Minutes from 2023

Wainfleet All Saints Town Council Meeting

Minutes of the council meeting held at 18:00 on 11th July 2023 in the town council offices.

Councillors present : Cllr. D.Wickes (DW), Cllr. D.Kettleborough (DK), Cllr. S.Mitchell (SM), Cllr. J.Hart (JH), Cllr. W. Bowkett (WB), Cllr.J.Ward (JW), Cllr, T.Ward (TW), Cllr. S.Mitchell (SM).

Apologiest :  None

Also present : Clerk C.Cleary (CC), PCSO J.Richardson (JR) and 1 member of the public.

Mayor DW welcomed all to the meeting and opened the meeting at 18:00 hrs.

1. Police report

To receive a report from the police representative

JR will be finishing on 31st August, Wainfleet will be attended by Skegness. JR left some posters and crime prevention items for councils use. Same issues with e-scooters, speeding. DW gave vote of thanks to JR for all her service. Building will be kept as a satellite station operated by the volunteers.

2. Public session

An opportunity for the public to ask the Council questions and to bring new observations.

Manager of riverside and Barkham Manor. Complaint about lack of dog fouling bins between brewery and caravan park. Council will try to ask ELDC to install additional bins. Little can be done as countryside. Speeding issues also along the road. Lack of signage about pedestrian activity along the road (Highways issue). Potholes also an issue outside site (to be reported on FixMyStreet). Trees an issue – this is an issue with the local landowners.

Mayor DW closed the public session at 18:30 and council went into full session.

3. Apologies for absence

To receive and approve apologies for absence.

None.

4. 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.

5. Draft Minutes of the Town Council Meeting held on 6th June, 2023.

To confirm the notes as a true record of the decisions made at this meeting.

Draft notes from the meeting had been previously circulated to councillors. 

PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to accept the minutes as a true record of the meeting held on 6th June, 2023.

6. Clerks report and action points from the previous minutes

To receive the clerks report and deal with matters arising.

Completed issues

* LIVES contacted for debfibrillator training and CPR – awaiting them to come back with dates. Cllr JW asked if LIVES could be contacted again to finalise date for training.

* Contract for bus shelter electricity renewed for 1 year

* EOI for UKSPF submitted

* Planning comments submitted

* Site visit at Northolme conducted. Cllr. DK asked about situation with raised graves. Dealt with under item 10f.

* Replacement litter bin quotation obtained

* ELDC advised about Dino Week

* Kompan contacted (twice) regarding trampoline repairs – no reply

* Grant application form received from Methodist Chapel – reply to be confirmed in full council meeting. See item 8b.

* All expired policies reviewed, revised, updated where necessary and circulated to council – see item 12.

* Reply from EA advising that riverbank at Thorpe Culvert is not theirs

* Hollow trunked tree on right of way adjacent to Northolme reported to LCC

* Reply from Privy Council regarding closed churchyards received – See item 10d

Issues still pending

* Signing of Deed of transfer for Coronation Hall – see item 11.

Cllr. SM gave details about a possible volunteer who could offer free tree branch lopping. SM to introduce him to council.

7. Reports from External Agencies

To receive reports from LCC and ELDC Cllr. Wendy Bowkett.

Other Councillors reports from external meetings.

Cllr. WB submitted the following report.

UKSPF round three is now closed, decision due by end of July. The projects that have been chosen do not affect the amount available for communities and are ring fencing a substantial amount for community village halls and parish council level grants.

There will be a round four for new applications which will be decided by September.

A warning for all e bike and e scooter owners, please make sure you are charging these in a safe place and not inside your house. This has been raised by the fire service after 3 people died in Cambridgeshire.

137 miles of rural road surfacing across the county with 5 million of extra funding will help to improve our rural road network.

8. Finance

a. To receive financial reports and updates. 

The monthly financial report and bank reconciliation had been circulated to all councillors prior to the meeting. Discussion on financial report.

PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to approve the June financial report.

b. To approve payments and receipts.

Discussion on payments and receipts.

PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to approve the payments and receipts for June.

For transparency the following payments in excess of £100 were made in June :

Council had budgeted for repairs to the electrics in the marketplace. As the quotation had expired, the contractor was asked to revise his quotation. Discussion on quotation.

PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to accept the revised quotation. ACTION: Clerk to instruct contractor to proceed with work and also to provide quotation for the work required within the clocktower.

Clerk had circulated quotation for replacement litter bins for the bus shelter and play area. Discussion on quotation.

PROPOSED,SECONDED and RESOLVED to accept the quotation. ACTION: Clerk to procure the replacement bins.

Council had received a grant application from the Methodist Chapel for funds for a replacement boiler. Discussion on application. Council considers grant applications in October each year. ACTION: Clerk to reply to Methodist Chapel advising that their application would be considered in October.

9. Planning

To receive and discuss applications.

S/086/01195/23/IC – Outer Dowsing Offshore Wind Farm

Discussion on application. Council unable to comment as the exact route for cabling has not as yet been defined. ACTION: Clerk to reply to ELDC planning with Council’s response.

10. Reports from subgroup meetings

To discuss findings and agree actions and associated expenditure as a result of recommendations from the following subgroups : 

a. Properties & Amenities

A subgroup meeting had been held on 3rd July and notes from the meeting circulated to all councillors. Points raised were: 

Discussion on Checklists. Responsibilities are :

Northolme/St. Thomas. – JK

All Saints Churchyard – JW

Wainfleet Bank – DK

Play Area – SM

Allotments -TW

Play area gate has been repaired. 

Play area cameras still to be installed. 

Repairs to some of the damaged equipment has been done. Still awaiting Kompan for repair to trampoline.

Trees in Northolme & Wainfleet Bank cemetery will need attention – to speak with potential volunteer.

Clerk CC had visited All Saints Church to review the potential hazardous memorials and produced a risk assessment with recommendations. Discussion on report issued. ACTIONS: Council will tape off memorials as first instance and then advise church that they will be laid flat. Clerk to contact Alpha Memorials to get quote for laying down the offending memorials. CC to contact church (Pat Orme) and advise situation with memorials.

b. Marketing & Promotions

Cllr. JW presented flyers promoting the Wainfleet St Mary village fete. Discussion on sending out flyers promoting WSM village show. Agreed to send out flyers to allotment holders and other interested parties.

A  subgroup meeting had been held on 7th July and the notes from the meeting circulated to all councillors. Discussion on report. Recommendations from subgroup as follows :

* Terms of reference reviewed and suggested amendments put to council

* Monthly Market should continue to November at the same charge and times. Cllr. JW to produce promotional poster.

* That a pop-up craft & farmers market be held on 19th August with a charge of £5 per stall. Discussion on insurance. Clerk advised all traders must hold Public Liability Insurance. Cllr. JW to produce poster.

*  Defibrillator training to be organised for 24th/25th July. Clerk advised that as agreed at the June meeting, LIVES had already been contacted and their reply is still pending.

* Clock Tower electrical work – dealt with under item 8b.

* Jubilee & Coronation trees – to place them in the tubs in Marketplace. DK to source trees. Clerk to source commemorative plaques.

* JW to produce poster showing existing councillors details, information on what council does and promote new councillors.

PROPOSED,SECONDED and RESOLVED to accept the recommendations from the subgroup.

c. Finance

The finance subgroup met on 30th June and the report from the meeting had been circulated to all councillors. Key points from notes as follows:

* Clerk had produced a quarterly report showing that income and expenses were broadly in line with budget. 

* Some savings had been made with reduced insurance costs and underspend on laptop. Marketplace revenues lower than expected.

* Clerk to contact S.Bogg to revise quote for electrical work – see item 8b

* Discussion on possibility of hiring street cleaner. Not within this years budget. WB to request more cleaning from ELDC.

d. Burials

Memorials plots 1132 and GR210

Reply from Privy council regarding closed churchyards received. All Saints Churchyard was closed on 27th February1906 (with the exception for burials of the Barton family).

St. Thomas’ churchyard was closed on 31st December 1904 with the exception of anyone who purchased an EROB in the 14 years prior to this date.

No subgroup meeting has been held yet, but discussions have been held with gravedigger regarding the excess mound left after and internment. Discussion on responsibility of levelling the grave. Clerk confirmed that it is the grave owners responsibility and this is advised to them in writing at the time of purchasing an EROB. Suggested that grave owners be put into contact with grave digger to arrange levelling of grave, 6 months after internment, 

e. Christmas

The Christmas subgroup met on 7th July and notes from the meeting were circulated to all councillors. Key points from the meeting as follows:

* Budget - £2000

* Lights to be installed 4th November. Tree set up 15th November. Lights switch on 25th November 4pm. Switch off 6th January. Lights to come down 13th January. All dates subject to weather. Volunteers/helpers organised.

* Clerk confirmed Festive Fabulouso had been booked for the switch on – no cost.

* Father Christmas and sleigh organised.

* DK to contact tree suppliers

* No decision on Xmas market.

Additionally the group discussed the forthcoming Remembrance Sunday event. Cllr. SM to liaise with RBLI. Service to be held at All Saints Church. 

f. Community sports pavilion

The subgroup for the proposed Community Sports Pavilion met on 30th June and notes from the meeting had been circulated to councillors. Key points from the meeting :

* Need to get public support for pavilion with flyers to be produced to advertise on social media, notice boards, etc. Clerk had produced a draft flyer, but had not received any response from council. Agreed to accept wording of flyer and to publish.

* All interested parties to be invited to meeting. Clerk was still awaiting details from councillors as to which parties to invite.

* Public meetings to be held on 24th and 25th July at 6pm.

* A basic requirement list has been set and a site visit held to see potential location of the pavilion.

* Funding request to UKSPF has been made to finance feasibility and design study.

* Funding will need to be sourced to finance the entire project.

11. To Approve the clerks authority to deal with the transfer of Coronation Hall trusteeship

To review the letters received from Sills & Betteridge solicitors and to sign a document authorising the clerk to act on the councils behalf. 

Clerk advised that although the authorisation for this transaction was covered under the Local Government Act 1972, for good orders sake, he had prepared a letter to be sent to the solicitors giving him the authority to act on the councils behalf.

PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to approve the draft letter.

Mayor DW duly signed the letter. ACTION: Clerk to send letter to Sills & Betteridge.

12. Council Policies review

To review the council policies and procedures.

Clerk CC had conducted a review of all council policies and revised them where necessary in accordance with any changes made to model policies issued by LALC. 

The following policies had no material changes :

* Data Breach

* Data Protection

* Data Retention

* Exhumation

* Grants

* Lone Working

* Media Protocols

* Risk Management 

PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to accept the revision of the above named documents.

Mayor DW and Clerk CC duly signed the policies.

The following policies are current :

* Financial Regulations

* Standing Orders

The following policies are subject to further review :

* Internal Controls – to be reviewed after external auditor report received

* Publication scheme – to be updated once policies agreed

The following polkiies have been revised by the clerk and are for council to review prior to adoption:

* Code of Conduct – new guideline issued by LALC.

* Complaints  - new guideline issued by LALC.

* Co-option – replaced with Co-option policy, procedure and application 

* Equal Opportunities – replaced with Equality & Diversity policy.

* Freedom of Information – minor changes in line with LALC model policy.

* Safeguarding – draft was issued last year – not yet reviewed

* Section 137 – unnecessary – covered by grants policy

* Social Media – replaced with social  media and electronic communications policy

Councillors agreed to review each policy and revert back to the next full council meeting.

13. Correspondence

To discuss correspondence received

Email from parishioner regarding misuse of verge on Rumbold Lane – referred to LCC.

Offer of litter picking kits from LCC – 8 (maximum) ordered.

Email from Magna Vitae requesting use of playing fields in August – confirmed.

Email from Wainfleet St Mary re: level crossing barriers failure – circulated. ACTION: Clerk to confirm support to WSM and write to Network Rail highlighting the issue.

Co-option notice received for vacancy created by resignation of Cllr. Parker-Hill

Reports from mole control contractor received.

Complaint from resident on Spilsby Road re: speeding.

Email from National Lottery Community Fund offering finance for projects for young people – circulated.

Lincs PCC CCTV survey – reply sent.

Various e-mails from landlords re: Bright Optics -circulated.

14. Agenda items for next meeting

To receive items for inclusion on the next meeting’s agenda,

Date of next meeting Tuesday 1st August 6.00pm.