20 May 2024 - Annual Parish Council Meeting
To: All Members of Hemswell Parish Council
You are hereby summoned to attend the Annual Meeting of Hemswell Parish Council, to be held on Monday 20th May 2024, commencing at 7.00 pm in the Hemswell and Harpswell Village Hall, Maypole Street, Hemswell. The business to be dealt with at the meeting is listed in the agenda.
E Raymond, E. Raymond. Clerk. 13.05.2024
The meeting is open to the public, who may submit questions or statements in writing to the Clerk by noon on the meeting day. At the Chair’s discretion, prior to the start of the PC meeting, there will be up to a 20-minute public participation when members of the public may ask questions or make short statements for a maximum of 5 minutes. Matters raised during the public participation session may not necessarily be discussed at this meeting but may be replied to via post or email or added to a future agenda. Members of the public are expected to be polite, civil and respectful at all times during the meeting.
AGENDA
1. To elect the Chair of the Parish Council and to receive the Chair’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office.
2. To elect the Vice Chair and to receive the Declarations of Acceptance of Office.
3. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – To receive and accept valid reasons for apologies for absence, these having been submitted to the clerk before the meeting.
4. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST AND DISPENSATION REQUESTS – To receive declarations of interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 concerning matters in this agenda and to consider requests for dispensations.
5. NOTES - To consider and resolve to approve the Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting held Monday 22 April 2024 and to sign as agreed minutes.
6. REVIEW OF ACTION ITEMS – To review the action list and receive updates from those responsible for the actions.
7. CLERK’S REPORT – To receive the clerk’s report on correspondence/communications and outstanding matters and items dealt with under the Scheme of Delegation.
8. BUSINESS MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION:
a. To review and approve the following policies and documents:
i. Financial Regulations (V1.2 Feb 2024)
ii. Code of Conduct (WLDC V1.0 May 2023)
iii. Health & Safety Policy (V1.0 May 2023)
iv. Accessibility Statement
v. Privacy Policy (Reviewed May 2023)
vi. Training and Development (V1.0 May 2023)
vii. Complaints Procedure (V1.0 May 2023)
viii. Document Retention & Disposal (V1.2 May 2023)
ix. Data Protection (V1.1 May 2023)
x. Data Breach Policy (V1.1 May 2023)
xi. Handling Freedom of Information Requests (V1.0 May 2023)
xii. Whistle Blowing Policy (V1.0 May 2023)
xiii. Publication Scheme (V1.1 May 2023)
b. To review the Parish Council insurance provision and quotation and resolve to authorise renewal.
c. To review and approve the Parish Council’s membership/subscriptions to external agencies:
i. LALC membership (£189.00 budgeted)
ii. LALC Internal Auditor Service (£200.00 budgeted)
iii. Information Commissioner Office Registration Fee (£35.00)
iv. WLDC Green Waste Bin (£44.00)
d. To agree to review and revise the Parish Council’s Asset List (V3.0 May 2023).
e. To agree the members of the Personnel Committee and approve the associated Terms of Reference.
f. To agree to create a Finance Committee and to approve the associated Terms of Reference and Committee members.
g. To agree to defer the review and approval of PC policies not listed above, including those for Hemswell Burial Authority according to date written/approved or produced under the Scheme of Delegation.
h. To review and agree on the date, time and place of forthcoming PC meetings.
i. To receive an update report regarding access along the footpath from Hemswell to Harpswell (FP19).
9. FINANCIAL MATTERS
a. To receive the financial report and approve payments.
b. To receive and approve the Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2023/2024 documents:
i. Annual Internal Audit Report
ii. Annual Governance Statement
iii. Accounting Statements: including review of S137 spend
iv. Bank Reconciliation
v. Explanation of Variances
vi. Exercise of Public Rights - proposed Monday 3 June 2024 ending on Friday 12 July 2024
vii. Certificate of Exemption Form 2. To resolve 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 2023/2024 and to approve the signing of the certificate of Exemption Form 2.
10. PLANNING MATTERS
11. REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS - Invitations to receive reports extended to County & District Cllrs., PCSO, Village Hall Committee (and external agencies and sub-committees as appropriate). For information only. Verbal reports to be limited to 5 minutes duration each.
12. DATE OF NEXT MEETING – To resolve to note the date and time of the next Parish Council Meeting - Monday 15th July 2024, 7:00 pm.