Minutes
MINUTES OF THE FULL COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY 8th JANUARY 2020
IN THE ST ANDREWS COMMUNITY CENTRE AT 7.30 pm
Members Present:
Cllrs Cotton (Chairman), Ashton Derry, Hillman, Hughes, Ives, V Spurr, Stafford, I Willox and J Willox.
Absent:
Cllr Broxholme
In Attendance:
Elaine Atkin Parish Clerk
There were 2 members of the public in attendance.
PUBLIC QUESTIONS
- The following public questions/queries were raised:
- The December minutes on the website said November. This was noted and subsequently corrected.
- A plea was made for support on behalf of Saxilby Voluntary Car Service. The Service desperately needs more drivers and would like the Parish Council to help publicise this. Councillors made some suggestions to help publicise this, including via Foss Focus, via U3A, Radio Lincs programme which focuses on volunteers, having a stand at the Annual Parish Meeting, and via the Welcome Pack put together by the Church for the new housing developments.
- A question raised at November’s meeting in relation to information requested by the Memorial Field trustees had not been reflected in the meeting minutes. The Clerk confirmed that November’s meeting had been challenging to record due to the number of public present and multiple conversations taking place at the same time. (From a legal perspective, only Council decisions have to be minuted). The Clerk and Assistant Clerk were already scheduled to meet to look at how this query could be progressed.
- Vans continuing to park on the footpath at Bridge Place are impeding disabled residents. It was confirmed that residents should report such obstructions to the Police. It was also confirmed that this had already been raised with our County Councillor and that Bridge Street parking was being looked at by the Bridge Street Working Group.
FULL COUNCIL MEETING
001/20
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 Cllr Broxholme. It was resolved to accept these.
Apologies had also been received from District and County Councillor, Jackie Brockway.
002/20 TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LOCALISM ACT 2011
Cllr Ashton Derry declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda items 7 (minute 007/20) and 8 (minute 008/20).
003/20 TO APPROVE THE NOTES OF THE FULL COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 4TH DECMBER 2020 AND THE CHAIRMAN TO SIGN THEM AS THE AGREED MINUTES
It was noted that the minutes incorrectly stated November instead of December. It was proposed by Cllr Hillman and resolved to approve these, with the correction as above.
004/20 TO NOTE RECEIPT OF COMMITTEE MINUTES AND FINANCE DOCUMENTS AND PLANNING COMMENTS MADE
These were noted.
005/20 TO RECEIVE REPORTS FROM DISTRICT AND COUNTY COUNCILLORS AND POLICE
The crime report was queried in that the summary stated a 25% decrease in burglary whilst from the report each month this appeared to be increasing. Further theft from one of the building sites was noted.
There was no LCC update.
Cllr Cotton provided the following WLDC update:
A new Chief Executive has been announced but this appointment still has to be ratified by Full Council
The new crematorium at Lea Fields opens this week
A strategic workshop is being held for members and leaders
006/20 TO NOTE RECEIPT OF THE SUMMARY OF CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED AND LIST OF MEETINGS HELD BY COUNCILLORS IN DECEMBER
These were noted.
007/20 TO APPROVE EXPENDITURE ABOVE SPECIFIED LIMITS, AS PER FINANCIAL REGULATIONS
It was proposed by Cllr J Willox and resolved, to approve this expenditure.
008/20 TO AGREE THE COUNCIL’S BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR 2020-21 AND AGREE THE PRECEPT FIGURE FOR SUBMISSION TO WLDC
Cllr Stafford asked for his thanks to be recorded to the Clerk for preparing the budget information. There was a debate over various areas of the budget.
8:10 pm – one of the members of public left the meeting.
Cllr Ives proposed that the budget proposal for 2020-21 be agreed.
Cllr Stafford made a counter proposal: That the 2020-21 budget proposal be agreed but that a business review of the Community Centre, to ensure it achieves value for money for residents, is agreed for 2021-22.
The counter proposal was considered. Cllr Hillman requested a recorded vote. All Councillors voted in favour and this was resolved. As the counter proposal had been resolved, the original proposal was not considered.
The WLDC 2020-21 precept request form was signed by Cllrs Cotton, Hughes, Ashton Derry and the Clerk.
009/20 TO CONSIDER AND APPROVE COUNCILLOR CO-OPTION APPLICATION(S)
No applications had been received.
010/20 TO RATIFY UPDATED COMMUNITY CENTRE OPENING HOURS – PROPOSAL FROM ST ANDREWS & COMMUNITY COMMITTEE
It was proposed by Cllr Hughes and resolved to approve the revised hours (namely 9:30 am opening on weekdays and 10:00 am opening at the weekend unless the football team are playing at home, when it will open at 9:30 am), publicise the changes, and for the decision regarding timing of the introduction of these changes to be delegated to the Community Centre Manager.
011/20 TO RATIFY A VAPING PROPOSAL FROM ST ANDREWS & COMMUNITY COMMITTEE
It was proposed by Cllr Ashton Derry and resolved to ratify the proposal. As part of its responsibilities under a duty of care, the Council would investigate and arrange conflict resolution training before this is implemented.
012/20 TO REVIEW AND APPROVE THE SOCIAL/MEDIA POLICY
A number of amendments were discussed. It was proposed by Cllr J Willox and resolved to approve this policy, subject to comments discussed which Councillors should feedback direct to the Assistant Clerk.
Cllr J Willox volunteered to work with the Assistant Clerk to develop social media, specifically Instagram.
013/20 TO CONSIDER INITIATING A STRATEGIC FINANCIAL REVIEW OF THE COUCIL’S SERVICES
It was resolved to defer this item.
014/20 CLOSED SESSION – COUNCIL TO RESOLVE TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PUBLIC BODIES (ADMISSIONS TO MEETINGS) ACT 1960 FOR THE FOLLOWING 3 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 Cotton and resolved to go into closed session.
The remaining member of public left the meeting – 9:00 pm.
015/20 TO REVIEW AND APPROVE A BRIDGE STREET CONSERVATION AREA ENTRANCE SIGN QUOTE
It was proposed by Cllr V Spurr and resolved, to approve expenditure not exceeding £3,800 but for the decision regarding design and supplier to be delegated to the Bridge Street Working Group.
016/20 TO RATIFY A SANITARY WASTE PROPOSAL FROM ST ANDREWS & COMMUNITY COMMITTEE
It was proposed by Cllr V Spurr and resolved to ratify the proposal to move to Rentokil.
017/20 TO REVIEW AND APPROVE THE TENDER REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CLEANING CONTRACT
Cllr Cotton thanked Cllr V Spurr for her report.
It was proposed by Cllr V Spurr and resolved to approve the recommendation to delegate authority to the Clerk/Assistant Clerk and Cllr V Spurr to draw up the specification and then for the Clerk/Assistant Clerk to initiate the tender process.
The meeting closed at 9:18 pm.