January 10 2023 - Minutes
MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING OF
LEADENHAM PARISH COUNCIL
Held on Tuesday 10 January 2023, 7.15 pm at Leadenham Village Hall.
PRESENT: Cllr Melanie Nelstrop (Chair), Cllr G McLusky (Vice-Chair), Cllr S Locking, Cllr T Sisson.
Ruth Keillar (Clerk/RFO)
Also present: C/DCllr Marianne Overton/DCllr Lucille Hagues (both for part of meeting only).
0 members of the public present.
CHAIRMAN’S OPENING REMARKS. Chair Cllr M Nelstrop welcomed everyone to the meeting.
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE.
Apologies had been received from Cllr N Johnson, Cllr G Luff, Cllr K Willgoose, reasons accepted.
2. DECLARATION OF INTERESTS
Members of the Parish Council are required to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in any matter which is to be considered at this meeting.
None.
3. PUBLIC FORUM. No members of the public were present.
4. MINUTES
a) It was proposed by Cllr M Nelstrop, seconded by Cllr G McLusky and it was RESOLVED that Notes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 13 December 2022 be approved as a true record and signed as Minutes.
5. PLANNING APPLICATIONS AND ISSUES
a) Applications received: None
b) Decisions received: None
6. REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES
To receive reports from the following:
a) Local Police – click here for information. Police Newsletter – click here.
b) District Councillor (DCllr Lucille Hagues, Cllr M Overton). District news – click here.
c) County Councillor (Cllr M Overton). Newsletters can be found here.
d) Village Hall Committee. No updates to report.
7. HIGHWAYS ISSUES
a) Reports re Buses and HGVs – new reports from a member of the public are regularly received, with thanks. It was agreed to keep this item on the agenda.
b) Footpath adjacent to the railway bridge. It was reported by Cllr M Nelstrop that farm owners adjacent to the bridge had been requested by LCC Highways to cut back growth. LCC Highways, LCC Rowan Smith had been contacted (16/12/22), regarding the footpath on the bridge towards SWRA, acknowledging that LCC has have asked farm owners, with land adjacent to this bridge, to cut back vegetation and requesting that LCC arrange a thorough clean, with the route widened as much as possible. A reply was received (10/12/22), advising that the clearing of the path is on the list during the next scheduled siding programme, date tbc. (circulated to all).
8. PARISH CLERK
To consider the Parish Clerk’s Report:
a) Landowner contacted regarding overgrown hedges/trees adjacent to the school/Fountian and has pledged to attend to this. Confirmed as completed 06/01/2023.
b) Tree works at the School, overhanging the footpath, is scheduled for Tuesday 3 January 2023.
c) Website analytics are now available to view on the website.
9. CORRESPONDENCE.
a) Email received from a member of the public regarding the vegetation growth adjacent to and owned by the school, blocking light from the streetlight located there. (12/12/22). Circulated to all. The Clerk has supplied an additional Tree surgeon contact to the school as they have stated that they are struggling to get the issue attended to.
b) Email received from DCllr Lucille Hagues (12/12/22), expressing confusion as to why the previous meeting (08/11/22) did not take place. The Clerk would like to record that cancellation was emailed to all Cllrs and DCllrs at 18:36 on 07/11/22, stating that the meeting was cancelled due to ill health. DCllr Lucille Hagues emailed the Clerk that evening expressing clear annoyance at this, and the Clerk reminded her that the cancellation had been circulated over 24 hours in advance.
10. FINANCIAL MATTERS
a) To approve the Statement of accounts and bank reconciliations as at 04/12/2022.
The RFO reported balances as at 04/12/2022:
i. HSBC deposit account balance as £23,310.49
ii. HSBC current account balance as £3,693.45
iii. Royal Fund £331.80.
Payments received, included in balances £0
Payments due, excluded in balances £7.50
Half share of training costs to LALC networking day 07/12/2022.
Bank charges: Maintaining the account £8.00, plus £1 per cheque.
b) To ratify payments made between 11/12/2022 – 09/01/2023:
c) To consider any payments due at 13/12/2022:
It was agreed that a payment to CAB Mid Lincs be made during this Financial year, although no provision had been made in the current budget.
Balance of expenditure against budget to date:
INCOME/GRANTS for note only
CIL April 2019 £1,523.25 for use up to May 2024. report submitted by 31/12/21.
£1,499.01 is now ring-fenced to use as a third-party contribution for the FCC grant application 5093. This leaves a balance of £24.24 to use up to May 2024.
CIL April 2021 £1,904.14 for use up to May 2026. report submitted 31/12/23.
CIL October 2022 £2,503.82 for use up to May 2027. report required by 31/12/23
Ringfenced for SID £2,500.00
Ringfenced for election costs £1,500
S137 £8.12 x 327 £2,655.24
d) Precept / Budget – The Budget was reported and proposals for the Precept request for 2023-24 was agreed for final submission by Friday 27 January 2023. (see attached report for details of changes to budget centres).
The Precept request was agreed as £12,328, representing £0/0% change (see attached report).
e) It was noted that the Clerk’s additional hours worked from 01/07/22 – 31/12/22, totalling £347.81, to be paid as an additional payment in the January payrun.
f) It was noted that the Clerk’s contracted hours are inadequate for the work required and it was suggested that this be increased to 20 hours per month, starting 01/01/2023.
It was proposed by Cllr M Nelstrop, seconded by Cllr G McLusky and it was RESOLVED that the statement of accounts, payments made and to be made, budget report, Precept request, Clerk’s additional hours and increased hours be accepted and approved.
11. PARISH FIELD/TREE PROJECT
The Project Leader had submitted options for the provision of a plaque, as agreed at meeting 13 April 2022, minute 11g.
It was proposed by Cllr M Nelstrop, seconded by Cllr G McLusky and it was RESOLVED that the following plaque be commissioned: The Workshop, Aberfeldy, European Oak wood with a steel mounting spike, £43.00 Excl VAT £10.40 VAT, Shipping £9.00, Total £62.40.
It was noted that future consideration could be given to other amenities in the area, using CIL funds.
12. PLAY AREA.
a) Monthly reports received.
b) It was noted that the picnic benches require painting and the legs sealing to prevent them rotting. The Village Keeper has been requested to attend to this over 3 months, however no works had been carried out to date. It was agreed that Mr P Mitchell be asked to take over this work, at the same rate per hour, having previously indicated that he would be prepared to do so.
c) There was no update available regarding the application for a grant, FCC application 5093.
13. LITTER PICKING.
a) Litter picking is ongoing.
14. VILLAGE HALL/LAW/BOWLS CLUB
It was noted that the previous agreement that a meeting be set up by the PC, to include the LVH management Committee, the Bowls Club and any other key users, to review all aspects of users access to facilities, utilities, and costs and to establish up to date SLAs, was still to be actioned.
15. PARKING NEAR THE PRIMARY SCHOOL.
a) It was noted that additional poles have been deployed and that the arrangement appears to be working. It was reported by Cllr G McLusky that on occasion some of those collecting children are reluctant to act on requests to refrain from parking in this unsafe manner.
16. MEMORIALS
It was agreed that this be kept on the agenda and addressed at a future meeting.
17. GENERAL POLICIES
a) It was proposed by Cllr T Sisson, seconded by Cllr G McLusky and it was RESOLVED that the revised Financial Regulations be adopted.
b) It was proposed by Cllr M Nelstrop, seconded by Cllr T Sisson and it was RESOLVED that the revised Co-option Policy be adopted.
18. AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING.
None.
19. DATE OF NEXT MEETING.
The next meeting of the Parish Council as Tuesday 14 February 2023, 19:15hrs.
It was noted that dates for the Annual Parish Meeting (between 1st March and 1st June), be considered in due course and that topics for inclusion be circulated. It was noted that due to the PC Elections in May, it is recommended that the APM be held after that.
There being no further business the Chair ended the meeting at 20:42
Chair................................M NELSTROP...............................................Date..............................14/02/2023