2023 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

POINTON & SEMPRINGHAM PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

Minutes of meeting held on Tuesday 24th January 2023 at 7.30pm in St Gilbert Primary School

Councillors Present: Cllrs Clarke, Freeman, Green, Greenwood, Ramm,  and Wesley (Chair).

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

To be noted that the meeting may be recorded for the purpose of transparency. 

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SESSION

22106. To receive reports from outside bodies.

Report from C.Cllr Hill. No report received

Report from D. Cllr Dixon-Warren. Report attached.

Questions or Points raised by residents and members of the public. A member of public raised the issue of a number of streetlamps not working (Nos: 22/ 24/ 25 and 36). Though this is not really a PC issue the fact that these lights have not been working for at least 6 months and have been reported on several occasions the PC are willing to become involved. The clerk to report.

The collapsed drain on Mill Lane is causing the residents undue worry due to the area flooding and the residents not having a definitive answer. The clerk to contact LCC Highways and C Cllr Hill regarding progress.

COUNCIL SESSION

22107. To receive and accept apologies for absence. It was resolved to accept the apologies of Cllr Taylor due to personal reasons.

22108. Declarations of interest. Cllr Ramm declared an interest in item number 7.

22109. To approve the minutes of the meeting held on the 13th December 2022 and for the chair to sign. It was resolved to accept the minutes of the meeting held on the 13th December 2022 and for the chair to sign.

22110. Finances:

a) To receive the clerk’s report on payments between meetings

It was resolved to accept the clerk’s report on payments between meetings. 

There was no Standing Order taken by SKDC for Trade Waste for January. The clerk is in contact with SKDC.

b) To approve payments as list below.

it was resolved to approve the payments as listed.

c) To accept the list of payments received.

It was resolved to accept the list of payments received.

d) To consider and approve the bank reconciliation. It was resolved to approve the bank reconciliation.

e) To consider and approve the change of banks from Lloyds Bank to Unity. It was resolved to defer the item to the next meeting.

f) To approve the costings on the change of the pavilion locks, as previously agreed at the August meeting (22047). Due to information associated to this item it was resolved to move the item into closed session.

22111. Playing Field. To consider and approve the addition of new playground equipment. As not all quotes had been received it was resolved to defer to a later meeting.

22112. Village Grass Cutting – To consider if the Parish wishes to partake in the Urban Grass Cutting Scheme 2023-2024, issued by LCC Highways, deferred from November meeting. It was resolved not to partake in the Urban Grass Cutting Scheme 2023-2024.

22113. Village Hall Clock – To finalise terms of reference on the Village Hall Clock, following the VH committee meeting on the 12th January. The Village Hall manager reported back that the ToR were unacceptable and that the clock should be gifted. At the December meeting the PC resolved not to gift the clock and as per standing orders the Council the resolution cannot be reversed for 6 months unless new information is received. The clerk will contact the Insurance Company for advice. 

22114. Telephone Box – To consider terms of reference for the telephone box/ defibrillator unit. Due to the complications of the ToR  the clerk asked that the Councillors decide what ToR they want attached to the Telephone Box or if they wish to gift the box to the VH.

The was a discussion regarding the grants that were obtained for the telephone box. The clerk could not find any money in the financial year of 2021-22, that Cllr Ramm stated, but after the meeting the clerk found the grants from SKDC and LCC in the previous financial year of 2020-21.

22115. Annual Parish Meeting - To consider and approve 7th March 2023 for the Annual Parish Meeting. It was resolved that the Annual Parish Meeting should be held on the 7th March 2023.

22116. Parish Council Meeting - To consider and approve the following dates of Parish Council meetings - 7th March, 18th April and 23rd May. It was resolved that the dates of 7th March, 18th April and 23rd May 2023 are acceptable for the Parish Council Meetings with the 23rd May being the Annual Parish Council Meeting.

22117. Date and time of next Parish Council Meeting Tuesday 7th March 2023 at 7.00pm. Please notice change of start time.

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).

22118. Pavilion – To receive a progress report on the Pavilion and consider what actions the Council should take. Several items regarding the Pavilion were discussed, and appropriate actions resolved.

22119. Staff Payments – To receive a report on staff payments and consider further actions. It was resolved for the clerk to complete the resolved actions.

The meeting closed at 9.21pm

Aveland Update

Councillor Richard Dixon-Warren

Email: Richard.Dixon-Warren@southkesteven.gov.uk

Mobile Telephone: 07785 353951

December 2022 / January 2023

Cost of Living

SKDC’s Cost of Living Task Force’ comprehensive infographic for those without internet access – or have difficulty working online – was sent to every household before Christmas in SKToday.  

For those who can access online information, SDC’s website continues to develop at: www.southkesteven.gov.uk/costofliving

Contactless and card car park payments  

SKDC-operated car parks have now been successfully upgraded to allow card and contactless payment and the previous phone and pay system is discontinued.

The new payment system allows for faster, more convenient transactions and reduce the need for people to use coins, reducing queues and preventing people having to struggle for the correct change.

The ticket machines are now reprogrammed and still provide a paper ticket for display in the windscreen.

New round of community grants

Grants totalling more than £13,000 have been approved in the latest round of awards from the Council’s Community Fund.

The money will help deliver life-saving equipment, increase community activities and fund the replacement of a popular heritage sculpture.  Grants have paid for new defibrillators to replace outdated equipment, and extra equipment and resources to deliver new projects at Grantham’s Jubilee Church Life Centre.

Any constituted group and organisation within South Kesteven can apply for SK Community Fund grants for projects or events that benefit the local community.