June 2020 Minutes
MINUTES OF THE REMOTE MEETING OF GREETWELL PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 1 JUNE 2020 AT 7.00PM.
PRESENT: Councillors John Taylor (Chairman), Mrs Sarah Bates (Vice Chair), Mike Taylor, Chris Thatcher
1 - 20/21 PARISHIONERS ITEMS – None
2 – 20/21 TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES AND REASONS GIVEN
Councillor Keith Johnson. That the reason given for not being able to attend the meeting be accepted - unanimously Resolved.
3 – 20/21 TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST ON ANY ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
None declared.
4 – 20/21 CO-OPTION TO COUNCILLOR IF ANY APPLICATIONS RECEIVED
None received.
5 – 20/21 NOTES OF MEETING HELD ON 2ND MARCH 2020 FOR APPROVAL
That the notes be accepted as a true record unanimously Resolved. The notes would be signed at a later date by the Chairman.
6 – 21/21 RESOLVE TO FORMALLY RATIFY EN-BLOC AS FOLLOWS: COVID 19 CONTINGENCY PLANNING DECISIONS AS ORGINALLY AGREED BY EMAIL 20.3.2020 BY ALL MEMBERS BEFORE AMENDED LEGISLATION ALLOWED FOR MEETINGS TO BE REMOTELY
- To recognise that no business, meeting, service provision is of any importance above that of public and personal safety. As such all scheduled public meetings will be cancelled for an initial 4 month period (or as circumstances permit).
- That the Parish Council gives delegated authority to the Clerk (in consultation with the Chairman and Vice Chair) to suspend any relevant Standing Order or Financial Regulation as necessary to ensure the smooth running and operation (wherever possible) of the Parish Council for no longer than 4 months (or as circumstances dictate) with the Clerk to compile and maintain a list of such suspensions and reasons which will be presented to a future meeting of the Parish Council.
- That as the cancellation of meetings has a direct impact on the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council (scheduled for 5th May 2020) the roles of the Chairman and Vice-Chair will remain the same until a suitable and safe public meeting is called and held.
- That as the cancellation of meetings has a direct impact on the holding of the Annual Parish Meeting (scheduled for 6th April 2020) the Parish Council will hold such meeting at a future date.
- It is noted that whilst the above decisions are contrary to existing legislation (as of 20th March 2020) the Parish Council has made these decisions in order to place public safety at the forefront.
- That the Clerk along with those elected members with delegated responsibility for the authorising and signing of cheque payments put measures in place with robust transparency processes to ensure effective business continuation and to minimise impact on local service delivery with ratification by the Parish Council to be made at the earliest and safest opportunity.
- That notification of planning applications be forwarded to members via email and their responses collated. Delegated powers given to the Parish Clerk to collate responses and submit to WLDC on a majority basis.
- To keep elected members (via email/telephone calls) and members of the public (via the Parish Council website and notice boards (where/when relevant and practicable) updated on advice from:
- The World Health Organisation
- Central Government & the NHS
- Lincolnshire Resilience Forum (LRF/Emergency Planning Team
- The National Association of Local Councils
- he Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils
- Any other recognised public or national body
That the above be ratified, unanimously Resolved.
7 – 20/21 TO RESOLVE TO FORMALLY RATIFY EN-BLOC THE FOLLOWING DECISIONS AS APPROVED BY COUNCILLORS BY E-MAIL FROM 20.3.2020 DUE TO THE PARISH COUNCIL BEING UNABLE TO MEET DUE TO COVID 19.
1. 24.3.2020 - To register for on-line banking
2. 25.3.2020 - Planning application 140663 – 129 Hawthorn Chase – first floor extension, sun room and garden wall – comments submitted to WLDC Planning – No objections
3. 25.3.2020 - Closure of play area at The Chase and continue with monthly inspections
4. 3.4.2020 - Payment of accounts for March 2020:-
- EKM Ltd - 4 play equipment inspections/small repair - £85.00 net, £17.00 VAT = £102.00 Gross
- Nettleham Parish Council – Room hire - £15.00
- Glendale – Washing Gates - £38.00 net, £7.60 VAT, £45.60 gross
- Glendale – Cutting The Chase and Westfield Roundabout, strimming round the gateways - £64.00 net, £12.80 VAT, £76.80 gross
- Todds – stationery - £21.72 net, £4.34 VAT, £26.06 gross
- Mrs C Myers – expenses = £59.33
- Mrs C Myers – Salary and Pension contributions March 2020
5. 2.4.2020 - Application 140785 - 4 Lawley Close – Proposed side extension - Comments submitted to WLDC – No objections
6. 27.4.2020 – Payment of accounts for April 2020:-
- EKM Ltd – Play area inspections (3) and chain and bolting of gates - £80.00 net, £16.00 VAT £96.00 Gross
- Mrs C Myers - Salary and Pension contributions for April
- Mr C Myers – Clerks expenses – April 2020 = £15.75
7. 11.5.2020 – Application 141013 - 3 Stocking Way – single storey side extension
Councillors have been unable to meet formally to discuss the application. However all members have been contacted be me by email and wish your Council to note that they have no objections.
8. 19.5.2020 – Renewal of Parish Account Insurance policy
9. 19.5.2020 – Application 141013 – 3 Stocking Way – Single Side storey extension – No comments/objections.
10. 22.5.2020 – Payments of accounts for May 2020:-
- Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils – Annual membership - £244.86
- Came & Co – Insurance premium - £574.72
- Mrs C Myers – expenses = £11.85
- Mrs B Solly – Internal Audit - £40.00
- Mrs C Myers – Salary and Pension contributions for May 2020
That the above be ratified - unanimously Resolved.
8 - 20/21 CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTS
a) Compulsory purchase of land by LCC at The Chase – To grant authority to the Chairman, Vice Chair and Clerk to sign the required documents to complete the sale of the land – Proposed by Councillor Mike Taylor, seconded by Councillor Chris Thatcher - unanimously Resolved.
b) Correspondence received since last meeting and circulated to members:
*Circulated to residents email list
- 2.3.2020 – Notice of LALC Networking event at Cranwell 19.3.2020
- 2.3.2020 – LALC Weekly News
- 5.3.2020 – LCC - Up to date monitoring of Heighington Road/Canwick Hill traffic signals
- 5.3.2020 – New Transport strategy for Lincoln
- 5.3.2020 – Information from the ICO
- 6.3.2020 – WYPF Pension Matters
- 10.3.2020 – LALC Weekly News
- 11.3.2020 – WLDC Parish News
- 12.3.2020 – Police and Crime Commissioner annual statement
- *12.3.2020 – CC Ian Fleetwood’s March Report
- 16.3.2020 – LCC Towns and Parish News – Covid 19
- 16.3.2020 – Message re WLDC consulting on Dog Fouling Order
- 23.3.2020 – LCC Enquiry re local Community Room availability
- 24.3.20202 – LALC weekly News
- 24.3.2020 – LALC Weekly News
- 24.3.2020 – Information re audit from - PKF Littlejohn
- 26.3.2020 – Information from the ICO
- 27.3.2020 – Update from the Community and Volunteer Coordination Cell (CVC)
- 28.3.2020 – CVC update7
- 29.3.2020 – CVC update 7
- 30.3.2020 – CVC Update 8
- 31.3.2020 – LALC Weekly News
- 1.4.2020 – LCC re essential highway services during Covid 19 outbreak
- 1.4.2020 – WYPF Pension Matters
- 3.4.2020 - Lincolnshire Resilience Forum update
- 3.4.2020 – Notification from NALC that meetings may be held remotely.
- 8.4.2020 – Neighbourhood Planning Locality – Changes due to Covid 19
- 10.4.2020 – Lincolnshire Resilience Forum – Communities and Volunteers Newsletter
- 10.4.2020 – WLDC – Volunteer and Community Sector Coronavirus bulletin
- 15.4.2020 – Quantum Fiber enquiry re fibre broadband in parish
- 16.4.2020 – LCC notification of cutting of FP131
- 17.4.2020 – WLDC – Volunteer and Community Coronavirus bulletin
- 17.4.2020 – WLDC - Advice on closure of play areas (The Chase play area chained and bolted 27.3.2020)
- 21.4.2020 – Neighbourhood Plan Newsletter – April 2020
- 22.4.2020 – LALC Weekly News
- 23.4.2020 – Monthly inspections sheets of The Chase play area
- 24.4.2020 – Audit details from PKF Littlejohn, External Auditors
- 24.4.2020 – WLDC – timetable for remote meetings
- 25.4.2020 – Parish Council Community newsletter – April 2020
- 25.4.2020 – WLDC Coronavirus Bulletin
- 25.4.2020 - Lincolnshire Resilience Forum update
- 27.4.2020 – LALC Guidance for Councils RE Coronavirus Legislation and Audit 2020
- 30.4.32020 – Government letter to Town and Parish Councils re Covid 19
- 30.4.2020 – LCC Roadworks update
- 1.5.2020 – - Lincolnshire Resilience Forum update
- *4.5.2020 – CC I Fleetwood’s brief
- 7.5.2020 – LALC Weekly News
- *7.5.2020 – Information on opening of LCC Recycling Centres
- 9.5.2020 – Lincolnshire Resilience Forum update
- *12.5.2020 – Think Local Campaign
- 13.5.2020 – Information re LALC online training course for Councillors
- 15.5.2020 – WLDC Play areas and open spaces update
- 15.5.2020 – Lincolnshire Resilience Forum update
- 16.5.2020 – Priory LSST Boarding Admissions Consultation Paper
- 22.5.2020 – LALC Weekly News
9 - 20/21 FINANCE
a) Bank Reconciliation to 31.3.2020 – This had been forwarded to all Councillors and was noted. The Chairman would sign at a later date.
b) Audit 2019/20
i. Report from Internal Auditor for Accounts 2019/20 as follows:-
‘As per your request, I have carried out the Year End Internal Audit of the Council accounts to 31st March 2020. From the checks that I have performed and from the information that I have seen, I can conclude that the accounts have been maintained to the highest of standards and I thank the Clerk for her careful attention to the accounts and the time she has taken to produce them. I have looked at bank statements and reconciliations, income and expenditure, invoices, payments, chequebooks, fixed asset register, risk assessments, VAT returns, salaries and PAYE returns as well as the minutes of the meetings. I have completed and signed the Internal Auditor page in the Annual Governance and Accountability Return.’
ii. To consider and approve by Resolution the Certificate of Exemption from a limited assurance review – That Greetwell Parish Council certify itself from a limited assurance review under Section 9 of the Local Audit (Smaller Authorities) Regulation 2015, proposed by Councillors Mrs Sarah Bates, seconded by Councillor John Taylor - unanimously Resolved.
iii. To complete the Annual Governance Statement 2019/20 – This had been copied to all members in advance of the meeting. That the Parish Council had adhered to items 1 – 9 on the Statement and that ‘Yes’ could be applied to all boxes, proposed by Councillor Mrs Sarah Bates, seconded by Councillor John Taylor - unanimously Resolved.
iv. To consider and approve by Resolution the Accounting Statements for 2019/20 – All members had received a copy of the Accounting Statements in advance of the meeting. That the Accounting Statements be approved proposed by Councillor Mrs Sarah Bates, seconded by Councillor John Taylor - unanimously Resolved.
10 – 20/21 CLERKS REPORT
The Clerk stated that although arrangements for the operation of the Parish Council during this difficult period had been put in place at short notice the Council was running smoothly. She thanked all Councillors sincerely for their quick responses to emails for making decisions.
11 – 20/21 CHAIRMANS COMMENTS
The Chairman endorsed the Clerk’s comments to Councillors.
It was also noted that the Community Speedwatch Team would now be able to carry out speedwatch in North Greetwell.
12 – 20/21TO CONSIDER A DATE FOR A FUTURE MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL, SUBJECT TO ANY RESTRICTIONS
That a remote meeting be held on 6 July 2020 commencing at 7.00pm - unanimously Resolved.