Minutes January 2023
Minutes of the Meeting of Ropsley & District Parish Council held at Ropsley Hall on Monday 9 January 2023
Public Forum
There were three members of the public in attendance. The first spoke in reference to planning application S22/2363, for which she was the applicant. She expressed disappointment that the Parish Council had objected to the application in advance of the meeting. The Clerk explained that the Council had submitted its comments due to the deadline being 6 January.
The parishioner noted that a tree specialist had indicated that the trees on the property had been overplanted and poorly maintained, and they as owners were keen to replace them with trees more suitable for a domestic garden. The trees which had already been removed were rotten. The parishioner read a statement from a neighbour in support of her application, which stated that the property had previously been neglected and the trees overgrown. The second parishioner present spoke in support of the first and commented that her mother-in-law’s property neighboured the applicant’s property and would be at risk from falling trees if they were not properly maintained.
The third parishioner informed Councillors that he was interested in joining the Parish Council, and had contacted the Clerk to express an interest in the two casual vacancies. The Chairman thanked the parishioners for their contributions, and noted that they were welcome to remain and observe the meeting, which they did.
In Attendance
Councillor Ward (Chair), Councillor Marshall (Vice-Chair), Councillor Leslie, Councillor Porter, Councillor Reeves, Councillor Rowbotham, Mrs N Gascoigne (Clerk & RFO), County Councillor Hill (part).
The Chair opened the meeting at 7.15pm.
1. WELCOME REMARKS BY THE CHAIR (22/62)
1.1 The Chair welcomed Members to the meeting and thanked them for their attendance.
2. APOLOGIES: TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND TO RESOLVE TO ACCEPT REASONS GIVEN (22/63)
2.1 Apologies were received from District Councillor Trotter.
3. DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTEREST AND REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATION (22/64)
3.1 Councillors Ward and Reeves declared that they were members of the Ropsley Hall Committee in relation to item 7.2, the payment to Ropsley Hall, and Councillor Ward declared that he was a member of the Parochial Church Council (PCC) in relation to item 7.2, the payment to the PCC. No requests for dispensation were made.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (22/65)
4.1 Councillor Marshall proposed that the Clerk’s notes of the Parish Council meeting held on 5 December 2022 be approved as a true record, which was seconded by Councillor Reeves.
Resolved: The minutes of the meeting held on 5 December were approved and duly signed by the Chair, along with the minutes of the meeting of 3 October 2022 which were not available for signature at the previous meeting.
Action: Councillor Ward to post a laminated copy of the cemetery rules in the cemetery, outstanding from the previous meeting.
5. DISTRICT AND COUNTY COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS (22/66)
5.1 As Councillors Trotter and Hill were not in attendance, there was no report. The Chair noted that he and the Clerk had been invited to a meeting with Councillor Trotter and the new Police Inspector for the area on 17 January and asked Councillors if there were any matters they would like to raise. Councillors noted that they would like to see an increased police visibility in the Parish and would like to receive periodic reports from the police to the Parish Council.
Action: Councillors to inform the Clerk of any further matters to be raised at the Police meeting before 17 January.
6. CLERK’S REPORT (22/67)
6.1 Councillors noted the contents of the Clerk’s Report with regards to actions from the previous minutes.
7. FINANCE (22/68)
7.1 Members noted the following income received.
Remitter Purpose Amount £
Calendar income Calendar competition 266.51
7.2 Members considered the listed items of expenditure for approval. Councillor Ward proposed that the expenditure be approved, which was seconded by Councillor Marshall.
Resolved: To approve expenditure as follows:
Payee Purpose Amount £
Employment Costs September 2022 566.75
HSBC Bank Charges November 2022 5.00
Community Heartbeat Trust Battery and pads 376.80
Ropsley Hall Hire charges May – Dec 2022 70.00
Employment Costs December 2022 628.35
Wave Cemetery Water 28.34
HSBC Bank Charges December 2022 5.00
Employment Costs January 2023 591.75
Autela Payroll Services Oct – Dec 22 66.27
7.3 The Chair proposed that Members approve the bank reconciliation previously circulated by the Clerk.
Resolved: To approve the December bank reconciliation, which was duly signed by Councillor Reeves, along with the October bank reconciliation, which was not available for signature at the previous meeting.
7.4 Members noted the budget monitoring statement showing expenditure and income against the 2022/23 budget to date previously circulated by the Clerk. The Clerk noted that the Council was forecast to break even at year-end, and that this included a higher than forecast VAT rebate and an underspend on defibrillator replacements.
7.5 The Clerk outlined the budget for 2023/2024, which had previously been circulated and discussed. The Clerk noted that the proposal was to raise the precept from £12,500 in 2022/23 to £13,210 in 2023/24, but that due to an increase in the number of Band D equivalent properties in the parish, this would lead to a nil increase in the Band D equivalent Council Tax. Councillor Reeves noted that the Council was acutely aware of the cost of living pressures that its parishioners faced, and had therefore made a conscious decision not to increase the precept paid this year. Councillor Reeves proposed that the Council’s budget and precept for 2023/24 be approved, which was seconded by Councillor Marshall.
Resolved: To approve the budget for 2023/24 and to approve the precept of £13,210 (Band D equivalent £39.41, 0% increase).
8. RECRUITMENT (22/69)
8.1 Members discussed the advertisement of the two casual vacancies arising from the resignation of Councillors Gosbee and Sentance. They agreed that they be advertised with a closing date of 17 February, and that applicants be asked to complete an application form. The details of the next stage in the selection process would be finalised once the number of applicants was known.
Action: To advertise the casual vacancies on the Parish website, Facebook page and noticeboards with a closing date of 17 February with a view to co-option at the March meeting.
8.2 Members discussed working collaboratively with other local organisations such as the PCC and the Women’s Institute to arrange an informal event to thank existing volunteers and to encourage new ones. Councillors Rowbotham, Leslie, Ward and Marshall agreed to organise the event, and the date of 8 February was provisionally agreed subject to the availability of Ropsley Hall.
Action: The Clerk to confirm the availability of Ropsley Hall. Councillor Marshall to produce fliers to be delivered locally advertising the event.
The Chair moved the agenda to item 11.1 since this was linked with the issue of volunteer availability.
11. CEMETERY (22/70)
11.1 Members discussed obtaining quotes for the provision of grounds maintenance in the cemetery in the event that the Council was unable to secure sufficient volunteers to provide the service in the coming financial year. Members agreed that the cemetery was the only significant area of land in the Parish which would require mowing by a contractor in the event of a lack of volunteers, since the remaining land was the responsibility of other bodies such as SKDC, LCC or the Church.
Action: The Clerk to obtain three quotes for the mowing of the cemetery grass.
The Chair moved the agenda back to item 5.1, as County Councillor Hill had joined the meeting at 7.45pm.
5. DISTRICT AND COUNTY COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS (22/66)
5.1 County Councillor Hill noted that pothole repairs would be taking place at Braceby and Risewood Lane.
He noted that there had been a report regarding the condition of Somerby Road following its recent resurfacing. District Councillor Trotter had received reports of issues with parking, although this was largely police matter.
5.2 County Councillor Hill noted that the bypass from the A1 to Spitalgate level was now complete. A number of Afghan refugees had been housed in Stoke Rochford prior to being relocated into the community. The government had made further funding available in response to issues with accessing hospitals in the region and NHS staff shortages. The County Council was consulting on Council Tax increases of between 3 and 5%, and would need to supplement any increase from reserves.
5.3 Councillor Reeves asked about progress on housing between Somerby and Grantham. Councillor Hill responded that this was subject to planning, and there were plans for a garden village which was likely to take place after the opening of the bypass.
Action: Councillor Porter asked the Clerk to report the missing letters on the Sapperton sign, and Councillor Marshall asked the Clerk to report the missing street sign on The Chase.
9. PLANNING (22/71)
9.1 Members noted the following planning applications:
9.1.1 S22/2208 Change of use from residential annex to holiday let, The Annexe, Holly Cottage, Humby Road Ropsley, NG33 4BD.
9.1.2 S22/2363 Works to trees in a Conservation Area (Section 211), 1 Peck Hill Ropsley Lincs NG33 4BL
9.2 Members noted the following planning decisions:
9.2.1 S22/1844 Extensions and alterations to existing house, conversion of existing outbuilding into a residential annexe, 1 Peck Hill, Ropsley, NG33 4BL. Refused 2 December 2022
10. HIGHWAYS (22/72)
10.1 No report.
12. COMMUNITY UPDATES (22/73)
12.1 Councillor Rowbotham asked that the purchase of trees for Little Humby village entrances was deferred until after the village meeting.
Action: The Clerk to add to the next agenda.
12.2 There were no community updates from Councillors.
13. CORRESPONDENCE (22/74)
13.1 Members noted all general correspondence circulated for information since the December meeting.
14. DATE OF NEXT MEETING (22/75)
14.1 Councillor Reeves asked whether it would be possible to move the meeting to a day other than Monday, as the date often clashed with other meetings. Members provisionally discussed meeting on a Thursday subject to availability of the Hall. The date of the next meeting to be confirmed by the Clerk.
Meeting closed at 20.11pm.