28 October 2024 - Estate Management & Planning Committee
Minutes of an Estate Management and Planning Committee meeting held on Monday 28 October 2024 at the Parish Office at 6.30pm.
Present: Cllr M Trolley (Chairman of Committee), Cllr D Conway, Cllr O Ditch
Also in attendance: Kathryn Locke (Clerk to Council)
Members of the Public: One member of the public was in attendance.
The Chairman opened the meeting at 6.32pm and invited the member of the public to ask a question. The resident had no questions or comments.
1. To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Parish Clerk prior to the meeting.
Cllr Tomlinson had been unable to attend the meeting and had sent valid apologies.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to accept Cllr Tomlinson’s apologies. Proposed by Cllr Ditch, second by Cllr Conway and approved unanimously.
2. To receive declarations of interest and consider applications for dispensations in relation to DPIs. Disclosure of Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Interests is to be in accordance with the Localism Act 2011.
None were declared at this time.
3. To approve the notes of the committee meeting held on 3 September 2024 as accurate Minutes.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to approve the notes of the meeting as accurate Minutes. Proposed by Cllr Trolley, seconded by Cllr Ditch and approved unanimously.
4. To receive the EPC ratings for the parish office and the rear office.
The EPC assessments had been conducted on 14 October 2024 by EPC for Property. The front (parish) office was rated B, and the rear office was rated C. The rear office was a lower rating due to only having heating panels whereas the parish office had air conditioning units and heating panels. The assessments were next due on 14 October 2034.
4.1. To receive an update on the leasing of the office units.
The Clerk had prepared an email to send to Mundy’s Letting Agency to share the floor plan of the building as drawn by EPC for Property, the EPCs and to advise that the rear office units were ready for photographing and almost ready for advertising.
4.2. To consider the Heads of Terms and other documentation required for the leasing of the rear office spaces.
The Heads of Terms for the leasing of the rear office units had commenced.
Action: To complete the Heads of Terms for Council to review before submitting to Mundy’s to inform the lease/licence agreements.
4.3. To agree the next steps in the leasing of the office spaces, including the purchase of any window blinds, and furniture for the reception /waiting room area.
Action: To obtain quotes for fire-retardant blinds for the rear offices, and to obtain quotes for 3-4 “waiting room” chairs and a coffee table (all second hand) that comply with the relevant fire regulations for commercial settings.
4.4. To consider the purchase of a reception desk, seating, and information display stands for the parish office to enhance the experience for the public.
Action: To obtain quotes for a second-hand reception desk and seating for the parish office.
5. To receive the proposed plans for the pavilion, including the community cafeteria.
The architect’s proposed plans had been circulated prior to the meeting. The Recreation and Environment Committee had reviewed the plans at their meeting held on 21 October 2024 and made amendments. The Committee, following review of the updated plans had no other amendments to make.
Action: The Clerk to submit the amended plans to the architect and check with Global Vision that the CCTV could remain in its current location with the footage viewed from the parish office allowing the screen to be removed.
5.1. To consider how the pavilion cafe will be managed for recommending to Council.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend to Council that the pavilion café be leased to an individual, business, or organisation with a legal contract in place. Proposed by Cllr Trolley, seconded by Cllr Ditch and approved unanimously.
5.2. To consider the heating of the pavilion for recommending to Council, and the removal of the gas supply.
The pavilion had no heating except a wall hung electric heater in the hall. The gas supply heated water for the showers.
Action: Recommendations for heating the café, changing room and toilets to be obtained from the architect and local heating engineers. The gas supply to be removed as there was no longer a requirement to heat water for showers, unless it was recommended by the architect to keep the supply.
5.3 To consider the heating of hot water for the sinks in the pavilion for recommending to Council.
Action: Under sink electric heaters to be used to heat the water for the kitchen and toilet sinks.
5.4. To respond to the questions from the architect regarding the pavilion renovation for recommending to Council.
The Committee reviewed the responses from the Recreation and Environment Committee and answered the questions that still required a response. (Please see Appendix A below).
Action: The Clerk to submit the responses to the architect.
5.5. To respond to the questions from the architect regarding an extension to the carpark at Parkfield playing fields which is to be submitted as part of the planning application for the pavilion.
Action: The Clerk to submit the responses shown in Appendix B below.
6. To consider the quotes for insulating the water tanks in the changing rooms as the current tanks are non-compliant with the latest legislation, if available.
The quotes were not available at the time of the meeting. The heating engineer had advised that the hot water could turned on and safely used for the showers following servicing and cleaning.
Action: The Buildings’ Caretaker to turn the boiler on, on Friday afternoons and off on Monday mornings on the weeks when the men’s football team had home fixtures.
7. To receive the results of the public survey for the renovation of the lychgate.
The results of the survey had been circulated prior to the meeting. 108 responses had been received of which, 87% supported the restoration of the lychgate, 97% supported an application for grant funding, 42% were willing to donate towards its renovation, and 57% were willing to pay a small increase on their council tax (approx 56p per month for band D properties) in 2025-2026.
7.1. To receive the quotes for the renovation of the lychgate, if available, and agree the heritage contractor for recommending to Council.
Four businesses who specialised in heritage and conservation work had been invited to visit the lychgate and submit itemised quotes for the work. Three contractors had made site visits. One contractor had submitted a quote. The Clerk had advised that the quotes needed to be submitted by 29 October 2024 for consideration at the November meeting of Council.
Action: The quotes received to be considered, and the contractor approved at the Council meeting on 12 November 2024.
7.2. To consider using a Go Fund Me platform for residents to donate towards the renovation of the lychgate (following advice from LALC regarding donations).
Action: The Committee did not consider this a suitable platform for the residents to donate towards the lychgate renovation.
At 8.11pm the member of public left the meeting.
8. To consider the planning applications received from NKDC.
a. Application Reference: 24/1152/HOUS
Proposal: Remove 10ft Conifer Hedge and replace with 6 ft Fence
Location: 1 Nene Close Ruskington Sleaford Lincolnshire NG34 9HJ
Action: The Committee had no objections to this application.
b. Reference: 24/1225/TPO T1
Description of works: T1. Hawthorn - Fell and remove due to cavity in the base of the trunk.
T2&T3 - Hawthorn - Reduce canopy by approx. 2m and shape. T4 - Hawthorn Bush - Reduce by approx. 1m and shape.
Location: 3 Whitehouse Road, Ruskington, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, NG34 9TP
Action: The Committee had no objections to this application.
9. To agree a date for the next committee meeting.
Action: A provisional date of Monday 25 November at 6.30pm was agreed.
10. To resolve whether to exclude the public and press, in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, to discuss the following contractual matters below.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to exclude the public and press to discuss the contractual issues below. Proposed by Cllr Trolley, seconded by Cllr Conway and approved unanimously.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 8.15pm. The meeting re-convened at 8.15pm.
11. To receive an update on the parish office renovation and agree the next steps.
The Clerk provided an update on the works completed and the works outstanding. The completion date of 30 September 2024, as requested by Council, had not been met.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED that an updated list of work be sent to the contractor. All works and snagging to be completed by Friday 22 November 2024. Any works not completed by this date would be removed from the contract and alterative quotes obtained. The costs of alternative quotes would be reduced from the final payment due to the renovation contractor. Proposed by Cllr Conway, seconded by Cllr Trolley and approved unanimously.
12. To consider a deep clean of the parish office and rear offices following the renovation work to remove dust and debris.
Action: Quotes to be obtained once the work was fully completed.
13. To consider the cleaning arrangements for the rear offices including the communal kitchen and toilet.
Action: To obtain quotes for the contract cleaning of the rear offices, communal kitchen and toilet. The cleaning arrangements for individual offices may depend on the requirements of the tenants.
14. To consider the Section 25 notice from NKDC regarding renewal of the lease for the public toilets on Church Street.
The lease for the public toilets expires in 2026 and NKDC were keen for the lease to be renewed for another 25 years with options at five yearly points to end the lease. The Clerk advised that the toilets required some refurbishment and had no hot water supply.
Action: To obtain costs for renovating the toilets and explore sources of funding for a renovation to inform the decision for recommending to Council. A public survey on the future of the toilets would provide information too.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 8.49pm.
Appendix A: Questions from the architect regarding change of use planning permission for the pavilion
1. Number of existing and additional proposed staff, confirming days to be worked.
- Currently no staff.
- Proposed 6 members of staff working over 7 days.
2. Opening hours and days. Please also confirm if the building will be used at all for any evening events, even if just occasional.
- 8.30am to 4pm, seven days a week, with occasional evening use.
3. External kitchen extraction fan visible, i.e. if just Louvred panels then we will need to show the size and number of on elevations.
- Stainless steel tube and cowling and grease trap extraction to exist the roof of the pavilion to meet current regulations.
4. Materials used for the timber frame pergola shelter, for the ground treatment (pavers or tarmac perhaps?) and the roof sheet covering. Also any drainage for rain water, I assume there will be a gutter and new soakaway?
• Treated wooden frame (with metal caps around the base of the posts)
• Roof – sloping and corrugated polycarbonate
• The ground surface to be tarmac
• Guttering to feed into the existing system. Could the rain water be used to flush the toilets?
5. Please confirm who the land owner is and / or any leaseholders, we will need their names and addresses for the application forms.
- Ruskington Parish Council is the landowner.
- The Village Hall Management Committee leases the land on which the village hall is built. They can be contacted via info@ruskingtonvillagehall.org
Appendix B: Questions from the architect regarding the proposed additional car parking at Parkfield playing fields.
1. Existing number of parking spaces (approx), and proposed number of new ones to be created to relieve parking on the street.
- Council would like to use the area in front of the MUGA as additional parking and to have an overflow site, north of the pavilion (behind the changing rooms.) It was thought that the area behind the pavilion would each create up to 30 additional parking spaces. Please note a public right of way crosses the area behind the changing rooms and 24 hr access for emergency vehicles is required. This parking is to prevent the nuisance and inconsiderate parking on residential roads by users of and visitors to Parkfield facilities.
2. Estimated typical amount of vehicles that currently visit during matches, and any expected increase in visitors with this proposal.
- 40-45 vehicles visit during matches
- It is not expected that the café will increase vehicles to the site.
3. Materials used for new parking (it was suggested possible Hexpave system that stabilizes the ground but allows the grass to be retained.
- To use a Hexpave type system, please.
4. Any new fencing that may surround the new parking area, ie. a step over low height timber fence.
- The existing metal hoop- top child safety fencing to be relocated in front of the MUGA and further towards the village hall carpark.
- If the area behind the changing rooms was to be utilised as an over spill car parking for large events, it is not considered necessary to fence this area off. Car parking marshals would be used as required. (If fencing is required this would be the bow-top metal child safe fencing).