Ruskington Parish Council

Minutes of an ordinary meeting of Ruskington Parish Council held on Tuesday 14 June 2022 at the Winchelsea Centre, High Street North Ruskington, NG34 9DY at 7.00pm.

2 members of the public.

The meeting commenced with a public session. One resident raised concerns about speeding along Rectory Road and Lincoln Road and advised they would be contacting the local MP.

1. Apologies for absence.

Cllrs Conway, Cotter, Cunningham, and Trolley were not present at the meeting and had sent valid apologies.

Action: The Council RESOLVED to accept the apologies. Proposed by Cllr Cox, seconded by Cllr Lupton and approve unanimously.

2. Declarations of interest and to consider applications for dispensations in relation to DPIs.

Cllr Tonge declared an interest in agenda item 8 (use of the Church Street public toilets for an event.)

3. To approve as a correct record the notes of Annual Parish Council Meeting held on Tuesday 10 May 2022.

Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve the notes of the Annual Parish Meeting as accurate Minutes. Proposed by Cllr Cox, seconded by Cllr Lupton and approved unanimously.

The Vice-Chairman signed the Minutes.

4. To approve as a correct record the notes of the ordinary meeting held on Tuesday 11 April 2022.

Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve the notes of the meeting as accurate Minutes. Proposed by Cllr Lupton, seconded by Cllr Ditch and approved unanimously.

The Vice-Chairman signed the Minutes.   

5. Financial Matters

All information had been circulated by the RFO prior to the meeting.

   5.1. To consider approval of payments made in May 2022.

Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve all payments made in May 2022. Proposed by Cllr Lupton, seconded by Cllr Ditch and approved unanimously.

   5.2. To consider approval of the bank reconciliations for May 2022.

Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve the bank reconciliations for May 2022. Proposed by Cllr Ditch, seconded by Cllr Tomlinson and approved unanimously.

   5.3. To receive the internal auditor’s report.

This had previously been circulated and Cllr Tonge read out the report to Council.

   5.4. To complete via vote all statements of the Annual Governance Statement 2021/2022 (Section 1) of the Annual Governance and Accountability Return.

Cllr Tonge read out all the internal control statements in Section 1 and all were agreed by vote.

Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve all statements in Section 1 as accurate. Proposed by Cllr Ditch, seconded by Cllr Lupton and approved unanimously.

   5.5. To approve via vote the Accounting Statements 2021/2022 (Section 2) of the Annual Governance and Accountability Return.

Cllr Tonge read out Section 2 and the Accounting Statements were agreed by vote. Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve the Accounting Statements (Section 2). Proposed by Cllr Lupton, seconded by Cllr Ditch and approved unanimously.

   5.6. To approve the end of year bank reconciliation for 2021-2022.

Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve the end of year bank reconciliation.

6. To receive an update on the co-option to Ruskington Parish Council.

At the Annual Parish Meeting (open day) on 2nd June, four application packs had been given out. Although no applications had been received, a possible applicant observed the meeting and hoped to apply once they had lived in the village for the required 12 months.

7. To review and adopt the following policies:

   7.1. Safeguarding policy

   7.2. Document retention policy

   7.3. Environment Policy

   7.4. Draft volunteer Policy

Action: The Council RESOLVED to adopt all the above documents without amendment. Proposed by Cllr Ditch, seconded by Cllr Lupton and approved unanimously.

8. To consider a request by Cllr Tonge to use the public toilets on Church Street for the Party in The Carpark organised by the Shoulder of Mutton.

Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve the request by the Shoulder of Mutton to use the public toilets. Proposed by Cllr Lupton, seconded by Cllr Cox and approved with 4 votes for and one abstention. (Cllr Tonge did not take part in the vote.)

9. Environment Committee

   9.1. To consider the use of a lockable skip on a rolling programme for removal of Council waste, its location and expenditure.

Action: D/Cllr Wright agreed to speak to the waste management team at NKDC to discuss the Council taking waste items to the local recycling centre.

   9.2. To receive an update on the meeting with the Co-op re access to and a possible extension of the community garden.

Cllr Cox provided an update following a meeting with the Co-op on XXXX. The Co-op had appeared keen to lease the grass area on a rolling lease basis. No permanent structures could be erected, or trees planted. The Co-op requested that plans for the extension of the community garden be sent to them, when available, for their consideration. The Environment Caretaker had designed two plans.

   9.3. To consider the quotes for a ramp to enable wheelchair access to the community garden, if available.

Action: Alternative accessible access to be explored, such as via the proposed extension to the garden.

10. Planning Committee - Cllr Cunningham, Chairman of the Planning Committee.

   10.1. To receive an overview of planning applications, new and approved.

Cllr Cunningham was not present at the meeting and the planning meeting on 14 June 2022 had been cancelled as it was not quorate.

   10.2. To consider recommendations by the planning committee, if any, for the consultation on the Leasingham and Roxholm Neighbourhood Plan.

No comments were available at the meeting.

11. Estate Management Committee

   11.1. To receive an update on the plans and planning application for the rear of the parish office property.

Comments for the planning permission application closed on 14 June 2022. The outcome was not yet known.

    11.2. To receive quotes for the installation of electricity to the new shed, a fan to the storeroom, and to remove a heater from the storeroom.

Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve the quote for £650.00 for the electrical work required. Proposed by Cllr Cox, seconded by Cllr Tomlinson and approved unanimously.

12. Recreation Committee – Cllr Cox

   12.1. To receive an update on the refurbishment of Parkfield play area following a pre-installation meeting with Wicksteed on 8 June 2022.

The installation was planned to begin on Monday 5 September 2022 to allow the play area to be kept open during the school summer holidays. Work was expected to take 3-4 weeks.

    12.2 To receive an update on the fencing for Elmtree and Parkfield play areas.

The fencing for Elmtree will be installed by the contractor prior to the school summer holidays. The fencing at Parkfield will be replaced by the contractor after the installation of the new play equipment.

    12.3. To consider the quote to replace the mushroom table in Elmtree play area.

Action: The Council RESOLVED that the entire piece of equipment be removed and replaced with an accessible and inclusive piece of play equipment. Proposed by Cllr Cox, seconded by Cllr Tonge and approved unanimously.

13. To receive feedback and ideas for projects from the Annual Parish Open Day (meeting) held on 2 June 2022. (Please see attached).

   13.1. To consider holding a summer event at the playing fields.

Action: To recruit volunteers who would be happy to help arrange events in the village.

   13.2.  To consider setting up an events committee for the organising of events.

Action: The Council RESOLVED to recruit volunteers who would be happy to help arrange sporting and other events in the village. Cllr Tonge agreed to be the lead on this. Proposed by Cllr Cox, seconded by Cllr Tomlinson and approved unanimously.

   13.3.  To consider an email newsletter to improve communication with residents, at a cost of approx. £15 per month.

Action: The Council RESOLVED to issue an e-newsletter to subscribers at a cost of no more than £15.00 per month. Proposed by Cllr Lupton, seconded by Cllr Cox and approved unanimously. 

14.  Correspondence - for information only. (Circulated to Councillors prior to the meeting).

   a. NHS Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group – request to share health information in the Signpost magazine/ Council website.

   b. Kompan – invitation to attend a fitness equipment roadshow.

   c. NKDC – consultation letter regarding Leasingham and Roxholm Neighbourhood Plan.

   d. Safer Together Coordinator - Priorities for the neighbourhood policing teams.

   e. Curo-links – request for a donation towards a chemical toilet or field shelter.

   f. Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Trust- older person’s event being held in Navenby.

15. To receive Councillors’ reports for information only and items for inclusion on the next agenda.

• Cllr Cox had been approached about by a business hoping to contribute towards a large Christmas tree to be located outside the Memorial Garden.
• Cllr Ditch asked if there was any news from the nomination to the LALC Shining Star awards.
• Cllr Tonge reported that the lock to the pavilion had been deliberately damaged and suggested setting up a council WhatsApp group for emergencies.

16. To receive District and County Councillors’ Reports – for information only. (Any items raised for decision will appear on the agenda for the next meeting.)

Cllr Wright reported that: -

• he had attended Prevent training

• top-layer road surfacing would be replaced at Holdingham roundabout as the current surface does not meet the stringent quality requirements specified in its design. White lines would also be repainted where required.
• Following an email from the clerk regarding the condition of the Hillside play area and plans for the entire site, Cllr Wright confirmed that the land belonged to NKDC and was designating for building. However, he was investigating the possibility of extending the Fen Road line of dwellings, thereby enabling a new play area to be installed on the hard standing area and the rest of the area to be designated a s open space.

17. To resolve whether to exclude the public and press, in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, to discuss the following legal and staffing matters.

Action: The Council RESOLVED to exclude the public to discuss the matter below. Proposed by Cllr Cox, seconded by Cllr Lupton and approved unanimously.

The Vice-chairman closed the meeting at 8.30pm. The District Councillor and public left the meeting. The meeting re-opened at 8.31pm.

18. To consider an apprentice role following a meeting with Lincoln College on Thursday 26 May 2022.

Action: The HR Committee would meet to establish the need for an apprentice, produce a costed plan and a proposal for Council to consider.

19. To receive an update on the vacancy for a Parish Caretaker.

No applications had been received to date.

20. Village Hall matters.

Cllr Ditch, the Clerk and RFO had met with the Chairman of the Village Hall on Monday 13 June 2022.

Action: The Village Hall Chairman to update the Clerk prior to the next ordinary meeting, and for the update t

The Vice-chairman closed the meeting at 9.15pm.

Meeting date: 14 June 2022

Author: Kathryn Locke – Clerk to Council

Purpose of report: To provide an update report from the Clerk on business conducted since the last Council meeting held on 10 May 2022.

Office assistant/apprentice: Lincoln College met with Cllr Ditch, the RFO and Clerk at the Parish office on Thursday 26 May 2022 to discuss an apprenticeship scheme. (Agenda item.)

Trees – The Environment Caretaker and a volunteer planted most of the rest of the trees in Horseshoe Hollow making over 240 trees planted this year.

Cemetery – The cemetery hedge beside the pavement is now planted with privet bushes. Another area will require re-planting in the autumn (privet lost/died as people use the gap in the hedge as a short cut.)

A watering can rack has been made by the handyman and has been located inside the entrance to the cemetery as prescribed by the chairman of the environment committee. New watering cans have also been purchased.

Memorial Garden - the lining under the gravel path is showing through and sticking up in places and there are varying differences in the thickness of the path. Quotes awaited.

Parkfield kitchen – work is still to be completed to upgrade the kitchen.

Applications and fees to use the sports facilities - to date, only the Lions have sent their application form to use the facilities.

Sport facility survey – the link to the short Survey Monkey questionnaire on the sports facilities was re-issued to the teams and clubs that use Parkfield sports facilities. Three members of the walking Football Club have responded (rather than the team). No other team has completed the survey.

Changing rooms – these are still in the process of being deep cleaned prior to painting.

Community Safety Accreditation Scheme powers (CSAS ) – no update from Aurora on this matter. Date for a meeting to discuss this and other matters to be agreed.

Co-option to Ruskington Parish Council – no applicants. Four application packs were handed out at the Annual Parish Meeting/ Open day on 2 June 2022. One person expressing an interest did not meet the criteria (not resided in the village for long enough).

Community Garden – Cllr Cox, Cllr Cotter, the Clerk, RFO and Environment Caretaker met with three members of the Co-op (Property Manager, Food Store Development Manager, Community Development Manager) on Wednesday 25 May at 10.30am at the parish office. A visit to the garden and the grass area was undertaken. The Co-op appear keen to lease the area of land (short term/ rolling lease) to RPC for use as an extension of the community garden with a sensory garden area. No permanent planting or structures to be installed (e.g. no trees). Next steps: RPC to send a proposed plan to the property manager for approval.

The Clerk and Environment Caretaker are researching sensory gardens and visiting local community/sensory gardens.

CCTV for the yard/garden: Global Vision visited the office on Friday 27 May to discuss requirements. The quote is awaited.

Electronic noticeboard – research being undertaken (future agenda item)

FCC Funding Bid to improve Parkfield playing area – a pre-installation meeting date was held with the contractor on Wednesday 8 June 2022 at 10am. The fencing contractor had been invited to attend but was on leave, and also asked to install the fencing at Elmtree prior to the school summer holidays. Installation date w/c Monday 5 September to avoid the school summer holidays.

Estate Management Committee: The planning application for change of use (residential to offices) is now “live.” The closing date for comments is 14 June 2022. Once the outcome of the planning application is known a committee meeting will be called.

Environment Volunteers – there have been several enquiries about helping with environment projects in the village. The Clerk and Environment Caretaker are meeting with two potential volunteers on Wednesday 15 June.

Public toilets on Church Street – a broken privacy screen outside the ladies’ toilets has been repaired and stained and the decorative white wood at the front of the building has been sanded and painted. New signs have been erected.

Highways matters – Westcliffe Road, Edinburgh Rd and Millview- a request for an assessment for major carriageway repairs has been made following correspondence with Highways and complaints from residents.

Village entrance planters and tubs beside the Beck. Ruskington Garden Centre have, again, very kindly, sponsored and planted the tubs beside the Beck with red, white, and blue flowers.  (Some of the wooden tubs are decaying and will need replacement in the next fiscal year.)

Parkfield trees: Work was completed on two trees that border a property on Tomlinson Way following checks to ensure no bird activity.

Horseshoe Hollow tree – quote for work to a tree that overhangs a property on Horseshoe Close are being obtained. The work will be completed in the autumn.

NKDC tree survey – this takes place in July 2022 for all the trees owned/maintained by RPC. This is a three yearly inspection.

Annual Parish Open Day – this was held on Thursday 2nd July at the Parish Office in conjunction with a cream tea for the Queen’s platinum jubilee. Approx 150 people attended, and the feedback was very positive. Please see sperate minutes (previously circulated).

Training: Cllr Ditch, the RFO and Clerk attended Finance Training (via Zoom) on 24 May 2022.

The Caretaker for Buildings and Play Equipment attended IT training on 17 May 2022.  Cllr Ditch, the Clerk & RFO attended financial training (via Zoom) on 14 June 2022. Cllr Lupton attended new councillor training (via Zoom) on 16 May 2022. As always, please let the Clerk know of any training / refresher requirements.

Village Hall – a meeting with the chairman of the village hall takes place on Monday 13 June 2022. (Agenda item.)

Village map and information board – the proof of the new map is now available in hard form for RPC approval (there are some amendments required), and the wording for the new plaque has been approved.

Parish Caretaker Vacancy.  A couple of enquiries have been answered but no application forms have been received.

Information boards for the closed church yard. These are in the process of being produced.