Minutes - Property Committee 30 March 2021
DRAFT Minutes of the Nettleham Parish Council Property Committee meeting
Held on Tuesday 30 March 2021 at 7.30pm via Zoom online video conferencing
Present: Cllrs D Newsam (DN) (Chair), Mrs J Clayton (JC); P McNeill (PM); J Radcliffe (JR);
P Jenkinson (PJ), J Barrett (JB)
Also in attendance: Cllr J Evans (JE) (ex officio); Cllr J Barrett (JB), Claire Ward (Assistant Parish Clerk)
There was one member of the public present.
Meeting commenced at 7.32pm
All were thanked for attending.
036/21 To resolve to receive apologies and accept reasons for absence: None received.
037/21 Disclosure of interests in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011 and to consider any requests for dispensations:
JC noted that Nigel Clayton had been undertaking work on behalf of the Swathe working group
038/21 The notes of the Property Committee meeting held on 2 March 2021 to be approved as the minutes
It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED: That notes of the Property Committee meeting held on 2 March 2021 to be approved as a correct record and be signed by the Chairman. Unanimous
039/21 Financial Matters (FM)
a) Review of expenditure:
An expenditure report had been circulated previously and the contents noted and approved
b) To approve recent/proposed expenditure:
Expenditure presented to the meeting was as follows:
i) Bishops Palace/Meadow - £175.00. Annual Mole Management Contract
ii) Across Village – TBC. Planting and maintenance (Approved up to £750)
iii) Outside 10 Church Street – TBC Supply and Planting of Memorial Flowering Cherry Tree
(costs to be reimbursed by resident prior to ordering of tree)
iv) Mulsanne Pavilion, Old School, Parish Office - 5 year electrical test
- Mulsanne £345.00; Old School (small and large) £465.00; Parish Office £220.00
v) Handyman - £306.35 + VAT Annual tools service
Ratification of expenditure:
i) Swathe - £200.00 - To dig 1 x trial pit at The Swathe
Item ii) – Across village, planting and maintenance TBC – Cllrs agreed sum should not exceed £750
Item iii) – 10 Church Street. Flowering memorial tree TBC (costs to be reimbursed by resident) – Cllrs are not willing to approve this until funding is received. Action DL
It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED: To approve recent/proposed expenditure. Unanimous
040/21 Facilities Manager Report:
The Facilities Manager report had been circulated and the following updates provided:
- Pavilion / Outstanding - Energy smart meter has still not been recommissioned – this has been chased with EDF. (Note: it had been decommissioned by the EDF engineer upon installation as he had considered there to be a gas leak. No gas leak, only an escape of gas during meter changeover).
- Mulsanne Park / Outstanding: - response from University of Lincoln regarding ownership of South boundary ditch (in response to historical flooding). University contact has suggested an online meeting to discuss
- Old School / Outstanding - Energy smart meter has still not been recommissioned
- Bishops Meadow / Outstanding - Meadow Information sign received – Handyman to install sign
- Mole catcher has been requested to attend site again under annual contract.
- Bill Baileys Play Area. Update - Letter sent to resident accessing play area from their garden. PM commented on the state of the area around the bench and access points the park were very muddy following rain. Flagstones are being considered to alleviate this problem. Action DN
- Burial Ground/ Outstanding - Letters to go out to plot holders in breach of burial rules
- Field paths / Outstanding – Publicity for Go Jauntly app – article to be developed for FB, Nettleham Matters & webpage. Work in hand on second route
- Allotments / Update sent to allotment holders with revised allotment arrangements
- Village Inspection Jan 2021 / Update Village Inspection undertaken Jan 2021 – some actions already completed. Remainder ongoing/outstanding
- OTHER - Meeting arranged for 30 March with Coop to discuss recent flooding to their car park and beck vegetation reduction
- Update on tree work
041/21 Working Groups (15 mins max)
To receive reports as follows:
a) Beck (PJ):
i) To receive an update on general maintenance
Clearing has been taking place along the beck, including work behind the Old School. The beck is flowing well and there is some bank planting planned.
ii) To receive an update of the meeting held on 15 March 2021
A productive meeting took place informed by some valuable information about the height of the weirs and flow rates.
iii) To consider recommending to full council to adopt the Draft Beck Management Plan
It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED: To submit the Beck Management Plan to full council for approval. Unanimous
DN advised that the old Troika building had changed hands and building works may be planned behind the store. This could result in vehicles trying to access via the beck for the first time since 1926(?) and would be very undesirable. Phil to contact Terry for further information. Action PJ
b) Swathe (PM):
i) To receive an update from meeting of Swathe Working Group held 17 March 2021
The trial pits dug by Nigel Clayton indicate adequate soil depth for burials to take place and the group would like permission to move forward with this project. The councillors wished to officially record their appreciation of Nigel’s hard work and expertise. JC enquired about the proposed layout – cemetery planners will be consulted but there will probably be a path down the middle and a discrete means of maintaining alignment such as a concrete border.
ii) To approve a recommendation that the Swathe project moves onto the planning stage
It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED: To approve a recommendation that the Swathe project moves onto the planning stage. Unanimous. Action PM
c) Mulsanne Park (DN):
i) To receive any feedback from University of Lincoln regarding ditch on southern boundary
ii) DN met with the University of Lincoln today about the ditch. It was agreed that ownership is a ‘grey area’ but the university agreed to look into it further and to get some quotes for clearing out the ditch in the autumn.
iii) The clothes bank is doing well and a larger one has been offered (£123 raised so far)
iv) The youths appear to have moved on to the rugby club but with more sport taking place it will be easier to monitor this.
v) Cricket is returning and the football has been extended.
d) Field paths (JC):
i. To receive any field paths report as required – no further meetings have taken place
ii. To receive any update regarding development of the two Go Jauntly village walks – the Secret Agent trail has been well received.
e) Allotments (PM):
i. To receive any update as required
Nothing to report, still working on new layout. An update email has gone out to allotment holders, several requests for plots have been received. Rob Whiting has offered to officially open the new site
f) Vicars Wood (JC):
i. To receive any update as required
Yew tree trunk has been moved to MP garage for safe keeping, as someone had changed the label on it from ‘do not remove’ to ‘free to take’. Thankfully this was reported by a responsible resident before it disappeared.
ii. To note the Volunteer Group have identified as required work; fence along tarmac footpath will required repair; and path within wood requires redefinition to west of the grass – noted
g) Play Equipment (DN)
i. To receive any update as required
It may be necessary to place slabs in gateways to protect the grass in future
ii. To consider the Play Inspection Reports – summary of issues found
Report and additional information about the Wicksteed rocking horse circulated, nothing unexpected noted.
042/21 To receive update reports regarding (DN)
a) Any matters requiring attention as the Covid 19 situation changes:
As the road map out of lock down proceeds venues will be able to open for some activities and hirers are beginning to re book:
- April 12 all children’s indoor activities recommence i.e. dance classes
- May 17 groups of 6 max indoors i.e. Pilates, yoga, qi gong, Carillon hand bells
- June 21 no restriction on indoor groups
Hub re opening delayed until June to allow refresher training for volunteers and café re-fit.
043/21 To consider the following items
a) To consider report on Village Inspection carried out during January 2021:
DN requested that all Cllrs submit their observations if they haven’t already done so. Jane has already completed many of the tasks indicated.
b) To consider feedback of investigations into possible sites for the speed indicator device:
JR is attending a meeting on 6 April to assess a number of new sites sites and will report back at the next meeting. Action JR
c) To consider residents request to take a small lorry down Greens lane and access a rear garden for the purpose of garden clearance
Green lane is a highway and not under PC jurisdiction although Cllrs do have concerns about the impact on users of Green Lane and the vegetation present. Requires further exploration Action DN
044/21 Tree matters (JR)
a) To receive a general update:
Concerns have been raised about the pruning of the two birch trees on the High Street which should not have been undertaken at this time of year. This was nothing to do with the Western power tree work. More information about how this happened is required to prevent it happening again. Action DN
It was suggested that permission be sought from WLDC in future for this type of work so that someone with tree expertise would be aware of what was being proposed.
b) To consider report of trees on parish council land
The report has been received but Cllrs would find a map indicating the position of the trees more helpful. The mapping software will help with the recording of trees.
c) To consider setting up an Earmarked Reserves against future tree work
Generally this was thought to be a good idea but the title ‘Earmarked Reserve for future tree work’ was more appropriate.
It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED: To propose the creation of an Earmarked Reserves against future tree work, to full council for approval. Unanimous. Action DN
045/21 Councillors’ Reports/Future Agenda items – none
046/21 To resolve to move into closed session as the following item contains information of a confidential nature:
It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED: To move into closed session for the following item. Unanimous.
047/21To consider the 2021/22 rents for sports clubs
Recommendations from MPUG were discussed and will now be forwarded to the next Parish Council meeting on 20 April for approval.
It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED: To consider the proposed 2021/22 rents for sports clubs at the next Parish Council meeting. Unanimous. Action DN
048/21 Date of next meeting: 4 May 2021 at 7.30pm via Zoom.
Meeting ended at 21.15pm.
Claire Ward. Assistant Parish Clerk. 31 March 2021