2020-21 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

MINUTES OF FRAMPTON PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 17th SEPTEMBER 2020 AT 1930 BY ZOOM.

Present:                     Cllrs Burton (Chairman), Aston, Deane, Hildred, Hladun, Royce, Cooper and Balgarnie

In attendance:          Alison Clarke (Clerk & Proper Officer, Responsible Finance Officer)

The Police provided a report that there had been four reported crimes since the last meeting, two auto thefts and two burglaries.

39. Apologies for absence and reasons given (agenda item 1)

Cllr A Austin (LCC) and the Police sent their apologies.

40. Declarations of Interest (agenda item 2)

None

41. Approve of minutes for meeting held 16th July 2020 (agenda item 3)

The Council RESOLVED to adopt the minutes of 16th July 2020 as a true record.

42. Planning Applications (agenda item 4)

Application B/20.0233 First floor rear extension and erection of new workshop for domestic use at Harrod House, Swineshead Road, Frampton Holme PE20 1SF. The Council had no major objections but would like clarification on what is allowed as a domestic workshop as it appears very large.

43. Environment of the Parish including Cllr A Austin (LCC) (agenda item 5)
    1. Cllr Austin reported she has now given away the full £3,000 that individual Councillors were allocated by the County Council’s COVID emergency fund. It has been split between initiatives covering Kirton and Frampton, Wyberton and some more generally located in Boston that benefit residents across the Borough.. This is an appropriate moment to thank any of you who have been involved in helping residents in your parish who have been in need during the past few months.
    2. Cllr Austin reported that the Government have created an “Emergency Active Travel Fund” for cycling or walking initiatives to try and encourage councils to create “pop-up cycle lanes or have road closures in some towns to try and encourage cycling or walking rather than use of cars. Regretfully they only granted Lincolnshire half the money that they had bid for so in a county of our size it really isn’t going to go very far. (Just over £100k for the entire county.)
    3. Cllr Austin reported that Broadband speeds (or lack of them might be a more appropriate description) continue to be an issue. This is something that I’m going to raise when we have the next meeting of the Environment and Economy Scrutiny committee next month. (Another virtual meeting, of course, and it’s interesting to note how many other councillors struggle with their connections from home in this County - we always are asked to keep video cameras off except when speaking.)
    4. Cllr Austin was pleased to announce that Cllr Mike Brookes from Swineshead has now taken over as Chairman at LCC for the next twelve months. It is good when a councillor from Boston can be recognised as worthy of this position. I was very pleased to be allowed to second his nomination at the AGM.
    5. The dropdown kerb request at Thornimans Lane is being considered by Highways but not thought to be a major issue
    6. Cllr Balgarnie reported to Flyswat rubbish dumped near the Beacon which has been removed.
    7. Cllr Cooper reported the “Frampton Roads” sign damaged which is positioned near to the bend going towards Wyberton. The Clerk will report to Property Services
    8. Cllr Deane reported that the “Frampton” sign on Horseshoe Road had been pushed parallel to the road and needed putting higher up so it could not be reached by pedestrians.  The Clerk will report to Highways.

44. Station Road, Hubberts Bridge traffic  (agenda item 6)

The Resident (who lives on the Kirton side) who had requesting further monitoring of traffic in Station Road had sent a report of various times of Police attendance.  The Police reported that the recent monitoring is being carried out by Traffic Officers and the Safer Roads team as Station Road has been flagged up as a main transport route for the area.

45.  War Memorial (agenda item 7)

A resident has suggested to the Council that for ease of maintenance the grass is replaced with slate.  The Chairman reported that the railings needed painting which he would like done prior to Remembrance Sunday was not possible at present due to a number of shrubs being overgrown.  The Chairman will speak to the Volunteer who tends to the War Memorial to see if this could be done to allow the railings to be painted.  Other suggestions regarding the War Memorial will be discussed at the next meeting. The Clerk has sent a request to Highways re closing of the roads at the War Memorial for Remembrance Sunday and will also request nearer the time for the Borough to sweep the pavements.  We will await Government guidance for laying of wreaths on November 8th 2020.

46. Poppy Wreath (agenda item 8)

The Council RESOLVED to obtain a Wreath for Remembrance Sunday and donate £60 to the RBL.  The Clerk will organise. This donation is made under War Memorials (Local Authorities Power) Act 1923 s.1.

47. New website – content, formatting and accessibility (agenda item 9)

The Clerk informed the Council that the new website frampton.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk was fully operational. It had taken 30 hours to transfer all the information from the old website which will not now be updated and will be decommissioned at the end of the year.  The Clerk is confident that Frampton Parish Council have met all accessibility requirements.

48. GDPR – update on privacy (agenda item 10)

The Clerk reported there had been no complaints on privacy since the last meeting.

49.  Clerk’s report (agenda item 11)

Requested from Network Rail that the level crossing gates at Hubberts Bridge be replaced

Requested pavement access from Claymond Court to top of Fen Road and round corner on the Swineshead Road

Received call from a resident in London Road regarding her overgrown hedge that the farmer had not cut.

Reported signs damaged at Frampton Roads/Church End

Reported the two lights in Thornimans Lane which had disappeared into overgrown shrubs and owners cut back where necessary

Reported the long Beech Hedge at Church End owners will attend in due course

Resident reported overgrown thistles on private land

Farmer reported dead tree in Ralphs Lane

Phone call from Resident in Station Road, Hubberts Bridge regarding LRSP

Multiple reports to Flyswat for rubbish in Millfield Lane East and Clatterdykes

Asked two residents to cut down trees on their land as obscuring street lighting

Ordered replacement street lighting for one near War Memorial and other 5 in Station Road, Hubberts Bridge – scheduled 30/9/20 for two days

Transferred all documents over to new website

Renewed Hubberts Bridge broadband contract for further 12 months – slight monthly increase as not committed for two years

Submitted traffic closure form to LCC for Remembrance Sunday

Submitted VAT refund claim for £186.38

50. Correspondence (agenda item 12)
    1. Planning application B/20/0258 agricultural building at Four Cross Roads Farm, Frampton Fen PE20 1SJ – contacted Councillors and there were no comments or observations
    2. Road Closure – Frampton Roads 6th-12th August
    3. Lincolnshire Resilience Forum
    4. Reply from Trevor Thompson, Boston Borough Council via Clive Wickes Associates re footpath at top of Fen Road
    5. New National Payscales for 2020/2021
    6. Help offered for new Parish website by third party
    7. Annual ICO subscription due (is on direct debit)
    8. Traffic report from resident in Station Road, Hubberts Bridge
    9. LALC annual report
    10. Planning application B/20/0329 Land adjacent to 69 Middlegate Road West, Frampton – have asked for extension to 16th October 2020 for comments and observations.
    11. Notification from Boston Borough re free 2.5 hours parking until end of year

51. Financial Matters (agenda item 13)

1. The local Government Services pay agreement for 2020/2021 was published resulting in a 36p an hour cost of living increase for the Clerk.  The Clerk’s annual review will take place in December as previously minuted.
2. Bank account stands at £25045.51 less todays Bacs as detailed below which all Councillors RESOLVED to sign off. The Clerks hours had previously been signed off by Cllr Burton
3. BACS

52. Date, time and venue of next meeting (agenda item 14)

Thursday 15th October 2020 at 1930 by Zoom.