2020 Minutes

Minutes of the meeting of Sutton Bridge Parish Council held 7pm Tuesday, 27 October 2020 via remote attendance.

Present: Cllr Simon Booth (chairman), Cllr Anne Scarlett (vice-chair), Cllr Michael Booth, Cllr Chris Brewis, Cllr Kim Davies, Cllr Rachael Goodwin, Cllr Ray Perkins (from item 20.187), Cllr Terry York, Mr Robert Smith (Clerk), Mrs Karen Croxford (Admin. Assistant.), Ms Kat Wakefield (Spalding Guardian).

Cllr S Booth greeted everyone present and informed them that the meeting would be recorded.

20.182 No apologies for absence were received. Cllr Summers was not in attendance.

20.183 Disclosable pecuniary or other interests were declared by:

I. As a tenant of the Parish Council, Cllr S Booth declared an interest regarding the agenda item on Farm Business Tenancies (FBTs), minute 20.196. 

II. As a close relative of a tenant, Cllr M Booth declared an interest regarding the agenda item on FBTs, minute 20.196. 

20.184 There was no public participation.

20.185 It was resolved to approve the minutes of the meeting held 29/09/2020.

20.186 Co-option of new councillor

I. One application for co-option had been received, the candidate’s details had previously been circulated. It was resolved to co-opt Mr Ray Perkins onto the Parish Council.

II. The Chairman declared Cllr Perkins duly appointed.

III. Witnessed by the Clerk, Cllr Perkins signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

IV. Cllr Perkins had been given a copy of the Council’s Code of Conduct and a Notification of Disclosable Pecuniary and Other Interest form for completion and to return to the Clerk. Under the Localism Act 2011, the Clerk was required to lodge the completed disclosable interest form with the Monitoring Office at the District Council within 28 days of the co-option.

V. Cllr Perkins would be provided with a copy of the Council’s Standing Orders and Financial Regulations.

Councillor Perkins joined the meeting at 7.04 pm.

20.187 Police matters

I. Cllr York and Cllr Brewis had reported an abandoned car parked outside the old carpet shop; this had now been removed.

II. Cllr A Scarlett reported an incident of a motorbike weaving in and out of the traffic through the village.

III. Cllr M Booth also reported that motorbikes had been using Centenary Way as a racetrack.

IV. All incidents should be reported immediately to the Police on 101. Clerk to also report.

V. Cllr S Booth advised that hare coursing was currently rife; the Police had been active in trying to catch those concerned.

20.188 Chairman’s remarks

I. The Chairman welcomed everyone and commented that winter had certainly now arrived.

II. It had been reported that last week Hunstanton RNLI had rescued a group of walkers on the marshes they were taken to safety and landed on the Jetty outside the lighthouse. It was resolved to contact the Environmental Agency to request that the Jetty should be made safe and secure in case incidents like this occur in the future. A copy to be sent to the Port of Wisbech.

20.189 Clerk’s report

I. The old Council website was no longer being updated and would be taken down at the end of the year. Information was still being transferred onto the new site. In the meantime, there was a link from the old to the new website.

II. World Café training was attended on Saturday 24th October. The event was hosted by Lincolnshire Police with their facilitating partner MutualGain. The plan was to deliver two engagement programmes that will conclude in the community being able to bid for a pot of money to help grow community participation in the area. Delivery of the programme was expected in Spring 2021.

III. Notice had been posted of the Parish Council vacancy, which arose due to the non-attendance of Mr Gavin Ebbs. If by 03 November 2020 a request for an election had not been submitted, the Parish Council may fill the vacancy by co-option.

IV. As resolved, a response had been made to a freedom of information request about the Council’s farm business. This was undertaken in consultation with the Council’s vice-chair and chair of the Garden Allotment and Farm Tenancy Working Party.

V. Comments on planning applications had been submitted as resolved.

VI. As resolved, a response to the BT consultation had been submitted directly to BT and via the District Council, stating the Parish Council’s strong objection to the proposed removal of public payphones.

VII. Delivery was awaited of new hi-vis jackets for the Community Speed Watch team @ £106.20 + VAT.

VIII. Following the purchase of an additional Adobe Acrobat Pro license this was now being actively used by both the admin. assistant and the clerk.

IX. An incorrectly placed memorial stone in the cemetery was to be repositioned by the contractors responsible.

X. Contractors for the Legionella risk assessment and control had been appointed as resolved.

XI. The Curlew Centre had accepted the offer of aerial photographs as donated by Savills/Henry Smith Trust.

XII. Mr Derek Emerson had been written to with expressions of thanks for his services to the Parish Council. The position for a new outside operative had yet to be advertised.

20.190 To receive reports from District & County Councillors

I. Cllr C Brewis reported:

i Support to be given to the Community Initiative programme organised by Lincolnshire Police and their facility partner MutualGain, as only a few Parishes had been selected in the County.

ii The new improved train service to Lincoln had been postponed mainly due to staff training during the pandemic.

iii Parishioners were advised that they could use any hospital of their choice and not just those in their local area.

iv A reminder was given to those that were entitled to benefits that they should claim if they were eligible.

v Applications for postal votes for elections could still be made. Anyone requiring a form should contact South Holland District Council on 01775 761161, or Councillor Brewis.

vi The new layout of Long Sutton Market was due to stop at the end of November, this would remain in its current position until at least 2022.

II. Cllr M Booth reported.

i South Holland District Council had extended free rental for the Market Traders in Long Sutton till Spring 2021.

ii Following the Annual Meeting of South Holland District Council, Councillor Francis Biggadike was elected Chairman, Cllr Paul Redgate elected Vice Chairman. Thanks to Mr Tony Wicks for his work as the Independent person for SHDC and Cllr M Booth was looking forward to meeting his replacement.

iii Any cases of fly tipping should be reported to South Holland District Council, or to Cllr M Booth, or to Cllr C Brewis, including any details about the perpetrators,

iv There had been a cabinet re shuffle at the District Council. If any members wanted an electronic copy of the new list of Councillors, please contact Cllr Brewis

v Details of speeding and anti-social behaviour would be reported to South Holland District Council.

20.191 Financial matters

I. It was resolved to approve payments to 27 October 2020 as table below, and for Cllr Brewis & Cllr Scarlet to authorise on-line bank payments

Table: Payments to 27/10/2020

II. The following delegated expenditure by the clerk was noted:

i £140 to locate drain and fix problems at the Pavilion, as above (excludes drain cover).

ii An order had been issued @ £250.00 for the demolition and removal of a tin shed on Wright’s Lane farm holding.

iii An order had been issued @ £150 to make safe and remove storm damaged branches in the Memorial Park.

III. The following receipts since the last meeting were noted:

i bank interest £117.28

ii burial ground fees £50.00

iii garden allotment rent £135.00

IV. There were no grant applications.

20.192 Recent correspondence

I. A report had been received from the Sutton Bridge Community Larder for the grant application previously as resolved 20.158 VII

II. LALC autumn training programme had been received; any Councillors wishing to attend to contact the Clerk.

III. Receipt of Lincolnshire Police recruitment campaign was noted

IV. An email from Early Years Alliance a national Charity commissioned through Lincolnshire County Council Children Centres to support families was noted.

V. Sports Holiday Club Proposal was to be further investigated.

VI. Covid-19 guidance poster would be put on the website.

VII. An email had been received concerning speeding on Anne Road, Chris Brewis would investigate and report back.

VIII. A letter in response to the Parish Council polite notice regarding grass cuttings had been received.
It was resolved for the Open Spaces working party to investigate and report back.

IX. TSB Bank in Long Sutton would close on 11th March 2021 any objections to the closure should be addressed to the Chief Executive Debbie Crosbie, TSB Bank plc, Henry Duncan House , 120 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4LH with a copy to the same address to Ms P Fowler Advocacy Manager.

X. A request had been made to use a metal casket in the Garden of Rest. It was resolved for the Burial Ground Committee to investigate the matter and report back at the next meeting

XI. A request had been made from the Church to use the car park for a drive-in carol service. It was resolved to support the request.

XII. To be considered under closed session – a response regarding information on Parish Council papers.

20.193 The following new planning applications were considered:

I. H18-0824-20: Land Adj. Nightingale Way, Granville Terrace, Withington Street & Chestnut Terrace. Residential development of 129 dwellings (including 32 affordable units), site access and associated external works. It was resolved to object to the application on the following grounds:

• The development would put unsustainable vehicular pressure on access roads Nightingale Way and Withington Street which are not fit to service a development of this size.

• Sufficient access is required for farm machinery to access farmland to the North of the development through Allenby’s Chase and Granville

• Given the size of the development the application should be considered by the full planning committee. Cllr. Brewis abstained from voting, citing his membership of the District’s planning committee.

II. H18-0774-20: Roffes Transport, West Bank. Temporary siting of caravans – retrospective. It was resolved to express Parish Council’s concerns over the definition of ‘temporary siting’ and request that the matter should be considered by the full planning committee.

III. H18-0826-20: 258 Bridge Road. Extension & Alterations. It was resolved to support application

IV. H18-0883-20: Rear of Bridge Hotel. S73A continuation. Erection of pair of 2 bed semi-detached houses approved H18-0734-17. Modification of Condition 2 to allow amendments to previously approved plans. It was resolved to support the application subject to there being a sufficient provision of car parking spaces.

V. H18-0922-20: Former Royal British Legion Club, Gas House Lane. Change of Use to Veterinary Practice including single front extension and new fencing. It was resolved to support application.

I. H18-0923-20: Former Royal British Legion Club Gas House Lane. Proposed Signage. It was resolved to support the application.

II. H18-0950-20: Former Old Barn Antiques and Pine Furnishings 48-50 Bridge Road. Proposed Signage. It was resolved to object with the following comments:

• Given the proximity of the development to buildings of historic interest, the signage was too garish and not in keeping with the street scene.

• It was suggested that the lower half of the frontage windows be frosted.

20.194 To following District Council planning decisions were noted:

I. H18-0647-20: Salon Beautiful, 134a Bridge Road. Change windows on front elevation and new front door. Approved.

II. H18-0675-20: Adj. 223 Bridge Road. Details of design and position of external boxes, gas flues and soil vent pipes (Condition 3 of H18-0704-17). Approved.

III. H18-0713-20: 174 Rookery Road. PE12 9QG. Extension & alterations including detached garage. Approved.

IV. H18-0247-20 Off Kenzie Drive, PE12 9SW scheme to deal with contamination (condition 5 of H18-1028-19) Approved.

20.195 As no response had yet been received from the County Council to the Parish Council’s query about the Cross Keys marina, the matter was deferred until the next meeting.

Cllr S Booth and Cllr M Booth declared an interest in the following agenda item and did not participate in discussions. Cllr A Scarlett (vice-chair) took over the meeting 

20.196 Farm business tenancies (FBTs)

I. A report from the clerk was noted (see appendix 1). Thanks were expressed to the clerk for his hard work. The new agreements would provide a more efficient way of running the FBTs for the future.

II. It was resolved to appoint Cllr Anne Scarlett as the authorised signatory for the Council’s FBTs and to sign the agreements on behalf of the Council, with the clerk acting as witness.

Cllr S. Booth took back the chair of the meeting

20.197 It was resolved to accept the quotation from the current contractors to undertake the Parish Council’s grass cutting requirements for 2021.

20.198 It was resolved to approve expenditure against the following quotes for the upkeep and maintenance of Parish Council assets:

I. It was resolved to accept a quote to dismantle sheds on garden allotment at Wright’s Lane @ £250 and for the Allotment working party to report back on options for incorporating deposits on allotment holders to ensure plots are left in good condition at the end of any agreement.

II. It was resolved to refurbish Notice Board on Village Green @ £90.00.

III. It was resolved to obtain quotes for a camera investigation of the drain near the Pavilion.

20.199 The following requests from members were to be included on the agenda of a future meeting

I. An update on the Community Speed watch

II. Closure of the toilets at the Curlew Centre

III. Reduction of number of seats on the Parish Council.

20.200 Next Meeting

I. It was resolved that the next ordinary Council meeting would be held 7pm on Tuesday, 24 November 2020, via remote attendance.

II. It was resolved to delegate authority to the clerk, in consultation with the chairman and vice-chair, regarding the subscription to remote meeting services.

8.51 pm Cllr Kim Davies left the meeting

20.201 It was resolved to move into closed session on the grounds of confidentiality by virtue of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 s.1(2)

8.52 pm Cllr Kim Davies returned to the meeting

20.202 It was resolved for the clerk to draft a letter to a member of the public concerning Parish Council papers. To be approved by the chairman

20.203 There were no staffing & administration matters.

20.204 There being no further business the meeting was declared closed at 9.08 pm.