2023 Parish Council Minutes

Meeting Minutes November 2023

SOUTH KELSEY & MOORTOWN PARISH COUNCIL
 
Draft Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting
held in the Village Hall on 6 November 2023 at 7pm
 
Present: Cllr Tina Wiles (Chair), Cllr Nicola Hall, Cllr Craig Marriott, Cllr Alan Niven, Cllr Carol Niven and Cllr Garry Dickinson
Absent: District Cllr Peter Morris, County Cllr Tom Smith
In attendance: Gina Andrews (Clerk), and two members of the public
 
Public forum for parishioners to ask questions:
Residents raised concerns regarding the following:
  • Planning application 147476 (erection of 5no dwellings at land to the rear of Westfield Thornton Road South Kelsey Market Rasen LN7 6PS).  PC to seek extension to review all the paperwork.  ACTION GA
  • Pig farm at Beasthorpe, expansion concerns.  PC to review when details are received.
 
Formal Parish Council Meeting commenced; Standing Orders invoked:
 
150/23 To receive apologies and reasons for absence:
 
It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED to note apologies from Cllr Tom Smith and Cllr Peter Morris with valid reasons for absence accepted.
 
 
151/23 To receive declarations of interest under the Localism Act 2011 - being any pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest in agenda items, not previously recorded on Members’ Register of Interests:
 
None noted.
 
 
152/23 To approve draft minutes of the Parish Council held on 2 October 2023:
 
It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED that the minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 2 October 2023 be accepted as a true record and duly signed by the Chair.
 
 
153/23 Clerk’s Report on Matters Outstanding and Correspondence:  
 
The Clerk presented her report and summary of correspondence received to the meeting.  It was noted that:
  • the 2023/24 rent for the allotment has now been requested for payment;
  • acquiring .gov.uk email addresses with Cloudnext as provider is underway;
  • Cllr Tina Wiles will meet with Senior Project Leader at LCC to discuss works at Moortown bus shelter for the Councillor Volunteer Scheme;
  • Cllr Smith emailed details of a further Councillor Volunteer Scheme for Spring/Summer 2024 with a deadline for submissions of 8 December 2023; and
  • The Charity Commission are to contact the Clerk with registration details for the Kelsey Park Charity.
 
154/23 Policies for Review
 
Draft policy documents were circulated to members the week prior to the meeting.  After discussion, it was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED that the:
  • Appraisal and Training Policy (employees) be approved and adopted.
  • Planning Policy and Procedures be updated with protocols for dealing with planning applications received during the month there is no council meetings  with delegated authority and that the Clerk re-circulate the Planning Policy and Procedures for review and approval.  ACTION GA
 
155/23 Finance and Accounts for Payment:
 
Accounts payable.  It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED that the following invoices be settled:
  • South Kelsey Village Hall invoice for October 2023 - £20
  • LALC, Neighbourhood Planning Training.  Cllrs C & A Niven - £50
  • Information Commission’s Officer, yearly subscription by Direct Debit - £40
The following contractual obligations were noted (such payments resolved to be settled during the meeting of 3 April 2023 in accordance with the Financial Regulations item 5.6):
  • Clerks wages/expenses, October 2023 - £343.36/£30.88 TOTAL £374.24
  • AJ Williams grass cutting, October 2023 - £79.80.
Financial Recommendations.  After discussion it was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED that:
  • the Clerk’s outstanding holiday pay of £158.43 be paid to the Clerk with November’s wages;
  • the Clerk’s pay scale increase of 8.45% be implemented from 1 November 2023 and a back payment for hours worked between April-October 2023 be paid with December’s wages, such amount to be reviewed and approved at the December meeting.  It was noted the PS8 is now at £12.84 per hour;
  • any overtime is to be approved by the Personnel Committee prior to the Clerk undertaking and that payment of overtime and expenses accrued by the Clerk be reviewed and approved at the next available council meeting;
  • that the Clerk’s travel to and from council meetings be included in the Clerk’s mileage allowance and that the Clerk’s contract of employment be updated;
  • the Three Year Business Plan be updated to include Members and Officer training plan and development (item 10), that the plan be updated on the website and that a resident catch up be arranged;
  • a cheque be raised to the transfer the remaining balance of £2,993.93 from the Lloyds Treasurer’s account (9488) to the PC Unity Account and that the Lloyds account no longer be used;
  • payment of the £175 grant received from WLDC be paid to C Atkin for the laptop purchased in 2022; and
  • Cllr Nicola Hill telephone Cllr Knight of Keelby Parish Council to discuss grants and funding opportunities.
Draft budget - 2024/25 Precept Requirements. 
After review of the draft budget previously circulated to members, it was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED that the following recommendations and amendments be made and the Clerk update the 2024/25 Budget for review and approval at the December meeting:
  • Clerk’s wage budget be amended to include the holiday backpay, pay scale  8 increase and the backpay of the pay scale increase, with part of the employee training budget moving over to wages to cover costs;
  • that the Clerk’s pay increment be included in the 2024/25 budget figures;
  • that the Clerk’s travel allowance be updated to include travel to meetings;
  • Unity bank charges of £6 per month, paid quarterly, be included in the budget;
  • increase the publishing budget from £50 to £150
  • that printer ink cartridges be moved from Clerk’s expenses to the IT budget;
  • 50% of the bi-yearly charges for .gov.uk emails be included in the 2024/25 IT budget figures;
  • incoming/outgoing WLDC grant for speed radar cameras be shown on the budget;
  • that the operating contingency costs stay at 3 months for the 2024/25 budget;
  • emergency repairs budget be renamed “Park Parish Repairs with a figure of £800 in the budget;    
  • earmarked reserves for grants to also include charity donations and that the figure be increased from £100 to £220;
  • CiLCA/professional development be built into the earmarked reserves, the figures yet to be decided; and
  • the Kelsey Park Charity figures be shown on the budget as income with the amount recorded in reserves under “Kelsey Park Charity”.
Kelsey Park Charity update.
Cllr Craig Marriott reported he now had the Kelsey Park Charity fundraised and donated monies in the sum of £2,189.99 in cash. After discussion it was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED that the funds be paid into the Unity account as soon as practicably possible and that funds be locked away for safekeeping in the meantime.
 
It was noted that access to the Kelsey Park Charity bank account is ongoing with Lloyds, with a view to moving funds to the PC Unity bank account.
Cllr Craig Marriott announced that he would be stepping down from the Kelsey Park Group with immediate effect and the Chair thanked Cllr Marriott for all his help and support with the Group.

 
156/23 Personnel Committee:
Cllr Craig Marriott announced that he would be stepping down from the Personnel Committee with immediate effect.  After discussion, it was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED that Cllr Carol Niven be appointed a member the Personnel Committee.
 
After discussion, it was further proposed, seconded and RESOLVED that Cllr Nicola Hall be appointed Chair of the Personnel Committee.
 
 
157/23 Planning:
 
147486 - received 31 October 2023.  Planning application for the change of use from touring caravan site to open air swimming lake, erection of changing rooms and sauna with parking and the installation of solar panels.  Watermill Farm Leisure Park, Station Road, Moortown, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, LN7 6HZ.
After discussion, it was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED that the Parish Council would submit comments regarding concerns around safety measures and ask why safety provisions were not listed.  It was further proposed, seconded and RESOLVED that the Parish Council would submit objections to the planning with regards to noise, with the proposed site being in close proximity to residents properties. ACTION GA
 
Councillors also raised concerns regarding the archeological and ecological impact on the site and it was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED that the Parish Council would seek an extension to make further comments once the ecological survey had taken place.  ACTION GA.
 
 
158/23 2024 Meeting Dates / Website:
 
After review of the draft amended schedule of meetings, previously circulated to members, it was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED that the revised schedule be approved, noting that there would be no council meetings during February and August and that the Clerk make the necessary arrangements to amend and make the additional bookings with the Village Hall.
 
After discussion it it was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED that, from January 2024, draft minutes and agendas (with supporting documentation) be published on the website in PDF form for ease of reference and to eliminate duplication of formatting.
 
 
159/23 Community Speed Watch:
Cllr Carol Niven confirmed that the Community Funding Application had been successful and that the Parish Council would the receive the £4,500 grant in full to cover x2 radar speed signs, one for each of Moortown and South Kelsey.
 
Cllr Alan Niven reported that Highways had visited the villages to determine where to place the radar speed signs.  The meeting noted that this is in an on-going project and with further sites will be allocated for speed radar signs as funding becomes available.
 
 
160/23 Dog Fouling - bag dispenser:
 
Cllr Nicola Hall presented her report on the impact of dog fouling within communities, noting strategies of education and engagements are more effective than punitive measures alone.  Cllr Hall reported that where dog bag dispensers  have been used a reduction in dog fouling by up to 57% had been seen.  Cllr Hall presented x3 tenders for dispensers with prices from between £79-£94 (exc. VAT) with 800 bag refills between £30-£40.
 
The meeting noted that the issue of dog fouling is everybody’s responsibility and after consider it was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED that a dog fouling bag dispenser be trialled at the entrance to the park.  ACTION NH
 
 
161/23 Items for the next Agenda - 4 December 2023:
  • Election of Vice Chair of the Parish Council
  • Finance / Budget and Precept 2024/25 - review and approve
  • Planning applications
  • Community Speed Watch - update
  • Policies for review
  • Dog fouling bag dispenser - update
  • Playground/park inspections - nominate a member to conduct checks
The meeting noted the upcoming resignation of Cllr Craig Marriott.  The Parish Council would like to thank Cllr Marriott for all his efforts and support within the Parish and wish him well in his future endeavours.
 
Parish Council meeting closed at 21.05
Date and Time of Next Meeting
to be held at the Village Hall, South Kelsey
on Monday, 4 December 2023 at 7pm