May 2024 Minutes Annual Parish Council Meeting
Minutes of Witham St Hughs Annual Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 9th May 2024 at 7.00pm at the village hall.
https://witham-st-hughs.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/
Present Cllr Karen Harrison – Chair, Cllr Danny Bell, Cllr Derek Fletcher, Cllr Colin Cook, Cllr Tim Henson & Cllr Charlie Strickland.
Rachel Popplewell – Parish Clerk
Agenda Items
1. To Elect a Chairman for Witham St Hughs Parish Council for the ensuing year 2024/2025
Cllr Harrison asked for nominations for the Chair, for the year 2024/2025.
Two nominations were received one Cllr Harrison & one for Cllr Bell.
On a majority vote 3:2, one Councillor abstained. Cllr Bell was elected as Chairman for the ensuring year.
2. To receive the Declaration of Acceptance of Office form from the Chairman for 2024/2025.
Cllr Bell signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office form.
3. To Elect a Vice-Chairman of Witham St Hughs Parish Council and to receive the Declaration of Acceptance of Office form. For the ensuing year 2024/2025
The Chair asked for nominations for the appointment of Vice Chair for the year 2024/2025. One nomination was received for Cllr Harrison. Cllr Bell proposed that Cllr Harrison be elected as Vice Chair for the ensuring year, seconded by Cllr Strickland. All Agreed – show of hands.
Cllr Harrison signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office form.
Thanks were passed onto Cllr Harrison for her Chairmanship for the previous 11 years.
4. Public Forum – To resolve to suspend standing orders for a maximum of 20 minutes to allow members of public, District and County Councillors to make comment or ask questions.
It was Resolved to suspend Standing Orders for 20 mins to allow comments from the public & District & County Councillors – All Agreed, show of hands.
No public comments were received.
Standing Orders were re-instated.
5. To Receive Apologies for Absence.
No Apologies were received.
6. TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LOCALISM ACT 2011 AND OUTLINED IN THE COUNCILS CODE OF CONDUCT – being any pecuniary interest in agenda items not previously recorded on Members’ Register of Interest and any written requests for dispensations.
None received.
7. Health & Safety brief.
The Clerk made comment that the quote for the recommendations for the Fire Alarm was still to be received. Lincoln Security have confirmed that they are only recommendations, not a must do. A new fire alarm cover has been installed, as the call point in the small hall kept getting damaged by the chairs being stacked too close to the door.
The door handle to the toilet is broken, the Clerk is waiting for it to be repaired. The toilet has been taken out of action.
New ‘No Dogs allowed’ signs are to be put up at the parks.
Action Cllr Henson.
8. Notes of the Parish Council meeting held on Wednesday 17th April 2024 to be approved as minutes.
It was Resolved to approve the notes as minutes – All Agreed by a show of hands, signed by the Chair.
9. Clerks Update & Correspondence, and to Resolve to approve any subsequent actions.
The clerk made comment that the new Litter Picker had started on the 01.05.2024, with the outgoing litter picker leaving on the 17th of May 2024. Thanks were passed onto the Litter Picker, for her help and support, it was Resolved to approve a leaving gift be purchased.
Action Clerk.
The clerk had received email correspondence from a resident regarding the Swales on Phase 3, that are now overgrown and the lack of bins in the same area. Strawson have confirmed that the swales will be but back next month. No further correspondence has been received regarding the installation of litter/dog waste bins; this area is still with Strawson’s.
Email correspondence has been received regarding the use of mobile speed devices around the village, after consideration it was Resolved not to approve the mobile speed sign, as the last speed survey did not highlight that there was a problem of speeding in the village (minutes March 2023). This maybe something for LCC to consider once the new roundabout on Camp Road/Warren Land has settled in.
The clerk made comment that the S106 monies earmarked for the village hall extension has a deadline of June 2027, NKDC have highlighted this to the council to ensure that plans are underway. A date of 23rd May 2024, at 7pm was put in the diary for a Village Hall extension meeting.
An update had been received regarding the School Crossing Patrol. Lincolnshire County Council are waiting on new road signs to be made and installed, they will then start the recruitment process, the job will be advertised on the LCC website as well as locally through the school and the parish council.
The Clerk made comment that the transfer of the field to Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) was on hold, due to LCC not responding to any emails, and should our solicitor have to chase LCC we incur a charge.
After discussions it was Resolved to contact LCC outlining that they have agreed and signed the S106 agreement for the field to be transferred to them, any further charges from the solicitors incurred by the Parish Council due to the non-response or delay from LCC will be charged back to LCC.
10. To Appoint members to the following committees.
a. Personnel Committee - After discussions it was Resolved to appoint Cllr Cook, Cllr Fletcher, and Cllr Strickland to the Personnel Committee. All Agreed – show of hands.
b. Allotment Committee – After discussions it was Resolved to appoint Cllr Harrison, Cllr Henson & Cllr Fletcher to the Allotment Committee. All Agreed – show of hands.
11. To discuss and agree to appoint responsibilities for Councillors.
Cllr Harrison made comment that now we have a few more councillors, instead of everyone doing everything, could some of the jobs be allocated to 1 or 2 councillors, to do some of the groundwork like a working party and bring the information to council meetings.
After discussions councillors were appointed to the following projects/jobs.
Planning – Cllr Cook & Cllr Henson
Open Spaces – Cllr Bell & Cllr Harrison
Play Parks – Cllr Fletcher & Cllr Strickland
Football Association – Cllr Harrison & Cllr Bell
Emergency Plan – Cllr Harrison & Cllr Strickland.
Councillors are reminded that the parish clerk is to be copied into all correspondence for information purposes.
12. Finance.
a. To Authorise the signing of orders for payment, list previously circulated.
It was Resolved to approve the list of payments – All agreed, show of hands.
b. To receive the Bank Reconciliation as at 30.04.2024
The bank reconciliation as at 30.04.2024 was presented to the council, showing the accounts balanced – signed by Cllr Harrison.
c. To receive a list of regular payments.
The Clerk presented the regular payments list to Council, after discussion it was Resolved to accept the list circulated. All agreed – show of hands.
d. To approve the annual premium for the parish council insurance (Council are in a 3-year LTA)
After discussions it was Resolved to approve the payment of £ 2262.81. All agreed – show of hands.
13. To Review the bank signing mandates for the Parish Council bank accounts.
After discussions it was Resolved to add Cllr Cook onto the accounts as a signatory.
Action Clerk.
14. To review and adopt the following policies.
After discussions it was Resolved to review & adopt the following policies. With the following amendments – all agreed, show of hands.
a. Standing Orders for the Council – three amendments were required to points 3i & 15xiv & 15xv.
b. Financial Regulations for the Council. – amendments to the financial regulations were considered, with a revised version of the policy adopted.
Resolved to accept variable direct debits.
Resolved to accept online Banking for Council Finances & the use of a Credit Card, settled in full monthly by Direct Debit.
c. Terms of Reference for the Personnel Committee – no amendments required.
15. To Resolve to agree Parish Council meeting dates for the year 2024/2025.
It was Resolved to accept the list of meeting dates and start times for the ensuing year. To be published on the website.
Action Clerk.
16. To receive the Annual Internal Audit report
The Chair read out the internal audit report, no irregularities were highlighted, the following comments were passed onto the Clerk, with the Chair reiterating his thanks.
“The Parish Clerk & RFO should be acknowledged on providing excellent administration support and for keeping satisfactory financial records on behalf of the Parish Council.”
Thanks were passed on to Steve Fletcher – Auditor, for conducting the audit.
The Clerk made comment that Cllr Fletcher is NOT related to Steve Fletcher, Auditor.
17. To consider, approve & sign the Annual Governance Statements for 2023/2024
The Annual Governance Statements were considered – it was Resolved to answer them all positively, signed by the Chair & Clerk.
18. To approve & sign the Accounting Statements 2023/2024.
It was Resolved to approve the Accounting Statements as correct – All Agreed. Signed by the Chair & Clerk.
19. To review the Asset Register in line with the Parish Council insurance policy schedule.
After consideration a revised figure for number of benches in the village and litter bins was added to the Asset Register. It was then Resolved to approve the Asset Register – All agreed, show of hands.
It was Resolved to suspend Standing Order 3x to allow the meeting to continue. All agreed.
20. To consider the following planning applications.
a. Removal of existing garden wall & fence and installation of 2m concrete post and wooden panel fence along the boundary.
84 Warren Lane, Witham St Hughs. Ref – 24/0462/HOUS.
After consideration it was Resolved to submit the following comments for the application.
“The fence is not in keeping with the surroundings, it will break the aesthetics of the surrounding area.”
All agreed show of hands.
b. Application for construction of private access road to Sheepwalks Farm pursuant to outline application 15/1347/OUT-Erection of up to 1,100 dwellings and 150 care/retirement units (C2/C3), the formation of a roundabout to Camp Road, A46 junction improvement works, public open spaces and associated service infrastructure (outline with means of access)
Sheepwalks Farm Witham St Hughs Lincoln Lincolnshire. Ref- 24/0456/RESM.
After consideration the Parish Council Resolved to submit ‘no comment’ to the application – all agreed, show of hands.
21. To review the latest playground inspection reports and to Resolve to approve any actions.
Cllr Fletcher made comment that not all the remedial work had been carried out post installation of the new equipment.
After discussions it was Resolved to withhold the final payment for the play equipment. All agreed – show of hands. The clerk was asked to contact the company for an update.
Clerk to contact.
Cllr Strickland offered to contact the operational inspector to ask him to quote for the work, he had highlighted in his report.
Action Cllr Strickland.
The clerk made comment that the next round of funding for the Rural England Prosperity Fund was open with applications being accepted for maintenance of community open spaces, the Council may wish to consider this as an option for additional equipment for the parks and to replace the wooden benches with benches made of recycled materials.
22. Update on D-Day celebration plans.
Cllr Henson made comment that the order of service was nearly written with the service to take place on Sunday 9th June at 10.00am. The women’s institute have offered to help with refreshments.
Cllr Henson to liaise with the WI.
The Clerk was asked to purchase, a gift of thanks for the volunteers.
Action Clerk.
23. To resolve to approve the legal costs for the Scouts Land transfer.
After discussions it was Resolved to approve the legal costs up to £5000.
All agreed, show of hands.
24. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING.
Tuesday 18th June 2024 at 7.30pm.