May 2024 Minutes Annual Parish Council Meeting (13th)
North Thoresby, Grainsby & Waithe Parish Council
North Thoresby Village Hall, The Square, North Thoresby, DN36 5QL
Minutes of the Meeting on 13 May 2024 at 7pm
Present:
Councillors Colin Goodwin (Chair), Keith Butters (Vice), Helen Willerton, Mick Orrill, Ian Bunn, Lynne Gale
Acting Clerk Lynne Gale
County Councillor Hugo Marfleet
Public 29 members of the public
1. To elect a Chair for the year 2024/25.
Councillor Goodwin was proposed, seconded and voted as Chair by all councillors.
The Declaration of Office was signed. Cllr Orrill witnessed the signature.
2. To elect a Vice-Chair for the year 2024/25.
Councillor Butters was proposed, seconded and voted as Vice Chair by all councillors.
3. Declarations of Interest:
a) To record declarations of interest by any member in respect of the agenda items listed below. Members should identify the agenda item and type of interest being declared.
b) To note dispensations given to any member in respect of the agenda items listed below.
Noted:
a) Cllr Goodwin declared an interest in item 12. This is a project he wishes to set up as a private individual.
b) To note dispensation was granted to Councillor Goodwin in respect of item 12.
4. Apologies:
All Councillors present.
5. Adoption of Previous Minutes:
The minutes of the Ordinary meeting held on Monday 8th April 2024 were approved.
The minutes of the Extra-ordinary meeting held on Monday 29th April 2024 are not yet complete and will be presented on 3 June.
6. Open Forum:
A member of the public asked if the council would consider finding another contractor to take on grass maintenance at the football field. Mr. Bedlow has operated this service to the village for many years and would like to step down.
The council agreed to discuss including this with the other grass contract. The council would like to thank Mr. Bedlow for keeping the sports fields serviceable for many years.
A member of the public asked when the Clerk position would be advertised.
The council stated this was in hand and should be in the public domain within the next couple of weeks. Cllr. Gale to continue acting as Clerk.
7. District/County Councillor Reports:
Councillor Aldridge was unable to attend this evening and had previously informed the clerk.
Cllr Marfleet stated it was good to see such a vibrant Annual Parish Meeting. He hoped that the Parish Council had now turned a corner and praised Cllr Gales work in keeping things going through the recent resignations.
He went on to state there was a lot of work going on within the council due to the recent elections. More details of the restructure will be available soon.
8. Clerk’s Report:
All items were already on the agenda.
9. Finance:
a) To receive a financial summary from the Clerk.
b) To approve a Schedule of Payments for invoices received since the last meeting.
c) NOTED: The finances of the council have now been brought up to date by the Locum Clerk. He has done an incredible job of liaising with suppliers and other bodies to create a robust financial system every Councillor understands. The greater detail of all of this work was the subject of the EOM held on 29 April, the minutes and financial summary of which will be published on the web soon.
NOTED: We are still struggling to get payments set up in the bank. We are, however, able to see movement and monitor automatic payments. Some £5000 of invoices are still outstanding from last year. We are keeping our suppliers aware of the situation.
d) RESOLVED: A schedule of payments is included in these minutes. The amount of £9650.80 includes the overdue payments from last year, which have not yet been paid due to the hold up at the bank. The council voted to approve the payments schedule.
10. Annual Governance
Committees
a) To appoint 3 members to a Personnel Committee.
RESOLVED: Councillors Gale (chair), Bunn and Orrill were voted onto the Personnel Committee.
Core Policies
b) To adopt NALC’s model Standing Orders.
c) To adopt NALC’s model Financial Regulations.
d) To adopt LGA’s Code of Conduct.
e) To adopt LALC’s model Complaints Procedure.
f) To adopt a Records Retention Policy.
g) To adopt a Publication Scheme.
h) To adopt a Privacy Policy.
i) To adopt a Media Policy.
j) To adopt a Health & Safety Policy.
k) To adopt a Co-option Procedure and Application Form.
l) To adopt a Harassment and Bullying Policy.
m) To adopt a Risk Management Policy.
n) To adopt a Safeguarding Policy.
o) To adopt a Whistleblowing Policy.
GDPR
p) To adopt a Data Protection Policy.
q) To adopt a Data Breach Policy.
r) To adopt a Freedom of Information Requests Policy.
s) To adopt a Subject Access Request Procedure.
Employment
t) To adopt an Annual Leave Policy.
u) To adopt an Emergency Leave Policy.
v) To adopt and Equal Opportunities Policy.
w) To adopt a Sickness Absence Policy.
x) To adopt a Training and Development Policy.
y) To adopt a Grievance Policy.
z) To adopt a Disciplinary Policy.
Other aa) To agree all other policies currently on the council’s website will be retired. If required, these will be readopted at a future meeting, following review.
bb) To consider the Council’s Insurance cover.
cc) To review the Council’s s.137 expenditure in 2023/24
dd) To review the Council’s Asset Register.
ee) To agree meeting dates for the year 2024/25.
RESOLVED: (b) – (o) Councillors voted to accept core policies as presented.
RESOLVED: (p) – (s) Councillors voted to accept GDPR policies as presented.
RESOLVED: (t) – (z) Councillors voted to accept Employment policies as presented.
RESOLVED: (aa) Councillors voted to retire all other policies, these will be archived and if necessary reintroduced in the future.
RESOLVED: (bb) Councillors voted to accept the renewal notice for the insurance policy. Some amendment to be made for new assets.
RESOLVED: (cc) Councillors voted to accept 137 expenditures for 24/25. This currently relates to memorial wreaths.
RESOLVED: (dd) Councillors voted to accept core policies (b) – (o)as presented.
The current asset register with items valued less than £200 to be written off. New items, defibrillators, fencing, boilers etc., will be added as they are signed off.
RESOLVED: (ee) Councillors voted to set the following meeting dates for the next 12 months.
Monday 3 June 7.00pm, Monday 1 July 7.00pm, Monday 5 August 7.00pm, Monday 2 September 7.00pm, Monday 7 October 7.00pm, Monday 4 November 7.00pm, Monday 2 December 7.00pm,
2025 -
Monday 6 January 7.00pm, Monday 3 February 7.00pm, Monday 3 March 7.00pm, Monday 7 April 7.00pm, Monday 12 May 7.00pm. To follow the Annual Parish Meeting which will be held at 6.00pm
11. Locum Clerk/RFO
NOTED: The locum clerk who has resurrected the Parish Councils Finance systems has now stepped down and the recruitment process is ongoing.
The internal audit is in progress, and we aim to have the AGAR ready to resolve at the next meeting.
12. Community Orchard
RESOLVED: The council voted to write a letter of support to the funding authority in regard to a resident’s application for a Community Orchard. Councillor Goodwin was not eligible to vote as he has an interest in this project.
13. Litter Bin on Ludborough Road
RESOLVED: The council voted to research into what is required to install a litter bin. Cllr Butters to manage and come back with costings to next month’s meeting.
14. Date & Time of next meeting.
Monday, 3 June at 7.00pm.
The meeting closed at approximately 8.15.