March 2020 Contingency Planning
Fiskerton Parish Council
Contingency Planning
RESOLUTIONS APPROVED BY E-MAIL IN MARCH 2020 DUE TO THE PARISH COUNCIL BEING UNABLE TO MEET DUE TO CORONAVIRUS/COVID19
Attendees: Cllrs Adams, Canner, Darcel, Harrison, Hill, Walker, Wall, Mrs M Vail (clerk).
(Note: Cllr Adams is in favour of the draft minutes but not currently sufficiently well to respond)
1. Business Interruption – Contingency Planning – Covid 19/Corona Virus Outbreak
a) To agree that, as public and personal safety is paramount above all parish council business, that the council meets remotely until such time as normal meetings can resume; and that all scheduled public meetings be cancelled.
RESOLVED to agree.
b) To agree on a time frame for these meetings and how they will take place (eg by Skype):
RESOLVED to agree to undertake essential parish council business only to the usual monthly schedule. Suggested that this continues initially by e-mail, but to note that other methods can be utilised, if required, and if Members have an account: eg BT meet-me; Facebook messenger; Whatsapp
c) To agree that all decisions agreed remotely will be formally ratified at the next possible meeting:
RESOLVED to agree.
d) To agree to postpone the Annual Parish Meeting (held between 1st March and 1st June); and the Annual Meeting (held in May) should the risk of a public meeting become too high:
RESOLVED to agree.
Noted that 1) postponing of the Annual Meeting means that the chair and vice chair will remain the same as currently until such time as a suitable and safe meeting is called and held. 2) whilst the above decisions are contrary to existing legislation as of 16th March 2020, the parish council is taking these decisions in order to place public safety at the forefront.
e) To note that, to minimise disruption to service provision and ensure business continuity, as per adopted Financial Regulations, the clerk has delegated powers to authorise expenditure on behalf of the council up to a limit of £1000; in conjunction with the chair and vice chair.
In cases of extreme risk to the delivery of council services, the clerk has delegated powers to authorise expenditure on behalf of the council up to a limit of £1000; and shall report this to the chairman as soon as possible and to the council as soon as practicable thereafter:
Noted. Measures are in place with robust transparency processes to ensure effective business continuation and to minimise impact on local service delivery; with ratification by the Parish Council to be made at the earliest and safest opportunity.
f) To consider any other actions required to minimise risk to the council and facilitate the smooth running of council business during this interim period:
To keep elected members (via email/telephone calls) and members of the public (via the Parish Council website and notice boards (where/when relevant and practicable) updated.
2. To agree that the minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 20th February 2020 are a true record:
RESOLVED to approve amended minutes.
3. Accounts:
a) To agree to approve the following expenditure:
i. Pay invoice for planters; and agree on location (ie the Crescent or Hall Lane):
RESOLVED to pay for planters. Noted that 1) the invoice has not yet been received (as of 25/3/20) and 2) it is understood that the cost includes both installation and planting up of planter.
As regards placement of the planter: noted that there is not a wide enough verge at the entrance to the village from the east. If placed at the end of Hall Lane; it would only be seen on exiting the village and would also need to be set back so that it is not a hazard to traffic. Action: clerk to enquire as to whether the previous Parish Council had received permission from LCC to place the planters.
Action: clerk to thank D/Cllr Welburn for her gift of daffodil bulbs
ii. Accept contractor’s quote for Grass cutting contract:
RESOLVED to agree. Action: clerk
iii. LALC Annual Membership – to approve payment of fees £290.44:
RESOLVED to agree, and noted that this had been approved in the budget. Action: clerk
iv. LALC Training Scheme fee at £120:
RESOLVED to defer item as all training is cancelled/postponed in light of the Covid 19 crisis.
4. Correspondence
a) The Holmfield estate. Proposal for clerk to write to Morris Homes saying the Council is worried about the PLIC on the two open spaces and would be grateful if MH can help resolve the matter:
RESOLVED to approve clerk writing to Morris Holmes. Action: clerk
b) Concern of resident over lack of Plough Lane pavement repairs or widening of the pavement to a sufficient width to take a pram or buggy. Proposal for clerk to write to LCC:
Thought that this work has been completed as the road was closed recently.
c) Covid 19. Revd Canon Penny Green's letter.
Suggested that the Parish Council could paste a simple instruction set on the Parish Council notice board and bus shelters and in the village hall showing a simple what to do set of instructions for residents and with a few helpful tips and local telephone numbers. If anyone can produce such a document, Cllr Darcel will be pleased to print and circulate it.
RESOLVED to agree. Action: Cllr Darcel. Website: Action: Cllr Walker
5. Solar panels expansion: pre planning application- to both sides of Reepham Road:
Noted that the farmer's agent phoned recently regarding the postponed meeting. He had hoped to hold a public consultation in the village in the near future. Cllr Darcel has pointed out to him the previous public concerns regarding landscaping open spaces and a footpath between the two villages. Proposal. None at present. Hopefully the agent is sending Cllr Darcel a brief outline and a simple response sheet to forward to the Parish News.
6. Neighbourhood Plan: Update (Cllr Walker). Analysis of returns:
Cllr Darcel suggests, as well as Cllr Walker’s impressive returns document, there is also a single page fact sheet just showing the actual number of responses per question, to include in the Neighbourhood Plan.
Proposal: to have a simple fact sheet to include in the actual NP document and the full version of Cllr Walker’s report as a supplementary document on the website for anyone who wishes to explore the details further.
RESOLVED to agree proposal. Action: Cllr Walker and Cllr Darcel
7. Containers on the airfield:
Cllr Darcel has discussed the containers with the enforcement officer. Apparently, the farmer is considering building either new barns on the existing farmstead or on a new site, depending on the outcome of development proposals in Reepham. The applicant is using the containers for storage and for wash room facilities for the rifle range.
Proposal: the clerk writes to the enforcement officer 1) that the farmer applies for temporary planning permission and 2) removes the new container now located on the same runway but to the west of Reepham Rd.
The open space between Reepham and Fiskerton is an important open space and green wedge between the two villages. It needs protecting. As per the local plan. LP17, 19,20,21,22, 23 26, 55 etc.
RESOLVED to agree proposal. Action: clerk
8. Community Links update VHC /Parish Council update (Cllr Wall):
Noted that Cllr Wall to circulate a resumé based on his correspondence with Community Lincs.
Action: Cllr Wall
9. Church Clock Repairs: resident’s letter(s).
Cllr Darcel has spoken to Lynda Foreman today. What the Church would like to happen would be for the Parish Council to keep paying the annual maintenance for the clock, even though the hands are locked. This can be paid as previously once every four years or annually at about £100 per year. They would also like help to get the hands fixed. This is quite a complicated job. the hands to be taken off and worked on in Derby. Lynda would be pleased to discuss the details with an interested councillor – would Cllr Wall like to go through the details with her?
Noted: Action: Cllr Wall
10. Proposal to remove caveat of not on “consecutive days” on traders operating from the village hall car park (Cllr Walker, Cllr Hill):
Do we have an agreement to remove the caveat? Having given the Village Hall Committee (VHC) the authority to run the stalls, we should not then tell them how to manage the site.
Proposal: the Clerk to write to the VHC to advise them of the removal of the clause.
RESOLVED to approve the proposal. Action: clerk
11. Update on quotes for VH roof (Cllr Walker/Cllr Adams):
The roof on the village hall. we have had two quotes and I have asked two companies to quote; unsuccessfully. We do not need to make a decision yet but I suggest we ask the clerk to pursue funding streams. If anyone has leads/ideas on this please forward them to the clerk.
RESOLVED to approve suggestion. Action: clerk
12. Chairman’s Comments:
Cllr Darcel would like to thank 1) Ben Crabb for his Village Hall (VH) risk assessment and VH trader contract slip; and 2) Keith Smithson and Ben for their interest in a second Fiskerton Flood Defence Scheme which Cllr Darcel is working on.
Noted that the risk assessment recommends that the tree stump is removed/ground down. As the parish council had arranged for the stump to be removed; it is agreed that it should make provision to have the stump removed. Item for next agenda.
Action: clerk
13. To resolve to move into Closed Session as the following items contain information of a confidential nature:
RESOLVED to move into closed session as the following items contain information of a confidential nature.
a. Clerk’s contract of employment:
The clerk has provided a sample contract which is more up to date than the one from LALC.
Proposal: a hard copy with suggested changes is circulated to members for approval.
RESOLVED to approve the proposal. Action: clerk
b) Accounts programme:
Book keeping proposal: clerk orders a 4-month trial version of Sage for £3.65 per month, then after at £12 per month. Clerk to phone Sage to check this package will meet our needs.
RESOLVED to approve with 3 for, 1 against and 2 abstentions.
Action: Clerk
c) to review the situation regards the solar panels on the Scout Hut. (Cllr Darcel)
Cllr Hill and Cllr Darcel have been advised at West Lindsey that we write to the Scouts and request they read the meter and forward the revenue as per the Parish Council minutes May 2015; already circulated. In the minutes; the Council accepts all maintenance charges so at a later stage we will need to agree to both insure the panels (approx. £30 per year for £5000) and confirm responsibility for disposal in perhaps 30 years’ time.
Proposal: The Clerk writes to Amanda Dawson, Chair of the Trustees for the 5th Lincoln(Fiskerton St Clements) Scout Group.
Noted that this would be a counter-productive action; and that Cllr Walker, as directed by the Council at the January 2020 meeting, has been investigating who receives the revenue from the panels on the scout hut. He has met with the treasurer of the scouts who was empowered to speak on their behalf and has provided a comprehensive report of this meeting, in summary:
The scouts have no objection to the income being paid into the Lark Energy Community Fund
The scouts have never received payment from the panels
The scouts recently submitted a meter reading
They requested that maintenance of the panels be covered by the council paid for in part from the income generated by the panels
They also requested assurance that the income from the panels was being spent in line with their charitable status and in line with the intentions of the Community Fund
My investigations are ongoing and I will keep you informed.
Of greater concern, from the council minutes since 2015 I can see that at least £13,266 has been paid into the fund (including the £10,000 opening grant) and that £3682 has been spent, which should leave a balance of £9584 yet the council accounts only show £4628 meaning £4956 has gone missing from within the Councils accounts or has been mis-accounted for.
This is an ongoing item.
Mrs Michelle Vail
Clerk/RFO to Fiskerton Parish Council
Dated 25.03.20