October 10 2023 - Minutes
MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL OF
LEADENHAM PARISH COUNCIL
Held on Tuesday 10 October 2023, 7.15 pm at Leadenham Village Hall.
PRESENT: Cllr M Nelstrop (Chair) Cllr M Everett, Cllr K Willgoose.
Ruth Keillar (Clerk/RFO).
Also Present: DCllr Lucille Hagues (part meeting)
1 member(s) 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 G Luff and Cllr N Johnson, reasons accepted. Cllr P Dowen had not submitted apologies prior to the meeting however these were received retrospectively and 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 at this point.
3. PUBLIC FORUM. One member of the public present, who expressed an interest in possible joining the PC.
4. MINUTES
t was proposed by Cllr M Everett, seconded by Cllr K Willgoose and it was RESOLVED that Notes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 12 September 2023 be approved as a true record and signed as Minutes.
5. PLANNING APPLICATIONS AND ISSUES
a) Applications received:
i. None.
b) Decisions received:
ii. 22/1520/FUL Proposal: Erection of five dwellings and garages Location: Barns At Field House Farm Sleaford Road Brant Broughton. Approved 29/09/2023.
6. REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES
To receive reports from the following:
a) Local Police – click here for information. Police Newsletter – It was noted that police reports have now ceased.
b) District Councillor (DCllr Lucille Hagues, Cllr M Overton). District news – click here.
c) County Councillor (Cllr M Overton). Newsletters can be found here.
DCllr Lucille Hagues highlighted the item in her report regarding the launch of the Community Energy Fund (details in her September report on the PC website).
d) Village Hall Committee. No new reports were available.
7. HIGHWAYS ISSUES
a) Cllr M Everett gave a verbal update.
i. HGV activity is still reduced.
ii. 20 forms have now gone to LCC Lorry Watch for the previous period.
iii. Glenrowan homes are still not helpful regarding the reduction of vehicles.
iv. Cllr G Luff is still due to draft a letter.
v. Signage at the A17 turn-off is legally correct. The HGVs getting through the village are mainly one-off deliveries to construction sites along the A607.
It was noted that if extra signage was put on A17 directing HGVs from the Newark direction to the next, Sleaford Road, junction, it would help reduce this issue. Improved signage was promised by Highways in the past.
vi. School buses is an ongoing issue; a meeting with the school has yet to be confirmed due to non-response from SWRA new contact. It was agreed that further attempts be made.
b) Footpath adjacent to the railway bridge. The footpath over the bridge is still very dangerous, and it was agreed to contact LCC again to keep the issue live.
c) LCC Highways Questionnaire, circulated to all 22/07/2023. It was noted that this had been completed and returned, thanks to Cllr M Everett and Cllr P Dowen.
8. PARISH CLERK
To consider the Parish Clerk’s Report:
a) LALC has run a Finance Workshop Demonstration, FOC by zoom 10/10/2023, which the clerk attended.
b) NKDC Conservation in North Kesteven with details of the Heritage Grant Scheme was received and circulated to all (27/09/2023). The officer in charge, Matthew Bentley, has confirmed that a War Memorial would be eligible for application for funds and has offered to come to meet with the PC or to receive PC representatives at his office. It was agreed that the clerk find out more about details of the funding.
c) LALC has advised all PCs about changes to the AGAR regarding the use of emails, recommending that .gov.uk emails are the preferred system (details circulated to all).
It was noted that this had been considered previously (January 2021).
Cllr M Nelstrop suggested that as only 3 out of the 6 Cllrs were present, that this item be deferred to the next meeting.
d) LCC Police briefing Sessions. LPC has been invited to attend the event scheduled for 07/12/2023, 18:00 – 20:00 via Teams. Circulated to all 05/10/2023. It was agreed that one Cllr will attend, and that a place be reserved.
e) Cllr G Luff has reported that a Motorhomes 4 Fun notice has been displayed at the VH. The Clerk has contacted The VHMC chair for clarity and to re-iterate that the requirements listed in the meeting of 11/04/2023, minute 17, need to be met and that the PC must consider the proposal before any activity takes place. The LVH Chair had confirmed that this was an old poster which had now been removed.
f) Play area – It was noted that the contractual agreement between LPC and FCC had been received, signed and returned by Cllr M Nelstrop dated 08 August 2023.
9. CORRESPONDENCE.
Civility Commission call for evidence – circulated to all 25/09/2023. It was noted that individual Cllrs had been invited to submit to this, if relevant to them.
10. FINANCIAL MATTERS
a) To approve the Statement of accounts and bank reconciliations.
Bank statements were not available prior to the meeting and were supplied by Cllr K Willgoose at the meeting to be recorded in minutes.
The RFO retrospectively reported balances as at 04/10/2023:
i. HSBC deposit account balance as £11,094.99
ii. HSBC current account balance as £19,975.11
Total £31,070.10
iii. Royal Fund £331.80.
Payments received, included in balances £12.50
(FTLPC part share LALC event)
Payments due, excluded in balances £n/a
Transfer, 03/10/23 from deposit to current £15,500
Transfer, 03/10/23 from deposit to current £2,000
Bank charges: Maintaining the account £8.00, plus £1 per cheque.
a. To ratify payments made between 12/09/2023 – 09/10/2023:
To consider any payments due at 10/10/2023:
Balance of expenditure against budget to date:
It was noted that this figure included the third party payment to FCC for the Play area funding. Adjusting this figure gives a balance as follows:
It was proposed by Cllr M Nelstrop, seconded by Cllr M Everett and it was RESOLVED that the statement of accounts and payments be approved.
b) To receive any updates regarding a new application for online banking Lloyds Bank.
The account opening documents had been received, dated 03/10/2023.
Cllr K Willgoose is missing from account online and It was agreed that the Clerk to speak to Lloyds.
To consider a transfer amount into the new account. Cllr K Willgoose had not received any information regarding the requirements for arranging a transfer this and would do so now that the account was open. The amount to transfer was not confirmed due to the above cheques clearance confirmation.
Consider keeping the HSBC account open until all funds transferred. It was agreed that the account would need to be retained with enough funds to clear the above cheques.
c) To receive any updates regarding the application for an Equals Card account.
This can be activated once the Lloyds account has funds available. Suggested amount to transfer to Equals Card – to be advised by the Clerk.
d) Insurance for the Village Hall is due for renewal on 14/11/2023. This will be the third part of the 3 year long term agreement with the current insurer. An updated quote has been received, which has increased by £110.73, to cover the enhanced Play Area values. An approach has been made to the PC Insurer, to ask that a combined quote be sought at June 2024, when the PC Insurance is due for renewal.
e) FCC has sent information about the process to request payment of the grant. This included proof of payment to the supplier, and copy of the bank statement showing that the funds have gone from the PC to the supplier. Costs to claim from FCC = £12,984.73.
f) VAT can be reclaimed at the end of October, to include the Play area, or once bank statements have been received from Cllr K Willgoose.
2022-23 £16.73
2023-24 £3,114.22
INCOME/GRANTS for note only:
CIL
Ringfenced for SID £2,500.00
Ringfenced for election costs £3,000
S137 £9.93 per elector. x310 = £3,078.30
PLAY AREA.
a) To receive any updates regarding the application for a grant, FCC application 5093/Grant CF2330 and funding drawdown. It was noted that details of how to draw-down funds had been received and this can be started as soon as bank statements showing payment of invoices to Sutcliffe Play are available.
VAT can be reclaimed.
b) To note that the works were completed, and the new Play Area equipment open for use at 1pm on Monday 25 September. The Chair called for a vote of thanks to Cllr M Everett for his hard work in the successful completion of this project, which was supported unanimously.
c) To note any update to works highlighted by the RoSPA report and the new volunteer’s engagement. It was noted that paint and maintenance materials had been sourced and can be purchased using Equals, pending accounts being transferred to the new Lloyds account and then to the Equals account.
d) To consider any further action required. No further actions were agreed at this stage.
e) Publicity is still required to be circulated as far as possible and it was agreed to post an item in the three villages and a hamlet magazine and to arrange an ‘opening day’.
11. VILLAGE HALL/LAW/BOWLS CLUB
Nothing to report. Cllr G Luff will give an update at the next meeting.
12. MEMORIALS
No updates were available.
13. AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING.
No items requested at this time.
14. DATE OF NEXT MEETING.
To note that the next meeting of the Parish Council is Tuesday 14 November 2023.
There being no further business the Acting Chair ended the meeting at 20:29
Signed (Chair)…M. NELSTROP………..Date………14/11/2023………………………