Minutes of the Annual Town Council Meeting May 2022
Wainfleet All Saints Town Council Meeting
Minutes of the council meeting held at 18:00 on 3rd May 2022 in the town council offices.
Councillors present : Cllr. D.Wickes (DW), Cllr. D.Kettleborough (DK), Cllr. W. Hatchman (WH), Cllr. J.Hart (JH), Cllr. V.Parker-Hill (VPH), Cllr. W. Bowkett (WB), Cllr.C.Harbon (CB), Cllr, B.Harbon (BH)
Absent : Cllr. S.Baird (SB) – holidays
Also present : Clerk C.Cleary (CC) 2 members of the public.
1. Election of Chair
To elect a new Chair of the Council.
Cllr. D.Wickes was proposed to continue in her role as Chair of the council. No other nominations were proposed.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to elect Cllr. D. Wickes as Chair of the Town Council.
2. Acceptance of office of Chair
New Chair to sign acceptance of office.
Cllr. DW duly signed the acceptance of office of chair, witnessed by Clerk CC
3. Election of Vice Chair
To elect a new Vice Chair of the Council.
Cllr. D.Kettleborough was proposed as vice-chair of the council. No other nominations were received.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to elect Cllr. D.Kettleborough as vice-chair of the Town Council.
4. Acceptance of office of Vice Chair
New Vice Chair to sign acceptance of office.
Cllr. DK duly signed the acceptance of office of vice chair, witnessed by Clerk CC.
Mayor DW suspended the council session at 18:05 to allow the public session to take place.
5. Police report
To receive a report from the police representative.
PCSO J.Richardson was unable to attend and did not submit a report
6. Public session
An opportunity for the public to ask the Council questions and to bring new observations.
Complaint from parishoner regarding grass cutting in the play area. The contractors are not picking up rubbish prior to cutting the grass, resulting in the rubbish being shredded and scattered all over the field, and much more difficult to collect. Council advised that they were aware of this problem and are in discussions with the contractor.
A parishioner asked about a list of activities for the Queens Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Council advised that activities have been organised for the four days of the celebration and the final details are to be published on May 9th.
Mayor DW closed the public session at 18:10 and council resumed the meeting.
7. Apologies for absence
To receive and approve apologies for absence.
Cllr. SB sent his apologies for absence due to holidays.
8. Declarations of interest
To receive declarations of interest under the Localism Act 2011.
Members must declare any personal interest in any item on the agenda and state whether they are also prejudiced. In the case of personal interest, the member may speak and vote on the matter. In the case of prejudicial interests, the member must withdraw while the matter is discussed.
Cllr. VPH -item 18a
9. Draft Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 5th April, 2022
To confirm the notes as a true record of the decisions made.
Draft minutes of the meeting held on 5th April had already been circulated to council.
PROPOSED,SECONDED and RESOLVED to accept the minutes as a true record of the meeting held on 5th April, 2022.
10. Clerks report and action points from the previous minutes
To receive the clerks report and deal with matters arising.
Return of unused plots – awaiting family return
Buttercross uplighters – nothing further on second quote from TRJ
Payment for bunting has been received from ELDC
Quotation for car park repairs received from Verebros – see item 18c.
Quotation received from Alpha memorials – see item 18a.
Abandoned car in Market Place. ELDC have taken further steps and vehicle should be removed in a day or two.
Councillors gmail accounts - pending
Dog poop bag stations – awaiting delivery
Drain outside PO – resolved.
Poplars adjoining railway line. Clerk to contact Railways to see if they will maintain them.
Community speedwatch information received and circulated. To be discussed in June meeting.
TEAMS Meeting was held with Sam Phillips and other clerks on Friday. Key points from the meeting:
* YMCA have a Youth engagement officer working closely with the school.
* Although Welcome Back Fund has finished, there is still some budget available through the Vital & Viable project. Clerk to submit a request to see if the Buttercross refurb can be included in this.
* Possible future funding could be available through the levelling up fund. ELDC are preparing a request for this, so any projects we might have should be sent to them for inclusion.
* Nature lab coming to Wainfleet on 3rd June
* Pete the Dinosaur coming to Wainfleet during first week of August.
* Magna Vitae summer activities being promoted.
* Queens Jubilee activities can be uploaded onto the Love Lincs Wolds website
* QPJ Trail can be organised – circulated to councillors
11. Councillors Action list report
To receive a report from Cllr. D.Kettleborough on the councillor action list.
Market place pot holes and car parking to be discussed at a separate meeting scheduled for May 9th.
Still having difficulties obtaining planings
Buttercross refurbishment- still seeking external finance
Footpath signs (Station Road) scheduled for June
Play area signs to be installed end of May
Picnic benches to be installed end of May.
Bus shelter xmas lights removal and cleaning of canopy. WH to organise prior to QPJ celebrations.
There was also a complaint from a business owner regarding the clearance of the car park on Thursday afternoon.
ACTION : Cllrs. WB/DW will arrange to meet with the owner and the contractor.
12. Reports from External Agencies
To receive reports from LCC and ELDC Cllr. Wendy Bowkett.
Other Councillors reports from external meetings.
Cllr WB did not submit a county or district report, but advised the following :
* The abandoned car would be handled by ELDC in the coming days.
* New Play Area equipment would be handed over on Friday. Cllr. WH raised a concern regarding the new surface and the skip being used. Cllrs to arrange meeting with contractors on site
* There is an ongoing issue with litter in the playing field.
13. Review of Working groups
To review and agree the working groups, their members, and terms of reference.
Copies of the existing working group terms of reference as agreed in the April meeting were circulated to councillors prior to the meeting.
CONFIRMED that the amended documents were as agreed in the April meeting and Mayor DW signed the documents.
Discussion on the current working groups.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to remove the planning working group and to confirm that the working groups for the town council would be Finance and General Purposes, Marketing & Promotions, Properties & Amenities and Burial Grounds, with the current representation on those groups being unchanged.
14. To Review representations for External Organisations
To review and agree member representation for external organisations.
Discussion on representation on external organisations. Councillors felt that at present it would not be possible to send a representative to each organisation, but would request minutes from their meetings where possible and also invite as many as possible to the Annual Parish Meeting.
15. To review official council documents
To review the current list of council policies and documents to be reviewed and to bring recommendations to the next meeting.
Clerk CC advised that several of our current policies are now overdue for revision. CC will review those for any legislative changes and report to the next meeting. CC also suggested that we bring our policies into line with those of other similar sized town councils and add any policies that council felt were necessary.
16. Finance
To receive financial reports and updates.
The monthly financial report and bank reconciliation for April had previously been circulated to councillors. Discussion on monthly report.
PROPOSED,SECONDED and RESOLVED to approve the April Financial Report.
a. To approve payments and receipts.
Discussion on payments to be made.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to approve the payments and receipts for April.
For transparency the following payments in excess of £100 were mad in April :
| Payee | Detail | Amount | VAT | Total |
| TRJ Electrics | Review of Xmas lights | £140.00 | £28.00 | £168.00 |
| Healthguard Ltd | Mole control play area, Northolme and All Saints | £250.00 | £50.00 | £300.00 |
| Inspectas | Japanese Knotweed Treatment | £1500.00 | £300.00 | £1800.00 |
| D.Ward | Gazebo erection/dismantling April | £400.00 | £0.00 | £400.00 |
| DW Landscapes | Fallen tree removal | £1400.00 | £0.00 | £1400.00 |
| Deegans Designs | Bunting and flags for QPJ | £1770.00 | £0.00 | £1770.00 |
| Lincs County Loos | Hire of portable loos for QPJ | £150.00 | £0.00 | £150.00 |
| P&K Lewis | Office rental | £400.00 | £0.00 | £400.00 |
| Staff Costs | Staff Costs | £711.90 | £0.00 | £711.90 |
b. To receive and approve the Annual Governance Statement 31st March 2021
The Annual governance statement was presented to and reviewed by councillors.
PROPOSED,SECONDED and RESOLVED to approve the Annual Governance Statement for 2021/22
Mayor DW and Clerk CC then proceeded to sign the statement.
c. To receive and approve the Financial Statement for year ending 31st March 2021.
The Financial Statement for 2021/22 was presented to and reviewed by councillors.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to approve the Financial Statement for 2021/22
Mayor DW and Clerk CC then proceeded to sign the statement.
d. To appoint NMS Accounting Services as the internal auditor for the financial year ending 31st March 2021.
PROPOSED,SECONDED and RESOLVED to appoint NMS accounting services as the councils internal auditor.
17. Planning
To receive and discuss applications.
No new applications had been received.
The following applications have been approved :
S/194/00399/22 – Regent House change of use of room
S/194/02143/21 – Royal Oak change of use of store
S/195/02470/21 – Barkham Arms caravan park
APP/D2510/W/21/3278902 – Appeal of rejection of planning application for The Workshop has been dismissed.
18. Properties, Amenities and Burial Grounds
To discuss and agree actions and associated expenditure for Properties, Amenities and Burial Grounds and to receive reports from the associated working groups..
a. Northolme Cemetery & Closed Churchyards.
New memorial plot 303 GOR.
Discussion on quotation received from Alpha Memorials to repair memorials damaged by fallen tree. Councillors reported on site visit that had been made.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to accept the quotation from Alpha Memorials,
ACTION : Clerk to instruct Alpha Memorials to proceed with the repair.
Molehills have been noted on the Croft Lane verges of the cemetery.
ACTION : Clerk to contact moleman to address the issue.
No issues in closed cemeteries.
Trees in St. Thomas’ to be reviewed by tree surgeon. Discussion on trees with tree preservation orders in Northolme and St. Thomas’.
ACTION : CC to contact Tree Preservation to arrange visit.
Discussion on trees on Wainfleet Bank.
b. Allotments.
Discussion on state of allotments. Plots 10 & 12 still do not meet councils standards. Agreed to write to tenants to formally request improvement within 28 days or face eviction from the plot.
ACTION: Clerk to write to tenants.
c. Market Place
Discussion on market stall rentals. Mayor DW gave an update on rentals being received and costs incurred.
Discussion on quotation received to repair potholes in Market Place car park. Difficulties in obtaining quotations had been previously minuted. Quotation included recommendation that entire car park would require resurfacing in the next five years. Discussion on financing of repairs. Discussion on installation of bollards on car park.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to accept the quotation to repair the potholes (on safety grounds) and to finance this from existing reserves.
Agreed to hold a separate meeting to review the lease of the car park and future expenditure on Monday 9th May.
Discussion on planters and flowers in the Market Place. Watering rota agreed, but ideally, the intention is to have local residents maintain the planters.
d. Play Area and Playing Field.
New play area equipment installed, painting to do, should be ready for handover within a week.
Litter problems (see above).
19. Marketing and Promotions
To discuss and agree actions and associated expenditure for marketing and promotion.
Reports from the Marketing & Promotions working group and the Queens Platinum Jubilee celebrations had been circulated to councillors prior to the meeting.
Discussion on using playing field or Market Place for car boot. ACTION: Cllr. WB to approach school to see if they would agree to a monthly car boot on the field. In first instance a trial car boot will be held in the Market Place on 26th June. Clerk to organise flyers.
Awaiting banners advertising Friday market from supplier.
Discussion fund raising for town Xmas lights.
20. Proposed Monthly Town Magazine
To receive a proposal from Cllr, W. Hatchman on the publication of a monthly town magazine.
Cllr. WH proposed that a monthly/quarterly town magazine be reinstated. Agreed that Clr. WH would arrange a meeting of interested parties after the QPJ celebrations.
21. Correspondence
To discuss correspondence received
E-mail from Chatter Cake – circulated to councillors and e-mail sent to organiser requesting further details.
E_mail from resident regarding debris being left on football pitch. Action: CC to reply to resident explaining situation and actions being taken.
E-mail from resident requesting upgrading of grave. Discussion on graves in Northolme. Councillors agreed that the improvements could be made and comply with current regulations. Action: CC to reply to resident advising councils approval.
22. Agenda items for next meeting
To receive items for inclusion on the next meeting’s agenda,
Queens Platinum Jubilee celebrations
Community Speedwatch
23. Meeting dates for the coming year
To agree dates for meetings of the working groups, and to confirm that full council meetings will be held on the 1st Tuesday of the month.
Discussion on monthly meetings. Consensus that 1st Tuesday would be generally the preferred date, aside from bank holidays or other extenuating circumstances.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED that council meetings would be held on the first Tuesday of every month.
Date for next meeting : (Due to holidays) Monday 6th June at 6pm
Parish Meeting : 17th May 6pm
Mayor DW thanked all for their attendance and contribution and closed the meeting at 20.05hrs.
I certify these minutes to be a true record of the meeting held on 3rd May, 2022
Signature: Mayor: Cllr Wickes
Date: 6th June, 2022
Initial : Date: 6th June, 2022