Present:                       Cllr Catherine Lack, Cllr Lucy Robb, Cllr Anne Booth, Cllr Hannah Weston Smith, Cllr Nickey Pretty, Cllr Martin Smith

Also Present:               Nicky Bush (Clerk), Cllr Martin Hill (LCC)

Public Forum:              1 resident

Meeting started 7.15 pm

23/039  Election of chair

Cllr LR proposed and Cllr NP seconded Cllr CL as chair.  Cllr CL accepted, and it was resolved that she would be the chair for the coming year.

23/040  Receipt of chair’s declaration of acceptance

Cllr CL completed the declaration of office for chair.

Action: Clerk to update details on the parish website

23/041  Election of a vice-chairman

Cllr HWS proposed and Cllr AB seconded Cllr NP as vice chair.  Cllr NP accepted, and it was resolved that she would be the vice chair for the coming year.

23/042  Receipt of vice chair’s declaration of acceptance

Cllr NP completed the declaration of office for vice chair.

Action: Clerk to update details on the parish website.

23/043  Apologies for absence and reasons given

Apologies received from Cllr M Turner – It was resolved to accept the apologies.

23/044  Approval of the accounts for the year ending 31st March 2023

The Clerk presented the final accounts for 2022- 23, and confirmed the internal audit had taken place and would be discussed under the main meeting agenda. Cllr CL signed the final accounts.

Action: None

23/045  Appointment of representatives

CCTV/Pavilion  -  Cllr CL and Cllr HWS

Play equipment/Allotments  -  Cllr LR

Defibrillator  –  Cllr NP

Village green/Grass cutting  –  Cllr AB

Environment and planning committee  –  Cllr MS

Action: Clerk to update the website

23/046  Review and adoption of standing orders

The clerk confirmed that the standing orders are still in line with LALC’s latest model regulations and that no further changes need to be made at this time. Cllr MS proposed, Cllr HWS seconded, and all were in agreement that the standing orders be adopted.

Action: Clerk to reflect this on the website

23/047  Review and adoption of financial regulations

The clerk confirmed that the financial regulations are still in line with LALC’s latest model regulations and that no further changes need to be made at this time.  Cllr NP proposed, Cllr HWS seconded, and all were in agreement that the financial regulations be adopted.

Action: Clerk to reflect this on the website

23/048  Review of inventory of assets

The clerk presented the asset register as at 31-03-23.  Cllr HWS advised that the £1.00 for the phone box was never requested and the clerk was asked to update the land description to playing field to encompass all areas.  It was resolved that the clerk would upload the up-to-date register to the website.

Action: Clerk to amend the asset register and upload it to the website

23/049  Review and adoption of risk register

The clerk presented the risk register adapted from the LALC model risk register.  The Councillors pointed out a typing error and ask that North Kesteven District Council be changed to South Kesteven District Council. It was resolved to adopt the risk register

Action: Clerk to update and add the risk register to the website

23/050  Review and adoption of retention policy

The clerk presented the retention policy. It was resolved to adopt the retention policy.

Action: Clerk to add the retention policy to the website

 23/051  Review and confirmation of arrangements for insurance cover in respect of all insured risks

The clerk presented the data for the insurance policy comparing current cover with the values from the asset register as there are some items declared that are irrelevant and others that need adjusting.  It was resolved that the clerk would obtain a quote from the current insurers and also from Zurich insurance as they also provided parish council polices.

Action: Clerk to obtain quotes from BHIB and Zurich

7.42 pm meeting recommenced

23/052 Chair’s remarks.

None

23/053 Apologies for absence and reasons given.

Cllr M Turner gave apologies. It was resolved to accept the apologies.

23/054 To receive any declarations of interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2011.

None

23/055 Draft minutes of the meeting held on 16-03-23 to be confirmed and signed as minutes.

It was resolved to accept the above notes as minutes.  They were confirmed and signed by the Chair.

23/056 Financial matters: Accounts for payment and budget figures, including report, up to 16.05.23.

The Clerk advised that she had since received the invoice for the room hire for £60 and an email from John Kirby to say the invoice for his 2nd cut carried out this week was in the post £183

It was resolved to accept the accounts for payment including the 2 additional invoices. 

It was also resolved that the clerk would contact Lloyds Bank and obtain the necessary paperwork to open parish council account with them as the Nat West account was only a temporary measure.

Action: Clerk to arrange for payments to be made and obtain the relevant paperwork from Lloyds bank.

23/057 Planning:

Washdyke Solar Farm

Cllr MS outlined the topics raised at the public meeting on Thursday 11 May 2023 and Cllr MH also put forward the position of Lincolnshire County Council. After discussion it was resolved that Cllr MS would put together the formal response and then forward to the councillors and clerk.In addition, the clerk to contact the Lincolnshire community trust fund to establish if the monies given for grants are allocated directly to those in the area of the solar farm or are distributed throughout the county.

Action: Cllr MS to put together the response and the clerk to submit comments to SKDC before 01 June 2023.  Clerk to contact Lincolnshire community trust fund and feed back to the councillors.

23/058 Correspondence

Action: None.

23/059 Clerks report.

Action: None

23/060 Updates from LCC/SKDC

Cllr MH reported that he had a request regarding a footpath along the A15 to meet up with the existing path.

23/061 Agreement and signing of the external audit report for 2021-2022

1. Review internal audit report.

The clerk presented the internal auditors report and the Chairman’s report to the councillors and updated on the progress against the actions.It was proposed to accept the Internal Audit report by Cllr AB, seconded by Cllr LR and agreed by all.

2. Review and agree Annual Governance Statement

The clerk read out each statement on the Annual Governance Statement, and all statements were agreed.This document was then duly signed by the Clerk and Cllr CL

3. Review and agree Accounting Statements.

The clerk presented the accounting statement. It was proposed to accept the Accounting Statement by Cllr AB, seconded by Cllr MS and agreed by all.This Accounting statement was then duly signed by Cllr CL.

4. Review explanation for variances and reserves.

The clerk presented the Explanation of variances to the Cllrs. It was proposed to accept the explanation for variances by Cllr AB, seconded by Cllr MS and agreed by all.

5. Review explanation of high reserves.

The clerk presented the explanation of high reserves to the Cllrs. It was proposed to accept the explanation of high reserves by Cllr MS, seconded by Cllr LR and agreed by all.

6. Agree and sign certification of exemption.

It was resolved to complete the certificate of exemption, which was then signed by NB (RFO) and Cllr CL (Chair)

Action: Clerk to publish audit report on website and in the noticeboard and to submit exemption certificate to external auditors

22/062 Playing field

• Pavilion/CCTV –

Cllr CL reported that the CCTV monitor is now in place. The picture quality is not perfect but enough to be able to identify someone if need be.  She asked that the clerk put a notice on the website and facebook page asking that any antisocial behaviour be reported to the parish council. Following the meeting at the pavilion it was confirmed that the council do not own the pavilion just lease the land to them and are therefore not responsible for the repairs.  They are currently struggling financially and so is has been agreed not to chase the back rent and the clerk confirmed she has sent them details of some funding available to support sports organisations such as theirs.

• Allotments

Cllr LR confirmed the issue with plot nine has been resolved and the plot is being used.  The fencing on one side needs attention requiring three new gravel boards and stakes. In addition, she reported that the tap leak was most likely a washer which needed replacing and repairs to the protection around the tap needed to be replaced.  The 4th June 2023 was agreed as a working party date to make the repairs. A budget of £100 was agreed to purchase the materials needed.

The Clerk confirmed that all rents had now been received and that the grass cutter has reported that someone had a bonfire on the allotment.  It was resolved that the councillors will check the area to see if they can identify where this was.

• Play area

Cllr LR reported that she has received a quote for the repairs to the roundabout, step removal and replacement of rotten benches of £700.  She is currently making an application for some funding towards it, however the funding requires us to also contribute 50%. The works will potentially be carried out in July. The question was asked as to whether the ROSPA inspection took place automatically or whether this needs to be book.  The clerk will look into this.

Cllr HWS confirmed that she has put in place the new signage in the playing field including notification of CCTV, parking and disposal of waste.

Action: Clerk to post notice on website and facebook page regarding CCTV, confirm arrangements for the ROSPA inspection and Cllr LR to purchase the necessary materials for the working party on 4 June.

22/063 New bench by phone box

The clerk reported that she had received an email with regards to installing an additional bench by the telephone box which has been donated. She confirmed that she had emailed Cllr Hill to ask whether permission would be needed from Lincs County Council and he confirmed it would not be as long as it was not near the highway.  Following discussion it was resolved that Cllr MS would contact a local handyman to arrange putting down some slabs and then fixing the bench in place.

Action: Cllr MS to arrange for the bench to be put in place.

22/064 Cherry trees in marketplace

The clerk reported that she has received an email from a resident asking if the council could raise funds to trim the cherry trees on the green as they appear to need attention.  The ownership of the green area that they are on was questioned and who was responsible for the upkeep of the trees and this needed to be clarified before the council could take any action.  It was resolved that the clerk would look onto who owned the land and is responsible for their upkeep.

Action: Clerk to look into who the land and trees belong to.

22/065 Co-option of Councillor

The clerk confirmed that there had been an application to become a councillor and she had received permission to forward the email to the councillors. It was resolved that the clerk would forward the details and arrange a meeting on Thursday 25th May at 7pm

Action: Clerk to forward details and arrange a meeting.

22/066 Other village matters.

Cllr MS discussed the cleaning up and making use of the telephone box including painting it.  It was resolved to agree a budget of £50 for the cost of the paint.  He also discussed how it could be used to display information about the village.

Action: Cllr MS to purchase the paint for the phone box and submit the receipt to the clerk.

Cllr HWS asked about the July meeting date as normally this takes place on the 2nd Thursday in July.  The clerk was not aware of this, and she confirmed she will update the meeting dates and change the hall booking.

22/067 Date of next meeting: 

13 July 2023 7.30 pm

Meeting Closed 9.00 pm

Signed:                                                                                       (In the chair)