Minutes

Minutes of the Uffington Parish Council Meeting held remotely on Thursday 24th September 2020 at 7:30pm

Present by zoom: Cllr Brown – Chairman, Cllr Hutchins, Cllr Barratt, Cllr Woolf, Cllr Sheehan, Cllr Hartley, Cllr Genever, Cllr Trollope-Bellew and three members of the public. Clerk – Mrs L Thurston (Minutes)

1. Apologies: Cllr Cooke

2. Minutes of the previous meeting 13th August : agreed.

Prop: Cllr Sheehan, Sec: Cllr Hartley

3. Matters arising.

All councillors agreed that the proposed charity policy template will be adopted.

Allotments. A tenant has left and the half- allotment has been re-allocated to the next person on the waiting list.

The SKDC housing officer has been contacted and is satisfied that the tenancy agreement at 4 School Lane is being upheld.

The neighbourhood plan has been investigated. It may be useful to write one if large scale development was imminent but would not benefit Uffington currently.

Chris Harris will spray the weeds in the hedgerow near the playground.

Broken gatepost alongside the school field near 15 Casewick Lane. Clerk has reported to LCC highways.

There is a crack in the wall between the play area and Lindsey Road. Action: Cllr Brown to advise which properties are involved.

4. Website Update

The clerk reported that volunteer help to populate the new website is now available from a retired website developer.

Cllr Trollope-Bellew added that most clerks were struggling and the problem has been raised at county level.

5. Reports from outside bodies.

Reports were provided by Cllr Trollope -Bellew and Cllr Kelham Cooke.

Details can be found on the website.

6. 2020/21 clerk payscales

The clerk, members of the public and Cllr Trollope-Bellew left the zoom meeting for this discussion.

Councillors agreed to adopt the latest NALC pay award for grade SCP5 effective from April 2020 of £10.04 per hour. Any additional hours will be claimed monthly.

An annual review of the role is to be scheduled.

7. Accounts

out

Litter picking August £40

Clerk wages August (gross) £169.35

Clerk wages September (gross) £169.35

Speedwatch battery £229.87

In

Allotment 13A £8.00

Bank balance as at 12th September 2020

Treasurers account: £716.47

Business account : £7450.63

Prop: Cllr Hutchins, Sec: Cllr Hartley

8. Declaration of interest for planning. None

9. Planning

S20/1289 The Coach House , Main Road, Uffington, Proposal: T1 - Ash – Fell, T2 - Ash (TPO) – Re-pollard. No objections made by parish council and SKDC planning approved.

S20/1532 Sycamore House , 13 School Lane, Uffington. Proposal: Erection of detached timber garage in front garden and driveway. Councillors agreed that no other dwellings along this section of School Lane have outbuildings fronting onto the highway. Due to size and design there is potential impact on the sreetscene in particular the view from the listed church which is at the heart of the Uffington conservation area.

S20/1158 32 Lindsey Road, Uffington. Proposal: Single storey front extension. Replace flat roof of bay window, kitchen extension and garage with tiled roof. SKDC planning approved.

S20/1262 The Old Rectory 2 Greatford Road, Uffington Proposal: Horse chestnut (red) reduce tree by a maximum of 5 metres. No objections made by parish council and SKDC planning approved

10. Correspondence

• Broadband throughout the parish is variable. Some properties have very poor speeds. It was agreed that if Openreach are able to assess the demand in the parish the parish council would support this but could not offer financial help. There is a financial benefit if more people are interested.

• Sustainable Stamford cycle and footpath proposals feedback was that the Stamford to Uffington path (on the same side as the Stamford playing field) would be difficult to construct through the Village as it was constrained by walls and narrow verges with restricted views for passing traffic. The path on the opposite side of the road has more room for construction,

• One of the allotment holders asked to be reminded of the tenancy agreement as there were some concerns. It was agreed that the clerk would word a sensitive letter in reply.

• A reminder letter about the annual playground safety check has been received from Wicksteed. Cllrs agreed that this should be booked and Cllr Brown agreed to accompany the inspector.

11. Any other business

More loose slats in the playground fence. Cllrs Brown and Sheehan will mend these.

Wall at 29 Main Road looks bowed. Cllr Genever to look and report back.

Village Hall leak has now been fixed and the new Covid QR code for track and trace is live.

Closure of St Mary’s medical centre was raised. There is a series of public meetings to discuss this.

The notice board outside Croft Farm will be weatherproofed when Mr Woolf has time.

No footpath from the Greatford Road edge of the village to the Cricket Club. Action: Clerk to contact LCC.

Meeting closed at 9:10pm. Next meeting: Thursday 5th November @ 19:30 by zoom unless social distancing guidelines change.