Minutes

Minutes of the meeting held Thursday, 25th May 2023 at 7pm in the Parish Rooms

The Proper Officer received the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and the Declaration of Pecuniary Interest forms from all Parish Councillors following the May 2023 Elections.

 

05/23-1 Election of Chair. Cllr Gillian Pollard was proposed and seconded for the appointment.  There being no other nominations, it was RESOLVED to appoint Cllr Gillian Pollard as Chair and duly signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

P: AA S: TA, All in favour

 

05/23-2 Election of Vice-Chair. Cllr Ian Appleby was proposed and seconded for the appointment.  There being no other nominations, it was RESOLVED to appoint Cllr Ian Appleby as Vice-Chair and duly signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

P: AQ S: AA, All in favour

 

Present: Cllr Gillian Pollard (GP) (Chair), Cllr Ian Appleby (IA) (Vice Chair), Cllr Anne McCready, Cllr Angela Quinton (AQ), Cllr Angela Aylett (AA) and Cllr Terry Aldridge (TA)

Also present: Mrs Nadine Must (Parish Clerk/RFO) 

Apologies accepted: LCC Ward Member Cllr Alex Hall

 

05/23-4 To receive any Declarations of Interest on any item on the agenda.  Cllrs AQ and IA were given dispensation on item 05/23-7 relating to Parish Rooms being Trustees of Covenham Village Volunteers.

 

05/23-5– Minutes from 30 March 2023 – It was resolved that the draft minutes were accurate and was duly signed by the Chair.

P: AA; S: AM, All in favour

 

a) Chair’s Remarks.  There is no further update apart from the report presented at the Annual Parish Meeting held prior to this meeting.

b) Code of Conduct.  The Council resolved to adopt the new code as recommended by the National Association of Local Councils.

c) Review of all Council policies.  The Council reviewed and agreed the following policies without any changes.  The Parish Clerk to note on documents and website.

 

1. Standing Orders

2. Financial Regulations

3. Complaints Procedure

4. Health and Safety Policy

5. Environmental Policy

6. Publication Scheme

7. Data Protection Policy

8. Equal Opportunities Policy

9. Risk Assessment Policy

10. Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons Policy

 

d) Finance Working Group.  The Council resolved to set up a group comprising of Cllrs AA, TA and AM.  Terms of Reference will be presented at the next meeting in July 2023.

e) Personnel Working Panel (PWP).  The Council has appointed Cllrs GP, TA and AQ as members of this Panel.  A meeting will be organised to complete the Parish Clerk’s Performance Appraisal.

f) Parish Rooms Working Panel.  It was agreed that Cllrs AA, AQ, and IA continue to be members of this panel and will be joined by Cllr TA.

g) Gardening Contract.  Three contractors were approached but only two provided quotes.  It was resolved to accept Handyman Services to do the initial cut which will take 1.5 days at a day rate of £150.  Subsequent cuts will be on a monthly basis.

h) Clerk’s Report.  Noted.  Parish Council is still waiting from the Methodist Trustees the costs on removing restriction on covenant.  No further update received from LCC on flooding issues along Grange Lane. The Parish Clerk to chase ELDC for footpath and verge cleaning.  Cllr AA will update the noticeboards with the website address of the Parish Council.  Spare plastic chairs will be sent to the Recycling Centre by Cllr AA as there was no interest from any of the local groups. 

i) Communications Received.  The PRWP will take action on the funding availability to request a Portrait of the new King.

 

a) PWP.  No meetings held.  New members appointed as per Minute Reference 05/23 6e above.

b) PRWP.  Cllr AA presented the two options moving forward and recommended that Covenham Village Volunteers (CVV) be given a 5-year lease (with a 3-year break clause) on the Parish Rooms who will take on the cost of utilities, cleaning, other limited maintenance and pay the Parish Council a yearly sum of £1,200.  The Parish Council will pay for the lifting of the covenant restriction and continue to insure and maintain the building.  No vote was taken as there was insufficient time given to all councillors to consider the report and its implications.  There were also concerns about the ownership of the building.  The original deeds appear to be missing and it was thought that McFarlands in Louth may be able to help.  Failing that, the Parish Council can ask the Methodist Trustees for another copy. It was therefore resolved to organise an extra-ordinary meeting to be held on Thursday, 22nd June at 7pm in the Parish Rooms to resolve the future of the Parish Rooms.

 

a) 2022-2023 AGAR.  The Internal Auditor Report was noted.

b) 2022-2023 AGAR.  The Council reviewed and approved the Governance Statement.

c) 2022-2023 AGAR.  The Council reviewed and approved the Accounting Statements.

d) 2022-2023 AGAR.  The Council has certified itself exempt from a limited assurance review and has signed the Certificate of Exemption which will be submitted to the External Auditor.

e) 2022-2023 AGAR. The Council approved all supporting financial reports, namely:

1) Explanation of Variances as per Accounting Statement

2) Detailed Explanation of Variances Boxes 3 and 6

3) Bank Reconciliation

4) Asset Register

5) Receipts and Payment for FY 2022/23

6) Provisions for the exercise of public rights

f) Payments. The Council resolved to accept the following receipts and payments for May 2023.

To note invoices and other payments paid/received since last meeting under delegated powers in accordance with the Council’s Financial Regulations 5.5

 

P: IA; S: AQ, All in favour

 

g) Community Account.  The Parish Clerk was assured by a Barclays Bank representative from Louth Library that there is no more notice of restriction on the account although the notice continues to be shown when logging into the account online.

h) Latest Receipts and Payments Monitoring.  The Clerk reported that with the new financial year, the latest receipts and payments are what has been presented at the meeting.

i) Council Insurance.  The Clerk requested three insurance companies but only two submitted their quotations.  It was resolved to continue with Zurich Insurance and avail of the 3-year agreement which gives the Council some discount compared to renewing for one year only.

 

a) Updates on applications

1) The Council noted that N/038/01634/22 Ashdown Cottage that the application was withdrawn

b) New applications for consideration

1) N/038/00940/23 Ashdown Cottage.  The Council noted there were no changes to the layout of the building.  It was therefore resolved to send the same objection as the previous application due to the layout of the building which overshadows neighbouring properties leading to loss of privacy.

05/23-10 Date of Next Ordinary meeting – Thursday, 27th July 2023, 7pm, Parish Rooms.  An Extra-ordinary meeting has also been organised for Thursday, 22nd June 2023 at 7pm to resolve the future use and maintenance of the Parish Rooms.

  

The meeting closed at 8:35pm.