June 2020 DRAFT Minutes L&A Cttee
Minutes of Cherry Willingham Parish Council’s Leisure and Amenities Committee, held remotely using Google Meet, on Monday 1 June 2020, at 7:00pm.
Present: Cllr Robinson (Chairman) Cllr Brylewski (Vice-Chairman) Cllr Bates, Cllr Burge, Cllr Houghton, Cllr Leader, Cllr Trahearn, Christine Hodgson (RFO) Cathy Doggett (Parish Clerk)
No Members of the Public were in Attendance
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and especially thanked Cllrs Leader and Trahearn, as this was their first Leisure and Amenities Committee meeting.
05/20/1 Apologies for Absence
All Committee members were present.
05/20/2 Councillors declarations of interest, gifts and hospitality
None
05/20/3 Minutes of the Leisure and Amenities Meeting, held on 17 February 2020
The minutes from the last meeting were approved as a true record and it was agreed they would be signed, when it was possible to sign the actual paper document.
Proposed: Cllr Bates. Seconded: Cllr Houghton. All in Favour.
05/20/4 To Ratify Decisions taken by the Chair and Vice-Chair
At the last full Parish Council meeting, it had been agreed that the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Parish Council could make decisions via email for the council, as it was going to be some time before committees would be able to meet (due to the coronavirus situation).
The decisions which had been taken included: the closure of two play areas and during their closure the painting of play equipment. The weed killing and purchase of fencing for Laburnum Drive. The fixing of a drain cover. The Cricket Club had agreed to store all the fencing after Lockdown ends and to obtain a skip to clear away some rubbish.
Proposed: Cllr Robinson. Seconded: Cllr Burge. All in Favour.
Cllr Robinson thanked Cllr Brylewski for all her help during this difficult time.
05/20/5 Actions required due to Coronavirus Guidelines
The council had started the process of opening the green space of Laburnum Drive, while keeping the play equipment area out of use. Fencing and chain had been purchased for this purpose.
ACTION: Cllrs Bates, Brylewski, Burge and Robinson volunteered to receive delivery of the fencing. Cllr Robinson was to make some signs.
The fences should be added to the list of parish council assets for insurance purposes.
ACTION: RFO
Giving the Cricket Club / Bowls Club a deadline for the tidying up of rubbish into a skip was discussed.
ACTION: Cllr Brylewski was to email/contact.
St Paul’s was to be kept shut. It would cost over £1000 to put up temporary fencing this area. In the long term, the possibility of placing a permanent lockable barrier for the play area was discussed. The Chairman approved this as a future agenda item for the Leisure and Amenities Committee. The RFO and Parish Clerk were, at a later date, to obtain quotes for permanent fencing. ACTION (Clerk/RFO)
It was agreed to ask the public, via Facebook and the parish website, to report any youths on St Paul play equipment.
ACTION (Cllr Baker)
Hand sanitiser was suggested for the burial ground. ACTION (Clerk). Two metres apart signage was to be created
ACTION (Cllr Robinson).
05/20/6 New Litter Bin
The council members discussed the purchase and fixing of a child friendly, red litter bin for the Cherry Tree Inn Car Park.
ACTION: The Clerk to purchase the Litter Bin and ACTION: Cllr Leader was to let the Clerk/RFO know which fixing mechanism would be needed when ordering the bin. ACTION: Cllr Leader was to fix the litter bin and purchase up to £20 of materials for the concrete base, to be reimbursed later.
Proposer: Cllr Houghton, Seconder: Cllr Trahearn, All in Favour
05/20/7 To Consider Employing a Maintenance Person
The members discussed employing a person to be proactive in recognising jobs that need doing on a zero-hours contract. The need for risk assessments and public liability insurance was discussed and the problems of the alternative of having to constantly getting quotes for lots of small jobs from different people. Employing someone on a self-employed basis was also discussed.
The benefits of a person on a zero-hours contract were discussed. There would be a saving on the current play inspections and there would be no pension to pay. It would be more efficient to keep on top of jobs and enable a quicker reaction to jobs. Little jobs would not become big jobs.
Against the employment of a person on a zero-hours contract was the fact that the council would be responsible for the person’s health and safety and that risk assessments and the correct equipment would be required. The person might take too long doing a job if they were being paid by the hour. However, were the people currently being used by the council always keeping their public liability insurance up to date? The person must be able to do the job too.
As an employee of the council, the person would be covered by the council’s employment liability insurance, but risk assessments would need to be done to ensure that every job was being done safely.
These comments need to be relayed to the RFO, Chris Moses and the Employment Committee.
ACTION (Clerk/RFO)
05/20/8 Leisure and Amenities Budget
The Finance Committee had agreed to waive the fees for the playing field users this year and so the budget would be £820 short. The caveat will be that they get clear the site of rubbish. A letter to this effect to be written to the Playing Field Users.
ACTION: Cllr Brylewski/RFO/Clerk
6 Councillors were in Favour and 1 Against
The budget for the committee was discussed. Budget figures for inspection and litter picking, grass-cutting and the project budget were discussed.
The resurfacing of St Paul’s was discussed. Fencing just purchased could be used around the area to be resurfaced. Quotes for resurfacing this area should be obtained. If the quotes are under £500 you only need one quote but if they are over £500 you should get three quotes.
ACTION: Cllr Brylewski/Cllr Robinson/Clerk
A councillor had asked for a quote for fixing a drain and the job had been undertaken before it had been agreed upon. Another person was required. Please let the Clerk know of other persons suitable to do these types of job.
05/20/9 Items for Report or Inclusion in the Next Agenda
A copy of the Terms of the User Policy should be circulated to members for the next committee meeting regarding the Sports Association’s disposal of grass cuttings.
ACTION (Clerk)
Another point to be added to the User policy was suggested. This was if the park should be shut for government reasons in the future, that fees should be either half paid or paid in full.
There was a tree in Fern Grove overgrowing onto the roof of a house. The Council was liable if it damaged the house. ACTION: Cllr Leader to send RFO details of a recent tree lopping at his home. It was suggested that this was a tree that had been cut before and that the RFO could look at the quote from the last time it was trimmed. The RFO advised that this was deemed to be a safety issue spending could be authorised by the Leisure and Amenities Committee, otherwise the matter should be referred to the Finance Committee.
ACTION: Committee Members were requested to look at the Fern Grove / send photos of the house, and send their assessment of how speedily the job needed doing to the Clerk.
ACTION: RFO to find three quotes for cutting the tree. Cllr Brylewski and Cllr Burge to meet people giving quotes for the tree surgery. Committee Members to Email the Clerk with their thoughts.
The possibility of a celebration in the future, for instance to have a regular Cherry Willingham, Slow Down Day every first Sat of every month (April to October) was discussed. A try to leave your car at home day, to encourage walking and cycling and treasure hunting.
ACTION: Committee members were asked to consider a VJ day/August Bank Holiday celebration of this nature.
05/20/10 Date of the Next meeting
It was agreed that the next meeting will be held on Monday 6th July 2020 at 7:15 pm.