2021 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

Minutes of Cherry Willingham Parish Council held virtually at 7.00pm on 6th May 2021 

Present: Cllrs Brylewski (Chair), Fleetwood (Vice-Chair), Bates, Bridgwood, Bucke, Burge, Houghton, Lacy, Mellor, Palmer, B Robinson, J Robinson, Scott, and Trahearn.

Gill Shaw (Clerk to the Council), Christine Hodgson (RFO & Assistant to Clerk) 

No members of the public were in attendance.

The meeting commenced at 7.00pm.

Throughout the meeting several councillors had difficulty with sound or internet connection.

2021-63  To elect a Chairman and complete an Acceptance of Office form.

In view of the fact that the meeting was being held remotely, it was agreed that the new Chairman would undertake to deliver the Acceptance of Office form, duly signed, to the Clerk by noon the next day.

Cllr Jenny Robinson was proposed by Cllr Scott and seconded by Cllr Lacy and Cllr Fleetwood was proposed by Cllr Mellor and seconded by Cllr Houghton.

It was duly RESOLVED with 9 for and 4 against (1 abstention) that Cllr J Robinson was appointed as chairman and she duly signed the Acceptance of Office form

and undertook to deliver it to the Clerk by noon Friday7th. 

Cllr J. Robinson then became the chair of the meeting.

2021-64  To elect a Vice-Chairman   

Cllr Trahearn was proposed by Cllr Bucke and seconded by Cllr B. Robinson and Cllr Burge was proposed by Cllr Mellor and seconded by Cllr Houghton.

It was duly RESOLVED with 9 for and 5  against that Cllr Trahearn was appointed as Vice-Chairman.

2021-65  Apologies, welcomes and attendance, including to accept apologies and the reasons for absence where given.

None

2021-66  Members’ disclosure of pecuniary interests.

None

2021-67  To receive reports from outside bodies, including the Police, District and County Councillors (if any) and agree actions as required.

A police report and a statement from Cllr Welburn were made available prior to the meeting (attached). 

Cllr Fleetwood stated that there were continuing closures of the eastern bypass due to resurfacing work.

2021-68  Chairman’s remarks.

Thanks were given to Cllr Brylewski, for all her hard work over the last three years as Chairman which had left the village in good standing. 

She stated that the role of Chairman was a facilitator and servant of the council, the council was a servant of the village and the whole council should work towards the good of the village.

She asked that councillors submit any agenda items in specific terms and send them to the clerk in good time. 

She asked councillors to check any employment queries with the Employment Chairman in the first instance, as they may need to be discussed in closed session.

She urged all councillors to attend training sessions.

2021-69  To receive the notes of the Council meeting held on 19th April 2021, and agree for them to be signed as a true record.

It was RESOLVED with one abstention to accept the minutes as a true record and they were duly signed.

2021-70  To receive the schedule of receipts and payments for April 2021 (attached)

The RFO confirmed that the receipts appeared high due to payments received towards the Community Orchard and two large payments had been paid to Sovereign for work at St Paul’s play area and to Knights for the new fencing at Gilbert’s pond.

It was RESOLVED to accept the receipts and payments

2021-71  To resolve to agree to adopt the Terms of Reference for all committees.

It was RESOLVED to adopt the Terms of Reference for all committees

2021-72  To review the structure of committees and resolve on membership of committees and appointments to include:

(Note:   It is a requirement of the Annual Meeting that the Council elects Members to committees. Each Member must sit on at least one committee.  Chairs of committees, apart from Finance, will be elected by committee at their first meeting following the Annual Meeting).  

It was RESOLVED to accept the following appointments:

Clerk: Gill Shaw

Responsible Finance Officer and Assistant Clerk: Mrs Christine Hodgson

Internal Auditor: Mr Andy Seymour

Registrar to the Burial Ground: Clerk

CWPC Website Organiser:  Cllr Trahearn

CWPC Facebook Organiser: Cllr Fleetwood

Cheque signatories: Cllrs Brylewski, Fleetwood, and J Robinson

Certifier of bank statements:  Cllr Houghton  

Community Emergency Coordinator: Cllr Bates  

Deputy Community Emergency Coordinators: Cllrs Fleetwood, Brylewski, Mellor and Burge

Community Speedwatch Coordinator: Cllr Burge

It was RESOLVED to approve the following appointments:

Finance Committee:   

Members: Chair - Chairman, Vice-Chair -Vice-Chairman and the other 5 members would be appointed, one from each committees

Employment Committee:

Members – Cllrs Brylewski, Bucke, Burge, Fleetwood, Mellor, Palmer, and Scott.

Village Improvement Committee:

Members: Cllrs Bates, Brylewski, Burge, Fleetwood, Mellor, Palmer and B Robinson.

Planning:

Members - Cllrs Bates, Bridgwood, Brylewski, Houghton, Lacy, Scott and Trahearn.

Leisure and Amenities Committee:

Members - Cllrs Brylewski,  Burge, Houghton, Lacy, J Robinson and Trahearn.

Playing Field Sub-Committee:  

2021-74  To receive reports and recommendations (if any) concerning the business of the Council and its Committees, Sub-committees etc, and agree any actions accordingly: (Note: queries from minutes: please see individual chairmen outside of the full council meeting to expedite the meeting)

a)  Finance & General Purposes (F&GP)

No meeting had taken place.

b)  Planning matters 

To receive a report on any recent planning applications

The committee had looked at a couple of minor planning applications and were due to meet to discuss the application to build 144 houses on land off Rudgard Avenue.

c)  To approve the actions, if required, of the Planning Committee 

None required.

d)  Employment Committee :

No meeting had taken place.

e)  Village Improvement Committee (VIC)   

No meeting had taken place.

f)  Leisure & Amenities Committee (L&A) 

     i.  To consider what actions to take if the Cricket Club have not cleared the rubbish by the 14th May.

     Whilst some of the site had been tidied up there was still rubbish and metal to be removed. 

     Following a discussion on whether or not it would be feasible or desirable to rescind their permission to use the pitch in the event of the rubbish not being cleared by the 14th May,

     it was RESOLVED that the council obtain a quote to have the rubbish removed on the 6th June, the cost for which will be passed onto the Cricket Club.

ACTION:

• Clerk to get a quote and to write to the club to notify them that a quote was being obtained, that the council would have the rubbish removed on the 6th June

            if not cleared by the club and the cost passed onto them.

• Cllr Brylewski to contact the club to encourage them to finish clearing the rubbish.

     ii.  To accept the Terms of Reference of the Burial Ground Support Group.

         It was RESOLVED to accept the Terms of Reference with the amendment of deleting the words ‘for a two year term’ from

     paragraph 2 and inserting the words “at  least” in front of “two members”.

     iii)  To consider what actions should be taken in relation to the water leak at the Church/Burial Ground.

     Following the discovery of a water leak at the church, contractors, who would be building a toilet in the churchyard commencing 10th May, had agreed to investigate and fix the leak. 

     There was a discussion on what budget the Parish Council would authorise, should it be necessary to agree to a repair prior to the next meeting.

     It was also debated on how long a repair would last and whether the pipe was liable to fail in other areas.

     It was RESOLVED that Cllrs Brylewski, Mellor, Burge and B Robinson would have the authority to make an emergency decision on any repairs up to £1,500 

2021-75  To consider other matters relating to the work of the Council:

• To receive a report on any actions taken by the CFMG since the last meeting.

There had been a meeting on the 5th May and the minutes would be circulated in due course. The CFMG Chair highlighted the work done to improve exit visibility

by moving the roadside layby further away and that work had started on the creation of a new castle using wood salvaged from the Gilbert’s Pond fence renewal. 

The large “deep water” sign had also been reused to warn people of the deep water in the Delph.  This was the final meeting of the CFMG which henceforth was a new committee: Cherry Fields Committee.

• To approve the Water Body Safety Management Policy.

It was RESOLVED to approve the Policy.

ACTION: The clerk to put it on the next VIC agenda for their consideration to use in relation to creating a similar policy for Gilberts Pond.

2021-76  To note any other correspondence received and to agree actions as appropriate:

The clerk confirmed that once Covid restrictions were lifted, there must be an Annual Parish Meeting and the earliest date would be June 21st.

It was suggested that all committees meet during the last two weeks of May, to elect a Chairman, Vice-Chair and a member to be on the Finance and General Purpose Committee.

Suggestions were requested on how to collate the replies received from the questionnaire in the Cherry News. 

ACTION: Cllr B Robinson offered to collate the replies onto a spreadsheet to allow summation of responses. 

2021-77  Councillors’ matters for report/notice of items to be included in the June 2021 agenda

• Open Space Policy to be reviewed by the VIC and then brought to the next Full Council meeting for adoption
• Employment policies for adoption.

  Date of next meeting: Subject to approval in this meeting: 21st June 2021 (agenda items by noon on Friday 11th June)

The meeting finished at 9pm.