April 2021 Minutes
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held via Zoom on Thurs 1st April 2021.
Present: Cllrs Tom Gundry (Chairman), Sunil Kapil, Georgina Kettle-Gundry, Brian Milton
WLDC Cllr J Summers
Officer: Andy Hopkins (Clerk)
There were no members of the public present.
- To receive apologies for absence
Cllr H Thorton had tendered her resignation and the Clerk will inform WLDC so they produce a Vacancy Notice.
- To receive declarations of interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2011
There were none.
- To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 21st January 2021
These were resolved as a true and correct record.
- Police Matters
The Nextdoor app was now being used by Police to alert residents of issues.
Angie Law had informed the Clerk that they are not aware of any further graffiti incidents in Village and have not caught anyone in relation to the recent incidents problem, it was thought to be a one off.
The Police had notified of a number of online scams and distraction burglaries in the area.
A resident had reported a stranger in their garden but this may have been related to utilities work.
The bin had been taken out of the cemetery.
There was nothing to report.
- To receive reports and feedback from the County and District Council
Cllr Summers gave an update from WLDC.
There was a small Councillor Fund available for the 19 Parishes covered.
The Lincolnshire eastern Bypass was now complete. A grant of £700000 had been given for affordable housing in the area.
The new cemetery was up and running and making a profit.
50% of residents had received a Covid vaccination, and there was a Covid Compliance Officer
WLDC Annual Meeting would be on 22nd April 2021.
- Broadband update
Quickline’s site was up and running, and this has been promoted through the Snitterby Community Facebook page. Residents had registered an interest but still had not been contacted.
The Clerk updated on the Openreach application
- Contact with Openreach had been poor and confusing
- Through WLDC Carl Knight, we have access to their regional rep, but they look to have internal communication issues
- An interest was registered, over a month later told that SnitterbyPC email address couldn’t be used as it was part of another registration….
- Another interest was registered on another email account and uploaded the 40 addresses
- Got confirmation of this application but that it was outside the deadline for approval (but it was before the 31st March deadline)
- Carl Knight then informed that Openreach had said the previous application had been accepted for taking forward thought the Gigabit scheme
- Carl was asked to try and get the 40 properties linked to the old application
- Openreach then emailed for the addresses and these were duly sent
A quote for installation had been received but this was for the whole Village and completely unaffordable. The Clerk was asked to speak to Stephen Brookes about further funding.
Cllr Kapil would attend a meeting in April of the WLDC Broadband Group
Other alternative such as mobile data solutions can also be explored.
- Clerk and Councillors to report back on previous action points
The new Website is up and running with some free assistance. But this needs further work and the Clerk requires some training on using it.
The Snitterby Community Facebook Page is live and had 53 members. A number of requests to join were discussed and decided at the meeting.
The Clerk had passed on the Councils concerns about the missing sign on the A15 and emergency services missing the junction, but there was no reply. (Other than the original that said it was not required).
Dovecote Close adoption update from Sarah Abrahams LCC
Good afternoon
Sorry for the delay in responding to your email, the information has taken some time to be provided back from the developer.
The developer has confirmed as is the case with most companies, they have staff on furlough and are not operating at full strength until normality resumes. They are committed to completing the works and will be in touch to arrange a site visit when staff return.
Cemetery-there had been a burial and a request for information about headstones, fees would be reviewed in May.
Grass cutting – the Clerk had confirmed the contract with Green Grass and Paul Wilson had agreed to cut the cemetery.
- Snitterby Church
A request had been received to ask the Council to reconsider the decision to stop arranging for the weed-spraying of the Church paths.
As it was not the Parish Council’s responsibility the decision stood, but it was resolved that the Clerk would speak to the Warden and discuss the option of applying for the Council’s grant money, 3 were in favour and 1 against.
Soil was building up on Church land from Council burials, the Clerk would advertise on Facebook to see if residents wanted to collect for free.
A joint venture with the Church for a Community Event was discussed. This would potentially be held in the summer. It was agreed that Cllr Kapil would discuss with the PCC.
- Finance
To following payments were resolved:
Clerk (Feb – Mar) 8 weeks = £188.16
3 hours @ £9.80 = £235.20 (less 20% tax £47.04)
2nd Class Stamps (2 books of 8) = £15.84
Clerk Total = £204.00
HMRC PAYE (20%) = £47.04
LALC subscription = £78.84
Brian Milton – WLDC green bins (cem and open space) = £70
Village Hall Committee = £10
Total = £409.88
The Clerk was delegated the authority to arrange the audit for 2020/21.
The year-end accounts and Annual Governance & Accountability Return would be brought to the May meeting.
- Planning
APPLICATION REFERENCE NO:142429
PROPOSAL:Planning application for loft conversion including dormer window.
LOCATION: 5 Dovecote Close Snitterby Gainsborough DN21 4AT
There was no objection to this application.
- Highways
Potholes were discussed and these would be reported to LCC.
There was a lot of litter down Cliff Road and Cllr Summers would report this for the Council.
- To discuss items raised after the agenda is published (if any) or any other updates considered relevant
There would be a return to physical meetings from 7th May and guidance on how to manage this was needed.
It was agreed to hold the annual Parish and Annual Council meetings on 13th May 2021.
A message from the Clerk to Bishop Norton and Atterby Parish Council had been received about the smell from a local Anaerobic Digestion Plant. It was mentioned that it could be smelled at times. Cllr Summers was already looking into the issue.
A rude sign about dog fouling had appeared down Chapel Lane, this would be reported to Highways. The problem of dog fouling was discussed and Cllr Summers would talk to officers about the best approach and also look into the cost of poo bag dispensers for the Village.