November 2020 Minutes
Minutes of Cherry Willingham Parish Council held virtually at 7.30pm on 17th November 2020
Present: Cllrs Brylewski (Chair), Fleetwood (Vice-Chair), Baker, Palmer, Mellor, Bates, Scott, Trahearn, Burge, Bucke, J Robinson, B Robinson, Lacy & Houghton.
Gill Shaw (Clerk to the Council), Christine Hodgson (RFO & Assistant to Clerk) District Councillor Welburn
No members of the public in attendance.
The meeting commenced at 7.30pm
The meeting began with the Public Forum in which District Councillor Welburn in her capacity as a member of the public raised the question of some missing documents relating to historical VIC minutes. The Chairman assured her that the documents were not missing but were in a different folder.
The Chairman also confirmed that related legal documents and correspondence will be located.
Welcome and to resolve to receive apologies and accept reasons for absence
Cllr Longley not present.
Members' disclosure of pecuniary interests
Cllr Brylewski had received an anonymous gift of a watch.
To receive any reports from outside bodies, including the Police, District and County Councillors (if any) and agree actions as required
Cllr Brylewski shared September's crime figures but no further update has been received. Cllr Welburn in her capacity as a District Councillor confirmed that there is to be an extra green bin collection in December, the Christmas market had been cancelled due to Coronavirus and the District Council was still meeting online. She also suggested that any local businesses who are struggling can apply for funding from West Lindsey District Council.
Cllr Fleetwood in his capacity as a County Councillor has informed the police about a white Sprinter van parked on the Parade which may be involved in drug trafficking. He also confirmed that the Eastern bypass should be open mid-December but there would still be ongoing work until February.
Chairman's remarks
The Chairman thanked the RFO for all her help with the new Clerk and welcomed Cllr Lacy and Cllr B Robinson to their first meeting. There is now a full cohort and it was strongly recommended that all Councillors go on training courses. Cllr Brylewski stated that in future any actions in the minutes will be attached to a Councillor’s name and urged everyone to be proactive in assisting the Clerk.
There was an update on the damage done to the bus shelter and Councillors were asked to forward their opinions as to whether to adopt a ‘name and shame’ policy. The cost of the repair was quoted to be £90.
Cllr Brylewski suggested that the CFMG become a committee answerable directly to Full Council and this is for future discussion.
The Christmas Tree is due to be delivered on the 23rd and Councillors were asked to volunteer to decorate.
ACTION: Clerk to organise a rota.
The Christmas lunch for 25 people is being organised once again by Rev. Penny Green but with the lunches being delivered this year. She is also preparing goodie bags to go with the lunches and requires donations.
ACTION:
- Donations to be sent to the Parish office
- Cllr Brylewski to apply to Lincolnshire Community Foundation for funding Cllr Brylewski wished everyone a Happy Christmas and New Year.
To receive the notes of the Full Council meeting held on 20th October 2020 and to agree for them to be signed as a true record
RESOLVED with two votes against and two abstentions to accept the notes as a true record on the proviso that item 2020-29 be amended to show that it was ‘Resolved to accept bar one vote against’.
Financial Matters - RFO.
i. To receive the Schedule of Receipts and Payments for October
The Councillors considered the Schedule previously circulated and RESOLVED to accept unanimously.
ii. To receive the Conclusion of Audit from the External Auditors
The RFO confirmed that The External Auditors reported that all the information is in accordance with proper practices and no matters need their attention.
The Councillors considered the Audit previously circulated and RESOLVED to accept unanimously.
To receive reports and recommendations (if any) concerning the business of the Parish Council and its Committees, Sub-Committees etc. and agree any actions accordingly (note: queries from minutes, please see the individual chairmen or members outside of the full council meeting in order to expedite the meeting)
a) Village Improvement Committee (VIC) – Chairman: Cllr Fleetwood
i) To retrospectively ratify the decision to create a Wildflower Meadow
Cllr Burge asked for the following statement to be minuted: ‘I don’t think we should be retrospectively voting on issues because that is basically admitting that you have had a failure of procedures or policies and I believe that the Council were misled on this issue in the September meeting when I specifically asked if this had been approved and was told it had. This was found to be incorrect.’
Cllr J Robinson refuted this as in the Council meeting in November 2019 the council agreed to spend the money on the seed for the Wildlife meadow and this had been a Finance agenda item. RESOLVED and all agreed to retrospectively ratify the decision (bar 2 abstentions and 2 against).
ii) To put in place that future meetings are in the correct order and that future plans for Cherry Fields will be discussed/amended at VIC meetings and then go to Full Council.
The VIC will meet next year on the second Tuesday of the month.
iii) To appoint another Volunteer to be on to the CFMG committee
Volunteers do not need to be on the Village Improvement Committee. Cllr J Robinson stated that the CGMG is not a committee that meets monthly, it is a group that is involved in the daily management of the Fields so a volunteer should be prepared to be involved. Cllr J Robinson also noted that the VIC had decided that members of the CFMG could not vote on financial matters relating to expenditure on the fields. She requested that the voting rights of members of CFMG who are Councillors should be raised at Full Council for full discussion. Cllr Bates voiced his concern that his voting rights had been removed by the VIC’s decision.
PROPOSED and agreed by all, bar 1 abstention, to defer the appointment of a volunteer and the voting rights to the next Full Council meeting in January.
ACTION: Cllr Brylewski to meet with Cllr J Robinson, Cllr Fleetwood and any other interested parties to discuss this matter prior to the next Full Council meeting and to obtain advice on voting rights and forming a committee from LALC.
b) Planning Committee – Vice Chairman: Cllr Palmer
i) To receive an update on The Planning Committee Meeting on 10th November and any planning applications received since the last meeting.
There were no comments on the application for 20 Hawthorn Avenue but the committee felt that the development at 29 St Matthews resembled an infill, it is a very tight space, lack of on street parking, tight turning circle and this was the 3rd application. These comments have been raised with West Lindsey District Council. WLDC Enforcement Dept. require more evidence on a business being run at 5 St Lukes.
ACTION any Councillor receiving comments from residents to encourage them to report on WLDC website.
ii) To approve the actions of the Planning Committee
PROPOSED and agreed by all to approve the actions of the Planning Committee.
c) Leisure & Amenities Committee (L&A)-Chairman: Cllr J Robinson
To receive an update on the L&A Committee meeting on the 10th November
i) Full Council to approve transfer of £2000 funds from the Burial Grounds Projects into Playing Field and Play area maintenance
This was requested by the L&A in order to fund the extra maintenance work required on the play equipment. The RFO confirmed that there is a surplus in the Burial ground budget which can be transferred to the Playing Field and Play Area maintenance budget.
PROPOSED and agreed by all to transfer £2000.
ii) Full Council to approve the gate expenditure being over £1000 (quote received of £1017.69 plus VAT)
The gate needs replacing at Laburnum Drive playing field as the present one opens the wrong way, it is awkward to use by wheelchairs and buggy users and it doesn’t meet the required safety standards. The first quote received is over the £1,000 committee spending limit.
ACTION Cllr Brylewski will continue to get another 2 quotes
PROPOSED and agreed by all (bar 2 against) to authorise the L&A to spend over £1000 on the best value quote received for the replacement gate.
d) Finance and General Purposes Committee - Cllr Brylewski
i) To review the draft budget for 2021-2022 and agree any changes accordingly
The RFO summarised the draft budget for 2021-2022 which had been circulated to all Councillors.
Cllrs Fleetwood and Burge thanked the RFO for all her excellent work. PROPOSED and agreed by all, bar 1 abstention, to accept the draft budget for 2021-2022.
ii) To approve the Precept estimate for WLDC
The RFO summarised the Precept estimate for WLDC which has been circulated to all Councillors. The RFO explained that if Council accepted the draft budget as the Precept it would represent a reduction of approx 2.5%. The final Budget and Precept for 2021-2022 to be agreed at Full Council in January.
After discussion it was PROPOSED and accepted by all, bar 1 abstention, to keep the Precept at the same amount as the Precept in 2020-2021.
ACTION The RFO to send the Precept Estimate to WLDC
iii) To consider increasing the limit at which it is necessary to obtain 3 quotes from £500 to £1000 and amend the Financial Regulations accordingly.
Following a discussion of the difficulty of obtaining quotes for smaller projects it was PROPOSED and accepted by all that in future the RFO and the Clerk will endeavour to obtain at least two quotes for projects over £500 and under £1,000.
To receive an update from the Allotment Feasibility Group – Cllr Fleetwood Following a very positive, amenable first meeting of the Allotment Feasibility Group (AFG) on the 27th October it was suggested that the best place for the allotments would be across the top of the current dog exercise area at Cherry Fields. Lots of 10 metres square were suggested and this area would have to be ploughed and the soil conditioned.
Cllr B Robinson as a member of the AFG asked that before dates were set on future meetings that members be consulted as to their availability.
Cllr Brylewski commented that the AFG minutes implied that the AFG had made firm plans for the allotments to be installed at Cherry Fields. She stated that the AFG needed to investigate properly the feasibility of a number of possibilities including siting at the Tanfaine field and report the pros and cons to the full council for a decision. Cllr J Robinson concurred and suggested the options should be presented for public consultation at a Parish Meeting.
ACTION: the group to have further meeting to discuss the feasibility and related issues
To consider other matters relating to work of the Council:
To receive and update on the changes to the Terms of Reference for the Committees and sub- Committees - Cllr Brylewski and Cllr Palmer
ACTION All Councillors to send their comments on these documents to the Clerk
To consider the 2021 Calendar of Meetings
ACTION: The Clerk to amend the starting time of the Autumn Parish Council meeting to 7pm and to set a date for that meeting
Website and Technology- Cllr Baker and Cllr Trahearn To receive an update on the new Website.
The new web site was complimented and the work on it is still ongoing
Clerk’s matters to report including formal correspondence received
a) Correspondence had been received from various residents complaining about the poor condition of the roads, dog dirt and dogs off leads in restricted areas.
b) There had been a complaint relating to the work at the new Marina which is noisy, leaving mud on the road and affecting the road surface.
c) One letter had been received from a non-resident complimenting the Cherry Fields project which they felt was a great benefit to the community and was well kept.
TO RESOLVE TO MOVE INTO CLOSED SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PUBLIC BODIES (ADMISSION TO MEETINGS) ACT 1960 DUE TO THE CONFIDENTIAL NATURE OF THE BUSINESS TO BE DISCUSSED IN RELATION TO STAFFING MATTERS:
RESOLVED unanimously
Date of next meeting – Monday 18th January 2021 at 7.00pm at The Priory Pembroke Academy. Councillors agenda items to the Clerk by Monday 11th.
Meeting ended at 9.28pm
Confidential Note - Full Council Meeting for Cherry Willingham Parish Council held Virtually on 17th November 2020 at 7.30pm
Report on the Full Council Meeting held on the 17th November 2020 In Attendance:
Cllr Brylewski
Cllr Fleetwood Cllr Mellor Cllr Scott
Cllr Palmer Cllr Bates Cllr Trahearn Cllr Baker Cllr Burge
Cllr J Robinson Cllr B Robinson Cllr Lacy
Cllr Bucke Cllr Houghton
Christine Hodgson - RFO Gill Shaw - Clerk
Employment Committee - Chairman Cllr Palmer
i. To receive and update on the Employment Committee meeting on the 9th November 2020
The litter picking/street maintenance/Warden post to be carried forward to the next meeting as there presently are volunteers doing the litter picking.
ii. Review of employees’ rules and responsibilities, time issues and constraints
The new Clerk is settling in well and undertaking training. The Clerk was willing to do the office cleaning and would be paid an extra two hours a month specifically for the cleaning.
The RFO was to return to her contracted 5 hours per week.
RESOLVED to unanimously accept the decisions of the Employment Committee.
To receive an Update on the Health and Safety Policy
ACTION: Clerk to resend a copy of the Health and Safety Policy to all Councillors.