MINUTES OF A MEETING OF EDLINGTON TOWN COUNCIL HELD ON TUESDAY 9th APRIL, 2019 AT 10AM IN THE COUNCIL OFFICES, STUBBINS HILL, EDLINGTON Present: Councillors Rob Reid (Mayor), Keri Anderson, Joan Briggs, Gemma Kelly, Maureen Patterson, Steve Reardon, Linda Smith and Daniel Sweeney. Also in Attendance: Simon Oldham (Town Clerk), Inspector Adrian Luscombe (South Yorkshire Police). No members of the public present. 2019.65 To receive and consider apologies for absence. None. 2019.66 To consider motions for the variation to the order of business (if any). None. 2019.67 To receive any declarations of interest not already declared under the Council’s code of conduct or Members register of disclosable pecuniary interests. The Mayor Rob Reid declared a non pecuniary interest in agenda item 10.2(a) “Complaints re Allotment fires on Hilltop allotments” as an allotment plot holder at the site. 2019.68 To identify items for which the press and public may be excluded (if any). None. 2019.69 To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 12th March, 2019 as a true and accurate record. RESOLVED to approve the minutes as a correct record. 2019.70 Public Speaking Session – In accordance with Standing Order 3.e, a period not exceeding 15 minutes will be allowed for members of the public to speak & make representations (maximum of 3 minutes for each person). None present. 2019.71 Partner Updates from DMBC Ward Councillor(s) or South Yorkshire Police representative (if present). Inspector Adrian Luscombe provided Members with an update on the last two months, February March & (respectively) crime statistics for Edlington in comparison with other areas within his remit covering Mexborough and Conisbrough, as set out below. Edlington Mexborough Conisbrough ASB 22 & 19 41 & 42 51 & 57 Vehicle crime 7 & 5 13 & 16 10 & 10 Domestic burglary 11 & 8 5 & 4 5 & 11 Including sheds/garages Business burglaries 2 & 8 Not specified Not specified Criminal damages 39 & 29 37 & 27 12 & 34 Including window damages He outlined that Edlington had a resource allocation of two Police Officers and three PCSO’s which was a greater volume of resource input than was available for the other two neighbouring areas. An arrest re the business burglaries had been made last weekend and a second individual had been identified. Regarding the criminal damages, a 12 year old local youth had been arrested and was now on bail. An injunction was also being pursued in respect of three other youths. Four other individuals had been arrested yesterday in possession of class A drugs and an additional arrest was made last week re a cannabis find. 2019.72 To receive information on the following ongoing issues and decide further action where necessary. (a) Car parking provision at rear of ECO/adjacent Miners Garden – feedback following meeting with proprietor of Yorkshire Main Motors. RESOLVED (1) to note the summary feedback of the meeting conducted between the proprietor of Yorkshire Main Motors, the Town Mayor & Deputy Mayor and the Clerk on the prospects for creating a general public parking area on this Town Council rectangular area of land in its ownership and assurance given that should this proceed, YMM would ensure half of the 12 potential spaces remained free for general use at all times and the remainder were supported for use in complimenting YMM business clients; (2) to note the representations received from Emms Transport and their concerns on safety grounds should this area be used as a public parking space and (3) in light of consideration of the implications and impact of (1) and (2) above and the likely difficulties of the prospect of enforcing parking restrictions and the costs of enforcement in this space, the safety aspects and potential liabilities that the Town Council could face, the proposed use of this rectangular space as a public parking area be deferred at this time and the Clerk be asked to explore the scope for the lease of this area at a fair rent to prospective local businesses in the vicinity who may be interested, as a potential alternative use for further consideration. (b) Site visit to Homes4Yorkshire site and update on scope for a local scheme in Edlington. RESOLVED to note the wishes of the Town Council not to pursue a site meeting at this time and the unlikely prospect of a local scheme in Edlington being a viable proposition given that there was no identified area of land in current Town Council ownership that would support a local build project going forward. (c) Enquiry to DMBC re deepwater signs at Martinwells Lake. RESOLVED (1) to note thec response from DMBC Assets Tean advising that discussions with South Yorkshire Fire Service on this issue were ongoing and the Friends of Group on the appropriate signage etc. and their location and lifebelts/throwlines which would hopefully be determined in the near future and (2) in light if this, the matter be kept under review. (d) Response from DMBC re scope for dealing with fly-tipping in Edlington Woods and advice on scope for accessing Household Waste Recycling Sites and materials that can be deposited. RESOLVED (1) to note the response from DMBC advising that “as the woods were in private ownership, Street Scene Team cannot routinely clear the waste, although the Enforcement Officer for Edlington had confirmed that the main problem appeared to be due to people taking waste into the wood in wheelie bins, emptying them and then burning the waste via access point via the path adjacent to St Leger Homes properties and that they would look at whether it was possible to block the path, at least for wheelie bins, and prevent access. In the interim, further research was required to establish if it was a public footpath, in which case closing it off would be difficult alhough it may be St Leger Homes land, in which case it would be easier to find a solution”; (2) the information obtained by the Clerk of who could access by vehicle or on foot and what type of materials could be taken and tipped at DMBC Household Waste Recycling Centres, be publicised on the Town Council facebook page and in the next In-Focus magazine and be supplemented by approving the delivery of the draft flyer to all Roberts Road dwellings advising residents of this and to be vigilant and report any further witnessing of fly-tipping in the woods and to encourage fellow residents to be respectful of and help protect the woods and in particular this location which was a designated site of special scientific interest and also had an ancient monument designated status. 2019.73 Planning Application Consultations RESOLVED that no objections be raised in respect of Planning consultation 19/00469/FUL - Erection of a replacement stable building (including tack room and store), Land West of Grange Lane, Alverley, Doncaster, DN11 9DR. 2019.74 Report of the Clerk – To receive updates and consider matters in respect of: (a) Burial ground - Appointment of Grounds Maintenance Operative. RESOLVED to note the appointment of Richard Campbell-Mcdonald who took up the appointment to the post of Grounds Maintenance Operative on 1/4/19. (b) Allotments – i) Complaints re Allotment fires on Hilltop allotments. RESOLVED (1) to the the summary report of the Clerk on complaints reported to the Town Council of smoke billowing from Hilltop allotment site on Saturday 30/3/19 and his enquiry of the Allotment Secretary of the circumstances surrounding this and the actions that he had subsequently taken; (2) to note the correspondence from the Secretary advising that plot holders had been reminded and notices placed around the site advising that in future any fires only to be lit after 6pm in an evening and to be limited in size and conducted in a barrel bin and (3) the Clerk to publicise the action taken on the Town Council facebook page and to alert other Allotment Secretaries in the Village and urge them to adopt a similar approach to prevent further occurrences of potential complaints over the Summer season and to ensure in accordance with the allotment rules that any fires do not cause a nuisance to local residents or fellow plot holders. ii) Prospects for an Allotment competition Summer 2019. RESOLVED that an allotment competition be held this coming Summer to comprise two prizes 1) Best kept allotment plot in Edlington with a £50 cash prize to the winner; 2) Best managed Allotment site in Edlington with a £100 prize to be awarded as a reduction off the winning sites Allotment fees that would fall due by 31/1/20 and Members of the Town Council to visit each site to judge and undertake a wider site inspection, un-announced at some point during July. (c) Community Centre – repairs to leak in kitchen and boxed in pipework from boiler behind cooker wall. RESOLVED to note the reporting by the Clerk that this had now been investigated further and resolved which appeared to be due to the blocking of the gulley on the roof which had been full of tree debris blocking the run-off and leaking through the flashing under the roof of the building. (d) Recreation Ground/Miners Memorial Garden – nothing to report. (e) Improvement Projects & Events :– i) Edlington Gala 29/6/2019 – update on preparations underway. RESOLVED (1) to note the apologies given by the Gala Coordinator who was unwell and unable to attend todays meeting to provide an update on preparations for this years Gala and (2) that the Clerk would arrange a meeting with her sometime next week and invite any Member of the Council to attend should they be available to do so.