December 2020 Minutes
Notes December 1st, 2020 in lieu of Parish Council Meeting
Cllr Richard Elliott, Chairman, Cllr Richard Barnard
Cllr Tony Scawthon,
Cllr Tim O’Callaghan,
Cllr Lizzie Smith,
Cllr Catherine Turner,
Mr Ronald Gee, Clerk
Advance Notification - To ensure continued qualification for all Councillors, the February meeting must be either together in the Village Hall with social distancing for Covid 19 reasons or by other means e.g. Zoom or Teams, as being investigated by the Chairman and the clerk.
1 MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
Notes in lieu of the November meeting had been circulated to all members and published on the Parish Council website.
2. MATTERS ARISING
2.1 Local Policing issues – The Gainsborough Rural South Crime Report up to 30th October listed 2 crimes in this Parish; the Laughterton defibrillator had been damaged and an attempt had been made to reset and reprogramme an owner’s car key in Kettlethorpe. Also listed in the Report were 6 x burglaries, 9 x thefts,
5 x vehicle crimes and 6 x criminal damages.
2.2 Jubilee Park – i. Play area - Although lockdown was called from early November, advice has been received that play areas can still be used with Covid precautions. Notices exist at the Play Area and on the notice board to this effect and will be updated should circumstances change.
ii. Park nameplate – The wood is looking shabby and requires attention. See Correspondence item 3.2
iii. Christmas – It was realised that that it will not be possible to hold our communal Christmas switch-on this year, although the lights have been placed on the tree in Jubilee Park. Agreement was given to a suggestion that in an attempt to try to maintain the community spirit and kick off the Christmas season together, residents who decorate the outside of their property should be invited by leaflet (done) to join the BIG switch-on at 5.00 pm on 1st December. This is in the hope that the co-ordinated switch-on will help raise spirits in the run-up to what will be a ‘different’ Christmas. D/Cllr Jane Ellis has been invited (and has accepted) to walk or drive around the area, a week or so later and decide who will get a prize for the best display..
2.3 Highways – i. Request for footpaths - Waiting for further information from LCC Highways.
ii. Footbridge, Sallie Bank footpath – considered dangerous, closed by LCC, pending repair.
iii. Speed Van – assistance sought from new Community Beat Manager to provide the Speed Vehicle in
Laughterton / Suggested locations for vehicle passed to Police
2.5 Parish Facebook – Contact the clerk with any items for forwarding.
2.6 Flower troughs – Letters sent to Nellie’s Café and Gem Cars regarding possible withdrawal of the facility. D/Cllr Ellis included in correspondence
2.7 Repairs to Propeller Memorial – Additional e-mail sent to contractor, but no response to date.
2.11 Parish Website – New style website being set up
3. CORRESPONDENCE
All relevant correspondence has been circulated by e-mail
3.1 Chairman / Clerk – ‘Remembrance Sunday’ wreath required / purchased by the clerk
3.2 Park name board – to be checked by former councillor
3.3 Clerk – Notes in lieu of November meeting circulated
3.4 Press Release – Play areas can stay open
3.5 LALC – 6-point plan for Councils to help residents
3.6 Lincs Police – Crime Report to 30th October
3.7 Clerk – Approval requested from Councillors to pay October monthly accounts / given
3.8 Clerk – Precept estimate sent to WLDC
3.9 Clerk – Request to police for help with speeding in Laughterton and getting LRSP Speed Van
3.10 Police response / locations requested – Council answer
3.11 Clerk – message from police and LRSP re speeding in Laughterton
3.12 Chairman / Park Farm – Heavy goods vehicles (Moy Park) arriving / leaving outside permitted hours
3.13 Speeding through Laughterton – Police Beat Manager instructed officers to check
3.14 Chair / Baroness Hogg – Superfast broadband / request for map and postcodes - sent
3.15 WLDC - Business Brief
3.16 LCC - Footbridge, dangerous following PC report
3.17 LALC News
3.18 Christmas lights – discussion on possible procedure for this year
3.19 NHS - Gainsborough injuries unit is to be upgraded to an Urgent Treatment Centre
3.20 WLDC - Lincs for warmer homes
3.21 Northern Powergrid – who to contact in a power cut etc
3.22 LALC – information on keeping play area open
3.23 Council – Location suggestions to police on catching speeders
3.24 D/Cllr Ellis - new cinema for Gainsborough
3.25 WLDC – Grants available for eligible businesses
3.26 D/Cllr Jane - agrees to judge residents' Christmas lights
3.27 LCC - Covid-19 Community Response Fund
3.28 LALC – Rise of Covid 19 cases in Lincolnshire
3.29 LALC - Guidance for the extended Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
3.30 WLDC - Business Brief
3.31 WLDC - new Covid Testing site in Gainsborough
3.32 Gem Cars / Nellie’s Café – suggested removal of trough advertising
3.33 WLDC – use of Technology One
3.34 LCC – Highways response to request (sent in May) for notice Park Farm / Kettlethorpe
3.35 WLDC - attempts to become a net zero carbon Council.
3.36 Gem Cars – trough advertising, response from owner
3.37 LCC / Kettlethorpe PC – agreement to continue verge cutting for next season
3,38 Chairman – conversation with Gem Cars owner
3.39 Tree lights now on
3.40 LALC – Rebuilding communities after Covid 19
3.41 Gem Cars / Nellie’s café – D/Cllr Ellis advised of trough situation
4. PLANNING - None
5. FINANCE
5.1 Remembrance Day wreath - The Florist, Marshall’s Yd – reimburse clerk £45.00
5.2 PAYE / Salary for end November – to be paid in accordance with earlier proposals
5.3 Parish Accounts – Balance at the bank to month ending 30th November 2020 is £13,352.50 with an expenditure of £7,365.49.
These items were circulated and approved by members
6. MATTERS ARISING
6.1 Poppies - 30 Royal British Legion poppies bought earlier were mounted on lamp standards through Laughterton and the recently purchased wreath was placed on the Propeller Memorial.
6.2 Sewer Footbridge – After several requests for repairs to the bridge, starting in May, LCC, Highways finally accepted that it is dangerous and barred it from use. Despite several viable solutions offered by the Parish Council and residents, LCC stated that no one else is permitted to repair it, and unfortunately their budget for this year is fully allocated.
NEXT MEETING This will take place when coronavirus restrictions have been lifted.
Current event notes will be circulated each month.