October Minutes
Minutes of the meeting of Fiskerton Parish Council held on Monday 3rd October 2022 at 7:30pm in Fiskerton Village Hall.
Present: Cllrs Brereton, Darcel, Hill, Walker, Whitt, and Mrs M Vail (Clerk).
D/Cllr Welburn and C/Cllr Fleetwood (both arrived at 8.07pm).
Five members of the public were also in attendance.
163/22 Open session: suspension of standing orders for 15 minutes for residents to speak:
Residents spoke about the open spaces on Holmfield; including to express concerns that FPC will plant these up; referring to boundary concerns, and referring to letters in their possession. A suggestion was made for a No Ball Games sign. A request that FPC be given a copy of these letters to facilitate moving residents’ concerns on, was refused. The Chairman advised that the legal documents supplied as part of FPC’s taking on of ownership of these spaces, had confirmed that FPC cannot erect anything on the open spaces, nor use them as anything other than open space; therefore, FPC is very restricted in what it can do with the land. A request was made for the resident’s solicitor to write to FPC.
The path between Holmfield and Waterhill is full of weeds. Action: Clerk to ascertain the owner.
164/22 Apologies for absence: Cllr A Welburn, who may arrive late.
165/22 Declaration of interests: None.
166/22 Approve notes of meeting of 21st July 2022 as a true record:
RESOLVED with two abstentions, that the minutes are a correct record. These were duly signed.
167/22 To receive observations of the District and County Councillors including:
D/Cllr A Welburn – her Sept 2022 report had been circulated.
D/Cllr C Darcel – WLDC had recently held a summit on helping people in a poverty trap (cost of living crisis); with approx. 40 attendees comprising both WLDC staff and other organisations. A summary will be issued; and it is hoped that a flyer detailing help will follow. Noted that Fiskerton can also call on the Hodgsons Trust Charity for help.
D/Cllr C Hill – nothing to report.
168/22 Chairman’s report:
Cllr A Walker advised that:
* FPC documents had not been returned by previous councillors, meaning a loss of information; and that this scenario justifies the use of FPC-specific email addresses and use of Dropbox.
* The solar farm, phase 2, is well underway, with a shocking visual impact on the countryside. Agenda item: explore any actions in respect of the above. Action: Clerk.
* He and the Clerk will work on the 2023/24 budget which will be circulated ahead of the November meeting. He noted the current high rate of inflation (at approx. 10%) with the potential impact of this on the budget; and asked for any project/spending requests.
* The Clerk’s laptop requires replacing with one being found at £519.00, which can be funded by the Transparency Reserve. RESOLVED to approve purchase of a laptop. Action: Clerk.
During this item, at 8.07pm, D/Cllr A Welburn and C/Cllr I Fleetwood arrived.
FINANCE
169/22 ACCOUNTS
a. To resolve to receive the following payments/receipts schedule for July/August 2022: Noted.
PAYMENTS
* 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, £227.97 + £45.59 VAT = £273.56
* Glendale, grasscuts, Aug 2022, £227.97 + £45.59 VAT = £273.56
* ROSPA, August play area inspection, £73.50 + £14.70 VAT = £88.20
* PWBL loan, £1026.27
* Direct Hygiene, defib box, £529.00 + £105.80 + £634.80
TOTAL = £3392.99 + £223.04 = £3616.03
RECEIPTS
* Allotment rents, £36.00
* Grazing rent, £40.00
* VAT reclaim, £1025.58
* Interest, £1.62
* Interest, £1.84
TOTAL = £1105.04
b. To resolve to approve payment of the following accounts for September 2022:
RESOLVED to approve payment of the following accounts, proposed by Cllr A Walker and seconded by Cllr C Hill. Action: Clerk.
* Clerk, salary, £432.07
* PAYE, £45.20
* Pension, £141.42
* Sage, payroll & accounts package, £19.00 + £3.80 VAT = £22.80
* Virgin media call package, £9.45 + £1.88 VAT = £11.33
* Virgin Media, phone handset, £7.00
* Glendale, Grasscuts, Sept 2022, £455.94 + £91.18 VAT = £547.12, Estimated
* WLDC, repay incorrectly paid CIL £2,978.06
* Data Protection Fee, £40.00
* Cllr A Walker, reimburse for trough plants, £59.99
* Village Hall hire, May x 2 meetings, £48.00
* Village Hall hire, June meeting, £24.00
* Village hall hire, July meeting, £24.00
* TOTAL = £4284.13 + £96.86 = £4380.99
c. Update on external audit: The audit process is now complete, with the external auditor having raised no matters of concern.
d. To receive feedback on trialled Natwest accounting package and resolve on next steps: The Natwest package does not give the functionality required; and the Clerk is obtaining a quote for a Council-specific accounting package. In the meantime, RESOLVED to return to using Sage Accounting.
e. Resolve on option to opt out of the SAAA central external auditor appointment arrangements: RESOLVED not to opt out of the SAAA central external auditor appointment arrangements.
f. Request from Gardening Club to use FPC bank account:
Whilst it is in the process of moving bank accounts, the Gardening Club has requested if it can provide FPC’s bank account details to the Co-op as part of its application to them for funding; and by extension that FPC ‘holds’ Gardening Club monies until such point as the Gardening Club has its replacement bank account up and running. RESOLVED to approve this request. Action: Clerk.
g. Consider projects which would benefit from approx. £275.00 CIF from D/Cllr A Welburn: After consideration, RESOLVED that the CIF money be split to fund bulbs for community groups, and to part fund the Clerk’s new laptop. Action: Clerk.
PLANNING: to consider and agree actions as required:
170/22 Neighbourhood Plan (NP): to receive update:
Recent actions were summarised, as detailed in the July 2022 minutes (minute ref. 136/22). Cllr Walker is liaising with Locality for required documentation. Noted that the NP needs to comply with the Local Plan; which is currently under review and is moving into the Examination period. Action: Clerk to advise that FPC wishes to attend Local Plan hearings.
171/22 Central Lincolnshire Local Plan:
* To note submission to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government: Noted.
* Consider an additional consultation on an addendum to the Sustainability Appraisal; open between 22 August and 4 October 2022: Noted that this does not affect Fiskerton.
172/22 Reepham Neighbourhood Plan - Regulation 14 Consultation: Noted. Any responses should be passed to the Clerk for submission.
CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED:
173/22 WLDC Parish Newsletter: Noted.
174/22 Lower Witham Flood Resilience Project newsletter: Noted.
NEW ITEMS: to consider and agree actions as required:
175/22 To review H&S Policy: This requires a review, then sign off by the Chairman. Action: Cllr A Walker.
176/22 To agree a policy review schedule: Policies will be available on Dropbox for anybody to review and make suggestions for amendment, on an ongoing basis. The Chairman will look at each policy between now and May 2023. Action: Clerk to include on annual rolling schedule of agenda items.
177/22 Items raised in the Annual Parish Meeting:
i. Have a village questionnaire every 4 years to gather feedback on all matters: Noted that this is very labour intensive; and suggested that the new Council (following May 2023 elections) should consider this. Action: Clerk to include on annual rolling schedule of agenda items.
Two residents left the meeting at 8.44pm.
ii. Greater use of Social Media to give out/gather in information: Noted that an information only Facebook Page could be used. No action at this time.
iii. Is a ‘big’ APM a necessity? Whilst it is a legal requirement to hold an APM, all agreed that the current scale was right for the numbers attending.
178/22 Tracking of outstanding meeting actions: The Clerk handed out a sample action tracker log, which is accessible on Dropbox for all to review. For future meetings, only the outstanding actions could be printed out. Action: Clerk to email the tracker log.
179/22 CD to explain his belief that the Village Hall grounds should be treated differently to the building: Cllr C Darcel noted that he considered the situation was explained within an email of ex-Cllr R Wall, dated 10th May 2022, which detailed what the Village Hall Management Committee, and FPC were each responsible for. FPC has previously sought professional opinion on the situation from a solicitor, and Cllr C Darcel noted in the meeting that he considers that the solicitor had been incorrect in its conclusions.
D/Cllr A Welburn left the meeting at 9.03pm.
180/22 Draft constitution documents for Village Hall: car park agreement, play area agreement, and Village Hall Management Committee constitution – any update from Charity Commissioners: The Clerk is waiting to hear from the Charity Commissioners (as detailed in the July 2022 minutes – minute ref 146/22).
181/22 Appoint new councillors(s) to committees and other roles, as required: A list of current appointees was circulated. Action: all to consider what roles they can take on.
182/22 Winter planting of village planters: It was agreed that Cllr A Walker had done a good job in the recent planting up. RESOLVED that up to £190.00 be spent on winter planting. Noted that some planters still have people allocated to looking after them. Action: Cllr C Hill to speak with resident looking after one of the Crescent planter.
Cllr I Fleetwood left the meeting at 9.15pm.
183/22 Christmas tree: RESOLVED with three for, and two against, that FPC pays for the purchase and delivery of a tree at approx. £150.00. Action: Cllr A Walker.
184/22 Jubilee tree and plaque: Action: Clerk to chase PCC for a response.
185/22 Memorial wreath: RESOLVED for the Clerk to purchase a wreath, with expenditure amount at her discretion (anticipated to be approx. £55). RESOLVED that Cllr A Walker lays the wreath.
One resident left the meeting at 9.23pm.
186/22 Review ROSPA Annual play inspection report: Action: Clerk to circulate the report. Action: Cllr K Brereton to produce list of required works, and risk assessments.
UPDATE REPORTS: to consider and agree actions as required:
187/22 Update on outstanding jobs as follows:
i. Office sort out: Work nears completion.
ii. Putting old minutes onto website: Approx six sets of minutes remain to be put onto the website.
iii. Consider cloud-based storage system: Cllr A Walker and the Clerk have populated a Dropbox account with all FPC electronic documents; which has nearly filled the available free storage space. Therefore, a solution with purchased space is required eg £90.00 pa for 2TB of space – to be included in budget for 2023/24. The Dropbox system is currently being trialled.
RESOLVED to suspend Standing Orders at 9.30pm to allow the meeting to continue.
iv. Village Gateway Project: Noted variously that:
* Liaison with LCC has been extremely slow, taking place over several years
* 10 locations for planters have been verbally agreed, with a form required to be completed
* Lettering on the gate signage is required to be changed to lower case; and LCC are subcontracting out for a quote to create the signs
* Artwork amalgamated into the design will be black and white, as already submitted
* Speed cameras are to be removed from this project and funded separately by FPC. Action: Clerk to obtain quote for three solar powered signs, a fourth sign with battery and spare battery pack (to be a mobile sign)
During the above item, two residents left the meeting at 9.37pm.
v. Carpenter’s Arms defibrillator: the cabinet is being stored in the office. A maintained emergency light is required. Action: Cllr K Brereton to chase quote.
vi. Risk Assessment Holmfield road markings: Action Cllr K Brereton to liaise with C/Cllr I Fleetwood before creating a risk assessment for the Clerk to submit to LCC.
vii. month-by-month schedule of annual standing agenda items: As noted earlier in meeting. This schedule will be on Dropbox for all to view.
viii. play area risk assessments: Action: Cllr K Brereton is to use the ROSPA report to populate a risk assessment.
188/22 Witham Valley Access Group update: Cllr A Walker explained the Group’s aims, noting their desire to continue but that new membership is required. Currently the group is very Cherry Willingham-centric, so RESOLVED for FPC to host the AGM in Fiskerton Village Hall, and to pay the hall hire costs. Action: Clerk
189/22 Drafting of bullying protocols: Cllr C Darcel considers such protocols are necessary to protect councillors. Action: Cllr C Darcel to produce a draft protocol for November meeting.
190/22 Response from WLDC regarding field on the South side of Ferry Road - just to the west of the Fishing Lake and opposite Fiskerton Wood: Noted that further development has occurred. Action: Cllr C Darcel to liaise with WLDC Enforcement team.
191/22 Office chair: A second-hand ergonomic office chair has been offered. Action: Cllr A Walker to take to VHMC.
192/22 Paddock: The background to the Paddock was explained: the history and reasons given for wanting the land give a strong claim. FPC’s appointed Land Management Company have drafted an offer letter (circulated), suggesting concentrating initially on obtaining the Paddock, and only then considering making an offer for a secondary parcel of land. Prices per acre have been obtained. In consideration of all information provided, RESOLVED to offer £5500.00 per acre, with one against (CD).
Further RESOLVED to pay the Land Management Company’s invoice of £720.00 inc VAT, and noted that up to £1200 has previously been approved for this. Action: Clerk
Cllr C Darcel suggested bringing Sports England into consideration for possible grant funding.
193/22 Remaining Lottery grant money (VHRRC): The VHMC have sent a letter detailing a number of items which could be purchased for the village hall from the £4610.00 remaining available to spend from the Lottery grant monies. RESOLVED to accept the list of items as detailed in the letter. Additionally, two decorating quotes have been received of £2280.00 and £550.00. RESOLVED to accept the quote of £550.00. Action: Cllr A Walker.
194/22 Distribution of remaining Jubilee coins to 1) School 2) Scouts: RESOLVED to approve distribution of Jubilee coins to 1) school, 2) Scouts. Action: Cllr A Walker.
MEETINGS:
195/22 Matters for inclusion on next agenda: Budget and precept setting.
196/22 Reschedule dates of remaining 2022 meetings as follows; all 7.30pm, Fiskerton Village Hall: RESOLVED to reschedule remaining 2022 meetings as follows: move 20 Oct to Thu 3 Nov, and move 17 Nov to Thu 1 Dec.
Meeting ended at 10.41pm.
Mrs Michelle Vail
Clerk/RFO to Fiskerton Parish Council Dated 12.10.22