6th July 2020 Minutes
Notes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held using Zoom on Monday 6th July 2020 at 7.38 pm.
Present: Cllrs P Ireland, A Lennox, S Poulton, N Rooke and J Stapleton, Mrs D Scott (Clerk). Cllr Sally Tarry (NKDC)
67/20 Welcome - Cllr Ireland welcomed all to the meeting
68/20 Apologies for absence – Cllr Barry Young (LCC), Cllr Stewart Ogden (NKDC)
69/20 Declarations of Interest and Applications for Dispensation – none
70/20 Notes of previous meetings, 5th May 2020 (Annual Meeting) and 12th May 2020 (extra meeting) – approved as accurate records. Arrangement were made for signing at a later date.
71/20 Annual Parish Meeting – it was noted that NALC/LALC guidance was to comply with national regulations avoiding face to face meetings and as no requests had been received for a Parish Meeting, then it was agreed to defer until 2021
72/20 Annual Finance 2019-20 – it was noted that the Exemption certificate had been submitted to PKF Littlejohn by the due date and notification had been received that the Exemption had been accepted by the Auditors. The period for exercising public rights was ongoing.
73/20 Annual Finance 2020-21 – Mrs Scott had shared copies of transactions to date, including payment to Town & Country Electrical (£65.28) for the light in the Phone Box and the receipt of £70 being the Gazebo Fund which was now transferred to the Parish Council. Mrs Scott explained she had set up another Restricted Fund in the accounts
Payment were approved for the Clerk £148.55 (June & July) inc expenses (reimbursement of travel, stationery etc), HMRC (mth 4 due 19/08/20), and £90 Little Hale Chapel (use for meetings), pending receipt of invoice.
74/20 Clerk’s Report and Correspondence
- Covid-19 updates from LCC, NKDC, LALC and LRF – noted
- Keep Britain Tidy – Autumn clean-up plans – defer to next meeting
- Update from the independent Little Hale Covid-19 Group – it was noted that the WhatsApp group had been very useful at the start of lockdown, but most people had now settled into routines and new networks of help. Group members present felt the group was worth maintaining as a community support group, not necessarily just for Covid-19 related issues. They would discuss with the group admin.
- Lloyds Bank Statements – noted
75/20 Policing Update – Mrs Scott had received an updated CBT contacts poster for the noticeboard.
76/20 Highways Matters
- Road markings on Fen Road seemed to indicate imminent works.
- The speed limit sign on Burton Lane was now facing the wrong way, Cllr Poulton agreed to photograph and report to LCC via Fix My Street
- Cllr Ireland reported that he’d reported several broken signs to LCC but had been told that they were not a priority.
77/20 Flooding. It was noted that the work planned by LCC, contracting with the IDB, to clear the dyke behind the phone box had not taken place; it was presumed that it had missed the timeslot. The Clerk agreed to email Richard Lennard (copy to Cllr Young) to see if there would be another chance.
78/20 Broadband – Cllr Ireland reported that a Facetime meeting had been set up with Quantum Fibre on Friday 11th July for anyone interested in hearing about their offer. Quickline were also interested in meeting. He agreed to resend the invitation.
79/20 Planning Matters
Planning Applications – see www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/planningonline
- 20/0276/FUL 10 Fen Road retrospective re Stable Unit and Tack Room – no decision yet (post-meeting note, approved by NKDC 7th July 2020)
- 20/0542/FUL Plot 1 Land Off Fen Road Little Hale Sleaford Lincs (the westernmost of the two plots). It was noted that a further informal comment about positioning the front boundary to allow a footpath extension had been submitted to NKDC, decision awaited.
- 20/0544/FUL Plot 2 Land Off Fen Road Little Hale Sleaford Lincs (the easternmost of the two plots) – decision awaited.
80/20 Planning Inspectorate –
- Viking Link – It was agreed that Cllr Ireland represent the parish on the Community Liaison Group
- Triton Knoll – no update
81/20 Policies for Review (please see website for the latest versions)
- Standing Orders
- Financial Regulations
- Equal Opportunities
- GDPR
- Publication Scheme
- Social Media Policy – clarification was agreed to allow Councillors to be authorised for specific press comments e.g., to prepare summaries of Council business for the local Parish Magazines.
(The meeting was paused at 8.07 pm due to a technical issue, Cllr Tarry left and the meeting resumed at 8.14 pm)
Subject to the above amendment, the Council’s Policies were re-approved.
82/20 Community Defibrillator – it was noted that reporting continued; a minor issue with the bag’s zip was noted, this would not be an issue in an emergency. The new light was working well. Cllr Poulton’s offer to deliver training would be taken up in the autumn, once meeting restrictions were relaxed.
83/20 Dog Fouling – no issues were reported.
84/20 Land at Pump Lane – Cllr Poulton reported that the signs were ready to go up and Cllrs Ireland and Stapleton agreed to sort the replacement gate and gatepost as soon as possible to enclose the land.
85/20 Matters for the next meeting – Autumn Clean Up.
86/20 The Dates of Meetings for 2020-21, at 7.30pm
1st Sept, 3rd Nov, 5th Jan 2021, 2nd Mar, 4th May,
The meeting closed at 8.36 pm and was followed by a review of the Clerk’s salary, Mrs Scott having left the Zoom meeting.
1st September - the Minutes were agreed as a true record and signed by Cllr Paul Ireland