Minutes July 2023
Minutes of the Meeting of Ropsley & District Parish Council held at Ropsley Hall on Monday 10 July 2023
Public Forum
There were no members of the public in attendance. Members resolved to suspend Standing Orders to allow the meeting to commence at 7pm.
In Attendance
Councillor Ward (Chair), Councillor Marshall (Vice-Chair), Councillor Hughes, Councillor Leslie, Councillor Louth, Councillor Vaughan, Mrs N Gascoigne (Clerk & RFO), County Councillor Hill (part), District Councillor Trotter, Mr Alastair Campbell (candidate for co-option), Mr Andrew Jones (candidate for Clerk’s vacancy).
The Chair opened the meeting at 7.00pm.
1. WELCOME REMARKS BY THE CHAIR (23/18)
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 (23/19)
2.1 Apologies were received from Councillor Rowbotham, the reasons for which were accepted.
3. DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTEREST AND REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATION (23/20)
3.1 There were no declarations of interest or requests for dispensation.
4. CO-OPTION (23/21)
4.1 Mr Alastair Campbell introduced himself as a candidate for co-option to the casual vacancy remaining following the election on 4 May 2023. Councillor Hughes proposed that Mr Campbell be co-opted, which was seconded by Councillor Marshall. Councillor Leslie noted that it was important that the Council did not become too Ropsley centric. Councillor Marshall advised that there had been no applicants from the other villages, but that the Council would focus on encouraging candidates from outside Ropsley to apply if another vacancy arose.
Resolved: To co-opt Councillor Campbell.
Action: Councillor Campbell to complete Declaration of Acceptance of Office and Declaration of Pecuniary Interest forms and to return these to the Clerk.
County Councillor Hill joined the meeting at 7.35pm.
5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (23/22)
5.1 The Chair proposed that the Clerk’s notes of the Annual Parish Council meeting held on 18 May 2023 be approved as a true record.
Resolved: The minutes of the meeting held on 18 May 2023 were approved and duly signed by the Chair.
6. DISTRICT AND COUNTY COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS (23/23)
6.1 District Councillor Trotter discussed a nomination for an SKDC Community Award. She reported that there had been one Full District Council meeting since the last Parish Council meeting. The new Leader of the Council would be coming to visit the ward on 4 August. The application for planning permission at 38 High Street had been withdrawn and a new application would be submitted.
6.2 Councillor Rowbotham had asked Councillor Trotter to raise the issue of a motocross event being held on 23 July, where the route would cross a public footpath and an application to close the footpath had not been made. Councillor Trotter had asked County Councillor Hill to put her in contact with the relevant officer at Lincolnshire County Council (LCC).
6.3 County Councillor Hill reported that work on the Grantham bypass was on track for completion by early 2025. LCC Children’s Services had been inspected and retained their Outstanding judgement. Highways would be doing some surface dressing in Ropsley. The County Council’s underspend and additional government funding would largely be devoted to Highways work, giving a total Highways budget of £90m. Work on the Anglian Water pipeline continued and would hopefully be completed during the dry weather.
6.4 Councillor Hill reported on an issue with verge mowing on Paddock Close, where it had been established that there was no owner of the land due to the housing developer having gone bankrupt several years ago. Councillor Vaughan asked about fibre broadband rollout in the area. Councillor Hill responded that the village could ask BT to consider installing cabling, as demonstrating demand would increase the priority.
Action: The Clerk to forward correspondence received by another Parish Council locally regarding fibre broadband, and to add to the September agenda.
7. CLERK’S REPORT (23/24)
7.1 Councillors noted the contents of the Clerk’s Report with regards to actions from the previous minutes.
County Councillor Hill left the meeting at 7.58pm.
7.2 Establishment of Personnel and Other Committees
Councillor Vaughan reported that he had attended LALC (Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils) training which had recommended that Councils have a Personnel Committee. Councillor Ward commented that he felt the Council was too small to establish other permanent committees, unless a particular project required a working party. Councillor Vaughan proposed that a Personnel Committee was established to ensure the Council met its obligations as an employer, and he and Councillors Louth and Leslie offered to sit on the committee.
Resolved: To form a Personnel Committee, comprised of Councillors Vaughan, Louth and Leslie.
Action: The Clerk to bring a Terms of Reference to the next meeting.
8. FINANCE (23/25)
8.1 Members noted the following income received.
Remitter Purpose Amount £
HMRC VAT Rebate 606.39
SKDC Community Cleaner Grant 463.32
R Charles Purchase of Mower 220.00
8.2 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 £
ICCM Annual Membership 95.00
Shaw and Sons Grants of Exclusive Right of Burial Book 153.60
LALC Annual Membership/Training Scheme 397.72
CloudNext .gov.uk Email Addresses 191.98
Employment Costs May 2023 610.15
HSBC Bank Charges 5.00
Tidy Gardens Cemetery Mowing 273.00
Employment Costs June 2023 583.15
Wave Cemetery Water 24.84
HSBC Bank Charges 5.00
ICCM Annual Membership 95.00
Autela Payroll Services 54.58
Tidy Gardens Cemetery Mowing 546.00
Ropsley Hall Room Hire 42.30
Clerk’s Expenses Reimbursement re LCC recruitment advert 49.00
Employment Costs July 2023 610.15
BHIB Insurance 722.98
8.3 The Chair proposed that Members approve the bank reconciliation previously circulated by the Clerk.
Resolved: To approve the June bank reconciliation, which was duly signed by Councillor Hughes.
9. VOLUNTEERS (23/26)
9.1 Volunteer Meeting
Councillor Marshall proposed that another volunteer event be held. Councillor Hughes suggested that this would be an opportunity to capture ideas for projects, and to thank volunteers for their work to date. Councillor Marshall proposed that the event be held in September, and that she was happy to help, as were Councillor Louth and Councillor Hughes.
Resolved: For Councillors Marshall, Louth and Hughes to arrange a volunteer meeting in early September.
9.2 Gardening Gang Update including High-Vis Vests
Councillor Louth reported that the last Gardening Gang meeting in June had been reasonably well attended. Volunteers had asked for a mowing map so that they could colour code the areas they were working on., which he had provided to one of the members. He had discovered how to fill the pond and would find out how often the fish were fed and by whom. He noted that there needed to be a mown area next to the pond so that it was clear where the edge was. The group had discussed converting the building in the cemetery for storage, and had concluded that it would be too much work. Members were happy to each store the equipment they were using.
Councillor Marshall reported that the tree design had been agreed for the high-vis vest logos, and that 24 vests with the logo could be ordered for £115. Councillors agreed that yellow vests be ordered, with eight each of large, XL and XXL.
9.3 Gardening Equipment
Councillor Louth asked whether the ride-on mower was required given that the cemetery was now cut by a contractor. Councillor Marshall suggested that if it was not needed, it could be donated to Humby for cutting the Village Green. Councillor Louth had visited the cemetery with Mrs Charles to look at hedge cutting, which it was agreed the contractor could be asked to undertake. There was concern about some dead trees on the boundary. It was agreed that Mr Maples undertake work to overhanging branches, and that quotes be obtained for the more significant works. Councillor Louth proposed cutting back and spraying grass in preparation for sowing a wildflower meadow. He noted that wildflower seed would be £65 per kilo excluding VAT and asked that this be added to the September agenda.
Action: Councillor Louth to send the pictures of dead trees to the Clerk, who would check whether there was a Tree Preservation Order in place.
The Clerk to obtain quotes for the more significant tree works.
` The Clerk to add approval of purchase of wildflower seed to the September agenda.
The Clerk to ensure that a copy of the gardening contractor’s insurance had been obtained.
9.4 Future Projects
Councillor Marshall suggested that this be raised at the volunteer meeting.
Action: The Clerk to add to the September agenda.
10. PLANNING (23/27)
10.1 No planning applications received.
10.2 Members noted the following planning decisions:
10.2.1 S23/0257 Replacement of 8 non-original single glazed timber-framed windows, Corner House Farm, Main Street, Little Humby – Application withdrawn
10.2.2 S23/0639 Non-material Amendment for change in materials on elevations rear and side from render to brick as permitted by p/p S22/0959, 12 Grantham Road, Ropsley, Lincolnshire - Approved 30th May 2023
11. HIGHWAYS (23/28)
11.1 Members noted correspondence received from LCC regarding the application for traffic restrictions in the centre of the village around the War Memorial, which had asked whether there was still an issue with parking. Members confirmed that the issue was ongoing.
Action: The Clerk to respond to LCC to confirm that parking continued to be an issue.
12. CEMETERY (23/29)
12.1 Work needed in the cemetery
12.2 Rewilding and planting of wildflower seeds.
These matters had been discussed at items 9.2 and 9.3 above.
13. COMMUNITY UPDATES (23/30)
13.1 Combined Activity calendar
Councillor Hughes proposed that a Google Sheets document be used to produce a combined events and meeting calendar for village organisations to allow collaboration and to prevent clashes. Councillors would provide Councillor Hughes with the best contacts for each organisation and Councillor Hughes would run a session for users to explain how the document worked.
Action: Councillors to provide Councillor Hughes with contact details for local organisations.
13.2 Calendar competition for 2023
Councillors agreed that a calendar competition be run for 2024.
Action: Councillor Marshall to make arrangements to run the calendar competition.
13.3 Newsletter
Councillors agreed that the newsletter would be produced at the end of October.
Action: Councillors to provide suggestions for content before the next Parish Council meeting.
13.4 To consider nominations for the SKDC Community Awards
Councillor Ward made a suggestion regarding a nomination for an SKDC Community Award for volunteering and District Councillor Trotter suggested that the Council also make a nomination in the Bloom category. Councillors were in agreement with both nominations.
Action: Councillors Ward, Marshall and Hughes to submit nominations in the Volunteer and Bloom categories.
13.5 Paddock Close mowing
This was covered at item 6.4 above.
13.6 There were no community updates from Councillors.
14. CORRESPONDENCE (23/31)
14.1 Members noted all general correspondence circulated for information since the May meeting.
15. CLERK RECRUITMENT (23/32)
15.1 Members resolved to move into closed session in accordance with the Public Bodies Act of 1960 due to the confidential nature of matters to be discussed. Mr Jones and Councillor Trotter left the meeting at 9.07pm.
15.2 The Chair and Vice-Chair reported that they had met with Mr Jones and another candidate and recommended that Mr Jones be appointed.
Clerk: To add formal appointment of Mr Jones as Clerk to the September agenda, and to arrange a handover meeting.
Chair: To take up Mr Jones’ references.
16. DATE OF NEXT MEETING (23/33)
16.1 Monday 11 September at 7pm at Ropsley Hall.
The meeting was closed by the Chair at 9.17pm.