Minutes
Full Council Meeting Minutes
Wednesday 7 September 2022 at 7.30pm at St Andrews Community Centre, Saxilby.
Members Present:
Cllrs Cotton, Hillman, I Willox, J Willox, and Spur
Apologies:
Cllrs Ashton Derry, Crump, Harper, and Mann
In Attendance:
Lydia Hopton, Clerk
Zarina Belk, Assistant Clerk
There were seven members of the public in attendance.
Public Questions
A member of the public asked to record the meeting and it was noted this was fine.
A member of the public asked how many applications had been received for the co-options? The clerk replied one.
A recreation ground trustee spoke noting more time is needed than the 31 October to resolve the complexities of the management of the charity.
A recreation ground trustee said the annual budget wasn’t available online. It was explained the budget was available online, under the full council background papers each month. It was queried why the council accrued reserves. It was explained it is good practice to have reserves in-line with the Practitioner’s Guide.
The captain of the ladies of cricket team asked for her teams thanks to be passed onto the grounds team for their hard work on the pitches this season.
Cllr Cotton made a statement that he was waiting for major surgery and would be unable to attend council meetings following the procedure.
Clerk raised a question on behalf of a member of public regarding the condition of the football goal mouths. Council requested it was referred to the grounds team.
Meeting
199/22 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 Ashton Derry, Harper, and Mann which were accepted.
200/22 To receive declarations of interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2011
- Cllr Cotton declared a personal interest Ref 213/22d
- Cllr J Willox and I Willox declared a personal interest in Ref 222/22
- The clerk declared a pecuniary interest in 222/22
201/22 Approve the notes Full Council on 3 August 2022, and the chair to sign them as the agreed minutes
Cllr Hillman proposed to approve the Full Council 3 August 2022 minutes. This was resolved.
202/22 To note the meeting action log
Deferred.
203/22 To consider and agree a co-option application
Cllr Hillman proposed Elaine Meanwell was co-opted on and it was resolved to co-opt Elaine Meanwell onto the council.
Finance and risk
A member of the public interrupted the meeting at 19.52.
204/22 To approve expenditure above specified limits, as per Financial Regulations
Cllr Hillman proposed, and it was resolved to approve the expenditure.
205/22 To review and approve the Risk Register
Cllr Spurr proposed, and it was resolved to approve the risk register.
206/22To note the income/expenditure for the Waterfront Festival 2022
The figures were noted. Cllr Hillman raised some queries. It was agreed to share the draft accounts with Bridge Street Working Group and bring back to October Full Council.
207/22 To note the External Auditors correspondence regarding the 2021-22 audit and agree actions
Cllr Cotton proposed to note the correspondence and to pay the additional costs. This was resolved.
208/22 To consider whether to opt out of the central procurement scheme for an external auditor
Cllr I Willox proposed council remain in the scheme. This was resolved.
Policy and procedure
209/22 To review and approve the council’s wellbeing policy
Cllr J Willox proposed to approve the council’s wellbeing policy and this was resolved. Nationally no wellbeing schemes are available for councillors either though NALC, LALC, or SLCC. It was agreed that wellbeing policy needed to be further developed to include councillors and to explore what the district and county councils have in place as part of this process.
210/22 To agree to sign up to the Civility and Respect Pledge
Cllr Cotton proposed the council to sign up to the civility and respect pledge. This was resolved.
211/22 To review and approve the lost children and vulnerable people policy for events
Cllr Spurr proposed to approve the lost children and vulnerable people policy for events (based on the West Lindsey Safety Event group template). This was resolved.
Recreation ground and community centre
212/22 To approve the draft General Emergency Evacuation Plan (GEEP) Community Centre (action from Fire Risk Assessment)
Cllr J Willox proposed to approve the GEEP and this was resolved, including the following actions:
1. Add the GEEP onto end of booking form and add to Cllr Sharepoint folder
2. Building plan to be displayed in each room and on the website
3. Create a sign in/out sheet for meetings
4. Review the fire risk assessment at a forthcoming meeting
213/22 To receive and review the latest project list and agree actions regarding the management of the recreation ground
Cllr Hillman proposed to receive the latest project list and this was resolved, with the following also resolved:
a. Council proposed to continue insuring the land, buildings, and contents during the hand back process
b. Council affirmed an updated handback date on 31 March 2023
c. Council to update Lincolnshire County Council in respect of the library service level agreement
d. Cllr Cotton declared a personal interest - sits on licensing WLDC committee. It was agreed to continue with the Pavilion Bar premises licence
Community
214/22 To approve the planning committee recommendation for the replacement of High Street and Queensway bus shelters and agree the funding source
Cllr Cotton proposed, and it was resolved that:
a. Full Council notes the report and planning committee recommendation and resolved:
1. To apply to LCC for bus shelter grant funding of £3,000 for each of the shelters, and to use the CIL/developer funds and capital expenditure to cover the remaining amount and progress the order if successful.
2. To approach the bus companies to see if they might support the application.
3. To bring back to Full Council the costings of the Queensway shelter.
215/22 To agree for a tree seat to be installed at Queensway/Bridge Street
Cllr Hillman proposed for a tree seat to be installed at Queensway/Bridge Street following a donation from a resident and the Mystery Group, with the grounds team to install. This was resolved.
216/22 To agree to apply for Coop Community Champion funding for the bridge street project (retrospective)
Cllr I Willox proposed to apply for Coop Community Champion funding for the bridge street project. This was resolved.
217/22 To receive an update following the tennis club meeting and agree next steps
An update was received, and the following was resolved with Cllr Spurr proposing the actions in paper:
1. Arrange meeting with tennis club representatives and memorial field charity trustees to discuss assets and hand over arrangements (requested a meeting on Tuesday 27 September)
2. Clerk to arrange for club roofing and guttering quotes
3. Grounds team to action interim maintenance work on the club house and courts in autumn
a. Re-varnish and paint outside of clubhouse
b. Clean windows inside and out
c. Replace door handle (one to fix on inside and outside)
d. Fill and varnish/paint door.
e. Weed around courts
4. Tennis club to clear out the club house of items no longer required and rubbish from beside the club house and leave inside the courts by the gate for the grounds team to dispose of in
5. Following the club doing clear out unwanted items the council will arrange for the club house to be cleaned
6. Tennis club to share quotes for development of facilities when received and share any grant requests with council for consideration as part of budget setting 2023/24
7. Clerk and Cllr Hillman have offered to support the tennis club applying for any grants to improve the facilities on offer to members and the public
218/22 To consider a request from the Sun Inn regarding taking a water supply from Bridge Street toilets
Cllr Hillman proposed to request a business plan to understand what they are going to use the water for and to see the planning permission and environment health certificate to ensure they are approved premises and to bring back the information to council for consideration. This was resolved.
219/22 To apply for a grant from the Zero Carbon Parishes Project and agree next steps
Cllr Cotton proposed to apply for the grant and consider proposals based on the council’s priority projects. This was resolved.
220/22 To receive the annual play area inspection reports and agree any actions
Cllr Hillman proposed to receive the reports and for the grounds team to action the remedial works, providing a regular update to Full Council. It was agreed to include the Westcroft Goal posts in the next annual independent inspection and queried whether grounds are checking the goals weekly.
Seven members of the public left.
221/22 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.
222/22 To retrospectively agree a tree felling quote (agreed by the chairs under emergency payment delegation – health and safety)
The clerk declared an interest and left the room. Cllr I Willox and J Willox declared a personal interest.
Cllr Hillman proposed to agree a tree felling quote. This was resolved.
223/22 To consider and agree personnel committee recommendations regarding a change in working hours request
Deferred - personnel committee was not quorate.
224/22 To write off a burial ground invoice
Cllr Hillman proposed to write off the invoice if required. This was resolved.
The meeting closed at 21:02.
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.