May 2023 Agenda Annual Parish Council Meeting and Monthly Meeting

North Somercotes Parish Council 

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Meeting of North Somercotes Parish Council is to be held on Monday 15th May 2023 At 6.30 pm to be immediately followed by the Monthly meeting Councillors are hereby summoned to attend.


Agenda

Members of the public are invited and welcome to attend the whole meeting, except for items where their presence is prejudicial to the public interest, and are permitted to make representations to the Council, answer questions and give evidence (up to 3 mins per person/subject) in respect of any item of public business listed on the agenda during the public session, which is normally 15 minutes before the start of the meeting.  The meeting may only consider the business on the agenda; the Agenda and Minutes for the Parish Council Meetings are available on the Parish Notice Board, or from the Clerk, or on the website, together with the schedule of future dates and the Public Participation in Meetings Procedure - see http://parishes.lincolnshire.gov.uk/NorthSomercotes. Meetings of the Council may be recorded.

15/5/23-1 Election Results – Confirmation of councillors and appointment of Chairman and Vice Chairman, signing Declaration of Office and Declaration of Interests forms

a. Appointment of Chairman – to receive nominations for the position of Chair and resolve to appoint to the position followed by signing of declaration of Acceptance of Office as Chair

b. Appointment of Vice Chairman - to receive nominations for the appointment of Vice Chair and resolve to appoint to the position 

c. Councillors - signing declaration of Acceptance of Office prior to commencing the meeting, and completion of Declaration of Interests Forms, and Election Expenses forms, if not already done.

Suspension of Standing Orders while public session takes place

Public Session 

a.   Comments/updates from District and County Cllrs

b.   Comments from members of the Public on agenda items or issues for consideration for future agenda

-   Any update on the Post Office provision
-   Follow up on public concerns re defibrillator not accessed/used on recent casualty
-   Drain clearance/leaving of debris on side of road
-   Procedure for reporting abandoned vehicles

Closure of public session and recommencement of formal meeting


Annual General Meeting and Monthly Meeting

15/5/23-2

a. Present

b. Apologies for Absence – to resolve whether or not to accept councillor absence/reasons

15/5/23-3    To receive any declarations of pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest on any item on the agenda in accordance with the Localism Act and the Council’s Code of Conduct and Standing Orders

15/5/23-4   General Power of Competence – To resolve to Adopt the General Power of Competence, providing the Council is satisfied that it meets the criteria for eligibility, this being: 

•   The number of Councillors elected at the election on 4th May 2023 (excluding co-opted/appointed Councillors) equals/exceeds two-thirds of the total number of seats on the Council (11 out of 11)
•   The Clerk has completed relevant GPC training and holds one of the two sector-specific qualifications, in this case the Certificate in Local Council Administration (achieved 24 September 2015).

“The North Somercotes Parish Council resolves from 15th May 2023, until the next relevant Annual Meeting of the Council, that having met the conditions of eligibility as defined in the Localism Act 2011 and SI 965 The Parish Councils (General Power of Competence) (Prescribed Conditions) Order 2012, to adopt the General Power of Competence”

15/5/23-5   Appointment of Councillors as representatives on Village Organisations/Committees/Working Groups: 

a. Playing Fields Association

b. Police Panel

c. Emergency/Flood Planning

d. Village Hall Committee

e. DTE Wildlife Group

f.  Cemetery Committee (all Councillors)

g. Footpaths/Bridleways – 2023 reviews

h. Chapel Fields future use/sale (all councillors)      

15/5/23-6   Current Status of Parish Council Policies, Procedures, Rules and Regulations 

a.   Code of Conduct – to RESOLVE to adopt the revised Code of Conduct – to then be placed on circulation with the Standing Orders and Financial Regulations for Cllrs to read and sign as read and understood.

b.   Standing Orders – completed

c.   Financial Regulations – completed

d.   Freedom of Information – to be reviewed this year

e.   E. General Data Protection Regulations – to be reviewed this year

f.   Emergency /Flood Planning – outstanding project

15/5/23-7   Cemetery – a. to review proposed changes to Cemetery Fees and RESOLVE the way forward b. to note proposed changes to Cemetery Rules & Regulations and RESOLVE the way forward c. to agree date for Annual Cemetery Meeting –   5, 15 or 22 July at 10.30 am and to combine this with meeting at Chapel Field to look at condition/work required/ in preparation for considering options.

15/5/23-8   Review of Pay for Parish Council Employees additional tasks and RESOLVE the way forward

•    rate of pay for standby duties, interment of caskets and installation of plaques (NB - rates of pay for litter picker, Chapel/Toilet cleaners and village/cemetery maintenance are subject to minimum wage rate so have been increased on 1 April 2023.  The Parish Clerk is also on national rates of pay, updated each April.

15/5/23-9    Parish Council Donations 2023/24 – Budget of £500 (section 137 monies) and £2,000* other monies

a. To note previous year’s donations and consider any requests/proposed donations and resolve the way forward:

Requests received:  as at 9/5/23** Proposed Donations:  •   Communication magazine £200 •   *Youth Club £1K of the £2k already contributed to zero carbon project shortfall. **request from Swimming pool pending

End of Annual General Meeting agenda items


Monthly Meeting

15/5/23-10  Minutes of 24th April 2023 Meeting – to RESOLVE to adopt and sign the notes as accurate minutes.

15/5/23-11  Clerk’s Report on matters outstanding – for information only

a. Cemetery – request to contractor for cost of redistributing spoil heap, agenda for annual meeting in preparation, quote awaited to confirm costs of inputting historic records into database, contractor instructed to proceed with bench fitting

b. Amenity Area – additional quotes sought

c. Zero Carbon Parishes project – confirmation of funding received to bank awaited and then note to Playing Field re excess

d. Toilets refurbishment – quotes sought

e. Setting up Work Email Addresses – to be done shortly

f. Planters – to be ordered

g. Environment Agency – Donna Nook Monitoring Report still awaited

h. English Coastal Path – still awaiting confirmation of route

i. Chapel Field – to be examined by councillors in July to decide on any actions required and potential option, contractor instructed to repair gate

j. Mike Gildersleeve booked to attend 26 June meeting

k. Woolpack Meadows rental

l. Notes from the Annual Parish Meeting

m. Hedgehog Champions – see Finance below

n. St Mary’s Redundant Section Wall – quotes sought for remedial work

o. Sycamore Tree outside St Mary’s Church Hall – work booked

p. request to ELDC for cost of additional Dog Waste bin on Bank End

15/5/23-12  To consider any Planning applications received and RESOLVE the way forward on these and other Planning matters 

a. Planning applications for approval

i. N/132/00948/23 - Extension to existing dwelling to provide additional living accommodation and erection of a detached double garage. DAMAR, CONISHOLME ROAD,

b. to note planning applications granted:

N/132/02421/22 - Erection of a detached self-contained annexe with 3no. integral garages and stores on the site of existing outbuildings which are to be demolished. LITTLE PADDOCKS, CONISHOLME ROAD.

c. to note planning applications refused: none

d. Planning Applications appealed:

Plot 6 Tulip Way, Conisholme Rd – Appeal Ref - APP/D2510/W/22/3310724 – outcome awaited

e. Enforcement Issues/Actions – to discuss and RESOLVE the way forward/receive updates on potential enforcement issues:

i. Static Caravan sited on land adjacent to the Brooks, Church End (approved menage) – investigation ongoing

ii. Lodge/caravan on land off Bridleway from Church End, near Shoalwater - investigation ongoing 

iii. Land off Coastguard Road Donna Nook (Bespoke) N/132/02073/22 –LAND OFF, COASTGUARD ROAD, DONNA NOOK – investigation ongoing

f. Any other urgent planning matters/applications

15/5/23-13 Highways, Paths and Lighting:

a. verbal update on problem log, including:

i. Locksley Close/Evison Way Public Right of Way – improvement work will be done in summer

ii. South Rd – any update on programme date

iii. Warren Rd drainage – any update on programme date

b.  Lack of compliance with the 40mph speed limit on Conisholme Rd – update on request to Lincs RSP

c. any additional issues/other urgent issues to be reported

i. Drain Clearance on Jubilee Rd – leaving removed debris behind to get rinsed back into drain

15/5/23-14 To receive reports from councillors who are representatives on Village Organisations/Committees                

a. Playing Fields Association - Cllr Walmsley

b. Police Panel – Cllr Newman

c. Emergency/Flood Planning – Cllr Newman/Clerk

d. Village Hall Committee – 

e. DTE Wildlife Group – Cllr Newman/Clerk

15/5/23-15 Finance and 22/23 Audit

a)   to receive and note the bank reconciliations for April and May 2023

b)   to receive and RESOLVE to approve the schedule of receipts and payments for May 2023

c)   to note Annual Audit to be submitted as soon as the Internal Auditor’s signed form returned

d)   to consider any further quotes received for the Toilets and Amenity area and RESOLVE the way forward

e)   to approve expenditure of £150 for the Hedgehog Champions pack to donate to Primary School 

f)   to consider and approve finance for purchase of trial dispenser and dog waste bags for Playing Field/other location/s - --£87 plus £29 plus installation

g)   to deal with any urgent financial matters

15/5/23-16 To receive/note general Correspondence for May, Website Updates and Communication

15/5/23-17 Agenda items for the meeting to be held on 26th June 2023 in the Village Hall

Agenda for Cemetery Annual Inspection and Chapel Field Inspection, Asset of Community Value, War Memorial Inscription request

Parish Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer
9 May 2023