23 February 2021
Minutes of an ordinary meeting of Ruskington Parish Council held remotely on Tuesday 23 February 2021 at 7.00pm via Microsoft 365 Teams
No members of the public were in attendance.
The Chairman opened the meeting by welcoming the delegates. D/Cllr Wright asked if the D/Councillors’ report (agenda item 13) could be moved up the agenda as he had to attend another meeting. This was agreed by the Chairman.
As there were no other comments or questions Chairman opened the meeting at 7.03pm.
1. Apologies for absence.
All Delegates were present at the meeting.
2. Declarations of interest and to consider applications for dispensations in relation to DPIs.
None were made at this time.
3. To approve as a correct record the notes of the ordinary meeting held remotely on Tuesday 26 January 2021.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve the notes of the meeting held as accurate minutes. Proposed by Cllr Trolley, seconded by Cllr Tonge and approved unanimously.
13. To receive District and County Councillors’ Reports:
D/Cllr Wright advised that discretionary grants were still being awarded to eligible businesses; budgets were being balanced; the council tax for year 2021/2022 would increase by £2.92% (£5.95 per annum for a Band D property) to prevent any degradation to services.
A meeting with D/Cllr Wright and members of Ruskington Parish Council to discuss the traffic issues in the village was to be arranged so a way forward could be agreed.
A question regarding a pedestrian crossing for Sleaford Road was raised. The County Council were involved with this, surveys had been sent out to residents, and yellow lines had been noted on the path outside the entrance to St George’s Academy and Winchelsea Primary School.
D/Cllr Boston advised of the difficulties in recruiting staff for school crossing patrols.
D/Cllrs Wright and Boston left the meeting at 7.23pm.
4. To receive a report from the Clerk.
This had been circulated prior to the meeting and the Clerk answered questions.
5. Financial Matters (Please see attached information).
5.1. To consider approval of payments made since the last ordinary meeting and in February 2021.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve all payments made in December 2020 and January 2021. Proposed by Cllr Tonge, seconded by Cllr Cunningham and approved unanimously.
5.2. To consider any requests for payment from the Hospital Voluntary Scheme.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to pay requests for payment from the HVCS. Proposed by Cllr Tonge, seconded by Cllr Cunningham and approved unanimously.
5.3. To consider approval of the bank reconciliations since the last meeting held on Tuesday 26 January 2021.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve the bank reconciliation. Proposed by Cllr White, seconded by Cllr Fryer and approved unanimously.
5.4. To consider the internal audit for financial year 2020/2021.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to request Mr Ian Sismey undertake the annual internal audit for year 2020/2021. Proposed by Cllr Tonge, seconded by Cllr White and approved unanimously.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to move capital from the HSBC interest account to the Dudley variable account, to top this up to £85,000, and for the surplus to be allocated to the Lloyd’s bank account. Proposed by Cllr White, seconded by Cllr Cunningham and approved unanimously.
5.5. To consider renewal of membership to the Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils (LALC) for year 2021/2022 at a cost of £911.59.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to renew membership to LALC for year 2021-2022. Proposed by Cllr White, seconded by Cllr Trolley and approved unanimously.
5.6. To consider renewal of membership to the LALC Annual Training Scheme for year 2021/2022 at a cost of £168.00 (including VAT).
Action: The Council RESOLVED to renew membership to the LALC Annual Training Scheme for year 2021-2022. Proposed by Cllr White, seconded by Cllr Trolley and approved unanimously.
6. To receive an update on the purchase of a property for use as a parish office by Cllr Conway, Chairman of the Office Relocation Committee following a committee meeting held on 15 February 2021.
Cllr Conway provided an overview of the last two committee meetings held on 3 February and 16 February 2021 held to discuss the borrowing approval application, to consider the estimates for the refurbishment to the rear part of the property before this could be let for residential use, and the upgrading and installation of heating for the flat, office and workshop.
6.1. To consider the business report and application for seeking borrowing approval from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to purchase a property for use as a parish office.
The report and information had been circulated prior to the meeting. Cllr White explained the borrowing approval process, presented the report, answered questions, and advised that a reduced purchase price of £235,000 had been agreed with the property owners.
Cllr White advised that the cost of the property with required refurbishment would be £270,000. The Committee recommended that £10,000 be transferred from the “new cemetery” reserve, and £260,000 be sought from funding with an application for borrowing approval to be completed.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to accept the Office Relocation Committee’s recommendation to apply for borrowing approval for £260,000 from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to purchase a property for use as a parish office, and accepted the presented report and process of application. Proposed by Cllr White, seconded by Cllr Conway and approved unanimously.
7. To receive an update on a community speed watch scheme (CSW) / traffic calming measures for Ruskington.
Cllr Cox was contacting interested volunteers following a recruitment drive and obtaining quotes for the equipment required (radar gun, two CSW in action notices, a clicker counter and 10 yellow high-viz jackets) as recommended by the PSCO who provides the CSW training.
Action: The expenditure for equipment to be considered at the next Council meeting on 30 March 2021.
8. To review the following policies:
8.1 Risk Assessment
8.2 Risk Management
8.3 Health & Safety
At this point, 7.53 pm, Cllr Fryer left the meeting due to IT issues.
Action: The polices were to be made available as shared documents for review and comments. It was agreed that Cllr Ditch and Cllr Cunningham would take the lead on the review.
9. To receive reports from the Committees.
The reports had been circulated to Councillors prior to the meeting.
9.1. Cllr Conway, Chairman of the Finance and Policy Committee.
a. To consider a recommendation that membership of the Finance & Policy Committee be made up of representatives from each committee to encourage inclusivity and democracy, and for the Terms of Reference to be reviewed and amended accordingly.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to amend the ToR:- Membership to include the Chairman and Vice-chairman of Council (as before), and change “Chairman of each committee” to “representatives from each committee” and to remove the list of committees. Proposed by Cllr Conway, seconded by Cllr Cotter and approved with 6 for and 2 against.
9.2. Cllr White, Chairman of the Recreation Committee.
There was no update on recreation matters.
9.3. Cllr Conway, Chairman of the Environment Committee.
a. To receive an update on the Environment Committee meeting held on 11 February 2021.
Cllr Conway provided an overview of the meeting, the notes of which had previously been circulated. Fly-tipped asbestos, washed downstream, and found on the bank of the Beck and in the Beck in Horseshoe Hollow had been reported to NKDC and the Environment Agency for safe removal and investigation.
b. To receive an update from the Environment Agency on the flooding to a property on Manor Street.
The Environment Agency had responded to say the dipping pond would not cause flooding to gardens on Manor Street. However, to ascertain the cause they would meet with representatives of the council at the Hollow when pandemic restrictions allowed.
Cllr Tonge left the meeting due to loss of connectivity.
c. To consider recommendations by the Environment Committee to investigate and reduce flooding to a property on Manor Street and agree any expenditure.
A pipe feeding the ponds at Horseshoe Hollow had been blocked as a temporary, investigatory measure. Quotes for the planting of three weeping willow trees were being obtained.
d. To consider the recommendations by the Environment Committee for grass cutting.
Cllr Tonge had completed the mapping of the grass cutting areas and changes could be made to the cutting schedule, frequency of grass cutting, and who by. Cllrs Cotter and Fryer were to meet with a contractor at the Hollow to discuss the grass cutting and three further quotes were being obtained.
e. To consider the recommendation to purchase a street cleaning barrow for use by council operatives/ Environment Warden when litter picking / collecting dog waste.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to purchase a waste barrow with brake, separate compartments to aid recycling, and hooks for at a cost of no more than £925.00. Proposed by Cllr White, seconded by Cllr Trolley and approved unanimously.
f. To consider an application for a waste carrier’s licence for the Council’s management of waste.
Depending on the type of waste to be removed, the licence would either be at no cost or £154.00 for three years.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to obtain a waste carrier’s licence at a cost of £154.00 Proposed by Cllr Conway, seconded by Cllr Cunningham and approved unanimously.
9.4. Cllr Fryer, Friends of Horseshoe Hollow.
As Cllr Fryer had left the meeting, Cllr Cotter advised that the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust had provided details of environmentally friendly grounds maintenance contractors, and recommended that as chalkland, it was advisable to keep the Hollow as a meadow. Following a site visit, Cllr Cotter recommended that the saplings be moved to around the edges of the Hollow.
Cllr Tonge re-joined the meeting at this point.
9.5. Cllr Cunningham, Chairman of the Planning Committee. (Information previously circulated.)
Cllr Cunningham advised that the application for 200 dwellings for a site off Lincoln Road, and an application for Orchard Park were still being considered by NKDC. The Planning Committee had no objections to the application for signage for the new Thai restaurant.
10. To review the closing date for the Ruskington and Dorrington Hospital Voluntary Car Service in response to the Covid-19 vaccination programme.
Cllr Conway advised that the scheme had undertaken 12 journeys as part of the Covid-19 vaccination programme since it resumed service, and that passengers had been paying the drivers the full 45p per mile in expenses. A new HVCS was in the process of being set up, external to the Council.
Action: The Council unanimously RESOLVED to cease operating the Ruskington and Dorrington Voluntary Hospital Car Scheme on Sunday 28 February 2021.
10.1. To consider the request by the newly forming hospital voluntary car service to use the title: Ruskington and Dorrington Hospital Voluntary Car Service.
Action: The Council had no objection to the scheme being called the “Ruskington Voluntary Hospital Car Scheme” but advised that the developing scheme must contact Dorrington Parish Council to ask permission to use “Dorrington” in the title.
11. Correspondence (Circulated to Councillors prior to the meeting).
a. Resident – flooding on Station Road (copy of a letter sent to the Environment Agency and NKDC)
b. Lives - request for support. The Clerk to ascertain what type of support was required.
c. Resident- HGVs and parking on the High Street
12. To receive Councillors’ reports for information only and items for inclusion on the next agenda.
Cllr Cunningham advised that elections were due in May 2021 and requested that the Council register its discontent with the current county councillor.
13. To receive District and County Councillors’ Reports.
Reports from D/Cllrs Wright and Boston had been made known above. Cty Councillor Storer was again not present, and no report had been received.
14. To resolve whether to exclude the public and press, in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, to discuss the following staffing matters.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to exclude the public and press. Proposed by Cllr Cox, seconded by Cllr Tonge and approved unanimously.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 8.47 pm. As no members of the public were present and the District Councillors had previously left the meeting, the Chairman re-opened the meeting at 8.47pm.
Following a request from Cllr White, the Council agreed to consider the matters below in a different order to the agenda, as shown below.
17. To receive an update by Cllr White, Chairman of the HR Committee following an HR Committee meeting held on 15 February 2021.
The payment and severance had been completed. A revised draft handbook for councillors had been circulated to Council.
17.1. To consider a rationalisation of the workforce following a recommendation by the Environment Committee at a meeting held on 11 February 2021.
Action: This would be considered at an HR Committee meeting on 2 March 2021 at 10am. (This was a new date to allow Members to attend the funeral of a former councillor.)
18. To consider the recommendation for the lease of the public toilets on Church Street following a review by the Environment Committee at a meeting held on 11 February 2021.
The lease could end in 2021 and the toilets be returned to NKDC. However, reports of human excrement being found in locations around the village were noted.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to open the public toilets immediate effect, after deep cleaning. The lease to be reconsidered in March 2021. Proposed by Cllr Conway, seconded by Cllr Cunningham and approved unanimously.
19. To review the lease for the Village Hall and consider the inclusion of the area adjacent to the Village Hall within the lease agreement for village hall hirers to use and the Village Hall Committee to maintain, to comply with financial regulations for parish councils.
Action: The Council unanimously RESOLVED to remove the padlock to the grass area adjacent to the village hall with the grass only being cut in accordance with the Council’s grass cutting schedule and not on request by village hall hirers. If the grass required cutting more frequently, the hirer would have to arrange for this.
16. To review the pay profile in relation to the pay scales for the RFO in line with the National Agreement on Salaries and Conditions of Service for Local Clerks in England and Wales, as deferred from the ordinary meeting held on 26 January 2021.
At 9.20pm Cllr Conway left the meeting due to IT connectivity issues and Cllr Tonge as Vice-Chairman of Committee led the meeting. At 9.42pm Cllr Conway re-joined the meeting.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve the RFO’s salary be re-graded to within the LC2 below substantive range in salary scale SCP 18-23. Scale point 21 to be implemented with immediate effect, backdated to January 2021 in accordance with the minutes of the meeting held on 26 January 2021, rising to 22 w.e.f. April 2021. To be reviewed on the RFO’s successful completion of the CiLCA qualification. Proposed by Cllr Trolley, seconded by Cllr Cotter and approved unanimously.
15. To review the role of the RFO and consider changing the role to Deputy Clerk and RFO to assist with the smooth running of the Council’s business and functions.
Action: The Council RESOLVED for the RFO’s role to be RFO and Deputy Clerk. Proposed by Cllr Tonge, seconded by Cllr Ditch and approved unanimously.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 10.20pm.