Community Services Committee 9 February 2021

REMOTE Community Services Committee Meeting 9 February 2021 - Public

 

Agenda & meeting papers can be accessed in the PDF pack above.

Members of the public can view the meeting on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/nel5Ww4l2wA

MINUTES of a REMOTE Meeting of the Community Services Committee held on Tuesday 9 February 2021 at 7.00pm

Present:

Councillor Baptiste Velan (Chairman)

Councillor Matt Boles – ex officio

Councillor Liz Clews

Councillor Dennis Dannatt

Councillor Keith Panter – ex officio (arrived at the meeting at 7.06pm, left the meeting at 7.38pm)

In Attendance:                      

Tom Clay                                Town Clerk

Rachel Allbones                     Deputy Clerk / RFO

Sean Alcock                           Operations Manager

Also Present:                          Katie Barry – Headteacher of St Georges Primary School

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Councillor Chris Lambie

Councillor James Ward

2. TO RECEIVE MEMBERS’ DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LOCALISM ACT 2011 AND TO RECEIVE ANY APPLICATIONS FOR DISPENSATION

 None received.

3. MINUTES OF THE PREVOUS MEETING (Paper A)

Minutes of the meeting of Community Services Committee held on Tuesday 12 January 2021

 RESOLVED that the minutes of the Community Services Committee held on Tuesday 12 January 2021 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

4. MINUTES OF THE EXTRAORDINARY MEETING (Paper B)

Minutes of the meeting of Community Services Committee held on Tuesday 19 January 2021

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Community Services Committee held on Tuesday 19 January 2021 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

 5. LEVELLINGS IMPROVEMENTS (Standing Item) (Paper B)

Members NOTED that there is no further update at this time.

Note: Councillor Panter arrived at the meeting at 7.06pm.

6. UPDATE FROM THE HEADTEACHER OF ST GEORGES SCHOOL

The Headteacher of St Georges School, Katie Barry informed Members about how the pandemic has affected pupils and families and how the Food Bank has hep the community.

 7. SUB-COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS (Paper C)

i. RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE that fencing works be carried out on North Warren allotment and both quotations be considered. (Paper D)

 Members noted that there is £6,266.83 budget available for this work.

RESOLVED that fencing works be carried out on North Warren allotment and accept the quotation received from ADB Builders at a cost of £6,000.

ii. RESOLVED that Members contact the Town Clerk with additions they would like to see in the pigeon policy, then the draft policy be sent to Community Services Committee. (Paper E)

Committee noted that feedback has been received from one Member.

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO POLICY REVIEW WORKING GROUP the Pigeon lofts and Keeping Pigeons Policy for final review prior to adoption.

Note: Councillor Panter left the meeting at 7:38pm.

iii. RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE to give retrospective written permission for the 1m high fence and for the area to be recognised as a plot, subject to the condition that an appropriate access arrangement being agreed with the Operations Manager. (Paper F)

RESOLVED to give retrospective written permission for the 1m high fence and for the area to be recognised as a plot, subject to the condition that an appropriate access arrangement being agreed with the Operations Manager.

iv. RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE that allotment guidance posters be updated to ensure current guidance and restrictions are advised. (Paper G)

RESOLVED that allotment guidance posters be updated to ensure current guidance and restrictions are advised.

8. ALLOTMENT TENANCY AGREEMENT AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS (Paper H) 

Committee considered approval of the final draft of the new Allotment Tenancy Agreement and Terms and Conditions.

RESOLVED to approve of the new Agreement as set out at option 1 of the report, as follows:

• The new Agreement would be issued to all new plot holders from the date it is adopted;
• Foxby Hill Allotment Garden plot holders would be moved to the new Agreement from 1 April 2021 after it ceases to be self-managed, and;
• Use of the new Agreement for all existing plot holders would start on Wednesday 17 March 2022 (one week before the allotment rent collection date).
• Notice would be given to existing plot holders by letter and email where possible. Notices would also be placed at each site, on social media and on the Council’s website.

The Committee further resolved at the next meeting in March 2021 to:

i. Consider a draft of the Handbook;
ii. Review the Structures and Functions document with a view to making recommendations about the management of allotment, and;
iii. Review the Arrangements for the Administration of Allotments document.

9. CEMETERY EXTENSION (Paper I)

 Committee noted the update and considered approving expenditure in relation to Tier Two: Environment Agency report.

RESOLVED to approve the expenditure of £4,200 for CDS to undertake the Tier Two: Environment Agency report on the newly proposed sites.

10. GAINSBOROUGH MILLENNIUM CLOCK (Paper J)

Committee consider approval of the quote and to recommending to the Management and Finance Committee that a reserve of £528 (ex VAT) be created at the end of the financial year to allow for installation of new LED lighting at the Gainsborough Millennium Clock.

RESOLVED to accept the quote from Smith of Derby and to RECOMMEND TO MANAGEMENT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE that a reserve of £528 (ex VAT) be created at the end of the financial year to allow for installation of new LED lighting at the Gainsborough Millennium Clock.

11. LOVE LANE ALLOTMENT SITE (Paper K)

Committee consider approval of approach to managing certain breaches of the Allotment Terms and Conditions at the Love Lane Allotment Site.

RESOLVED that complaints relating to certain breaches of the Allotment Terms and Conditions at the Love Lane Allotment Garden site be investigated and considered in one go. The complaints in question would relate to fences, hedges, structures (sheds, greenhouses, etc) and ponds. All such complaints would be investigated during inspections that should take place early in the growing season, late March to early May. Any breaches requiring further action would then be considered in one go by the Committee after the inspection. Anyone complaining about these issues would receive a response acknowledging receipt of the complaint and setting out the broad timescale above. All other complaints would be dealt with in the usual manner.

12. REQUEST FOR WRITTEN PERMISSION (Paper L)

Committee considered a request for written permission to keep pigeons and install a pigeon loft at the North Warren Allotment Garden site and possible costs for plot clearance works.

RESOLVED to provide written permission to keep pigeons and install a pigeon loft at the North Warren Allotment Garden site on the proviso the dimensions comply with the draft Pigeon lofts and Keeping Pigeons Policy, furthermore, clearance works be approved providing they be kept within the existing allotment budget.

 13. ALLOTMENTS MANAGEMENT

 First motion to be moved by Councillor D Dannatt:

From 2022 Council to collect allotment rents by direct invoice utilising the new software which should be in use by that time.

 Second motion to be moved by Councillor D Dannatt:

From 2022 Council to manage an election process to select a Site Secretary for each Allotment Garden site. Following the election, the Council would then consider formally appointing the winner.

Until the election is held Council should appoint a Site Secretary for each site. This would mean that each site has a clearly appointed Site Secretary in place until the elections are held in 2022.

Seconded by Councillor Boles

RESOLVED that motions are accepted and considered as part of the wider review of allotment managements at the next meeting in March.

 14. EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC AND PRESS

Due to the confidential nature, members RESOLVED to exclude the press and public from the meeting during consideration of the next item in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960.

The items treated as confidential because of the potential for legal action and court proceedings.

 15. LOVE LANE ALLOTMENT GARDEN FENCE – PLOTS 20 & 24 (Paper M)

RESOLVED that the Town Clerk be instructed to write to a plot holder who has complained about flooding being caused by neighbouring plot holder’s structure. The Town Clerk is to set out that the matter cannot be taken further for a lack of evidence, however, a wider issue around flooding has been noted and will be considered further.

The meeting closed at 8.45pm