Minutes 2024

Leasingham and Roxholm Parish Council

Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Leasingham and Roxholm Parish Council held at the Community Building, Spring Lane Playing Field on Monday 13 May 2024.

Present:  Chair:  Jenny Bailey

Councillors:  Angie Adams, Graham Arnold, Callum Chambers, Frances Franklin, Steven Milligan (Vice-Chair) and Susan Waring.

In attendance:  Mr Eddie Findlay, Clerk to Leasingham and Roxholm Parish Council

Also in attendance:  LCC Councillor Richard Wright

No members of the public were in attendance.

At 7:10 pm the Chair (Cllr Arnold) welcomed everybody and declared the meeting open.

54.  Election of Chair for the coming year.  Signing of Acceptance of Office.
Cllr Chambers nominated Cllr Bailey to act as Chair for Leasingham and Roxholm Parish Council for the coming civic year, seconded by Cllr Franklin.
There were no other nominations.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED to unanimously approve Cllr Bailey to act as Chair for the coming civic year.  Cllr Bailey took the Chair and thanked everyone for their support and completed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office of Chair..

55.  To receive apologies for absence and reasons given, i.a.w. Local Government Act 1972, Sch 12, para 40.
Cllr Hibberd was unable to attend and their reasons were made known to the Council.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED to approve the reasons for absence from Cllr Hibberd.
Proposed by Cllr Milligan, seconded by Cllr Franklin and approved unanimously.

56.  To receive declarations of interest and to consider dispensation applications in relation to Disclosable Pecuniary Interests.
None declared at this time.

57.  Election of a Vice-Chair for the coming year.
Cllr Franklin nominated Cllr Milligan to act as Vice-Chair for Leasingham and Roxholm Parish Council for the coming civic year, seconded by Cllr Chambers.
There were no other nominations.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED to unanimously approve Cllr Milligan to act as Vice-Chair for the coming civic year.

58.  Public Forum.
No members of the public were present.

59.  Notes of the ordinary meeting of the Parish Council held at the Community Building at Spring Lane Playing Field on Monday 15 April 2024 to be approved as Minutes.
Action: The Council RESOLVED that the notes of the ordinary meeting of the Parish Council held on Monday 15 April 2024 be approved as Minutes.
Proposed by Cllr Franklin, seconded by Cllr Milligan and approved by a vote of 6 for and 1 abstention (not present at meeting).

60.  Adoption of Documents.
a.  Standing Orders (2018 (England) - Version two (April 2022)).
Action:  The Council RESOLVED approve the Leasingham and Roxholm Parish Council amended version of Standing Orders (2018 (England) - Version two (April 2022)).
Proposed by Cllr Waring, seconded by Cllr Milligan and approved unanimously.

b.  Financial Regulations (May 2024).
Action: The Council RESOLVED that due to the late release of a newer version of Financial Regulations (May 2024), this item was deferred until such time as a Working Party could convene to review and amend, ready to be presented at the next meeting.
Proposed by Cllr Bailey, seconded by Cllr Franklin and approved unanimously.
* Post meeting note:  A working Party of Cllrs Adams, Bailey, Franklin and Waring was planned to meet on Tuesday 28 May 2024.

c.  Risk Assessment.
Action: The Council RESOLVED approve the presented Financial Risk Management-Assessment Strategy.
Proposed by Cllr Waring, seconded by Cllr Adams and approved unanimously.

d.  Grant Awarding Policy.
The Clerk had been unable to locate a suitable Grant Awarding Policy within the archived files.
Action: The Council RESOLVED defer this item until the next meeting.
Proposed by Cllr Bailey, seconded by Cllr Franklin and approved unanimously.

61.  Receive reports from the Clerk and Councillors in relation to the minutes and other Council matters.
No resolutions may be passed under this item but requests for matters to be placed on the next agenda can be made.
Bench – minute ref; 6.f. page 3-2024.  Bench received and awaiting installation when weather improves.
GOV.UK – minute ref; 15.g. page 6-2024.  New .GOV.UK email addresses set up for all Cllrs and email address and password sent to each individual Cllr.  The Clerk is aware that not everyone has logged in yet and it is strongly recommended all Cllr should start using the @leasinghamroxholm-pc.gov.uk email address as soon as possible, to continuing receiving Council related correspondence.

Councillors
Cllr Arnold had been approached by a member of the public to request additional benches around the village.
It was discussed that Council were already investigating possible grant funding for one additional bench and funds (£586.31) raised previously (Aug-2017) and held on behalf of the Neighbourhood Plan fund raising Village Fayre could also be used to purchase a second bench.
Cllr Adams offered to map out the current benches for a discussion at the next meeting for suitable locations.

62.  Financial Matters
a.  Approve payments made since the last meeting.

Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve the payments made since the last meeting.
Proposed by Cllr Milligan, seconded by Cllr Waring and approved unanimously.

b.  Approve the payments of invoices etc. as listed on the Payments to be Authorised sheet.

Action:  The Council RESOLVED to approve the Payments to be Authorised.
Proposed by Cllr Arnold, seconded by Cllr Waring and approved unanimously.

c.  Approve the bank reconciliation for April 2024.
The Clerk reported that the bank accounts had been reconciled for the month of April 2024.
The Precept of £31,179 had been received from NKDC 02-Apr-2024.
The end of month balance was £55,299.44, which includes £586.31 held on behalf of the Neighbourhood Plan fund raising Village Fayre (Aug-2017) and £11,285.55 on behalf of the Community Benefit Fund, leaving £43,427.58 as “Council” money.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED to approve the bank reconciliation for April 2024.
Proposed by Cllr Milligan, seconded by Cllr Franklin and approved unanimously.

d.  Consider the Internal Auditor Report for the Annual Accountability and Governance Report.
The Internal Auditor had yet to present their report.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED to refer this matter to the next meeting.
Proposed by Cllr Bailey, seconded by Cllr Franklin and approved unanimously.

e.  Consider the cost of the Insurance Renewal.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED to accept the Insurance premium of £2,021.94 and noted that they were tied in to a LTA until with Gallagher Insurance Brokers Ltd until May 2026..
Proposed by Cllr Bailey, seconded by Cllr Arnold and approved unanimously.

f.  Consider the purchase of a bench for outside the children’s play area, at the playing field.
As per minute ref: 61. page 22-2024, Council are investigating areas to locate other benches and as well as grants, funds raised previously on behalf of the Neighbourhood Plan fund, could be used to purchase a second bench.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED defer the item until the next meeting.
Proposed by Cllr Adams, seconded by Cllr Arnold and approved unanimously.

g.  Consider the purchase of a new litter/dog waste bin for somewhere in the playing field area.
Council had been ‘gifted’ a broken litter/dog waste bin and this was being repaired and would be installed, if safe to do so.

63.  Planning Matters.
No applications.

64.  Correspondence.
a.  LCC Parish Council Community Newsletter.  Circulated 30-Apr-2024.
b.  NKDC Parish and Town Council Newsletter.  Circulated 30-Apr-2024.
c.  Sleaford Navigation Trust Newsletter.  Circulated via email 07-May-2024.
d.  LCC Highways - Resurfacing Works Heath Lane Junction.  Circulated 07-May-2024.
e.  Lincoln Road, Leasingham, parking and traffic concerns.  Circulated 07-May-2024.
f.  LALC e-news update.  Circulated 07-May-2024.
g.  Archer Survey Results.  Circulated 07-May-2024.
h.  River Slea Flood Resilience Project - RiverLight Festival 2024.  Circulated 10-May-2024.

65.  Note the latest Archer Survey results, as provided by the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership.
Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership had supplied the latest results from a survey carried out along the Leasingham stretch of the A15 (in both directions) and the results showed that whilst there was a perception of ‘most’ car were speeding excessively, the results showed otherwise.
The Clerk would look to get the results published on the website as soon as possible.

66.  Confirm the date of the next meeting.
The next meeting was confirmed as Monday 10 June 2024.

The meeting closed at 7:55 pm