2020 minutes

Sturton by Stow Parish Council met remotely via Zoom on Wednesday 7 October 2020 at 7.30pm hosted by Chair Cllr Dennis Taylor.  Present:  Parish Clerk, Parish Cllrs Gilbert, Cllr Pickering, Cllr Hellen, Cllr Banham, Cllr Christie, Cllr Moore and 1 member of the public.

1. Apologies for absence and reasons given.  Received and accepted from Cllr Butroid and District Councillor Coulson.
2. To receive declarations of interests in accordance with the Localism Act 2011-None
3. To approve minutes of previous meeting

Proposed by Cllr Mrs Gilbert to accept.Seconded by Cllr Hellen.All agreed.

4. Meeting opened to the public 7.35p.m.

Mr Bruce gave reasons for the Men in Sheds grant application stating that unexpected problems with the electrical supply has meant that funds held, which were going to be used to purchase the second unit, were now being used to sort out this issue.Hence the new application for the second unit.

Meeting closed to public at 7.40p.m.

5. Matters arising from minutes

Blocked Gullies-Cllr Butroid to be contacted for update

Remaining hedges- Cllr Mrs Banham to speak to one of residents

Fleets Rd, planning issue-sent to Highways as there may be some verge encroachment, clerk to chase

Footpath, east side High St-No further action unless it worsens

No cycling signs-job committed

Map of responsibility Twitchell being drawn up-in progress

Ruts The Glebe grass-Work in progress

Missing bolts playpark equipment-repaired

Moss, playpark Allen Close-cleared

Litter Bin full Allen Close-emptied

Branch removed Village Hall playpark

Bransby Road sign damaged-awaiting design

Reactive sign not working-repaired

6. Request from Village Hall for grant allocation £3795.99

Proposed by Cllr Hellen to pay, Seconded by Cllr Mrs Banham.  All agreed

7. Continental Landscapes- grasscutting £246.95 plus vat

Proposed by Cllr Pickering to pay.  Seconded by Cllr Mrs Gilbert.    All agreed.

8. PKF Audit fee £300 plus vat

Proposed by Cllr Mrs Gilbert to pay.  Seconded by Cllr Pickering.   All agreed.

9. Lalc LCR Publications £17.50

Proposed by Cllr Mrs Gilbert to pay.  Seconded by Cllr Mrs Banham.  All agreed.

10. Direct Debits paid: British Gas Electric OSR £10.56 plus vat  -Multidata £38.92-  Anglian Water £39.28 info only
11. Accounts summary –including clerk salary and expenses and village litter picker salary-circulated

It was noted salary and expenses submitted also by handyman.

Income received:  WLDC Village Hall internet £38.92  Post Office OSR Hire £130

Proposed by Cllr Pickering to pay.  Seconded by Cllr Mrs Gilbert.  All agreed.

12. General maintenance issues -to include  i)new post box village green and disappearance of one Thorpe lane/Tillbridge Rd    ii)Parish Drain clearance hedge side behind The Glebe

i)It was noted a new post box had been installed Thorpe Lane/Tillbridge Rd.Postmaster to be approached for contact to request larger one on village green.

ii)Cllr Moore reminded council of all the work and research that had been done around lockdown regarding the flooding and dyke clearance work required.It was agreed to try to arrange a meeting with all relevant parties before the next meeting to highlight the issues.

iii)It was noted the streetlights at the junction of High Street/The Close have not been working for approx 9 months now.Clerk to chase as a matter of urgency.

iv)It was reported a resident on Tillbridge Road was having issues with his drive flooding and that the camber on the road is wrong.Clerk to report.

v)It was reported that there are ruts in the verge where lorries are turning into Obam Lifts on Tillbridge Rd.Clerk to contact.

13. Rec field land registration and clarification re rec field car park payment, addition to minutes-report sent

It was agreed to add to these minutes that “Clarification was sought from Lalc before making the payment of £24,000 and reclaiming the vat of £4000.  That Lalc advised this could be done as long as the parish council own the recreation ground.  It was noted it had been listed as an asset since at least 2014 and a statutory declaration was held stating the Parish Council to be the freehold owners of the land”.  Copy of this to be placed with the minutes from 2019.

Clerk gave a report on the research done to establish if the recreation ground is registered as the 2004 minutes stated.  It appears this is not the case and an interest only was registered with the land NOT that the land was registered.

It was proposed to allow the clerk, if required, to spend up to £500 with the solicitor to obtain the registration of the land.  Proposed by Cllr Mrs Christie.  Seconded by Cllr Mrs Gilbert.  All agreed.

14. Arrangements for Rem Day/Xmas

Rem Day.  It was agreed to hold a small service on Sunday 8 November with just the vicar, chair and vice-chair present, reading the names and laying the wreath.  Clerk to contact vicar to ask if they would be willing to attend.

Xmas-It was agreed to order tree as usual, erect and switch on Sat 5 Dec with no carol service.  It was discussed whether to have a xmas lights competition in the village with prizes.

Votes for competition 6    Against 1.

Votes to ask Stow if they would like to be involved Votes for 4   Votes against 3.

Clerk to contact Stow and local businesses for donations for prizes.

Cllr Mrs Banham to produce media statement.

Judging to be on Sat 12 Dec with possibly the chairs from the 2 parishes acting as judges.

15. Projects to budget for 21/22

Maintenance/Drainage Fund £1000

Jubilee Wood £500

16. Jubilee Wood update to include i)agreement to purchase brush cutter max £150 ii)discussion re hedging inside and out

i)Cllr Hellen advised further research was necessary as to the type of cutter required and advised one could be hired for the day for around £30 to try out.

ii)Hedging.  It was agreed that the inside does not need cutting for the time being.  Quotes to be obtained for the outside hedge

iii)It was discussed whether to continue with looking at setting up a management group.  It was agreed unanimously to defer this for 6 months.

Iv)Repairs to the gate are in progress

17. Grant applications received

Village Hall  £3500

Rec Field      £4000

Youth Club   £4000

Men in Sheds   £3600

Horticultural Society  £1915.26

18. Quotes received for work on tree Ashfield-circulated

Quotes received for £490 plus vat and £450 plus vat.  Proposed by Cllr Mrs Gilbert to go with the quote for £490, as the company had been used previously.  Seconded by Cllr Mrs Christie.  All agreed.

19. Updates on noticeboards-installation of new one on village green and installation on Stow Road

It was agreed to go ahead with the quote received of £50 plus vat to install the new noticeboard on the village green using the existing posts.  New installation on Stow Rd-agreed to quote of £140 plus vat.  It was noted agreement had not yet been received from Highways.  Resident who’s hedging this to be installed against to be contacted as a matter of courtesy.

20. Proposed reduction to speed limit Stow Rd-comments

No comments to make.

21. New development rear of Tillbridge Rd-suggestions for name

No further names agreed, so proposed name of The Orchard accepted.

22. Planning Applications

i)141616-Rowans, Stow Rd-remove conservatory and erect single storey extension-No comments.

ii)141447-Land rear of 56 Saxilby Rd-amended application single storey extension-could lead to flooding of existing properties.

23. Planning Permissions

i)141321-Plot 2 Fleets Rd-approval of reserved matters

ii)141425-2 Swan Drive-single storey extension

iii)141365-81 Saxilby Rd-remove conservatory and erect single storey extension

24. Items to be noted or dealt with at next meeting  

i)Planning Application 141447 Land rear of 56 Saxilby Rd-single storey extension-amended application-comments re increased risk of flooding

ii)It was agreed to be included in the proposed letter to be sent by Stow Parish Council regarding the issues with sewage treatment plants referring to the one in Sturton.  It was suggested that the issue of rainfall also leads to the discharge to be added.

iii)Cllr Moore advised that following on from the scarecrow competition, the Cross Keys at Stow had asked if the parish council would like to accept a donation of £30 from their food sales.  It was agreed to accept this, thanks being sent to the Cross Keys.  It was suggested this is used for bulbs.  To be placed on agenda for next month.

Meeting closed at 22.10pm.