Minutes 2023/24 – Grimoldby and Manby Parish Council

Minutes May 2023

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF GRIMOLDBY AND MANBY PARISH COUNCIL

HELD AT GRIMOLDBY VILLAGE HALL

ON WEDNESDAY 17TH MAY 2023

Present Councillor T. Knowles (TK) (in the chair)

Councillors: Mrs. E. Billings (EB), M. Bruce (MB), A. Bunting (AB), N. Hind (NH), Mrs. L. Knowles (LK), M. Starsmore (MS), Mrs. N. Turney (NT), T. Vamplew (TV)

Councillors not present: C. Fairburn (CF)

The Clerk, Mrs. L.M. Phillips was also present. No members of the public spoke in the public forum.

Election of Chairman
It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED by vote of the Council that Cllr. TK be elected Chairman of Grimoldby and Manby Parish Council to hold office until the Annual Meeting of the Council in 2024.
Declaration of Acceptance of Office
Cllr. TK read out the official Declaration of Acceptance of Office and signed it. This was witnessed by the Clerk and he then took the Chair.
Election of Vice Chairman
It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED that Cllr. CF be elected Vice Chairman of Grimoldby and Manby Parish Council, to hold office until the Annual Meeting of the Council in 2024. Cllr. NH wished it be noted that he voted against this.
Declarations of Acceptance of Office
The Clerk confirmed that she had received signed Declarations of Acceptance of Office from all Councillors prior to the commencement of the meeting.
Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence were received from Cllr. CF.
Declarations of Interest / Dispensations
There were no declarations of interest/dispensation requests.
Co-option
The Council noted that two completed applications for co-option had been received from Mrs. L. Knowles and Mrs. N. Turney. It was RESOLVED that they be co-opted onto the Council.
Committees of the Council
It was RESOLVED that the following committees should be re-established as committees of Grimoldby and Manby Parish Council and that their terms of reference and delegated authority should be confirmed as per the Council’s governing documents:
1. Finance Committee
  Membership: Chairman of the Council, Vice Chairman of the Council, Cllrs. Mrs. EB, MB and Mrs. NT
2. Recreation Committee
  Membership: Chairman of the Council, Vice Chairman of the Council, Cllrs. Mrs. LK, NH and AB
3. Planning Committee
  Membership: Chairman of the Council, Vice Chairman of the Council, Cllrs. MS, TV, AB and NH.
Working Groups of the Council
It was RESOLVED that the following working group should be re-established as a working group of Grimoldby and Manby Parish Council and that it’s terms of reference and delegated authority should be confirmed as per the Council’s governing documents:
1. Planning Working Group
  Membership: All Councillors.

Roles of the Council
The Council confirmed that its Young People’s Advocate was Cllr. TK, its Green Champions should be Cllrs. MB and NH and its Recreation Representative should be Cllr. Mrs. LK.
Representation on External Bodies
It was RESOLVED that Cllr. TV should represent the Council on the Village Hall Committee.
Council Minutes
It was RESOLVED to approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 19th April 2023.
Chairman’s Remarks
The Chairman reported that 1) he had met the new owner of Tedder Hall at Coronation Celebrations in the village. He had been very nice but had given no hint as to what he wanted to do with the site. 2) It was believed that the bio-digester application had been submitted to LCC. However, it was not on the website yet and the Council had not been notified formally. 3) Cllr. TK had received a complaint that the car park at the Pavilion was weedy. He had spoken to the Village Maintenance Contractor about the possibility of having this work done. 4) He was pleased with the way the elections had gone for him. 5) He had attended the village Coronation Celebrations which had been very good and very well done. 6) He had been to a meeting of the Grimoldby and Manby Sports Association as the Chairman of that organisation. It had been decided that they could not continue the gym as the money they had saved would be wiped out very quickly. Therefore, they had decided to donate the money to charities as per their constitution.
Governance
The Council confirmed that the following documents had been reviewed and adopted:
1. Standing Orders - reviewed and adopted on 15th March 2023.
2. Financial Regulations - reviewed and adopted on 15th March 2023.
3. Code of Conduct - reviewed and adopted on 15th March 2023.
4. Policies including all those relating to GDPR had been reviewed in year.
5. Arrangements for risk management and internal control – reviewed 15th March 2023.
Clerk’s Delegated Powers
It was RESOLVED to confirm delegated authority to the Clerk, as contained within Standing Orders and Financial Regulations.
Council/Staff Membership of Other Bodies
The Council noted that it or a member of staff was a member of the following bodies:
1. Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils (LALC)
2. National Association of Local Councils (NALC)
3. The National Allotment Society
4. Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC)
Asset Register
The Council confirmed that its Register of Assets was reviewed and adopted on 15th March 2023.
Insurance
The Council noted that in June 2023 it would enter year 2 of it’s 3 year Insurance Policy.
Meetings of the Council
The Council confirmed that in 2023 it would endeavour to meet every third Wednesday of each month (except for August).
Other Annual Council Business
The Council RESOLVED to approve deferral of other Annual Council Business to the Council’s next meeting in June 2023.
Finance
The Council received, noted and duly RESOLVED to authorise:
1. The Financial Report for May, showing a closing balance on 12th April 2023 of £85,200.88 which agreed to the closing balance on the bank statement issued on 14th April 2023.
2. The cheques listed on the Cheque Schedule 051722 – totalling £3,034.20.
3. 2022/23 Draft Accounts.
4. 2022/23 Cashbook to 31st March 2023.
Planning
1. Applications received by the Local Planning Authority
  The Council considered current planning applications including those listed on the planning schedule and RESOLVED as follows:
  1. N/067/00679/23 – to ratify the Planning Working Groups comments, submitted on 12th May to meet ELDC’s deadline as follows: No objection but:
    1) There should be no access to and from the development onto Mill Lane, which already has excessive traffic.
    2) The site is higher than Mill Lane which has flooded at the foot of the site - conditions should be imposed to alleviate future risk.
    3) Building works should not interfere with public footpaths.
    4) As the site is next to the Church should there be an archeological survey?
    5) Where is the storage for surface water?
    6) That the existing access to the site be clear at all times to allow the existing roadway and houses to be unaffected.
    7) That all delivery vehicles must ENTER the site fully before unloading any plant and materials.
    8) It is rumoured that the site has had a Japanese Knotweed invasion. ELDC must have a written guarantee from an expert to report that this has been eliminated. Removal takes 2/3 years, as the stems must be carefully cut, and a suitable weed killer injected into the open stems. Then on year 2 the same needs to be carried out, and hopefully it can then claim to have been eliminated.
    9) It is noted that foul sewage will be connected into the existing sewer in Mill Lane. This must be carried out so as to provide continuous access to the residents of that Lane, and refuse and emergency vehicles.
    10) ELDC must be certain that storm water is adequately catered for within the existing arrangements.
  2. N/067/00967/23 – it was agreed that the Planning Working Group should consider this application and submit their comments to the Clerk by Friday 2nd June so that a response could be compiled to meet ELDC’s deadline and be ratified at the next meeting.
2. Planning Decisions to Note
  The Council noted the following planning decision received:
  1. N/067/00411/23 – Green Acre, Middlesykes Lane, Grimoldby, LN11 8TJ – Full Planning Permission.
Tennis Court Goal Posts
The Council noted that the goal posts at the Tennis Court had been vandalised. The matter had been reported to the Police. It was RESOLVED that the Council would not claim on it’s insurance. Instead, it would explore options for alternative replacement facilities and it would look into cutting the hedge at the front of the Tennis Courts, adjacent to Carlton Road to make visibility into the courts better to deter anti-social behaviour.
LALC Management Committee
It was RESOLVED that the Council would not nominate a representative for the above.
Play Park
The Council received a revised quote for work to the ramp at the Play Park and RESOLVED to have the work undertaken by Wicksteed at a cost of £1,071.44
Allotments
Following reports of damage to a storage box within the allotments, the Council considered whether there was action that it could take to deter intruders. It was RESOLVED that a polite reminder should be sent to all allotment holders with their annual rent invoice reminding them that a clear pathway should be maintained around the perimeter of all allotments, as per the tenancy agreement, the reasons being for access, safety and grass cutting.
Grants
The Council considered a grant application from Grimoldby Cricket Club. However, it felt that the application form had not been submitted properly: 1) Grimoldby Cricket Club was formed in 1944/45. 2) The application didn't actually mention cricket. 3) No accounts were supplied. 4) A quote evidencing the total cost of the project would have been advantageous. 5) The application was for £500 when the maximum amount that could be awarded was £200. Despite the above the Council was still keen to support the organisation and the Chairman did pledge that he would give a grant of £300 from his District Councillor fund to make the amount up to £500 but a new/amended application would be required.

Any Other Business
Cllr. Mrs. EB enquired what was happening with the villages bins. The Clerk reminded that Cllrs. had agreed to undertake a review in their areas of current locations and prospective locations.
Next Meeting
The Council noted that the date of the next scheduled meeting was Wednesday 21st June 2023.

The meeting closed at 8.39pm

Signed_______________________ (Chairman) Dated_________________________