2019 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

KIRTON PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF KIRTON PARISH COUNCIL HELD IN UPSALL ROOM, KIRTON TOWN HALL ON THURSDAY 19th DECEMBER 2019.

Present:

Councillors:

C Sharp – Chairman
   
Councillors:

R Bemrose – Vice-Chairman

S Watson, P Watson (and Borough), C Brotherton, M Brookes (County), I Cole, R Champion, A Austin (County), D Brown (Borough)

Also Present:     Mrs B Buttery – Clerk of the Council

PCSO Williams

Public Forum

1 member of the public who wanted to know what was said at the last meeting regarding parking around the centre of the village. She wanted to clarify the blue badge situation with regards to parking within parking slots.

188/19   Consider co-option of applicant

The panel had sat (consisting of Cllrs Sharp, Turner and Brotherton) and they had met with the applicant. They had then sent a brief report to the councillors. Cllr Cole abstained from voting as his wife is friends with the applicant’s wife. The remainder voted unanimously to co-opt Kurt Mather. Mr Mather was absent as he had work commitments, the Clerk will forward him all the relevant paperwork prior to the next meeting.

189/19   Chairman’s comments

The Chairman welcomed all to the meeting. He read a letter of thanks from two residents who attended the Senior Citizens Party.

The Chairman addressed the meeting with the following:

“As we come to the end of the year, we find time to reflect on the past 12months. We started with 11 councillors and we’re finishing with 11 councillors, albeit with a predominately fresh council. Several long serving councillors (former councillors D Smith, C Rylott, M Hannay and R Foster) chose not to stand for re-election and shortly after, former councillor Sue Ransome resigned.

I, on behalf of the Council would again like to thank them for their service to the Parish and the time they gave freely.

As we leave 2019, the Council goes into 2020 with 4 (possibly 5) new Councillors and under new leadership after the shock resignation of former Councillor David Danby.

David, had been both Vice Chairman and Chairman, and gave immense amounts of time, possibly more than most, to the village in order to make it better. An example of which can be seen with the refurbishment of the Town Hall, which we can all agree looks a fantastic symbol of the village, and I, as well as the council thank you David for the service you have given.

The major events of the Parish, Remembrance Sunday and the various Christmas events have grown year on year. The parade gets longer, the Christmas lights get bigger and brighter, the senior citizens party gets more mouth-watering and Kirton Carols gets better each year. I would like to thank all those people and organisations involved for all their hard work and time in making these events what they are.

In closing I would like to say, Councillors are only one part of the team that delivers the success. We can’t forget Belinda our Clerk, Barbara our village warden and finally those that volunteer when the call goes out for help, such as for traffic control at Remembrance Sunday and community speed watch to name just two.  Volunteering is free, not because you’re worthless, but because you’re priceless.

Thank you, Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year. “

The Chairman also thanked Cllr Bemrose for all her work over the Xmas events.

190/19   Apologies for absence and reason given

Cllrs C Lidgett, L O’Connor and I Turner sent their apologies and reasons for absence which were accepted by the Council. Cllr Welton did not send his apologies but was absent.

191/19   Receipt of any declarations of interest in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act  2011, and to consider any written requests for dispensations in relation to members’  disclosable pecuniary interests.

Cllr Bemrose declared a personal interest in Town Hall on the agenda as her mother is Chairman. She is also a parent governor at the Primary School.

Cllr P Watson is on the Boston Borough Planning Committee and will take no part in item 14 on the agenda (planning).

Cllr Sharp declared an interest as he is on the Kirton Youth Challenge as a trustee, he is also on the 4th Boston Scout Committee.

Cllr S Watson declared that her husband Cllr P Watson is on Boston Borough Planning Committee.

192/19   Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting

Cllr Bemrose proposed, with a second from Cllr Watson and unanimous agreement, that the notes of the meeting dated 21st November 2019, previously circulated should be recorded as the minutes.

193/19   Police Matters

PCSO Williams reported that since the last meeting there had been 6 reported crimes: 1 x burglary of a construction site – undetected

1 x drunk and disorderly and breach of the peach – 1 arrested 2 x thefts from motor vehicles – investigation ongoing
1 x shed burglary – ongoing investigation
1 x burglary of a dwelling – ongoing investigation

At the recent Xmas fayre, PCSO Williams sold 10 sets of bike lights. He said that this would help with the issue of youths riding around without any lights, but would not solve it.

Following on from an email sent to the Police Inspector at Boston asking for some help on this matter, a reply said that there is a need to provide support to our Neighbourhood Policing Team and as such officers would be deployed to the village to patrol when available.

The update on the fire culprits is that the JDP (a group dealing with young offenders) will be in touch to set up a meeting with the Council. The 2 youths that will be dealt with in this manner will also be required to go on a fire safety awareness course.

Frustration was voiced from the Council when PCSO Williams confirmed that despite the moaning on Facebook and the pleas to report incidents to 101 or online, NOT ONE REPORT had been made by residents in the village regarding the youths on bikes in the village.

194/19   Viewpoints on questions from members of the public

Nothing further to action.

195/19   Matters for the attention of Lincolnshire County Councillors/Boston Borough Councillors
 
Cllr P Watson asked what was happening regarding the 30-mph zone on Skeldyke Road as nothing had been reported back and there had been no change. Cllr Austin said that she had a meeting with the Highways Manager and has asked for a drive round the parish to show the Highways Manager the outstanding issues. Cllr Brookes informed members that even if a decision has been made by Highways, a Traffic Regulation Order could take a very long time to go through due to the backlog caused by austerity.

Cllr Brookes confirmed that the Dyke in front of Dennis Estate is being monitored through the gully cleaning contract. Any problems will be reported back where necessary.

Cllr Austin reported that there are ongoing issues with sewerage at Middlegate Road.

One of the z’brites is now on but not very bright. Clerk to ask Highways whether overhead illuminating can be installed to show up pedestrians at the crossing.

196/19   Accounts for payment/Finance

1.   Accounts for Payment – as per payment sheet dated December 2019/20 (9 of 12) The accounts were approved unanimously for payment.

2.   To consider approval of the precept request for financial year 2020/21 as £69932.43

After a suggestion from the Clerk (due to the increased number of dwellings in the village) it was resolved to set the precept at £70000.00. This was resolved unanimously to accept. The figures were checked and the Clerk completed the paperwork request for the Borough Council.

3.   The Clerk informed members that usually she would not recommend joining the Lincolnshire Association of Local Council’s training scheme as it was not normally cost effective with the amount of training needed, but due to the number of new councillors and therefore the amount of core training that will be required, it was cost effective to join it this year. All agreed.

197/19   Report from the minutes of the previous meeting/Clerk’s report

198/19   Correspondence received which the Council are invited to resolve on

1.   Rural/Market Towns Group – call upon local authorities to raise the profile of rural communities. Would like to know if Kirton would like to be involved in helping create this group – carried forward from last month’s meeting.

-   Members felt that the questions they had asked of the group had not been answered. They wanted to know how much time would be expected of them, also how much membership would be, despite specific questions being asked, the answers had not been given. To this end they resolved not to continue with this.

199/19   Town Hall

No Town Hall Management meeting to be held until the New Year.

After discussing it with the Park inspector, the grassed area at the rear of the Town Hall could just have railings along the car park length rather than enclosing the new play equipment with railings all 4 sides, when it is installed.

200/19   Cemetery

Moles reported by clerk to pest control.

201/19   Parish matters

1.   Reports from committee meetings held since last Council meeting.

All Xmas events were very well attended. Some of the xmas lights will be returned to where bought from as they have been disappointing in quality. The power boxes will also need some reconfiguring in the New Year once the lights have been taken down.

The Xmas committee will meet again in February to begin plans for 2020.

The Neighbourhood Plan will go ahead. A meeting will be held in the New Year.

Community Speed Watch is going really well with on average on session recently per week. A new member is due to join the group too. CSW highlighted the speed the cars can come into the village on Boston Road, Cllr Champion asked whether it could be looked at with a view to extending the 30mph speed limit further back to Middlegate Road – Cllr Brookes will meet with Highways and ask for this to be considered.

2.   Update on Park Inspections/Public Meeting/Insurance etc following on from the fire.

4.   Consider VE Day commemorations for May 2020
 
The Clerk will email all members in the New Year to form a committee to take this forward

5.   Formally approve finance committee’s recommendation of contractor for the War Memorial area.

Cllr Bemrose did not vote due to knowing personally one of the contractors.   The remainder voted unanimously to accept the Finance committee’s recommended quotation. Clerk to chase a start date.

202/19   Reports for Various Bodies

The Chairman had met with the owner of the Kirton Cottage, who said he was worried about youths coming out of the footpath in the Churchyard and going straight onto the road. Members discussed this and resolved that they would look into having a barrier of some description on the footpath in the Churchyard which would slow the youngsters down without blocking it to other users. Cllr Bemrose said she would approach the secondary school for help in this matter in the New Year.

Cllr Bemrose reported that the street cleaning had been done recently although the machine could not get in everywhere due to the works on London Road. She reported that the road outside the Kier site on London Road had blocked drains due to the leaves/mud in them and she will report on fix my street. Rainwater is very slow to clear away. She will also report the drain near the roundabout on the right as you leave to go into Station Road on the far side due to being blocked with leaves.

Cllrs Brookes and Austin left the meeting.

203/19   Planning applications:

B/19/0484 – application for a lawful development certificate for proposed siting of mobile home as a family annexe to rear of property at 2 Drainside South, Kirton – NO OBJECTIONS

B/19/0495 – Two storey rear extension with associated alterations at Ascalon, Drainside South, Kirton – (Cllr Bemrose declared a personal interest and took no part in discussions) NO OBJECTIONS

204/19   Date & time of the next Parish Council Meeting

Date & Time of the next Meeting will be held on Thursday 16th January 2020 (Upsall Room, Kirton Town Hall) beginning at 7pm. There being no further business to discuss, the Chairman thanked those in attendance, and declared the meeting closed at 8.52pm.