16 May Minutes
Langworth Group Parish Council
Serving the grouped parishes of Barlings, Newball, Stainton by Langworth and Reasby
E:mail: langworthgroupparishcouncil@gmail.com
Minutes of the meeting of Langworth Group Parish Council held at Langworth Memorial Hall at 7.30pm on Tuesday 16th May 2023.
Present: Cllrs M Herbert (Chairman), H Stilgoe-McCombe, J Machin, P Bowser, A Hyatt, C/Cllr I Fleetwood, D/Cllr T Bridgwood, Mrs M Vail (Clerk). There were no members of the public.
Meeting began at 7.40pm
1. Election Results:
a) confirmation of councillors:
All councillors have been returned unopposed in the recent elections.
b) confirmation of their signing of Declarations of Acceptance of Office forms prior to commencement of the meeting:
Confirmed that all councillors present at this meeting have completed their Declaration of Acceptance of Office Forms prior to the start of this meeting.
c) resolve that any councillor not present at this meeting due to exceptional circumstances; who has not signed their Declaration of Acceptance of Office form prior to commencement of the meeting; be able to sign said form at the earliest possible date following this meeting:
RESOLVED that Cllrs A Curtis, S Taylor, K Tyrrell, R Waite can sign said form at the earliest possible date following this meeting.
Proposed: Cllr M Herbert, seconded: Cllr J Machin. All in favour.
2. To elect a chairman and sign the Declaration of Acceptance of Office form:
A nomination was made for Cllr M Herbert. In the absence of any other nominees, RESOLVED to appoint Cllr M Herbert as Chairman, who duly signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office form.
Proposed: Cllr P Bowser, seconded: Cllr J Machin. All in favour.
3. To elect a vice chairman:
No nominations were received. Item deferred to next agenda. Action: Clerk
4. To resolve to move into Open session: suspension of Standing orders for up to 15 mins for members of the public to speak on agenda items, or to suggest items for consideration on a future agenda:
RESOLVED to move into Open Session. No members of the public were present to speak.
Proposed: Cllr M Herbert, seconded: Cllr P Bowser. All in favour.
5. Resolve to resume Standing Orders and close the public session:
RESOLVED to resume Standing Orders and close the public session.
Proposed: Cllr M Herbert, seconded: Cllr P Bowser. All in favour.
6. Apologies: Cllrs A Curtis, S Taylor, K Tyrrell, R Waite, D/Cllr M Palmer
7. Declarations of Interest:
No declarations of interest were made.
8. To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 4 April 2023:
RESOLVED, with the addition of Cllr Jack Machin to the item recording Apologies, to approve the minutes as a true record, and these were duly signed.
Proposed: Cllr J Machin, seconded: Cllr P Bowser. All in favour.
Noted that the draft minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on 4 April 2023 would be brought to the June meeting. Action: Clerk
9. Comments from County Councillor, District Councillors and Chairman:
C/Cllr I Fleetwood:
o LCC’s Annual Meeting is to be held on 19th May 2023 with no anticipated changes.
o He will be meeting with LCC Highways Officer in two weeks’ time, therefore invited Councillors to advise him of any issues which he can take to this meeting.
o A pedestrian crossing has recently been installed at North Greetwell; to which Cllr M Herbert noted that no anti-skid layer had been applied on the road, only hot rolled asphalt.
o An additional speed radar device has been installed at North Greetwell.
D/Cllr T Bridgwood:
o Introduced himself as a newly elected District Councillor in the May elections
Noted that Cllr A Welburn is no longer a District Councillor, having unsuccessfully stood for election in the Sudbrooke Ward. Her excellent work during her time as a District Councillor was noted.
10. To review and approve appointments as follows:
i. Bank signatories: Clerk, Cllr M Herbert, Cllr P Bowser, Cllr A Curtis: Approved.
ii. Online banking – Clerk: Approved.
iii. Member to review financial record keeping; including to verify and sign, at least quarterly, bank reconciliations/bank statements -:
RESOLVED that Cllr A Hyatt be appointed to this role, which will streamline the financial process.
Proposed: Cllr A Hyatt, Seconded: Cllr P Bowser. All in favour.
11. Approve discontinuing petty cash system, and paying £35.00 float held into bank account:
RESOLVED to approve this item. Action: Clerk
Proposed: Cllr P Bowser, Seconded: Cllr J Machin. All in favour.
12. Approve insurance quote:
Following consideration of four quotes received, RESOLVED to accept quote from BHIB. This is a 3-year Long Term Agreement at £349.31 in Year 1. Action: Clerk.
Proposed: Cllr J Machin, seconded: Cllr H Stilgoe-McCombe. All in favour.
13. Resolve to approve the Clerk paying the following listed regular and expected payments which have been included in the annual budget:
i) up to the budgeted amount; and reported paid at the next possible Council meeting
ii) if exceeding the budgeted amount, to seek approval at the next possible meeting prior to making a payment
RESOLVED to approve the above two items (13i &13ii). Noted that this will streamline the financial process.
Proposed: Cllr J Machin, seconded: Cllr H Stilgoe-McCombe. All in favour.
o Sage, payroll package
o Clerk, salary, PAYE, pension,
o Clerk mileage, office, print and paper, and homeworking expenses
o Langworth Local production/Facebook
o Grass cutting
o ROSPA Annual play inspection
o EKM Ltd quarterly play inspections
o WLDC – annual defib scheme fees x 1 defib
o Memorial Hall hire for meetings
o Lease of play area
o Auditor fees both internal and external
o Poppy wreath
o McAffee computer protection
o Microsoft Office Annual Package
o LALC Annual Training Scheme
o LALC Annual Membership Fee
o ICO Annual fee
o Website maintenance fee (LALC)
14. Training needs:
i. To consider any requests for training, and additional training expenditure:
Cllr H Stilgoe-McCombe - first aid and canva part1 at £65.00 + VAT, and £25.00 + VAT respectively
Noted that these two courses are not included within LALC’s Annual Training Scheme which the Council has signed up to.
RESOLVED to approve expenditure for Cllr H Stilgoe-McCombe to attend these two courses.
Proposed: Cllr P Bowser, seconded: Cllr A Hyatt. All in favour. Action: Clerk
15. Memorial Hall Emergency General Meeting on 17th May 2023:
The Memorial Hall requires new committee members, in particular a Chair, Treasurer and Secretary, for the Hall to continue to function. Without a committee, it cannot function. It is hoped that volunteers will step forward at this EGM to fill the required roles.
Noted that a non-functioning Memorial Hall and Committee would have implications for the Parish
Council.
16. Planning:
a) 146474: partial change of use of builders yard to incorporate office, external alterations and reduction in height of perimeter fence and gates. LOCATION: Station Yard Station Road Langworth LN3 5BB:
Cllr A Hyatt has previously circulated some observations on this application, which he reiterated to the meeting. After consideration, RESOLVED that the Clerk write to WLDC to advise that the Parish Council is not happy to accept the application as it is, nor for the application to progress at this point in time. The Clerk is to further request that WLDC provides clarification of the observations as made by Cllr A Hyatt, after which it can decide if it supports for the application to progress. Item for next meeting. Action: Clerk
C/Cllr I Fleetwood left the meeting at 8.31pm.
17. No Mow May:
This is a national initiative to help pollinating insects by allowing grassed areas to grow throughout May.
Noted that hemlock, when growing at road junctions, impacts visibility for drivers.
After consideration, RESOLVED to:
i. request the grass cutting contractor does not cut during May 2023, and in future years
ii. exception to be the play area and the football pitch behind the Memorial Hall, which should still be mown
iii. if the parish council will still be charged for a May cut in 2023 (as it has entered into a contract), then grass cutting should continue either as originally scheduled in May 2023, or an extra cut at the end of the season.
Proposed: Cllr H Stilgoe-McCombe, seconded: Cllr J Machin. For – 3, against – 1
Action: Clerk
18. Planters – volunteer update:
A volunteer has come forward to look after the planter on Scothern Lane. They will also look after the A158 planter near to the railway until such point as anybody living close-by is willing to take this planter on.
RESOLVED to accept this offer. Action: Clerk
Proposed: Cllr P Bowser, seconded: Cllr A Hyatt. All in favour.
19. Clerks Report
a) To receive the financial report: as previously circulated:
Proposed: Cllr J Machin, seconded: Cllr H Stilgoe-McCombe
b) Approval of any non-regular payments: as previously circulated:
There is one non-regular payment, being an additional £20.00 towards the replacement laptop for the Clerk. This is because the chosen laptop (at £579.00) had ‘sold out’ and the alternative model was more expensive (at £599.00).
RESOLVED to approve the additional £20.00.
Proposed: Cllr J Machin, seconded: Cllr A Hyatt. All in favour.
20. Date of the next meeting: Tuesday 6th June 7.30pm, Memorial Hall
Agenda items:
o defibrillator for Stainton-by-Langworth (Cllr P Bowser)
o consider introducing a lead councillor/champion for specific jobs, topics or projects (Cllr M Herbert)
21. Resolve to move into Closed Session as the following item contains information of a confidential or sensitive nature:
22. Councillors to complete their Declaration of Interests forms, and Receipt of Code of Conduct Forms:
Items 21 and 22 above were taken together. As all forms had been completed prior to the start of this meeting, there was no need to move into Closed Session to complete forms.
Meeting ended at 8.48pm.
Michelle Vail – Clerk/RFO to the Council Dated: 18 May 2023