March 2022 Minutes
Pointon & Sempringham Parish Council
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF POINTON AND SEMPRINGHAM PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON THURSDAY, 24 MARCH 2022 at 7.30pm IN St GILBERT’S SCHOOL, POINTON
PARISH COUNCILLORS PRESENT: Dean Wesley (Chair), Robert Clarke, Georgina Freeman, Chris Green, Roy Greenwood, Corrine Ramm and Joyce Taylor
ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Susan McArd (to minute the meeting) and 9 members of the public
It was noted that the meeting was videoed and recorded
1. PUBLIC FORUM: The Chairman asked for questions from the public, length of forum to be 15 minutes.
Q. Who owns the telephone box? Who has the paperwork showing ownership? Who paid for the restoration work? Where is the phone box now? Where will it be positioned? Whose responsibility will it be for insurance, electricity, etc?
A. The phone box was purchased by a former parish councillor, on behalf of the Parish Council, under the ‘adopt a phone kiosk’ scheme and he has the receipt/ paperwork. Restoration work was funded by grants from SKDC/LDC. The phone box is currently undergoing restoration work and will be positioned outside the Village Hall. The Village Hall will pay for electricity, insurance, etc.
ACTION: Cllr Wesley to send a letter to the former councillor asking for all paperwork relating to the purchase of the phone box
Q. What can be done regarding the poor condition of the footpath from Pointon to Billingborough? Hedges/briars need to be cleared and the tarmac renewed.
A. Highways would be asked to inspect this.
ACTION: Cllr Wesley
Q. Could letters be sent to parishioners whose hedges are overgrown and obstructing the footpaths?
A. Letters would be sent to parishioners requesting this.
ACTION: Cllr Wesley
It was noted that streetlights 24 and 25 are not working, this had been reported to SKDC and would be followed up.
ACTION: Cllr Wesley
2. RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND REASONS GIVEN: There were no apologies for absence.
3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: There were no declarations of interest.
4. RECEIVE REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES: There were no reports from the County and District Council, the District Councillor was not in attendance.
PLAYING FIELD: Incidents of dog fouling on the football pitch prior to Saturday’s match had been reported to Cllr Greenwood. Signage and bins are already in place. CCTV was suggested; the legality of siting cameras would need to be investigated. A ban on dogs on the field may have to be considered.
Cllrs Green and Clarke had inspected the field boundaries/ditches and reported that these are very overgrown and need cutting back. They have asked for quotes to carry out this work. It was noted that volunteers from the football club would help. The condition of the pitch is good.
Cllr Clarke has spoken to SKDC asking whether Planning Permission is required for a gate from private property onto the field.
Cllrs Wesley and Clarke have explored suitable pedestrian access on to the field from the roadway; a gate wide enough for wheelchairs and buggies but not wide enough for vehicles would be provided.
ACTION: Cllrs Wesley and Clarke
POLICE: No report was received
VILLAGE HALL: Mr Ramm reported that work on the new pitched roof at the front of the hall was going well. The Village Hall had funded the materials for this work and work is being carried out by volunteers from the village. A copy of the original memorial stone and a new stone commemorating the Platinum Jubilee and current renovations would be placed on the front of the Village Hall. A space will be left in the apex for a village clock.
Planning Permission has been granted for the siting of the phone box outside the Village Hall.
Cllr Freeman congratulated the Village Hall for carrying out the renovation work.
PARISH COUNCIL: The Clerk to the Parish Council has recently resigned, the post would be advertised as soon as possible.
5. MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 10 FEBRUARY: the minutes need amending and would be approved at the next meeting.
6. PLANNING: an application to demolish an existing garage at 38 West Road and to re-site and rebuild the garage was considered. No objections were raised.
7. PLAY EQUIPMENT: Cllr Clarke had met with Wickstead to survey the play equipment on the field. They have agreed to produce a plan with costings. Once this has been received Cllr Clarke would consult with local children to see what equipment they would like and then look at raising funds to cover this.
8. TRAFFIC CALMING: Cllr Freeman outlined a police initiative to raise speed awareness; a group of local volunteers would be trained by the police to monitor vehicle speeds with the aim of reducing speeding. She is awaiting further details from the Speed Watch Co-ordinator.
ACTION: Cllr Freeman
Cllr Wesley is still waiting to hear from Cllr Hill regarding the proposed extension of the 40 mile speed limit from Sempringham to Millthorpe.
9. NEWSLETTER: A further newsletter would be published in April giving details of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Content would be shared with all Councillors prior to publication.
ACTION: Cllr Taylor
Expenses for producing the last newsletter have been reimbursed.
10. UPDATE FROM AROUND THE PARISH AND FROM PARISHIONERS
PLATINUM JUBILEE: St Gilbert’s school has agreed to host the event on Saturday 4 June from 11am – 3pm. Various games and stalls have been planned. A community planning meeting would take place on 20 April. Discussion took place regarding projects to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee. It was RESOLVED by 6 councillors (Cllr Ramm abstained) that £1,000 is given to the Village Hall for the purchase of a village clock. Councillors unanimously AGREED to fund up to £1,000 for the purchase of commemorative coins for children in the parish and for the restoration of the pump outside the school, along with a plaque.
WHATSAPP AND CCTV INFORMATION: It was noted that the Pointon Emergency Forum WhatsApp group is not connected to the Parish Council. The group’s administrator had asked about using CCTV cameras in the area. Cllr Wesley raised concerns that these may break GDPR rules.
11. FINANCE - INCOME AND EXPENDITURE TO DATE: As the council has no RFO there are no current details of this. All payments agreed at the last meeting should have been paid. Cllr Wesley had found no outstanding invoices but would check with the former Clerk. Online payments can be made as required.
ACTION: Cllr Wesley
Cllr Wesley had contacted the bank as he is not yet showing as an authorised signatory. The bank had been unable to authorise this as the signatures on mandate documents received did not match those held on record.
ACTION: Cllr Ramm and Cllr Wesley to rectify
Cllr Wesley has spoken to LALC and has templates for the advertisement for Clerk to the Council, these need to be placed in two local newspapers.
ACTION: Cllr Wesley
12. SOLICITOR’S UPDATE: The Court hearing is going ahead; no date has been received as yet. Acting on the solicitor’s advice, Cllr Wesley will attend the hearing.
14. DATE OF NEXT MEETING: Thursday, 21 April 2022 at 7.30pm at St Gilbert’s.
The meeting closed at 8.55pm.