Minutes - 18 June 2020
Minutes of Sedgebrook Parish Council’s Virtual Meeting
held at 7.00 pm on Thursday 18 June 2020 in Sedgebrook Social Club
Present: Chairman C Wood, Vice Chairman G Mahoney, Cllr J Denton, Cllr C Warby and Mrs J Bratton (Clerk/Responsible Financial Officer).
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the first Virtual Meeting of the Parish Council.
1 Apologies for absence and reasons given – no apologies were received.
2 To receive declarations of interest on any item on the Agenda under The Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012 of the Localism Act 2011. There were no declarations of interest.
3 Notes of the last meeting held on 20 February 2020
The notes of the last meeting, held on 20 February 2020, were approved, and will be signed by the Chairman at the earliest opportunity.
Chairman Action: to sign the notes.
4 Correspondence
4.1 SKDC had sent decision on Planning Application No S20/0035.
4.2 SKDC issued their monthly update report on the Register of Electors.
4.3 HSBC sent changes to their Terms and Conditions.
4.4 A letter had been sent to the Community Cleaner requesting him not to work during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was agreed that until safe working practises can be carried out, the Parish Council will not ask the Community Cleaner to return to work. Cllr Warby reported there was minimal litter around the village. It was unanimously agreed to carry on paying the Community Cleaner.
Clerk Action: to add the review of the return to work of the Community Cleaner to September’s agenda.
4.5 LIVES had written requesting funding for their Community First Responders. The Parish Councillors will consider a donation.
Clerk Action: to recirculate a copy of the letter to the Chairman and Parish Councillors.
4.6 HSBC required updated signatures and confirmation of business details.
Clerk Action: to arrange signatures at the next face to face Parish Council Meeting.
4.7 SKDC sent a Refusal of outline Planning Permission for planning application no: S19/0911 regarding Outline planning application for residential development (all matters reserved except for access) at land at Allington Road.
4.8 SKDC issued counsel opinion of regulations regarding closure of crematoria and burial grounds during the Covid-19 outbreak.
4.9 SKDC issued an update, following advice from the Ministry of Justice which states that those cemeteries and burial grounds without crematoria may remain open as usual. Copies of the correspondence had been forwarded to Harlaxton Parochial Church Council.
4.10 The Pensions Regulator had acknowledged re-declaration of compliance.
4.11 A report had been sent from Highways regarding the pothole on Church Lane.
4.12 A letter of thanks was sent to groundworkers who laid matting and reseeded the area around the Spica in the play area.
Clerk Action: the Clerk to email P E Hempstead & Sons informing them of the new matting which has been installed and is just getting bedded in.
4.13 SKDC issued a Remittance Advice for the Community Cleaner’s Grant of £453.44 to be paid in June 2020.
4.14 SKDC had sent a letter with a Certificate of Appreciation for voluntary work completed to assist those most in need in our local community. Details of the main co-ordinator and the Sedgebrook Voluntary Group were given to SKDC for them to forward Appreciation Certificates.
4.15 NALC sent details of the proposed new Model Code of Conduct Consultation – deadline for comments is the 17 August 2020.
4.16 SKDC had issued a further update on the Register of Electors (15 June 2020).
The Parish Councillors noted all the correspondence which had been circulated since the start of lockdown on the 23 March 2020.
5 Resolutions Approved by Email due to Sedgebrook Parish Council being unable to meet due to Coronavirus – Nos 1 – 18 – to note
5.1 (Resolution 1) Safety Statement - Meetings
That the Parish Council recognises and agrees that no business, meeting, service provision or service delivery of the Authority is of any importance above that of public and personal safety. As such all scheduled public meetings will be cancelled for an initial 4-month period (or as circumstances dictate) – the meeting scheduled for the 2 July to be subject to review.
5.2 (Resolution 2) Suspension of Standing Orders/Financial Regulations
That the Parish Council gives delegated authority to the Clerk to: suspend any relevant Standing Order or Financial Regulation as necessary to ensure the smooth running and operation (wherever possible) of the Parish Council for a period of no longer than 4 months (or as circumstances dictate), with the Parish Clerk to compile and maintain a list of such suspensions and reasons which will be to be presented to a future meeting of the Parish Council.
5.3 (Resolution 3) Annual Parish Council Meeting/Annual Parish Meeting
That, as the cancellation of meetings has a direct impact on the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council (scheduled for 28 May 2020), the roles of Chairman and Vice Chairman will remain the same until a suitable and safe public meeting is called and held.
Where any cancellation of meetings has a direct impact on the holding of the Annual Parish Meeting, the Parish Council will organise the meeting at a future date.
It is noted that whilst the above decisions are contrary to existing legislation (as of 19th March 2020) the Parish Council has made these decisions in order to place public safety at the forefront.
5.4 (Resolution 4) Orders for Payment
That the Clerk emails information regarding all orders for payment to Councillors. Councillors are to confirm by email that they agree to the payments. The cheques will be signed by those elected Members with delegated responsibility for the authorising and signing of payments.
These measures are put in place with robust transparency processes to ensure effective business continuation and to minimise impact on local service delivery and local business with ratification by the Parish Council to be made at the earliest and safest opportunity with the notes being uploaded to the Parish Council website.
5.5 (Resolution 5) Play Equipment and Recreation Field – following the Prime Minister’s announcement of the 23 March 2020 instructing the nation to close all play areas with immediate effect, it was resolved to cordon off the play equipment and place notices around the area. The recreation field would, however, remain open for people to exercise.
Councillor Action/ed: Cllr G Mahoney to cordon off the site and put notices up – this was completed.
5.6 (Resolution 6) Staff – the Parish Councillors unanimously resolved to inform the Community Cleaner not to travel to Sedgebrook to complete the community cleaning because of Covid-19. This to be a temporary measure only until the restrictions on movement have been lifted.
Clerk Action: to write informing the Community Cleaner.
5.7 (Resolution 7) Payments –
5.7.1 It was resolved to pay Viking Stationery £100.73 for stationer (paper, ink cartridges and stamps).
5.7.2 It was resolved to pay Lincs Association of Local Councils, £102 for their Annual Training Scheme
5.7.3 It was resolved to pay £104.61 for membership to the Lincs Association of Local Councils
5.7.4 It was resolved to pay the Clerk her salary for February.
Clerk Action: to organise the cheques to be signed and posted.
5.8 (Resolution 8) Co-option of Parish Councillor/s
A parishioner wished to be co-opted back onto the Parish Council – as the Declaration of Acceptance of Office requires signing and witnessing this item will put on the agenda of the next Parish Council Meeting.
Clerk Action: to put Co-option of Parish Councillor/s on the agenda of the next PC Meeting.
5.9 (Resolution 9) Parish Council Insurance – Renewal date 1 June 2020 – the Parish Councillors resolved to request Came & Company to send the renewal documentation for the insurance on the exactly the same terms as the current insurance.
Clerk Action: to inform Came & Co to issue the renewal documentation ASAP so that a cheque can be issued in order to maintain cover because the postal situation may change in a few weeks.
5.10 (Resolution 10) Payment – it was resolved to pay £138 to Time Assured Ltd for the annual service completed on the church memorial clock.
Clerk Action: to organise payment.
5.11 (Resolution 11) Decoration of Phone Kiosk with Flowers – the Parish Councillors resolved to cancel the decorating of the phone box with flowers this year due to the difficulty in obtaining plants and also that the kiosk is now a designated as a “Rainbow Box.”
5.12 (Resolution 12) Payments
5.12.1 It was resolved to pay the Clerk her salary for March.
5.12.2 It was resolved to pay HMRC £32.80 for PAYE.
5.12.3 It was resolved to pay £246.12 to P E Hempstead for grass-cutting around the village during March 2020.
Clerk Action: to organise the cheques to be signed and posted.
5.13 (Resolution 13) Payment
It was resolved to pay the Community Cleaner for his April salary.
Clerk Action: to organise a cheque and put in the post.
5.14 (Resolution 14) Verification of bank statement/bank reconciliation – Cllr Denton verified the bank statement and bank reconciliation figures from 5 March 2020, year ending 31 March 2020 and as at 5 April 2020.
5.15.1 (Resolution 15) Payments
5.15.2 It was resolved to pay Viking £36.40 for stationery.
5.15.3 It was resolved to pay the Clerk her salary for April and May.
5.15.4 It was resolved to pay £246.12 to P E Hempstead for grass-cutting around the village during April 2020.
5.15.5 It was resolved to pay £7.04 to Upper Witham Internal Drainage Board for the drainage rates for the Recreation Field from the 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021.
5.15.6 It was resolved to pay the Community Cleaner his salary for May.
5.15.7 It was also resolved to issue a cheque to Came & Co for the renewal of the Parish Council Insurance of £401.85.
Clerk Action: to organise the cheques to be signed and post.
5.16 (Resolution 16) Verification of bank statement/bank reconciliation – Cllr Denton verified the bank statement and bank reconciliation figures from the 6 April 2020 as at 5 May 2020.
5.17 (Resolution 17) – Fallen tree in the Recreation Field – following reports from parishioners that a tree in the Recreation Field had fallen, it was unanimously agreed to accept the quotation of £140.00 to remove the tree and stack the timber. It was also noted that the Tree on the Green had also lost a limb and Arboretum Tree Services stated that the tree would continue to lose limbs in the future.
Clerk Action: to contact Arboretum Tree Services and arrange for the tree in the Recreation Field to be removed.
5.18 (Resolution 18) Payments
5.18.1 It was resolved to pay the Community Cleaner his salary for May.
5.18.2 It was resolved to pay P E Hempstead & Sons £246.12 for the grass cutting completed during May.
5.18.2 It was resolved to pay the Clerk her salary for May 2020.
Clerk Action: to organise the cheques to be signed and posted.
6 Finance (The Clerk) – Audit 2019/20
6.1 End of Year reconciliation – the Parish Councillors unanimously noted and accepted the 31 March 2020 end of year reconciliation documentation which had been circulated and signed by Cllr Denton.
6.2 Annual Internal Audit Report 2019/20 – this had been completed and signed by the Internal Auditor in accordance with the Accounts & Audit Regulations 2015. A copy of the report had been circulated and the Parish Councillors unanimously noted the completion of the document.
Clerk Action: to upload a copy of the Audit Report to the website.
The Clerk informed the meeting that, following many years of completing the internal audit free of charge, this will be the last one which the current Internal Auditor will undertake. As soon as it can be arranged, the Clerk to thank the Internal Auditor on behalf of the Parish Council.
6.3 Annual Governance Statement 2019/20 (Section 1) – following circulation, it was unanimously resolved to approve the Annual Governance Statement. This was signed the Responsible Financial Officer in accordance with the Accounts & Audit Regulations 2015. The Chairman to sign the Statement as soon as practicable.
Chairman Action: to sign the Annual Government Statement.
Clerk Action: following signature by the Chairman, to upload a copy of the Annual Governance Statement to the website.
6.4 Accounting Statements 2019/20 (Section 2) – following circulation the accounting statements were unanimously approved by the Parish Councillors and signed by the Responsible Financial Officer in accordance with the Accounts & Audit Regulations 2015. The Chairman to sign the Statements as soon as practicable.
Chairman Action: to sign the Accounting Statements.
Clerk Action: when Accounting Statements signed by the Chairman, the Clerk to upload a copy of the Accounting Statements to the website together with an analysis of any significant year on year variances and a copy of the bank reconciliation as at the 31 March 2020.
6.5 Commencement Date for the exercise of Public Rights – a notice of Public Rights will be announced on the 23 June 2020 and they will commence on Wednesday 24 June until Wednesday 5 August 2020.
Clerk Action: to upload the Public Rights document to the website.
6.6 AGAR Part 2 Certificate of Exemption –as the Parish Council’s gross annual income/annual expenditure did not exceed £25000 and met the qualifying criteria, the Parish Council is exempt from sending the completed Annual Governance and Accountability Return to the external auditor for a limited assurance review under Section 9 of the Local Audit (Smaller Authorities) Regulations 2015. It was unanimously resolved to complete the Certificate of Exemption which was duly signed by the Responsible Financial Officer and to be signed by the Chairman as soon as practicable.
Chairman Action: to sign the Certificate of Exemption.
Clerk Action: to send Certificate of Exemption and contact details to PK Littlejohn the external auditors.
Clerk Action: to upload a copy of the Certificate of Exemption to the website.
The Clerk had notified the Parish Council that she had applied to HMRC for the VAT refund for the 31 March 2020 year end of £392.13.
7 Date of the next meeting:
Following discussion, it was unanimously agreed to cancel the meeting arranged for 2 July 2020 and meet on the 10 September 2020 (subject to the guidelines regarding the Covid-19). An extra-ordinary “virtual” meeting can be arranged should the need arise.
Clerk Action: to contact the Social Club to cancel the booking of the room on the 2 July.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 7.45 pm.