Minutes from the 1st May Meeting
Wainfleet All Saints Town Council Meeting
Minutes from the Annual Council Meeting held on 1st May 2024 at 6.00pm in the town council offices.
Councillors present: Cllr. Steve Mitchell (SM), Cllr. Christine Mitchell (CM), Cllr. Jean Hart (JH), Cllr. Don Kettleborough (DK), Cllr. Wendy Bowkett (WB), Cll. Wayne Lagden (WL).
Apologies : Cllr. SST
CC. No members of the public were present.
Mayor SM welcomed everyone and opened the council meeting at 6.00pm.
1. Election of Chair
To elect a new Chair of the Council.
Mayor SM asked for nominations for the position of Chair. Cllr. JH nominated Cllr. SM for the position of Chair of the Council. No other nominations were received.
PROPOSED,SECONDED and RESOLVED to elect Cllr. S.Mitchell to serve as Chair of the Council.
2. Acceptance of office of Chair
New Chair to sign acceptance of office.
Cllr. SM duly signed his acceptance of office in witness of Clerk CC.
3. Election of Vice Chair
To elect a new Vice Chair of the Council.
4. Acceptance of office of Vice Chair
New Vice Chair to sign acceptance of office.
5. Public session
An opportunity for the public to ask the Council questions and to bring new observations.
Mayor SM gave a short report on his activities for the month. Attended at D-Day meeting at WSM, all in order. Attended the Batemans 150 year luncheon celebration. Have been requested by the Firefighters for councillors to act as marshalls at the fun run. Councillors will fully support this event.
6. Apologies for absence
To receive and approve apologies for absence.
Cllr. SST was unable to attend due to a business trip. Apology accepted.
7. Declarations of interest
To receive declarations of interest under the Localism Act 2011.
Being any pecuniary interest in agenda items not previously recorded on the Members Register of Interests and any written requests for dispensation.
None.
8. Draft Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 12th April, 2024
To confirm the notes as a true record of the decisions made.
Draft notes had been circulated to councillors.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to accept the minutes as a true record of the meeting held on 12th April 2024.
9. Clerks report and action points from the previous minutes
To receive the clerks report and deal with matters arising.
Matters arising from last meeting
Completed issues
* Accounts submitted to internal auditor
* S137 payment made to Wainfleet Fire Service
* Signed grant agreement received from ELDC (Marketplace)
* Requested additional litterpicking kits from LCC (awaiting reply)
Issues still pending
* All Saints Church memorials see Burials.
* Graves in breach of regulations see burials.
* Electric contract for office (due before 24th May)
* Phone/broadband contract for office (due before 15th May)
Clerk CC gave an update on the purchase of 62A High Street. The hold up is with the landlord solicitors and the vendors solicitors will not answer issues raised from the searches until such time as the deed of variation is agreed. It is very difficult to see if this will reach a conclusion any time soon. Discussion on alternative accommodation at the former OAP Hall. Councillors to re-visit the Hall to ascertain the extent of remedial work required, before taking a decision.
Clerk CC gave an update on the UKSPF funding for the Marketplace refurbishment. There have been some issues with the planning application for the resurfacing work, but Heritage Lincolnshire are working to resolve this.
10. Reports from External Agencies
To receive reports from LCC and ELDC Cllr. Wendy Bowkett.
Other Councillors reports from external meetings.
The call connect app is now available, you can book your journey online and all for 2.00 each way, this also applies to service buses, any journey 2.00.
Lincolnshire county council are looking at further ways to improve and encourage bus travel and are gathering views to help plan further improvements as part of the latest county views survey .
This can be completed online on www.letstalk.lincolnshire.gov.uk/buses paper copies can be found in the county news and can be returned by free post.
Free Childcare costs are to increase from April 2024, 2 year olds who will get 15 hrs free childcare, from Sept 2024, 9 months old will get 15 hrs free and from Sept 2025, 9 months will get 30hrs free. From sept 2026 schools will offer wrap around care from 8 till 6pm, this will help hugely with working parents.
A 12 month pilot project to help hoarders on the east coast will be run by LCC and a number of other agencies , 3 support workers will work with residents who have been put forward by our coastal gps to try and give help and support for these vulnerable residents.
The HEART team are going around the district giving help and advice to residents on how to safe energy in there homes and reducing bills, we are looking at seeing Eric the van come to Wainfleet in the near future. Any household with below 34,000 income can access government grant support through insulation, solar panels, low carbon heating either phone 01507 613189 or email heart@e-lindsey.gov.uk for more details.
11. Review of Working groups
To review and agree the working groups, their members, and terms of reference.
Discussion on working groups. The following subgroups were agreed upon:
Marketing & Promotions : WB, DK, JH, CM
Properties & Amenities : DK, WL, SST, JH
Finance : WB, CC, DK, SM
Burials : CM, CC, SM
12. To Review representations for External Organisations
To review and agree member representation for external organisations.
Discussion on external groups. Presently the only external organisation council regularly attends is the RBLI. Mayor SM agreed to continue to represent the council on this group.
13. 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 had reviewed most of the councils current policies and reported that there does not appear to have been any changes compared to the templates provided by LALC/NALC.
14. Finance
a. To receive the April Financial reports and updates.
The April bank reconciliation and monthly financial report had been circulated to councillors prior to the meeting. Discussion on report.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to accept the April Financial reports.
b. 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 made in April.
| Payee | Detail | Amount | VAT | Total |
| LALC | LALC membership 2024/25 | £400.72 | £0.00 | £400.72 |
| British Gas | Office electricity March | £177.30 | £ 8.86 | £186.16 |
| P&K Lewis | Office rental | £400.00 | £0.00 | £400.00 |
| Staff Costs | Staff Costs | £650.40 | £0.00 | £650.40 |
| P. Whiley | Grass cutting March | £400.00 | £0.00 | £400.00 |
| HMRC | PAYE last quarter | £366.16 | £0.00 | £366.16 |
| Wainfleet Fire Station SC | S137 payment | £500.00 | £0.00 | £500.00 |
| ELDC | Cemetery rates | £499.00 | £0.00 | £499.00 |
c. To review and approve the revised Financial Regulations (2024).
Discussion on Financial Regulations. Although no changes had been made to the LALC template, Council felt that a thorough review should be conducted at the next finance su-group meeting. POST SCRIPT : LALC have now issued revised Financial regulations.
d. To review and approve the payment to the clockwinders (S111).
Discussion on payment to be made to the clockwinders.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to pay the clockwinders 365 for their services.
e. To review and approve the Mayors Allowance for 2024/25.
Mayor SM left the room while this was being disussed. Discussion on Mayors Allowance.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED that the Mayors Allowance should remain at 540.
Mayor SM returned to the room.
f. To review and approve the Clerks salary for 2024/25.
Councillors had discussed the clerks salary prior to the meeting. In accordance with his contract his salary should increase by one point on the Clerks salary scale.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to increase the Clerks salary in accordance with his contract.
15. Planning
To receive and discuss new applications.
S/194/00241/24 Flagpole Advertisement for Batemans approved.
Outer Dowsing Development Consent Order accepted, now being examined.
National Grid EGL3 and 4 public consultations open until 17th June.
16. Reports from subgroup meetings
To receive and discuss reports from subgroup meetings and approve associated expenditure.
P&A : Welcome to Wainfleet sign needs attention to post and brickwork. Action :Cllr. WB to get quote from P.Odlin.
Sandbags in Northolme are being used as a tipping ground. Action Cllr.WL will remove excess bags. WB will arrange to have area tidied.
Mayor SM has asked for a quote for the repairs to the benches in and around the town.
Some remedial work needs to be done on the paths in Northolme. ACTION: Councillors will set a date to do the work.
Concern over condition of allotment plots 6 & 9. ACTION: To be reviewed by P&A group before next month s meeting.
Concern over the landing area of zip wire. ACTION: Cllr.WB to contact supplier to investigate non-slip covering.
M&P : D-Day all in order. 50 tickets sold so far, 13 donations from different businesses. Banners being organised by WSM.
Burials :
Renewal of EROB plot 697
No further feedback from letters sent to grave holders.
Response from Lincoln diocese received, circulated to councillors. Discussion on reply to be sent. Councillors will re-visit the site and report back to council.
A Parishioner had advised that some artificial flowers had been placed by unauthorised persons near to the cremation plot that she owned the EROB for. Clerk CC demonstrated photographs of the area. Parishioner to be advise to remove the flowers as they see fit.
17. Correspondence
To discuss correspondence received
* Email from NHS Lincs proposing mobile dentist using Marketplace. Noted.
* Next parish council engagement with Police on 26th June. SM will be attending.
* Highways public survey being conducted. Noted.
* Repeat order for annual play area inspection received. Passed to P&A subgroup for review, Agreed to continue with same company.
* Complaint re: dog fouling on football pitch. ACTION: Cllr WB to place note on social media asking people to pick up their dogs throughout the town and the football pitch which is used by young children.
* Complaint from parishioner unauthorised placing of flowers in cremation area. Discussed in item 16 Burials.
18. Agenda items for next meeting
To receive items for inclusion on the next meeting s agenda.
Dates for next meetings:
Annual Parish Meeting 6pm 29th May at Methodist Chapel.
Next full council meeting 6pm 6th June in the council offices.
P&A subgroup to meet in play area on 30th May at 5pm.
M&P subgroup to meet in council offices 28th May 5pm.
Finance subgroup : TBA
Mayor SM thanked all for their attendance and contributions and closed the meeting at 8pm.
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