May 2022 - Annual Meeting Minutes
HEMSWELL PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the annual meeting of Hemswell Parish Council on Monday 16th May 2022 at 7.15 pm at Hemswell & Harpswell Village Hall, Maypole Street, Hemswell.
Members Present:
Cllr. B. Mander (Chair and acting Clerk); Cllr. J. Roberts (Vice-Chair); Cllr. C. Black; Cllr. M. Foster; Cllr. P. Watkinson.
Absences:
None - all councillors present.
In Attendance:
District Councillor P. Howitt-Cowan and three members of the public.
Public Forum.
A member of the public raised the following issues
- The area around the seat on Bunkers Hill is littered with cuttings / prunings from when the owner cut the vegetation.
Action: Clerk to contact the landowner to request removal. - Bonfires creating smoke.
The clerk advised that all instances should be reported to WLDC either by phone or idealy via the online reporting of anti-social behaviour at the earliest opportunity to ensure accurate and timely information can be collected and invetsigated where appropriate. - The building works taking place on the land behind 12 Weldon Road (application 140636) is causing significant mess and disruption to residents due to large lorries dropping of building materials which are then left on the road side. The fabric of the road and footpath is also being damaged.
Action: Clerk to contact WLDC planning to ensure correct procedures are followed and remedial action is taken to reinstate damaged areas.
A member of the public raised the following issues
- Tarmac from road and footpath works in connection with the building work on the land behind 12 Weldon Road has enetered the rain water draining gutters at the side of the road.
The clerk advised that all highways maintenance issues should be reported on the LCC 'Fix My Street' application (link on our website). The clerk to inspect and report the incident on the application if the member of the public unable to carry out the action. - Speeding traffic on Middle Street causing a concern.
- Some visitors to the village are leaving their cars in the village hall car park and proir to utilising the local footpaths.
The clerk advised that the village hall, its car park and playground were the sole responsibility of the Village Hall trust. - Yet again our county councillor was not present.
The chair convened the annual meeting at 7:35 pm.
011-22/23. To elect the Chairman of the Council for the forthcoming administrative year 2022-23 and for them to sign the acceptance of office as chairman.
Cllr. Foster proposed that Cllr. Mander be elected as Chair. Cllr. Watkinson seconded. No other proposals were put forward and the council unaimously resolved to elect Cllr. Mander as the Chair of the parish council for 22-23.
Cllr. Mander signed the acceptance of office form.
012-22/23. To elect a Vice Chairman of the Council for the forthcoming administrative year 2022-23 and for them to sign the acceptance of office as vice chairman.
Cllr. Foster proposed that Cllr. Roberts be elected as Vice-Chair. Cllr. Watkinson seconded. No other proposals were put forward and the council unaimously resolved to elect Cllr. Roberts as the Vice-Chair of the parish council for 22-23.
Cllr. Roberts signed the acceptance of office form.
013-22/23. To receive apologies and accept valid reasons for absence, these having been submitted to the clerk prior to the meeting.
No apologies from councillors provided - all councillors present.
No apology received from County Councillor Clio Perraton-Williams - not present.
Apology received and accepted from PCSO Julie McFaul.
014-22/23. To receive Declarations of Interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 and to consider any requests for dispensations.
No interests were declared.
015-22/23. To approve the notes of the ordinary meeting held on 21st March 2022, and the chairman to sign them as the agreed minutes
It was unanimously resolved to approve the presented draft minutes as an accurate account of the ordinary council meeting held on the 21st March 2022. The chair signed the presented minutes.
016-22/23. To approve the notes of the extraordinary meeting held on 3rd May 2022, and the chairman to sign them as the agreed minutes
It was resolved to approve the presented draft minutes as an accurate account of the extraordinary council meeting held on the 3rd May 2022. Cllr Foster abstained as she was not present at the meeting. The chair signed the presented minutes.
017-22/23. To review the terms of reference for the Recruitment Committee
The terms of reference for the recruitment committee were reviewed and it was unimously resolved to keep the terms unchanged and adopt them for the committe for FY 22/23
018-22/23. To Appoint members to the Recruitment Committee
It was unanimously resolved to appoint Cllr Mander, Cllr Roberts and Cllr Foster onto the committee with Cllr Mander as the Chair. Cllrs Mander, Roberts and Foster, accepted the positions.
019-22/23. To review and approve the Standing Orders rev 2.0 drafted May 22 (LALC model document v2 April 22)
It was unanimously resolved to adopt the proposed revised Standing Orders rev 2.0 without changes.
Action: Clerk to update records.
020-22/23. To review and approve the Financial Regulations rev 1.0 adopted 21st September 2020
It was unanimously resolved to adopt the Financial Regulations rev 1.0 without changes.
Action: Clerk to update records.
021-22/23. To review and approve the council's asset list.
It was unanimously resolved to adopt the revised asset list rev 3.0 without changes.
Action: Clerk to update records.
022-22/23. To review and resolve whether to amend the council's insurance cover.
It was unanimously resolved to amend the councils assett insurance value up to the maximum value of the policy (£30,000) without affecting the premium.
Action: Clerk to update the insurance records.
023-22/23. To review and approve the Accessibility Policy
It was unanimously resolved to adopt the Accessibility Policy without changes.
Action: Clerk to update the records.
024-22/23. To review and approve the Privacy Policy.
It was unanimously resolved to adopt the Privacy Policy without changes.
Action: Clerk to update the records.
025-22/23. To receive the financial report from the RFO
Cllr Mander provided a status report of the council's finances. No remedial actions were identified.
026-22/23. To resolve the following payments
i. Council Insurance £377.00
ii. Grass Cutting (06 & 20/06/22) £169.00
Cllr Mander proposed, and it was unanimously resolved to pay the invoices i and ii.
027-22/23. To acknowledge receipt of the following payments
i. Savings Account Interest
The receipt of the above payment was acknowledged.
028-22/23. To receive the Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2021/22 documents listed below from the RFO and to resolve whether to approve them.
a. Annual Internal Audit Report 2021/22
The internal auditor report was received and noted.
Action: Clerk to publish document.
b. Annual Governance Statement 2021/22
The statement presented by the RFO was unanimously approved. The Chairman and the Clerk (acting) signed the document.
Action: Clerk to publish document.
c. Accounting Statements 2021/22
The statements presented by the RFO was unanimously approved. The Responsible Financial Officer and the Chairman signed the document.
Action: Clerk to publish document.
Cllr Watkinson left the meeting at 8:25 pm
d. Bank Reconciliation 2021/22
The reconciliation presented by the RFO was unanimously approved.
Action: Clerk to publish document.
e. Explanation of Variances 2021/22
The explanation of variances presented by the RFO was unanimously approved.
Action: Clerk to publish document.
f. Exercise of Public Rights - proposed Monday 13th June 2022 - Friday 22nd July 2022
It was unanimously resolved to accept the RFO's proposal that the dates for the exercise of Public Rights should be from Monday 13th June 2022 - Friday 22nd July 2022.
Action: Clerk to publish 'Excercise of Public Rights Notice' on website and notice boards along with 'Local Authority Accounts: A Summary of Your Rights' document.
g. Certificate of Exemption 2021/22 Form 2. Resolution to declare that the authority is exempt from the requirement for a limited assurance review for the purposes of the Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2021/2022, and to approve the signing of the certificate of Exemption - AGAR 2021/22 Form 2
It was unanimously resolved to approve the signing of the Certificate of Exemption for 2021/22. The Responsible Financial Officer and the Chairman signed the document.
Action: Clerk to return the Certificate of Exemption to the auditors no later than 30th June 2022
029-22/23. To resolve whether to approve LALC as the internal auditors for the council on a continuous basis
It was unanimously resolved to approve LALC as the ongoing internal auditors for the council until further notice.
Action: Clerk to notify LALC of the decision.
030-22/23. To receive reports from the following outside bodies
a. County Councillor.
No report provided.
b. District Councillor.
The district councillor's report was reviewed. The report can be found on the council's website at https://hemswell.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/council-business/district-councillor-reports-22/2.
c. Police.
No report provided.
d. Village Hall Committee.
The provided Chair's and Treasurer's report were read out along with the AGM minutes of meeting. The documents can be found on the council's website at https://hemswell.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/parish-information/village-hall-minutes-meetings/1.
e. Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group.
Cllr Mander advised that the regulation 16 consulatation organised by WLDC closed for submissions on 14th April. We are awaiting a collation of the responses (Responses Document) which will be published on the WLDC website. Once published, WLDC will go out to tender for an examiner to examine the documents. It is expected that we will have the examiners findings by September 2022 and if approved, WLDC will then organise a public referendum.
031-22/23. Date of next meeting – 18th July 2022.
The chair closed the meeting at 8:55 pm
Signed: B C Mander Date: 18th May 2022.
Acting clerk to the council