2025-26 Minutes

Tealby Parish Council

Minutes of the Annual Parish Council Meeting held on Wednesday 7 May 2025 at 7.30pm in Tealby Village Hall, 3 Beck Hill, Tealby, LN8 3XU

Clerk:

Tony Shaw

Present:

Councillors Steven Spivey (Chair), Martin Shilling (Vice-chair), David Mercer, David Bevan and John Brown

Attending:

County Councillor Stephen Bunney

No members of the public

1.

Election of Chair

a)

To elect a Chair for the year 2025/26

It was resolved to elect Councillor Spivey as Chair

b)

Chair to sign a Declaration of Office, or Council to resolve this can be done at a later time

Councillor Spivey signed the declaration of office and it was counter-signed by the Clerk

2.

To elect a Vice-Chair for the year 2025/26

It was resolved to elect Councillor Shilling as Vice-Chair

3.

Declarations of Interest

a)

To record declarations of interest in any of the agenda items listed below

None

b)

To note dispensations given to any member in respect of the agenda items listed below

None

4.

To receive apologies from any members unable to attend the meeting

Apologies were received from Councillor Noon before the meeting

5.

To adopt the minutes of the ordinary meeting on Wednesday 5 March 2025

It was resolved to adopt the minutes and they were signed by the Chair

6.

Open forum – maximum 15 minutes unless directed by the Chair

A request from a resident was presented, which asked if the Council would provide 10% contribution towards a grant application for signage on the Village Green. Council agreed that further information on costs was needed before a decision could be made.

7.

To receive updates from District and/or County Councillors

Councillor Bunney confirmed he has been re-elected as a County Councillor.

A blocked drain on Cow Lane is to be investigated by a Civils Works team and a Jets team.

Resurfacing of Cow Lane is likely to happen from 2027 onwards.

8.

Clerk’s Report

a)

Update on the fencing round the village green

Repairs to existing fencing along the boundary with Papermill Lane have been discussed with a potential contractor. The work would also include extending the fencing to where it meets Beck Hill. Other contractors to be approached for a quote.

b)

Update on the Play Park grant received from WLDC

£23,925 received from WLDC. An order has been placed with Darren’s Dens for the next phase of work on the Play Park, to be paid for by the grant.

c)

Update on the Speed Indicator Device

New speed device has been delivered. The existing device will be relocated to another post on Rasen Road, near the Church, and the new device will replace it.

d)

Update on repairs to the Village Gates

Refurbishment of the Village Gates started on 8 May.

e)

Update on the footpath sign on Beck Hill

LCC have granted permission for the Council to refurbish the sign on the bridge over the beck.

9.

Finance

a)

To receive a financial summary for the year 2024-25

Opening balance on 1 Apr 2024 was £ 35,144.74

Income in the year was £ 84,038.86

Expenditure in the year was £ 50,512.53

Closing balance on 31 Mar 2025 was £ 68,671.07

b

To note any income received since the meeting on 5 March 2025

c)

To ratify any payments made since the meeting on 5 March 2025

The following payments were noted:

d)

To approve a schedule of payments

It was resolved to approve the following payments:

e)

To receive and approve a bank reconciliation to the end of April 2025

Opening balance on 1 Apr 2025 was £ 68,671.07

Income in the month was £ 14,574.24

Expenditure in the month was £ 6.00

Closing balance on 31 Mar 2025 was £ 83.239.31

It was resolved to approve the bank reconciliation

10.

Planning

a)

To consider planning application WL/0025/00380 - Thorpe Mill, Thorpe Lane, LN8 3YE

It was resolved to submit a comment of “No objection”

b)

To consider planning application WL/0025/00381 - Thorpe Mill, Thorpe Lane, LN8 3YE

It was resolved to submit a comment of “No objection”

11.

Annual Governance - Committees - To appoint 3 members to a Personnel Committee

It was resolved to appoint Councillors Spivey, Brown and Mercer to the Personnel Committee

12.

Annual Governance - Policies

a)

To adopt NALC’s model Standing Orders (updated)

b)

To adopt NALC’s model Financial Regulations (updated)

c)

To adopt LGA’s Code of Conduct (unchanged)

d)

To adopt LALC’s model Complaints Procedure (updated)

e)

To adopt a Records Retention Policy (unchanged)

f)

To adopt a Publication Scheme (unchanged)

g)

To adopt a Privacy Policy (unchanged)

h)

To adopt a Media Policy (unchanged)

i)

To adopt a Health & Safety Policy (unchanged)

j)

To adopt a Data Protection Policy (unchanged)

k)

To adopt a Data Breach Policy (unchanged)

l)

To adopt a Freedom of Information Requests Policy (unchanged)

m)

To adopt a Subject Access Request Procedure (unchanged)

n)

To adopt a Grievance Policy (updated)

o)

To adopt a Disciplinary Policy (updated)

p)

To adopt a Scheme of Delegation (unchanged)

q)

To adopt a Risk Management Policy (new)

It was resolved to adopt all policies listed a) to q)

13.

Annual Governance - Finance and Risk

a)

To review the bank mandate

It was resolved to add Councillor Bevan as a signatory.

b)

To review the Asset Register

It was resolved to agree the Asset Register value on 31 Mar 2025 as £22,839.83

c)

To review the Council’s Insurance Cover

It was resolved to defer this until the policy is due for renewal, to allow for the insurance value of some assets to be determined.

d)

To review the Council’s S137 expenditure in 2024-25

It was noted that Council did not spend any S137 in the year.

e)

To approve the Council’s CIL Return for 2024-25

The Clerk presented a CIL return which showed CIL income of 310.83 had been spent and there was no retained CIL at the end of the year. It was resolved to approve the return and it was signed by the Chair and Clerk.

14.

Annual Governance – AGAR

a)

To receive the Annual Internal Audit Report

Council received the Annual Internal Audit Report which had one recommendation, to adopt a Risk Management Policy. This action has been completed in item 12 q) above.

b)

To complete and sign the Annual Governance Statement

Council considered and responded to all 9 internal controls on the Annual Governance Statement. It was signed by the Chair and Clerk.

c)

To approve and sign the Accounting Statements

The Accounting Statements were presented by the Clerk and it was resolved to agree them. The Statements were signed by the Chair and Responsible Financial Officer.

15.

Annual Governance – Meeting Dates - To agree meeting dates for the financial year 2025-26

It was resolved to meet on the first Wednesday of every other month. The dates of the meetings to be: 2 July, 3 September, 5 November, 7 January 2026, 4 March and 6 May

16.

To consider draft Cemetery Regulations for adoption

It was resolved to adopt the draft Cemetery Regulations. The Clerk to place a copy on the gates to the Cemetery and a notice advising that all grave decorations will be removed after one month.

17.

To consider the purchase of an Oak Bench for the front of the Village Hall

Three options were presented and it was resolved to purchase a 6-foot bench at a cost of £565 including VAT.

18.

To note any agenda items for the next meeting

Cutting of the grass verges on Cow Lane to be discussed at the next meeting.

19.

To resolve to move into a Closed Session to discuss the confidential items below

It was resolved to move into a Closed Session.

20.

Staff Appraisal

It was noted that the Clerk had an annual appraisal after the March meeting, with the Personnel Committee. Following the appraisal, the Clerk has advanced one salary scale point, effective from 1 April 2025.