2025 Minutes cemetery and allotments

15 October 2025 minutes

Minutes of a meeting of Bardney Group Parish Council held at Bardney Village Hall, Bardney on Wednesday 15th October at 7.00pm.

 

Present: Cllr. K. Laughton – Chairman

               Cllr. F. Bates

               Cllr. M. Courbould

               Cllr. R. Lane

               Cllr. B. Lintin

               Cllr. J. Papworth

               Cllr. B. Percival

 

Also present: Anne Wilson Assistant Parish Clerk and RFO

                        2 members of the public

 

Public Questions

 

  • Concern was expressed about the turnover at Parish Clerks at the Council. Cllr. Lane explained that there were two appointed in the summer on a permanent basis – they were not agency people. The residents asked why people left the council,
  • An allotment holder asked about various matters relating to the allotments. She understood that the Assistant Clerk had arranged for the grass in the allotments to be cut and it would be happening next week. There was also the issue of rats on the allotments which the handyman was dealing with by putting down rat poison, but they had come back now her was not dealing with the problem. The Assistant Clerk suggested that a meeting of the Allotment Committee be held. She asked that any agendas when there is a meeting of the Allotment Committee be posted on the noticeboard at the allotments, so the allotment holders had the opportunity to attend. It was explained that they would only be able to speak in the public question part of the meeting.

 

      66/25/26 Fire Safety Announcement

               

RESOLVED to note that the Chairman gave a fire safety announcement.

 

The Chairman reported:

 

  • that there four vacancies and currently no interest. He would put the vacancy onto the village Facebook site Bardney Noticeboard.
  • The Christmas Lights would be switched on on Sunday 23rd November. The Assistant Clerk was asked to book a space for the Parish Council to have a stall. The lights would be put up soon.
  • It was confirmed that 250 sandbags had been purchased and would be stored in the cricket pavilion. They would be available via the Parish Clerk only for severe flooding. KIT was noted that no sand would be made available, but people could fill them with anything suitable.

 

 

  67/25/26 Apologies for Absence.
 

RESOLVED to receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Clerk prior to the meeting, in accordance with Local Gov. Act 1972, Sch 12, para 40.

 

  • Cllr. I. Fleetwood – alternative principal council meeting
  • Cllr. Darby – personal commitment

 

Absent:

 

  • Cllr. McTernin
  • Cllr. Clarke

 

 68/25/26 Declarations of Interests.
 

RESOLVED to note that there were no declarations of interest or dispensation applications in relation to Disclosable Pecuniary Interests.

 

 

 69/25/26 Exclusion of Press and Public

 

RESOLVED to note that there were no items to be discussed with the press and public excluded

 

 

 70/25/26 Minutes of Previous Meetings

 

RESOLVED to confirm the minutes of the meetings held on 24th September 2025

 

 

 71/25/26 Clerk’s Report

 

In the absence of the Parish Clerk the following were reported from her report to Members:

 

  • The Assistant Clerk reported that the grass will be cut in the allotments, and the field will be taking place next week and is being carried out by the company who cut the cemetery.

 

  • Work to tree in cemetery has been ordered

 

  • Road closure for Remembrance Day has been requested - the council need to decide who is laying a wreath where.

 

It was agreed that the following people would lay wreaths:

 

Bardney – Cllr. K. Laughton

Stainsfield and Apley – Cllr. M. Courbould

Southery – Cllr. K. Clarke

 

 

 

Conversation was held about the Propellor and War Graves wreaths – to ask via e mail if anyone would like to lay those wreaths

 

 

72/25/26 Items for consideration and resolution

 

  1. Sale of Portacabin

 

The Council were asked to consider offers to purchase the Portacabin and resolve a sale. It has been deferred from the previous Council meeting due to the low number of Councillors present.

 

Following discussion, it was RESOLVED that the portacabin be offered to the school for £1500 subject to them making arrangements for the removal of the same.

 

  1. Grass cutting

 

RESOLVED to note that the allotments, the field and the green, outside the cemetery and the mound would be cut by the same contractors as cut the cemetery.

 

  1. Notice for allotments

 

  1. that Members agreed to serve notices on allotments tenants that are not complying with tenancy agreement. The tenants need to be held to account – they have signed an agreement and some are not keeping to it.

 

Further RESOLVED that an Allotments Committee meeting be arranged and an inspection regime be agreed.

 

There are four vacant plots but the Assistant Clerk said that she felt that the vacancies should be advertised after any inspection.

 

 

  73/25/26 Finance

 

  1. To receive account balances to 30th September 2025

 

These were not available for the meeting and would be circulated to Members separately.

 

  1. Council was asked to approve invoices for payments, report prepared by the RFO.

 

RESOLVED that the following invoices be passed for payment:

 

  • HMRC £885.71
  • HMRC £70.99
  • Bardney Village Hall - £900 (rent for July, August and September)

 

 

  • Global Supplies Ltd £110.42 + £91.90
  • Wave £275.79
  • SLCC HR advice and service £2360.50 + VAT £472.10 = £2832.60
  • Blue Blossom Landscapes £1040.40 + VAT £208.09 = £1248.48

 

 

  1. Council is asked to approve payments made since the meeting help on 24th September 2025, report prepared by the RFO

 

Apart from staff wages and HMRC it was not thought that there were any payments since the last meeting.

 

  1. Council is asked to approve bank reconciliation prepared by the RFO.

 

This would be forwarded to Members after the meeting.

 

  1. Audit

 

  1. to note the comments of the external auditors for 2024/2025.

 

74/25/26 Items to be included on the next agenda

 

           RESOLVED to note that the following items be placed on the next agenda,

           although not all items were relevant to the next meeting.

 

  • Volunteers were requested for the 27th October 2025 to put up the Heras fencing and the road closure notices for Remembrance Sunday.
  • State of the river in Bardney – send to the County Councillor and the Canals and Rivers Trust.
  • Volunteers to put up the Christmas lights -social media. Mr Lane has all the relevant certificates.

 

RESOLVED to note that the next meeting of Bardney Parish Council will be held on Wednesday 18th November 2025 at 7 p.m. in Bardney Village Hall.

 

 

 

Signed ……………………………………………..   Date …………………………………..

 

                     Chairman