January 2022 Minutes L&A Cttee
Minutes of Cherry Willingham Parish Council’s Leisure & Amenities Committee held at The Millennium Hall on Tuesday 11th January 2022 at 7:30 pm.
Present: Cllr Brylewski (Chairman), Cllr Trahearn (Vice Chairman),
Cllrs Angel Burge, Lacy and J. Robinson
Gill Shaw - Clerk, Christine Hodgson - RFO
No members of the public were present
1. Apologies
Apologies had been received from Cllr Bucke who was ill and Cllr Houghton who had a prior commitment.
It was RESOLVED to accept their apologies
2. Declarations of Interest: To record declarations of interest by any member of the council in respect of the agenda items listed below.
Members declaring interests should identify the agenda item and type of interest being declared.
To note dispensations given to any member of the council in respect of the agenda items listed below.
None.
3. To receive the notes of The Leisure and Amenities Committee meeting held on 11th October 2021 and agree for them to be signed as a true record.
It was RESOLVED to accept them and they were duly signed.
4. To receive a report on Expenditure v Budget ytd- RFO*
This document was circulated prior to the meeting.
There was a balance of £729 left in the General maintenance budget (although no invoice has been received for new swing seats ) and also a balance of £939 in the burial ground general maintenance budget (less any agreed contribution to
the water leak/paving)
5. To receive an update in relation to the new Youth and Community Centre meeting (Cllr Brylewski).
There had been no progress due to Covid although it had been due to open this month. Cllr Brylewski was to keep the committee informed.
6. To note the repair to the repair to the swing set at St.Pauls costing £450
Noted.
7. To discuss employing a handyman and agree any recommendations to the full council.
There was enough work around the village to employ a handyman which included a long list of play equipment that needed attention. It would be more cost effective to employ someone than use contractors. It was desirable that they would undergo training which would enable them to do the monthly play area inspections. Bardney Parish Council employed a handyman who could be hired by other councils, but it would not be cost effective to use him due to his traveling costs and availability.
ACTION: the RFO to investigate the cost of employing someone for 5 hours per week and also the council's liability for insurance and financial costs.
It was RESOLVED to ask the full council to approve the concept of hiring a handyman and to agree a job description which should include litter picking.
8. Laburnum Drive Playing Field and St Paul’s Play area.
i) To receive an update on the meeting with the cricket club and agree any actions.
A meeting had taken place but no further update had been received. The Parish Council had offered £5,000 towards the cost of the netting.
ACTION: The Clerk to write to the club asking for a progress report on their applications for grants and to confirm that they will not be able to fully use the pitch until a net had been installed. Also to inform them that if they do not need the funding from the council, it would be allocated to another project.
ii) To discuss any alternatives to using EKM for monthly play inspections.
At present there were no other alternatives but if the council employed a handyman, he could be trained to do these inspections.
iii) To review the last two play park inspections and agree any actions.*
A number of repairs had been highlighted.
ACTION: Cllrs Trahearn and Angela Burge to inspect Laburnum Drive play area and Cllr Brylewski to inspect St Paul’s and to compile a list of the most urgent repairs to be sent to the Clerk.
It was RESOLVED that the clerk could arrange the repair of equipment up to the value of £500 from the maintenance budget.
iv) To discuss the tiles at both play parks and the quote received for £2,160.00 from Wicksteed.
The quote received was much higher than expected but the tiles did need repair.
ACTION: To ask EKM for a comparative quote.
v) To receive an update on the repair to the play surface laid by Sovereign in March 2021 at St Paul’s.
Sovereign were due to do the repairs at the end of January, under the warranty.
ACTION: The Clerk to notify councillors of the time and date so the work could be inspected.
vi) To consider the recently laid safety surface at Laburnum and decide on a course of action regarding the immediate use of the ride, the withholding of some payment and whether to accept the offer of compensation and the remedial action as proposed by Wicksteed.
Wickstead had offered to lay turf in the spring and had offered £100 as compensation for the equipment being out of action, as a gesture of goodwill.
It was RESOLVED to withhold £500 from the payment until the remedial work had been completed to the council’s satisfaction, pay £1.500 now which would leave £160 outstanding as compensation for the equipment being out of use, due to the muddy conditions around it.
ACTION: The RFO to make the agreed payment and the Clerk to remind Wicksteed that they would need to supply 2 tons of soil to build up the surrounding area in order to avoid a trip hazard.
9. Burial Ground
i) To recommend to Full Council that £250 be paid to the Church as the Council's contribution towards repairs to the water supply.
It was RESOLVED to pay the £250 subject to Full Council approval.
ii) To receive an update on the hedge cutting at the burial ground.
Cllr Brylewski had inspected the hedging which appeared to be cut satisfactorily.
ACTION: Cllr Brylewski to visit the resident who had requested the cut.
10. Future Burial Ground Task and Finish Group.
To receive an update from the meeting held on the 7th January and consider any recommendations.
It was noted that Tanfaine needed more investigation but it had been identified as a priority site.
Councillors had agreed to undertake various tasks which included:
● Contacting Planning
● Contacting Highways
● Contacting local landowners to ascertain if other land was available and the cost of purchasing it.
● To look at the number of recent burials v cremations to give a better formula to work out when a new burial ground would be needed.
11. General
Any other matters to report for inclusion in the next agenda.
Basketball court.
12. To confirm the date of the next meeting.
7th March at 7.30pm at the Millennium Hall
*Additional documents available from the clerk
**Please be advised that these are notes of the meeting taken by the Clerk and cannot in any way be regarded as the official minutes of Council proceedings until they are approved and signed at the next meeting.