Parish Council Meeting Minutes
of the Remote Meeting held on 27th April 2020 at 7:30pm.
Drayton Parish Councillors Present:
- Tamsin Crane (Chairperson)
- Matthew Lowy (Vice Chairperson)
- Patricia Athawes (Vice Chairperson)
- Richard Wade
- Pervin Shahin
- Shane McAleavey
- Garin Schoonhoven (left at 8:50pm)
- Irma Schoonhoven (left at 8:50pm)
- Claire Woollard (left at 8:50pm)
- Graham Webb
- Susan Harris
Drayton Parish Councillors Not Present:
All Councillors were present.
In Attendance:
- Lorraine Watling (Clerk and RFO)
- Christopher Price (Deputy Clerk)
- Andrew Cooke (VWHDC) (left at 8:07pm)
Public:
None.
69/2020 Apologies for Absence.
Apologies were received from Richard Webber (OCC).
70/2020 Declarations of Interest, Dispensations or Use of Delegated Powers.
Cllr Susan Harris declared an interest in the Manor Farm development as she lives there.
Cllr Richard Wade declared a general interest in the allotments.
Cllrs Garin Schoonhoven and Irma Schoonhoven declared an interest in Agenda item 10, Allotment Fencing, and left the meeting when this item was discussed.
It was noted that the Clerk and Finance Committee used delegated powers to approve and process the payments due to be paid at the beginning of April 2020.
71/2020 Report from OCC Councillor Richard Webber and VWHDC Councillor Adrian Cooke.
- Richard Webber (OCC). It was noted that Richard Webber was unable to join the meeting due to computer issues.
- Emergency Fund. It was noted that £1,600.00 has been transferred to the Community Trust and the money is now available.
- Bonfires. It was noted that there have been a lot of complaints about bonfires and that COVID-19 affects the respiratory system. Bonfires can be reported to the Environmental Health team at the VWHDC. Adrian Cooke (VWHDC) has asked people on Facebook and in his Chronicle report to refrain from having bonfires as it. A resident has sent a complaint to the Clerk about bonfires on the Allotments. The Allotment Tendency Agreement permits bonfires as long as they do not cause a nuisance to other allotment tenants or to owners/occupiers of property adjacent to the Drayton Allotments, especially during the afternoons and summer months.
ACTION: Tamsin Crane to draft a notice asking Allotment holders not to have bonfires at present. Deputy Clerk to display the notice on the Allotment noticeboard. Timothy Atkins (Allotment Warden) to email Allotment Holders. - Waste Services. It was noted that the bulky household waste service and the garden waste service have been resumed.
- VWHDC Finance. It was noted that there is now a significant hole in the Councils finances.
- Planning.VWHDC are currently trying to find a way of holding remote planning meetings with public access. It was noted that a skeleton staff is currently ensuring that all VWHDC departments are operating. Others are working on resilience measures.
72/2020 Community Support Working Group (Richard Wade).
It was noted that there are 45 families/ individuals needing help and 35 volunteers who have been paired with them. This ‘buddying’ system is working well and is helping develop a sense of community.
It was also noted that there will be a pilot cooked food delivery service for 20-25 people.
Andrew Cooke (VWHDC) left at 8:07pm.
73/2020 Public Participation.
None.
74/2020 Minutes of the Previous Parish Council Meetings.
The following minutes of the previous Parish Council/committee meetings were approved and signed by the Chairpersons.
- Parish Council meeting held on 02nd March 2020
- Extraordinary Parish Council meeting held on 24th March 2020
- Planning Committee meeting held on 02nd March 2020.
Proposed: Tamsin Crane Seconded: Patricia Athawes Resolved: Unanimous
ACTION: The signed minutes will be passed to the Clerk when the lock-down is over.
75/2020 Finance and Personnel Committee (Patricia Athawes).
- Payments. The list of payments approved using delegated powers at the beginning of April were circulated prior to the meeting and were noted. The 2 councillors nominated to approve the online payments at the beginning of May were Patricia Athawes and Matthew Lowy.
- Bank Reconciliation had been circulated prior to the meeting and was noted.
- Disposition of Council Funds had been circulated prior to the meeting and was noted.
- Meeting held on 20th April 2020. The draft minutes of the Finance and Personnel Committee held remotely on 20th April 2020 were received and the recommendations contained therein were considered.
- Internal Auditors Report. The report of the Internal Auditor for 2019-20 was Approved by Council.
Proposed: Patricia Athawes Seconded: Matthew Lowy Resolved: Unanimous - Dates for the ‘Notice of Public Rights and Publication of Unaudited Annual Governance & Accountability Return’. It was resolved to display the notice from 29th June 2020 to 28th July 2020.
Proposed: Tamsin Crane Seconded: Susan Harris Resolved: Unanimous - Data Protection Policy. It is an OCC Pension Fund requirement that the parish council has a data protection policy so the Clerk had modified the model policy templet. This was Approved by Council.
Proposed: Patricia Athawes Seconded: Claire Woollard Resolved: Unanimous - Grant Application. It was noted that the Finance Committee had approved the payment of a s137 grant for £1,100.00 to the Citizens Advice Bureau for 2020-21.
- Pond, Sutton Wick. It was noted that Garin Schoonhoven has drafted a risk assessment that will be circulated to Cllrs
- Clerk’s Pay. It was resolved to award the Clerk an annual increment from 01st April 2020, as per the contract of employment, as she is not yet at the top of her salary scale.
Proposed: Pervin Shahin Seconded: Shane McAleavey Resolved: Unanimous
The Clerk will circulate the financial year end reports for 31st March 2020 by the end of the week.
76/2020 Manor Farm to Gravel Lane New Footpath.
It was noted that Cala Homes need to finish the new footpath to Gravel Lane near the saw mill.
It was also noted that a resident along Gravel Lane keeps blocking the new footpath with tape.
ACTION: Tamsin Crane to draft a letter to be sent to the home owner.
77/2020 Weed Spraying.
Lee Collins (Grass Cutting contractor) had offered to spray weed killer around the village. Cllr Wade, as Chairman of the Rights of Way and Conservation Group, proposed that the Council politely declines the offer. This motion was seconded by Cllr G Schoonhoven. Cllr McAleavey proposed an amendment to the motion whereby the grass cutter be asked to confirm the chemicals that would be used. This amendment was not seconded and so fell. The original motion was then put and resolved.
Proposed: Richard Wade Seconded: Garin Schoonhoven Resolved: 10 for and 1 against
78/2020 Correspondence.
It was noted that there was an email from a parishioner expressing concern over the OCC Highways repair along Sutton Wick Lane with regards to flooding.
79/2020 Items to be noted from Parish Councillors.
None.
Cllrs Garin Schoonhoven, Irma Schoonhoven and Claire Woollard left the meeting at 8:50pm.
80/2020 Allotment Fencing.
It was noted that an allotment holder has submitted a request to the Clerk to erect a temporary fence around his allotment plot. It was noted that some plot holders had already erected fencing around their plots. The new tenancy agreement requires consent from the Council to erect fencing. It was resolved to adopt a policy whereby all fences erected prior to 27th April 2020 can remain in place until they fall down or the plot holder leaves. Any new fences will be temporary and only allowed until the new allotment perimeter fence is installed. No concrete is to be used.
Proposed: Tamsin Crane Seconded: Matthew Lowy Resolved: 7 for and 1 abstention (as Cllr Wade had previously declared an interest)
It was noted that the Clerk has recently received requests from allotment holders wishing to erect a shed and a green house. Discussion followed during which a maximum size was suggested by councillors.
ACTION: Clerk to draft a policy about sheds and green houses on allotments and send this to the Chairman for review. This will then be sent to the Allotment warden for consideration/discussion, before it is formally considered by Council.
81/2020 Dates of the next Meetings.
To be determined as Covid-19 crisis unfolds.
The Chairperson declared the meeting closed at 9:06pm.
Signed:
Name:
Date:
Appendix A
Action Check List
Signed Minutes.
To be given to the Clerk when the Council next meets in person.
Bonfires.
Tamsin Crane to draft a notice asking Allotment holders to not have bonfires. Deputy Clerk to display the notice on the Allotment noticeboard. Timothy Atkins (Allotment Warden) to email Allotment Holders.
Manor Farm to Gravel Lane New Footpath.
Tamsin Crane to draft a letter to be sent to the home owner.
Allotment Fencing.
Clerk to draft a policy on sheds and green houses’.