Minutes
Full Council Meeting Minutes
Wednesday 1 December 2021 at 7.30pm at St Andrews Community Centre, Saxilby.
Members Present:
Cllrs Hillman (Chair for the meeting), Harper, Mann, Saunders, I Willox and J Willox.
Absent:
Cllrs Ashton Derry, Cotton, Crump, Ives and Spurr.
In Attendance:
Elaine Atkin, Parish Clerk
There were 7 members of the public in attendance.
Public Questions
The following comments were made:
- With reference to the bar outsourcing, the bar should not compete with (undercut) local businesses.
- In the past, Council drew up conditions for renting out the bar.
- There is a lot of public apathy in the village. In order to encourage more public participation, Council minutes and agendas should be published sooner. [Postscript: As per legal requirements, agendas are published three clear days prior to a meeting. Previous minutes are usually published at the same time. There was an error with the website update for this meeting however relevant documents were made available via the website prior to the meeting].
- The noticeboard on the back of the tennis pavilion is flapping in the wind. [Postscript: The noticeboard belongs to the tennis club however the Grounds team have now removed it due to safety issues, and the tennis club have been made aware].
- What is the bar outsourcing item about?
- Can Councillors introduce themselves to the trustees/members of public in attendance please? Councillors subsequently introduced themselves.
- Given that the Government are pushing Covid-19 boosters due to the new Omicron variant, could the Community Centre be offered as a pop-up vaccination centre?
- On Westbank there is a constant stream of lorries taking sewerage to Washingborough. They will struggle with the roads in snow or bad weather. Do Anglian Water have contingency plans?
Briefing from the Memorial Field trustees – 7:46pm
The Chairman of the Memorial Field (Public Recreation Ground) trustees gave the following briefing to Council:
Following a review of the founding indenture from 1920, it has been determined that a decision by the trustees in 2007 to hand the management of the land and buildings to the Parish Council is not in line with charity law, that the trustees are liable to a charge of breach of trust, and that the Parish Council is acting outside their powers in accepting this request.
The existing arrangement needs to be reviewed by all parties (trustees and council), with suitable assistance, to place it on a legal footing that achieves the aims and objectives of both parties.
Cllr Hillman thanked the trustees for their briefing. Council will need to take due advice and offered to meet with the trustees in the New Year.
Full Council Meeting
Cllr Hillman welcomed Debbie Johnson, Assistant Clerk, to the Council.
334/21 To receive apologies and accept valid reasons for absence, these having been submitted to the Clerk prior to the meeting
Apologies and a valid reason for absence had been received from Cllrs Ashton Derry, Cotton, Crump, Ives and Spurr.
335/21 To receive declarations of interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2011
There were none.
336/21 To approve the notes of the Full Council meeting held on 3 November 2021, and the Chairman to sign them as the agreed minutes
These were proposed by Cllr J Willox and resolved.
337/21 To consider co-option application(s)
No applications had been received.
338/21 To note the meeting Action Log
The action log was noted.
339/21 To note the resignation of Mike Brown.
Noted.
340/21 To agree four representatives to sit as Memorial Field Trustees
Cllr Harper proposed, and it was resolved, to revisit this item at January’s Full Council, once councillors have had sight of the document regarding being a trustee.
Cllr Hillman suspended the meeting at 8:10pm to permit the Chairman of the trustees to speak. They confirmed that the four councillors would sit as trustees in their own right and not as a Council trustee.
Cllr Hillman re-opened the meeting at 8:11pm.
341/21 To approve expenditure above specified limits, as per Financial Regulations
This was proposed by Cllr I Willox and resolved.
342/21 To agree the wording of a new council objective on the climate and environment (as agreed at November Full Council)
Cllr Harper proposed, and it was resolved to add a new (eighth) objective, being to:
“Recognise the climate and biodiversity emergency and it should be considered as the basis of all decision and policy making.”
The meeting was suspended by the Chairman (8:14pm) as five members of the public left. The meeting was reopened at 8:16pm.
343/21 To consider and agree the LCC grass cutting proposal for 2022-23
This was proposed by Cllr Mann and resolved.
344/21 To consider a policy for the use of public open spaces for commercial purposes, including charges
Cllr Hillman proposed, and it was resolved that Council agrees to introduce a Public Open Spaces Policy, that more examples are reviewed first, and that a draft is brought back to Full Council in January.
345/21 To review free room hires in light of the Community Centre revised opening times
It was resolved to offer free room hire to those qualifying organisations (identified separately) within the current constraints/opening times, where doing so would be cost-neutral to the Council.
It was resolved that free room hire (for those qualifying organisations) cannot be offered outside the current constraints/opening times, as this would incur a cost to the Council.
It was resolved to review all room hires, including as and when the Community Centre usage/opening times can be increased.
346/21 To consider formalising the communications group
Deferred to January’s meeting.
347/21 To consider the MUGA VAT report and agree the VAT status of the MUGA project
Deferred to January’s meeting.
To note updates on:
348/21 Meetings held in November
Update noted.
349/21 Latest crime reports
Update noted.
350/21 Saxilby and District MUGA
Update noted.
It was confirmed that a comms post had been issued, to counter misinformation about the MUGA project which had been posted by a resident.
351/21 Bridge Street Working Group
Update noted.
It was proposed by Cllr Hillman and resolved to replace street name signs in the conservation area with new signs including the logo, from funds raised this year.
352/21 Communications lead
Update noted. Councillors due to attend the monthly market will be publicised.
353/21 Cricket
Update noted.
351/21 Community Centre Regulatory Reform Fire Inspection
Update noted.
352/21 Lift insurance inspection
Update noted.
353/21 Bar outsourcing and agree actions
Update noted.
Cllr Mann proposed, and it was resolved for the project group to review the outsourcing document alongside documents provided by the Memorial Field trustees, in light of the briefing given by the trustees.
354/21 Operation London Bridge
Update noted.
It was also noted that provision may need to be considered at a future point for any expenditure associated with a coronation.
355/21 Final project costs for the wheeled park
Update noted. Thanks were given to officers for ensuring the successful conclusion of this project.
Planning for the official opening will take place in the new year.
356/21 Agree use of clothing bank income and remaining funds from Lindum contribution
Cllr J Willox proposed, and it was resolved to use the remaining funding from Lindum Homes towards the Westcroft refresh project, which will be progressed during 2022.
Cllr Harper proposed, and it was resolved to defer a decision regarding allocation of 50% of the clothing bank income (previously allocated to the wheeled park project) to January’s Full Council meeting, pending a collated list of signage required around the village and likely cost.
357/21 CLOSED SESSION – Council to resolve to go into closed session in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960 for the following items on the grounds that publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted.
It was proposed by Cllr Hillman and resolved to go into closed session.
The remaining two members of the public left (9.20pm).
358/21 To note a recruitment update
Update noted.
Cllr Mann proposed, and it was resolved to further advertise the Grounds Operative role, revising some of the criteria, and also using LinkedIn.
The meeting closed at 9:34pm.
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.