Minutes 5th August 2020
Minutes of the
Irnham Parish Council Meeting
Held as a Zoom Meeting on Wednesday 5 August 2020 at 7pm
Present: Cllrs Amanda Ayre, Jon Crook, Jenny Crow, Trevor Vanson.
Also in attendance: Cllr Martin Hill
Parish Council Clerk: Jenny Crow
1. Apologies for absence
a. Cllr Lynda Hall.
2. Members declaration of interest or request for dispensation
a. Cllr Crow declared that she had withdrawn from Cllrs’ discussion regarding a Planning Application for Mr Andrew Crow.
3. Minutes of meeting 13/05/20
a. Read and accepted as correct record.
4. Matters arising
a. None raised.
5. Accounts
a. Income into the accounts has been the Community Cleaner Grant of £226.72 and interest on the Defibrillator Account of £0.69. Councillors approved two cheques for payment: £97.20 for Gateway Materials and £300.00 donation to St Andrew’s for Churchyard maintenance. The balance of the Current Account is £2451.32, Defibrillator Account £5495.12.
b. The Clerk confirmed the Adult pads for the Defibrillators were ordered on 08/07/20 at a cost of £352.80. The order arrived today. Councillors approved the payment and the transfer of the funds from the Defibrillator Account.
c. Cllrs agreed the Bank Reconciliation for 30/06/20.
d. Clerk asked Cllrs to consider moving to online banking during Covid-19 restrictions, as a trial, as more suppliers are refusing to accept cheques. Cllrs agreed the Clerk should pursue this with the bank.
6. County council /district council matters
a. Cllr Hill updated the PC regarding the present pandemic. Lincolnshire has one of the lowest rates in the Country. Government are liaising with the Director of Public Health for Lincolnshire and providing detailed figures for test, track and trace. LCC are monitoring this carefully and would take local action if needed. Facilities have obviously been slowly opening up and Bourne Library has partially reopened. LCC are also looking to ease licensing restrictions to allow cafes and restaurants to use pavements as long as this doesn’t cause obstruction.
b. Cllr Hill also updated the PC on Highways issues. There are new contractors for Highways and they have repaired many of the potholes which had previously been reported. The local team will be round again in January. Cllr Vanson raised the large, dangerous, pothole on Swinstead Road and Cllr Hill will follow this up. Cllr Crook raised the state of the junction on the A151 with Swinstead Road and Cllr Hill will follow this up. Cllr Hill also confirmed that patching is scheduled to be completed on Swinstead Road this year with resurfacing next year. Irnham Village is also due to have £60K worth of patching next year.
Cllr Hill informed the meeting the Grantham bypass is progressing on target
c. Schools will open in September and school transport will run as normal. Pupils will be asked to wear masks. Cllr Hill also added that there is increasing evidence that as well as children only being affected mildly by the virus, if at all, that they don’t actually transmit it.
d. Cllr Robins confirmed, by email, to the Clerk that the Best Kept Village Competition will not take place this year.
e. Cllrs have been kept updated about the re-opening of the recycling centres and the plans seem to be working well.
7. Planning applications
a. Planning Application S20/0181 for new dwelling at Southwood Farm, Irnham (variation to S18/0069) still awaiting decision by SKDC. Cllr Robins is still following this up. Cllrs still support the renovation work to prevent the property becoming even more derelict and a blot on the landscape.
b. Planning Application S20/0841 for carport at Fallowfield House, Bulby supported by Councillors and approved by SKDC.
c. Planning Application S20/0829 for single storey rear extension at Old School House, Irnham supported by Councillors and approved by SKDC.
d. Planning Application S20/1236 for tree work at Watergate House, Irnham discussed and agreed in principle subject to Arboriculturist report.
8. Update on highways issues within the parish
a. Cllr Ayre has also reported the poor state of Osgodby Road out of Irnham.
b. The Speed Indicator Device has been moved to Swinstead Road. Cllr Crook has provided Cllrs with initial data from the Corby Road installation.
c. Cllrs are concerned about overhanging trees and hedges on the road between Bulby and Elsthorpe.
9. Update on parish council plans for 2020/21
a. Since the last meeting David Hall has built a prototype of the possible Village Gateways and Cllrs have sought the views of residents via a mid-year, written, Update delivered to all residents in the Parish. Residents were invited to let Cllrs know their views by 20th July. Seven residents from Irnham responded and one resident from Bulby. A further letter and signed petition containing 42 signatures, organised by Mr Tom Bagge, was received. The letter congratulated the Parish Council on the installation of the Speed Indicator Device but questioned the appropriateness of the position on the Swinstead Road. It was felt the installation on the Corby Road had been effective but that evidence from the data would be required to verify this. The second part of the letter addressed the proposed gateways and whilst acknowledging the work put in by the PC and David Hall, to look into the viability of this project, strongly rejected the proposal. The main reason given was that gateways are not in keeping with the rural heritage of Irnham.
A summary of the comments from individual residents and the petition were circulated to Cllrs prior to the meeting. Of the seven Irnham residents who responded three would prefer not to have the gateways, one liked the idea and three were happy to see something but felt the gateways may not be effective in slowing the traffic. The resident of Bulby was very much in favour of gateways for Bulby.
Cllrs thanked residents for the responses and wished to make it clear that they are always ready to listen to the views of residents and a formal petition was not necessary.
Cllrs agreed to request permission from Highways to erect three gateways at the entrances to Bulby.
b. Cllrs agreed they would like to go ahead with a Christmas event but at the present time this looks unlikely due to Covid-19.
10. Support during coronavirus pandemic
a. A Certificate of Appreciation has been received from SKDC for Volunteers Week 2020.
b. Cllrs agree the support on an individual basis has been much appreciated. They are supportive of the Covid19 WhatsApp Group continuing but don’t see the need for a more formal arrangement.
11. Correspondence
a. One resident requested clarification of three points in the draft Minutes of Meeting 13th May. Clerk explained the points raised.
b. Clerk received correspondence regarding the safe maintenance of the Book Swap in Irnham during the current pandemic. Cllrs agreed to close this temporarily. Large numbers of books had been left in both the Irnham and Bulby Box and it is felt this could compromise safety at this time.
c. Email correspondence received from an Irnham resident regarding lorries speeding through the village again. The Chairman responded.
12. Irnham parochial church council matters for the parish
a. Cllr Ayre reported the Church roof is currently being repaired and due to be completed next week.
13. Any other business
a. Cllr Crow requested that the Defibrillator in Bulby be moved due to the location in relation to the carport to be erected. Cllr Crow will make necessary contact to see if it can be moved to the outside of the ‘phone box.
b. Cllr Crook informed the meeting that the Griffin Inn is planning a Hog Roast on Monday 31st August. Details are on the website.
c. Cllr Crook asked members if they would be broadly in favour of a photographic record of the Parish in 2020 following the successful photographs taken in 2000. It was felt this would be a good idea.
14. Date of next meeting
a. Next Parish Council Meeting, Wednesday 4 November 2020, 7pm. Venue/virtual meeting to be agreed nearer the time.
Meeting ended at 8.20pm.