Minutes
Full Council Meeting Minutes
Wednesday 3 August 2022 at 7.00pm at St Andrews Community Centre, Saxilby.
Members Present:
Cllrs Ashton Derry, Cotton, Harper, Hillman, Mann, and Spur
Apologies:
Cllrs J Willox, and I Willox
Absent:
Cllr Crump
In Attendance:
Lydia Hopton, Acting Clerk.
Zarina Belk, Assistant Clerk.
District and County Councillor J Brockway
There were five members of the public in attendance.
Public Questions
1. A member of the public queried if there is a record of public questions asked at meetings. The chair replied they are recorded on the minutes.
2. A member of the public raised that a vehicle had driven onto the field at speed ignoring the barrier to carry out work at a property on Willow Close and wanted to know if they’d requested permission? The chair replied no permission had been requested.
3. A member of the public asked for permission for another small football pitch. It would mean moving the play area fence over. The clerk asked a written request is shared outlining the details so the council can consider it.
4. The chairman of the recreation ground charity noted he had comments on agenda item 8 and 9 (Ref 194/22 and Ref 195/22) and asked to raise the queries during the agenda items.
5. A member of the public asked if there was any money in the MUGA fund or S106 money for use for the football team. Cllr Hillman explained the S106 money has conditions attached to it as to what the funding can be spent on.
6. Councillor Mann raised a question on behalf a member of the public - is anything happening regarding the speed watch scheme on Mill Lane? The clerk replied the assistant clerk is re-initiating the project.
7. A member of the recreation ground charity thanked the two councillors who had attended the recent joint meeting. They stated they felt the timeline for hand over was too short, but the joint group had started to make progress.
One member of the public arrived 19:14.
The chair asked if County Councillor Brockway would like to provide a county council update:
Cllr Brockway has had reports of cars driving straight over a junction at the top of Wentworth Close - she has spoken with Highways and asked for a give way sign.
An email was read out which Cllr Brockway had received regarding the repair of Westbank. The county council are considering putting a restriction in place for no parking between 8am-6pm to improve access for large vehicles and stop them going up onto the bankside and damaging it. Residents will need consulting as not everyone can park their car off the road. Cllr Brockway will keep the council updated.
Cllr Brockway notes she had a good meeting with assistant clerk and Cllr Hillman where the parish council raised a lot of issues from their meeting action log, which she is currently looking into.
Cllr Brockway pointed out that in the function room she finds it very difficult to hear and requested the council think about microphone or system, induction loop (portable).
Cllr Brockway noted she was very concerned at the slow speed at which reports from the Highways are coming back to her. Some have taken two to four years to respond/action. She requested support from the council to challenge the extreme slowness.
Cllr Brockway spoke regarding the recent field fire and that a lot of local people did a lot of hard work to put the fire out. She asked whether the council would like to help her find out who these people are and thank them? Councillors agreed this was a good idea.
Meeting
187/22 To receive apologies and accept valid reasons for absence, these having been submitted to the Clerk prior to the meeting
Apologies were received for Cllrs I Willox and J Willox which were accepted. Cllr Crump was recorded as absent.
188/22 To receive declarations of interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2011
Cllr Ashton Derry declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in agenda item 6a (minute ref 192/22a) and non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 12 (ref 198/22).
189/22 Approve the notes Full Council on 6 July 2022, and the chairman to sign them as the agreed minutes
Cllr Hillman proposed to approve the Full Council 6 July 2022 minutes. This was resolved.
190/22 To note the meeting action log
The action log was noted.
191/22 To consider and agree a co-option application.
No proposer was put forward.
192/22 Finance and risk
a. To approve expenditure above specified limits, as per Financial Regulations, including HMRC repayment
Cllr Hillman proposed, and it was resolved. Cllr Ashton Derry did not take part.
b. To review and approve the Risk Register
Deferred.
c. To agree to add a new bank signatory to the council’s accounts
Cllr Ashton Derry proposed, and it was resolved to add the assistant clerk to the council’s bank accounts
d. To note the income/expenditure for the Waterfront Festival 2022
Deferred.
e. To receive the latest major review insurance reinstatement cost assessment survey
Cllr Mann proposed, and it was resolved to receive the report.
193/22 To note the Resignation of Councillor Carla Saunders
Council noted the resignation.
Recreation ground
194/22 To receive and review the project list and consider and agree actions regarding the management of the recreation ground.
Cllr Hillman and Cllr Mann provided a verbal update on the latest joint meeting with the recreation ground charity trustees - there was lots to discuss but they got through items on the list with a July deadline. The councillors raised their concerns regarding the October deadline being too short. Regular joint meetings with the trustees will continue.
The chair closed meeting at 19:48 to permit the chair of the recreation ground charity to speak.
The chair of the recreation ground charity noted an extension of the timeframe for the project is a good thing.
He noted the charity cannot hold contracts or insurance as it is unincorporated, so charity will need to investigate that. The charity is very wary to get close to being insolvent as trustees are personally liable.
The charity has taken out indemnity insurance for trustees.
Cllr Brockway suggested that the money collected in the precept could be used as a guarantee. Cllr Cotton said the council would need to take advice on this; however, the council had given grants in the past [prior to the council managing the recreation ground and buildings].
The chair of the recreation ground charity noted if the parish council move away from involvement, the trustees don’t have the infrastructure to run it as over the years it has grown. He noted the charity and council need to work together to run the field for the residents.
The charity is looking at changing its set-up to Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).
The chair re-opened the meeting at 20:09.
195/22 To agree two councillors to join as trustees as per the indenture.
It was noted councillors are having regular meetings with the trustees. Cllr Harper made a counter proposal that councillors carry on with the regular meetings, whilst the issues are resolved and then this will be re-visited. This was resolved with one abstention.
Six members of the public and Cllr Brockway left at 20:12.
196/22 CLOSED SESSION – Council to resolve to go into closed session in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960 for the following item(s) on the grounds that publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted.
Cllr Cotton proposed to go into closed session. This was resolved.
197/22 To agree for the clerk to sign a terms of engagement letter regarding bookkeeping support
Cllr Harper proposed to sign the letter and to undertake bookkeeping until the end of the financial year and then review. This was resolved.
It was agreed to ask the finance committee to consider which cost centre the support would be coded to.
198/22 To approve a grounds trailer quote as per capital expenditure item.
Cllr Mann proposed, and it was resolved to approve the item.
The meeting closed at 20:40.
Please be advised that these are notes of the meeting taken by the assistant/clerk and cannot in any way be regarded as the official minutes of council proceedings until they are approved and signed at the next meeting.