Minutes
Saxilby with Ingleby Parish Council
Full Council Meeting Minutes
19:00pm Wednesday 5 February 2025
Function Room, St Andrews Community Centre, Saxilby, LN1 2LP.
Members Present:
Cllrs Crump, Barratt, Bridge, Hughes, Saunders (vice-chair and chair of meeting), Shepherd, and J.Willox.
Members Absent:
Cllrs Ashton Derry, Bowden, Hillman, Hadjoudj, Spurr, I Willox and Waller
In Attendance:
Lydia Hopton, Clerk
There were two members of the public in attendance, and Cllr Brockway (WLDC, LCC), and Cllr Lee (WLDC).
Meeting
FC25/027 1. Receive apologies and accept valid reasons for absence, these having been submitted to the clerk prior to the meeting
Apologies were received from Cllrs Ashton Derry, Bowden, Hillman, I Willox, and Waller.
Foster public participation and engagement objective:
FC25/028 2. 15 Minute public participation session with respect of business on the agenda only
No members of the public spoke.
FC25/029 3. Receive a district and county councillor update (verbal)
Cllr Brockway (WLDC and LCC) provided an update:
• Ian Reed, LCC Emergency Planning has offered to come out to parishes to help with emergency planning.
• If there is an issue with idling engines, a Traffic Regulation Order can be applied for
• There has been some anti-social behaviour with doorbells being rung late at night.
• It has been wrongly reported that LCC has called for a delay in their elections. This incorrect - elections are going ahead as normal in May.
Cllr Lee (WLDC) provided an update:
• A meeting has been requested with the Sports and Physical Activity Officer and the Cultural Outreach Officer to see what they can do to support for Saxilby,
• WLDC s151 officer has left the council.
FC25/030 4. To agree a response to the Government Consultation on ‘Strengthening the Standards and Conduct Framework for Local Authorities in England’
A response to the consultation questions was agreed (see Appendix 1).
Procedural:
FC25/031 5. Receive declarations of interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 and consider granting dispensation requests being submitted in writing to the proper officer before or at the start of the meeting
None received.
FC24/032 6. Approve Full Council meeting notes as minutes and the chair to sign:
a. 08 January 2025
Having been proposed (Cllr Shepherd) and seconded (Cllr Crump), it was RESOLVED to:
Approve the 08 January 2025 Full Council meeting notes as minutes.
b. 29 January 2025 (Extra-Ordinary)
Having been proposed (Cllr Hughes) and seconded (Cllr Barratt), it was RESOLVED to:
Approve 29 January 2025 Full Council meeting notes as minutes.
FC25/033 7. Note the action log
The action log was noted.
Procedural
FC25/034 8. Ratify finance and risk committee recommendations:
a. Open a savings account, and associated current account, to ensure balances in accounts are FSCS protected
Having been proposed (Cllr Bridge) and seconded (Cllr Crump), it was RESOLVED to:
Open a savings account, and associated current account, to ensure balances in accounts are FSCS protected.
b. Update Financial Regulations para 9.1 and 9.3 to include the Community Centre Supervisor
c. Administration assistant to be added as a banking administrator on the council’s accounts
Items FC25/035b and FC25/035c were taken on-block.
Having been proposed (Cllr Saunders) and seconded (Cllr Shepherd), it was RESOLVED to:
b. Update Financial Regulations para 9.1 and 9.3 to include the Community Centre Supervisor
c. Administration assistant to be added as a banking administrator on the council’s accounts.
FC25/035 9. Note confirmation the New Burial Ground is registered to the council and under council management and agree to contact Lovells to formally confirm receipt of land and that it is now under council management
Noted and agreed.
Preserve and enhance heritage assets, environmental assets objective and bio-diversity objective
FC25/036 10. Receive an update on the new burial ground and agree next steps
Having been proposed (Cllr Shepherd) and seconded (Cllr Barratt), it was RESOLVED to:
a. Work with WLDC and those responsible to resolve the issue.
b. Contact those who may be responsible regarding the matter.
c. Consider taking pro-active action on the council’s land to prevent continued pollution, such as seeking to identify the source of the leak e.g. capping off a discharge pipe if found to be on council land.
FC25/037 11. Agree to apply to WLDC Neighbourhood Development Fund to fund a diversity baseline study and fund public consultation regarding Westcroft Green Space:
a. Having been proposed (Cllr Saunders) and seconded (Cllr Bridge), it was RESOLVED to:
Apply to WLDC Neighbourhood Development Fund to fund a diversity baseline study.
b. Having been proposed (Cllr J Willox) and seconded (Cllr Hughes), it was RESOLVED to:
Apply to WLDC Neighbourhood Development Fund to fund a consultant to undertake public consultation on Westcroft Green Space play/fitness equipment.
Maintain and improve community facilities and amenities objective
FC25/038 12. Delegate the Westcroft Green play/fitness project to the planning and development committee
Having been proposed (Cllr J Willox) and seconded (Cllr Hughes), it was RESOLVED to:
Delegate the Westcroft Green play/fitness project to the planning and development committee, requesting a Task and Finish group is set-up to include all cllrs interested and to develop a SMART project plan.
FC25/039 13. Review the recreation ground project list and agree actions
Noted.
FC25/040 14. Feedback on compliance with license conditions (verbal update, month three of six)
An update was provided. No issues reported.
FC25/041 15. Note Lincolnshire County Council correspondence regarding ‘twinned with’ signs on A57 and agree response
Having been proposed (Cllr Saunders) and seconded (Cllr Crump), it was RESOLVED:
To recommend the signs to be updated to ‘Saxilby’.
FC25/042 16. 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.
Having been proposed (Cllr Crump) and seconded (Cllr Barratt), it was RESOLVED to:
Enter into closed session.
20:03 Two members of public left and Cllr Brockway and Cllr Lee left.
20:03 Meeting temporarily suspended.
20:06 Meeting re-started.
FC25/043 17. To ratify a personnel committee recommendation regarding staff contracts
Having been proposed (Cllr Saunders) and seconded (Cllr Hughes), it was RESOLVED to:
Approve the personnel committee recommendation regarding staff contracts.
FC25/044 18. Receive an update on the outdoor lease and approve next steps
Having been proposed (Cllr Saunders) and seconded (Cllr Crump), it was RESOLVED to:
Receive the update and accept the proposals in the background papers regarding the next steps.
The meeting closed at 20:12.
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.
Appendix 1: Agenda item 04 - Government Standards Consultation. Responses to Questions
Question 1
Please tick all that apply - are you responding to this consultation as:
c) a council body – if so please indicate which local authority type
• Town or Parish Council
Question 2
Do you think the government should prescribe a mandatory minimum code of conduct for local authorities in England?
• Yes
Question 3
If yes, do you agree there should be scope for local authorities to add to a mandatory minimum code of conduct to reflect specific local challenges?
• Yes – it is important that local authorities have flexibility to add to a prescribed code
Question 4
Do you think the government should set out a code of conduct requirement for members to cooperate with investigations into code breaches?
• Yes
Question 5
Does your local authority currently maintain a standards committee?
• Yes
• No
• Any further comments [free text box]
Not a committee solely for standards. Part of a Governance and Audit Committee which terms of reference are wider - Corporate Governance, Accounts and Audit, Regulatory Framework (Assurance Framework) and Ethics and standards
Question 6
Should all principal authorities be required to form a standards committee?
• Yes
Question 7
In most principal authorities, code of conduct complaints are typically submitted in the first instance to the local authority Monitoring Officer to triage, before referring a case for full investigation. Should all alleged code of conduct breaches which are referred for investigation be heard by the relevant principal authority’s standards committee?
• Yes, decisions should only be heard by standards committees
• No, local authorities should have discretion to allow decisions to be taken by full council
• Unsure
Question 8
Do you agree that the Independent Person and co-opted members should be given voting rights?
• Yes – this is important for ensuring objectivity
Question 9
Should standards committees be chaired by the Independent Person?
• Yes
Question 10
If you have further views on ensuring fairness and objectivity and reducing incidences of vexatious complaints, please use the free text box below.
[Free text box]
None
Question 11
Should local authorities be required to publish annually a list of allegations of code of conduct breaches, and any investigation outcomes?
• No - only cases in which a member is found guilty of wrongdoing should be published
Record vexatious complaints.
Question 12
Should investigations into the conduct of members who stand down before a decision continue to their conclusion, and the findings be published?
• Yes
Question 13
If responding as a local authority, what is the average number of complaints against elected members that you receive over a 12-month period?
[Number box] N/A – district level
Question 13a
For the above, where possible, please provide a breakdown for complaints made by officers, other elected members, the public, or any other source: N/A – district level
Question 14
If you currently work, or have worked, within a local authority, have you ever been the victim of (or witnessed) an instance of misconduct by an elected member and felt that you could not come forward? Please give reasons if you feel comfortable doing so.
• [Free text box] N/A applying as a local authority
Question 15
If you are an elected member, have you ever been subject to a code of conduct complaint? If so, did you feel you received appropriate support to engage with the investigation?
• [Free text box] N/A applying as a local authority
Question 16
• If you did come forward as a victim or witness, what support did you receive, and from whom? Is there additional support you would have liked to receive?
N/A applying as a local authority
Question 17
In your view, what measures would help to ensure that people who are victims of, or witness, serious councillor misconduct feel comfortable coming forward and raising a complaint?
• Real sanctions being available to the local authority
• Having an independent chair for standards committees
• Protection for people coming forwards, so they don’t have fear of repercussions.
Question 18
Do you think local authorities should be given the power to suspend elected members for serious code of conduct breaches?
• Yes – authorities should be given the power to suspend members
Question 19
Do you think that it is appropriate for a standards committee to have the power to suspend members, or should this be the role of an independent body?
• Yes - the decision to suspend for serious code of conduct breaches should be for the standards committee
Question 20
Where it is deemed that suspension is an appropriate response to a code of conduct breach, should local authorities be required to nominate an alternative point of contact for constituents during their absence?
• No – it should be for individual councils to determine their own arrangements for managing constituents’ representation during a period of councillor suspension
Question 21
If the government reintroduced the power of suspension, do you think there should be a maximum length of suspension?
• No – I do not think the government should set a maximum length of suspension
Question 22
If yes, how frequently do you consider councils would be likely to make use of the maximum length of suspension?
• Infrequently – likely to be applied only to the most egregious code of conduct breaches
Question 23
Should local authorities have the power to withhold allowances from suspended councillors in cases where they deem it appropriate?
• Yes – councils should have the option to withhold allowances from suspended councillors
Question 24
Do you think it should be put beyond doubt that local authorities have the power to ban suspended councillors from council premises and to withdraw the use of council facilities in cases where they deem it appropriate?
• Yes – premises and facilities bans are an important tool in tackling serious conduct issues
• Unsure
Question 25
Do you agree that the power to withhold members’ allowances and to implement premises and facilities bans should also be standalone sanctions in their own right?
• Yes
Question 26
Do you think the power to suspend councillors on an interim basis pending the outcome of an investigation would be an appropriate measure?
• Yes, powers to suspend on an interim basis would be necessary
Question 27
Do you agree that local authorities should have the power to impose premises and facilities bans on councillors who are suspended on an interim basis?
• Yes - the option to institute premises and facilities bans whilst serious misconduct cases are investigated is important
Question 28
Do you think councils should be able to impose an interim suspension for any period of time they deem fit?
• No
Question 29
Do you agree that an interim suspension should initially be for up to a maximum of 3 months, and then subject to review?
• Yes
Question 30
If following a 3-month review of an interim suspension, a standards committee decided to extend, do you think there should be safeguards to ensure a period of interim extension is not allowed to run on unchecked?
• Yes – there should be safeguards
Question 30a
If you answered yes to above question, what safeguards do you think might be needed to ensure that unlimited suspension is not misused?
Have to report to Full Council if extended and have updates on each full council and extra-ordinary if necessary.
Question 31
Do you think councillors should be disqualified if subject to suspension more than once?
• Yes – but for a different length of time and/or within a different timeframe (in years) [Number boxes] “twice within a four year period, to tie in with election cycle.”
• Any other comments [free text box]
If serious should be one strike and out, not more than once. Depends on severity of it.
Question 32
Is there a case for immediate disqualification for gross misconduct, for example in instances of theft or physical violence impacting the safety of other members and/or officers, provided there has been an investigation of the incident and the member has had a chance to respond before a decision is made?
• Yes
Question 33
Should members have the right to appeal a decision to suspend them?
• Yes - it is right that any member issued with a sanction of suspension can appeal the decision
Question 34
Should suspended members have to make their appeal within a set timeframe?
• Yes – within 5 days of the decision is appropriate to ensure an efficient process
Question 35
Do you consider that a complainant should have a right of appeal when a decision is taken not to investigate their complaint?
• Yes
Question 36
Do you consider that a complainant should have a right of appeal when an allegation of misconduct is not upheld?
• Yes
Question 38
Do you think there is a need for an external national body to hear appeals?
• No reply.
Any further comments [free text box]
• Like the idea of an external appeals body but would be an extra cost and who would fund that?
• The case should be held in public
• Could bring in someone from a neighbouring council to do the appeal
• Concern of delay regarding time delays external appeals body
• Impact goes beyond councillor, affects residents
Question 39
If you think there is a need for an external national appeals body, do you think it should:
• Both of the above should be in scope - An external national body should hear appeals from both elected members and claimants to ensure consistency throughout the country
The process should be fair to both parties involved.
7. Public Sector Equality Duty
Question 40
In your view, would the proposed reforms to the local government standards and conduct framework particularly benefit or disadvantage individuals with protected characteristics, for example those with disabilities or caring responsibilities?
Please tick an option below:
• it would benefit individuals with protected characteristics
• it would disadvantage individuals with protected characteristics
• neither
Not answered.
Please use the text box below to make any further comment on this question.
[Free text box]
I feel the proposed reforms would benefit individuals with protected characteristics as these reforms should help them feel their complaints are going to be taken seriously and that appropriate sanctions will be in place for offenders rather than what is currently offered
The appeal length of 5 days may need to be longer for those with disabilities to access support in order to respond.