Reduced Sutton Bridge council until 2021?
Sutton Bridge Parish Council could be without two members for the next year.
The parish council has been forced to delay an election to replace Diane Cook, who resigned earlier this year, due to the coronavirus outbreak.
But the council is now waiting to see if it can co-opt a new member after Peter Clery resigned with immediate effect during the virtual annual meeting last Tuesday.
Coun Clery accused the chairman, Coun Simon Booth, of breaching Nolan Principles and the council’s code of conduct.
This has been denied by Coun Booth.
Coun Clery said: “You appear to be putting your interests as a farmer in front of your duty to uphold our code of conduct.”
Coun Booth has told the Spalding Guardian that he was interviewed by the parish council and awarded the farm tenancy in 1991.
During the late 1990s, he gained a further three acres of allotment land and has an agreement to prove this.
Coun Booth joined the parish council five-years-ago.
Speaking after the meeting, he said: “Whenever allotment issues come up I have declared an interest and left the room. I have not voted on any allotment issue and I believe I can defend my position.”
During the meeting Coun Booth was again elected as chairman with Coun Anne Scarlett as vice-chairman.
If 10 electors in the village ask for an election to replace Coun Clery, it will be delayed until next year due to new legislation which came into force as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
All elections across the country are postponed until May 2021.
After the meeting, Coun Booth said: “If we can co-opt I am sure we will do.”
The chairman, who is limiting his contact with other people as a family member is shielding, has praised the council and its staff.
During the chairman’s report at the meeting, Coun Booth thanked councillors for their work.
He said: “I would like to thank the staff (clerk Robert Smith and administrative assistant Karen Croxford).
“They have kept the parish council going and stepped up to the job.
“Hopefully we can get soon to what is being hailed as the ‘new normal’ in a meeting where we can be in the same room but socially distanced for some time to come.”
Over the last year, the council has made a start on a number of projects but progress has been stalled on some by the coronavirus outbreak.
The projects include the purchase of an electric vehicle for the council’s outside operative.
Councillors are also looking to provide a community wood and plans for a pavilion continue.
- Councillors will be discussing Sutton Bridge marina at their next meeting.
West Norfolk Council and Fenland District Council were last year awarded £679,000 for the Sail the Wash project and are hoping to add additional moorings in Sutton Bridge.
It is hoped the project, according to a public notice, will extend the existing floating pontoon by installing five new 506mm diameter piles, a new 56.8metre long by 2.4metre wide infill pontoon and a new 35 metre by 2.5metre wide pontoon extension.
During the meeting, Chris Brandon-King asked Coun Chris Brewis why he had not mentioned this project before.
Coun Brewis said he understood a bid for funding had gone in and that it included a benefit for Sutton Bridge.
Councillors deferred the matter to the next meeting.
- The council will be applying for a licence to put up its Christmas lights later this year.
Clerk Robert Smith told the meeting that the new chief lighting officer at Lincolnshire County Council has picked up that no licence was applied for when the lights were originally put up.
He said: “They think it is down to the previous adminsitation at the county council.”
Mr Smith said the contractor was unsure whether the licence had been requested.
He added: “They are now saying that they need us to be applying and they are going to have to test the electricity poles to see if they can take the wind resistance from the motifs.
“We are going to need a commission and I am hoping that it will be well under £500.”
- Archers are now hoping to take up their bows now lockdown restrictions have been eased to allow outdoor sports.
The University of the 3rd Age has asked the parish council if it can resume practice on the memorial field.
Activities had been suspended in March due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The council, which owns the field, is asking the group to submit a fresh risk assessment in light of the virus.
The group had hoped to resume their practice sessions at the end of June with social distancing in place.
- Members of Sutton Bridge Parish Council will continue to meet remotely for the foreseeable future.
Councillors will be holding their next meeting on Tuesday, June 30, via remote
attendance.
The council will be paying £11.99 for a further month’s subscription for Zoom meeting software.
The meeting is due to get under way at 6pm.
- Police were informed after a council-owned lock was broken.
Clerk Robert Smith told last Tuesday’s meeting that a lock near the council car park had been broken recently.
He said that the lock has now been replaced, with an extra lockable bolt added.
Discussions were also held with the PCSO about the closure of play equipment and Lincolnshire County Council’s picnic area. The latter is now open.
