August 2023 Minutes
KIRTON PARISH COUNCIL
NOTES OF A MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL
HELD ON TUESDAY 22nd AUGUST 2023 AT THE CHRIST CHURCH HALL
KIRTON HOLME
Present: Councillors: Cllr P. Watson, Chair, Cllr D Jarvis Vice Chair, Cllr C. Astill, Cllr F. Baillie, Cllr C. Crisford, Cllr M Elston, Cllr Pryke and Cllr S Watson.
Clerk D. Fairweather and one member of the public
Not Present: County Cllrs Austin.
POLICE REPORT
Nothing on website. Criminal damage to Town Hall play equipment. Offender now has a tag and has been assigned community hours, some of which will be served in the village. Police say he is truly sorry, remorseful, and now understands the error of his actions.
REPORTS FROM ELECTED BOROUGH AND COUNTY COUNCILLORS
Cllr Pryke advised Outer Dowsing solar farm; route of cables is now coming through Kirton.
Kirton are to be issued with money from the UKSP fund for High Street regeneration but no details available yet. Community Foundation now involved and future application requests will be dealt with through them.
Cllr Middleton arrived. Advised he was only here to listen to comments on planning.
79-23 TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE To receive and accept apologies for absence as given to the Clerk prior to the meeting by Cllr Sohail, Borough Cllr Rylott and County Cllr Brookes. All resolved to accept reasons given.
80-23 TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST UNDER THE LOCALISM ACT 2011
None
81-23 TO APPROVE NOTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS 25TH JULY 2023.
Proposed Cllr Baillie seconded Cllr Astill that these be signed as a true copy to become minutes. Unanimous.
82-23 TO RECEIVE UPDATES FROM CLERK
Following clerks annual review, it was suggested that updates are kept each month, as although Clerk is aware, the PC are not given every action taken. Listing of various things outstanding and where we are.
Car Park CCTV - Latest, spoken with Car Park Company with a view to cancel contract as no signs have been there for some months and they are in fact contravening their contract to PC
Notice Board November 2022 Checked with planning for permission adjacent to Highway, none required as PC have exemptions on varying projects. Board ordered. Handyman booked to install in September when children back at school.
CCTV for village - OpenReach, cannot use pole. Now have another source for camera. Alarmline putting together quotations
Solar Panels - Awaiting tonight’s result.
Orthodox Chapel - Awaiting convenient date from Florin Buda to meet for a chat.
A Boards & office sign Ordered
Travellers site planning - 2nd application – public meeting
Cleaning of William Dennis Statue Speaking with family, regarding previous work
83-23 FINANCE
a) To Approve Payment of Accounts as per schedule, proposed Cllr S Watson seconded Cllr Elston
b) To Discuss numbers of Members for Finance Committee. Cllr S Watson at a previous meeting had requested to be a representative. Standing Orders say 3 members. Cllr Baillie agreed to step down from finance and proposed Cllr S Watson be her replacement, seconded Cllr Jarvis.
c) To Discuss 3rd Quotation for Solar Panels – no communication received. Cllr Elston advised there is funding out there and PC should investigate this once quotation received. Cllr Jarvis advised care needs to be taken with some funding and the attached conditions.
d) To Approve Purchase of Litter Bins – following Cllr P Watson’s survey agreed to purchase 3 bins which BBC have agreed to empty as long as on a collection route.
e) To Discuss PC laptops – now clerk has taken on post together with Financial Officer, no requirement for the two laptops originally purchased. Clerk requesting if these can be traded in for a better specification machine with more memory. Possibility of selling laptops or using as a trade in. Proposed Cllr Elston seconded Cllr S Watson that this is acceptable.
84-23 TO DISCUSS VILLAGE CCTV
Clerk has been advised that BT categorically will not allow any equipment on their poles. Present CCTV contractors therefore to price including pole.
85-23 TO SOURCE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Brought to the meeting from Cllrs Watson following a summer conference they attended. Cllr Elston agreed there are plenty of opportunities for Parish Councils to obtain grant funding and perhaps Kirton should investigate this for future projects, particularly further play equipment.
Cllr Pryke reminded Thomas Middleton Charity and United Charities may also be approached.
86-23 PLANNING – To Discuss Applications Received Since Last Meeting
B23/0239 change of use to travellers’ site – Chair of the meeting did ask Cllr Middleton if he felt he should be at the table for these discussions but did not leave the meeting. following the public meeting, Cllr Pryke had asked for an extension for comments and had asked for a meeting with the leader of the BBC. He was to take the concerns of the residents to her as Planning would still not redact address from objections and he was to comment on their behalf.
Comments - The Parish Council reiterated its comments previously made. Cllr Astill had done significant time visiting both BBC and the site. With this knowledge the PC were concerned that a plan of the site, to scale, was not held on file.
Additional views from last response regarding waste control both septic tank and general household waste and its disposal from the site were of a concern. The entrance to the site being close to a public footpath of heritage and access to the area did not have a road infrastructure equivalent to the number of vehicles that would traverse there.
Parish Council could not see how BBC Planning could do anything other than adhere to their original decision, as the only amendment was the agent and the flood risk had not been removed.
Cllr Middleton left the meeting advising he felt no planning issues.
87-23 MEMBERS REPORTS
CC – Race Night preparations going well with a couple of sponsors on board. Cllr Crisford had also been speaking with a brewery who may be agreeable to supporting event.
FB – Advised again that nothing had been done with the gravestone that had fallen over. Clerk advised that memorials are not the responsibility of the Church or Parish Council. Cllrs Pryke and Elston agreed to attend site with a view in lifting the offending stone. Also asking any news on trees. With the additional storm damaged one on the path side it would be done when financially viable to do so.
CA – few requests have come from surgeries, which he has dealt with or passed to clerk. Commenting on communications within the Council. At Council training were advised all communication should come from and go to the clerk. He felt too much emailing was happening between meetings. What had happened to procedures set down in the meeting in June? Council took on board they are guilty and agreed to curtail comments to meetings.
Had been observing the Orthodox Church events and parking. Clerk awaiting Father to return from holiday to agree a date for a meeting. Clerk and Chair to attend with Cllr Astill. Cllr Pryke commented that he too would like to attend and in fear of being overpowering Cllr P Watson stood down.
88-23 TO DISCUSS PERFORMANCE & PAY OF CLERK – taken in committee. Following discussion agreed clerk’s salary point to be brought in line as no increase received since started in November. Back pay to be paid and increase in hours due to the Kirton Community Group and additional works required there. To pay under payment and increase proposed Cllr Baillie seconded Cllr Elston. 7 for 1 abstention
89-23 TO DISCUSS ORTHODIX CHAPEL taken in committee, with result to put on future agenda as meeting with Chapel had not taken place.
Date of next meeting Due to Clerk’s annual leave, Tuesday 3rd October 2023 would be the September meeting.
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