Community Services February 2020

21. Community Services - Tuesday 11 February 2020

Present:

Councillor Baptiste Velan (Chairman)

Councillor Matt Boles – ex officio (arrived at 6.47pm)

Councillor Liz Clews

Councillor Tim Davies

Councillor Chris Lambie

Councillor Keith Panter – ex officio

 

 

In Attendance:                      

 

Tom Clay                                Town Clerk

Rachel Allbones                     Deputy Clerk / RFO

Sean Alcock                            Operations Manager

 

 

Also Present:                         Councillor Paul Key

Frank Charlton, Royal British Legion

 

 

 

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

 

Councillor James Plastow

Councillor Dennis Dannatt

 

 

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)

 

1. Minutes of the meeting of Community Services Committee held on Tuesday 14 January 2020

 

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Community Services Committee held on Tuesday 14 January 2020 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

 

 

4. WAR MEMORIAL (Standing Item) (Paper B)

 

Frank Charlton presented the item to Members. He advised a new plan was being proposed without the seating.

RESOLVED to submit a full planning application at a cost of £234 to see the creation of two small memorial garden areas (appendix A): –

• Proposed work is as follows:

1. remove a section of the hedge and wooden fence which run parallel to Parnell Street and Gladstone Street;
2. replace the hedge and fence with posts and a chain fence;

• the sections of fence northwest and southeast of the War Memorial would be pivoted 90 degrees so that they follow the boundary of the site with the Gainsborough Old Hall gardens;

1. creation of two small triangular lawn gardens of artificial grass (with small soiled areas) to the northwest and southwest of the entrance to the War Memorial.

• The Town Clerk be delegated the power to spend up to £400 to apply for planning and costs associated with that e.g. the purchase of maps, further drawings, etc.
• If the planning application is approved a contractor (or contractors) would be sought to undertake the work and the matter brought back to the Committee to approve any further expenditure.

 

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

 

Note: Councillor Boles arrived at the meeting at 6.47pm.

 

Members NOTED the update.

 

Councillor Boles questioned if MRA are supporting the Council in securing funding for the project.

 

Members were advised that the Levellings Working Group did request for this to be included in the proposal at their meeting on 30 December 2019.

 

The Deputy Clerk also advised that in MRA Conditions of Engagement it stated all fees and charges under the agreement are inclusive of VAT, however, when the invoice for the first 30% of the £9,828 total received there was no VAT included. The Deputy Clerk advised she had raised this issue with Councillor Craig and will also raise the issue regarding the support for securing funding and report back.

 

 

6. ARMED FORCES / COMMUNITY DAY (Standing Item)

No further update following January’s meeting. Update to be received in March.

 

 

7. CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SWITCH ON (Standing Item) (Paper D)

 

Members NOTED the update from WLDC on 2019 Christmas Lights Switch on event.

 

Councillor Boles was happy a meeting had taken place and advised the Town Council needs to stay involved in preparations for the 2020 events.

Concerns were raised that the aim is to support local traders but the feedback received doesn’t prove this is being accomplished.

 

The Clerk was asked to enquire at the next meeting about the possibility of a building projector type effect for the Market Place at the lights switch on, to get more of a ‘wow factor’ to the switch on.

 

8. FOOD AND GARDEN FESTIVAL (Paper E)

 

Members NOTED the update from WLDC on 2019 Food and Garden Festival.

 

Members thought local traders and taxis should be consulted to see what they want from events.

 

 

9. GAINSBOROUGH IN BLOOM (Paper F)

 

Members NOTED an update from the Operations Manager, advising he and the Clerk had met with Gainsborough in Bloom members and they have advised they would like the Town Council to support some Market Place planters, flags and barrier planters and assist in the watering schedule.

 

The Operations Manager advised a report with costing will be presented at the next meeting.

 

 

10. LOVE LANE GARAGE ACCESS ROAD GRASS VERGE (Paper G)

 

Councillor Key raised concerns that allotment holders using the garage access road to enter the allotment site is having a detrimental effect on the road and should be private. It was also noted that a request to the Allotment Sub-Committee had been received to extend the car park.

 

RESOLVED that the Town Council do not install barriers on the County Council highway verge.

 

RESOLVED that no extension to the current Love Lane Allotment car park is approved and the resolution to approve the initial car park is reviewed at the next meeting.

 

 

11. SANDFIELD LANE NORTH PLAY AREA PLANTING

 

The Operations Manager advised that he met the local resident on site who was carrying out the cultivation on the Sandfield Lane North play area site following the meeting on 11 December. Unfortunately, the resident was unhappy at the request for him to stop cultivation of neighbouring properties and advised he would withdraw from all cultivation and have no further involvement.

 

Some Members were unhappy as it kept the play area looking nice and cared for.

 

 

12. COUNCILLOR KEY MOTION (Paper H)

 

Members considered aspects of Councillor Key’s motion to Full Council: –

• To consider laying down all old memorials in the General Cemetery valley and cover to a depth so as re-burial can take place

 

Councillor Key advised it was only the east side of the valley he wanted to cover.

 

Members NOTED the report from the Operations Manager.

 

RESOLVED to cease any further investigations into the proposed project.

13. PAINTING WORKS (Paper I)

 

RESOLVED under Standing Order 10.a.xi to exclude the press and public from the meeting in respect of confidential or other information which is prejudicial to the public interest.

 

Note: Frank Charlton left the meeting at 7.55pm

 

Members considered quotations received to paint the U8 play area at Levellings and the front fence and gate at General Cemetery.

 

Members were advised that there is an ear marked reserve of £3,500 for cemetery boundary maintenance.

 

            RESOLVED to: –

• Incorporate Levellings painting works within the development plans
• Try and increase the ear mark reserve once the year end position is known.

 

 

14. DN21 AWARDS

 

RESOLVED to sponsor an award at the DN21 Awards 2020 at a cost of £500, funds to be taken from Local Town Event Support budget for 2020/21.

 

The meeting closed at 8.01pm