August 2020 Minutes of a remote meeting on 27 August
Minutes of the Remote Extraordinary Meeting of Fiskerton Parish Council held at 7.30pm on Thursday 27th August 2020
Present: Cllrs Darcel (CD), Harrison (MH), Hill (CH), Wall (RW)
Also in Attendance: Mrs M Vail (clerk)
There were no members of the public present.
Meeting started at 7.30pm.
114/20 Open session – suspension of standing orders for 15 minutes:
Open session not required due to no members of the public present.
115/20 Apologies for absence:
Apologies received from Cllrs Canner and Walker.
116/20 Declaration of interests:
Cllr Wall in respect of item 119/20 below due to being a member of the Village Hall Management Committee (VHMC).
117/20 To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 10 August 2020:
Following consideration of the draft minutes; it was RESOLVED unanimously to approve, with the following amendments, the minutes as a true record:
- Item 110/20, point 9 - to correct typo so that FRP reads FPC.
- Item 113/20ii – to add in note to clarify that the village hall roof repairs are a ‘parish council financed project’.
118/20 To resolve upon the adoption of the LCC website:
The clerk provided a summary of the LCC website training she had received; noting the advantages offered by using the LCC website. She had also trialled the existing website but had found it less easy to add/remove documents on. In respect of carrying out the work to transfer documents from the existing website to the LCC one; one quote had been received of £250. However, a local person had offered to undertake the work free of charge; and they already had relevant experience, having already carried out similar work for two other local parish councils.
Following a recommendation from the clerk; it was RESOLVED unanimously to transfer to the LCC website; to include a link on the existing website to redirect browsers; and to engage the services of the local volunteer. Action: clerk
(Note: AW had advised prior to this meeting that, if a decision is made to use LCC’s website, plans will need to be made concerning: 1) the email addresses used; which are all linked to the website, 2) how FPC harvests and retains all the historical information and 3) as the existing website is a Parish site not just a Parish Council site; if FPC wants to share the new one or not and how FPC informs other users of this)
Action: clerk - item for next agenda.
119/20 To resolve that the clerk issues an order as soon as practicable to the preferred contractor to repair the village hall roof as per his existing, (or, if necessary, updated) quotation:
There is an urgent need to address the roof issues, especially in light of the village hall reopening in September; and it is proving difficult to obtain funding quickly to effect repairs in the short term. Therefore, CD proposed, seconded by CH, that the preferred contractor, G.A. Merryweather Building Services, is engaged to carry out temporary repairs; then both FPC and the VHMC can consider a longer-term re-roofing solution moving forward. CD further suggested that FPC could contribute approx.. £4000 and the VHMC could contribute approx..£1000; but that FPC will pay all costs if the VHMC are not minded to contribute £1000. (Note: the VHMC have not been approached about this).
RW noted that not having a guarantee for the work is a problem; that the VHMC had rejected temporary repairs having discussed matters at length; and that approaches for funding are in hand. However, RW doesn’t think the VHMC will object if FPC want to spend the money.
CD noted that VH insurers require a guarantee of work but that FPC’s insurers do not; and that only one company had offered a guarantee.
A proposal by CH, seconded by MH, to engage the services of the preferred contractor as soon as possible to effect a temporary repair was made, at a cost of £ 4880 + VAT; and it was RESOLVED unanimously to accept this proposal. Action: Clerk to place order. Action: CD and RW to help with daily access and supervision of works.
120/20 To resolve that the ‘Additional Covid Hire Conditions’ as circulated by the Village Hall Bookings Secretary are acceptable; and approve the clerk signing a new re-bookings form for future events as required:
It was RESOLVED unanimously that the clerk be authorised to sign and return the new form. It was confirmed that FPC had made a decision in a previous meeting to continue to meet remotely for the remainder of 2020; and that this decision is to be reviewed in due course in respect of 2021 meetings. The clerk noted that official guidance remained that parish councils should continue to meet remotely.
CD noted need to arrange a Neighbourhood Plan meeting. Action: CD
Meeting ended at 8.07pm.
Mrs Michelle Vail
Parish Clerk/RFO to Fiskerton Parish Council Dated 28/08/20