2022 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

POINTON & SEMPRINGHAM PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

Minutes of Meeting held on Tuesday 23rd August 2022 at 7.30pm in St Gilbert Primary School

Councillors Present: Cllrs Green, Greenwood, Taylor, and Wesley (Chair). 

In attendance C. Cllr Hill, D. Cllr Dixon-Warren, Parish Clerk Boden and ten members of the public.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SESSION

22037. To receive reports from outside bodies.

Report from C. Cllr Hill. C. Cllr Hill gave a brief report. A copy of this has been attached.

Report from D. Cllr Dixon-Warren gave a brief report, A copy of this has been attached.

Questions or Points raised by residents and members of the public. A member of the public questioned C. Cllr Hill as to why Rippingale had had the footpaths tarmacked but Pointon had not. Cllr Hill explained that resurfacing was being done in sections and that Pointon was on the list for work to be conducted. Any potholes can be reported on ‘Fix my Street.’

A number of questions were raised regarding the purchase of the Village Clock and spending by the Council. Some of the questions could not be answered as there were no representatives of the Village Hall Committee, at the meeting. Cllr Wesley needs to arrange a meeting with the Chair of the Village Hall and have answers available for the next meeting.

Cllr Clarke could not attend the meeting and had sent a statement to be read out and included in the minutes due to recent comments on Facebook. The statement is attached.

COUNCIL SESSION

22038.To receive and accept apologies for absence. It was resolved to accept Cllr Clarke’s apology for absence due to work commitments and Cllrs Freeman’s and Ramm’s due to personal reasons.

22039. Declarations of interest. There were no declarations of interest.

22040. To approve the minutes of the meeting held on the 19th July 2022 and for the chair to sign. It was resolved to accept the clerk’s notes from the meeting held on the 19th July and for the Chair to sign.

22041. Finances:

a) Cheques to agreed and signed

Cllr Greenwood queried the need to return to cheques instead of using online banking, as on the bank statement it only had the cheque number, rather than the payee. The clerk explained that this was only short term until the paperwork submitted to the bank had been dealt with and that she had gained access. As RFO it is her responsibility to ‘set up’ the payment and for Cllrs to ‘authorise’ after the meeting. She explained that at present payments were being missed or the descriptions were not clear enough for transparency.

It was resolved to accept the above payments and for the cheques to be signed.

b) To review and consider approval of bank reconciliation. Cllrs had received a copy of the bank reconciliation before the meeting and the clerk read the bank amounts out to the public. (Copy attached). It was resolved to accept and sign the reconciliation.

c) To review the updated asset register, after the inspection. Cllrs had received a copy of the asset register before the meeting. There was some confusion as who actually own some of the equipment in the PCPF building. It is not owned by the PC, but the PCPF are custodians, as it has been handed down over the years from various groups. The asset register will need to be gone through again, for insurance purposes, now it has been confirmed what is ‘owned’ by the PC. 

It was confirmed that the jet wash is now in Cllr Greenwood’s possession, though the value of £50 is in questionable. The amount should be £500-600. An invoice needs to be found.

d) To approve the outstanding financial amounts from 2020/21 and 2021/22.

2020/21 - £571.61 is outstanding from when the Social Club closed in August through to the end of that financial year. As the Social Club has closed it is unclear as to who the amount could be claimed from.

2021/22. £769.63 is the total of invoices paid for by the PC for the financial year that should have been paid for by tenant. A revised invoice of £551.42 was paid. It was resolved that an invoice for £218.21 be sent by the clerk requesting settlement.

e) To consider the appointment of an internal auditor for the financial year ending March 2023. It was resolved that the PC use LALC, who have conducted the most recent Internal Audit.

22042. HR/ Staffing Committee. 

a) To discuss the formation of a HR /Staffing Committee. It was resolved to create a HR/ Staffing committee of Cllr Clarke, Freeman and Green as these Cllrs initially interviewed the clerk.

b) To accept the Terms of Reference. It was resolved to accept the Terms of Reference as below.

Staffing Committee

The Committee deals with HR issues and acts as a two-way forum to encourage communication between the staff and the Council, on matters of administration. The Committee has delegated authority to make all decisions relating to staff and their employment, except in recruitment, termination, resignation, and decisions in excess of core hours.

Membership: Cllrs Clarke, Freeman, and Green.

The Chairman of each committee is elected at the first meeting of the financial year.

22043. To review and accept the Civility and Respect Pledge. It was resolved to accept the Civility and Respect Pledge, as issue by NALC and LALC.

22044. Jubilee Bench – To discuss and approve

a) The ordering of the bench and the wording of the plaque. The ordering of the bench and the discussion of the wording had been deferred from the July meeting, due to Cllr Freeman’s apologies. Due to Cllr Freeman having sent her apologies and not being able to move the wording forward, the long lead time and the cost it was resolved to purchase a bench from the ASA Forces Charity. The bench will be positioned outside the school.

22045. Bins – To discuss the Parish Council owned bins.

a) Playing field bins emptied by parish litter picker. It was resolved to ask the litter picker to empty the bins more than the once a month, which is happening presently, due to them being full.

b)    Trade waste bin. The Councillors had received recent pictures of the contents of the bin prior to the meeting. It was felt that the bin was not being used specifically for PC business and it was reminded that the PC could not support an individual person or business. It was resolved that the clerk contact SKDC to terminate the contract with them.

22046. Social Club – To allow further questions from the public questions at May meeting regarding the SKDC Covid Grant received and then the closure of the Sports and Social Club. Cllr Green asked if a committee meeting had been held to close the club, as HMRC where under the impression that the club was still open. It was felt that the Covid grant of £10,000 would have enabled the club to remain open.

Cllr Greenwood would not answer the questions in public but was prepared to have a private meeting. Members of the public wanted to know where the money had gone.

C. Cllr Hill remined the Council that the assets and liability came back to the Parish Council.

Cllr Greenwood promised to bring everything to the next meeting.

Cllr Clarke and the clerk had arrived for the arranged inspection. Cllr Green had given her apologies due to Covid and Cllr Greenwood was unable to attend. They conducted the inspections of the Pavilion, PCPF equipment and any equipment owned by the Football Club. The only shed that could not be investigated was the shipping container (on the playground) as Cllr Greenwood was unavailable to open it.

22047. Pavilion – To receive an update of the inspection held on the 13th August.

a) To ascertain who holds the Parish Council’s copies of the Pavilion keys. The clerk had been given a key during the inspection, but it was unclear who held the other keys. The tenants presumed that the Parish Council had a set. It was resolved to change the locks of the pavilion.

An outside wall, on the old extension, was noted to have some loose bricks. It was discussed with the tenant on a way to make it secure and safe. The assets list was looked at the list changed accordingly.

It was also noted that many of the bricks that are piled up outside the pub belong to the Pavilion and a letter should be written, asking for their return.

22048. Playing Field. To discuss and approve.

a) PCPF 

i)To receive an update of the inspection held on the 13th August. The shed was opened, and the equipment discussed. The items inside the shed belonged to either Cllr Greenwood or the PCPF as custodians. The asset register needed to be changed and updated. There are no terms of reference and these need to be written up and brought to a future Council meeting.

ii)Tractor Fuel. It has been previously discussed about paying for the ‘white’ diesel once the tank has been flushed through. As the fuel tank belongs to Cllr Greenwood, rather than the PC, then the PC cannot buy fuel and place it in the tank.

It was resolved that the PCPF should be treated as contractors and purchase the fuel and register with HMRC. They should then charge the PC to claim this back. They already charge the PC £100 every month to maintain the playing field, and this is paid via standing orders.

b) Football Club

 i) To receive an update of the inspection held on the 13th August. The shed was opened, and the equipment discussed. The items were grouped as either everyday equipment or historic equipment that the Football Club are custodians off. There are no terms of reference and these need to be written up and brough to a future Council meeting.

      ii) Football Club Pitch Fees. This item was deferred to the next meeting as nobody from the Football Club was available.

             c)Container on Field (Sited on car park) – To ascertain its suitability as a chemical store. The container could not be opened to see what chemicals are stored in the container. 

Cllr Greenwood explained that it had belonged to the Social Club and had been donated to the PCPF as the Chemical store. A member of the public explained that if it was being used as a store for any chemicals then it needed to be double bunded due to COSHH This member of the public is willing to help Cllr Greenwood. 

Cllr Greenwood is happy to arrange a meeting and to open the container.

22049. Planning Applications: To consider planning applications received since the last meeting of the Council. FOR INFORMATION ONLY

a) S22/1196 (Mansell) - 8 Pethley Lane, Pointon, Lincolnshire, NG34 0ND. Proposed garage with games room above. Approved.

b) S22/1263 (Goodchild) - 9 Village Streets Millthorpe NG34 0LD. To erect a single storey rear extension. Approved/

c) S22/1201 (Bancroft) - 57 High Street, Pointon, Lincolnshire, NG34 0LY. Single storey side and two storey rear extensions & porch to back door. Comments by 13th July. Pending

d) S22/1212 (French) - 45 West Road, Pointon, Lincolnshire, NG34 0NA. Double storey side extension. Approved.

22050. Date and time of next Parish Council Meeting Tuesday 20th September at 7.30pm.

CLOSED COUNCIL SESSION

Items of a confidential nature to be debated in the absence of the press and public. Under the Public Bodies (Admission to the Meetings) Act 1960 (due to the confidential nature of the business).

22051. Clerks 3-month Appraisal.

a) To accept the panel of the HR/ Staffing Committee and to arrange a date of the appraisal. As some of the Staffing Committee could not attend it was resolved that the Cllrs that were in attendance would conduct the 3-month review. It was resolved that everything was acceptable, and the clerk would continue as she is.

b) To discuss the extension of the 25hr a month and agree a review date. It was resolved that due to the past problems being revealed the clerk would continue on 25 hrs a month and review in 4 months’ time (December/ January).

22052. Litter Picker

a) To discuss a contract for the Litter Picker. It was resolved that the Litter Picker should be employed by the Parish Council and a contract created.

The meeting closed at 10.15pm.

C. Cllr Martin Hill's Report.

Lincolnshire has the 2nd lowest Council Tax in the Country. There is still the £12 million short fall in the Highway's budget and £51 million will need to be spent on Highways maintenence this year.

800 Ukrainian Families have settled within Lincolnshire as part of the scheme. Afghanistan families are still being housed in hotels in Grantham and around 70,000 people rescued from boats will need to be housed this year. All this is being funded by the Government. 

Council services are running well.

Queensway in Pointon is on the list to be repaired but as it is concrete it is not as easy to repair,as tarmac will not bond direct to it.

D. Cllr  Richard Dixon-Warren's  Report

SKDC Revenues Enforcement Team has received positive feedback on the continuing roll out of the £150 Council Tax energy rebate.

Positive partnerships for ASB week

During Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Awareness Week #TeamSK supported extra patrols with partners in Bourne, Stamford and the Deepings to contribute to this focus on keeping everyone safe.

(Note: the next Neighbourhood Policing Priorities meeting is on 7 September.  Parish priorities should be sent to ‘Safer Together’ by 6 September.  Points for emphasis to me by 6 September also.)

HelloSK App

There is a new free app called HelloSK from InvestSK that promotes local discounts, products and services from businesses across the District.  It is being embraced across the business community, who post offers and information to ping your phone when you pass their premises.

The app is supported by SKDC’s £ 250,000 allocation from the Government’s ‘Welcome Back Fund’ and gives all businesses a free profile to promote their services directly to residents.  Downloading the app and encouraging family and friends to do the same will help support the High Street.

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=unicom.hellosk&gl=GB

App store: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/hellosk/id1616982353

Businesses wishing to sign up for HelloSK should go to: https://join.hellosk.co.uk

Councillor Rob Clarke's report.

Unfortunately I am unable to attend this evenings parish council meeting due to work commitments, however I would like to keep the parishioners up to date on the play equipment situation, as it’s been bought to my attention, the comments on social media. 

As you know wicksteed came in March to assess the playground area and to get some information on the types of equipment we would like. 

With the information gathered from the survey, they were asked if they could produce a few different ideas so that the parishioners can have their say on which plan they prefer. 

Unfortunately it has taken longer than expected to receive the requested plans and costings.  
I share your frustration in this matter and have been chasing them for months. 

As of this Monday I have received 1 plan from them with some prices. 

Im pleased to note that our community is interested in the upgrade and improvement of the play area and equipment. 

Please be assured I have not forgotten about it, it’s been long over due for many years now… but we are making progress. 

Im very keen to invite those who are interested in forming a group so as we can discuss possible fundraising ideas and grant applications. 
Those who are keen to help and are committed, please could you contact either myself on rob.clarke010@gmail.com or the clerk on pointon.parish@gmail.com

Regards 
Councillor Rob Clarke