December 2020 Minutes DRAFT
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF WIGTOFT PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON 7th DECEMBER 2020. DRAFT
This meeting was held by a video link conference call due to the restrictions in force in relation to the Corona virus pandemic.
Present: Cllr P Craven; Cllr S Brigham; Cllr B Leggott; Cllr S Baxter; Cllr S Smith: Cllr S Collingwood
Also Present: County Councillor M. Brookes; Borough Councillor M. Cooper.
Public forum: None
Chairman’s remarks: None.
103/20 Apologies for absence and reasons given
None.
104/20 To receive any declarations of interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2011.
None.
105/20 Police Report.
An email had been received from the local PCSO advising that there had been no reported crimes since the last meeting.
106/20 Notes of the meeting held on 2nd November 2020 to be confirmed and signed as minutes.
The above notes were agreed as minutes and will be signed by the Chairman at the next face to face meeting. It was resolved to accept the notes as minutes. ACTION: Clerk to post minutes on website.
107/20 Financial matters: Accounts for payment; budget figures; financial report and to accept the bank reconciliation from 1.7.20 to 30.9.230 checked by Cllr BL.
It was resolved to authorise the above payments. It was resolved to accept the bank reconciliation checked by Cllr BL.
Finance report
The Bank Reconciliation from 1.4.20 to 30.9.20 is complete and has been sent to Cllr BL for checking.
£128.43 vat refund has been received into the bank account.
The invoice for the land rent has been paid.
The bank mandate variation request has been completed and is ready for signing. Arrangements need to be made to allow this to happen.
The update about the overgrown reeds adjacent to Burtoft Lane South has been forwarded to the resident who reported the issue.
ACTION: Clerk to process payments and add updated budget figures to the website.
108/20 Planning
None.
109/20 Correspondence (received since November meeting).
9.11.20, LALC e news emailed to Councillors 15.11.20
13.11.20, Boston Borough Council letter from North Kesteven District Council to Leaders and Chief Executives from all Councils about their Environment Strategy. emailed to Councillors 23.11.20
13.11.20 Boston Rural West NPT newsletter. emailed to Councillors 30.11.20. Added to website and FB.
16.11.20, Citizens Advice Mid Lincs Email about the Big Energy Saving Network emailed to Councillors 30.11.20. Added to website and FB
16.11.20, LCC email about the Lincs County Council Covid-19 Community Response Fund. emailed to Councillors 30.11.20. Added to website and FB 25.11.20, Lincs Voluntary and Community Service email about New Horizon Project emailed to Councillors 30.11.20. Added to website and FB
27.11.20, Lincs County Council Town and Parish Council Newsletter emailed to Councillors 30.11.20
28.11.20 Wigtoft News and Views emailed to Councillors 30.11.20
110/20 Councillor’s Reports
Cllr S Baxter – mentioned the recent accident at the junction of the A17 and Hipper Lane and wondered if some kind of warning lights could be installed and activated at school starting and leaving times. County Councillor M. Brookes advised that bad accidents are usually investigated and it is the Road Safety Partnership that deals with this. It was resolved to ask for the mounds of earth mentioned earlier in the minutes to be removed and to write to the Road Safety Partnership to ask if anything can be done to help prevent further accidents at this site. County Councillor MB asked to be copied in to the email. Cllr PC offered to take a photo of the mounds of earth and send to the clerk.
Cllr BL – asked about the overgrown reeds along Burtoft Lane North and wondered when the farmer might be cutting them back. Cllr PC replied that he didn’t know but will chase this up. Cllr SS said she thought they may have been doing it today (7.12.20).
Cllr SS – A letter has been received from Mrs Virna Atkinson thanking the Parish Council for the lovely tree planting ceremony saying it was the highlight of 2020 for her and she felt very special.
111/20 Clerk’s report
A resident reported fly tipping in Fishmere End Road. This has been reported to Boston Borough Council.
Peter Langford will be starting work on the new website very soon.
The clerk asked the Parish Councillors if they wished to thank Mr. Langford as he has been a huge help to the clerk in setting up the new website and clearly stated when his offer of help was made that he did not want any payment for the work done. It was resolved that a letter of thanks and a suitable gift costing a maximum of £50 should be sent to him. ACTION: Clerk to organise this. The clerk also mentioned that a quote of £250 to remove the tree in the play area has been received after the agenda for this meeting had been published. It was resolved to accept the quote for £250. ACTION: Clerk to arrange for work to be carried out.
112/20 To arrange signing of the bank mandate to remove a signatory and add a new one.
Following on from the last meeting, the clerk had prepared the paperwork to add Cllr SS to the signing mandate and remove ex Cllr GW. It was resolved that the clerk should sign the paperwork and post to Cllr SC to sign (both signing as current signatories) and Cllr SC will forward paperwork to Cllr SS to sign and post to the Council’s bankers. ACTION: Clerk to action as above.
County Cllr MB left the meeting at 19:35.
113/20 Final budget planning for 21/22
Any remaining gaps in the proposed budget were discussed and agreed apart from the budget for the cost of the footway lighting. The clerk advised Councillors that the invoice for £614.13 had been received from Boston Borough Council and it had been queried as it appeared to be too high. Boston Borough Council have confirmed it is incorrect and a new invoice will be sent for £536.08. It was resolved to accept the proposed budget.
ACTION: Clerk to complete the budget once the revised invoice has been received and submit the precept request to Boston Borough Council by the January deadline.
114/20 To review the quote for the required sign for the play area, to review the play area inspections undertaken since the last meeting and to confirm who will do the next inspections.
Councillors felt the quote for a new playground sign was too high at £650. Cllr PC suggested a quote be obtained locally and the details were given to the clerk. ACTION: Clerk to obtain second quote.
The rota for the play area checks up until 1.2.20 are:
w/c 14.12.20 – Cllr S Brigham; w/c 28.12.20 – Cllr SS; w/c 11.1.20 – Cllr SB; w/c 25.1.20 – Cllr SS. Cllr BL volunteered to complete the January monthly check. ACTION: Clerk to send out templates.
115/20 Update on actions regarding the Christmas Lights. (Minute number 076/20 from 2.11.20.) PC
Following the last meeting. A resident had offered to check out the old Christmas lights and ascertain whether they were safe to continue to be used. His advice was that they were safe but needed new electrical connectors. The new connectors were very kindly supplied free of charge by electrical contractors, Periam and Williamson. 50 new bulbs were purchased at a cost of £35.87 which saved £395. 22 bulbs were used leaving some spare for future use. It was resolved to write a letter of thanks to the resident. ACTION: Clerk to write and send letter of thanks.
116/20 To review the quote to repair the notice board.
A quote for £175 had been received. Cllr SC commented that it is better to spend £175 than much more on a new noticeboard. It was mentioned that the existing internal backing was not fit for purpose. Borough Councillor Mike Cooper advised that it is possible to buy sticky backed cork tiles which would solve the problem. It was resolved to ask if the tiles could be fitted within the price quoted and, if so, accept the quote. Clerk to find out if this is possible and, if so, order the work to be done. ACTION: Clerk to action as above.
Borough Councillor MC left the meeting at 20:05.
117/20 To discuss the next actions required to fill the Councillor vacancy.
As the vacancy had been advertised on the website, Facebook and in the News and Views magazine, it was resolved to review this again at the next meeting on 1.2.21. ACTION: Clerk to add to agenda for 1.2.21
118/20 To discuss the clerk’s review held prior to this meeting.
It was resolved to move into closed session to discuss this agenda item. (The clerk left the meeting during this discussion.)
The clerk had previously given her thoughts about her performance in the clerk’s role to the reviewers in note form and also confirmed that she did not want or expect a pay rise or an increase to the payment for use of home as office. The Chairman, Cllr PC read out the comments that he and Cllr SC had made during the review. Everyone was in full agreement. It was resolved to accept the clerk’s and the above Councillors’ comments and advise the clerk accordingly.
Meeting closed at 20:15. Next meeting 1.2.21 at 7 pm.