July Minutes
Minutes of the Meeting of Fiskerton Parish Council held on Thursday 21st July 2022 at 7:30pm in Fiskerton Village Hall.
Present: Cllrs A Walker, P Whitt, K Brereton, C/Cllr I Fleetwood, and one member of the public.
Meeting started at 7.30pm
129/22 Open session: There was no public representation.
130/22 Apologies for absence: Cllrs C Darcel, C Hill, Mrs M Vail (Clerk)
131/22 Declaration of interests: None.
132/22 Approve notes of meeting of 16th June 2022 as a true record:
RESOLVED to approve the notes as a true record and they were duly signed. Action: Clerk
133/22 To receive observations of the District and County Councillors including:
To note receipt of reports: D/Cllr A Welburn: July/Aug 2022 report.
C/Cllr I Fleetwood: reported that the recent hot weather is affecting road surfaces. Following a query from Cllr A Walker, C/Cllr I Fleetwood confirmed that there is a LCC scheme whereby some LCC employees can undertake certain ‘low-key’ projects voluntarily; and that he would be happy to put forward any projects FPC may have in mind, as well as offer his own help. He confirmed that, in respect of minute 141/22 below, Holmfield road markings would not fall within this scheme – Action: Cllr K Brereton to produce a risk assessment.
D/Cllr C Darcel- no report provided. D/Cllr C Hill – no report provided.
134/22 Chairman’s report:
Cllr K Brereton was welcomed to Fiskerton Parish Council.
Cllr A Walker wishes to create a month-by-month schedule of annual standing agenda items. Action: All
Noted that some agenda items will be deferred due to the low attendance at this meeting.
FINANCE
135/22 ACCOUNTS
a. To resolve to receive the following payments/receipts schedule for June 2022:
RESOLVED to receive the following payments/receipts schedule.
PAYMENTS
* Clerk, salary, June, £410.20
* PAYE, June, £39.80
* Pension, June 2022, £133.33
* Sage, payroll & accounts package, June 2022, £19.00 + £3.80 VAT = £22.80
* Virgin media call package, June 2022, £9.45 + £1.88 VAT = £11.33
* Virgin Media, phone handset, June 2022, £7.00
* Glendale, Grasscuts, May 2022, £455.94 + £91.18 VAT = £547.12
* Post Office, Stamps, £5.44
* Tesco, Paper, £8.00
TOTAL = £1088.16 + £96.86 VAT = £1185.02
RECEIPTS
British Gas, FIT payment, £162.41
EDF, FIT payment, £204.50
Interest, June, £1.68
TOTAL = £368.59
b. To resolve to approve payment of the following accounts for July/August 2022:
RESOLVED to approve payment of the following accounts. Action: Clerk
* Clerk, salary, July/Aug, £864.54
* PAYE, July/Aug, £90.00
* Pension, July/Aug 2022, £282.84
* Sage, payroll & accounts package, July/Aug 2022, £38.00 + £7.60 VAT = £45.60
* Virgin media call package, July/Aug 2022, £18.90 + £3.76 VAT = £22.66
* Virgin Media, phone handset, July/Aug 2022, £14.00
* Glendale, Grasscuts, July 2022, £455.94 + £91.18 VAT = £547.12, Estimated
* Glendale, grasscuts, Aug 2022, £455.94 + £91.18 VAT = £547.12, Estimated
* ROSPA, August play area inspection, £70.00 + £14.00 VAT = £84.00
TOTAL = £2290.16 + £207.72 = £2497.88 Estimated
c. To resolve that the clerk pays any other August payments in the absence of an August meeting, following circulation of those accounts to councillors for approval to pay:
RESOLVED to approve. Action: Clerk
d. To receive bank reconciliations April – June 2022:
The bank reconciliations for April – June 2022 were received and confirmed.
e. To receive spend to date against budget April – June 2022:
The spend to date against budget, April – June 2022, was received and confirmed. Noted that this includes the sums of grant monies coming in/going out in respect of repairs to the village hall roof. Excluding this grant money, approx. £6000.00 has been spent during the financial year to date; therefore, FPC is financially on track.
f. To receive feedback on trialled Natwest accounting package and resolve on next steps: Item deferred.
PLANNING: to consider and agree actions as required:
136/22 Neighbourhood Plan: to receive update from NP Committee:
Cllr A Walker has asked WLDC’s Nev Brown for 1) a timeframe as to how long it could take for FPC’s Neighbourhood Plan to be completed; and 2) details of whoever could assist with ensuring the Plan is compliant with both National Policy and the Local Plan.
Mr Brown has provided contact details, and a recommendation has subsequently been received that two additional reports be produced to support the Plan: 1) an updated housing needs assessment and 2) a new design guide. Mr Brown has endorsed this advice.
The reports can be obtained free of charge from Locality. Action: Cllr A Walker.
A professional will charge £1100.00 to ensure compliancy.
A suggested timeline of 18 months has been given so as to reach a Plan which is Approved and Made; this is in addition to the 4 months needed to obtain the reports.
Other items in respect of the Neighbourhood Plan as to be deferred to the next meeting.
137/22 To approve responses on the following applications:
* 145103: extension and alterations, removal of existing garage and outbuilding and erect replacement garage. LOCATION: Fen View, Lincoln Road, Fiskerton, LN3 4ET
* 145171 – Diamond House, caravan horses
RESOLVED that there are no concerns at this time for either application. Action: Clerk
* Reepham Neighbourhood Plan Regulation 14 Consultation - Due to the 12th August deadline, any concerns should be flagged up via email. Action: All.
138/22 Lincolnshire Minerals and Waste Local plan, Issues and Options and call for Sites Consultation 28 June 2022 and run until 5pm on Friday 12 August 2022:
C/Cllr I Fleetwood advised that this relates to sand/gravel extraction and quarrying which are unlikely to impact upon Fiskerton.
CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED: None received.
NEW ITEMS: to consider and agree actions as required:
139/22 To approve adoption of the following draft policies:
* Disciplinary Policy and Procedure
* Grievance Policy and Procedure
* Lone Working Policy
* Media Policy
* Protocol on Communication
* Expenses Policy
* Social Media Policy
RESOLVED to approve adoption of the above policies but noted that these are open to review if any concerns arise. Items for next agenda: agree a policy review schedule; and review H&S Policy. Action: Clerk
140/22 Items raised in the Annual Parish Meeting:
i. Have a village questionnaire every 4 years to gather feedback on all matters
ii. Greater use of Social Media to give out/gather in information
iii. Is a ‘big’ APM a necessity?
Item deferred.
141/22 Road sign confusion for drivers at Holmfield/ Waterhill:
Action: Cllr K Brereton to create a risk assessment for the Clerk to forward to C/Cllr I Fleetwood; with the intent to have lines painted on the road. Action: Clerk.
142/22 Tracking of outstanding meeting actions (AW): Item deferred.
143/22 Management of CIL monies:
RESOLVED that CIL monies be held in a ‘reserve’ account (up to 5 years) until a worthy cause is identified. A leaflet from WLDC on use and management of CIL monies has been circulated. Action: Clerk
144/22 Risk Assessments for play area: Action: Cllr K Brereton to complete risk assessments.
145/22 CD to explain why he believes the Village Hall grounds should be treated differently to the building? Item deferred.
146/22 Draft constitution documents for Village Hall: car park agreement, play area agreement, and Village Hall Management Committee constitution:
The VHMC have requested that FPC takes on the public open spaces around the hall as publicly accessible areas as management of such spaces falls more naturally under the remit of a parish council than a committee running a charity. The VHMC cannot fully control these areas eg control and limit access who enters and uses it. Noted that the VHMC and FPC have previously jointly paid for the advice of a solicitor to review all documentation: as a result, their legal opinion had been that the VHMC was responsible for everything, and that FPC, as Custodian Trustee, are not allowed to manage any of the Charity’s property.
If FPC were to agree to this in principle, the VHMC would then approach the Charities Commission with a view to updating the governing documents. Action: Clerk to enquire of Charity Commission if this is a lawful request. If it is lawful, then a joint meeting with the VHMC is to be held, after which a further approach to the Charities Commission may be needed.
147/22 Failure to carry out a Council instruction – designated FPC emails and potential GDPR concerns (PW):
Noted that not all Councillors are using the official FPC email addresses as it had been RESOLVED to do at an earlier meeting. Whilst there is no mandate making it obligatory to use dedicated Council-owned email accounts, which are separate from personal email accounts, it is best practice to comply with GDPR and transparency etc.
RESOLVED that only email addresses as provided by FPC are to be used for all internal and external communications, and that any information and communication received via another email account be disregarded except for reporting the Council email not working. Action: all.
148/22 Design of Village gateway road signs: A suggestion has been received that professionally designed artwork should be used on the signage. Noted that schoolchildren had submitted designs on the understanding that the chosen artwork would eventually appear on the signs. RESOLVED to use the existing artwork. LCC are reviewing all elements of the overall village gateways project: a suggestion has been made to include wording to indicate that the drawings have been provided by the children of Fiskerton school.
149/22 Approve Cllr A Walker to liaise with Estate advisors ref Paddock:
Cllr A Walker is taking forward previous efforts regarding the possibility of FPC taking on the Paddock. Following liaison with WLDC; he suggests contacting a professional/commercial Land Management Company as the next step with a view to them creating a formal offer to put to the Church Commissioners. A quote of £1200.00 has been received for approx. 8 hrs of work. If FPC is successful in gaining ownership, the company would be looking for a performance levy of 1% of the purchase price; or if a long-term lease, 10% of the first year’s rent.
At the proposal of Cllr A Walker to pursue both obtaining the Paddock, plus a second plot of land to the south of the village to allow relocation of the existing tenant, it was RESOLVED to authorise Cllr A Walker to 1) talk with the tenant; and 2) engage with the Land Management Company with a view for a preliminary visit to the village for an initial draft proposal to be put together for consideration at the September meeting; and 3) approve expenditure up to £1200.00 for the formal offer to be prepared (with expenditure to be taken from the reserve fund for recreational land). Action: Cllr A Walker
150/22 Approve up to £250 + VAT to re-plant planters:
RESOLVED to approve. Action: Cllr A Walker
September agenda item – winter planting. Action: Clerk
151/22 Approve regular Chairman’s reports for Fiskerton News:
RESOLVED to approve, and that reports are to be circulated to all for information before submission to Fiskerton News. Action: Cllr A Walker
152/22 Consider what to include in Fiskerton News articles; approve one councillor to
check Fiskerton News article before submission:
RESOLVED that the level of content remains as is, and that only the Chairman’s approval is required before submission to Fiskerton News. Action: Clerk.
153/22 Resident concerns re. skip on Holmfield:
Cllr K Brereton has spoken with the responsible contractor; and LCC have advised that the current permit expires 21st July 2022. Action: Clerk to follow up with LCC Highways/the contractor as required if the skip has not been removed by 25th July 2022.
154/22 Appoint new councillors(s) to committees and other roles, as required:
Some appointments and roles were resolved upon as follows, with a full redistribution of roles to be considered at a later meeting:
Witham Valley Access Group representative – Cllr A Walker to attend next meeting, but a new representative is needed in due course.
Defibrillator coordinator – Cllr K Brereton
Paddock Working Group – Cllr A Walker, Cllr P Whitt
Cllr K Brereton appointed to: play area, speed signs (VAS), village signs and planters, planning committee, NP Working Group, Village Hall Roof Repair Committee.
155/22 Note FOI request: A request has been received for a transcript of part of the May 2022 meeting.
UPDATE REPORTS: to consider and agree actions as required:
156/22 Queen’s Platinum Jubilee: disposal of any spare commemorative coins:
RESOLVED to promote again the availability of spare coins in next Fiskerton News. Action: Clerk
157/22 Update on outstanding jobs as follows:
i. Office sort out: Ongoing.
ii. Putting old minutes onto website: Ongoing.
iii. Consider cloud-based storage system: Ongoing.
iv. Village Gateway Project: Ongoing.
v. Carpenter’s Arms defibrillator: Ongoing. New storage box is on order. Action: Cllr K Brereton to cost out a suitable replacement light.
158/22 Drafting of bullying protocols: Item deferred.
159/22 Response from WLDC regarding field on the South side of Ferry Road - just to the west of the Fishing Lake and opposite Fiskerton Wood: Item deferred.
160/22 Office chair – update and resolve to pay any required expenditure which will be reimbursed: Item deferred.
MEETINGS:
161/22 Matters for inclusion on next agenda: None.
162/22 Date of next meeting: Thursday 15th September 2022, 7.30pm, Fiskerton Village Hall.
Meeting ended at 9.23pm.
Mrs Michelle Vail
Clerk/RFO to Fiskerton Parish Council Dated 30.08.22