Minutes
Full Council Meeting Minutes
Wednesday 2 March 2022 at 7.00pm at St Andrews Community Centre, Saxilby.
Members Present:
Cllrs Ashton Derry, Cotton (Chairman), Crump, Harper, Hillman, Mann, Saunders, Spurr, I Willox and J Willox.
Absent:
None
In Attendance:
Elaine Atkin, Parish Clerk
Debbie Johnson, Assistant Clerk
There were 3 members of public in attendance.
Public Questions
The following comments were made:
• The trustees are disappointed that the meeting arranged with the council hasn’t happened. No feedback has been received on the proposed agenda. The trustees had already agreed that there would be some bits of the respective legal advice which both parties disagree on. It’s not clear which bit of legal advice is causing the delay, requiring council to obtain further advice.
• The trustees have seen that Hurricane Sports have been engaged for the children’s cricket coaching. As per the recreation ground charity documentation, they will need to have a formal agreement in place with the charity and will need to pay.
• The trustees want the charity to comply with the indenture. Many years ago, when the trustees handed back the management of the field and buildings on it to the parish council, they did not know that this was not a legal transaction, and now this needs to be sorted out.
• If the meeting with the council does not happen soon, then the trustees will call a parish meeting.
The members of the public left (7:12pm).
Full Council Meeting
052/22 To receive apologies and accept valid reasons for absence, these having been submitted to the Clerk prior to the meeting
Apologies had been received from LCC and District Councillor Jackie Brockway.
053/22 To receive declarations of interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2011
Cllr Hillman declared a personal interest in agenda item 11 (minute 062/22), as a member of Saxilby Mystery Group.
Cllr Ashton Derry declared a pecuniary interest in agenda item 6 (minute 057/22), due to this including staff wages.
Cllr Cotton declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 7 (minute 058/22), due to burials.
054/22 To approve the notes of the Full Council meeting held on 2 February 2022, and the Chairman to sign them as the agreed minutes
These were proposed by Cllr Hillman and resolved.
055/22 To consider co-option application(s)
No applications had been received.
056/22 To note the meeting Action Log
The action log was noted.
057/22 To approve expenditure above specified limits, as per Financial Regulations
The expenditure approval was proposed by Cllr Harper and resolved. Cllr Ashton Derry abstained.
058/22 To agree the fees and charges for 2022-23, applicable from 1 April 2022
Cllr Crump proposed, and it was resolved, to:
• Increase room hires by 1%
• Increase burial fees by 3%
• Increase internal sporting hires by 2%
• Increase ad-hoc pitch hire by 2%
059/22 To receive the Health and Safety Policy (deferred from February)
Cllr Ashton Derry proposed, and this was resolved.
060/22 To receive an update on progress against actions identified in the annual Health and Safety compliance audit
Cllr Saunders proposed, and this was resolved.
061/22 To approve a draft letter to Island Green Power regarding the proposed solar projects
Cllr Cotton declared a non-pecuniary interest, should the solar farms application go to WLDC for planning determination.
Cllr Saunders proposed, and it was resolved to approve the letter.
062/22 To seek retrospective approval to accept a donation from Saxilby Mystery Group to purchase a Queen’s Platinum Jubilee commemorative bench to be placed outside Oaklands, and for the council to take this on as its asset
Cllr Ashton Derry proposed, and this was resolved
063/22 To agree that this council supports the petition launched by the Association of Democratic Services Officers (ADSO) and Lawyers in Local Government (LLG) on 5 January with regard to remote and hybrid meetings. We agree to write to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities calling on the government to change the law to allow councils the flexibility to hold such meetings when they deem appropriate within agreed rules and procedures
Cllr Spurr proposed, and this was resolved.
064/22 To ratify Bridge Street Toilets and Mill Lane pavilion (renewable) electricity supplier and the Community Centre gas supplier for 2024-2027 when existing contracts finish
Cllr Hillman proposed, and this was resolved.
065/22 As per 045/22, update on the latest CiL position and cost for green spaces sign, including to agree which budget the expenditure is to come from
Cllr Hillman proposed, and it was resolved to purchase the three signs this financial year, and fund from reserves.
To review and approve the following documents:
066/22 Model Publication Scheme
Cllr I Willox proposed, and this was resolved.
067/22 Loneworker Policy
Deferred, pending annual HR compliance audit.
068/22 Complaints Procedure
Cllr Mann proposed, and this was resolved.
069/22 Open Spaces Policy
Deferred.
070/22 2022-23 Grant Awarding Policy (s.137) and application form
It was noted that the Grant Awarding Policy requires grant recipients to report back to council. Recipients to be invited to the Annual Parish meeting.
Cllr J Willox proposed, and this was resolved.
071/22 Standing Orders
Cllr Crump proposed, and this was resolved.
Cllr Ashton Derry had to leave the meeting (7:56pm).
To note updates on:
072/22 Meetings held in February
Noted.
073/22 Correspondence received in February
Noted.
074/22 Latest crime reports
Noted.
075/22 Saxilby and District MUGA
Noted.
076/22 Bridge Street Working Group and agree actions
The update was noted.
Cllr Hillman proposed, and it was resolved to commission the memory branch sculpture and agreed in principle for it to be installed on the flood wall.
Cllr Hillman proposed, and it was resolved to approve the wildflower planting quote from The Conservation Volunteers for the top towpath.
Cllr Hillman proposed, and it was resolved to apply for Community Wildlife Funding towards the wildflower planting.
077/22 Communications lead
Noted.
078/22 Cricket
Noted.
079/22 Bar outsourcing
Noted.
080/22 CLOSED SESSION – Council to resolve to go into closed session in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960 for the following 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.
081/22 Update on memorial field
Cllr Harper proposed, and it was resolved to reset the meeting date with the trustees, request an independent facilitator for the meeting, mutually agree an agenda, and chase the documents previously requested,
082/22 To agree formal provision for cover in the Caretaker’s absence
It was proposed by Cllr Cotton and resolved to advertise the casual vacancy as soon as possible.
083/22 To ratify the hourly rate for relevant staff from 1 April 2022
Cllr Harper proposed, and this was resolved.
084/22 To agree to introduce training agreements for staff
Cllr Cotton proposed, and it was resolved to defer this item to April, pending discussion and recommendation by Personnel Committee.
The meeting closed at 8:52pm.
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.