Minutes of Meeting 2024

A meeting of East Keal Parish Council was held on 17/01/2024 at 7pm at The Keals’ Village Hall.

Welcome: Cllr Graham Pearson welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Present: Chair Cllr Pearson, Deputy Chair Cllr Kemp, Cllr Thornley, Cllr Mahoney, Cllr Stickland, Cllr Wrisdale, District Cllr Taylor, County Cllr Gray, Clerk to the Council Mrs McKinlay and 4 members of the public.

1. To receive and accept apologies.

Cllr Goddard offered apologies with valid reasons. It was proposed and resolved that the reasons be accepted.

2. Proposal to allow a member of the public to speak outside of the public forum.

The Chair informed the meeting that a member of the public had requested to speak at the beginning of the meeting and Cllr Thornley requested this be permitted.

The Clerk advised Cllrs that the Agenda has been published and the public forum is at the end of the meeting as agreed by council and the proper officer; this is the allotted time for members of the public to speak. Cllrs had been provided with the same advice from LALC prior to the meeting.

Cllr Kemp proposed a motion to invoke Standing Order 8a vi “to change the order of business on the agenda”. 5 Cllrs voted in favour of this. The Chair invited the member of the public to speak.

The member of the public wished to clarify/correct some of the statements made in previous minutes. The member of the public was thanked for speaking and informed that Cllrs will review the statement and respond in due course.

3. To receive declarations of interest under the Localism Act.

Cllr Pearson declared an interest in Agenda item 17e and requested Deputy Chair Cllr Kemp to Chair that item.

4. To approve as Minutes the notes of the meetings held on Wednesday 15th November 2023 and Wednesday 29th November 2023.

It was proposed by Cllr Wrisdale and seconded by Cllr Kemp and resolved that the notes of 15/11/2023 be accepted as minutes of the meeting.

It was proposed by Cllr Mahoney and seconded by Cllr Thornley that the notes of 29/11/2023 be accepted as minutes of the meeting.

Both sets of minutes were then signed by Chair Cllr Pearson.

5. Chair’s Review.

The Chair thanked litter pickers and other volunteers who help keep the village looking clean.

6. To receive reports from representatives on outside bodies:

a. County Councillor: The Greater Lincolnshire Devolution Consultation ends on 29/01/2024. HAY Lincolnshire is available for residents to improve wellbeing. Call Connect buses are capped at £2. A report has been received and circulated to Cllrs.

b. District Councillor: Severe Weather Emergency Protocol has been launched, telephone line open for rough sleepers. Home energy advice is available with various presentations available across Lincolnshire. Green Waste collections are ready for renewal. Draft budget agreed with a rise of 3.06%, which equates to £4.95 for a Band D property. A report has been received and circulated to Cllrs. The Chair thanked Cllr Taylor for providing sandbags to the parish council.

7. To discuss the EKPC Meeting venue.

The Clerk has looked into alternative local venues. East Keal Church is not suitable due to the councils need to adhere to the Equality Act 2010 and the Health and Safety Acts and regulations. Cllr Kemp queried the use of the Coffee Cup, but that is currently not an option either. Cllr Kemp raised concerns that the hall has not provided a risk assessment and so potentially the emergency lighting and fire alarms may not work. The Chair informed Cllrs that EKPC’s insurers have advised the council to complete their own risk assessment. This has been completed by Cllr Goddard and will be circulated to Cllrs. Cllr Mahoney asked if the Council had requested documents. The Chair informed that the parish council had requested documents. Cllr Kemp stated that she had been appointed the village hall representative for EKPC but had not received any documentation and would not agree to be a trustee as you sign a document to say you will put the charity above all else. Cllr Thornley stated that she did not have to be a trustee when she was the representative. The Chair advised that this was now what the village hall committee requested. The Chair advised that a trustee may have to declare it as a pecuniary interest. Cllr Wrisdale offered to speak to The Keals’ Village Hall Committee to request documents. All Cllrs agreed for Cllr Wrisdale to proceed and report back at the next meeting.

8. To receive updates on village issues and agree any further actions.

a. Water on Fen Lane, Blacksmith’s Lane and School Lane.

i. County Cllr Gray informed Cllrs that the water on Fen Lane had been investigated and was a spring. The Chair enquired whether a ditch could be dug to drain the water off the road, but Cllr Gray indicated this would not be likely.

ii. Cllr Gray informed Cllrs that the water on Blacksmith’s Lane had been investigated with cameras down and there is a blockage so the pipes will be jetted. The Chair queried when the leaking broken pipe will be repaired, Cllr Gray will look into this.

iii. Cllr Gray informed Cllrs that the water on School Lane has been investigated and is a Spring, the Highways Officer will go back again. Cllr Kemp asked if there were any timescales, Cllr Gray informed there were no timescales at present.

iv. Cllr Gray suggested a walkabout with the Chair in the Spring.

b. Notice Board at Fen Lane/Blacksmith’s Lane.

The notice board is leaking and the Clerk informed Cllrs that the company has been contacted to see if they can repair the issue. Cllr Stickland kindly offered to affix sealant if the company cannot repair, all Cllrs agreed and thanked Cllr Stickland.

c. Hall Corner A16 Road Improvements.

County Cllr Gray informed Cllrs that the drains will be jetted regularly. The ditch will be monitored to ensure efficient drainage and Highways are looking at ways to assist the homeowner.

d. Horse Signs on Fen Lane.

County Cllr Gray informed Cllrs that Layla would like a proposed location on a map. Cllrs proposed that Cllr Stickland to contact local horse owners to discuss the ideal location for a sign and put that on a map.

Proposed: Cllr Kemp. Seconded: Cllr Mahoney.

9. To discuss and approve the Councils process for reviewing and amending policies.

a. Cllrs had asked the Clerk to check with LALC to clarify who was responsible for policies. The Clerk had sent LALC’s response to Cllrs prior to the meeting and informed Cllrs of the overview: “It is the responsibility of the Clerk/Responsible Financial Officer to ensure that the council complies with its statutory duties by providing advice, guidance and information that enables it to carry out its duties lawfully”.

b. Cllrs discussed this and the majority of Cllrs agreed that Cllrs would review and amend policies themselves for the Clerk to then review.

c. Cllrs proposed for the Clerk to create a list of current and recommended policies and circulate to Cllrs who will prioritise policies in order for amendment. Cllrs will then request the Clerk to download the required policy templates and legal topic notes and send to Cllrs for Cllrs to review and amend. These will then be sent back to the Clerk for review. All Cllrs were in favour.

Proposed: Cllr Thornley. Seconded: Cllr Mahoney

10. To discuss the Councils compliance with Data Protection and agree further actions.

a. The Clerk informed Cllrs that the ICO Certificate is being updated. The Clerk expressed concerns that the filing cabinet and laptop need looking through to ensure that the Council are not holding documents they are not entitled to and are adhering to all Data Protection requirements.

b. The Clerk proposed a budget of an hour a week to go through all documentation.

c. Majority of Cllrs expressed that they did not want to pay the Clerk hours to undertake this and would like to do this themselves. The Clerk stated that she will seek advice from the ICO to whether this can be delegated and the safest way to ‘share’ out documents to ensure the right items are disposed of, retained and returned. All Cllrs agreed for the Clerk to contact the ICO.

Proposed: Cllr Thornley. Seconded: Cllr Wrisdale.

11. To discuss how the Council communicate with residents and agree actions.

a. The Clerk informed Cllrs that the East Keal Parish Council Facebook page had been created and will have information added in the coming weeks. Suggestion to add anything sent on the village email list to the East Keal Parish Council Facebook page.

Proposed: Cllr Mahoney. Seconded: Cllr Kemp.

b. Cllr Stickland suggested adding a poster in the noticeboards to inform residents of how to sign up to the email list and about the Facebook page. The Clerk informed Cllrs that the village email consent form and list needs updating to meet GDPR requirements. Cllr Mahoney suggested updating the form and sending on the email list and putting in the noticeboard with a date to be returned by to create a new email list and then delete the current list. Cllrs agreed to add information to Welcome Booklet.

Proposed: Cllr Stickland. Seconded: Cllr Mahoney.

c. Cllr Thornley expressed her views that all Cllrs email addresses should be available to residents. The Chair explained that there had been issues with Cllrs receiving unpleasant and harassing emails and unfounded accusations so advice had been sought from LALC. LALC had advised that the Clerk is the first point of contact for the Council for a number of reasons, this had been agreed by Council at a previous meeting. The Chair stated that it is a Cllrs personal choice if they would like their contact details available, which some Cllrs have expressed they would like to do and their details are on the EKPC website and noticeboard.

12. To receive update on the Village Archive Boxes and agree further actions.

a. Cllrs agreed that any planning documents will be made available to the householder on presentation of ID and if the householder does not want them the documents will be shredded. Cllrs discussed the best method for circulating any documents to residents. The Chair is happy to deliver documents to residents. It was proposed to put a list in the noticeboard and send by email to list what documents are available and that these can be collected at the March Meeting or Annual Residents Meeting in May. If they are not collected, where possible hand-delivery will be attempted and any documents left will be destroyed due to data protection.

Proposed: Cllr Mahoney. Seconded: Cllr Wrisdale.

13. To discuss a time capsule and agree further actions.

a. All Cllrs agreed this would be a great community project for the Council to organise. Cllr Thornley and Cllr Stickland expressed interest in leading this project and getting local groups and children involved. All Cllrs agreed to delegate this to Cllr Stickland to start exploring options and report back at the next meeting.

14. To discuss D-Day 80 Celebrations and agree further actions.

a. All Cllrs agreed this would be a great community event for the Council to organise with support from local groups. Cllr Mahoney expressed an interest in leading this project. All Cllrs agreed to delegate this to Cllr Mahoney to start exploring options and report back at the next meeting.

15. To note Planning Applications.

a. S/045/02453/23 LAND AT BRAYFORD LODGE, FEN LANE, EAST KEAL, SPILSBY, PE234AY. Planning Permission - Erection of a house and attached garage which is an amended design to that approved under planning permission reference number S/045/01243/17 (works already started).

Cllrs response has been submitted.

16. To receive updates on the situation with HMRC.

a. The Council currently have no details relating to previous employees, despite trying to rectify the issue. Cllrs agreed that HMRC should have details if required.

b. The Clerk appealed the Penalty Assessment and £100 fine from HMRC for failure to file PAYE returns on time. HMRC have cancelled the late filing penalty.

17. To receive updates on the Internal Audit.

An Internal Auditor has been appointed by LALC, the Clerk will update Cllrs when a date is set.

18. Finance, administration of accounts and to approve payment of accounts:

a. To receive updates regarding Lloyds Bank Account.

i. The Clerk has now received access to the bank account and all previous signatories removed.

ii. Cllr Stickland queried how passwords are stored to ensure an efficient handover in future. The Clerk informed that as per EKPC Financial Regulations, passwords should be written down then given to and retained by the Chair in a sealed and dated envelope which cannot be opened unless in front of two other Cllrs. The Clerk informed Cllrs that this will be prepared for the next meeting as there are some administrative accounts that are only just being accessed.

b. To receive updates regarding Santander Bank Account.

i. The Clerk has now received access to the bank account and all previous signatories removed.

ii. The Chair queried the need for a separate bank account and referenced the time taken for the Clerk to update details on two accounts. The Clerk informed Cllrs the Santander account was used as the reserves account. Cllrs asked the Clerk to bring information to the next meeting.

Proposed: Cllr Mahoney. Seconded: Cllr Wrisdale.

c. To discuss the use of internet banking for both bank accounts and agree further actions.

i. The Clerk informed Cllrs that the use of internet banking would be more efficient and was the recommended method. The Clerk informed Cllrs that the financial regulations would remain the same, that payments are approved by Cllrs at meetings and then two signatories will be required to sign into the account and approve the transaction.

ii. All Cllrs agreed that the use of internet banking would be the best method as Direct Debits can be set up for regular payments.

iii. All current signatories would like to have access to internet banking for both accounts and request the Clerk to complete the required bank mandates.

iv. The Chair suggested being removed as a signatory and another Cllr being added. Cllr Mahoney offered to be a signatory and have internet access for both accounts. This was agreed by all Cllrs.

Proposed: Cllr Wrisdale. Seconded: Cllr Thornley.

d. To reconcile payment of Clerks salary.

i. The Clerk informed Cllrs that the agreed salary had been paid and Cheque Number 598 was signed by two signatories. The Clerk showed Cllrs the payslip.

Chair Cllr Pearson asked Deputy Chair Cllr Kemp to Chair this agenda item and left the room.

e. To discuss an increase in Clerks hours and agree further actions.

i. The Clerk informed Cllrs that she had not had the time to complete the requested timesheet and send to Cllrs with adequate time for Cllrs to review before the meeting.

ii. Cllrs requested the Clerk to continue timesheets for review at the next meeting. All Cllrs agreed.

iii. The Clerk agreed but expressed concern about payment for overtime hours worked.

Chair Cllr Pearson was invited back into the meeting and chaired the rest of the meeting.

f. To reimburse the Clerk for £2.40 postage

i. The Clerk requested additional reimbursement for printer ink costing £35.65, Cllrs agreed to add this making the total reimbursement £38.05.

ii. Cllrs were asked if they approved the Chair to be the second signatory, all Cllrs agreed.

Proposed: Cllr Stickland. Seconded: Cllr Kemp.

iii. Cheque Number 600 written and signed by two signatories.

g. To reconcile payment of hall hire 29/11/23: Cheque Number 597 written and signed by two signatories on 22/12/23 to pay invoice number 320.

i. The Clerk informed Cllrs of receipt of Invoice Number 330 for hall hire for tonight’s meeting. All Cllrs agreed to make payment.

ii. Cheque Number 599 written and signed by two signatories.

h. Bank Reconciliation Statement and Financial Report.

i. All Cllrs agreed to accept these documents.

Proposed: Cllr Mahoney. Seconded: Cllr Wrisdale.

i. Budget. To discuss and agree the budget for 2024-2025.

i. Cllrs discussed each item on the budget and made alterations. All Cllrs agreed all amendments.

ii. Cllrs discussed how to repay the costs of £6,005.13 for the elections in May, August and November 2023. All Cllrs agreed to pay this debt in full and add to the budget for 2024-2025.

Proposed: Cllr Kemp. 2. Seconded: Cllr Thornley.

j. Precept. To discuss and agree the precept for 2024-2025 to cover the costs of the council’s annual expenses and past and future elections after income deducted.

i. Cllrs agreed to increase the precept for financial year 2024-2025 to cover the council’s running costs and election costs, past and future.

Proposed: Cllr Wrisdale. Seconded: Cllr Mahoney

ii. Cllrs acknowledge that the council tax will be increased for residents, but do not see any other alternative to pay the outstanding debt and to have provisions for another election.

k. Email of proposal of repayment of election costs to ELDC to be submitted to S151 officer to approve repayment plan

i. Cllrs agreed to propose repayment of the election cost to ELDC in full from the precept acquired for EKPC’s Budget 2024-2025.

ii. All Cllrs approved the Clerk to email EKPC’s repayment proposal to ELDC.

19. Correspondence.

a. Email received from The Keals’ Village Hall regarding potential increase in hall hire charges. A response was sent asking for more information.

b. Email received regarding speaking outside of public forum. Matter now dealt with.

c. Internal Interim Audit Report received. Cllrs in agreement with response discussed prior to meeting.

d. Email received regarding the agenda. Cllrs in agreement with response discussed prior to meeting.

20. Any other matters for discussion only or next Agenda.

No matters raised.

Date of next meeting: 20th March 2024.

Public Forum

No matters raised.