Ravenfield Parish Council

Minutes of the Ravenfield Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 13 January 2022 at 6.30 in Ravenfield Parish Hall, chaired by Councillor D Rowley.

Present: Councillors B Callear, K Jay, R Jupp, T Leach, R O’Nion, N Pearson, D Rowley and Clerk G O’Carroll.

One member of the public was present (Councillor Mills).

01/22 Apologies - no apologies received, all Councillors present.

02/22 Declaration Of Disclosable Peculinary And Other Interests - Councillor Jay, reference agenda item 10 (b) – Women’s Institute – storage cupboard, additional key request. Councillor Pearson, reference agenda item 7(c) – St James Church – Hall hire

03/22 Items To Be Considered In The Absence Of The Public And Press - Agenda Item 11 (c) - Review Staff Salary – 2022/2023, and agenda item 11 (d) – Review Staff Pay Date.

04/22 Public Participation - see attached report

05/22 Confirmation Of Minutes - The Council RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 9 December 2021 be a true and accurate record of the proceedings

06/22 Matters Arising From The Minutes - Minutes 221/21 (a) – Emergency Bleed Kit. The Clerk must complete a Rotherham MBC Devolved Ward Budget application form, and asked for clarification from the Council of location of the cabinet. The Council RESOLVED that it would be better placed at The Cavalier as a central location and alongside the defibrillator. It was RESOLVED that the Council contribute £175.00 to upgrade the current defibrillator cabinet to a dual defibrillator/emergency bleed kit cabinet and house both items in the same cabinet.

07/22 Correspondence -

(a) Councillor Mills asked if Ravenfield Parish Council would consent to the Ward Councillors funding and installing BSL (British Sign Language) signs within the play area on Hollings Lane. The Council RESOLVED no objections, but asked that Rotherham MBC Play Area Inspectors be consulted and approve the sign and location. It was noted that signage may attract vandalism.

(b) Consideration of term dates 2022/2023. Noted - No objections or preferences raised.

(c) St James Church approached the Council to ask if the free of charge hire of Ravenfield Parish Hall on the first Sunday of each month (4:00 – 5:00) to hold a community service, could be extended until further notice? The Council RESOLVED to allow free of charge hall hire, with no involvement of the caretaker’s time. The Hall opening/closing/setup/clean up will be carried out Councillor Pearson.

08/22  Matters Relating To The Recreation Grounds

(a) Jubilee field, drainage update. No formal update received from Rotherham MBC. The Clerk advised that a revised bike track quotation had been requested by telephone and email from the contractor who initially provided a quotation in 2017, but suspects that the business is no longer operating. Councillor O’Nion confirmed that the business has ceased trading. Action: Clerk to report information to the RCGP.

(b) Stone boulders, Hollings Lane. The Clerk provided the Council with an update. Cadent claim that they have no record of the many complaints made (we have email acknowledgements of these) but only address complaints up to 6 months after the works carried out. Cadent agreed to look into the complaint as believe that a computer upgrade may have caused the complaints not to transfer over onto the new system. A new complaint was Ravenfield Parish Council – 13 January 2022 Page 2 of 6 logged by telephone. Cadent telephoned on 6 January 2022 advising that they have consulted with the contractor and no works were carried out on Hollings Lane in 2020. Cadent have to investigate further. Action: Clerk to continue pursue with Cadent.

09/22 Matters Relating To The Parish 

(a) Public Consultation – proposed speed limit to change at Ravenfield Lane to 50mph. Noted no objections. Questions asked why has this speed reduction has taken priroty over the request to reduce that outside the school? Action: Clerk to raise with Rotherham MBC

10/22 Matters Relating To The Parish Hall

(a) Parish Hall, car park bollards have been damaged. The Council approved the replacement costs of bollards at £17.96 each and additional reflectors at £2.75 each. Suitable adhesive to be purchased also.

(b) The Women’s Institute (W.I) have requested a second key to their storage cupboard. The Council RESOLVED to grant permission. The W.I will arrange a new key be cut. Action: The Clerk to record in the key log records.

(c) The Council reviewed Parish Hall hire fees for the financial year 2022/2023. It was RESOLVED to increase the private hire fee to £20.00 an hour for Ravenfield residents. £30.00 an hour to non-Ravenfield residents.

(d) Additional Item – The Clerk advised that the front door has been damaged and springs back rather than closing on entering. The Clerk has request repair costs and will raise these by email with Councillors by email.

11/22 Matters Relating To The Parish Council 

(a) No post office paying in card has yet been received from Unity bank. The Clerk has reported this a second time and advised to wait a further 15 working days for this to arrive. The Clerk confirmed that all hall hire transactions are with the Unity bank account. Direct debits are in the process of being amended.

(b) Staff Pension Policy. South Yorkshire Pensions Authorities (SYPA) have confirmed receipt of all documentation, and require a signed direct debit mandate. The direct debit mandate was signed by three authorised signatories at this meeting. The pension scheme is set to commence 1 April 2022. Awaiting further details from SYPA.

(c) Review Staff Salary – 2022/2023. The Council reviewed the Caretakers salary commencing 1 April 2022. The Clerk salary was not reviewed, no advice yet received from NALC.

(d) Review Staff Pay Date – the Council RESOLVED to bring forward the pay date from 25 of the month to 23 of the month, so not to coincide with Christmas bank holidays.

(e) The Council RESOLVED to adopt the Business Continuity Plan

12/22 Reports From Ravenfield Community Group Plan (RCGP)

(a) Minutes of the meeting held on 8 December 2021 were noted. The next meeting will take place 2 March 2022.

It was noted that the Parish Council annual newsletter should contain an article to explain what the RCGP do

13/22 Matters Relating To The Parish Allotments

(a) Minutes of the meeting held on 6 January 2022 were noted. No details of the next meeting received.

(b) Ravenfield Allotment Terms of Reference – adopted.

(c) Ravenfield Allotment Tenancy agreement – awaiting further information from the Allotment Committee.

(d) Additional Item. It was raised that the Allotment Committee are having difficulty obtaining public liability insurance until the area is cleared and operational. Action: Clerk to look at obtaining cover under the Parish Council policy for up to 3 months, to allow clearing works to take place.

14/22 Matters Relating To Redrow Development

(a) The Council RESOLVED to proceed with arranging a virtual meeting, on the Zoom platform with Rotherham MBC Council leaders on Monday 7 February 2022, 2:00pm – 3:30pm. Action: Clerk to email the meeting invite, to include representatives of transport, education and health.

15/22 Matters Relating To Green Items

The Council RESOLVED to remove Solar Panels from the budget for 2022/23 as too expensive at this time. The Council would still like to obtain solar panels for the Parish Hall, and to continue pursuing this via appropriate grant applications

16/22  Planning

RB2021/2218 – 90 Braithwell Road. Single storey rear extension.

Noted. No objections raised.

17/22  External Meetings 

Thanks was made to Maltby Brass Band, when playing on 22 December 2021. The weather was terrible, but the band continued regardless. The Council asked the Clerk to enquire of Maltby Brass Band availability for: Community picnic event, on 4 June 2022. Christmas Light Switch on 1 December 2022 Christmas Market, on 10 December 2022.

Action: Clerk to contact Maltby Brass Band.

18/22 Yorkshire Local Councils Associations  

(a) Remote Conference 25 March 2022. The Council RESOLVED that Councillor Leach attend.

(b) Additional Item – Queens Platinum Jubilee Celebrations. Community Picnic. It was RESOLVED that the date of this be Saturday 4 June 2022. Location: Jubilee Field or possibly The Cavalier carpark (due to the facilities available).

Action: Councillor Rowley to discuss with The Cavalier landlord.

Action: Councillor Jay, to post a Facebook poll to ask Parishioners for ideas. Results to be discussed at the next meeting.

19/22  Minor Items And Items For The Next Agenda

(a) Queens Platinum Jubilee Celebrations

(b) DBS Checks for Parish Councillors

20/22  Financial Matters 

(a) Update on Council’s finances. The information was noted and approved.

(b) Payments to be made were approved.

(c) Budget 2022/2023 was approved.

(d) Precept 2022/2023 – the Council RESOLVED not to increase the Parish Council Tax.

(e) Additional Item – The Clerk informed the Council that due to the increase in the Bank of England interest rate, HSBC are now charging a bank account fee, and transaction fees. The information was noted. The intention is to close the HSBC account from 1 April 2022.

21/22  Date And Time Of Next Meeting 

The date and time of the next meeting was confirmed as 10 February 2022 at 6.30 to be held in the Parish Hall.

22/22  Exclusion Of The Press And Public 

It was moved that under Section 100(A)4 of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12(A) of such Act indicated, as now amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, information relates to finance and business affairs. It was moved that under Section 100(A)4 of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business due to the confidential nature of the business to be transacted.

23/22 Discussion Of Items For Which The Press And Public Have Been Excluded. 

24/22 Closure of Meeting

The meeting was closed at 9:07