June 2020

Minutes of the Ropsley & District Annual Parish Council Meeting held virtually via Zoom Video Conference on Monday, 15 June 2020

No members of the public were in attendance.  Councillor Marshall reported that she had received a message from a member of the public wishing to thank those villagers who make the surroundings in the Parish so pleasant through their voluntary work.  The meeting commenced at 7.30pm.

1.  ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN & DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE (20/01)

Councillor Leslie proposed that Councillor Buckley be re-elected as Chairman, which proposal was seconded by Councillor Gosbee.

Resolved: To re-elect Councillor Buckley as Chairman.

Action: Councillor Buckley to sign a Declaration of Acceptance of Office form, to be returned to the Clerk.

2. ELECTION OF VICE-CHAIR & DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE (20/02)

Councillor Rowbotham proposed that Councillor Marshall be re-elected as Vice-Chair, which proposal was seconded by Councillor Porter.

Resolved: To re-elect Councillor Marshall as Chair.

Action: Councillor Marshall to sign a Declaration of Acceptance of Office form, to be returned to the Clerk.

3. WELCOME REMARKS BY THE CHAIRMAN (20/03)

The Chairman welcomed Members to the meeting and thanked them for their attendance.  Those in attendance, the Vice-Chair, Councillor Marshall, Councillors Gosbee, Leslie, Porter, Reeves and Rowbotham, the Clerk Mrs Gascoigne, County Councillor Hill and District Councillor Trotter.

4.  APOLOGIES:  TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND TO RESOLVE TO ACCEPT REASONS GIVEN (20/04)

The Chairman had received apologies from Councillor Sentance, the reasons for which were noted.

Resolved: To accept the apologies for absence and reasons given.

5.  DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTEREST AND REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATION (20/05)

No declarations of interest or requests for dispensations were received.

6.  APPROVAL OF MINUTES (20/06)

6.1  The Chairman proposed an amendment to the notes of the meeting of 9 March where the amount of Neighbourhood Planning grant remaining was reported to be £2,800 and should have been £1,846. 

Resolved: To approve the Clerk’s notes of 9 March and 8 June 2020 were approved by resolution of the Council subject to the above amendment.

6.2          The Chairman asked the County and District Councillors to present their updates to the meeting.  Councillor Hill reported that Lincolnshire County Council had largely been occupied with fighting Coronavirus.  Lincolnshire’s rates were the second lowest in the country, but there was therefore a risk that the County could be vulnerable in a second phase due to the lack of prior exposure. The Council was going through process of opening up and was now accepting more waste at its recycling centres with an advance booking system. Work on phase 2 of the Grantham bypass was proceeding.  The parish highways walkabout took place before lockdown, following which the Highways department were in discussion with the local farming company and had a list of works to be completed after lockdown.  Neighbourhood Highways teams would be introduced in January, which would carry out work on smartening up, fixing signs and so on as opposed to routine maintenance.

Councillor Rowbotham asked whether trailers could now be taken to the recycling centres.  Councillor Hill reported that they were due to be accepted soon, and that updates would be provided via the website. 

Councillor Porter asked whether the gulleys in Sapperton could be looked at in the next walkabout.  Councillor Hill reported that they had been looked at and that the Neighbourhood Teams were working on flooding issues.  The Chairman added that he had sent his notes of the walkabout to Rowan Smith, the Highways manager but had not yet received a response. 

Action:  Councillor Hill to follow up Mr Smith’s action plan and timescales for work.

Councillor Trotter reported that she had been in contact with Councillors regarding fly tipping, and that the boat on Green Lane had now been removed.  Local government departments had worked together in response to an issue with travellers, who eventually left the site of their own volition.  Councillor Trotter reported that whilst the application for a Children’s Home in Sapperton had been withdrawn, elsewhere it was ongoing and there was another home proposed at Londonthorpe.  The planning application for the travellers’ site at Cold Harbour had gone to appeal, and was awaiting a hearing.  Grass cutting had been an issue early in lockdown, but she had since received praise for the appearance of the village. Councillor Gosbee reported that the tree works to remove the top and bottom of the tree on Hall Close to allow pedestrians to walk underneath it which were due to be carried out had not yet been done. 

7.  ANNUAL PROCEDURES (20/07)

7.1  The Chairman proposed that the updated Standing Orders and Financial Procedures previously circulated by the Clerk be approved. 

Resolved: To adopt the updated Standing Orders and Financial Procedures.

Action: The Chairman to sign the policies and return them to the Clerk.

7.2  The Chairman proposed that Members ratify the renewal of the insurance policy in accordance with the three-year agreement with Came and Co at a cost of £767.13 further to the Council’s provisional approval by email of 5 May 2020.

Resolved: To formally approve the renewal of the insurance policy at a cost of £767.13               

8.  ANNUAL RETURN (20/08)

8.1  The Chairman proposed that Members approve the appointment of Mrs Carol Mackenzie as Internal Auditor to the Council for a fee of £40. 

Resolved: To approve the appointment and payment of £40.

8.2  Members considered the Internal Audit Report for 2019/20 provided by Mrs Mackenzie and noted that all sections were answered in the affirmative. 

8.3  The Chairman read each statement of Section 1 of the Annual Governance Statement in turn and Members indicated their agreement to each question.  Councillor Rowbotham proposed that the Section 1 of the Annual Governance Statement was approved, which was seconded by Councillor Gosbee.

Resolved:  To approve Section 1 of the Annual Governance Return.

8.4  Members considered the Annual Accounting statements contained in Section 2 of the Annual Return, which had previously been circulated along with supporting documents.  The Chairman proposed that they be approved. 

Resolved:  To approve Section 2 of the Annual Governance Return.

8.5  The Chairman proposed that the Council declare itself exempt from External Audit as its income and expenditure were below the £25k limit. 

Resolved:  To declare exemption from External Audit.

Action:  The Chairman to sign Sections 1 and 2 and the Exemption Statement and forward to the Clerk for submission and publication.

9.  FINANCE (20/09)

9.1  Members noted the income received.

9.2  The Chairman proposed that the items of expenditure listed be approved.

Resolved:  To approve the proposed items of expenditure.

9.3  The Chairman proposed that Members approve the bank reconciliation previously circulated by the Clerk.  Resolved:  To approve the May bank reconciliation.

Action:  Councillor Reeves to sign and date the bank reconciliation and return to the Clerk.

9.4  Members noted the budget monitoring statement showing expenditure and income against the 2020/21 budget to date previously circulated by the Clerk.

9.5  Members noted the VAT126 reclaim in the amount of £185.48. 

9.6  The Chairman proposed that Members formally ratify the application for the Coronavirus Business Support Grant of £10k from InvestSK and the application for £410 from Lincolnshire County Councillor Hill’s Coronavirus Community Fund. 

Resolved:  To ratify the applications and to accept the funding received.

Action: Members to consider potential schemes to be funded by the InvestSK income.  The Clerk to add consideration of reserves to the next agenda.

10.  CLERK’S REPORT (20/10)

10.1  Members noted the contents of the Clerk’s Report with regards to actions from previous minutes.

11.  PLANNING (20/11)

11.1  Members noted that application S20/0166 re Sycamore Cottage at Sapperton was withdrawn by the applicant.

11.2  S20/0055 Noted

11.3  S20/0032 Noted

11.4  S20/0292 Noted

11.5  S20/0161 Noted

11.6  S20/0042 Noted

11.7 S20/0596 Noted

11.8 S20/0659

Members discussed representations received regarding the application and noted that the Council had previously made representations requesting that planners consider the impact of the development on neighbours, access, drainage and local character.  Councillor Trotter reported that she had spoken with the planning officer in charge of the case.

11.9  S20/0478 Noted.

12.  NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN (20/12)

12.1  The Chairman informed Members that the Neighbourhood Plan was now with SKDC who had carried out final consultations prior to circulation to external consultees and submission to the inspectors.  He commended the work done by Clive Keble, with which Councillor Reeves agreed.  The final referendum had been delayed until April due to Coronavirus.

12.2  The Chairman reported that the Parish Council had received copies of the proposed submission documents for the Ropsley and District Neighbourhood Plan and was happy to approve their Submission to SKDC when the SEA Screening had been completed. The Parish Council delegated the Submission process to Clive Keble Consulting (the retained planning adviser for the NP), in consultation with the Chair of the NP Steering Committee.

Resolved: to approve submission following SEA screening and to delegate submission to Clive Keble in consultation with the Chair of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee.

13.  HIGHWAYS (20/13)

13.1  The Chairman referred to his notes of the walkabout on 12 March previously circulated. Councillor Rowbotham reported that the barriers to the river at the bottom of Humby Mill required attention and should be highlighted to the Highways department.

Action:  The Clerk to contact Highways.  The Chairman to provide photographs for submission to LCC.

13.2  Councillor Marshall reported that there was no resolution yet regarding the new stile placed across the public footpath, although there had been correspondence with Andrew Savage at Lincolnshire County Council who had contacted the landowner.  She reported that no sheep are being grazed at present.  Councillor Hill requested that the correspondence be forwarded to him so that he could follow up if necessary.

Action: The Clerk to forward the correspondence with Andrew Savage to Councillor Hill.

13.3  Members noted correspondence from Anglian Water regarding the future installation of strategic pipelines in the parish.  The Chairman commented that Council would await further correspondence regarding the detail of the plans.      

14.  CEMETERY (20/14)

14.1  Councillor Gosbee reported that he was in receipt of a cheque for £240 for the sale of burial plots, and that he had a meeting planned on Friday 19 June to discuss an interment of ashes.

14.2  Members discussed the burial ground fees and the comparators that had been circulated by the Clerk.  Members also discussed whether a reserve was required for the potential purchase of further land for burials should the current burial ground become full.  Councillor Rowbotham reported that the reserve held in the Melton Mowbray Building Society had been established for this purpose.

Action: The Clerk to present the cemetery costs and income to inform further discussion on charges at the July meeting.  Members to exchange ideas by email in advance of the meeting.

15.  COMMUNITY UPDATES (20/15)

15.1  Councillor Marshall reported that she had received 70 photos to date in response to the Best Kept Garden Competition, and that the competition had increased engagement with the Council’s Facebook page.  She had not yet received many entries in the Children’s Garden and none for the Best Garden from Recyclables categories.  The competition closing date was June 30th.  Members discussed who might judge the competition.  The Strange Times had been produced and available for collection every week from outside the Green Man.  The Communications Department at LCC had contacted the Council to ask for photographs to illustrate a story on the Coronavirus funding the Parish Council had received.

Action:  Councillor Marshall to contact Councillors Leslie and Rowbotham with regards to identifying a suitable independent judge for the Garden Competition.

15.2  The Chairman reported that the District Councillor’s grant had paid for the design of the sign.  Two proposals had been put forward, one using the existing post and ironwork and the other for a new wooden post and sign.  The choice might depend partly on the condition of the existing post.  Councillor Gosbee reported that the wrought iron frame of the current sign belonged to Lincolnshire Heritage and would need to be returned to them if it was no longer in use.  Members discussed the proposed designs.

Action: The Chairman to obtain quotes for approval at the next meeting.  Councillor Gosbee to check the condition of the existing post and to report back to Councillors.  Councillors to reach a consensus on the preferred design before the next meeting.

15.3  There were no community updates from Councillors.

16.  CORRESPONDENCE (20/16)

16.1  Members noted correspondence circulated by the Clerk since the last meeting.  

17.  STAFFING (20/17)

17.1 The Chairman proposed that the meeting move into closed session in accordance with the Public Bodies Act 1960, due to the confidential nature of matters to be discussed.

Resolved:  To move into closed session at 8.57pm.

17.2  Members considered the Clerk’s contract of employment.

Resolved:  To approve the Clerk’s employment contract on the terms set out. 

Action:  The Chairman to sign the contract and to forward to the Clerk for signature.

18.  DATE OF NEXT MEETING (20/18)

18.1  The next meeting would take place on Monday 13 July via Zoom video conference.

Councillor Reeves reported that the old Village Hall was being closed permanently and that the new Hall would not be available until late September, so the Council would need to find an alternative location for the September meeting if it was able to meet in person.

The Chairman closed the meeting at 9.02pm.