by email.
h) Sports Pavilion – update on scheduled works and works offered by Cricket Club
496. Chairman advised that the agreed electrical works would commence at the end of April. After discussion, it was agreed in principle, that the Council would be happy to pay for the materials for repair works to be carried out to the porch area of the pavilion and the labour costs be met by members of the Cricket Club, with the proviso that confirmation is received that it will be done by tradespeople, and that details of the work to be carried out and associating costs be agreed prior to the work commencing.
C.Cllr Hansen left the meeting at 20.10
i) To agree a date for the opening of the Tennis Courts
497. As per Government guidelines It was RESOLVED by a show of hands, that the tennis courts would be opened from March 29.
j) To discuss possible repairs to tennis court kickboard, and to the surface of the car park.
498. Cllr Vince volunteered to make repairs to the kick board around the tennis courts. Repair of the car park to be deferred to the next meeting.
k) To discuss the possible erection of parking disclaimer signs in the car park.
499. It was RESOLVED, by a show of hands, to arrange for parking disclaimer signs to be erected in the car park.
l) To discuss the possibility of an annual application of an anti mole treatment and weed killer treatment of the field.
500. It was RESOLVED, by a show of hands, to defer any mole treatment for the time being and it was also RESOLVED by a show of hands not to apply a weed treatment to the whole of the field.
m) To discuss and allocate any tasks regarding works arising from the recently completed and circulated Tree Inspection.
501. It was RESOLVED by a show of hands to get quotes for completion of any works that fell into the essential and recommended category. Clerk to action.
n) Play park
i) To discuss the recent inspection and decide on any works to be carried out if needed.
502. Clerk advised that a weekly inspection of the play equipment should be carried out. It was agreed that The Chairman would ask the caretaker to carry this out. The only item of repair that was necessary was the repair to the wetpour. (See next agenda item).
ii) To discuss additional equipment and repairs to wetpour
503. Chair to ask supplier regarding a discounted price if equipment and wetpour repair ordered at same time and to arrange via email.
o) To discuss and RESOLVE on the outcome about the provision of a disabled parking space and a dropped kerb in the car
504. Deferred to next meeting.
p) VE Day Bench – update
505.The Chairman reported that this had been delivered and was in storage pending fixing.
q) Springwells – update on works to island, to RESOLVE to agree on any quotes received re decoration.
506. It was reported that many complimentary comments had been received about the works completed to the island. It was agreed that the invoice should be paid. Further quotes to be sought and addressed either via email or at the next meeting.
r) To discuss and if applicable RESOLVE to introduce a Memorial Plaque Purchase Scheme, for village benches.
507. This was agreed in principle, detail to be discussed at the next meeting.
508. There were no applications that needed discussion.
509. 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.
Cricket Club Agreement – feedback, decision and allocation of task.
510. It was agreed to keep the new Goodwill Agreement as previously discussed.
b) To discuss and RESOLVE if applicable to accept any increase to contractors’ rate of pay.
511. It was RESOLVED by a show of hands, to adopt the previously circulated rate of pay from April 1 2021 and to increase the
Community Cleaners rate to equal that of the the other two contractors.
c) To discuss the cemetery caretaker’s contract.
512. It was RESOLVED by a show of hands to offer the Cemetery Caretaker a permanent contract and accept the previously circulated changes to that contract.
d) To discuss applications received for use of recreation ground and the Aveland Field.
513. After a lengthy discussion it was agreed that Cllr Major would contact the Club involved and feedback via email when this had been
The Chairman closed the meeting at 21.34 pm
The Annual Parish Meeting will be held on Tuesday 11 May 2021 commencing at 6.30 pm followed by the Annual General Meeting of the Council, all via Zoom