GRINDLEFORD PARISH COUNCIL – MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 10 FEBRUARY 2022 at 5.30 pm

 

Present:  Robert Wilson, Chair; Elizabeth Coe, Andrew Battarbee, Hilary Hart, John Mottershaw, Peter O’Brien, Rob Tamlyn, Ray Whiteley, John Morton.   Sarah Battarbee, Clerk.  

The meeting was held in St Helen’s Church immediately after a village flood group meeting attended by the Environment Agency and DCC, which was separately minuted.  

1.              County Councillor’s report.  Cllr Sutton had been advised not to attend as the start time was dependent on the preceding village flood meeting.  

 

2.              District Councillor’s report.  The enquiry into bin collections had produced two reports, one public and one confidential.  The clerk was asked to pass any comments onto PO’B before the latter was discussed.  

 

3.              Police report. As for the County Councillor’s report, PC Boswell was stood down for this meeting.   

 

4.              Minutes of the last meeting had been circulated to all members before the meeting.  They were pro JSM sec PO’B as being a true record and were approved and subsequently signed.

 

5.              Matters arising:

20s Plenty.  HH summarised that there was a strong movement among Councils to adopt 20s Plenty and to put pressure on DCC to have more flex.  The Chair put forward a proposal that Grindleford Parish Council should formally adopt 20s Plenty.  All were in favour.  Clerk to investigate purchasing some bin stickers and advertising the decision.  

Grit bins – it was agreed not to contact DCC about emptying out solidified grit as the matter could be dealt with locally.  A grit bin for further up Mount Pleasant had been ordered. 

Queen’s Jubilee – it was agreed to celebrate this occasion by asking Alan Jacques to devise a Jubilee Walk.  Display boards of archive photos at the key village locations was also agreed as a line of enquiry to pursue.  The walk should include the footpath signs which were recognised as an important part of Grindleford’s heritage.  Cllrs agreed that the phone box should be used as a book swap and information hub.  They also agreed that funds should be found to get the box professionally painted – clerk to action.  PO’B asked about the issue of damp with the books and whether the box could be heated.  It was agreed that this might be difficult as BT are paying the electricity bill, but the clerk would alert the WhatsApp group and perhaps regular rotation of the books could be an answer. 

Brunts Barn – AB said that he thought a different approach to the reply from Peak Park to the Council’s letter might be more beneficial.  He agreed to draft a response which said, broadly, that the Parish Council would keep a watching brief on traffic volume, track repair and visitor parking and revert if there were problems.  

Electricity to Jubilee Gardens – it was agreed that an electric socket in the gardens themselves would be very helpful, particularly at Christmas; the bin lorries had taken down the lights strung over the track twice.  JSM kindly agreed to get a plug run from his property, suitably locked and metered, before Christmas came again.  The Parish  Council would be responsible for paying for any costs and additional electric use. Agendas.  It was agreed that a previous Council decision should be overturned and agendas should be published in hard copy in the noticeboard as well as on the website.  

 

6.              Highway Matters   

HH asked if a sign warning drivers of deer running onto the road could be erected.  Clerk to contact DCC.  

The wall is down on Leam Lane and needs mending before people start taking the stone. 

Two 30 mph repeater signs are down on the main road up from the church; clerk has contacted DCC, and as they are repeater signs they are unlikely to be replaced, as the County Council is trying to declutter the roads of unnecessary signs. 

 

7.              Planning Matters 

There were none. 

 

8.              Planning Decisions

9.              There were none.

 

10.           Accounts.  

Chq No	Date	Payee	Amount	Description
1022	10/2/22	Matt  Heason	30	Xmas tree lights
1023	10/2/22	Ray Whiteley	69.71	Grit
1024	10/2/22	Sarah Battarbee	£29.95	present MH for phone box work
1025	10/2/22	Matt Heason	CANCEL	Phone box glass see note in cheque book stub
1026	10/2/22	Mr Colledge	£30	Bushelter cleaning
1027	10/2/22	GPFA	19	Room hire

 

It was pro EC sec JRM that these accounts be paid. 

11.           Correspondence. 

Wildflowers.  It was agreed to buy a 5kg box of wildflowers.  Andrew Battye would action.

Steve Platts renewable energy presentation – it was agreed to welcome Steve to the April meeting.  

Landscape Review – the Council expressed full support for the Green Lanes initiative.  

Neighbourhood Watch – there were no suggestions for a replacement Chair but there was some discussion as to whether Neighbourhood Watch in its current format was still relevant, and whether a WhatsApp group might be more appropriate and easier to manage.  

Website.   It was agreed that Cllrs should take it in turns to write a piece for the website each month.  Clerk would put a ‘rota’ on the agenda for the next month.  Cllrs all agreed that the website was a fantastic resource and that John Mottershaw was doing a great job keeping in fresh, but needed everyone to be involved.  

 

As there was no further business the Chair closed the meeting at 6.25 pm. 

DATE OF NEXT MEETING – There will be no March meeting of the Council as the Clerk will be on extended sick leave.  Next meeting Thursday 14 April 2022, 7 pm in the Pavilion.   

 

Sarah Battarbee

Clerk to the Council