2023 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

Welbourn Parish Council Meeting 

MINUTES OF THE OF THE MEETING OF WELBOURN PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON WEDNESDAY 8 FEBRUARY 2023 IN THE WELBOURN VILLAGE HALL AT 7.30 p.m. 

PRESENT 

Not Present

1. The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting. 

2. Acceptance of reasons for absence 

2.1 No apologies were received.  

3. Declaration of interest in any matter on the agenda: No interests were declared. 

4. Notes of the last meeting held on 11 January 2023.  

4.1 These were proposed by Cllr Rod Storer and seconded by Cllr Stephen Short. 

4.2 Resolved: To accept the notes as minutes. The Chair signed the notes as minutes. 

5. Matters Arising (Parish Clerk’s Report)

5.1 Lincolnshire County Council have acknowledged concerns regarding the deteriorating highway at North End. The fault has been assessed in accordance with their Highways Infrastructure Asset Management Plan and it does not require urgent action.  If the fault deteriorates significantly it will need to be reported again.

5.2 The Responsible Finance Officer has submitted The Precept to The Billing Authority Form for £27,193.16 for the period 2023-24.

5.3 The action points mentioned in the portfolio holders updates from last month’s minutes have been actioned. The road sweeper will next call week commencing 27th February and 3 weekly thereafter.  

5.4 The Queens Canopy Plaques have now been received and will be installed shortly.

5.5 A request has been received to install a memorial bench on Castle Hill in compliance with Historic England requirements. The Chairman has approved this request subject to Historic England requirements being met. 

5.6 The Council has received correspondence from a resident asking for confirmation and clarification that the Parish Council is abiding by its financial regulations 2.2; 4.8; 4.9 and 8.7. This matter will be addressed in item 11.

6. Public Forum – no comments received. 

7. County and District Councillors update

7.1 Cllr Lucille Hagues and Cllr Marianne Overton both referred to their recent newsletters.  They both expressed concern about a proposal by the Chief Constable to reduce the number of PCSOs in the county. They requested that the Parish Council write, the Chief Constable with copies to the Police and Crime Commissioner expressing the Council’s own concern.

7.2 Action Point: Parish Clerk to write such a letter on behalf of the Parish Council.

7.3 Cllr Marianne Overton also made reference to: : 

•   The upcoming local elections this May and reminded the Council that voter ID will be required.
•   The proposed Springwell Solar Farm at Ashby de la Launde and Scopwick. This is a national infrastructure development. 

8. Current and Future maintenance responsibilities

8.1 TJS Tree Specialists will carry out the pollarding of the willows at Castle Hill on the 2nd and 3rd March.

8.2 Estimates have been requested for repair works to the area surrounding the air source heating unit at the rear of the village hall and repairs to the steps located at the bottom of Dycote Lane and Castle Hill open space.

9. Planning Applications: - None to consider

10. Notification of Planning Decisions: - None to consider

11. Finance - To review bank balances, invoices paid since last meeting since, items to be paid before next meeting and budget comparison:-

11.1 Accounts value (1st February):

11.2 Bank reconciled:    £0 discrepancy. (Cllr Dowling confirmed the reconciliation by countersigning the bank statements.) 

11.3 Payments made since last meeting (11th January):

11.4 Payment received since last meeting (11th January):

11.5 Expected payments before next meeting:

11.6 Spend versus Budget:- 

For the purposes of this budget comparison I have removed the Solar panel payments totalling £22,012.56

Total budget: £22,230

Anticipated budget spend: £18,525 (10/12 of)

Actual budget spend: £21632.83 (16.78% Over Budget)

Spend against budget by area:

11.7 Investments - Building Society 100 Day Notice Account (Reserves) – Balance £8972.81. 

11.8 Resolved: That these financial reports are noted and accepted. 

12. To receive and approve reviews and updates of Parish Council Policies. 

12.1 The Council have reviewed the following policies:

12.2 Resolved:- That the above policies be approved without amendment. The next review to take place in 2026. 

13. To approve the new Allotments Agreement.

13.1 The Council considered the clauses in the Tenancy Agreement for Allotment Garden which is based on a standard agreement provided by the Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils( LALC). Current allotment holders and new allotment holders will be asked to sign the new agreement to take effect from 1st April 2023. 

13.2 Resolved:- That the Parish Clerk and the Allotments Portfolio holder arrange for the new agreements to be signed by the current allotment holders by 1st April 2023. 

14. To receive a report from the Responsible Finance Officer regarding the current email arrangements and proposals for improving these. 

14.1 LALC have set out the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) compliance risks associated with e-mail accounts and the potential difficulties concerning members individual privacy. The Council considered paid option email providers recommended by LALC or the setting up of separate Gmail accounts for Parish Councillors which would be free of charge and recommended by the Responsible Finance Officer.

14.2 Resolved: - That the Council adopt new Gmail accounts for each Parish Councillor dedicated to Parish Council business and that these arrangements be introduced after the May elections.

15. Portfolio Holders Updates

15.1 Councillor Short in his capacity as Village Hall Representative explained that the Village Hall and Playing Field Committee (VHPFC) are anticipating £2500 shortfall in income over expenditure this current financial year. This will be covered by dipping into their reserves. Fundraising is ongoing. The insurance premium paid by the VHPFC became due last month and was higher an anticipated. The VHPFC is asking the Parish Council to consider contributing the equivalent to 50% of the insurance premium to ease financial pressure. 

15.2 Resolved: - That the Parish Council are in favour of assisting subject to a review of funds after the May elections. 

15.3 Councillor Dowling made reference to the resident’s application to install a bench on Castle Hill subject to Historic England's approval. The application documentation is cumbersome.  He intends to hand over responsibility for completing the application to the resident. He is happy to assist the resident in completing this. 

15.4 Councillor Cross remarked that the layby on A607 is overgrown with brambles and undergrowth and needs clearing. 

15,5 Action point: - Parish Clerk to ask Lincolnshire County Council Highways to remove brambles and undergrowth.

15.6 Councillor Cross asked District Councillor Overton if she knew the whereabouts of the traffic speed indicator device in order that it could be erected near SWG School on the A607.  Councillor Cross also asked whether District Councillor Overton was aware of the smells emanating from the Leadenham Tip.

16. Community Grants Play Equipment Update from Councillor Bighi

16.1 The application to FCC Community Action Fund is detailed and complex and therefore time consuming. Councillor Bighi is currently negotiating with the school and user groups, obtaining the insurance documentation and quotations necessary to submit with the application for funding. Consultations have taken place with the Chair of the VHPFC. The final amount of funding to be applied for has not been finalised but could be up to £100,000. A condition of the application is that the applicant provides a 10.75% contribution towards the total cost of the scheme. This could involve the Parish Council contributing up to £10,750. The application needs to be submitted by 5:00 PM on the 8th of March 2023. Councillor Bighi asked for permission from the Parish Council to sign off on the application process. 

16.2 The Chair advised that the Responsible Finance Officer has said such a contribution is manageable and will leave enough for emergencies, but it would mean the Parish Council would be limited in taking advantage of grants provided for future projects in the short to medium term. 

16.3 Resolved:- That Councillor Bighi be granted permission to sign off on the application process subject to the application being reviewed by the Responsible Finance Officer, the Chair and the Parish Clerk prior to final submission.

(Cllr Hagues left the meeting) (Cllr Overton arrived at the meeting)

17. To receive a report from Cllr Short on Highways Maintenance concerns

17.1 Several photographs of defective highway infrastructure was presented to the Council. County Councillor Marian Overton suggested that all these items be reported on Fix My Street website. 

17.2 Action point: Councillor Short to report these items using the Fix My Street website.

18. Agenda items for next meeting

•   Introduction of a Freedom of Information Request Policy
•   Decide on new signatories for bank accounts. 

19. Next meeting Wednesday 8 March 2023. 
 
Meeting closed at 9.35 pm.

Copies to:

All Parish Councillors; County & District Councillors. 
Parish Council Web Site. 

Future Parish Council Meetings: 

Portfolio Holders 2022 - 23 

Cllr Robert Cross portfolio is Byways/Highways, the Forge and Cliff Cluster group representative. 
Cllr Rod Storer has Drainage and is a member of the finance committee. 
Cllr Stephen Short has Planning, is Village Hall representative and on the HR committee. 
Cllr Katie Stark has communications, HR committee and relief Cliff Cluster representative. 
Cllr Jake Beaty has Allotments and Cliff Cluster representative The Forge.  
Cllr Kevin Dowling has Castle Hill. 
Cllr Harriet Huntsman is a member of the finance committee. 
Cllr Chris Dixon is a Village Hall representative. 
Cllr Michael Bighi – Schools Liaison