Minutes of Stoke Ferry Virtual PC Meeting July 2020

STOKE FERRY PARISH COUNCIL Draft (until approved at the next meeting) Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on Wednesday 1 July 2020 at 7.00 pm, Virtually online via Zoom

Present: Cllr Sue Lintern (Chair) Cllr Kit Hesketh-Harvey (Vice-Chair) Cllr Stuart Collins (From minute number 111/20) Cllr Andy Hayward Cllr Trudy Mann Cllr Gail Reeve Cllr Donna Stocking Cllr Janet Taylor Helen Richardson (Parish Clerk and Financial Responsible Person)

Also, in Attendance Public – Two. (from Minute number 111/20 One). Cllr Colin Sampson, Borough Council of Kings Lynn and West Norfolk

107/20 Openness and Transparency Notice The Chair read the notice.

108/20 To Record Those Councillors Present who do not have a Video Link There were none.

109/20 To Receive and Consider Acceptance for Apologies of Absence Apologies were noted and accepted for Cllr Mandy Leamon (work commitment).

110/20 To Receive Declarations of Interest from Members Cllr Trudy Mann and Cllr Janet Taylor declared an interest regarding the Bluebell public house should the matter be raised in discussion at item 123/20.

111/20 To Approve an Application for Co-option to the Parish Council The Chair advised that they had met with Stuart Collins who had applied to the Parish Council to fill the casual vacancy, the Council had no comments.

RESOLVED: That Stuart Collins be co-opted to Stoke Ferry Parish Council. (Cllr Sue Lintern proposed, Cllr Kit Hesketh-Harvey seconded, all were in favour).

Following the resolution Stuart Collins signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office form which he displayed on the screen for all to witness including the Clerk. The Chair advised that as part of the process he had completed and signed the Eligibility Form and Code of Conduct form. Cllr Stuart Collins joined the meeting at this point.

112/20 To Approve the Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on 3 June 2020 There were no amendments.

RESOLVED: • That the minutes of the Ordinary meeting held on 3 June 2020 be approved as a correct record. (Cllr Donna Stocking proposed, Cllr Janet Taylor seconded, six were in favour and two abstained as they had not been present at the meeting).

113/20 To Note Matters Arising from the Minutes of the Last Meeting. Matters arising and the Clerk’s report was noted as follows:

Buckenham Drive Land Transfer – The Clerk responded to the Borough Council as per minutes in November and is yet to receive a response. The Clerk wrote to all residents in this area to inform them that any garden waste can be taken to the local waste site or via a brown bin that can be purchased from the Borough Council, but not to be deposited on the land behind. The Clerk chased them for a response on 20 January and is yet to receive a reply. The Chair asked that for the Clerk contact them that there was concern that there may be attachment to the Mill issue. This issue is unlikely to be progressed until after the virus outbreak. Indigo Streetlights – There is no update, but for Norfolk County Council to resolve. The Clerk emailed the Senior Highways Manager Andy Wallace on 23 June for an update.

Indigo Overgrown Bushes – The Clerk emailed the developer on 9th June to ask that they arrange for it to be cut back and notified them about fly tipping and is yet to receive a reply. The Clerk chased them again on 23 June as there had been no response. There was also a fence panel that had fell at the development which people had started to fly tip through. The Clerk agreed to escalate via the Planning Enforcement team at the Borough Council of Kings Lynn and West Norfolk and Cllr Colin Sampson agreed to support the action.

Bridge Road Crack on Path – This has been reported to NCC and will be scheduled when possible.

Village Gates – The Clerk had emailed Highways and a contractor for signage designs on 23 June to see if their operations would enable installation of the gates and manufacturer of signs. The Clerk would continue to pursue in July. The deadline for completion had been extended to September. The Clerk had circulated a first draft design of the sign to the Councillors for comment.

Financial Accounts – The Clerk transferred between the two Parish Council accounts funds into the Community Account where payments are made to the total of £5k via telephone banking on 10th June. The Clerk has completed paperwork for online banking is complete and awaits finalisation with First Unity Trust Bank.

Drain on High Street (Outside ‘The Cottage’) - Following contact with a resident on the phone the Clerk reported to the NCC Highways Technician on 3 June. They inspected and are programming a cleanse and will try to get any work out to contractors, although they are behind at present after not working for a while due to restrictions. The Technician has also asked for a report from this work. He was also going to review old reports and once more was known he agreed to update the Clerk. The Clerk will update with him in July. Planning Application (No Consultation Required) 20/00103/TREECA Stoke Ferry Works to trees in a conservation area, see attached tree report The Moorings Stoke Ferry 114/20 To Approve Either Approval of Purchase of a Larger Litter Bin for the Common and Any Costs to Empty, or alternatively swapping current Bin stock to accommodate a larger bin on the Common, pending necessary permissions, The Council agreed that it needed to purchase a bin for the common as there was excess litter from the smaller bin currently in place. The Clerk agreed to contact the Borough Council on the bins which they empty prior to confirming it for emptying with the Handyman.

RESOLVED: That a larger Litter Bin be purchased for the Common, pending necessary permissions being obtained, for £400.03 plus fixings kit totalling £27.51 be approved. (Cllr Gail Reeve proposed, Cllr Andy Hayward seconded, all were in favour).

115/20 To Approve an Application for a Neighbourhood Planning Grant The Chair shared that a second grant was available to the Neighbourhood Plan project for the village and details had been circulated to the Council. They added that the grant provider was the same as the first grant ‘Groundworks UK’ and the amount applied for was £5972 to be spent by 31 March 2021. Cllr Andy Hayward was Chair of the Neighbourhood Plan working group, Cllr Sue Lintern and Cllr Trudy Mann were also members along with other members of the public.

RESOLVED: That an application for a second grant for the Neighbourhood Plan project be approved totalling £5972 with Groundworks UK to be spent by 31 March 2021. (Cllr Andy Hayward proposed, Cllr Kit Hesketh-Harvey seconded, all were in favour)

116/20 To Approve the ‘Register of Decisions Made Online by the Parish Council for Ratification at the Next Full Council Meeting’. One item only ‘Annual Zoom Licence (20% discount applied) £95 plus VAT paid by Clerk and refunded through their expenses’. The Council had agreed that it needed to purchase its own licence for Zoom should it wish to hold longer Parish Council meetings outside the free application which only allowed for 40 minutes. This was also a need as the Council was meeting virtually until further notice. They felt that the money which would have been spent on Village Hall hire to date since the outbreak and would therefore cover this cost in the budget and at no additional cost.

RESOLVED: That the only item on the register of decisions made online by the Parish Council for ratification at this meeting in June be approved in relation to an ‘Annual Zoom Licence (20% discount applied) £95 plus VAT paid by the Clerk and refunded through their expenses’. (Cllr Sue Lintern proposed, Cllr Kit Hesketh-Harvey seconded, all were in favour).

117/20 To Approve SLCC Various Webinar Clerk Training Sessions The Clerk had requested to attend three webinars with SLCC (Society of Local Council Clerks) in relation to Planning; Dealing with Challenging People and Situation and Rights of Way. The total cost split with two other PC’s would be £30 plus VAT, saving £60 plus the membership saving of £15.

RESOLVED: That three SLCC webinars be approved for the Clerk to attend at a total cost of £30 plus VAT.

118/20 To Approve Revised Covid-19 Action Plan The Clerk advised that minor amendments had been made to the Covid-19 action plan in relation to meetings being held virtually until further notice via Zoom; the Annual Governance and Accountability Return and Internal Audit finalisation.

RESOLVED: That the revised Covid-19 Action Plan be approved as presented. (Cllr Andy Hayward proposed, Cllr Janet Taylor seconded, all were in favour).

119/20 To Approve a Third Authorised Signatory for Banking The Chair advised since Jim McNeill had resigned a third authorised signatory needed to fill this role. After discussion Cllr Gail Reeve advised that she would fulfil this role as a third authorised signatory.

RESOLVED: That Cllr Gail Reeve be approved as a third authorised signatory for banking. (Cllr Sue Lintern proposed, Cllr Janet Taylor seconded, seven were in favour, and Cllr Gail Reeve abstained)

120/20 To Approve One Councillor Appointment to the Mill Liaison Group There was one Councillor vacancy on the Mill Liaison Group. Cllr Kit Hesketh-Harvey shared that he would fulfil this Councillor role. There was no future meeting date set by the Mill at this time. The Chair agreed to follow up with a Mill a letter that they had agreed to send to Norfolk County Council Highways in relation to the road repairs on Furlong Road, because when empty lorries travelled along the road they made loud noises as a result of the areas of damage to the road.

RESOLVED: That Cllr Kit Hesketh-Harvey be appointed as Councillor member on the Mill Liaison Group. (Cllr Sue Lintern proposed, Cllr Janet Taylor seconded, all were in favour)

121/20 To Approve the Payments and Accounts Reconciliation The payments were presented for approval as follows, and the reconciliation was noted:

RESOLVED: That the payments for June as presented be approved. (Cllr Andy Hayward proposed, Cllr Donna Stocking seconded, all were in favour).

122/20 Urgent Matters - Chairman The Clerk agreed to post any Neighbourhood Plan items on the website when required.

123/20 To Receive Urgent items of concern & matters to be included on the next agenda from the Parish Council and note forward items • It was agreed to arrange a date for weed picking in the village to generally tidy footpaths. Cllr Gail Reeve and Cllr Donna Stocking agreed to take the idea forward. • The Clerk agreed to find out what the status of the old railway station development on Bridge Road currently was. • The Clerk agreed to write to a property whose fence was leaning onto the footpath on Wretton Road. • The Clerk agreed to check with the Handyman if they had resolved holes at the cemetery around the edge. • The Council agreed to review the draft letter to East Law regarding the Bluebell Public House from Cllr Kit Hesketh-Harvey received earlier that day and approve on email for ratification at the next meeting.

124/20 Cllr Colin Sampson (BCKLWN) and Cllr Martin Storey (NCC), if in attendance Cllr Colin Sampson urged that businesses should get in touch with the Borough Council on grant funding that may be applicable to them.

The Council raised with Cllr Colin Sampson that they had received a communication from Cllr Jim Moriarty about a consultation on the Borough Council’s planning sifting panel process. The Parish Council had responded to him on this matter to support a consultation officially on the matter pointing out areas for improvement based on discussions the Council had had since its inception. Cllr Colin Sampson advised that if he had opposing views between a Parish Council and a resident presented to him, he would put comments in from all sides regardless of his views on the matter. The Chair shared that the Council would find it useful to understand what criteria the sifting panel were working to for when applications are not then brought to full planning committee for consultation. Cllr Colin Sampson shared that he was unsure when any consultation on the process might happen, but he would look to support the Parish Council’s views on the matter. The Clerk agreed to forward the letter to Cllr Colin Sampson to take forward internally at the Borough Council.

125/20 To Adjourn the meeting to allow for public comments There were none.

126/20 To Confirm the Date of the Next Ordinary Meeting – Wednesday 5 August 2020 at 7 pm. The Clerk requested that the date be moved by one week due to annual leave, the Council agreed to move the meeting date to Wednesday 12 August 2020 at 7 pm.

127/20 EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC The Council to pass a resolution excluding the press and public from the meeting in accordance with Section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted. To Discuss and Approve a HR Related Matter. This item was resolved.