September 2019 Minutes
MINUTES of the Council meeting held on Wednesday 4th September 2019 at 7.00pm in the Committee Room at the Festival Hall, Caistor Road, Market Rasen
Present:
Councillor J. Matthews (Mayor) Councillor J. Pilley Councillor M. Lakin-Whitworth Councillor J. Clark
Councillor S. Bunney Councillor M. Harvey Councillor T. Smith Councillor C. Turner Councillor C. Sirett
Councillor A. Lakeman Councillor K. Bridger Councillor N. Brooksbank
In attendance:
Faye Lambkin-Smith – Town Clerk
Reporter from the Market Rasen Mail
County Councillor L.Strange
Mike May – Market Rasen New Life Church
1 Member of Public
Mayor’s opening remarks
The Mayor welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Cllr Clark and the Reporter enter the meeting.
Apologies for absence and reasons given
Apologies were received from District Councillors McNeill and McCartney.
.
Public Participation.
A member of public reported the following:
Congratulated the Council on having a full membership.
Provided the Council with positive comments regarding grass cutting services at the Old Police Station. Thanks are to be conveyed to the grass contractor. There is a strip of grass that is not being cut due to the parking of Bupa Dental Care staff and patients.
Action Point: Town Clerk to inform the grass contractor.
Vehicles are being left over night, over weekends and long term in the Old Police Station car park. As the facility belongs to The Town Council and not Rasen Hub or Bupa Dental Care they asked the Council to take the appropriate action..
Action Point: Ownership signage/notices to be displayed in The Car Park.
New Gate and access from the Scout Hut form the OPS. Clarification was provided. A Councillor agreed to arrange a site meeting with the parishioner within a week to discuss the work.
The Chairman of the Council informed the parishioner that the legal paperwork for easement of access has not yet been signed off.
Councillors’ Reports
The plants in the hanging baskets have died.
Action Point: A Councillor, who is also Chair of the Town Partnership Group, agreed that the hanging baskets scheme will be discussed at their next meeting.
Traffic Management issues outside the Primary School.
The Council noted that there are traffic management issues outside both schools. Parking outside the school gates is a particular issue.
Councillor Smith entered the meeting.
School Uniform Bank.
A councillor explained that they had received a number of requests for a School Uniform Bank.
The Council were in full support of this scheme and suggested that the Schools, Churches, Salvation Army etc. be contacted to see if they can offer a base and support for the project.
Action Point: Councillor Brooksbank agreed to action this by contacting the relevant groups.
Allotments were mentioned. A Councillor reported that we are still waiting for a response from Tesco’s regarding their land.
Woodland Walk. At the request of locals it was agreed to look into registering the land as a community asset and also to obtain a price for cutting the Woodland Walk grass.
Action Point: Town Clerk to ask the grass contractor for a quotation.
County Councillor Strange entered the meeting.
To receive any declarations of interest in accordance with the localism Act 2011 and to receive any applications for dispensation in relation to Disclosible Pecuniary Interests.
None
Notes of meeting of Council Meeting held on the 3rd July 2019
It was RESOLVED to accept the minutes of the Full Council Meeting held on 3rd July 2019 as a true and accurate record of the meeting, subject to some minor amendments.
Update on Action Points
Councillor Smith was asked to recirculate his submission to the Central Lincolnshire Plan review.
The resident has been contacted regarding the proposed site for a street bench.
Chairman’s announcements
The Chairman announced the following:
Reverend Stephen Johnson has been promoted. He is leaving Market Rasen on 29th September to take up the post of Team Rector at the benefice of Gainsborough/Morton. MRTC send their best wishes to Rev Johnson and thank him for his service to the Town and surrounding area.
Various meetings have been held on developing the Staffing Structure.
The Council’s burger van will be at the Classic Car Show this Sunday.
Macmillan’s World’s Biggest Coffee morning event has been arranged at The Festival Hall Committee Room on Monday 23rd September, 10am – 12noon.
Town Clerk’s Report.
The following were mentioned from the Town Clerk’s monthly report:
Live and Local events.
Action Point: To include details on Finance and Facilities Committee Agenda for 18th September 2019.
The planning application for the Fire Alarm System at the Old Police Station has been submitted to WLDC. Some further information is needed in order for the application to proceed.
Report of the County Councillor
County Councillor reported on the following:
The new base for Street Force ( the bin lorries )
District Councillor Initiative.
Road Verges
Branches/bushes affecting Highways signs.
Speeding issues.
A Councillor reported on a speeding issue on Union Street and asked for LCC Highways to consider a 20mph zone for the area. This will support a local residents concern.
County Councillor Strange agreed to endorse this suggestion.
The Council felt that Dear Street and Mill Street also need a similar restriction in place.
Councillor Strange left the meeting.
Report of the District Councillor
Written report attached to minutes from Councillor Bunney (please see report).
.
Accounts for Payment
The Accounts for Payment (PAPER B) were distributed at the meeting to all members (copy attached to signed minutes).
The following account payments were commented on and clarification was given:
BP724 – Brian Hunter – Installation of CCTV in the new Council Offices.
BP744 – J Shaw – Labour and Materials – August 2019.
It was RESOLVED to approve the accounts payment list presented for the sum of £ 6799.18
Correspondence.
Paper C was distributed at the Meeting.
The following items of correspondence were discussed:
Community Lincs - Neighbourhood Planning Training.
Town Councillor Vacancies.
Residents’ suggestion on how to spend money.
World Challenge – Councillor Matthews declared a personal interest in this correspondent as this involves his Stepson.
West Lindsey District Council – Footfall.
The Town Clerk was asked to keep a record of Footfall studies in a separate file.
Action Point: Town Clerk to create folder.
Report from Committee Meetings.
No reports from meetings.
Progress reports from Projects Groups (Project Leader will bring this for discussion if clarification is required by the Council)
Festival Hall – No report this month
Old Police Station – It was reported that the windows are in need of some repairs and refurbishment.
Action Point: Town Clerk to seek quotations and to include as an agenda item at the Finance and Facilities Committee meeting, 18th September 2019.
Mill Road Playing Field Development
A Councillor reported on some suggestions for new play equipment and possible funding/fund raising opportunities.
Report from Meetings - None
Meetings
Setting up a Planning Committee
It was RESOLVED to set up a Planning and Development Committee that consists of the following members:
Councillors T. Smith, Lakin-Whitworth, K. Bridger, N. Brooksbank, C.Turner and The Mayor (Ex-Officio)
Setting up a HR Committee
It was RESOLVED to set up an HR Committee that consists of the following members:
Councillors, M. Lakin-Whitworth, S. Bunney, C. Sirett, J. Pilley and The Mayor (Ex-Officio). This Committee will meet on an Adhoc basis.
Community Speed Watch Group
It was RESOLVED to set up a Community Speed Watch Group that consists of Councillors J. Clark (Coordinator), N. Brooksbank and K. Bridger.
Public Green Spaces and Developments
A suggestion came from the last Town Tidy Up to create a list of locations in the Town which could benefit from a community tidy up.
Action Point: Town Clerk to start creating a list for areas that require attention i.e. Rhodes Passage.
Neighbourhood Planning/Concept Group
A Councillor reported that a review of the Conservation Area is essential if Capital Funding is to be attracted to the Town.
Councillors C. Sirett and J. Clark voiced an interest in going on the Neighbourhood Planning Training on Wednesday 2nd October 2019.
Councillor Bunney agreed to pass on some tickets for this training.
The Council reported that our High Street Action Zone bid has been accepted by Historic England for their consideration phase..
Update on the Pigeon Issue
A Councillor reported that any issues with pigeon mess should be reported directly to West Lindsey District Council.
.
Review of Council Policies
It was RESOLVED to accept the below policies, with some minor amendments.
Grant Awarding Policy
Risk Management Policy
Health and Safety Policy
The meeting was adjourned for any public participation for clarification for agenda points (5 minutes)
The Council provided clarification on the following:
Easement of Access
Debtors
High Street Action Zone Funding
Risk Management.
No risks recorded.
Monthly Column - September
Councillor Clark agreed to draft the monthly column on the subject of Speed Watch..
It was RESOLVED to move into closed session to consider the following agenda item.
CONFIDENTIAL ITEMS
It was RESOLVED to move into closed session to consider the following agenda items.
Councillor Bunney updated fellow Councillors on the Hanging Baskets Scheme and reported that this will be at no cost to the Council.
Decision on the new staffing structure
The Chairman and Deputy Chairman updated the Council on meetings held with Council Officers.
It was RESOLVED to accept staffing structure model A, to employ a Full Time Town Clerk/RFO for 37 hours pw and a Part Time Assistant Town Clerk for 25 hours pw. Both posts to be spread over the 5 days of the working week. It was agreed to defer a decision on a Receptionist / Apprentice post until the substantive posts are filled and been at work for a few weeks.
The Council RESOLVED to follow the required legislation for redundancy.
The Chairman closed the meeting at approximately 9.04pm