Minutes of meeting 17th March 2021
Notes from a virtual meeting of East Keal Parish Council held on 17th March 2021 at 7pm.
Public Forum. No items raised.
Welcome. Cllr Smith welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Present. Cllr G Smith, Cllr G Boxer, Cllr L Kemp and Clerk to the Council, Mrs E Martin. Also attending were three members of the public and
Cllr Swanson.
1. Apologies. Cllr Mckinlay & Cllr Aron.
2. Notes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 20th January 2021 to be approved as the minutes. It was resolved that the notes be accepted as minutes of the meeting. Proposed by Cllr Kemp and seconded by Cllr Boxer. All agreed and the minutes were signed.
3. Resignation of MrsA-M Thornley. The Chairman paid tribute to her contributionn to the Council. It was noted that the Clerk had formally written to thank her .
4. Co-option of Mr Tim Wrisdale as Councillor. It was unamiously agreed that Mr Wrisdale join the Council. Mr Wrisdale then signed the appropriate form.
5. Declaration of interest. None given.
6. Reports from representatives on outside bodies.
a. County Councillor - Cllr Aron had forwarded the following report.
i. Highways – The Annual routine Jetting of the Towns & Villages Gullies has begun.
ii. The LCC budget has been set. This is a rise of 1.99%
iii.LCC Elections. These are set for Thursday May 6th- 7am – 10pm.
iv. The CC Flood & Drainage policy is being updated to clarify the use of Sand Bags. This is not a mandatory function of either LCC nor ELDC. For those at risk it is worth looking at FLOODSACS – water filled and reusable and FLOOD GUARDS for Doorways.
v. Libraries – The contract with Greenwich Leisure has been extended.
vi. East Lindsey Covid 19 figures were some of the Lowest in the Country.
vii.LCC Website has "GET ACTIVE" Health & Wellbeing details.
viii.LCC Have introduced a Small Business Grant for those unable to access Government Grants. Again details are on the LCC Website Oversubscribed. Unfortunately at present it is oversubscribed.
ix. The chevron – an officer is chasing this he will let us know when they have a date.
x. Speed sign. This has been ordered and permission is in place. As soon as a date is available we will be informed.
b. District Councillor.
i. There will be an ELDC Council Tax rise of 3.49% from April 2021.
ii. Skegness & Mablthorpe have been successful in their grant bid and will received £48.4 million pounds for development.
iii. The Lincolnshire Wolds Festival has been cancelled for this year. (Previously Wolds Walking Festival).
iv. ELDC consultation on their five year plan. Cllrs are asked to respond to any or all parts of this consultation document, previously circulated. Cllr Swanson offered to be part of a Zoom meeting to answer any questions Cllrs might have. Cllr Smith offered to recirculate this document to all Cllrs.
c. Neighbourhood Watch. The Safer Together cooordinator has been contacted and it was agreed that when face to face meeting can be held it would be arranged that they visit East Keal to talk to residents.
d. Village Hall. The hall has remained closed due to the COVID 19 crisis.
From the government’s announcement, the rural community buildings will have to wait until 17 May before they can be hired out for many functions including exercise classes, coffee mornings, performances and celebrations such as weddings and birthday parties.
Confirmation has been received from ELDC that the election for the Police Commissioner will go ahead on 6th May 2021.
The hall’s committee will be meeting during April to make plans for re-opening.
e. PCC Report. Members of the Church have worked hard during the lockdown to keep the building Covid safe, allowing folk to attend for private prayer during the week and Sunday Worship. This has been well received by residents.
Work on the Tower was finally completed in February. A faculty was applied for to have the pews removed and once removed a new floor has been laid and the walls plastered. Thanks were expressed to Mr Atkin, Mr Thornley and other volunteers who have undertaken this work. This extra space will now allow the Church to hold community events in this area.
Plans are drawn up and on display in respect of the proposed servery and toilet. We are now waiting for the architect to produce the service specifications. A meeting is planned to discuss grant possibilities.
In addition the permanent removal of the pews needs the agreement of English Heritage and the Victorian Society.
With the covid restrictions some members of the Church have felt unable to attend in person so the ‘pew sheet’ has been deliver to their homes.
A fund raising event is being planned for Sunday June 27th 2021. A group of gardens around the village will be open, they will include Ruth Ward’s, Suzi McDonald, Atkins, Andrew Catchpoles and others. Teas etc. will be available at Atkins with other fundraising stalls. Subject to covid restrictions being lifted.
It is planned to hold further fundraising events later in the year.
A Friends of St Helen’s Church group is being formed and this is to be launched later in the year.
f. WI Report. Our last face to face meeting was held in March 2020. However our committee has continued to meet throughout the pandemic with one actual socially distanced meeting when restrictions were somewhat lifted during lockdown and others via the Zoom platform.
Sadly our book club and craft groups have been on hold, albeit that has not prevented members sharing their ideas and activities both via e mail and also by telephone.
We set up a telephone tree during the course of the year to ensure that we all get to speak and to support one another on a regular basis. Our communications have continued via our national magazine, WI Life and by continuing circulation of our monthly newsletter.
Many members have signed up for on line courses and presentations delivered by the Lincolnshire federation of Wis and also by our national college, Denman College.
Whilst some of these have been interest talks, others have been more practically based enabling members to have a go from a tell, show, do course to things that perhaps they would not necessarily turned out to a formal class for. Feedback has been positive and they have enabled members to remain motivated and engaged.
Like many organisations, subscriptions were extended from 12 to 15 months membership. The Committee, in line with national guidance, debated a reduction in subscriptions payable for the twelve months from April 2021. We took a decision to reduce members subscriptions to The Keals WI. However, it is pleasing to note, that so far the majority of members who have already re-joined to date have voluntarily sought to pay the full amount.
Throughout the year we have continued to donate to the Spilsby foodbank. We have also supported L.I.V.E.S and Lincolnshire Air Ambulance as well as the Royal British Legion by purchase of two wreaths which were laid on Remembrance Sunday.
We held our AGM on 11 March. The existing committee were all willing to serve for a further 12 months with myself and Vicky Moore being elected as President and Secretary/Treasurer respectively.
g. East Keal Gardening Club. The Gardening Club held its AGM at the end of January via E-mail to accommodate the majority of its members, giving everyone a chance to participate. Following this meeting the committee remains the same as the previous year. We have fifty members.
At the end of February members of the committee dropped a bowl of Spring plants and bulbs at every member’s door, this certainly was well received, just asking how are you ? and delivering a gift did wonders for peoples well being.
Following the Governments roadmap going forward the Gardening Club has now put together a programme of events for the Summer, our first being a visit to The Garden House, near Market Rasen on the 20th May. The Garden House will be opening just for us on that day. We will be adding more meetings and events as appropriate.
7. Planning.
a. S/045/00069/21 - Mr Mahoney - No objections submitted from EKPC - Full planning permission given.
b. S/045/02268/20 - Manor Farm - Planning Permission given.
c. S/045/02250/20 - Keals - Planning Permission given.
d. S/045/02204/20 - Wrisdales - Planning Permission given.
e. S/045/02248/20 - Cheethams - Planning Permission given.
f. S/045/00252/21 - Hillside - Response submitted.
g. N/110/01549/17 Vinking Link - No objections from EKPC.
h. N/101/00105/21 Viking Link - no objections from EKPC.
8. Finance.
a. Financial Report and Bank Reconciliation as at 17.3.21. Acceptance proposed by Cllr Kemp & Cllr Wrisdale.
b. To approve deposit paid of £386.50 for the Notice Board and final payment of £387.40.
c. LALC annual training fee of £102.00 due for payment on 1.4.21.
d. LALC annual fees of £144.70 due for payment on 1.4.21.
e. LALC payment of £20 re P Langford.
f. Salary payment of £1156.76 to Mrs Martin.
g. PAYE payment of £289.00.
h. Internet payment of £170.00 to Mrs E Martin.
i. Reembursement of £6.90 to Mrs Martin re paper & envelopes.
Acceptance of these expenses 8a to 8i was proposed by Cllr Kemp and seconded by Cllr Wrisdale.
9. Update of Community Engaement Policy Document. Cllr Smith offered to add a bit to include 'Facebook'. It was also agreed to then redate the updating this document until 2023.
10. To form a group to consider prequirements of safety of volunteers and update Health & Safety of volunteers policy document to comply with insurance requirements. It was agreed that all Cllrs will meet together to draft some proposals.
11. To consider changing the date of the APM. As this meeting is required by law to be held before the end of May it was agreed that this date be left and the meeting held via Zoom. A date for the residents to meet with Cllrs is to be agreed.
12. Update on the Clerk's appraisal. This was held on 9.2.21. The Chair wished his thanks to be noted for all the hard work done by rhw Clerk in the last year.
13. Welcome Booklet. Since the last meeting packs have been delivered to Mr & Mrs Pearson, Glebe House, Barrow Lodge & Eversley.
New Residents. None noted at present.
The need to update this document with village groups information. Cllr Wrisdale agreed to look at this and share his suggestions.
14. Organise a litter pick around the village. A date is to be fixed at the next meeting.
15. Correspondence.
a. A letter from the Electric Board regarding a new substation on Fen Lane. Two residents atttended the meeting to express their concerns about this. Whilst acknowledging the need for the upgrade they were concerned about the size. Discussions with the Electricity Board have included their landscaping the area to shield it from view.
16. Any other matters for discussion only or for the next Agenda.
a. The meeting was informed that Dental prescription charges are due to rise in April.
b. Hollie Guard Apt. To help people feel safer when out and about this apt has been developed. It can be put on a mobile phone to 'track' the owner, it can also give off an alarm and send a text to a nominated friend.
c. The new notice board has been delivered. It is hoped to put the posts in on Saturday.
d. A request for the Council to pay for plants for the War Memorial has been received. This will be considered at the next meeting to an amount similar to last year.
17. Date of next meeting – 19th May 2021 at 6pm. This will be the Annual Parish Meeting. Followed at 7pm by the Annual Meeting of the Council.