March 2023 Minutes
OLD SOMERBY PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF OLD SOMERBY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD TUESDAY 21 March 2023 7pm AT THE FOX AND HOUNDS OLD SOMERBY
PRESENT: Cllrs: Vicky Lowndes (Chairman) Nigel Percy (Vice-Chairman), Veronica Stephens, Peter Burrows, Betty North and Parish Clerk David Holmes.
Also present SKDC Councillor Sarah Trotter and 3 members of the public.
Prior to the meeting at 7pm a Public Forum was held. A member of the public raised issues concerning i) the entrance to Cold Harbour - roadway repairs, lack of appropriate road markings for the entrance, ii) The planting of a tree to make the late Queen’s Jubilee iii)
What constitutes a Public Nuisance.
1. CHAIRMAN’S COMMENTS: Cllr Vicky Lowndes explained the protocol for the meeting.
2. APOLOGIES: None
3. DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTERESTS OR APPLICATIONS FOR DISPENSATIONS. None declared.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
i) The draft minutes of 31 January 2023 – Approval proposed by Cllr North and Seconded by Cllr Lowndes – carried unanimously. The Chairman signed the original copy.
ACTION: The clerk: to publish.
Ii) Consideration was given to the retrospective approval of Minutes of the Parish Council held 10 January 2018. It became clear in March 2023 that those minutes had not been ratified by signature because the next meeting was not quorate due to multiple resignations. It was noted that at the meeting held 3 May 2018 there is a minute to “…accept the Clerk’s notes of the …meeting held on … 10 January 2018”.
AGREED unanimously to ratify the above minutes of 10 January 2018 on the following basis: “Whilst it is not feasible belatedly to ratify all of the decisions referred in the minutes of 10 January 2018 it is today agreed to ratify item 10 therein which refers to the Policy Relating to Abusive, Persistent & Vexatious Complaints. It was noted that the Policy was posted on the council’s website subsequent to 10 January 2018 and amended and adopted by the current council at the meeting held 12 January 2021.”
On that basis it was agreed that the Chairman should ratify and sign the above minutes.
ACTION: The Clerk.
5. CLERK AND COUNCILLORS' ACTIONS AND UPDATES/LATEST:
a) Tree Planting – 100 Trees have now been planted as announced in the press near to Ropsley Rise Woods within the Parish and will be known as the “CORONATION COPSE” in honour of the forthcoming Coronation of King Charles III. Possible other sites for trees to be planted will be explored in due course. Suggestions are welcome.
b) The possible provision of a second Defibrillator. The Clerk reported he had met with the Church Warden and a representative of Community HeartBeat from whom the current defibrillator had been purchased. The costing was likely to be some £2,300 plus installation costs and ongoing maintenance costs. Reference was made to the impact on the Budget of the costs incurred below at item 8 B. AGREED: The Clerk to get other quotes & report back.
c) Parish and Local Coronation Events. It was considered appropriate on this occasion to suggest that residents join in with the events occurring in Ropsley. There had been a leaflet drop locally by the organisers who had indicated they would welcome such involvement.
Councillor Vron Stephens volunteered to take a lead.
ACTION: Councillor Stephens to make contact with the Organisers. Volunteers were available for any further leaflet drops.
6. LCC COUNCILLOR UPDATE: Cllr Charlotte Vernon had given her apologies for the meeting and sent in her report which was read by the Clerk: Copy attached. Cllr Vernon comments as follows:
i) Cost of Living: Help is available to residents struggling with the cost of living from the LCC and other organisations. Full details are available on their Website. The LCC are working in concert with District Councils including the SKDC on this issue. Details of the remaining funding available is also available on the SKDC website. Residents can also visit https://helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk/
• ii) LCC Budget: The increase in Council Tax was set at 4.99% but still £7.5 was required to meet obligations. An additional £7m for road maintenance was also approved.
iii) Voter ID for upcoming Elections: Voters were reminded of this requirement.
iv) Highways: Residents were encouraged to keep using Fixmystreet to report highways issues.
7. SKDC LOCAL COUNCILLOR UPDATE: Cllr Sarah gave her verbal report:
i) Cllr Trotter also referred to the Cost of Living Assistance available locally with various groups willing to help. Details on the SKDC Website.
ii) The CCTV local headquarters is moving to a new location within Grantham Police Station;
iii There had been a huge roadside fire in an SKDC Bin Lorry which appeared to have been started by a discarded battery in household waste. Householders were urgently requested to dispose of batteries at the Waste Amenity Site in Grantham Mowbeck Way, Grantham.
Cllr Trotter was thanked for attending and for her report.
iv) There is still some funding available from the SKDC for local projects.
8. FINANCE:
A).The latest Finance Statement had been signed off by Lead Councillor Peter Burrows and copies were presented. It shows all income and expenditure since 1 April 2022 to date and the Bank Reconciliation. The Financial Statement was accepted. A copy to be published.
The Internal Auditor presented his report to the meeting.
He had recently reviewed the entire accounting system, controls, risk management, governance and financial practices of Old Somerby Parish Council. He had found them to be sound, safe and reliable. He said he had examined the Budget 2023/24 and had no issues with it. He further commented that he had noted that a resident had objected to the External Auditors concerning the parish council’s Audit 2021/2022. He noted that both Objections and all 8 associated categories in their entirety had been rejected by the External Auditor. He noted the unfairness of the present rules requiring parish councils to bear the costs rather than the unsuccessful Objector.
The Internal Auditor was thanked for his report which was accepted and was to be published.
ACTION: The Clerk.
B. ANNUAL AUDIT 2021-2022 Cllr Burrows commented that a resident had once again objected to the Parish Council’s Audit published July 2022. The 2 Objections raised and the associated 8 categories were all rejected by the External Auditor, as were similar objections raised in the previous year by the same resident.
As things stand the rules nevertheless require the Parish Council concerned to pay the costs of the External Auditor. Those costs amounted to £4.260 inc VAT. They were reduced after a successful appeal by the Clerk to £1,278 inc VAT. It was reported that other Parish Councils in similar circumstances had sustained huge fees – in one case some £26K.
Lobbying is taking place at national level concerning the unfairness of the rules with the costs falling on parish councils rather than on the unsuccessful Objector,
Cllr Burrows noted that if the original costs had stood and if the Precept had to be raised as a result it could cost each household in the parish some £35 (or approx. £11 per household for the lower figure) even though it was a failed Objection.
The councillors noted the response letter from the External Auditors and agreed it should be Redacted and Published with the Draft Minutes
9. CORRESPONDENCE AND ISSUES FOR INFORMATION ONLY:
i. Emails from residents had been received concerning the development of 6 bungalows on School Lane with concerns at the removal of Trees etc.
The Clerk reported that the SKDC Planners had indicated that it was ever the case that the trees and hedge would be taken down to enable the land to be raised to alleviate flooding issues. Those concerns had been raised by the LCC. The clerk had been informed that it was always intended for the trees and hedging to be replaced. That would occur after the work on raising the site was finished and after completion of the dwellings but before occupation. The important “plus factor” was that a footpath along the front of the site would then be provided as a result of the area being raised. This would provide safer passage for foot passengers and avoid them having to cross over a busy road.
Issues had also be raised concerning the Neighbourhood Plan. However, on examination of the procedure concerning amending Neighbourhood Plans, the resident had asked for his letter to be withdrawn.
The wording of Policy 1 in the NP (page 32) was an exact replica of that same provision in the SKDC Local Plan SB2 page 43. Both Plans have equal standing but are both subject to the National Planning Framework.
The very recent advice from SKDC was that as the National Planning Framework is currently under review, that any review of Neighbourhood Plans and Local Plans should be delayed to await its publication.
ii) the clerk referred to a letter from Health Watch Lincolnshire concerning their actions to be taken regarding dentistry needs within the county.
iii) The Clerk explained the changes in place for the Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils to slim down their Management structure.
10. OLD SOMERBY PARISH NEWSLETTER: The latest edition had been circulated throughout the parish. There had been some excellent feedback.
11. REPORT FROM THE POLICE REGARDING LOCAL ISSUES: 3 New PCSOs had been appointed to the area but that news had been tainted by the recent announcement from Lincolnshire Police to reduce overall the current number of PCSOs from 91 to 50.
The Community Speed Watch programme remains the most effective means of speed reduction. He reported that there have been “no crime series of note within the quarter”. Regular updates will be sent to parish councils.
12 To review a Determination made concerning a Resident relating to the Policy concerning Abusive, Persistent or Vexatious Complaints; Proposed by the Chairman that “The Determination to continue for a further 6 months due to all the subject matters referred to in the Determination have been repeated in the Audit Objections by the resident to the External Auditors.” Seconded Cllr Burrows: Carried unanimously.
13: It was agreed to hold the Annual Parish Council Meeting and the Annual Parish Meeting on Monday 15 May 2023 commencing at 7pm.
The meeting concluded at 9.07 pm.
Appendix 1 Follows............
March 2023 Minutes - Appendix 1 - OLD SOMERBY PC OBJECTION DECISION LETTER 21-22
