Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held by Zoom on Tues 1st Dec 2020 at 6.30pm

Present 20-108  Cllr D Smith (Chair), C Cllr C Ashton (Vice Chair), Cllr F Parish, Cllr P Golding, Cllr S Lansdowne, Cllr J Oldfield,  Cllr C van Straubenzee, LCCllr B Adams, SKDCllr D Bellamy, Mrs H Sandon (parish clerk)

Apologies for Absence 20-109 Cllr A White, Cllr C Hodgkin, Cllr M Kinning

Receive Declaration of Interests 20-110 none                                              

Public Forum 20-111 none

Reports from LCCllr Adams/ SKDCllr Bellamy 20-112

Reported that there is a new Head of Planning at SKDC and there is to be a meeting held to review the whole planning process. Government funding priorities are the elderly and the young.  

No further update on the North Witham Rd Garden Centre as yet. Cllr Adams to check progress with LCC on flooding issues within the village

Notes of the Parish Council meeting held on the 3rd Nov 20-113

The notes of the meeting were approved by the Council and were signed by the Chair in acceptance as minutes, (to forward to clerk for records). 

Financial Matters 20-114

• Monthly Accounts

South Witham Parish Council - Financial Statement - 1st Dec 2020

Clerk had looked into new contract prices for the village hall electricity as the Opus contract ends on 20/12/20. Clerk secured a 3 yr contract through independent comparison site Bionic, with British Gas Lite, day rate 16.32p, night rate 12.12p, standing charge 31.95p per day.  

VH Wave bill received for £1165.21 for period 16.3.20 – 11.11.20, based on incorrect estimate read of 396 units, following on from leak (resolved) last year. Clerk pursued this with Wave as read should be 3 units, and now received corrected bill of £59.37, which she has paid.

Precept pack received from SKDC and circulated around the councillors by the clerk. To put this on the January agenda to agree the Precept amount, for submission by the 22nd January 2021.

• Review of Community Cleaner rate per hour Councillors agreed to put the Community Cleaner pay rate up from £8 an hour to £10 an hour, with effect from 1st November 2020. Clerk to inform Janine Costello and to thank her for all her hard work.

Review of various SWPC Policies/ Notices 20-115

• General Privacy notice
• Privacy Notice for staff, councillors and role holders
• Risk Assessment Policy
• Information available from SWPC under the model publication scheme
• Safeguarding Children Policy
• Safeguarding Policy for Vulnerable Adults
• Equal Opportunities Policy
• Statement to ensure the Council delivers value for money
• Councillors’ Responsibilities

The above policies/ notices were reviewed by the Council. Clerk to update the changes and put on the new website. Cllr Ashton agreed to be the designated person named on the Safeguarding Policy for Vulnerable Adults (previously Keith Jolley).   

Clerk’s and Councillors’ reports on 20-116 ;

Village Hall matters, Cllrs van Straubenzee/ Parish

• Update on electrical work at VH Richard Medcalf and Paul Dalby met at the VH to discuss the best way forward. Richard will undertake all electrical work as minuted at November meeting in the New Year.  Plus look at the work to overhaul the boiler/ heating system in conjunction with Paul Dalby to make the system more efficient. Boiler service report received from Paul Dalby and invoice paid this month.
• Works to tidy up vegetation in the vicinity of the Village Hall PC agreed that this work should be done in the New Year.

Play area monthly inspection/maintenance, Cllr Oldfield Cllr Oldfield had undertaken repairs to the skate ramps to stop them lifting. He will undertake the toddler play surface repairs on a warmer day, so that the material for repairs can cure/set.

Resident letter received asking for the skate park area to be upgraded as it is too basic for him and his friends in the village, (circulated to Councillors prior to the PC meeting). PC not currently able to consider any upgrades to this equipment, due to the huge cost involved of such a project. Clerk to inform resident accordingly. The PC’s priority at the moment is to purchase some play equipment for the SKDC play area with funds donated by the closed SW Playgroup and other monies raised to date. This project is currently on hold due to Covid. Cllr Oldfield has a community advent project planned, to further add to the equipment funds.  

New SWPC Website update Clerk informed the PC that the new website is almost ready to go live. Cllrs Smith, van Straubenzee and Parish have had a look too and offered up a few minor changes. Clerk to update PC policies as discussed this evening under review of various SWPC Policies/ Notices 20-115 and update on the website. Then to contact LCC to switch on the new website and close off the old website.

Allotments, Cllr van Straubenzee  List of allotments requiring attention given to the clerk this week. Clerk to consult with Cllr van Straubenzee and contact the allotment holders with what work is required.

Planning Matters 20-117

• New planning applications received by SKDC for Parish Council comment after publication of the agenda none
• SKDC planning permissions granted/refused none

Correspondence 20-118

FCC Communities Foundation Ltd – funding opportunities around Colsterworth Landfill site, LCC Vital Services running through lockdown, Grantham Southern Relief rd, Phase2, Nov update, LALC news, SKDC Parish Update 6,  Public Transport Consortium- bus open data, SKDC Local Plan review- Issues & Options Report- Public Consultation,  Invest SK -  Government business grants, British Red Cross – new loneliness resources, LALC Resilience Forum - Community & Volunteers, LCC Town & Parishes Newletter, LCC Covid19 community response Fund, Lottery Community Fund- grant update required from PC (clerk replied). LCC new Parishes website correspondence. Church service poster for South Witham and surrounding villages during Christmas Period

Date of next meeting 20-119 Tuesday 5th January 2021 at 6.30pm by Zoom, meeting closed at 7.38pm.