May 2024 Agenda Annual Parish Council Meeting
North Somercotes Parish Council
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Meeting of North Somercotes Parish Council is to be held on Monday 20th 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 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.
20/5/24-1 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 followed by signing of declaration of Acceptance of Office as Vice Chair
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
Closure of public session and recommencement of formal meeting
Annual General Meeting and Monthly Meeting
20/5/24-2 a. Present
b. Apologies for Absence – to RESOLVE whether or not to accept councillor absence/reasons
20/5/24-3 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
20/5/24-4 General Power of Competence – To resolve to confirm the Adoption of the General Power of Competence, in that 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 2024, 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”
20/5/24-5 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. Youth Club –
g. Cemetery Committee (all Councillors)
h. Footpaths/Bridleways – 2024 reviews
i. Chapel Fields future use/sale (all councillors)
20/5/24-6 Current Status of Parish Council Policies, Procedures, Rules, and Regulations
a. Code of Conduct – no change required
b. Standing Orders – no change required
c. Financial Regulations – to RESOLVE to adopt the updated Financial Regulations 2024
d. Freedom of Information – no change required
e. General Data Protection Regulations – to be reviewed
f. Emergency /Flood Planning – outstanding project
g. Donations and Grants Policy and Procedure – to RESOLVE to adopt the updated policy
20/5/24-7 Cemetery –
a. to review proposed changes to Cemetery Fees and RESOLVE the way forward
b. Cemetery Rules & Regulations – no changes proposed at present, pending the action plan for the Biodiversity Duty and the Cemetery Management and Waste Plan
c. to agree July date for Annual Cemetery Meeting – starting time of 10 or 10.30 am.
20/5/24-8 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 2024). The Parish Clerk is also on national rates of pay, updated each April.
20/5/24-9 Parish Council Donations 2024/25 – 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:
eg. S137 - Communication Magazine £200 – CAB £50 – LIVES £100 – Lindsey Blind Society £100. Other – Youth Club £1K, ANPR £700, Christmas Tree £100, Gardening Group £100 for projector.
End of Annual General Meeting agenda items
Monthly Meeting
20/5/24-10 Minutes of 24th April 2023 Meeting – to RESOLVE to adopt and sign the notes as accurate minutes.
20/5/24-11 Clerk’s Report on matters outstanding – for information only
a. Cemetery – repair to the metalwork on the bell outstanding, first draft mapping of grave spaces submitted, issue with monument database to be resolved, quotes sought for fence replacement see 15 below, letter format agree with Chairman to deal with unauthorised plaque/vases and other items being removed to the chapel store
b. Setting up Work Email Addresses – completed new email for Clerk, councillors to be done
c. Coastal Path – still awaiting confirmation of route
d. Chapel Field Housing – poor quality turf still needs to be replaced as tenant cannot use garden
e. Chapel Field Future Use – quotes sought for the works agreed
f. Defibrillators – location map of each one in the parish to be done/check registration with EMAS following meeting on 21/2
g. Swimming pool roof – work completed invoice paid
h. Public Toilets – waiting for additional camera to be installed and access on laptop sorted, some grouting still to be finished
i. Levelling up funding - looking for additional funding for various community projects – working with YMCA to identify and progress – questionnaire put on social media/noticeboard
j. litter bins – still awaited, one of which will go to playing field, plus one from near noticeboard to be moved to Conisholme Rd
k. Orchard area – identify and replace broken trees - outstanding
20/5/24-12 To consider any Planning applications received and RESOLVE the way forward on these and other Planning matters
a. Planning applications for consideration:
b. To note planning applications approved:
c. To note planning applications refused:
d. Planning Applications appealed:
e. Enforcement Issues/Actions: To consider the planning conditions imposed on the Realignment Site at Donna Nook in relation to standing water, and RESOLVE the way forward as appropriate
f. National Grid Pylons/Substation Proposals – National Grid EGL3 and EGL4 - two new primarily offshore high voltage electricity links and associated onshore infrastructure between Scotland and England for homes in the Midlands and South of England but that will make landfall at Theddlethorpe and thence to Walpole. To consider and RESOLVE the council’s response to the proposals.
g. Theddlethorpe Nuclear Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) –
h. Any other urgent planning matters/applications:
20/5/24-13 Highways, Paths and Lighting:
a. verbal update on problem log, including:
i. South Rd - 24/25 programme date still awaited but anticipated Aug/Sept 24
ii. Warren Rd drainage – date for investigation and design still awaited
iii. South Rd, South Somercotes – post office corner – some outstanding potholes still to be done
iv. wire netting on Cradle Bridge on Wembley Rd/Ark Road public footpath - Clerk has reported
b. any additional issues/other urgent matters to be reported
20/5/24-14 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
20/5/24-15 Finance and 23/24 Audit
a) to receive and note the bank reconciliations for April and May 2024
b) to receive and RESOLVE to approve the schedule of receipts and payments for May 2024
c) to receive and RESOLVE to approve the Annual Governance Statement Section 1 of the 2023/24 Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) and sign/date as so approved
d) to receive and RESOLVE to approve the Annual Accounting Statements Section 2 for 2023/24 and sign/date as so approved by the Chairman of the Meeting
e) to note that the dates for the Notice and period of time for the exercise of public rights to inspect the accounts as being Monday 3 June to 12 July inclusive, by mutual agreement with the Clerk during that time.
f) to deal with any urgent financial matters
20/5/24-16 To receive/note general Correspondence for May, Website Updates and Communication
20/5/24-17 Agenda items for the meeting to be held on 24th June 2024 in the Village Hall
Agenda for Cemetery Annual Inspection and Chapel Field Inspection, Draft Cemetery Biodiversity Action Plan and Cemetery Management and Waste Plan (if available).
Parish Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer
13 May 2024