December 2021 Minutes
Cranwell, Brauncewell and Byard’s Leap Parish Council
Minutes of the ordinary meeting of Cranwell, Brauncewell and Byard's Leap Parish Council held at Cranwell Village Hall, Old School Lane, Cranwell Village, NG34 8DF on Monday 13 December 2021 at 7:00 pm.
Participating: Chairman: Cllr Mr T Batten
Councillors: Cllr Mr M Pears, Cllr Mrs M Cassidy, Cllr Mr M Cassidy, Mrs C Batten, Cllr Mr M Collier, Cllr Mr C Dickinson.
Also in attendance: District Councillor Jim Clark.
Mrs Kirsty Elson, Clerk to the Parish Council
14 members of the public were in attendance.
The Chairman welcomed everyone and addressed the public about the most up-to-date information regarding the permissive footpaths.
The Chairman informed the public that a representative from Dyson farming had been invited to the meeting but could not make it due to personal reasons. Tim Jenks from Lincolnshire County Council was also invited but declined the invitation.
The Chairman then proposed that a footpath working group is to be set up to reapply for DMMO 376. Three Members of the public volunteered to be in the working group, Cllr T Batten and Cllr C Batten also volunteered.
The Chairman declared the ordinary December meeting open at 7:15 pm.
1. To receive apologies for absence and reasons given i.a.w. Local Government Act 1972, Sch 12, para 40.
It was noted that Cllr S Chapman had not sent his apologies for his absence.
2. To receive declarations of interest and to consider applications in relation to Disclosable Pecuniary Interests.
Disclosure of pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests is to be in accordance with the Localism Act 2011. The need for disclosure is to be based upon agenda items, or at any suitable time during a meeting when it becomes apparent to a Member.
Cllr M Pears declared an interest in item 4.b. as he has claimed expenses.
Cllr M Cassidy declared an interest in item 4.b, as he has also claimed expenses.
3. Notes of the ordinary meeting held on Monday 8 November 2021, of Cranwell, Brauncewell and Byard's Leap Parish Council to be approved as Minutes.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve the notes of the ordinary meeting held on Monday 8 November 2021, of Cranwell, Brauncewell and Byard's Leap Parish Council, as Minutes.
Proposed by Cllr Mike Pears, seconded by Cllr C Dickinson and approved unanimously.
4. Financial Matters
a. Approve the payments made since the last meeting
Mrs K A Elson (Clerks Salary, Mth 8) EB-0731 £ 674.96
Mrs K A Elson (Clerks Expenses) EB-0731 £ 46.97
CSPF Transfer of funds to sports pavilion account EB-0732 £ 5,000.00
Cllr T Batten (Chairman’s expenses) EB-0733 £ 105.00
Cllr M Collier (Expenses Sept) Chq 1897 £ 3.85
Cllr M Cassidy (Expenses Oct) Chq 1898 £ 37.92
Cllr M Cassidy (Expenses Aug/Sept) Chq 1899 £ 53.80
Total: £ 5,922.50
Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve the payments made since the last meeting.
Proposed by Cllr T Batten, seconded by Cllr M Pears and approved unanimously.
b. Approve the payment of invoices etc. as listed on the Payments to be Authorised sheet.
Warden and Security Services (Inv-067) EB-0734 £ 132.00
Streetwise Environmental Trading Ltd (Inv-51683) EB-0735 £ 479.88
Streetwise Environmental Trading Ltd (Inv-51865) EB-0736 £ 479.88
John Scotney Turf Management INV x 3 EB-0737 £ 317.75
Caloo (INV 3572) EB-0738 £ 942.00
Weasdale nurseries Ltd (INV 21/069792) EB-0739 £ 85.02
J W Clark Garden Tree Services (Inv 1) EB-0740 £ 1,480.00
Cllr M Cassidy Expenses Chq-1900 £ 29.80
Cllr M Pears Expenses EB-0741 £ 96.51
James Sampson (Inv 20211130) EB-0742 £ 320.00
Anglian Water (Acct *****5216 - Old School) DD £ 32.00
BT Business Payment Services Ltd DD £ 70.56
Total: £ 4,469.12
Cllr Michael Cassidy stated that the Weasdale Invoice had been paid in June, this needs to be removed. The Clerk also noticed an error – the Caloo invoice had been on the previous months financial report and needs to be removed. The Clerk also reported that James Sampson had quoted £300 for the work to the hedge near the portacabin, but had invoiced the PC for £320 and the DD for Anglian Water should be £20 not £32 as it previously had been. Once these changes have been made the total payments to be authorised comes to £3,418.38
Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve the payments of invoices etc. With the removal of EB-0738 and EB-0739 and would approve EB-0742 if James Sampson re-issued his invoice as per his quote.
Proposed by Cllr C M Collier, seconded by Cllr C Batten and approved by a vote of 5 for, 0 against and 2 abstentions.
c. Approve the bank reconciliation from the previous month (November).
Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve the bank reconciliation from the previous month.
Proposed by Cllr C Dickinson, seconded by Cllr C Batten and approved unanimously.
d. To approve the addition of Cllr Chris Dickinson to the banking mandate as a signatory.
Cllr C Dickinson made the Parish Council aware that due to work commitments he will be resigning as councillor.
e. To consider the quotes for the repair work of the Old School kitchen and toilets.
The clerk stated that she had contacted 4 contractors and no one was able to provide a quote before December. It was concluded that this item will be moved to the January agenda.
f. To consider replacing the final old ceiling light in the Old School classroom.
It was concluded that the clerk would find quotes.
g. To review the Old School hiring costs.
Action: The council RESOLVED to increase the hiring costs of the Old School from £5 per hour to £5.50p per hour. Proposed by Cllr T Batten, seconded by Cllr C Dickinson and approved unanimously.
h. To consider renewing the utilities aid letter of authority.
After some discussion the Parish Council concluded that they would be no better off with a company managing their utility bills.
Action: The Parish Council RESOLVED to continue with their current utility suppliers and do not need the services of Utility Aid. Proposed by Cllr M Cassidy, seconded by Cllr M Pears and approved unanimously.
i. Consider and review the draft budget figures in preparation for setting the budget/precept demand in January 2022 for FY 2022-2023.
Action: The Parish Council RESOLVED to move this item to the next meeting in January. Proposed by Cllr T Batten, seconded by Cllr M Pears and approved unanimously.
j. To discuss the implications of the various ways of implementing the Pavilion Plan for the 2022/2023 budget/precept proposals.
Action: It was RESOLVED to put the agreed money for the Sports Pavilion (as stated in the flyer that went to all parishioners) on the precept as an addition for 2022/23.
Proposed by Cllr M Pears, seconded by Cllr M Cassidy, vote of 6 for, 0 against and 1 abstention.
5. Receive a report from the Clerk on matters pertaining to the Parish Council.
i. 15/11/21 – All old signatories have been removed from the Lloyds Current Account.
ii. 22/11/21 – Romper Room invoices have been sent for Sept 2020 – July 2021. The total outstanding for 2020-2021 school year is £5,885.
iii. 22/11/21 – The clerk had contacted Kier about a residents complaint. The Homes maintenance department has no record of the estate and thought this had been passed to a private maintenance company many years ago.
iv. 29/11/21 – Quote for the hedge adjacent to the portacabin was £300, (within the agreed limit) Work was carried out on the 29th November.
v. 29/11/21 – The Clerk contacted an Electrician to book the annual OldSschool safety inspection. Waiting for response. Will contact another soon.
vi. 08/12/21 – Rainbows invoices sent for 2020/21 terms 5-6 and 2021/22 terms 1-2/ Total outstanding is £105
vii. 03/12/21 – The Clerk emailed a groundsman about the broken fence panel near the bottle bank. 11/12/21 – Contractor can fix for £40+VAT.
viii. 10/12/21 – NKDC, Christopher Clay (NKDC tree inspector) has been to the sitenear the Playground and recommended that the ivy is removed. Waiting for housing dept to grant access for the contractor to carry out the work.
6. Planning Applications determined.
21/1452/HOUS – Proposed two storey side extension and erection of a garage and side port. Location: 4 Bristow Road, Cranwell, Sleaford. Planning application approved.
7. To consider DMMO 376 and the action the Parish Council wish to take.
See Public session notes above.
8. To discuss clearing the waste from footpath DMMO 375.
It was concluded that this would be moved forward to the January agenda.
9. Receive reports from Councillors on their areas of responsibility.
Cllr M Cassidy stated that he had no further reports/issues than those given in the November meeting.
Cllr M Collier reported the following: A large pothole in the turning area at the end of Lime Close, which he has reported to FixMyStreet. Major blemishes in the surface of the pavement were noted on Cranwell Avenue (B1429) between Delhi Square and Bahgdad Road on the Housing side of the road also reported via FixMyStreet.
One street light on Cranwell Ave (B1429) was noted be on during the day (Numbered 10 in black writing) on the RAF base side of the road between Baghdad Road and Delhi Square. Reported to RAF - Ref: 68882412. It was also noted that a number of streetlights appeared not to be on when it was/is dark. These have been previously reported.
Cllr Pears reported the following:
The road sign for De Gaunt Drive is broken where it meets Sleaford Road. – Clerk will report to NKDC.
Website: We are getting over 1000 visits each month and 4000 page views.
Mailchimp email distribution list: Currently have 76 subscribers.
Event on the Village Green, Sunday 19th December: There will be an event on the Village Green on the 19th of December, which is a continuation of the village pantomime. There will be a small marquee serving mince pies and mulled wine. There is a singer that has been organised and the Sleaford Round table Santa Claus mobile display is due to arrive at the Green during the event.
Speeding Intiative: The positions of the two poles at the Sleaford end of the village are marked by paint on the pavement and the grass. The SID posts will be installed before Christmas.
The two positions at the College Road end of the village are on the existing traffic signs and are now ready for use. We are still waiting for the SIDs to be delivered.
10. To consider replacing the following noticeboards:
• The Remembrance Garden Noticeboard.
• The Noticeboard on the Village Hall
• The Parish Council Church Noticeboard
Action: The council RESOLVED to replace the Village Hall noticeboard with an aluminium wood effect noticeboard; to further consider repairing and treating the Parish Council Church noticeboard, depending on the quotation prices, (Cllr M Cassidy to obtain quotes for the work); and the Remembrance Garden Notice/Plaque will be looked at again in the near future. Proposed by M Cassidy, Seconded by Cllr M Collier, vote: 5 for and 1 against.
11. To approve a list of Councillor’s contact numbers to be available to all councillors, for matters requiring urgent contact.
It was concluded that all councillors would like a list of councillors contact numbers that also includes contact information for the village hall.
12. To consider the results of a recent survey for volunteers and to decide whether to proceed with setting up a speed watch scheme.
Cllr M Pears reported that he had 11 volunteers as a result of a recent survey.
Action: The chair proposed that the council go back to the RAF to see if they can retrieve the speed guns and set up the speed watch scheme for free. Seconded by Cllr M Pears, approved unanimously and therefore RESOLVED.
13. To consider whether to make it a condition of joining the parish council that new councillors undertake the LALC “New Councillor” course within their first four months.
Action: The Parish Council RESOLVED to make it a condition to take a new councillor LALC course. Proposed by Cllr T Batten, seconded by Cllr M Cassidy and approved unanimously.
14. Correspondence.
Resident - Concern about the conflict between the right to anonymity of donors as a condition of a donation, and the need for the minutes of the parish Council meeting to be a full disclosure of a meeting.
The Chair stated that a donor can be anonymous, only the Responsible Financial Officer and one other councillor has to know where the money has come from. There must be a paper trail that can be audited. The public does not need to know who donated the money.
15. Confirm the date of the next meeting.
The clerk confirmed that the date of the next meeting will be, Monday 10th January 2022.
16. To resolve to go into closed session in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, as amended by Section 100 of the Local Government Act 1972, to discuss the following matters;
a. Consider the co-option application (if received) to fill the current Council vacancy.
The Chairman stated that there have been no interested candidates to co-opt.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 9:06pm.