3 October 2022 - Environment Committee
Ruskington Parish Council
Minutes of a meeting of the Environment Committee held on Monday 3 October 2022 at 7.00pm at the Parish Office, 7-9 High Street North, Ruskington, NG34 9DY.
Present: Cllr Conway (Chairman of Committee), Cllr S Cotter (Vice-Chairman of Committee), Cllr G Cox.
Also present: Mrs Kathryn Locke (Clerk to Council), Mr Andrew Doughty (Environment Caretaker).
Apologies: Cllr Tonge.
No members of the public were present.
The Chairman opened the meeting at 7.03pm.
1. To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Parish Clerk prior to the meeting.
Cllr Tonge was not present at the meeting and had sent valid apologies. Action: The Committee unanimously RESOLVED to accept the apologies.
2. Receive declarations of interest and consider applications for dispensations in relation to DPIs.
None were declared.
3. Notes of the meeting of the Environmental Committee held remotely on 3 May 2022 to be approved as Minutes.
Action: The Committee unanimously RESOLVED to approve the notes of the meeting held on 3 May 2022 as accurate Minutes.
4. To consider financial and expenditure matters:
The RFO had circulated the financial information prior to the meeting.
4.1. Expenditure to date.
The Committee was working within its budget.
4.2. To receive an update on the application for Co-op Community Champion funding, if available.
This was not yet available.
5. To receive the Clerk’s Report.
This had been circulated prior to the meeting.
6. Closed churchyard
The Environment Caretaker provided an update. The information boards to explain the creation of the wildflower garden had been installed at each entrance.
6.1. To receive an update on the wildflower project in the closed churchyard and agree the next steps.
The grass has been cut and collected. 23 varieties of local wildflower seeds had been sown in part of the churchyard. Yellow rattle seed had been collected and sown in another area of the churchyard. The effectiveness of the yellow rattle in reducing the grass growth was noted.
Action: Wild garlic and other shade loving plants to be planted under the evergreen oak tree. More spring bulbs were to be planted, and the Church hoped to create a cutting garden to grow flowers for use in the church. The rear of the church, from the properties to Manor Street would be sown with red and white clover seeds, once the ground had been scarified.
7. Sleaford Road Cemetery:
The clerk had previously circulated photos and information. The carers of graves who had been written to by the Clerk had removed the non-regulation items, but many graves remained with un-regulated items, including a grave with new gravel and edging that the Council was receiving complaints about, an urn containing pet remains, and plants and trees that were growing over plots and surrounding areas.
Action: The Committee unanimously RESOLVED that the Clerk agreed write to a grave carer who had laid gravel and kerb edging on a grave, and to the carer of a grave with an urn of dog ashes instructing them to remove said items with 2 weeks.
7.1. To review the cemetery rules and regulations and agree any amendments.
Model cemetery regulations from LALC had been circulated. The Council as the landowner has the right to remove non-regulation items.
Action: The Committee unanimously RESOLVED to recommend to Council that the regulations remain in place without any amendments.
7.2. To review the size of the memorial headstones in relation to the size of a double ashes plot.
Headstones were out of proportion to the small size of the plots and were blocking access to the graves behind. Examples of memorial headstones from other cemeteries had been circulated prior to the meeting.
Action: The Committee unanimously RESOLVED to recommend to Council, regulating the size of the headstones to be in keeping with the size of the ashes plots.
7.3. To consider the most suitable style and size for headstones for ashes plots to allow access to surrounding plots and allow for floral tributes, and other tributes if agreed.
Examples from ashes plots in other cemeteries had previously been circulated.
Action: The Committee unanimously RESOLVED to recommend to Council that three styles of memorial headstone be allowed on ashes plots: Tablets laid flat to the ground, tablets that are angled, and a small square headstone that incorporated a vase for floral tributes, laid on a concrete base. The creation of an ashes area with a cement border was also considered.
7.4. To consider the information from the Council handyman regarding laying a slab or mat and gravel path at the ashes scattering area to improve the area.
Due to the slope of the ground, this was considered more work than originally planned. Quotes from contractors were awaited.
Action: The Committee unanimously RESOLVED for the Environment Caretaker to improve the area between the raised beds with compost and grass seed.
7.5. To consider the cemetery fees to inform the budget for fiscal year 2023-2024.
Action: The Committee unanimously RESOLVED to recommend to Council that the fees remain the same for 2023-2024 as the current fiscal year’s fees.
8. To request/receive an update on the Memorial Garden:
The Environment Caretaker provided an update.
8.1. To consider the quotes to relay the gravel path.
Quotes were still awaited.
Action: The Committee unanimously RESOLVED to purchase a tonne of gravel for the path, to be laid by the caretakers before Remembrance Day, as an interim measure.
8.2. To consider future planting for the garden.
Action: The Environment Caretaker to decide the best plants to fill the borders and to deepen the planters at the entrances to the Garden to promote plant growth. The work would be completed before Remembrance Day.
8.3. To agree the date and time to plant an upright cherry tree in memory of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Action: The date and time to be agreed once the flowering cherry tree had been purchased. The location of the tree had been approved by Council to avoid overhead cables.
8.4. To consider the quotes to sandblast the gates and plate at the entrance to the memorial garden, if available.
A quote had yet to be obtained.
8.5. To consider the wording, design, and expenditure for
a) memorial plaques for the two commemorative trees, and
b) a memorial bench to commemorate the late HM Queen Elizabeth II.
Action: Both a and b, above, to be agreed when further examples and costs were available.
9. To request /receive an update on Horseshoe Hollow:
The grass had been cut on 27 September and collected on 29 September 2022. LCC had awarded Council £190.00 for the purchase of yellow rattle seed to be sown in Horseshoe Hollow.
9.1. To receive an update on the information noticeboards for Horseshoe Hollow and consider the next steps to take this forward.
Action: Cllr Cotter agreed to design the information boards. The expenditure had previously been agreed.
10. Community Garden
10.1. To consider the lease agreement for the use of the grass area belonging to Lincolnshire Co-op to extend the community garden.
Action: The agreement to be sent to Council’s solicitor for approval. The height of the fence to be queried with the Co-op.
11. To consider the tree survey undertaken by NKDC in July 2022 and agree the work to be undertaken and the expenditure required.
This had previously been circulated and queries were raised at the meeting.
Action: The Environment Caretaker to inspect the trees that the Committee queried and make recommendations. Once the essential work was agreed, quotes were to be obtained. Two yew trees growing over the cemetery path were to be removed as soon as possible.
12. To receive an update on the LCC Zero- carbon Project and its funding grant of up to £5,000 following a meeting with the LCC’s Sustainability Team on 10 August 2022.
No update was available.
13. To consider the use and possible disposable of the “Billy Goat” leaf blower and its replacement with a smaller leaf blower.
The leaf blower was rarely used, would not fit in the parish van; there was no space to store it, and NKDC were responsible for removing leaves from roads and footpaths. Additionally, Council already had a leaf blower.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend to Council that the “Billy Goat” be recommended for disposal. In the meantime, a temporary location for its storage was agreed.
14. To consider any projects and expenditure for projects, including the community garden, nature trail, replacement tubs and planters, and any equipment required, to inform the budget for fiscal year 2023-2024.
Action: Further information and quotes to be obtained for the community garden, projects around the village, equipment and the replacement tubs and planters. The hedge separating the two playing fields and hedge bordering Tomlinson Way to be improved. The community garden to have its own line on the budget sheet and a request for sponsorship of the garden to be made on social media.
15. Delegates/Councillor Reports.
- Cllr Cotter noted the grass cutting contractor was cutting close to the hedge on the north field at Parkfield and offered to investigate if a wider strip of grass could be left uncut.
- Flyposting of garden waste at Parkfield car park was due to be removed by the resident by the end of the week. If not, NKDC would discuss further action with the Council. It was thought that additional garden waste had been added to the pile.
16. To agree the date for the next meeting.
To be agreed.