April 2021 Minutes
MINUTES OF THE ZOOM MEETING OF WELBOURN PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON WEDNESDAY 14TH APRIL 2021 IN WELBOURN VIA ZOOM AT 7.30pm
PRESENT
Councillors
Mr. Robert Cross (RC) Chairman
Mr. John Storer (RS)
Mr. Stephen Short (SS)
Mrs. Maureen Lunn (ML)
Miss. Harriet Huntsman (HS)
Mrs. Katie Stark (KS)
Mr. Chris Dixon (CD)
Mr. Jake Beaty (JB)
Mr. Kevin Dowling (KD)
District Councillor - Mrs. Marianne Overton
Parish Clerk - Miss. Sarah Brown
01.04.00 Chairman’s Welcome
01.04.01 The Chairman welcomed everyone to the Zoom meeting.
02.04.00 Public Forum
02.04.01 One parishioner emailed a question to be raised at the public forum on behalf of the Plant for the Planet group.
02.04.02 They wanted to know if anybody would object to Plant for the Planet planting some snowdrops and bluebells in the wooded area behind the slide mound (an area with no grass and quite damp to the NE of the slide). As these are available free to us (Plant for the Planet group) now and could be planted in the next week or so.
02.04.03 The Parish Council have no objections to the groups plans but have asked the Clerk to liaise with the group, so they are aware of where the Football Club have applied to put their storage container so that they are not covered up when it is installed. It was also suggested that the area between the A607 and the playing field would also be a good spot to plant with the bulbs.
Action Clerk
03.04.00 Acceptance of Reasons for Absence
03.04.01 No apologises for absence.
04.04.00 Declarations of interest.
04.04.01 No interests to declare.
05.04.00 Notes of the Zoom Parish Council meeting held on the 10th March 2021 to be approved as minutes.
05.04.01 The notes of the previous meeting held on the 10th March 2021, copies of which had been circulated previously to members, were accepted as Minutes.
05.04.02 Proposed by Cllr. R Storer and Seconded by Cllr. M Lunn.
The chairman will sign the minutes.
Action RC
06.04.00 Matters arising.
06.04.01 Noticeboard repair/replacement, the Chairman made a temporary repair to the noticeboard before the last meeting which has made it usable again. The Clerk had got a couple of quotes for new notice boards of the same size which are over £1000. The Parish Council has decided to review again when the noticeboard becomes unusable/damaged again due to the excessive cost of replacing.
06.04.02 Damaged grass verges, Fen Bay have agreed to fix the grass verges as you turn into North End from Castle Hill as soon as the weather warms and the ground dries.
06.04.03 The damaged grass verges down The Nookin have been reported to Highways. Highways have said that they will not be repairing them.
06.04.03 The Parish Council have not yet received a response to their enquiry regarding the repair of the damaged verge on the High Street from the responsible party.
07.04.00 District and County matters.
07.04.01 Cllr Lucille Hagues had emailed a report before the meeting which has been circulated to all Parish Councillors before the meeting and sent her apologises before the meeting.
07.04.02 Cllr Overton reported that the elections are coming up and you can register for a postal vote until 20th April 2021.
07.04.03 Packages will be available for vulnerable parishioners and delivered through the Covid recovery group.
07.04.04 Business grants are still available and NKDC is providing free business advice.
07.04.05 The Sunflower project is coming up, where sunflower seeds will be gifted to residents in the aim to brighten our villages (seventeen villages taking part) and celebrate the community spirit that we want to keep after this difficult year.
07.04.06 The Parish Council asked Cllr Overton for her support in getting road repairs. We keep reporting the potholes but only half of the reported potholes have been marked up for repair. Shallow potholes on Hall Lane have been fixed but the more dangerous/deeper potholes on Moat Lane have been left. The potholes down The Green/Dycote Lane are extremely dangerous in two sections, as they are that widely spread with parked vehicles you cannot avoid them. We have asked for the two sections to be resurfaced as the sub-layer is severely damaged, so pothole repairs are not effective.
Action Cllr Overton
08.04.00 To discuss the proposed boundary changes for the Conservation area in the parish.
08.04.01 The Parish Council thought that the review of the Conservation area boundary seemed logical. Although they noted that three modern bungalows are included in the CastleHill site (the Parish Council will ask about this during the consultation).
08.04.02 In principle we agree to the changes made to the Conservation Area Boundary as it seems in harmony with our Neighbourhood plan.
09.04.00 The Village Hall pond- Does further action need to be taken to improve the water quality?
09.04.01 The pond has covered in Algae blooms which smells in summer and is unsightly.
Two trees have fallen into the pond and other debris decomposing which will be increasing the nitrogen levels in the water, which feeds the Algae. A reed bed could be planted to help reduce the nitrogen content to reduce the Algae. Adding aeration to the water has also been recommended to help. It was questioned if clearing out the dyke would help reduce the nitrogen levels? It was agreed the Parish Councillors would visit the Beck (Village Hall pond) and the Moat around CastleHill then after further consideration a plan would be made.
10.04.00 Does the Parish Council wish to replace the litter bin on The Green near the path to the A607 as requested by a Parishioner to a covered top bin the same style as next to the Village Hall at a cost of £317.02 +VAT?
10.04.01 Cllr R Cross proposed the Parish Council replace the current bin as requested. Cllr K Dowling seconded the proposal. The motion was carried forward.
10.04.02 It was agreed when the next Litter Grant is paid the Parish Council will purchase a new bin of the same specification for outside the Old Co-op on The Green.
Action Clerk.
11.04.00 Village Maintenance- What work needs scheduling around the parish?
11.04.01 After discussion it was decided Castle Hill needs tidying, the brash needs clearing around the outer moat so the area can drain so the silt can be removed around the drainage pipe which runs into the outer Moat from under the road connecting the drainage ditch in front of The Archdeacons which feeds the surface water off Moat Lane. The wooden fence around Castle Hill needs repair near where it meets the metal fencing walking towards the Village Hall from The North End. The picnic bench on Castle Hill needs adjusting and the bolts tightened.
11.04.02 The wooden seat that is built into the stone wall at the bus stop next to Wheel Wright Cottage needs the wood replacing.
11.04.03 The Beehive Well down the Nookin needs repointing, the Clerk was asked to obtain quotes and put on the next Agenda.
11.04.04 The footpath between the A607 and Welbourn Hall Nursing home needs tree debris sweeping and clearing. The Clerk was asked to contact the Nursing home and ask if they will clear the path due to the debris coming off their trees.
Action Clerk.
12.04.00 Highway’s update – What work has taken place and what is currently being scheduled?
12.04.01 Highways have completed the current scheduled works in the village on the drainage system. (The Nookin & Hall Lane) and have drawn up plans but are yet to be scheduled.
12.04.03 Pothole repairs please refer to minute number 07.04.06 above.
13.04.00 Clerk’s report
Items all covered in previous discussed items see 07.04.06, 09.04.00 & 11.04.00.
14.04.00 Finances
a) Does the Clerk have permission to order the following office supplies? Cross-cut Paper shredder £44.99, A4 Ring binder (Slim) Pack of 6 £12.99, A4 Ring binders (large) Pack of 4 £10.89, 2x 100 Plastic punch pockets £2.14 each per pack, 120 A4 laminator pockets £8.95, 2x A4 Hardback Notebook £2.45 each.
The motion to grant permission to purchase the listed supplies was proposed by Cllr. R Cross. The motion was seconded by Cllr. H Huntsman.
The motion was carried forward.
Action Clerk.
b) Does the Clerk have permission to order a new pair of Waders at the cost of £44.99?
Proposed by Cllr. R Cross and seconded by Cllr. H Huntsman.
The motion was carried forward.
Action Clerk.
c) Balances of the accounts as of 9th April 2021
Community 677 = £1132.01 Building Society = £8882.80
Account’s spreadsheet to be updated as soon as updated Direct Debit confirmed and emailed to Parish Councilliors.
d) Payments paid and to be paid.
To be paid
Staff costs (8/03/21 to 4/04/21) - £298.80
BT (paid by Direct Debit) - £50.27
Paid
Total Gas & Power (Forge Electric) - £30.25
All numbers were reviewed and agreed by all the Parish Councillors.
Cllr. S Short proposed that all the payments as listed are paid and Cllr. K Stark seconded.
15.04.00 Next meeting.
16.04.01 The next meeting will be via Zoom on Wednesday 12th May 2021 at 7.30.
Wednesday 9th June 2021 at 7.30.
The above dates are provisional, depending on advise from the LALC on the legislation for remote meetings and Covid guidelines at the time on meetings in person.
There being no further matters to discuss the chairman duly closed the meeting at 20.43.