Minutes of the Meeting Monday September 26th
Wainfleet St Mary Parish Council
St Michaels Lane, Wainfleet St Mary, Lincs. PE24 4HB
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting of Wainfleet St Mary which took place on Monday 26th September 2022 at 18.30 in the Community Hall, St Michaels Lane, Wainfleet St Mary, PE24 4HB.
These are draft minutes and subject to amendment prior to being approved at the next Council Meeting Monday 10th October
Public – No public in attendance
1. Apologies for Absence
Cllr M Rust, PCSO J Richardson, Cllr R Picker, Cllr S Simpson, and LCC /ELDC Councillor W Bowkett.
2. Members present
Cllr I Hyde (IH), Vice Chair, Cllr P Garrad, Cllr C Bradford (CB)), Cllr A Proctor (AP), Cllr C. Alexander and Cllr Dr C Shrubsole,
Also present – Clerk M Clarke
Cllr I Hyde took the meeting owing to the illness of Cllr M Rust.
3.Declarations of Interest
None declared
4.Minutes of the Council Meeting on 12th September
The Minutes of the Council Meeting were agreed by all Councillors present –
Proposed Cllr AP and seconded Cllr CB – resolved to approve.
5. Police Report – No report as PCSO J Richardson unable to attend.
6. County and District Councillor Report – No report as Cllr WB unable to attend.
7. Clerk’s Report.
Allotment rentals have all been received bar one to whom a reminder letter has been posted out.
Grant funding for the Summer Fete has been withdrawn.
The Planter has been delivered as part of the £2000.00 Lincs Coast Bid funding –
Decision to be taken to where to locate along with the bin and bench which are due to be delivered at a later date.
The Framework for the Community Hall Committee has been drafted and shared round for approval and agreement – agenda item 12.
Summer Fete booking forms have been sent to interested parties.
Quote has been received for painting the Play Equipment – for discussion agenda item 11.
The quote for the mural has been shared and is open for discussion and approval to be confirmed.
A further meeting of the Community resilience Group was held on 20th September – follow up report Agenda item 10.
8. New LGA Code of Conduct
The new and recommended Code of Conduct to update the present Code had been circulated to all Councillors with a paper file copy available for all to consult before making the decision to adopt. The Code has been drawn up along with the Civility and Respect Pledge which commits to the following
- Has put in place a training programme for councillors and staff
- Has signed up to the Code of Conduct for councillors
- Has good governance arrangements in place including staff contracts and a dignity at work policy
- Will seek professional help at the early stages should civility and respect issues arise
- Will commit to calling out bullying and harassment if and when it happens
- Will continue to learn from best practices in the sector and aspire to be a role model/champion council through for example the local “Local Council Award Scheme”
- Supports the continued lobbying for change in legislation to support the Civility and Respect Pledge including sanctions for elected members where appropriate.
- The Code has been adopted by LCC, ELDC, LALC and all local Councils are encouraged to adopt the Code and to sign up the Pledge.
The decision to adopt was proposed by Cllr C Alexander and seconded by Cllr C Bradford.
Clerk will update the web site and register for the Pledge before the next meeting.
9. Fibre Broadband Roll Out
The Council meeting in March resolved to approach local residents with a view to obtaining enough signatures to forward onto LCC to invite suppliers to look at early installation. A draft letter to residents had been circulated to all Councillors for approval/amendments and to be discussed at the meeting as to how and if to proceed further. Discussion agreed to continue to try and obtain early installation and letter was approved. Agreed to invite WASTC to be involved and to include all local business. Clerk to contact WASTC and invite to place on their Agenda for their next meeting.
10.Community Resilience Group
The 3rd group meeting of this year was held in the Offices of WASTC with attendance by Cllr W Bowkett - ELDC and LCC Councillor, Cllr D Wickes (Chair WASTC) and Cllr S Baird (WASTC councillor) and Clerk M Clarke from WSM. It was agreed there would be one steering group to involve the 3-council area of Wainfleet All Saints, Wainfleet Saint Mary and Thorpe. Cllr I Hyde from WSM had been proposed to lead which he had accepted and was endorsed by the Group. Two What’s App groups will be set up for ease of communication – one as Management and one for Volunteers – the app group is not to be used for anything other than emergencies. The wi-fi password will be required which Cllr DW will obtain once their Clerk has returned from holiday. The meeting closed at 6.00pm with the next one convened for Wednesday 5th October at WASTC Offices.
11. Working Group Reports
a. Allotments – All rents have been paid with one outstanding – a reminder letter has been sent. The advice of termination of contract has been received without comment. Following the acceptance of the termination of contract the correct tendering process for attracting a new tenant is to be researched by the Clerk and reported back at the next meeting.
b. Grass Cutting, Trees and Hedges. – The trees reported by a resident had been reported to LCC and the Forestry Commission – their advice is “unfortunate but no action will be taken”.
Information had been received Platform charge residents £3.00 per month for grounds maintenance- enquiry to be made to establish what Grounds maintenance covers bearing in mind WSM cover all the grass cutting costs on the Estate.
c. Community Hall – reports received for the month and all in order.
d. Planning – No applications have been received
e. Open Spaces.
Play Area: Quote received for repainting of play equipment. A second quotation advises cost of labour without materials – Clerk to ask for quote of anticipated hours involved and the cost of materials as per Quote 1.
Jubilee Orchard: It was suggested the way to move this project forward was to have a dedicated working Group of 3 people ( plus any volunteers to assist) to come to a decision on fencing, design and maintenance. Once there was a plan the Group would bring this to full Council for agreement. Currently there is no clear cut and unanimous way on how to approach a project which has stalled a little and is costing more and more without an end view. The cost of quality tools has been provided which are required to be purchased as part of the grant funding.
The suggestion to nominate Cllr R Picker, Cllr P Garrad and Cllr C Shrubsole to head up the group was proposed by Cllr CB and Seconded by Cllr CS. Resolved and Agreed to proceed. Clerk to invite Cllr R Picker - Cllrs CS and PG happy to accept the roles
12. Community Hall Committee
The terms of reference as sent round to all Councillors for perusal and amendment to provide a working constitution for the Hall – The terms as they had been shared round without alteration were proposed by Cllr AP and Seconder Cllr CS – Resolved and Adopted. A formal document will be available for signature at the next meeting by the Chair of the Council and the Chair of the Community Hall Committee.
It was suggested the Summer Fete and the Car Boot become a Working Group of the Hall Committee – Proposed Cllr CA and seconded by Cllr CB.
Cllr CB will confirm with Naylor Auctions the Car Boots have concluded for this year with the aim of restarting next year around March/April in anticipation of the Easter Bank Holidays – 7th April is Good Friday.
A note for an Agenda item in February for the Council to ask the Hall Committee for the first date of the Car Boot sale.
Cllr PG will remove banners and stakes and signs.
13. Summer Fete Committee
The Fete meeting took place directly before the full Council meeting, so a report not required. The notes will be written up and emailed round to all Councillors and Committee members with the date of the next scheduled meeting.
14. Car Boot sales and Report.
The final Car boot sales total amounted to £283.60 with costs of £84.00 for the banners giving a net surplus of £199.60 for Community Hall funds.
15. Christmas 2022
The date for Christmas carols is December 2nd with Steve Lowndes booked for the music.
The Christmas tree to be ordered by the Clerk with delivery w/ending 25th November to allow for decoration – cost of up to £100.00 agreed for the purchase and delivery.
30 bags sweets to be ordered for the 2nd December with Santa in attendance.
Saturday 10th December a suggestion of a Christmas themed Rock Painting morning for children with materials being provided with additional rocks sold at £1.00 with proceeds to the Community Hall fund– finer details tba at the next meeting- time etc.
16. Community Hall Mural
The mural costs and designs having been shared with councillors along with the cost it was proposed to commission the Mural up to £450.00 – Proposer Cllr PG and Seconder Cllr CB. Resolved to commission the mural – Clerk to advise Mr Pope and confirm the cost.
17. Review Policies.
Owing to a technical problem accessing the policies this will be carried over to the next meeting.
18. Finance.
Grant Funding of £2000 for the Planter bench and bin – locations were discussed with agreement for the Planter on the Low Road adjacent to the Bus stop – installation agreed for 9th October with Clerk to obtain compost and plants – winter pansies, crocus and snowdrops and daffodils to provide colour over the winter months and into the spring.
Proposed site for bin and bench – Cllr CS to look at sites along Wainfleet Bank and also report on condition of bench as to replacement or repair.
The Funding Pot for the Summer Fete is now empty – Clerk will look for further funding opportunities for the Hall Committee with assistance form Cllr CS and Cllr CA
PKF Littlejohn have asked the Council to further agree and approve the AGAR due to a date discrepancy. Although this was explained in the minutes that agreed the AGAR and accepted by PKF a further confirmation to approve is requested.
Council voted unanimously to reconfirm the AGAR as it was presented in May.
Request from WASTC for a donation towards the replacements of the Christmas lights. This was agreed in principle at the meeting of the 12th, but the amount deferred until a full Council was in attendance to discuss.
The donation will come under Section 137 for which the Budget is £1000.00. £500.00 will be for The Church of St Mary’s leaving a balance of £500.00 with an anticipated further request of £250.00 leaving £250.00 still available. It was suggested this amount could be donated to WASTC towards their lights subject to the Agreement of Cllrs MR, RP, and SS. Clerk to pass this forward and further ratification to be made at the meeting in October.
19. Councillor email addresses
Further discussions on .gov.uk email addresses for all councillors ensued with a cost of around £250.00 being required to set this up. The costs and the additional work in doing so were considered and rejected with a suggestion that to protect councillors from having their private emails disclosed under a FOI request the solution could be for each Councillor to set up for example – a gmail account specifically for council business, thereby eliminating any private and personal correspondence being disclosed,
The suggestion met with general approval and the councillors who felt this would protect their privacy to provide the Clerk with the new email address to which all council business will be sent to.
Confirmation of this to be proposed and approved at the next meeting in October.
20. Correspondence
The Clerk provided files with all correspondence relating to GR4 Dowsing (off shore wind farms) and Anglian Water (new reservoir) for Councillors to read. The report on the AWA webinar by Cllr M Rust was held over as Cllr Rust was unable to attend the meeting due to illness.
21. Items for Inclusion on the October Agenda
Elections 2023
RBL Service at St Mary’s November 2023
Tommy additions to the Wreath for November 2022
To agree the next meeting Monday October 10th at 6pm.
Close of meeting
The meeting closed at 8.50 pm with the Chair thanking all for their attendance and input.
I certify these are a true record of the Meeting held Monday 26th September 2022
Signed
Cllr M Rust
Chair WSM Parish Council Monday 10th October 2022
Dated 10th Oct 2022
Email: wsmpclerk@btinternet.com
Website: https://wainfleet-saint-mary.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk