August 2021 Minutes
STICKFORD PARISH COUNCIL
PARISH COUNCIL STATUTORY MEETING
at STICKFORD Community Centre
Tuesday 3 August 2021 @ 7.30pm
THE MINUTES
No. of Residents present 0 Official attendees read Y for attending, N for non-attendance
Chairman Councillor Mrs Lesley Reeson Y Vice Chairman Councillor Mr Graham Bradley N
Councillor Mrs Pam Bryant Y Councillor Mr Robert Morley N
Councillor Mr Clive Kingswood Y Councillor vacancy
Councillor Mr John Howlett Y Parish Clerk Mrs Nicki George Y
Lincs C C Councillor Mrs W Bowkett N ELDC Councillor Mr Jim Swanson N
1. The Chairman opened the meeting and welcomed all present.
2. Apologies for absence received from Graham Bradley and Wendy Bowkett and were accepted.
3. There were no declaration of interest
4. No Residents attended meeting. Footpath report received by email from Ken Richard :
1. It is now possible to cross the field again on the public footpath between Back Lane and Hagnaby Lock after the crop was harvested on 26th July but prior to my previous email no action was taken to keep this path clear after the rape stalks fell over the path making it impassable.
2. Access is still possible on the route to Hagnaby Lock near the Jolly Sailor as Viking Link have allowed crossing their new track by unclipping the two plastic chains that span and block the footpath route.
2. I have been cutting back vegetation on other footpaths with stile crossing areas to allow easier access.
4. The footpath/bridleway post from Back Lane to Hagnaby Lane is in a very bad state being unsightly with rust.
5. No ELDC report available.
6. No LCC report available
7. Lincolnshire Police Report – see Appendix 1
8. The Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 6 July 2021 were approved.
Proposed by John Howlett, Seconded by Pam Bryant.
9. Matters Arising from the minutes.
1) Footpaths. A letter was sent to Cravens requesting that the rape seed be cut to clear a footpath over their land and email received advising that it was cleared on 23rd July.
2) The airfield and caravan situation is pending further investigation.
3) A new bench has been ordered on 10/7/21 – awaiting delivery.
4) Dog Bin – new signage has been put up by the Dog Warden near the dog bin at the end of the Cul De Sac.
5) Financial Regulations and Standing Orders – Pam, Lesley & Nicki have yet to meet. To be arranged soon.
10. Stickford Parish Council Accounts 2020-2021 Public Rights Comments. An objection has been received within the published inspection period. A Plan is to be drawn up to address the issues raised. The AGAR form has been amended as advised by the external Auditors, PKF Littlejohn. Assertions 1/2/3/4/6 have been amended to ‘No’ to reflect the internal auditor’s conclusions and the information that has been provided. The detailed internal audit report and the action plan will be published on the website.
The Plan :
1) Clerk/RFO to produce an Income and Expenditure Report along with bank reconciliation and reasons for significant variances in the Budget Control Report at every other Parish Council meeting, and to issue it via email prior to that meeting to all councillors.
2) Asset Register to be verified every 6 months, along with a Health & Safety Inspection of Assets. This is to be updated by the next meeting and published on the website.
3) Payroll has been set up and 1st quarter completed.
4) Clerk/RFO to note re best practice for bank transfers between accounts and schedule of payments on Agenda.
5) LALC have recommended an independent IT consultant who will keep the website up to date with all relevant information. All the councillors have approved the appointment of this LALC approved consultant on the Premium package of £15 per month + vat, for 6 months with a view to a further 12 month agreement. This will ensure the correct information is being published on the Stickford Parish Council website, as requested by LALC.
6) VAT returns to be done annually.
7) For all purchases over £100, 3 separate quotes will be obtained where possible.
8) All councillors agreed for an Interim Audit to be carried out in November 2021.
9) A memory stick has been purchased to Backup all information on the Clerks laptop. A backup is to be done monthly.
10) The Financial Regulations and Standing Orders are being updated – to be completed by November 2021.
11. Clerks Report . Nothing extra to report that has not been mentioned in 9) Matters Arising from Minutes or 14) correspondence.
12. Financial Report
a) Authority for Payment : clerks wage TBA , along with stationery expenses of £96.71 for full set of 4 toner cartridges for Epson printer and £26.59 for memory stick, printer paper, postage and receipt book, were approved by all councillors and cheques issued.
b) Bank balances : as at 29.6.21 when last statement received : Current a/c £15054.34, Savings a/c £8094.28 with o/s cheques not yet cashed of £23.60, £420, £500.
13. Planning:
Mrs Lisa Cunningham, Shenzi, Fen Road, Stickford.
Planning Application S/168/00932/21
Outline Planning Permission for erection of a dwelling.
Mr John Barry, Land West of Grove Cottage, Fen Road, Stickford.
Planning Application S/168/01189/21
Refusal of Outline Planning Permission for 2 dwellings.
14. Correspondence received for this meeting but not covered on the Agenda
1) Reply from ELDC received in relation to our letter sent in June about the noise complaint received by a resident in May 2020. Please see Appendix 2.
2) Email received from LALC re: Local Authority Treescapes Fund offering free native planting schemes to Parish Councils around the County. Application forms to be submitted by 3rd Sept 2021. As this is before our next meeting , Lesley will put the info on ‘Facebook Stickford Community Page' to spread the word around the village.
3) All councillors have agreed to change the dates of the Parish Council meetings to the 2nd Tuesday of the month , still 2 monthly, starting from December 2021.
15. Other Business – matters for next agenda: War Memorial Clock, next quarters payroll payment, Jubilee celebrations.
16. The Chairman closed the meeting at 21.08pm. Date of next meeting: 7 September 2021 at 7.30pm