July 2021 Minutes
FISKERTON PARISH COUNCIL
Chairman: Cllr Chris Darcel Clerk: Mrs Michelle Vail
E: clerk@fiskerton-lincs.org.uk Tel: 07305 818857
Minutes of the Meeting of Fiskerton Parish Council held on Monday 19 July 2021 at 7:30pm in Fiskerton Village Hall
Present: Cllrs K Brereton, S Canner, C Darcel, C Hill, R Wall, Mrs M Vail (Clerk), D/Cllr A Welburn; and two members of the public
All were welcomed.
At the request of councillors, the following Open Session has been minuted as fully as possible given the limitations imposed by: quality of the audio recording; the meeting room presenting acoustic difficulties; external noise from children playing; and meeting attendees speaking over one another.
185/21 Open session – suspension of standing orders for 15 minutes:
CD: Last month I let it go on more than the quarter of an hour that our Standing Orders say; but any speaker is entitled to 5 mins and I have asked the clerk to let anybody speak know after 4.5 minutes so that they can wind up.
I have also had a request from one of our councillors that we finish earlier tonight than we did last time as it did go on for too long.
Resident: I plan to be brief then. We had discussions at the last meeting where it was proposed and agreed that we were going to have an extraordinary meeting to discuss the open space on Holmfield as its obviously a contentious issue and nothing seems to have happened with that.
CD: There is an agenda item about this.
Resident: I have not had the agenda sent to me and am just looking at the agenda now. I see there is an item regarding the open space on Holmfield on the agenda.
Clerk - the agenda is published on the website and noticeboard so it is out there anyway. At the last meeting it was agreed that I was to look at alternative ways to allow for a public discussion without time limits. I know that an extraordinary meeting was discussed.
Resident: so its not going to happen?
Clerk: well I don’t know what has happened subsequently with CD and your Open Surgery that we were talking about, but I certainly went to WLDC after the meeting to discuss the best way forward and they came up with for CD to hold a District Councillor surgery.
Resident: but its not gathering the opinion of residents as a collective is it?
Clerk:– no its not but that’s for the council to decide how they want to move forward. I did my bit that I was tasked with last month but I don’t know what came out in between meetings as I wasn’t privy to anything District Councillor Darcel might have done. Chris, did you hold a surgery?
CD: – yes, and I will ask District Councillor Cherie Hill to give a report.
Resident: so that’s all that is going to happen in relation to that is it?
CD: matters are definitely ongoing and its obviously not going to go away as you won’t let it go away and KB won’t let it go away. You have given me your opinion on numerous occasions.
Resident: the residents are ready because they have had conversations with me and told me that this is the case but you have not knocked on my door to see what my opinion is.
CD: – you have given me your opinion on numerous occasions.
Resident: - is that a fair representation going knocking on people’s doors?
CD: – I have spoken to the immediate neighbours of which you are one, and you have made your views quite clear to me over a period of time.
Resident: so you are not going to consult with me at all then.
CD – Well I have considered you.
Resident: That’s how it sounds to me. As a resident who is immediately affected by the situation; that you are not going to consult with me.
CD: – I have consulted with you. You have told me what your opinion is on several occasions quite recently.
Resident: so what’s my opinion then?
CD: – that you want the open space so that your children can play football on it.
Resident: I don’t want them to just play football on it. It’s a skewed view, Cllr Darcel, you skew things all the time. That’s exactly what you are doing. You do that with the Neighbourhood Plan: the neighbours come to me saying Cllr Darcel has come knocking on my door and the direct question he asked me was ‘would you be okay if we turn that piece of grass over there into the ball games area for the entire village’ and that is a very, very loaded question. Why would you say something like that?
CD: – are we about out of time now?
Clerk:– about 1.5 mins left.
Resident: That is loading a question to get the response of ‘No, Cllr Darcel, I certainly would not want that to be the case. I don’t want anyone ….(.inaudible).
CD – let’s make an appointment and I will come and see you.
Resident: okay,
CD – when would suit you?
Resident: whenever.
CD – do you mind if I phone you first?
Resident: no problem
CD - What is best, morning, afternoons?
Resident: afternoons
CD – tomorrow?
Resident - I work through the day.
CD – evenings or Saturdays?
Resident – evenings are fine for me.
CD – I can’t make it tomorrow as I am in Gainsborough, but Wednesday at 7pm,
Resident: that’s fine
CD – I will come round to see you at 7 o’clock on Wednesday.
Resident – is it minuted that I have asked that question and made those remarks because I am still intrigued to know exactly what the agenda is with Cllr Darcel and the communications he has had with residents where I live.
Clerk – I shall minute them in the usual way. If councillors want them minuting fully, councillors can resolve and ask me to do that.
Resident: okay
Clerk – if that’s what councillors want and I will do a verbatim record.
Resident – I think I proposed an extraordinary meeting – I did state that earlier on - and several members of the council agreed that it would be a good way to resolve the issue.
Clerk – minutes are supposed to be a summary not verbatim
Resident - it’s quite an important one not to put in there
Clerk – you are leading me now by phrasing that way.
Resident: it’s a very important thing to omit
Clerk – I understand that. If councillors want it adding in, then councillors can resolve to have that added in, that is not a problem at all.
Resident: do councillors feel it is an important thing to put in there?
SC – I think we should have an extraordinary meeting as soon as possible then.
Resident: on the agenda tonight there are items relating to that piece of open space: to plant a tree in the middle of that open space with some metal railing of some sort around it to protect it
Clerk – time is up now. Can I ask if councillors want me to play the recording back and minute this word for word.
(Due to outside noise, the next section is only partially audible)
CH – I feel personally that there will be complications. It doesn’t come across very well.
Resident: I agree with you. it’s a very emotive subject though. It’s a very contentious subject I am talking about.
CH – I agree but you are very confrontational and it definitely doesn’t come across very well. It can come across as being very aggressive as well.
Resident –I am forthright if I am honest; I am quite forthright in my opinions.
CH – I know, but what I am saying is that it can come across as being very aggressive as well. Obviously, I believe in free speech and you are entitled to your opinion and your views, but to me this whole thing comes across as very confrontational.
Resident – but I feel the one person who is actually agreeing with some of the things I am saying, but those things aren’t actually being put in the minutes.
CH – it was discussed before the meeting started for an extra meeting to discuss
Resident: okay.
RW – I cannot comment on the minutes as I was not at the last meeting but would like to make through the chairman a comment. A few meetings ago we discussed the open spaces as a council and I am certain that we agreed that we would secure the ownership of those as a parish council; and once we had done that and absolutely secured it as a parish council then we can discuss as a parish council more positively what the management should be; but at the moment we don’t own either of the patches so discussion about should we make an expense of building a fence or planting, its all a bit academic.
Resident: we have items on the agenda to discuss planting on the open space so technically there is not a great deal we can do.
RW – I think Michelle is quite close to getting the ownership issues resolved. It has been going on for a very long time and I have been on the parish council for most of that time. Its good news to think we are nearly at the end of the tunnel. When we get there, we will be able to speak a little more authoritatively about the management of those areas and will be able to answer your questions in a more positive way.
Resident: my concern as a resident is historically the Chairman of the Parish Council and local District Councillor has had intention and allegiance to a particular plan of things to do on that piece of land and one particular household. That goes against all the other households that are directly affected by what goes on at parish council. My concern as a resident is the parish council are going to take legal ownership of these grounds, that’s a parish council led by the person showing bias – that’s my concern.
CD – we have now been talking about this for 10 minutes and we’ll move on. Resident: okay.
Clerk -can Council take a resolution to minute this section verbatim as the minutes obviously were not good enough last time? Normally, minutes are not a verbatim report so I would appreciate a formal resolution please if you wish for a verbatim report.
RW – from your point of view you could do it couldn’t you?
Clerk – I can, I can play my tape back. Its an echo-ey room but I can verbatim as best I can from the tape. I have no problems doing that.
RW – it’s a very contentious issue from my point of view.
No vote, therefore no resolution, was taken but Members were in support of minutes of the Open Session being written verbatim as best as possible from the recording of the meeting.
Meeting started at 7.46pm.
186/21 Apologies for absence:Cllr A Walker. C/Cllr Fleetwood had also sent apologies but these had not been received until after the meeting.
187/21 Declaration of interests: No interests were declared.
188/21 Approve notes of meeting of 21 June 2021 as a true record:
item 156/21 should have been amended to read VHMC
It was RESOLVED with one abstention to approve the notes as a true record.
189/21 To receive observations of the District and County Councillors:
D/Cllr Welburn – monthly report had been circulated. D/Cllr Welburn advised that she is in attendance to help and to answer questions.
D/Cllr Hill – along with D/Cllr Darcel, both had hosted a District Councillor surgery recently in respect of Holmfield and its open space. The resident in attendance at this meeting had not attended the surgery to discuss his concerns. Three residents had attended and they had been concerned with planning and housing matters. D/Cllr Darcel noted that 2 attendees did not object to additional housing but had felt that a buffer zone behind Ferry Road was required.
D/Cllr Welburn suggested a public consultation; and suggested including the public footpaths which FPC want.An informal meeting will take place on 21 July to discuss proposals to present to the parish.An extraordinary meeting will be called to resolve on required actions. Action: clerk
FINANCE
190/21 ACCOUNTS
a. To resolve to receive the following schedule of payments and receipts for June 2021:
The following schedule was received.
PAYMENTS
16/06/21, Sage, payroll/accounts package, June 2021, £19.00 + £3.80 VAT = £22.80
21/06/21, Virgin Media, phone handset, June 2021, £7.00
21/06/21, Virgin media call package, June 2021, £8.34 + £1.66 VAT = £10.00
28/06/21, Clerk, salary, June 2021, £404.00
28/06/21, PAYE, June 2021, £64.00
28/06/21, Arma Roofing, Village Hall roof and wall repairs, £1350.00
28/06/21, Glendale, grass cutting, May 2021, £377.08 + £75.42 VAT= £452.50
28/06/21, Clerk’s printing costs (Jan – May 2021), £26.25
TOTAL TO BE PAID = £2255.67 + £80.88 VAT = £2336.55
RECEIPTS
09/06/21, EDF, £206.77
30/06/21 Interest, 0.56
TOTAL RECEIPTS = £207.33
b. To resolve to approve payment of the following accounts for July and August:
It was RESOLVED unanimously, with RW proposing, seconded by SC, to approve the payments as listed below. Action: clerk
A, Sage, payroll & accounts package, July 2021, £19.00 + £3.80 VAT = £22.80
B, Sage, payroll & accounts package, August 2021, £19.00 + £3.80 VAT = £22.80
C, Virgin Media, phone handset, July 2021, £7.00
D, Virgin Media, phone handset, August 2021, £7.00
E, Virgin media call package, July 2021, £8.34 + £1.66 VAT = £10.00
F, Virgin media call package, August 2021, £8.34 + £1.66 VAT = £10.00
G, Clerk, salary, July 2021, £581.80 inc tax refund and agreed 6.5 additional hours
H, Clerk, salary, August 2021, £433.00
I, PAYE, August 2021, £35.00
J, Glendale, grass cutting, June 2021, £565.62 + £113.12 VAT = £678.74
K, Glendale, grass cutting, July 2021, £377.08 + £75.42 VAT = £452.50, estimated
L, Printer ink, £59.99 + £15.00 VAT = £74.99
N, PWLB, July, loan, £1026.27
O, Clerk expenses, paper, £5.70
TOTAL TO BE PAID = £3153.14 + £214.46 VAT = £3367.60
c. To receive bank reconciliation April – June 2021: Received. Noted that reconciliations for each of current account, deposit account and petty cash all balanced.
d. To receive spend to date against budget April – June 2021: Received. CD requested that future reserves reports have each reserve pot numbered; also, that expected income against each budget head be included. Action: clerk
PLANNING:
191/21 Neighbourhood Plan: to receive any update:
CD has produced thumbnails for different layouts (which he will bring to the informal meeting on 21st July) but the main document requires translating from the previous version.
192/21 Central Lincs Local Plan Consultation – closes 24th August 2021:
This will be discussed at the informal meeting on 21st July; and an extraordinary meeting will be called to resolve on required actions
193/21 Consider suggestion to write to Edward Leigh, MP and Robert Jenrick, MP to express concern about the 76 Ha Sirius Planning application. Planning application 142117:
RW had, as a resident, sent off the electronic appeal response forms ; noting that all councillors can do this as private individuals. He suggested that a FPC response via the official appeal form could be sent off. It was RESOLVED unanimously that a response be submitted by FPC. Action: clerk
UPDATE REPORTS:
194/21 Repairs to Village Hall roof including grant applications; any meetings/minutes; and to resolve on any required actions:
The minutes from last VHRR committee meeting are still being produced. The preferred roofer has been chosen and informed; and a meeting is being set up to iron out final details. Feedback is still awaited from the National Lottery grant and from NALC/LALC regarding a possible PWBL loan application. In respect of the PWBL application; the clerk advised that LALC is being chased up for a response.
195/21 Transfer of land from Morris Homes including any additional financial contribution from Morris Homes; progress of solicitor with the additional searches; and to resolve on any required actions:
No progress since the last meeting. The clerk continues to chase. Action: clerk
196/21 Troughs and planters: Nothing to report. CD considers the current planters are looking good at present.
197/21 Speed signs and Village Gateway signs:
Speed signs have been put up.
The Village Gateway reserves stand at £4500.00 and CD noted that he would expect ‘’something special’ for this. Action: clerk to obtain gateway costings from neighbouring parish. Item for Annual Parish Meeting. Action: clerk
198/21 Hodgson Trust allotment agreement:
A meeting of RW, Revd. Penny Green, and Andrew Carter of Jas Martin and Co estate agents; is scheduled for 30th July 2021 at which the allotment agreement will be discussed. Delays on work on the agreement of approx. 12 months are due to illness; but work is now progressing.
199/21 Training: report on recent clerk’s refresher session; and to note Councillor refresher session for WLDC is planned for 27th July:
The training session had been extremely useful, with the following LALC updates having been given:
Internal audit – LALC are looking at offering a service whereby interested clerks can apply to be trained and then carry out internal audits. Councils can choose to buy into the service.
Websites management- LALC are building an offer to parish councils; potentially with several options dependent on what level of support a PC wants.
Parish Online – web-based, this allows for parish mapping. BHIB Insurance currently offer Parish Online FOC if a parish council insures with them.
Scribe Accounts- provide an accounting service tailored specifically for parish councils.
NEW ITEMS:
200/21 To consider matters in respect of Five Mile Bridge:
Some road cracks have been filled; and it is not possible to ascertain if other cracks are getting worse.A wheelchair user is finding it difficult to access the slope onto the bridge; and concerns were expressed concerning lack of compliance with DDA; and disabled access. Action: clerk to write to Canals and Rivers Trust
201/21 Consider three proposals for Holmfield open space and MUGA as follows and as per circulated report (CD):
CD advised that he would read out his three proposals; then the clerk would read out AW’s counter proposals. These could then be discussed in order of having been read out. The matter will go to the Annual Parish Meeting as it is a community wide matter.
CD read out his proposals as follows:
i. that FPC replants the tree and some of the others that have died on the site and protect them with a steel fence.
ii. that FPC asks the Church Commissioners if its land holding north of the village hall can be extended to provide young people with a purpose designed MUGA (Multi User Games Area) with an all-weather surface.
iii. that FPC replants the missing bushes and makes good the fence between the Holmfield open space and the field to the north, particularly at the garage of No 27.
CD then circulated a plan detailing a suggested layout to include: a 30m x 18m MUGA area; 11 additional car parking spaces; a fenced in area for dog walkers to let dogs off leads; sound reduction walls; and an anti-football barrier. Noted that noise is a definite issue to be resolved; and that WLDC would need to be asked first as they have a 99-year managing lease on the land due to the pond
KB noted that until FPC consults with residents, or owns the land, there is no point spending money on that land.
RW advised that FPC first needs WLDC’s permission that CD’s idea is acceptable for the land that they are leasing; and that all else is academic until WLDC grant permission. Regarding the Holmfield areas; as previously agreed; FPC must get its ownership of the land finalised, and only then hold management meetings on how to manage the land.
AW, had submitted the following comments and counter proposals as follows:
AW thought that FPC had previously decided not to do anything with the Holmfield areas of land until FPC legally owns them. FPC has deferred fixing a fence for 12 months based on waiting until ownership has transferred to FPC. He queried why has focus switched away from acquiring the paddock to site a MUGA to now looking at the area behind the village hall; noting that by highlighting other potential locations dilutes the strength of FPC’s case for needing the paddock. He further noted that it will also result in more damage, whether malicious or unintentional, to the village hall; when the WLDC CEO visited in 2020, FPC intentionally showed him the damage to the village hall to reinforce the case of needing a play area away from the hall, ie the Paddock. AW feels like FPC is dismissing everything it has discussed over the last few years in a knee jerk reaction to appease one household.
AW’s three counter proposals to those proposals mad e by CD are:
i. That we carry out no work to the open spaces until we are the legal owners of them.
ii. That we form a committee to canvas all residents on the Holmfield estate over the future use of the two open spaces to report back findings to the full council NLT our October meeting. The committee should consist of no fewer than 3 councillors and no-one living on the estate should be on the committee. A budget of £200 should be allowed for incidental expenses, eg. printing.
iii. We reinvigorate efforts to gain ownership or (as a minimum) public access to the paddock as our preferred place for public access, play and recreation and that other sites should only be considered when the paddock is categorically ruled out.
RW commented as follows:
i. Agrees with counter proposal i.
ii. Considers counter proposal ii is complex.
iii. Ref counter proposal iii; RW had talked at length with the owners and Church Commissioners regarding the paddock; linking it to the Neighbourhood Plan being developed; and the paddock would have been part of the planning gain. However, this is in the past as this current Council withdrew that version of the Neighbourhood Plan meaning FPC does not have access to the paddock. Therefore, RW queried why CD and AW would now be wondering why FPC does not have access to the paddock.
Residents, when asked, would very much like the paddock as free access. RW had taken a lot of advice from independent land agents as regards price and what could be gained from the Church Commissioners in terms of acquiring the paddock. After extensive negotiations with the Church Commissioners and WLDC’s CEO at that time; it had been agreed that the Paddock would be an open green space given to the parish.
RW considers CD’s plan is too close to residents and the village hall; and access is jumbled. Furthermore, it is on top of the critical flood relief zone which works well; therefore, is it a good location?
CD noted the need for more allotments; and the paddock would be a good place for them. RW advised there is an empty field next to the current allotment site (currently being leased for horse grazing); and if additional allotments are required; FPC needs to approach Hodgson Trust.
KB – expressed concerns over the commercial viability of the village hall if a MUGA were to be sited here.
D/Cllr Welburn left the meeting at 8.57pm.
A suggestion to write to WLDC to advise FPC on technical matters affecting the situation was neither proposed nor seconded, therefore was not voted on. As AW’s proposals are counter; these were not voted on either.
202/21 Resolve to reinstate the two missing swings in the play area:
A risk assessment is recommended should this be approved.It was RESOLVED unanimously to await the report from ROSPA’s annual play inspection; and to reinstate at a later date. (Note: a suggestion was made later in the meeting to temporarily reinstate them for the August ROSPA inspection so that they can be inspected).
203/21 Note that play inspection is booked in for August 2021: Noted.
204/21 To resolve to adopt draft Complaints and Vexatious Communications policy:
The draft policy is based on a model policy on LALC’s website; and it was recommended by WLDC that FPC puts such a policy in place asap.It was RESOLVED unanimously to adopt the draft policy.Action: clerk
205/21 Resolve on actions regarding need for policies and GDPR risk assessments:
FPC has very few formal policies and procedures.One suggestion was for a committee to be set up to redress matters; beginning with legislative policies, and including one for training.LALC has a number of model policies which can be accessed as a starting point.It was RESOLVED unanimously that the clerk begin the process. Action: clerk
206/21 Resolve on matters relating to the holding of office documents as follows:
207/21 Agree on procedure for control of FPC documents in/out of village hall store
Noted that the Clerk should have control of documents going in or out, to keep track of what is going on.It was RESOLVED to establish a document signing in/out system.Action: clerk
208/21 Consider how to improve on document security
Concerns exist with data protection security; and the risk of fire/flood damage to documents kept in the village hall store room.
Agree on clear out of documents and how to achieve this
Clerk feels there is some stuff that could either:
Be thrown away/shredded as is
Be thrown away/shredded, but only after scanning for a digital record
Minutes (after scanning) could be taken to Lincolnshire Archives
Then the clerk can get what is left properly arranged.
It was RESOLVED to approach the clear out in stages. Action: clerk and 1 other councillor (AW was suggested)
CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED:
The following require no action:
209/21 Nettleham Police Newsletter
210/21 Neighbourhood Watch newsletter
211/21 WLDC Parish News
212/21 D/Cllr Welburn report
213/21 C/Cllr Fleetwood report
The following require consideration and possible action:
214/21 Community Defibrillator Service Membership Scheme:
It was RESOLVED to approve joining this WLDC annual scheme for two defibrillators; at a cost of £100pa per defibrillator. Action: clerk
215/21 WLDC news release local heritage assets of interest – consider adding to local list:
It was RESOLVED to add three local heritage assets to the list: the church, Jesamine Cottage and the Old Manor. Action: clerk
216/21 Resident - paths at the rear of Nelson Road and St Clements leading to the river: request to give them a cut now and then
LCC confirm these paths are cut to their cyclical programme for public footpaths. Clerk suggested that the grass cutting tender be reviewed to add in additional cuts.
SC reported pot holes as follows: Church View; St Clements; Priory Drive; Ferry Road. The Public Right of Way behind the village hall requires cutting
Action: clerk
217/21 Resident – request for FPC support resurfacing on Ferry Road
It was RESOLVED to support the resident’s request. Action: clerk
218/21 To note clerk’s annual leave – fortnight from w/c 9th August: Noted.
219/21 Chairman’s comments: None
220/21 Matters for inclusion on next agenda: None
221/21 Date of next meeting: Monday 13 September, 2021, 7.30pm, Fiskerton Village Hall.
222/21 Set date for Annual Parish Meeting; and agree preparatory actions:
It was RESOLVED to set the date for 27 September, 2021. 7 – 9pm, village hall.
223/21 Resolve to move into closed session as the following items contain information of a confidential nature:
It was RESOLVED to move into closed session as the following items contain information of a confidential nature. One resident left the meeting at 9.27pm.
224/21 To interview candidate(s) for councillor vacancy:
One candidate was interviewed for the vacancy.
225/21 To resolve on appointing to councillor vacancy:
Following successful interview, it was RESOLVED to appoint Mr Paul Whitt to the councillor vacancy. Mr Whitt then signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office form, witnessed by the clerk.
226/21 To resolve to join the Local Government Pension Scheme effective from 1st September 2021; at a monthly cost to Fiskerton Parish Council of £105.30; and to sign the required Discretionary Policy as supplied by WYPF:
It was RESOLVED unanimously to join the Local Government Pension Scheme effective from 1st September 2021; at a monthly cost to Fiskerton Parish Council of £105.30 (22.5%).
It was further RESOLVED to sign the Discretionary Policy as provided by, and required by, WYPF.
Action: clerk
Mrs Michelle Vail
Clerk/RFO to Fiskerton Parish Council Dated 03.08.21