March 2021 Minutes
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting of North Kelsey Parish Council held in the Village Hall on Tuesday 9th March 2021 at 7.00pm
Meeting viewed online by electronic format Zoom on Tuesday 9th March 2021 at 7.00pm
Those present at the hall : Cllr P Bryan ( chair ) , M Williams, D Hunt, S March, H Burrows
Those present via zoom : Councillors D Weir.
In attendance: J Waite (Clerk)
1To receive apologies and reasons for absence Ref 20/379
Cllr T Turner, Cllr L Barker, Cllr R Smith.
2 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. Ref 20/380
Cllr M Williams – Disclosable Pecuniary Interest - Grass cutting contract.
Cllr P Bryan – personal interest Planning Application 142382 – Damson Cottage Carr Road North Kelsey
3 To approve draft minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council, held on 9th February 2021. Ref 20/381
Resolved to approve as a true record.
Proposed Cllr P Bryan. Seconded Cllr S March. All in favour.
4 Public Questions Ref 20/382
None Raised.
5 Chairs Report Ref 20/383
A summary report from the Clerks appraisal meeting was discussed and 11 action points were put forward. Some of these were discussed;
The issue of working more than contracted hours was looked at, and suggestions made to decrease some of work load.
Cllr D Hunt was appointed to be the community champion for the Parish Council and to correspond with volunteers.
Cllr D Hunt, D Weir will lead the working group to plan a summer fete.
Clerk left the meeting.
The issue of the clerks pay review was held over to a future meeting.
Clerk returned to meeting.
Written report can be circulated via email. Councillors on the appraisal panel were reminded that some items were to remain confidential.
Action Plan Reminder – copies circulated via email before the meeting. Has been updated as requested from last meeting with initials for councillor / clerk to carry out an action.
Councillor Handbooks – these were issued to each councillor containing copies of Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, Code of Conduct and the Parish Council Risk Management Policy. Other policies to be added when updated and adopted. Folders to be returned to council on ceasing to be a member.
6 Clerk’s report Ref 20/384
The email address to contact the Clerk is clerk.northkelseyparish@gmail.com
There is currently 1 casual vacancy for the council – the Clerk has received no nominations.
No requests for Covid support have been received from residents.
A cheque has been received from Black Rock for the Youth Club – to be passed onto them.
The issue of metal detecting on the playing field was looked at again and it was decided that this would be acceptable over winter months. A form would need to be completed and returned to Cllr Weir.
Several potholes have been reported on Station Road, Carr Road, Gilicar Lane. Fly tipping / litter collections has been reported and collected from 3 locations on Cross Lane, Brigg Road and 3 locations on Station Road. The missing drain cover on Carr Road has a temporary cover.
Council facebook page - Items to be included can be emailed to the Clerk. New photos are needed to update on the site.
New website has now been published https://north-kelsey.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/. Finance information has been updated, and policies are to be added.
Cllr D Hunt to liaise with Louise Reece about the Good Neighbour Scheme.
Cllr Burrows asked a question about signing financial records – the payments for current financial year are available at every meeting, and each invoice is signed by 2 councillors when they are approved at each meeting.
Bank mandate needs updating.
Clerk was asked why VAT has not been claimed for last 3 financial years – problems with HMRC Government Gateway account, and HMRC haven’t supplied the reference number have ment a delay in claiming using the online system. Clerk has used paper Form 126 on 2 occasions but no response from HMRC. Issue is to be dealt with as a matter of urgency.
Cllr M Williams left the meeting.
Grass cutting contract 2021/22
3 quotes have been received. The specification is the same as the contract for 2020/21.
Quote 1
General grass cutting of play area, West street car park, cemetery and verges, based on 1 cut per month £1300
Extra services of spraying, rolling field, cutting cemetery hedge £1210
Quote 2
General grass cutting of play area, West street car park, cemetery and verges, based on 1 cut per month £ 319.00
Extra services of spraying, rolling field, cutting cemetery hedge £400
Quote 3
General grass cutting of play area, West street car park, cemetery and verges, based on 1 cut per month £ 365
Extra services of spraying, rolling field, cutting cemetery hedge £245.
It was proposed to accept quote 2 for General grass cutting of play area, West street car park, cemetery and verges, based on 1 cut per month £ 319.00
It was proposed to accept quote for Extra services of spraying, rolling field, cutting cemetery hedge £245.
To be reviewed in January 2022 for the next season.
Proposed Cllr Bryan. Seconded Cllr H Burrows. All in favour.
If one contractor does not wish to have part of the contract, then it will be offered in full to the other.
Proposed Cllr Bryan. Seconded Cllr S March. All in favour.
Cllr M Williams returned the meeting.
A summary sheet of all council policies and their review dates was circulated.
Policies to be adopted;
Safeguarding
Annual Leave
Expenses – for Officers
Expenses – for Councillors
Anti Harassment and Anti Bullying.
All were reviewed and adopted.
Proposed Cllr Bryan. Seconded Cllr S March. All in favour.
7. Financial Matters Ref 20/385
Payments to be made by direct debit.
CREDIT REFUND – Wave £1616.20
Payments to be made by BACS.
Salaries £314.04
Clerks Expenses and Disbursements £40.39
JB Rural Services – playing field hedge £600.00
Office Friends – councillor handbook folders £31.67
LALC Training Scheme fee £120.00
LALC Membership fee £265.36
D Hunt – flower box expenses £20.39
S March – play equipment painting expenses £10.00
Payments to be made by cheque.
None.
The expenses claim includes the Zoom monthly membership of £14.39 paid by the Clerk.
Resolved to approve payments.
Proposed Cllr P Bryan. Seconded Cllr D Hunt. All in favour.
Clerk has worked 14 hours of overtime during January and February 2021.
Council resolved to pay Clerk for these hours.
Proposed Cllr P Bryan. Seconded Cllr D Hunt. All in favour.
No arrangements were put in place for overtime in future. Clerk will work 6 hours each week. Councillors will be notified as to when hours are reached and out of office message on email will be updated to contact Chair in this circumstance.
8 Planning applications and decisions received Ref 20/386
Application 142382 – Damson Cottage Carr Road North Kelsey – No comments or objections.
9 Parish matters – To receive any report or consider any appropriate action Ref 20/387
a) Cemetery - Dogs must be kept on leads in the cemetery and any dog fouling cleared up.
The contractor has submitted a new quote of £475.00 to do the revised work on the boundary hedge.
Proposed to accept and go ahead with work.
Proposed Cllr P Bryan. Seconded Cllr D Hunt. All in favour.
2 Quotes for tree work on far boundary by new housing development was received at £1410.00 and £550.00.
Proposed to accept quote of £550.00
Proposed Cllr P Bryan. Seconded Cllr H Burrows. All in favour.
The grant funded work to realign selected grave stones, resetting selected grave stones, edging and cleaning of selected grave stones, remove ivy from grave stones , turn fallen grave stones so inscriptions can be see, cut back yew tree that is obscuring gravestones and remove all waste from site – quote £850.00
Proposed to accept quote of £850.00
Proposed Cllr P Bryan. Seconded Cllr H Burrows. All in favour.
b) Grounds Maintenance - dates for litter picking to be advertised. More information to be sought about the Best Kept Village Competition.
c) Play Area - number of mole hills has increased again – clerk to contact mole contractor. Hedge has been cut – to be done again in October 2021.
d) Wild Life Area – covid response grant is ready to be submitted. Discussion of on going maintenance if new pathway across the field is put in.
10 To receive general comments from members for consideration on the next agenda. Ref 20/388
None raised
11 Date and Time of next meeting –
April 13th 2021 at the Village Hall North Kelsey, 6.30pm
Meeting closed 10.15pm.