2024 Parish Council Minutes of meetings

SCOTTON PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF SCOTTON PARISH COUNCIL HELD AT SCOTTON VILLAGE HALL NORTHORPE ROAD DN21 3RB
THURSDAY 1st February 2024 AT 6.00PM

Present: Councillors R. Walker (Chair), S. Walker, Dr. Johnson, Alexander, and Huddleston

In attendance: Leticia Cooper (Clerk & RFO)

Item 206/2/24 Chairman’s welcome
The chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Item 207/2/24 Public session
There were no members of the public present.
Item 208/2/24 To hear reports from County or District Councillors
There were no County or District Councillors present.
Item 209/2/24 To hear apologies and receive reasons for absence
There were none.
Item 210/2/24 To receive any declarations of interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 and to consider any requests for dispensation
There were none.
Item 211/2/24 To receive and approve notes of meeting held 4th January 2024
The council voted upon and unanimously RESOLVED to accept the notes of 4th January 2024 as a correct record and signed as Minutes.
Item 212/2/24 Finance
a. Financial reports were noted.
b. The Council voted upon and unanimously RESOLVED to approve payments and expenses for February: -

• Clerk’s salary - February 2024
• Clerk’s mileage – February £19.80
• Printing - £4.49

Mr Williams, the grass contractor had been unable to begin additional work due to poor weather conditions, therefore expenses for February were less than expected.

Item 213/2/24 Preliminary budget – to review adjustments
Printing budget adjusted from £64.88 to £53.88, as the monthly HP plan was increasing from £4.99 per month to £5.99 in May. The Council discussed costs and considered if these could be reduced by changing to a different printer and ink supplier.
Action: Clerk to research costs of purchasing another printer and changing ink suppliers.
LALC membership fees revised following confirmation of costs for 2024-25.

Item 214/2/24 Banking
Cllrs. S. Walker and Alexander had opted not to become signatories. Cllr. Y. Huddleston had completed the mandate variation form, but TSB had returned it to the clerk as incomplete. Clerk will fill in mandate once more and return to Cllr. Huddleston to resubmit to the TSB.
Item 215/2/24 Precept – Actual base figures
The final figures of precept charge for 2024-25 based on the actual tax base were noted.
Item 216/2/24 To resolve to appoint Mrs C. Syvester as Internal Auditor for the tax year 2023-24
The council voted upon and unanimously RESOLVED to appoint Mrs C. Sylvester to audit the accounts at year end.
Action: Clerk to contact auditor and arrange submission of accounts at end of budget year.
Item 217/2/24 To discuss arrangements for the Annual Meeting of the Parish in March
The Council agreed to hold the meeting from 6.00pm – 6.30pm. The chair would prepare the Annual Report. The police no longer attended parish meetings, but the clerk would be able to provide crime stats drawn from the police database for discussion.
Item 218/2/24 Policies
The Council voted upon and unanimously RESOLVED to approve the following policies: -

• Chairperson’s Allowance – NEW
• General Expenses (Elected Councillors) – NEW
• Asset Management Register – Reviewed no changes.
• Reserves Policy - Updated

Item 219/2/24 Community Orchard
Cllr. R. Walker had planted the two trees and was waiting for better weather to complete laying down the membrane.
Item 220/2/24 Allotment matters
a. Cllr. R. Walker discussed the ‘Free trees for schools and Communities’ offered by the Woodland Trust. Cllr. Alexander would look at the packs on offer and assess suitability for planting at the allotment sites.
b. The wardens were asked to take an audit of the trees at allotment land adjoining the PROW. Deferred to the Spring.
Item 221/2/24 To hear any updates about the proposal to protect the grass verge at the Pinfold and consider any actions
There was in depth discussion about methods to protect the verge on the Pinfold, following this it was agreed to obtain quotes for wooden stakes which could be used to mark a boundary.
Action: Cllr. Alexander to obtain quotes for the next meeting.
Item 222/2/24 To hear updates of communication from ACIS regarding cars driving over residents’ front gardens and accumulation of rubbish
The clerk spoke to the duty manager at ACIS who advised tenants with accumulation of rubbish in front gardens would be sent correspondence asking for it to be cleared. Further details were requested about the vehicle/s driving over residential areas, as they had not received any official complaints.

Item 223/2/24 Emergency Planning Project
Cllr. Dr. Johnson gave a brief report and made the following points: -

• The remote meeting held on 18th January 2024 with Steve Eason-Harris had been extremely useful and it was clear that LCC had a long-established emergency plan structure in place.
• On approval of the plan the parish council would be allocated an ‘Emergency Box’ containing radios and other equipment and would be covered by LCC liability insurance.
• Recommendations were to use the ‘what3words’ app instead of addresses as emergency services used this app to reach unfamiliar areas.
• To create a Whatsapp group for faster communication between key group members – Cllr. Dr. Johnson obtaining mobile numbers.
• It would be useful to have good map/s of the parish (Clerk to ask S. Eason-Harris if LCC could provide these)
• Councillors to consider how vulnerable parishioners could be identified in the parish. All ideas will be discussed at the next meeting.

Cllr. Y. Huddleston had been asked for further information by interested residents and would pass details on to them.

Item 224/2/24 To discuss arrangements for the combined District & Parish Council Surgery and consider any actions
Deferred due to the absence of Cllr. Carless.
Item 225/2/24 To hear any reports from the Village Hall Management Committee (Cllr. S. Walker)

• Concerns of Yew tree in the playing field
  The clerk forwarded concerns about the Yew tree in the playing field from a resident to the Village Hall committee (VHC) and gave permission for their email to be seen by the Parish Council.
  Cllr. S. Walker sought advice from Mr Ramsay, who was the Council’s tree advisor, when the tree was planted. It was reported that all parts of the tree were poisonous, and that education was a better tool for preventing incidences of harm than removal, owing to the presence of Yew trees in various parts of the village and more closely in the St. Genewys churchyard.
  The Council planted the tree in 2019 with the full knowledge and permission of the VHC and installed low fencing around the perimeter of the tree. Wood chippings at the base of the tree had prevented any creeping growth and on inspection there were no needles or berries outside of the fencing. The tree is now approximately seven ft tall but owing to the variety chosen, should not grow significantly larger.
  The VHC would discuss the issue at the committee meeting on 16th February.
• The treasurer had resigned.
• The constitution of the Village Hall stipulated that the Parish Council should receive copies of the annual accounts every year. The clerk asked for a copy of the constitution and requested a copy of minutes from meetings of the Village Hall Committee going forward.
• Electricity bills continued to be extremely high, with the current month’s bill at £500.
• Quotes for insulating the roof were out to tender.
• The VHC will hold its Annual General meeting on 22nd March 2024.

Item 225/2/24 To review Planning Applications and agree any actions
The following were noted: -
a. Decisions pending.

• 147102 - 19 Westfield, Scotton, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, DN21 3LX

Application for a lawful development certificate to create infill extension between two single storey rear extensions, removal of roofs to rear extensions and new roof over the single storey rear projections, with alterations to the existing fenestration.

• Modification Order PROW Beck Lane to East Ferry, Scotton 4/1
  Nothing to report – (ongoing)

b. Determined

• 147443 Westgate Farm, Eastgate, Scotton Gainsborough DN21 3QP
  Application to demolish lean to building
  GRANTED Time limits + conditions 11.12.23.

Item 226/2/24 Parish Councillors Reports – Information Only
There were none.
Item 227/2/24 Date of next meeting
Thursday 7th March 2024 – 6.00pm Annual Meeting of the Parish and at
6.30pm Full Parish meeting
 

The meeting closed at 6.55pm