2019 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

GREAT GONERBY PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Meeting held on Tuesday 29th January 2019 at 7.30pm at the Memorial Hall

Present: Cllr. Hutchinson Chairman, Cllr. J Critchley, Cllr D Watson

As there were only two Councillors and the Chairman in attendance this meant that a quorate had not been formed. However it was decided to continue with the meeting and any matters of a serious nature would be deferred to the meeting on the 5th March 2019.

1. Apologies:

Cllr A Critchley – Sickness
Cllr I Hammond – Work Commitments
Cllr A Maughan – Holiday
Cllr J Thompson – Private Function

Apologies to be recorded only.

Absent: Cllr. I Stokes

2. Declarations of Interest/Dispensations

None reported.

3. Minutes signed from previous Meeting

The Minutes from the previous meeting were signed as a true record with one amendment to Item 5b where the Minutes should read “He confirmed that the plinth had been built to a high standard and that the outstanding invoice should now be settled”. Proposed by Cllr. J Critchley and seconded by Cllr. D Watson.

4. Official Correspondence and Circulation

Report received from LLC Cllr. Maughan for submission to the Parish Council as follows:-

CEO arrangements – you may be aware from local press reports that the County Council's Chief Executive, Mr Keith Ireland, parted company with the Council in November after only four months in the role. Council Members have not been given details on the reasoning for his departure, other than the public statement issued at the time which said that the leader of the council and the CEO had different priorities. For legal reasons, the Council's appointments committee who oversee the recruitment of senior council staff has not been able to give members any further details.

In December the Council appointed the serving Children's Services Director, Debbie Barnes, to the position of Head of Paid service, which is essentially a de facto chief executive. The role of head of paid service is a legal requirement so could not be left vacant. The Council also decided that it would not reappoint a new Chief Executive at the moment, and the interim arrangements now in place will be trialled until the end of 2019/20.

Budget – the budget setting process for 2019/20 is underway and will be voted on by Councillors in February. The budget approved in February 2018 included a provisional budget for the 2019/20 financial year too. However, since approving the draft budget adjustments will be made in line with new financial information and the Government has extended the Council's power to raise Council tax without the need for a referendum. For 2019/20 LCC will be able to raise Council Tax by up to 4.95%, which is a 1% increase on the 3.95% rise originally budgeted for. This additional 1% rise would generate an extra £2.8m cash to protect services. The expectation is that the County Council will approve a rise of this amount. 

To put the financial position into more context, since 2010/11 the Council's main grant from the Government, the Revenue Support Grant, has decreased by around 86%. In the same period over £300m of efficient savings have been made to Council Services. Our Fairer Funding campaign continues and we hope that the next Local Government Funding formula will take into consideration the extra cost pressures associated with delivering services in rural communities. Almost all Lincolnshire MPs are supporting our campaign, including our own MP Dr Caroline Johnson.

Highways Funding – the Government announced in its Autumn budget an extra £420m for potholes, to be spent by the end of the financial year. Lincolnshire County Council will receive £13.7m of this money which is welcome news and indicated that Government is listening to the concerns we have been raising around highways funding in particular. The treasury has not yet released the guidance on what and how the money can be spent on so I cannot say at this stage how it will be spent. However, I understand the Highways Scrutiny Committee will have some involvement in the decision making. In addition, I have also made representations to the leader and portfolio holder for Highways for some money to be allocated to Traffic Regulation Orders. I will updated Parishes in due course when a decision has been made.

Invitation to Highways Meeting – on Monday 4th February I am hosting Cllr Richard Davies, portfolio holder for Highways, and our local Highways Manager in the division to look at some of the key issues in the area. As part of that visit I am inviting all Parish Councillors in my area to a Highways Q&A session with Cllr Davies at Long Bennington Village Hall, 11:30 – 12:30am. If you would like to attend please let me know. Cllr. Maughan.

A letter had been received from Environment SK advising that they are taking services such as Grass cutting, Hedge cutting, planting schemes etc in house. A request for quotations for grass cutting has been submitted.

Updated Register of Electors has been received for December and January 2019

A request from the Dogs Trust received offering talks to local Groups. No action required

Request received from Todd Christian re possible circus visit to village. Circus arrangements already in hand.

Letter received from LCC re communication on Planning matters.

Letter received from Citizens Advice asking for a small Grant. Declined as Parish Council do not offer Grants.

Email from Cllr. Maughan re use of Fix my Street App to report highway faults

Letter received from Larkfleet Group re providing affordable homes for local people

Emails received following PC Thank You letters to High Street resident from James Brearley and Michelle Wardell

Letter of resignation received from Cllr. Roy Stedman

LALC written asking for nominations recognising past service to Parish Councils and Town Mayors to attend Buckingham Palance in May 2019. Cllr. Blake Hutchinson has been nominated.

Circulation

Clerks & Councils Direct
Glasdon Focus on Local Councils
Larkfield – Building Sustainable future

5. Clerk and Members to report back on matters Outstanding:-

a) The costing for the new security cameras to be deferred until March meeting.

b) The costing of the new Hill Top Fence to be deferred until March Meeting

Clerk Report

6 Financial Matters

a) Petty Cash - Petty Cash expenditure was agreed and signed off by the Chairman.

b) Quarter Summary of Accounts & Budget Report -

The Clerk advised on the Budget:

Hall Rent- Paid up to December, within budget

Office Costs- Within budget but will probably exceed budget of £500 for the year as already spent £484.

Donations/grants- none made

Subscriptions - paid for the year and within budget

Insurance- £406 spent against budget of £500

Audit fees- over budget due to increase in external auditors fees

Training - Over budget by £5. £50 budget

Expenses – over budget £602 spent against budget of £400. It was felt this was due to the payment of the Chairman’s allowance at the beginning of the year.

Burial Maintenance - over budget £2700 spent against budget of £2500

Other – Over budget - £15,698 spent against a budget of £15,171 mainly due to renovations at the Pond

Staff salaries - Over budget - spent £9935 against budget of £8685.

The Quarterly summary of the balances accounts was presented and agreed. Proposed by Cllr. Hutchinson and seconded by Cllr. D Watson.
The Clerk presented the following accounts for payment

c) Accounts for Payment

The Clerk advised that the Parish Council’s Banking arrangements were due to be transferred to the Yorkshire Bank with effect1st February 2019. The new Bank account would facilitate new signing arrangements whereby Cllrs Hutchinson and Thompson would be able to approve payments on line in future.

7. Advisory Groups

a) Planning

a) Planning: (SK Planning Meeting 5th February 2019)

S18/2217 1 High Street – Two Storey extension to rear and single storey extension to side of existing dwelling

S18/2295 Peascliff Farm, Gadds Lane, Belton Section 73 application to vary Condition 3

S18/2119 Application to amend conditions 2, 3, 4, 6, 11 and 15 and removal of Condition 10 of Planning Permission S37/0354?16 to allow the importation of new waste feedstocks and the construction of associated infrastructure as replacements for the approved plant and equipment at Land East of A1, Gonerby Moor, Grantham

S18/2382 Walnut Cottage, 44A Covill Close, Great Gonerby Reduce Walnut (T1) by 3m whole canopy and investigate where bracket fungus is growing.

S18/2349 10 High Street, Great Gonerby Alterations to ground levels to provide a raised external seating area, erection of fencing and installation of festoon lighting.

S18/1470 Certificate of Lawfulness relating to the existing use of building at Hidepark Leather Co Limited, College Farm, Old Great North Road.

S19/0015 7A Pond Street – Extend existing single storey dwelling house to the side and rear.

No objections received to the above.

S17/2155 Notification of Public Speaking at Development Management Committee in respect of erection of Designed Outlet Centre at Downtown Garden Centre on 5th February 2019.

b) Erection of Heritage Signs - matter deferred to be updated by Cllr. Thompson

c) Amenity Areas - Burial Ground Fees not due till 2020

d) Highway Matters

Pond Quotations still outstanding, but will be available for meeting in March

High Street Planters – It was agreed to order an additional 8 planters for 2019 and to contact Downtown Garden Centre with regard to planting in the Spring.

LCC had sent in report regarding issues with roads.

The Notice Board has been dismantled but is not fit to be used pending erection of new Notice Board. It was thought that the new Board might be erected in the Pond area and Councillors are to be consulted on this.

LCC advised of the temporary road closure along Belton Lane from 12th February to 27th February for 6 days.

The owner of the damaged High Street wall has advised that repairs are still outstanding as matter in hands of insurers.

8. Staffing Matters

There were no staffing matters though annual appraisals are due in February.

9. Notice of motions for future meetings

There were no motions.

10. Matters for Urgent discussion

The matter of verge cutting quotations is to be deferred to March meeting.

Cllr J Critchley reported a street light not working near to Hook Cliff Farm and problems to the surrounding area to the drain in the cutting along the B1174. The clerk to report these issues.

First Aid Session in March to be advertised in the Post Office, Shop, Pub and Club. Clerk to arrange.

The Clerk advised that renovations to the War Memorial were now complete. Names cannot be enhanced as further work would only go deeper encouraging more dirt into the stonework. It was suggested that an enamel plate be attached to the war memorial indicating that names are displayed inside the Church. To be discussed at March meeting.

Russell Doyle of Rutland Masonry has suggested we clean every five years. This will be diarised.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 20:40.