May 2021 Minutes Annual Parish Council Meeting
Digby Parish Council
Notes from ANNUAL PARISH COUNCIL Meeting of Digby Parish Council, held on 19th May 20121 in Digby War Memorial Hall at 7pm.
PRESENT - James Bourne (JB); Tracy Bourne (TB); Karen Groves (KG) and Amanda Redsell (AR)
In attendance: Angie McDonald, Clerk and Proper Officer.
Public Forum
No members of the public attended the meeting.
District & County Councillors' Matters
Cllr Clegg informed the council prior to the meeting that he would arrive late due to attending another meeting in another parish.
Police.
There was no report from the local PCSO
ANNUAL PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
1. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN AND SIGNING OF DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE.(21/065)
It was proposed by TB, seconded by KG that JB be elected as Chairman.
JB accepted the position and signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office form.
2. ELECTION OF VICE-CHAIRMAN AND SIGNING OF DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE (21/066)
It was proposed by TB, seconded by KG that AR be elected as Vice-Chairman.
AR accepted the position and signed the Declaration of Acceptance to Office form.
Action: The Clerk to forward copies of the forms to NKDC Monitoring Officer.
3. Chairman's Opening Remarks (21/067)
a) The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
4. Apologies.(21/068)
a) Apologies were received and accepted from CH for medical reasons and from GG.
5. Declarations of Pecuniary Interest & Applications of Dispensation (21/069)
a) There were no declarations of interest.
6. Signing of the Minutes (21/070)
a) It was proposed by AR, seconded by TB and RESOLVED to accept the notes of the Parish Council meeting held on Wednesday 21st April 2021 as a true and accurate record of that meeting.
7. Planning Matters(21/071)
a) Planning Applications Received
21/0736/PNND Station Yard, Station Road, Prior approval for a proposed change of use from offices to dwelling.
This application was discussed and there were no comments or objections.
b) Decision Notices
Nil to date
8. General Parish Matters (21/072)
a) To appoint member to parish organisations
i) Memorial Hall Committee - AR agreed to be the Parish Council representative.
ii) Allotment Association - JB & KG agreed to be the arish Council representatives.
b) To appoint members to the working groups of the Parish Council
i) Drainage - JB & GG
ii) Playing field - AR & GG
iii) Finance - GG & TB
All the above councillors agreed to be members of the working groups
c) Annual Review of policy documentation, the relevant documentation was forwarded to councillors prior to the meeting.
Standing Orders – Last Reviewed Nov 2020
Financial Regulations – Last reviewed May 2020
It was RESOLVED to accept the documentation as it was presented, no amendments were required.
Action: The Clerk to annotate the reveiw on the documnetation.
d) To consider re-printing the Digby Village Book.
CH is still not available so the item will be removed from the agenda until he is able to attend the meeting.
e) Insurance
All documentation had been forwarded to the councillors prior to the meeting and it was RESOLVED to accept and pay the quotation of £480.06.
9. Highways (21/073)
a) Highways issues.
Whilst some potholes have been repaired, a new pothole is forming on Station Road after the bridge and before the alotment field.
b) Condition of Digby Fen
The north end of the road has had some repairs, the subsidence on this road from Digby House farm towards Billinghay requires work.
Action: The Clerk will report to Fix my Street.
19.16 District Councillor Clegg arrived. The Chairman closed the meeting to allow him to speak.
Councillr Clegg had forwarded an annual report to councillors prior to the meeting. He confirmed how NK had manged to continue to work during the lockdown.
The Hub has re-opened and has been redesigned to encourage more use, also the NK stepping out walks have seen an increase in useage during the lockdown and NKDC are looking at way to encourage the public to enjoy these walks after lockdown.
The Chairman asked about possible funding opportunities for the planned expansion to the play equipment at Digby and Cllr Clegg agreed to look into the Renewable energy grant and any other information from the Community Partnerships team. The Clerk asked about the proceedure regarding the prior permission for planning notifications that the parish council receive. Cllr Clegg agreed to find out the whether the parish council should respond as they would to a normal application.
19.23 The Chairman declared the meeting back in session.
10. The Village Hall (21/074)
a) There were no comments to the minutes from the latest meeting of the committee, that had been forwarded to the councillors. KG mentioned the shrubs around the christmas tree need cutting back along with any overhanging on to the lawn area.
Action: The Clerk to notify the gardener of the request.
9. Drainage (21/075)
a) Environmental Agency - Update on site meeting.
A further site meeting took place on 10th May to discuss the continuing review. Our request for de-silting was dismissed again, the cost to remove the weeds after they have been cut will be looked into. EA stated they are still looking into a 'slow the flow' scheme upstream and implementing a community involvement and information day. The Parish Council confirmed they will continue to lobby for improvements to the Beck through the village.
b) Update on Unfinished Flood Relief Scheme.
Although the Clerk requested a site meeting with LCC after the last parish council meeting, a message explaining how the work will be completed was received instead. The parish council are disappointed the work is not complete, the bank still need seeding, and the area to the side of Greendyke is becoming an eye sore through lack of maintenance which was promised would happen.
Action: The Clerk to write to LCC to report the work still needing to be completed.
10. Playing Field, Play Areas and Village General (21/076)
a) Monthly Inspection of the Play Equipment.
AR to carry out inspection and report to the council.
b) Update on the Bin at the Playing Field.
AR to ask Mr Bowring to reconcrete the bin in the ground.
c) Progress of the Planning for the Playing Field Improvements.
The council have met with 4 companies and to date only one quote has been received. Once the other quotaations arrive the council will be able to look at the plans and narrow down to 2 different designs. These will then be put on public display for the village to choose the final design. Then grant funding will be applied for.
d) Improving the Footpath Entrance of the Field from B1188.
GG is waiting for a quotation for the installation of metal barriers and will then report to the council.
e) Scheduled works on the Trees.
The first part of the scheduled works on the trees in the playing field has been completed, the second part of the work will take place later in the summer.
11. Allotments (21/077)
a) There were no updates from the Allotment Committee.
12. Finance (21/078)
a) Bank Balances and Approval of Bank Reconciliation.
The bank balances were reported as:-
PC General Account £37,973.61
Allotment Account £5,675.61
Mary Greswell Trust £ 5.45
The bank reconciliation was approved.
b) Income Received.
During May a CIL payment of £4980.93 was received from NKDC, and VAT return of £1064.11 was received.
c) Approval of Payments
It was proposed by JB, seconded by TB and RESOLVED the following payments are made.
Salaries/Expenses £631.40
Witham Internal Drainage Board £47.73
Select Electrical Services £96.12 + VAT £19.22 = £115.34
Abbey Tree Services £600.00
Came & Company Insurance £480.06
It was noted brown bin payment of £69.00 to NKDC, previously approved, for bins at village hall was paid 4th May
d) The Annual Governance and Accountability Return
i) Internal Control System.
The Internal Auditor has completed and signed the AGAR part 2, confirming the council has complied, and has in place the relevant procedures and controls of internal control of its finances.
ii) Section 1. Annual Governance Statement 2020/21.
The items of the Annual Governance statement were read out by the Clerk and it was RESOLVED the Annual Governance Statement be approved. The document was signed and dated by the Chairman and Clerk.
iii) Section 2. The Accounting statements 2020/21.
Copies of the Accounting Statement had been distributed to the councillors prior to the meeting.
iv) Approval of Accounting Statement for 2020/21.
It was proposed by KG, seconded by TB and RESOLVED to approve the Accounting Statement for 2020/21. The Statement was signed and dated by the Chairman and the RFO (Clerk).
v) Certificate of Exemption.
As the gross income or the gross expenditure was less than £25,000, it was RESOLVED the Chairman and the RFO (Clerk) sign the Certificate of Exemption.
Action: Copies of the Annual Internal Audit, the Annual Governance Statement, the Annual Accounts Statement, the analysis of variances, the bank reconciliation, plus the information Regulation 15(2), Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 including the period for the exercise of public rights and the Certificate of Exemption are to be published on the council’s website.
e) Appointment of the Internal Auditor for 2021/22.
Sue Weaver will be asked to remain as the Internal Auditor.
13. Correspondence (21/079)
a) LALC Newsletter - Distributed to all councillors
b) NKDC Newsletter - Distributed to all councillors
c) County Councillor Report - Distributed to all councillors
d) Message of thanks received from Digby PCC for the contribution to the cutting of the grass at the Churchyard.
e) Lincolnshire Environmental Awards 2021 - Entries open now, poster displayed in the noticeboard
14. Dates of Future Meetings (21/080)
Parish Council meetings
16th Jun, 14th Jul, 18th Aug, 15th Sept, 20th Oct, 17th Nov and 15th Dec
The Annual Parish Meeting is still on hold until public can gather indoors safely.
15. Any Business to Note for the Next Agenda (21/081)
Old pond area off North Street
16. Closed Session (21/082)
For confidential items in accordance with the Public Bodies Act 1960.
This item was not required
20.23 There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed.