May 2022 Annual Parish Meeting Minutes
Minutes of Fiskerton’s Annual Parish Meeting held on Tuesday 31 May 2022 at Fiskerton Village Hall
(Note: all written reports provided for this meeting can be viewed on FPC’s website)
Present: Cllr A Walker (Chairman), Mrs M Vail (Clerk), and 9 residents.
Meeting started at 7.05pm.
1) Welcome from the Chairman of Fiskerton Parish Council:
All were welcomed and thanked for attending.
2) Apologies: D/Cllr C Hill, D/Cllr A Welburn
3) Declarations of interest: None
4) Minutes of the last parish meeting held on 27 September 2021:
At a proposal by Cllr R Wall, seconded by Cllr A Walker, it was RESOLVED to accept the minutes as a true record.
5) Clerk’s financial report: A report was presented by the Clerk.
6) Chairman’s report on the activities of the Parish Council:
The Chairman provided the following report:
* Explained the purpose of the meeting, noting that only he and the Clerk were present in their official capacity. Those Parish Councillors in attendance were at the meeting as residents only.
* The Council was introduced as comprising 7 Members on a 4-year cycle; with elections next due in May 2023
* The Clerk was introduced as the Proper Officer and Responsible Financial Officer. She is fully qualified.
* Summarised activities in 2021/22 as follows:
o The village hall roof has been repaired
o The Carpenters Arms defibrillator is to be relocated to the village hall
o There has been a visit by LCC ref village gateways. They have reviewed three locations and are to report their recommendations and costings. FPC has asked for new signs, childrens’ artwork, 30mph signage, vehicle activated signs and road markings.
o Councillors now have Council-specific email addresses, and the Council is looking to move to Dropbox or similar for the storage and sharing of documents – both help to meet GDPR data protection requirements.
o Commemorative coins for the Queens Platinum Jubilee will be handed out to children of the parish.
o A CIL payment has been received from WLDC for the first time, of £2978.00. There are requirements for how this can be spent which the Council needs to discuss.
* Summarised the Chairman’s priorities as follows:
o Bridge building
o One vision
* Summarised communication matters as follows:
o Questionnaire – suggested one be carried out every 4 years
o Annual Parish Meeting – suggested holding a second one in Autumn
o Is a ‘big’ APM even needed as residents can keep updated via the monthly Council meetings; and daily through the Clerk, website, noticeboard, social media.
Residents responded thus:
o Suggested an informal drop-in session before meetings begin
o Noted frustration of not being legally allowed to participate in a meeting once it has begun
o Suggested a post-meeting informal session for residents to feedback on a meeting
o Do residents know they can speak in Open Session at meetings
o Feeling at this meeting of a ‘new transparency’ by the parish council
* Provided an overview of the Budget and Reserves; noting that the precept at £23,870.00 is £100.00 less than the previous year. Therefore, a Band D property sees a 2.7% reduction (£1.81). A more detailed explanation of how the budget is broken down was then given; including how earmarked monies have been allocated to various Reserves.
Following a query, it was confirmed that the £1000.00 spent on Holmfield Open Space had been in respect of solicitor fees and the transfer of ownership to FPC. It was confirmed that the legal documents dictate that the space must be left as it is.
* Explained that Fix My Street allows for the online reporting in one place of local Highways issues. It can be used in a way that FPC can see all reported faults which can be used for FPC to set priorities.
* Advised that there is a vacancy for a councillor if anybody is interested in applying.
7) Report from Village Hall Roof Repair Committee:
The roof had been in very poor condition, so a full roof repair had been carried out at a fixed price. The contractor had delivered a very good job.
8) To receive a report and statement of accounts from the trustees of Fiskerton Village Hall:
A member of the Village Hall Management Committee read out a report. This included noting that Business Continuity grants (Covid and lockdown related) had been awarded by WLDC; and which had avoided the village hall becoming bankrupt.
9) To receive Police report – Lincolnshire Police:
There was no police presence at this meeting, nor had a report been provided. A resident expressed a wish, common to many residents, to see a police presence in the village. The Clerk noted that her emails to the police went unanswered.
10) To receive audited statement of accounts in respect of Hodgson’s Charity:
The accounts were currently with the accountants, but the following summary was provided:
The Charity exists for the people of Fiskerton, who simply need to ask for assistance. As at December 2021, receipts stood at £7800.00, and payments to villagers stood at £6500.00. Assets were valued at £31,000.00.
In the current year, £5000.00 was awarded towards the village hall roof repairs; £450.00 to the Luncheon Club; and payments to individuals which Rev. Penny Green has discretion to allocate.
11) To receive a report on Fiskerton Primary School:
A report was read out to the meeting.
12) To receive a Neighbourhood Plan report – leader of the NP Group:
The Neighbourhood Plan Committee needs to meet once councillor appointments have been made (including to this Committee) at the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council.
13) To receive a report on Fiskerton’s History & Archaeology Group:
A report was read out to the meeting.
14) To receive a report from Neighbourhood Watch:
No report was available.
15) To receive ideas from residents for parish council work in 2023/24 (to feed into budget setting):
None.
16) Comments from your District Councillors:
D/Cllr A Welburn had provided a comprehensive written report.
D/Cllr C Darcel advised that WLDC is very concerned about the increasing inability of some people to pay bills.
One resident left the meeting at 8.56pm.
17) Comments from your County Councillor:
No report had been provided by C/Cllr I Fleetwood.
18) Any questions from the public:
o In response to a query about flooding after heavy rains outside Fiskerton towards Lincoln; the resident was advised to report this via Fix My Street and to attach photos to the report.
o Noted that WLDC can undertake verge litter picking. FPC has £100.00 set aside towards litter picking activities.
All those present were thanked for attending. Cllr R Wall and Cllr S Canner proffered their resignations as parish councillors with immediate effect; and offered their future help and support as required.
Meeting ended at 9.06pm.
Mrs Michelle Vail, Parish Clerk. 15/05/23