Minutes 2021

WADDINGTON PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

HELD ON 8th MARCH 2021

VIA ZOOM

Present:        Councillors:          Barling, Bayston, Edwards, Gallagher (Chairman),

Hallam, Mrs Hopkins, Kenyon, Newman, Ms Norman,    

Sanders, Spence, Stewart, Williams

          Clerk:                   Mrs Smith, 

OFFICIAL BUSINESS OF THE COUNCIL

1.   Apologies for absence. (Reasons to be given to the Clerk in advance of the meeting)

Apologies were received from Cllr Mrs Belli and Barnshaw.

2.   Declarations of interest for any agenda item.

Cllr Ms Norman and Cllr Williams declared a personal interest in agenda item 6.

3.  Signing of the minutes.  To accept the Clerk’s notes from the meeting held on 8th February 2021.

It was proposed by Cllr Hallam and seconded by Cllr Ms Norman that the minutes of 8th February were a true record of the meeting and they were agreed to be signed.

All agreed, Carried.

4.   Clerk’s Report and Correspondence. Matters arising from the last meeting.  Only for discussion.

As requested at agenda item 4 of last month’s meeting, the Clerk had emailed Cllr Richard Davies regarding the natural spring on Station Road Hill.  However, she had not received a reply.

It was agreed that the Clerk should contact Martin Hill, Leader of Lincolnshire County Council regarding the lack of response on the matter.

The Clerk had received an email today from Energise regarding the Youth Club and possibly restarting on the week commencing 19th April, if government roadmap continues.

It was proposed by Cllr Gallagher and seconded by Cllr Bayston that as the schools had just reopened today, it was to soon to agree to the youth club reopening, however, it is should be put on the agenda for the next meeting on 12th April to be discussed again.

All agreed. Carried.

The Clerk informed that she had been contacted by Fleur’s kitchen, who make and sell Crepes.  She asked if the Council would be happy for her to visit Waddington once a month.  A location was still to be arranged but they are looking around the Bar Lane area.  As there are no other businesses of this type in Waddington the Clerk had informed her that she had no objections.

5.   Finance

a)  Pay.  To be informed of an issue with the pay.

The Clerk informed that the office laptop had broken, which had the sage payroll software on it, so after speaking to the Chairman she had purchased a new one. 

The payroll software was installed onto the laptop and when it came to restoring it from the previous months back up, it wouldn’t work because it was a different version. 

Once all the pay was submitted again manually for the year, it showed a difference in National Insurance (NI) for the Clerk.  The difference was connected to the Pension contributions made, the old version calculated the NI without the pension contribution and the new version calculated it with the pension contribution.  The clerk had looked into it and the new version is correct. 

Therefore, the Clerk owes £94.92 National Insurance payment, for April to December which she will deduct from her pay at the end of March.

b)   Monthly finance report – to receive and accept the monthly finance report.

It was proposed by Cllr Newman and seconded by Cllr Elton that the finance report be accepted.

All agreed.  Carried.

c)   Signing of cheques. To resolve to authorise the BACS payments listed by the RFO. And certify invoices.

It was proposed by Cllr Saunders and seconded by Cllr Edwards that the BACS payments and invoices could be signed.

All agreed.  Carried.

6.   To discuss Manor Lane, highways and the way ahead.  An email has been received from a resident of Manor Lane asking the Parish Council what we can do next, following the lack of response from anyone at LCC.

It was proposed by Cllr Williams and seconded by Cllr Mrs Hopkins that they contact Martin Hill, leader of Lincolnshire County Council and the MP Karl McCartney.

All agreed, carried.

7.   To discuss the Parish Council Policy on giving Grants.  To review the policy on giving grants as agreed at February’s meeting.

It was proposed by Cllr Barling and seconded by Cllr Gallagher that they do not change the policy, of not giving out grants.

7 Agreed, 3 Abstention, 3 Against.  Carried.

8.   To discuss the playground improvements.  Looking at Sidney Hall Field, Village Hall and High Street Playground improvements, using CIL money and grant funding.

Cllr Edwards explained about the timeline of community projects.

– Grantham Rd Playing Fields, entrance and Band Hut improvements       - Complete – Oct 19

– Enclosure of the playground at the Village Hall                                       - Complete  - Feb 21

– Village Hall, High St, Sidney Hall Field playground Improvements           - In Progress

– Sports Pavilion Construction and adjustment to the Cricket Pitch           - In Progress

– Village Hall one way system and Multi Sports surface                                - Initial Scoping

– Redwood Drive Field and facilities revamp                                              - Initial Scoping

The playground improvements will be funded by CIL money and grant funding.  Application for the grant funding will be opening on 17th March.

Cllr Spence informed that in the budget they had mentioned funding available for grass roots cricket, this could be worth looking at for the cricket pavilion.

It was proposed by Cllr Edwards and seconded by Cllr Bayston, that Cllr’s Edward, Mrs Belli and the Clerk continue working on the playground improvements and bring it back to full council for approval.

All agreed. Carried.

9.    To discuss the staff holidays.

Cllr Mrs Hopkins had informed a few months ago that the government had declared that staff could carry 2 weeks holiday over for this year and next. 

It was proposed by Cllr Bayston and seconded by Cllr Barling that in line with the Pay Policy, under the heading of ‘Additional hours and exceptional working conditions’, the handymen should receive a payment of one week wages.

All agreed.  Carried.

10.   Matters arising from the last meeting.  Only for discussion.

None.

11.   Urgent matters for attention – Items which the Chairman is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency due to special circumstances.

None.

12.  Date of the next meeting.  The next Parish Meeting will be held on Monday 12th April 2021 by Zoom.

Meeting closed at 8.37pm.

Reports

District Cllr Lance Pennell, NKDC Report

Cllr Pennell informed that NK had increased their council tax payments by £4.95 for a Band D.  This is just for the NK section of the Council tax bill and there is still the LCC and Police element to be added.

The census is on the 21st March, letters have started to arrive, Cllr Pennell received his this week.

Elections will be taking place on Thursday 6th May for the County Councillors and Police and Crime Commissioner.   Anyone wishing to apply for a postal vote should do it in good time.

District Cllr Peter Burley, NKDC Report

Cllr Burley had nothing extra to inform, other than to say that one of the County Councillor candidates for Waddington was a Mr Thomas Dyer.

District Cllr Lindsey Cawrey, NKDC Report

Cllr Cawrey sent her apologies.