2024 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

MEETING OF INGOLDSBY PARISH COUNCIL 

Minutes of the Ingoldsby Parish Council Meeting held on Wednesday 24 April 2024 at 8 pm in the Village Hall, Main Street, Ingoldsby

Public Forum:  

There was one parishioner present: no comments or questions for the Parish Council.

1)   WELCOME REMARKS BY THE CHAIR (24/001)

The Chair, Councillor Eldred, welcomed members to the meeting. 

She reported that the Spring litter pick was well attended and expressed thanks to the volunteers.  She also conveyed thanks on behalf of the Parish Council to a local couple who have been regularly collecting litter along Humby Road. 

The Cemetery roadside maintenance is now complete, and all agreed that it has made a significant improvement.

2)   PRESENT (24/002)

Councillor Eldred, Chair
Councillor Kenyon, Vice Chair
Councillor Leigh
Councillor Nelson

3)   APOLOGIES (24/003)

Councillor Lenton submitted her apologies. The reasons for her absence were noted and accepted. 

4)   DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTEREST & DISPENSATIONS (24/004)

No reports of pecuniary interests of applications for dispensations in relation to the agenda.  Councillor Eldred reported her interests in relation to the Village Hall Committee.  

Councillor Nelson reported her interests in relation to the Playing Field Committee, PTA and PTFA.

5)   SIGNING OF THE MINUTES (24/005)

Members resolved to accept the Clerk’s notes of the Parish Council meeting held on Wednesday 13 March 2024 as a true and accurate record of that meeting.  The minutes were duly signed and dated.

6)   GENERAL MATTERS (24/006)

a)   County & District Council

County Councillor Martin Hill provided an update on local matters including the double yellow lines on Rosemary Rise, Public Rights of Ways applications resolved and pending, and he spoke briefly about the Greater Lincolnshire Devolution Plan, Highways and flooding. 

Councillor Kenyon informed Councillor Hill about the recurrent flooding at the post box on Main Street.  Councillor Hill said he would raise the issue with Rowan Smith, Local Highways Manager (West) for Lincolnshire County Council. 
There was further discussion about highways generally and solar farm applications locally.

District Councillor Sarah Trotter informed the meeting that the Local Plan consultation ends on Thursday 25 April 2024; this affects the supply of housing in larger villages and towns and will not have any impact on small rural communities like Ingoldsby. 

She said that there will be a forthcoming election for the Police and Crime Commissioner of 2 May.  Marc Jones, the current Commissioner will be standing for re-election.  

She raised the issue of planning enforcement issues relating to the Old Rectory on Main Street.  It was agreed that the response received from Matthew Johnston, Senior Planning Enforcement Officer dated 21 March was disappointing. 

The issues with EV charging on Rosemary Rise was raised and briefly discussed. 

Dates for the diary include 29 June 2024, Ropsley Festival and 14/15 September 2024 for the Folkingham Remembers World War 2 event.  

b)   PCC and PFA Annual Budget and Section 137

The Chair suggested that members receive a proposal this evening in relation to this agenda item, as it has been repeatedly deferred.  

Councillor Kenyon proposed that the PFA and PCC receive the same contribution from the Parish Council each year, to be raised by increments of £25 annually subject to agreement during budget setting in November.  The proposal was seconded by Councillor Nelson and passed by resolution of the council. 

c)   BT Contract Renewal

Councillor Kenyon proposed that the Parish Council renew the contract with BT for 24-months at a cost of £30.95 plus VAT.  The proposal was seconded by Councillor Leigh and passed by resolution of the council. 

d)   Community Resilience Plans (Parish Emergency Plan)

Members agreed upon the creation of a Parish Emergency Plan.  Councillor Kenyon offered to take the lead.  

Action:  Clerk to contact Phil Swinton at SKDC. 

e)   Gov.uk Email Addresses for Parish Council Clerk and Councillors

Members discussed the matter; the Clerk has received some information, but the costings are yet unclear.   

Action: Clerk to make enquiries with the Clerk’s forum/obtain prices. 

7)   HIGHWAYS (24/007)

a)   To receive any reports of new or outstanding highways defects:

Members of the public are encouraged to report any new faults at www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/faultreporting or email cschighways@lincolnshire.gov.uk or contact customer services by telephone on 01522 782070.

Councillor Nelson has received some reports from parishioners about street light outages and she has asked them to report these directly to the relevant authority.  

There is a pothole on the road outside Blackberry Lodge.  

Action:  Councillor Kenyon will photograph and report the fault via FixMyStreet. 

b)   Members noted the notice of temporary traffic regulation Order – Ingoldsby/Lenton 30 April 2024 – 14 June 2024) which has been added to the website and community Facebook page. 

8)   PLANNING (24/008)

a)   New Planning Matters

i)   None

b)   Decisions received or pending

c)   Members noted the email received from Matthew Johnstone dated 21 March 2024 as discussed earlier in the meeting, see minute reference 6) a.

9   FINANCE (2023-2024 Financial Year End) 

a)   Year End Budget Review 

The Clerk informed members that in terms of income, the Parish Council received 20% more income than predicted and this was primarily due to a higher VAT refund from the previous financial year than estimated, higher interest payments on the savings accounts and a grant awarded by the District Council to support the Village Hall’s Coronation event.   In terms of expenditure, at face value the Parish Council spent just short of the predicted expenditure by 2% with an underspend in the following budget heads - Clerk’s wages, expenses, village hall hire costs, annual subscriptions, insurance, the garden waste fee, and BT. The Parish Council would have been 7% under-budget if not for the additional funding for the PFA to the sum of £600.00.  This sum was to be drawn from reserves, per resolution, but there were sufficient funds in the current account to negate this action.

There would also appear to be an underspend in the fee for Autela Payroll Services, but this is inaccurate as their final invoice for services rendered during the 2023/24 financial year was not received and dated such until April 2024.  

b)   Members noted the bank balances as of 31 March 2024

c)   Members noted the income received between 6 March 2024 and 31 March 2024

d)   Members noted the expenditure to be paid in line with the approved list of Regular payments between 6 March and 31 March 2024, or for approval

e)   Members noted the record of reserves dated 31 March 2024

f)   Members resolved to approve the end of year accounts.  The cashbook was signed by the Chair and RFO.

g)   AGAR/External Audit 

i)   Members observed the rates of the Public Rights Period, Period of Inspection dry for 3 June – 12 July 2024.

ii)   Members noted that Mr John Jackson will be performing the internal audit again this year as previously agreed. 

ii)   The Chair signed and dated the exemption certificate as a smaller authority (with income and expenditure not exceeding £25,000 in the year ending 31 March 2024) which is therefore exempt from a limited assurance review (external audit). Page 3 of 6 of the AGAR.  

Action:  The Chair agreed to mail this recorded first class and signed for before 1 July 2024 to prevent any financial penalties from PKF Littlejohn.

iv)   Members resolved to approve the Annual Governance Statement (Section 1, page 5 of 6) of the Annual Return (AGAR) which was duly signed and dated by the RFO and Chair with the associating minute reference. 

v)   Members resolved to approve the Accounting Statements (AGAR, Section 2, page 6 of 6) which was duly signed and dated by the Chair with the associating minute reference. 

vi)   The Clerk confirmed that the Parish Council is compliant with Transparency Code with most of the year end documentation having already been added to the website.  Any additional documentation will be added immediately after the meeting. 

vii)   The Chair acknowledged receipt of the VAT126 reclaim form. 

Action:  The Chair agreed to mail the form to the HMRC. 

10   FINANCE (2024-2025 New Financial Year) 

a)   Members resolve to approve a list of regular payments for 2024/2025 in line with the budget agreed in November 2023) 

LIST OF REGULAR PAYMENTS 

This list of regular payments is approved by Financial Regulations. If it necessary to make payment to avoid a charge to interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 and the due date for the payment is before the next scheduled meeting of the Council, where the Clerk and RFO certify that there is no dispute or other reason to delay the payment, provided that a list of all such payments shall be submitted to the next appropriate meeting of the council.  

•   Clerk’s monthly salary up to the budgeted annual sum of £2,900.00. Overtime and annual leave beyond the twelve contracted hours per month must first be approved at the next meeting of the Parish Council.  Clerk to receive annually agreed payment of £100.00 for use of own computer, printing equipment and anti-virus software. 

•   Autela Payroll Services Limited for services rendered not exceeding the budgeted amount of £220.00. 

•   Village Hall for hall hire not exceeding the budgeted amount £231.00 for cupboard storage and annual hire for meeting purposes. 

•   Annual subscriptions to LALC and the ICO not exceeding the budgeted amount of £127.50. 

•   Insurance not exceeding the budgeted amount of £250.64.

•   The internal audit fee not exceeding £89.76.

•   Gardening services to St. Bartholomew’s churchyard not exceeding the budgeted amount of £625.00. 

•   PFA to assist with on-going maintenance costs not exceeding the budgeted amount of £625.00. 

•   Community Heartbeat Trust for the defibrillator annual maintenance package and other related annual services not exceeding the budgeted amount of £235.00. 

•   PCC for the annual renewal of the garden waste service for an amount not exceeding £60.00. 

•   BT to be paid by direct debit for the amount billed.  Budget head is £465.77. 

•   Office equipment, stationery and training not exceeding the budgeted amount of £624.00. 

•   Section 137 expenditure to the RBL for £50.00. Other Section 137 expenditure must be approved at a meeting of the Parish Council and will be paid to the recipient after the resolution.  

b)   Members noted the current bank balances as of 19 April 2024

c)   Members noted the income received between 1 April 2024 and 19 April 2024

d)   Members noted the expenditure to be paid in line with the approved list of Regular payments between 1 April and 19 April 2024, or for approval

e)   Record of reserves dated 19 April 2024

Members resolved to approve the transfer of £121.05 from the current account to the savings account to clear the deficit for the earmarked reserves.

f)   Members resolved to approve the monthly income and expenditure accounts for April 2024.

g)   The Chair has completed the risk assessment of Parish Council assets for quarter 1. 

h)   Members reviewed the Insurance renewal quotes from Gallagher - £730.00, Zurich (current provider) - £241.00 and The Clear Group – 472.93.  Councillor Nelson suggested an alternative provider and members agreed to defer a decision to the next meeting of the Parish Council. 

Action:  Clerk to make enquiries with Simon Phillips, Wilson Organisation. 

i)   Members agreed to defer the agenda item relating to the S137 amount per head of elector for 2024/2025 as the Clerk in not in possession of the figure. 

11   CORRESPONDENCE

Members noted the following correspondence:

a)   Notice of Election and Notice of Poll – Police Crime Commissioner Election – 2 May 2024. (Displayed on the noticeboard by AE)

b)   SKDC – Local Plan Review of Village Services and Facilities.  

12   DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING 

Annual Parish Meeting – Wednesday 15 May 2024 at 8pm
Annual Parish Council Meeting – Wednesday 15 May 2024 at 8.30pm