May 2023 Minutes Annual Parish Meeting
Minutes of Welbourn Annual Parish Meeting
Wednesday 17 May 2023
Meeting Room – Welbourn Village Hall – Beck Street
PRESENT
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Robert Cross Harriet Huntsman Stephen Short Mr Jim Fieldhouse – Parish Clerk Mr Daniel Bancroft – Responsible Finance Officer (RFO) County Councillor Marian Overton MBE Lee Duke – Emergency Planning LCC
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Michael Bighi Katie Stark Marian Smith Steve Spedding Mark Crosby Eight Welbourn residents |
1. Welcome
The Chairman of Welbourn Parish Council, Councillor Robert Cross welcomed everyone to the meeting.
2. Apologies
Were received from District Councillor Lucille Hagues and Jake Beaty.
3. The Notes of The Last Annual Parish 11th May 2022
These were accepted as minutes.
4. Public Forum
Ann Broadbent and Maureen Allen expressed thanks to Rod Storer for his contribution to Welbourn village life and presented him with a book on Lincolnshire life. They also expressed their thanks to the Parish Council for the work that had been done over the past year.
Councillor County Councillor Marianne Overton also expressed thanks to the Parish Council for the careful consideration of matters that had arisen over the past year.
A vote of thanks was proposed to the outgoing Parish Councillors by Maureen Allen which was approved.
Marion Goodhand said that a footpath from Mill Hill to Groves Hill had existed in the 1980s but had since disappeared. She proposed that this footpath be reinstated. This would require various permissions from local landowners. It was suggested that if this idea could come to fruition the path could be called the Coronation Footpath.
5. Guest Speaker - Lee Duke, Lincolnshire Resilience Forum
Mr Duke distributed copies of an emergency planning document which he proposed to talk about. The document is basically a template which has been used 38 villages throughout the county. The idea behind the document is that in the event of an emergency affecting the village, (e.g., flooding, bad weather, cyber-attack, fire etc), the document would provide contact information for villagers and the emergency services.
Three key people need to be responsible for keeping the emergency planning document up to date and ensuring that it is accessible.
The Lincolnshire Resilience Forum (LRF) will review the plan once it has been designed and provide training for village residents who wish to be involved.
Mr Duke went through the emergency planning template page by page briefly explaining what various matters needed to be attended to.
When he finished his address, the Chairman thanked him for the information and said that he thought that the Parish Council would like to pursue it.
6. Chairman’s Review
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Month |
Activity |
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June |
Parish Council funded the new village hall sign. Funded the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee cups. |
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July |
The Beehive Well in The Nookin restored. Support given to Plant for The Planet now called Villages Plant for planting saplings on the playing field. |
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September |
Welcomed co-opted Parish Council member Michael Bighie. Introduced new volunteer and safeguarding policy to comply with insurers requirements. Upgraded fire protection arrangements for The Forge |
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October |
Go ahead given to install solar panels on the village hall. |
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Novemever |
Installation of the solar panels on the village hall completed. The Parish Council received significant contribution from village hall and playing field committee for the installation of the solar panels. |
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December |
A plaque honouring the late Bill Goodhand, funded by the Parish Council, unveiled at The Forge by Marian Goodhand The Parish Council’s new litter picking team carries out two litter picks. |
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January |
Meeting with Fen Bay Services and local resident to resolve damage to the verge in North End. Unfortunately, this problem is still unresolved. LCC unwilling to help. Parish Council agrees to purchasing a plaque for Villages Plant to commemorate the Queen's Green Canopy |
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February |
A review of 12 parish council policies carried out. A new allotment agreement approved. |
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March |
Parish Council consent to the submission of a grant application to FCC Community Foundation to fully upgrade to play equipment on the playing field. Policy for handling Freedom of Information requests approved and introduced. |
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April |
Approval given to the purchase of a bench to commemorate the coronation of King Charles the 3rd. New allotment agreements come into effect. |
8. Review Finance Committee for 2022-2023
A review of the Parish Council Finance Committee was presented by Daniel Bancroft, Responsible Finance Officer. The following pie charts where displayed and the figures explained.
Anticipated budget spend: £22,230 (Full Budget)
Actual budget spend: £23,764.06 (7% Over Budget)
Spend against budget by area:
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|
Budget |
Actual |
Percentage Difference |
Reason |
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Utilities: |
£2500 |
£3,330.12 |
33% Over |
General increase in cost since 2022 |
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Grass cutting: |
£5500 |
£4,630 |
16% Under |
Late invoice for last cut of the season, expect over in 2023-2024 |
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General maintenance: |
£4550 |
£3,750.20 |
18% Under |
New bulbs |
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Insurance: |
£500 |
£861.88 |
72% Over |
General increase in the industry, blacksmith shop |
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Financial: |
£1150 |
£360.25 |
69% Under |
No fines received |
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LALC: |
£550 |
£649.40 |
18% Over |
Training in October for both Clerk & RFO |
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Clerk & RFO: |
£6600 |
£6,894.36 |
4% Over |
New Laptop, Other small office expense, Found Jim sooner than expected. |
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Village hall: |
£500 |
£312.48 |
37% Under |
|
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Community projects: |
£380 |
£2,975.37 |
782% Over |
Beehive Well, Jubilee mugs, Defibrillator, Blacksmith plaque, Queen’s plaques. |
A resident asked the Parish Council’s reserves were adequate to meet emergencies. The Responsible Finance Officer responded that he was happy with the current level of reserves.
9. Review Personnel Committee for 2022-2023 - No report.
10. Review from Portfolio Holders for 2022-2023
10.1 Schools Liaison - Mr. Bighi reported that a grant funding application has been submitted to FCC Communities Foundation to update the play equipment up the playing field. The Parish Council should know whether this application has been successful sometime after the 8th June 2023.
10.2 Drainage Portfolio - Mr Rod Storer said that Welbourn is the first village south of Lincoln which sits below the Cliff Edge. It is therefore susceptible to flooding. Various parts of the village had suffered from flooding over the past few years following exceptional downpours. The main flooding problems have been addressed with the installation of new drains. However, when there is exceptionally heavy rain (e.g. 2” downpour) the drains are unable to cope. It is important that drains and dykes are kept clean, clear and properly maintained.
He warned that there is a brick culvert running under the railway embankment at the foot of Hall Orchard Lane which could be problematic in future.
A resident pointed out that householders diverting flood water away from their own property into neighbouring persons property, could be liable for damage caused.
10.3 Planning Portfolio - Mr Stephen Short said that there have been 29 various planning applications in the Parish since 1 April 2022 including proposals for new dwellings, variation of conditions relating to existing permissions and tree works within the Conservation Area.
The new Central Lincolnshire Local Plan was formally adopted in April 2023. To remain effective the Welbourn Neighbourhood Development Plan needs to be reviewed to align with the Local Plan. This is an Agenda item for the June Parish Council meeting.
William Robertson Academy is one of 239 schools that have been included in the Government’s School Rebuilding programme.
10.4 Village Hall Rep Portfolio - Mr Stephen Short reported that the monthly Coffee Shop has become well established and continues to go from strength to strength. It forms a major part of the ongoing fund raising.
The new solar panels funded by the Parish Council and Village Hall are helping with electricity costs.
Currently the Village Hall is operating at an annual loss in the region of £2,500 – £3,000. The Parish Council agreed at the March 2023 meeting to consider a request on receipt of the 2023 -24 precept to contribute towards the annual Village Hall insurance premium on a 50 / 50 basis for the current year. This would amount to approximately £1,000.
The Village Hall Committee organised the Coronation celebrations programme of events which were all well supported. A new bench made from re cycled plastic purchased by the Parish Council was installed outside the village shop /post office.
The Village Hall Committee are currently considering ideas for future fund raising and would welcome any suggestions for consideration.
A resident asked if there was a Portfolio Holder for nature. The Chair replied that there was not, but this could be considered.
10.5 Highways / Byways Portfolio - Mr Robert Cross said various reports had been received from villagers throughout the year regarding overgrown hedges, inconsiderate parking and potholes. Those concerns had been dealt with by the Parish Council,
11. Closure of the Meeting – 7.55 pm approx.