2024-25 Minutes

Tealby Parish Council
Minutes of the Meeting on Wednesday 1st May 2024 at 7:30pm
Tealby Village Hall, 3 Beck Hill, Tealby, LN8 3XU

Present:
Clerk    Tony Shaw
Councillors    Steven Spivey (Chair), David Mercer and John Brown
District Councillor    Moira Westley
Public    No members of the public

1.    To elect a Chair for the year 2024/25.
Chair to sign a Declaration of Office, or Council to resolve this can be done at a later time.
RESOLVED: Councillor Spivey elected as Chair. A Declaration of Office was duly signed.

2.    To elect a Vice-Chair for the year 2024/25.
RESOLVED: Councillor Shilling elected as Vice-Chair. 

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: Councillors Spivey and Mercer stated an interest in item 15, as they are both on the Village Hall Committee.

4.    Apologies:
To receive any apologies sent to the Clerk from Members not able to attend the meeting.
NOTED: Apologies received from Councillors Shilling, Noon and Bevan. All reasons accepted.

5.    Adoption of Previous Minutes:
To adopt the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 6th March 2024.
RESOLVED: Minutes adopted and signed by the Chair.

6.    Open Forum:
Members of the public can ask questions or make short statements to the council. Open Forum shall not exceed 15 minutes unless directed by the Chair of the Council.
NOTED: No members of the public present.

7.    District/County Councillor Reports:
To receive updates from any attending District or County Councillor.

NOTED: District Councillor Westley provided a verbal report. West Lindsey District Council (WLDC) would like to use Tealby as a pilot for a scheme to make exercise more accessible to residents in rural communities. In conjunction with Everyone Active, there will be grant funding available for the purchase of equipment. This initiative will be discussed again once WLDC have finalised details of the scheme.

NOTED: Council raised the possibility of a one-way system being implemented along Cow Lane and Front Street, to minimise traffic blockage caused by residents having to use on-street parking. Council also asked whether a “No HGV” sign could be installed at the top end of Caistor Lane (one already exists at the Church end). Both suggestions will be taken away by Councillor Westley for consideration.

8.    Clerk’s Report:
a)    To note the damaged grit bin on Sandy Lane has been replaced by LCC.
b)    To note the new car park bench has been securely installed.
c)    To note that tree work has been completed in the Village Green. Three fallen trees have been safely logged to create wildlife habitats and the whole park has had deadwood removed from trees.
d)    To note that the verge to the front of 1 Rasen Road has been added to the grass contractor’s schedule.
e)    To receive an update on the PCC contribution to maintenance of the Churchyard.
NOTED: All items a) to e) were noted.
RESOLVED: In relation to item 8 c), council resolved to have a Tree Survey undertaken on an annual basis.

9.    Finance:
a)    To receive a financial summary from the Clerk.

NOTED: The Clerk presented an end of year income and expenditure summary for 2023-24. The headline financial figures were:

b)    To approve a Schedule of Payments for invoices received since the last meeting.

RESOLVED: Payments in the table below were approved.

c)    To note LCC will contribute £990.57 towards the cost of grass cutting for the 2024/25 season. 

NOTED: Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) will pay £990.57 in 2024/25 because the council employ a contractor to cut areas of grass that are owned by LCC.

10.    Annual Governance
Committees
a)    To appoint 3 members to a Personnel Committee.

RESOLVED: HR Committee to comprise of Councillors Spivey, Mercer and Brown.

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.

GDPR
k)    To adopt a Data Protection Policy.
l)    To adopt a Date Breach Policy.
m)    To adopt a Freedom of Information Requests Policy.
n)    To adopt a Subject Access Request Procedure.

Employment
o)    To adopt a Grievance Policy.
p)    To adopt a Disciplinary Policy.

RESOLVED: All policies listed in sections b) to p) were adopted.

Other
q)    To consider the Council’s Insurance cover.

NOTED: Adequate insurance cover is currently in force and will be reviewed at the time of renewal on 6 July 2024.

r)    To review the Council’s s.137 expenditure in 2023/24

NOTED: Council had no s.137 expenditure in 2023/24.

s)    To review the Council’s Asset Register.

RESOLVED: Clerk and Chair will meet to review the content of the Asset Register as part of compiling the Annual Return. A reviewed register to be shared with Council before the Annual Return is approved.

t)    To agree meeting dates for the year 2024/25.

RESOLVED: Council will meet on the first Wednesday of every other month, with the exception of January 2025 when the meeting will be deferred to the second Wednesday. Meeting dates will be:

3 July 2024, 4 September 2024, 6 November 2024, 8 January 2025, 5 March 2025, 7 May 2025

11.    Planning
To consider and agree a Council response to the following application(s):

Planning Ref:    148165
Applicant:    Mr Rick Woodall
Location:    Land adjacent to Grange Farm, Sandy Lane, Tealby, Market Rasen, LN8 3YF
Proposal:    Planning application to erect 2no. dwellings.

RESOLVED: Council object to this application due to its size and the development being beyond the property curtilage.

Planning Ref:    148153
Applicant:    Mr Daniel Baker
Location:    Orchard Close, 1b, Rasen Road, Tealby, Market Rasen, LN8 3XL
Proposal:    Planning application to paint the elevation brick work white & the white windows to grey including garage, door & roof tiles.

RESOLVED: Council object in part to this application. Painting of the roof tiles grey is not in keeping with the character of the village and other properties.

12.    Public Right of Way from Thorpe Lane
To receive correspondence from Lincolnshire CC and resolve any comments.

NOTED: Clerk to contact Lincolnshire CC for further information as the communication was unclear.

13.    Play Park Refurbishment
To receive an update on the Council’s grant application to West Lindsey DC and discuss other options.

NOTED: Council submitted an application for funding to West Lindsey DC but all available monies have been allocated to other applicants. Tealby PC is on a reserve list, should further monies become available. Council will now look at taking a phased approach to the refurbishment and the Clerk will make enquiries about funding available from Lincolnshire Wolds.

14.    Cemetery Fees
To review and agree the schedule of Cemetery Fees.
NOTED: Clerk presented a comparison table of fees from other cemeteries and proposed a new set of prices, which offers residents a preferential rate over non-residents.
RESOLVED: Council accepted the proposed prices. These will take effect immediately.

15.    Village Green Grant:
To consider submitting a grant application to Lincolnshire Wolds, that requires 20% match funding.
NOTED: A grant application to Lincolnshire Wolds has been prepared by a resident, to request funds for an Information Board on the Village Green and further planting. The council have been asked to contribute £316, as 20% match funding. The applicant indicated that other sources of funding may be available too.
RESOLVED: Council agreed to provide 50% of the requested amount (£158). 

Meeting closed at 9:40pm