September 2021 Minutes L&A Cttee
Minutes of Cherry Willingham Parish Council’s Leisure &Amenities Committee held at The Millennium Hall on Monday 6th September 2021, at 7:00 pm.
Present: Cllr Brylewski (Chairman), CllrTrahearn (Vice Chairman), Cllr Bucke, Cllr Lacy and Cllr J. Robinson.
Gill Shaw (Clerk) Christine Hodgson (RFO)
No members of the public were present.
1. Apologies
Cllr Houghton was absent due to personal reasons and Cllr Angela Burge had sent her apologies as she was on holiday.
It was RESOLVED to accept the apologies.
2. Members declarations of interest, gifts and hospitality
Some councillors had been given ice-creams and drinks whilst carrying out the village survey.
3. To receive the notes of The Leisure and Amenities Committee meeting held on 15th July 2021 and agree for them to be signed as a true record.
It was RESOLVED to accept the notes and they were duly signed as a true record.
4. Budget
i) To receive a report on Expenditure v Budget ytd – RFO
Out of the general maintenance budget of £3,500, £2,261 had been spent on the deep cleaning of the play surfaces, two swings had been purchased and the annual surface cleaning was due in October. This had left only £219 in the budget.
The budget had anticipated 4 users fees but now only 3 user fees were expected.
Only £61 had been spent from the burial ground maintenance budget of £1,000. However, it was noted that no payment had been requested towards the repair of the water leak at the church.
ACTION: The Clerk to write to the church offering a contribution toward the repair.
Higher burial fees had been received than anticipated.
It was noted that there was a project budget of £5,000 for the resurfacing work and that the £500 budget for grave markers was not now needed.
ii) To discuss the Maintenance and Project Budgets for 2022-2023 and agree as applicable.
It was agreed that the annual maintenance budget would need to be increased next year. Councillors were asked to consider next year's projects and the appropriate costing for consideration at the next meeting.
5. To discuss and agree any actions in relation to the residents survey results as applicable to this committee.
The results had been collated and were due to be presented to the Full Council at the next meeting on September 20th. Generally there was demand for the play parks to be updated, activities for youths and better sport facilities to be made available. Film nights were also popular requests.
ACTION: Clerk to circulate the results to all Councillors when received.
6. To agree to any actions and expenses in relation to utilising the facilities at the new Youth and Community Centre and the School during evenings and weekends (Cllr Brylewski)
There are facilities within the village that are not being used such as the basketball equipment which isn’t available after school hours and at weekends.
ACTION: Cllrs J Robinson, Brylewski and Trahearn to arrange an appointment with Priory Pembroke Academy to discuss making their facilities more accessible to the public.
7. Laburnum Drive Playing Field and St Paul’s Play area.
i. To receive an update on the cricket ground and agree any actions required.
There had been a meeting between councillors and the cricket club to discuss the ball strike report and the need for higher safety nets. A quotation for the supply of the recommended nets had been requested and this was to be circulated to the committee upon receipt for further discussion at the next meeting.
ACTION: Clerk to circulate the quote and also to investigate whether any grants could be obtained from ECB.
ii. Update on the purchase of baby swing seats.
Two new swings had been purchased and installed.
iii. Update on the provision of a water supply for the surface cleaning.
Supplies for both play areas had been agreed and the council would reimburse the suppliers as necessary.
ACTION: Cllr Brylewski to check that the access to the water supply is unobstructed and to ask the contractors to do a risk assessment.
iv. To review the latest play park inspections.
To be discussed below.
v. To review the list of urgent repairs and agree any actions
A site meeting was needed to properly assess the repairs. As there was only £219 left from the current year's budget, a request for further funding should be made to Full Council to cover the urgent repairs.
ACTION: Cllrs to inspect the play equipment and prepare a list with costs for the next Full Council meeting.
vi. Update on the suitability of the soft edging of the wet pour surface and agree any further actions as necessary.
No play surface with soft edging was available to view locally. Two quotes had been obtained for wet pour with a concrete edging of approximately £5,900 and a quote from Wicksteed for £3,160 which was subject to a site survey.
ACTION: RFO to request a site visit from Wicksteed to get a formal quote and to request a quote for wet pour with a concrete edging from EKM whose previous quote was for a soft edge.
8. Burial Ground:
a) To receive an update on the meeting with Glendale in relation to the grass cutting.
At the meeting, Glendale had confirmed that the grass cutting had not been done to our specification and this had already been remedied.
b) Agree to the necessary work to trim the trees and hedging at the burial ground.
It was agreed that Glendale be asked to cut both sides of the hedge along the Gilbert’s Pond/Burial ground boundary including the section previously cut by the owners of 60/62 Lady Meers Road.
c) Update on the professional consultation in relation to the time needed for a new burial ground.
It has been suggested that there was approximately 8 years left for burials and 14 years for cremations.
d) To discuss the proposal of a community owned natural burial ground and agree any necessary actions.
Following a discussion between Cllr Bridgwood and Paul Disley of The Orchard, a natural burial ground, it had been suggested that Tanfaine could be used as a natural burial ground. Paul Disley was interested in either purchasing around 3 acres or being involved in a joint project.
The committee agreed that it could be an option for the council to consider.
9. Burial Ground Task and Finish Group.
a) To receive a report from the group.
No meeting had taken place
b) To agree to the hiring of a digger to establish the depth of soil at Tanfaine to assess the suitability of siting a future burial ground there and agree a budget.
It was RESOLVED to hire a digger to do test holes at Tanfaine to the depth of at least 6 foot.
ACTION: Clerk to seek permission from the tenant when a date was arranged.
10. General
Any other matters to report for for inclusion in the next agenda.
Future projects.
Next year's budget.
11. To confirm the date of the next meeting.
Monday 11th October at 7pm in the Millennium Hall.