21 May 2020
Minutes of the Uffington Parish Council Meeting held remotely on Thursday 21st May 2020 at 7:30pm
Present by zoom: Cllr Brown – Chairman, Cllr Hutchins, Cllr Barratt, Cllr Woolf, Cllr Sheehan, Cllr Hartley, Cllr K Cooke; one member of the public. Clerk – Mrs L Thurston (Minutes)
1. Apologies received: Cllr Genever and Cllr Trollope-Bellew
2. Minutes of the previous email conversation - agreed as a true record.
Prop: Cllr Sheehan, Sec: Cllr Woolf
3. Matters arising.
Adult exercise equipment
Clerk had sourced some examples of adult exercise equipment and prices. Councillors unanimously agreed that because of child safeguarding issues and safety concerns the play area is an unsuitable site.
Councillors unanimously agreed that this is not a financially viable scheme for the parish council.
4. Reports from outside bodies.
Reports received from both LCC & SKDC outlining COVID-19 help, changes, events and support. The report can be found on the Uffington Parish Council website.
5. Annual audit
Internally audited accounts were verified and agreed by all councillors present and signed by Cllr Brown to be passed on to Clerk Mrs L Thurston as per instructions from external auditors PKF Littlejohn.
6. Planning
S20/0500 and S19/1859 Plot adjacent to 19 Somes Close.
S19 /1859 Outline Planning Permission for the erection of a single storey dwelling with all matters reserved has been refused by SKDC.
S20/0382 Lime tree - Fell Location: 31 Main Road Uffington PE9 4SN. SKDC approval given.
S20/0668 Tree Preservation Order. Three yew trees growing together. Reduce crown by 20 %, North Stables, Casewick Park. Parish Council raised no objections.
7. Cycle paths.
Cllr Brown has asked SKDC that the footpath between Uffington and Stamford be officially designated a cycle path with signs and path markings to encourage people to continue to cycle safely. The area around Stamford is lacking cycle paths. Cllr Trollope -Bellew asked that other parishes in the area add support to this. Action: clerk to contact other parishes.
8. Correspondence – grass cutting (discussed as an earlier item)
Concerns were expressed about volunteers within the village doing the right thing with the right equipment: insurance, personal safety, property safety and sustaining growth of grass and plants.
There is a mowing schedule for LCC and SKDC and the parish council also employ a contractor. Councillors agreed to review and formalise a policy for grass cutting in the Parish.
Cllr Cooke confirmed that individuals could cut grass within the village but they must adhere to the SKDC guidelines.
9. Accounts
Out
Litter picking April £40.00
Clerk April wages £169.35 (gross)
Allotment water bill £22.55
In
Precept £3000
Bank balances at end of April (before all of the above are taken into account)
Treasurers account £ 684.80
Deposit account £8814.45
Prop: Cllr Woolf. Sec: Cllr Sheehan
10. Any other business
Red Cross had sent an email request for funding. Councillors agreed that this was a worthy cause but one of many.
The parish council do not have a policy on donations.
Action: policy to be discussed at next meeting
The Notice board has been assessed by Mr G Woolf now that it has dried out; it doesn’t need to be replaced but does need refurbishing and Mr Woolf has agreed to do the necessary work when time permits.
Lagoon serving Somes close on the Greatford road has a new gate and trees have been planted by SKDC.
Council have received several reports of incidents involving an air rifle near a footpath.
Individuals should report this to the police wildfowl officer by phoning 101.
Meeting closed: 21:00
Next meeting: Thursday 2nd July @ 19:30 by zoom unless social distancing guidelines change.