2 April 2024 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 2 April 2024.
Present: Cllrs M Herbert (Chairman), R Waite, A Curtis, A Hyatt, S Taylor, Mrs M Vail (Clerk), C/Cllr I Fleetwood.
Absent: Cllrs K Tyrrell, H Stilgoe-McCombe
There were no members of the public.
Meeting began at 7.30pm
1. Public Forum: There was no public representation.
2. Apologies: Cllr P Bowser, D/Cllr C Darcel, D/Cllr T Bridgwood
3. Declarations of Interest: None.
4. To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 5 March 2024:
With a small amendment to item 9, RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 6th February 2024 as a true record, and these were duly signed. Action: Clerk.
Proposed: Cllr S Taylor, seconded: Cllr A Hyatt. All in favour.
5. Comments from County Councillor, District Councillors and Chairman:
C/Cllr I Fleetwood:
Flood matters: no updates have been received from Witham Third Drainage Board. The Environment Agency should, by now, have repaired the River Eau bank (Stainfield Fen side), and be attempting to pump water out.
Repairs to the opposite bank are being undertaken by Jacksons, after Witham Third Drainage Board had pulled out, with a due start date of 2nd April 2024. The Langworth overflow may disappear quickly because of these repairs.
Chairman:
D/Cllr T Bridgwood has requested feedback on Parish priorities for the Police to focus on in the next quarter. Although it was felt that the local area does not have many issues, it was agreed to feedback the following:
parking including damage to grass verges; opportunist prowlers/thefts, having a local and visible police presence, and promoting a phone number of whom to call. Action: Clerk.
A formal thank you will be arranged for Cllr J Machin for his services to the local community as a Parish Councillor. Action: Clerk, Cllr M Herbert
The main structure of the Emergency Plan has been completed but details of individual people with specialist skills/resources are still required.
6. To review the Action Log:
Many jobs have been completed. Updates were provided as follows:
Neighbourhood Plan – there have been no responses to the latest advert. A separate email address has been set up for people to reply to. A series of adverts are planned on separate aspects of the Neighbourhood Plan, and to expand promotion of these onto Facebook.
Langworth Local – an agreement with the Editor will be revisited at the June meeting.
Emergency Plan – as mentioned under Chairman’s Comments above. Work is ongoing, and a Desktop exercise will take place.
Play Area – The Memorial Hall committee have indicated that they will participate in a joint working party to spruce up the play area, with the Parish Council to take the lead. Noted that the grass has already been cut. A date of Saturday 18th April 2024, to meet at 10am, was agreed.
Barlings Lane noticeboard – three quotes are being obtained. The door has been secured shut for safety, and an advisory notice placed upon it.
7. Clerks Report
a) Receive the financial report:
RESOLVED to approve the financial report. Action: Clerk
Proposed: Cllr R Waite, seconded: Cllr S Taylor. All in favour.
(Note: approval to pay all regular accounts was made at the May 2023 meeting).
b) Approve any non-regular payments: None
c) To appoint C Rooke Management as internal auditor for the annual return £225.00 + VAT :
RESOLVED to appoint.
Proposed: Cllr A Curtis, seconded: Cllr A Hyatt. All in favour.
d) To note only: LCC contribution rate for urban grass cutting in 2024-25 will be £835.80:
Noted.
8. Speed cameras/road signage:
a) Update on relocation of one speed indicator device (SID):
Cllr R Waite has met with a representative from Lincs Road Safety Partnership, and a new position has been agreed. It could take up to 3 – 4 months before the mounting post can be fitted, at a cost of £300.00 (already approved). Action: Clerk
b) Consider quote for new speed indicator device (SID) for Barlings Lane:
Two quotes have been received for 1) one SID and 2) two SIDs on a special offer deal. Noted that these are not currently budgeted for. Future means of funding them were considered.
Cllr I Fleetwood suggested that additional mounting posts could be installed at the same time as LCC were installing other posts locally, and that the existing SIDS could then be rotated. Action: Clerk to make a future agenda item.
c) Consider request for advisory/warning signage for Bardney Road, Newball (eg Agricultural vehicles):
All were in agreement about traffic concerns on Bardney Road. RESOLVED to contact LCC to discuss the possibility of signage and costings. Action: Cllr R Waite
Proposed: Cllr R Waite, seconded: Cllr A Curtis. All in favour.
9. Play Area: Update on spruce up: Discussed under item 6 above.
10. Policy Review - Two of the policies are relevant to the forthcoming annual return are due for a review.
a) Register of Assets: Members to approve the register as true record of the council’s assets:
RESOLVED to approve. Action: Clerk
b) Risk assessment: Members to resolve to accept the risk assessment for the management and
maintenance of the assets of villages within the Langworth Group Parish Council area.
With one small amendment, RESOLVED to approve. Action: Clerk
11. Policy Adoption – consider adoption of a Vexatious Complaints Policy:
A sample policy was reviewed. RESOLVED to adopt this policy. Action: Clerk.
Proposed: Cllr S Taylor, seconded: Cllr A Hyatt. All in favour.
At 8.31pm, C/Cllr I Fleetwood left the meeting.
12. Date of the next meetings:
Tuesday 7th May, 2024 – Annual Parish Meeting – 7.00pm
Tuesday 7th May, 2024 – Annual Meeting of the Parish Council – 7.30pm.
13. Resolve to move into Closed Session as the following contains information of a confidential nature.
RESOLVED to moved into Closed Session.
14. Consider any applications for the vacancy of Parish Councillor (Newball Parish)
Noted that, whilst one application had been received, the vacancy had only very recently been advertised. To allow residents ample opportunity to see and reply to the advert, it was agreed to consider applications at the May 2024 meeting as per the advertised date.
Meeting ended at 8.43pm.
Michelle Vail – Clerk/RFO to the Council Dated: 8 April 2024
LANGWORTH GPC - BANK RECONCILIATION 1st March - 31st March 2024
CURRENT ACCOUNT
01/03/2024, OPENING BALANCE, £ 1616.38
14/03/2024, Transfer in from deposit account, £ 2000.00,
14/03/2024, H Stilgoe-McCombe Edit. Services, LL Production, £ 1075.00,
18/03/2024, EKM Ltd, Play Area Inspection, £60.00,
18/03/2024, Mrs M Vail, expenses, £39.40,
18/03/2024, Sage, £9.60,
19/03/2024, HMRC, PAYE, March, £90.74,
19/03/2024, LCC Pension, March, £262.34,
19/03/2024, Mrs M Vail, salary, March, £771.04,
CLOSING BALANCE, £1308.26
DEPOSIT ACCOUNT
01/03/2024, OPENING BALANCE, £46006.26
11/03/2024, Interest, £51.15,
14/03/2024, Transfer out to current account, £2000.00,
CLOSING BALANCE, £44057.41
Non-regular Accounts for Payment in April, NIL
Ear Marked Reserves
Elections reserve, £4,000.00
CIL monies, £2,655.40