Treeton Parish Council

TREETON PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE

PARISH COUNCIL HELD IN THE READING ROOM

ON MONDAY 25th OCTOBER 2021

Present:       Councillor: W. Parker-Foers (Chairman)

Councillors:  L.J. Pickford, J Travis, B Croxton (from 6.50pm)

In attendance: J. James Clerk to the Council                                 

2021/149 Election of Chairman for the meeting

Resolved      That Cllr Parker-Foers Chair the meeting

Proposed:     Councillor Pickford

Seconded:    Councillor Travis

2021/150 Apologies for Absence

Apologies were received from Councillor T.W. Adair, A.S. Badger, O.R. Baum-Dixon, E.C. Levin

2021/151 Public Question Time

3 members of the public attended and a request was made for assistance with gaining access into the church notice board, the support of the Parish team and Friends of St Helen’s was offered

2021/152 Declaration of Interests

There were no declarations of interest.

2021/153 Minutes of Previous Meeting

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held 27th September 2021 were taken as read, copies having been circulated to all members of the Parish Council previously and with the agenda.

Resolved:     That the minutes are approved and signed by the Chairman.

Proposed:     Councillor Pickford

Seconded:    Councillor Travis

2021/154 Matters Arising

2021/53 &     Land r/o Wood Lane and r/o Mill Lane – The clerk reported that

2021/78        in respect of Wood Lane after 6 months of struggling to engage RMBC there was some progress with a site meeting on 12 October to discuss the work needed to bring the lease arrangement to a close but as yet no report from RMBC confirming their requirements. There is ongoing work to address overgrown vegetation

 There has been no response in respect of Mill Lane.

2021/162c     Jones Homes advertising sign – The Clerk reported that planning consent is required and Jones Homes are to put in a retrospective application.

2021/155      RMBC Joint Working Agreement

Item deferred to November

2021/156 Clerk’s Report & Correspondence Received

The Clerk’s report previously circulated was noted. It detailed the following:

1. RMBC - Updates on Covid-19 and related matters across the Borough.
2. RMBC - Planning applications and decisions across the Borough.
3. RMBC - Weekly traffic reports across the Borough.
4. RMBC - Licensing applications across the Borough.
5. RMBC - Town Centre news.
6. RMBC – News from your Neighbourhood
7. RMBC - Rotherham Round up.
8. RMBC - Preparations for Remembrance. Agreed The Chairman will lay the wreath
9. RMBC - Invitation to join their winter Partnership. Agreed regrettably Treeton cannot participate due to lack of dry storage for the salt
10. SYPTE – reductions in bus services as a result of driver shortages and service reductions as a result of industrial action.
11. Alexander Stafford MP – News from your Rother Valley MP
12. YLCA - White Rose updates
13. YLCA - details of South Yorks branch meeting 27 Oct 2021
14. YLCA – Details of training courses
15. Residents – range of activities and lack of hot food at the youth club – referred to Youth Club provider and Community Centre management
16. Resident – ongoing issues with 4x4 access r/o Mill Lane – contacted RMBC, the Police & Alexander Stafford MP.
17. Waverley CC – Information regarding re-opening the red shale path above the river Rother by Christmas and the planned works in October that will close the footpath that runs lower along the river bank.
18. Cllr Pickford - Overflowing skip at the r/o Wood Lane – allegations that a resident is running a waste collection business – reported to Planning enforcement. Whilst the majority of the waste along with the skip has now been removed it was agreed Cllr Pickford would address the remaining rubbish with the resident.

LATES

1. Parish Team - fly tipping r/o Nicol’s reported to RMBC
2. Parish Team - damage to footpath & hedgerow off Flatts Lane by YWA whilst repairing the sewer. Reported to RMBC. YWA have explained that the main sewer serving Treeton runs through contaminated land off Well Lane and the protective coating on the pipe is being eaten away by contaminants in the soil causing holes to suddenly appear and leak the sewerage into the ground. YWA have secured funding in April to replace the sewer with new pipework and a new protection to prevent reoccurrence.

RMBC advise that YWA have been required to make the footpath safe & next April they will co-ordinate a temporary closure of the path while the new sewer is laid.

RMBC have been asked to request YWA install a barrier as they have widened the path for their vehicle access giving rise to risk of off roading & fly tipping.

3. Member of the public- raising concerns about uneven kerbed memorials, suggesting the cause is subsidence and requesting any contacts with successors to NCB so that he can make a claim against them.

2021/157 Borough Councillors Report

Item not taken

2021/158 Use of Secure Email addresses

Item postponed to November

Cllr Croxton joined the meeting

2021/159 Planning & Review of Progress on Projects through 2021

1. General items

Christmas trees & lights on lampposts

It was agreed that the route for the 60 installations should follow that of the flower holsters with omissions where view might be obstructed.

Christmas tree outside the Reading Room

It was agreed not to progress

Christmas at the Reading Room

It was agreed to postpone a decision to November

Flower Holsters for Summer 2022

Resolved      That the 2021 display would be repeated for 2022 and the Clerk

should include a sum in the budget for this project and place an order with the supplier.

Proposed:     Councillor Pickford

Seconded:    Councillor Travis

Planting the Mine wheels and coal tubs

Resolved      That these should be planted for summer and winter in future years

Proposed:     Councillor Parker-Foers

Seconded:    Councillor Croxton

The forward planner was noted.

2. Proposals from meeting with RMBC regarding improvements to Well Lane playpark

Resolved:     To accept the quote from RMBC to remove the zip wire and replace it with swings for older children, to purchase one bench and provide paint in the sum of £5,890 subject to confirmation of £3,000 Ward funding towards this project

Proposed:     Councillor Pickford

Seconded:    Councillor Travis

3. Proposals for a MUGA on the Cowfield

Agreed that Cllr Pickford would obtain a detailed quote for a MUGA and to address drainage on the field for further discussion.

2021/160 Standing Items

1. Reading Room

It was confirmed that the times for the Housing & Parish Councillor surgeries was 10.00-11.30 and agreed that Parish Councillor attendance would be:

3 Nov – Cllr Parker-Foers

17 Nov – Cllr Croxton with Cllr Pickford opening up

1 Dec – Cllr Parker-Foers

Attendance on later dates to be agreed in November

2. Allotments/Garage sites

The Clerk and Cllr Pickford reported on their check of the allotment and garage sites and on the weeping willow tree and the Clerk that all rents were paid.

Resolved:     That the Clerk should write to the tenants whose plots breach the conditions terms of their tenancy agreement, to the tenant regarding fencing over the access road and to the tenant regarding the row of conifers towards the top of the access road. Further that the Parish Council will not cut back the willow tree and that the Clerk should notify the interested party accordingly.

Proposed:     Councillor Parker-Foers

Seconded:    Councillor Pickford

3. Burial Ground

Maintenance Contract

The Clerk provided details of 5 anonymised quotes.

Resolved:     That the quote from A Flinders in the sum of £3,200 be accepted and the contract to commence 1st December 2021

Proposed:     Councillor Pickford

Seconded:    Councillor Croxton

4. Recreation Ground and Play areas

Nothing to report

5. Environment

Resolved:     To make a grant of £100 to the Community Centre to fund a breakfast

sandwich & mince pies at the December gathering of Treeton’s litter

pick volunteers to acknowledge the valuable contribution they make and to thank them

Proposed:     Councillor Parker-Foers

Seconded:    Councillor Travis

6. Planning Applications

The weekly lists of planning applications and planning decisions in the Borough were circulated by email to all Parish Councillors.

Whilst it is understood that the application to develop the site of the MUGA into 4 flats has been refused confirmation from RMBC Planning is awaited.

There have been no other planning decisions or applications in Treeton.

2021/161 Report from Representatives on External Bodies

1. RMBC/Parish Council’s Liaison Committee

Nothing to report.

2. YLCA Branch Representatives

Nothing to report.

3. Treeton Youth Club

Item not taken

4. Community Centre & Playing Fields Memorial Committee

Item not taken

2021/162 Community Centre

Item not taken

2021/163 Chairman’s Review

Item not taken

2021/164 Finance and General Purposes

1. Review of Policies & Procedures

Resolved:     That the ICO Publication Scheme, Privacy Notice & Data Protection (general & post holders), Equality & Diversity be adopted unamended and the Disciplinary and Grievance policies be adopted as amended and the Performance Appraisal Policy be adopted.

Proposed:     Councillor Parker-Foers

Seconded:    Councillor Travis

2. Budget Monitoring

The Clerk presented a monitoring statement of expenditure against budget and an up-to-date financial statement of the Parish Council’s affairs. These were noted.

3. Approval of accounts for payment

The following accounts were approved for payment.

Receipts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   £

Payments

Proposed:     Councillor Pickford

Seconded:    Councillor Croxton

Bank & Cash Book Reconciliation

30th September 2021

                                                                    £

Balances at bank:    Current account      30,281.61

                              Instant account       58,140.25

Cambridge Building Society                   80,000.00

Nationwide Building Society                     5,000.00

Total                                                   173,421.86                                                                

2021/165 Any Other Urgent Business

There were no items of urgent business

2021/166 Date of the Next Meeting

The date of the next meeting was arranged for Mon 22nd November 2021 at 6.30pm.

2021/167 Exclusion of the Press & Public

Resolved:     To exclude the Press & Public on the grounds that the consideration of

the following items may involve the likely disclosure of confidential information (s1 (2) Public Bodies (Admission of Meetings) Act 1960).

Proposed:     Councillor Travis

Seconded:    Councillor Pickford

2021/168 Update on actions in respect of Staffing Resources to deliver Parish

                Priorities

The Clerk updated the meeting on a number of staffing matters.

Resolved:     To adopt with effect from 1st November 2021 subject to any negotiations the revised NJC terms and conditions and pay scales alongside the previously agreed revised job description.

Proposed:     Councillor Parker-Foers

Seconded:    Councillor Pickford

2021/169 Suspension of Standing Orders

Resolved:     That Standing Orders limiting the length of a Parish Council meeting to

2 hours be suspended to allow business to be completed.

Proposed:     Councillor Parker-Foers

Seconded:    Councillor Travis

2021/170 Update on Property matters

The Clerk updated the meeting on property matters.

The meeting closed at 8.55pm