April 2023 Minutes
DRAFT Minutes from the meeting of Bardney Group Parish Council, which was held at Stainfield and Apley Village Hall on Thursday 20TH April 2023 at 7pm
Attendees
Cllr Robin Darby – Chairman
Cllr Peter Waddington – Vice Chair
Cllr Frank Bates
Cllr Mary Corbould
Cllr John Papworth
Cllr Charles Shaw
Cllr Malcom Speed
Anna Lawson (Clerk/RFO)
Laura Allen (Admin Assistant)
Absences
Cllr Luke Cluett
Members of the Public
Two members of the public were present.
Meeting commenced at 7.00pm - No Public Forum due to the Pre-Election Period
162-2022/23 To inspect the Insignia and Apologies for Absence i.a.w Local Govt Act 1972, Sch 12, para 40 . To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Clerk prior to the meeting.
No apologies were given.
163-2022/23 To receive declarations of interest under the Localism Act 2011 – being any pecuniary interest in agenda items not previously recorded on Member’s Register of Interests.
None received.
164-2022/23 To receive and consider any dispensation requests on agenda items and decide whether they are to be granted.
None received.
165-2022/23 To approve as a correct record the notes of the meeting held on 16th March 2023 and to authorise the Chairman to sign the official minutes.
It was PROPOSED by Cllr Darby, SECONDED by Cllr Speed and voted to approve the minutes, with five in favour, one abstention and one against.
166-2022/23 To receive the report from the Chairman
The Chair reported that there was nothing further to report other than news of the upcoming election. Thanks is to be given to all the Councillors and staff for their assistance and hard work during the previous term.
167-2022/23 To receive update on actions arisen at the 16th March 2023 meeting and report from the Clerk to the Council.
The Clerk provided the following report:
The sheep have appeared in the Churchyard without prior notification. As the public consultation finished on Tuesday (18th April), in relation to the Diocese granting the Faculty to lay down the four headstones which are dangerous, this action has delayed the work commencing. In addition to this it does put the sheep at risk of injury.
As we come to the end of the Parish Council term, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank all those involved and remind everyone just how much we have achieved in challenging circumstances. We have dealt with a pandemic, an extensive flood, the country’s largest environmental disaster, moved office within 10 days, a large fire and the death of two significant figure heads. With each event we have stepped up to the mark, supported our residents and lead the community, and as such we should be proud that BGPC were there for our community when we were needed, especially when others have not.
On a positive note we have achieved the Local Council Foundation Award, received a Tree from the Queen, put on transport for local elderly residents to access COVID vaccinations and held a series of successful events, including St Oswald’s Feast. This is in addition to working with local community groups to create a Foodbank and Warm Space initiative. Achievements also include the clerk passing CILCA (Certificate in Local Council Administration) and subsequently the council obtaining GPC (General Power of Competence).
St Oswald’s Park has been created and developed over the last four years and it is lovely to see children enjoying the wild flower meadows and picking fruit from the community orchard and allotments. The Mound has also been planted with spring bulbs and will become a feature over the years.
We have built links with the major Cemeteries in the area and they continue to complement our working practices. However a recent survey from ICCM/BRAMM has given the Cemetery an Amber Standard award which means that there is still room for improvement in tightening up our processes’.
Our finances have continued to be stable with measured expenditure despite the increase in inflation and the impact of the cost of living. We have again passed Internal Audit this week, making it the sixth year in a row.
BGPC is also recognised as being a well-run council by our peers at both a national and local
We have continued to be a thorn in the side of WLDC Planning and LCC Highways, in our endeavour to ensure that our area is treated fairly and issues addressed. Minutes going back to 2002 show that BGPC has always had problems with Planning, Highways and Cllr Fleetwood, therefore these are ongoing issues, not just something created by personality clashes.
Of course we have detractors, and we should encourage residents to challenge BGPC decision making at all times. By the nature of the beast, Parish Councils will never keep everyone happy, those who are negative towards BGPC do so simply because we have done our job. Our role is not to be popular but to ensure that all council operations are carried out within the terms of the law, best practice and minimum risk.
So my thanks go to everyone who has worked so hard to help our community and council through the storms and achievements of the last four years.
Training is being booked for new Councillor in council basics and GDPR.
168-2022/23 Financial matters:
i) To approve the bank reconciliation statement for March 2023 including handyman equipment
It was PROPOSED by Cllr Darby, SECONDED by Cllr Corbould and voted with six in favour and one against to approve the bank reconciliation statement.
ii) To ratify payments of accounts, salaries, BACS payments & payments already made
It was PROPOSED by Cllr Darby, SECONDED by Cllr Waddington and voted with six in favour and one against to ratify the payments. See attached sheet.
iii) To ensure compliance with external audit requirements:
iv) To consider the Accounting Statements by the members meeting as a whole;
v) To approve the Accounting Statements by resolution; and
It was PROPOSED by Cllr Darby, SECONDED by Cllr Waddington and voted with six in favour and one against to approve the accounting statements.
vi) To ensure the Accounting Statements are signed and dated by the person presiding at the meeting at which that approval is given.
169-2022/23 Planning matters. To note any approved applications received and to consider any planning applications and decide any comments that the Council wishes to make.
146421 - Planning application for single storey extension to form utility room and ground floor toilet facilities - Grange Cottage Main Road Stainfield Market Rasen LN8 5JJ.
146374 - Planning application to remove existing garage and erect single storey annex for personal use or holiday let. Inglenook 29 Queen Street Bardney Lincoln LN3 5XF.
146431 - Planning application for single storey rear extension Park Gate Cottages 2 Main Road Stainfield Market Rasen LN8 5JJ.
146393 - Planning application for installation of ancillary agricultural freestanding photovoltaic panel arrays. Farm Short Ferry Road Stainfield Market Rasen. LN8 5JL.
It was agreed that there were no comments to make on the above applications.
170-2022/23 To consider request from St Lawrence Church to host St Oswald’s service on the Village Green
It was PROPOSED by Cllr Darby, SECONDED by Cllr Shaw and unanimously RESOLVED to permit the use of the Village Green for the St Oswald’s Service.
7.36pm
Cllr Shaw made a request for the Standing Orders to be suspended to ask whether the members of the public present had any questions to raise. The Chair permitted the request, but reminded Councillors that this is the pre-election period.
The meeting resumed at 7.40pm.
171-2022/23 To review the Standing Orders
It was PROPOSED by Cllr Darby, SECONDED by Cllr Speed and unanimously RESOLVED to approve the Standing Orders.
172-2022/23 To review the Financial Regulations
It was PROPOSED by Cllr Darby, SECONDED by Cllr Speed and voted with six in favour and one against to accept the Financial Regulations.
173-2022/23 To review the Financial Risk Management Policy
It was PROPOSED by Cllr Darby, SECONDED by Cllr Speed and unanimously RESOLVED to approve the Financial Risk Management Policy.
174-2022/23 To review the Data Protection Policy
This agenda item was agreed to be moved into the Closed Session.
175-2022/23 To consider request relating to a headstone in the Cemetery
A headstone in the Cemetery in memory of the late Gladys Peet is noted to be of important local significance. She was the driving force behind the establishment of Bardney’s first Catholic Church. It has been identified that the headstone has sustained some damage following a complaint raised by a member of Catholic community.
In the absence of any remaining living relatives, the Porfolio Holder for the Cemetery proposed that the Council should consider hiring a professional cleaner to renovate the headstone primarily due to its historical significance within the village.
It was PROPOSED by Cllr Speed, SECONDED by Cllr Shaw and voted with four in favour, one abstention and two against to approve a budget of up to £300 to refurbish the headstone.
176-2022/23 To receive report from the representative from Hancocks Trust
A report was provided regarding the 6 Almshouse’s on the Village Green which is managed by the Hancocks Trust, and that the Trust is a well-run and finances are stable.
177-2022/23 To receive report from the Bardney Village Hall and Playing Field representative and consider funding request.
A report was received from the Village Hall Representative including a request for funding to towards two replacement heaters/aircon units due to one being broken and the other about to follow suit.
It was PROPOSED by Cllr Shaw, SECONDED by Cllr Waddington and unanimously RESOLVED for the Council to consider the request at a future meeting once a formal application has been submitted.
178-2022/23 Establishment – to resolve to go into closed session in accordance with Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960 to discuss the following matters;
179-2022/23 To receive an update on the Election
180-2022/23 To confirm date of next meeting Thursday 18th May 2023 - Southrey Village Hall
Meeting Closed 8.21pm