10 December 2024
NOTICE OF A MEETING OF RUSKINGTON PARISH COUNCIL
Dear Councillor,
You are hereby summoned to a meeting of Ruskington Parish Council which will be held on Tuesday 10 December 2024 at The Winchelsea Centre at 7.00pm. Members of the public and press are welcome to attend.
All members of the Parish Council are summoned to attend for the purpose of considering and resolving upon the business to be transacted at the meeting, as set out hereunder.
Prior to the start of the meeting, members of the public and press may ask questions or make short statements to the Parish Council. These can be submitted beforehand by emailing the Clerk: clerk@ruskington-pc.gov.uk
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Signed: K H Locke Clerk to Ruskington Parish Council |
K H Locke
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Dated: 5 December 2024 |
Agenda
1. To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Parish Clerk prior to the meeting.
2. To receive declarations of interest and to consider applications for dispensations in relation to DPIs. Disclosure of Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Interests is to be in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 and to consider any applications for dispensations in relation to DPIs. The need for Disclosure is to be based upon agenda items or at any suitable time during the Meeting when it becomes apparent to a Member.
3. To approve the notes of the meeting of the Parish Council held on 12 November 2024 as accurate Minutes.
4. To receive reports from the District and County Councillors.
5. Financial Matters. (Information circulated prior to the meeting.)
5.1. To approve the payments made and consider the invoices for payment received since the meeting held on 12 November 2024.
5.2. To consider /approve the bank reconciliations for November 2024.
5.3. To receive a financial report from the RFO.
5.4. To consider instructing LALC to allocate an auditor for undertaking the internal audits for 2024-2025 as recommended by the Finance Committee.
5.5. To consider/approve the draft budget for fiscal year 2025-2026 as recommended by the Finance Committee. (The precept calculator has not yet been received from NKDC).
6. To receive the Clerk’s report (for information only).
7. To receive an update on co-option to Ruskington Parish Council.
8. To consider /approve the following Terms of Reference and policies following review: -
8.1. Communication Policy as recommended by the HR Committee
8.2. Salting and Gritting Policy
9. To receive an update on the funding application for the renovation of the lychgate.
10. To consider the recommendations below following a budget setting meeting of the Finance Committee held on 2 December 2024:
10.1. Not to renew the subscription to the LALC training scheme for 2025-2026 as all training attended in 2024 had been external to the scheme.
10.2. To discontinue the Signpost magazine after the Spring 2025 issue. (Hard copies of the monthly e-news to be printed on request / made available).
10.3. Not to renew the licence for playing a radio in a public place.
11. To consider the expenditure of £890.00 for a new self-closing gate at Parkfield playing field as recommended by the Finance Committee. (The current gate does not close properly and was recorded as being an amber risk on the 2024 ROSPA inspection report).
12. To consider the quote from the Environment Caretaker to replace the conifer hedge in the Garden of Remembrance which has succumbed to die back and has reached the end of its natural life. This will inform budget setting. (Information previously circulated.)
13. To consider the expenditure of £668.50 excl VAT (£3.50 per tree) for the three yearly inspections of trees owned and managed by the Council. (Inspection due in July 2025).
14. To consider the expenditure of £442.72 (incl VAT) to inform the budget for 2025-2026 for a new noticeboard for the exterior wall of the parish office. (Information previously circulated.)
15. To consider a quote for upgrading the mini goal at Elmtree play area with a cricket wicket and target panels for informing the budget setting. (Information previously circulated.)
16. To receive an update on the planning application for the pavilion café.
16.1. To consider the recommendation of the Estate Management and Planning Committee to lease the pavilion café to an individual, organisation or business.
17. To consider funding opportunities for the refurbishment of the public toilets once the lease is renewed.
18. To consider/approve the quote for £199.00 for a contractor to undertake a post-renovation clean of the rear of the building, including the kitchen and toilet, as recommended by the Estate Management and Planning Committee. (10 hours at £19.90 per hour.)
18.1. To consider/approve the quote for the weekly contract cleaning of the rear office units and communal areas at a cost of 2.5hrs x £19.99 = £49.75 per week or 2hrs x £19.99 = £39.80 per week. The cost will be divided between the tenants at £10.00 per month.
19. To receive and comment on a draft Active Travel Strategy 2025-2023 from NKDC aiming to increase participation in walking, wheeling and cycling in North Kesteven. (Information previously circulated.)
20. To receive new planning applications, or ratify the comments of the Estate Management and Planning Committee, regarding planning applications, received from NKDC since the last meeting.
a. Planning Application Reference: 24/1158/HOUS
Proposal: Erection of single storey front extension, two storey side extension including
a new porch, conversion and extension of existing stable block to form Annex ancillary
to the existing house.
Location: 1 Manor Street Ruskington Sleaford Lincolnshire NG34 9EL
b. Planning Application Reference: 24/1128/FUL
Proposal: Proposed single storey extension to existing medical practice
Location: Ruskington Medical Practice Brookside Close Ruskington Sleaford Lincolnshire
c. Town and Country Planning General Permitted Development Order 1995, Schedule 2, parts 6 and 7 - Application for prior notification of agricultural or forestry development
Proposal: Erection of a cattle field shelter
Location: Bank House Farm Ruskington Fen Billinghay
20.1. To receive notification of planning applications approved by NKDC since the last meeting.
a. Application Reference: 24/1152/HOUS
Proposal: Erection of 1.8m high fence
Location: 1 Nene Close Ruskington.
b. Application Reference: 24/0957/FUL
Proposal: Erection of dwelling, garage and associated landscaping on proposed new plot (custom self-build)
Location: Woodlands 6 Fen Road Ruskington.
20.2 To receive a notice of decision from NKDC planning
a. Application Reference: 24/1266/PNAGR
Proposal: Erection of a cattle field shelter
Location: Bank House Farm Ruskington Fen Billinghay
Prior approval is not required the for the application
20.3. To receive notice of a planning appeal from NKDC Planning.
Planning Appeal by Mr Hugo De Savary
Proposed Site at Land To The Rear Of 48 Rectory Road Ruskington Sleaford
Lincolnshire
Planning Reference 24/0322/FUL
Appeal Reference APP/R2520/W/24/3355040
21. To consider the correspondence and suggestion regarding the Christmas tree on Sleaford Road.
21.1. To consider erecting a memorial Christmas tree from December 2025 and agree its location.
22. Correspondence - for information only. (Circulated to Councillors prior to the meeting).
a. LALC (via email) - Fortnightly e-newsletter
b. One Life (via email on 11/12/24) – Arranging a date to drop health information leaflets into the parish office and met with the Clerk.
c. Resident (via email on 14/11/2024) – Thank you to the Council for agreeing to remove the trees in Elmtree play park casting shade on their property.
d. Residents (by hand on 17/11/2024) – Individual letters to all councillors and D/Cllr Wright – re railway (Clerk responded by letter on 20/11/2024 and signposted to Network Rail)
e. Gallagher Insurance (by email on 20/11/2024) – Winter newsletter
f. Resident 9 By email on 21/11/2024) – Christmas tree on Sleaford Road (agenda item above).
g. Royal Mail (by post on 25/11/2024) – Confirmation of Parish Council address (No requirement to respond as no change to the parish office address).
h. The Pensions Regulator (by post on 25/11/2024) – Re-enrolment and re-declaration of staff pensions – legal duties as an employer (Declaration deadline 31/7/2025). Information shared with the RFO for response.
i. Resident (via email on 25/11/2024) – Parking permit for Walnut Close (forwarded to County Councillor).
j. LALC (by email on 28/11/2024) – How to respond to a Freedom of Information request regarding RM6281 Workforce Alliance Framework for Social Services (Lot 4), if received. (The Council has not received this email.)
k. Ruskington Methodist Church (by email on 29/11/2024) – Thank you for the Christmas tree.
l. Resident (via email on 2/12/2024) – Condition of the alleyways off Winchelsea Road. (Signposted to Fix My Street to report concerns).
m. NKDC (via post on 2/12/2024) – Council, specifically Andrew Doughty, nominated for the NK Community Champions Award 2024 – Contribution to a Better Environment.
n. (Resident via email on 2/12/2024) – Suggestion for a pedestrian crossing near the junction of Manor Street and Lincoln Road (signposted to Highways and Cllr Wright).
o. NKDC (via email on 3/12/2024) – Notification of changes to street numbering: The Woodlands, 4 Fen Road, Ruskington, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, NG34 9EA
p. Resident (via email on 3/12/2024) – Expression of interest in the emergency plan, attendance at the emergency planning event in January 2025, and finding out and how the parish council works (Invited to observe a council meeting and to meet with Cllr Ditch)
q. NKDC (by email on 5/12/2024) – Electoral Roll (This is password protected and kept by the Clerk/Deputy Clerk &RFO).
23. To receive Members’ Reports – for information only. (Any items raised for decision will appear on the agenda for the next meeting.)
24. To resolve whether to exclude the public and press, in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, to discuss the following contractual and staffing matters below. Should this resolution be passed, members of the public and press will be required to leave the meeting. The meeting will end, and a further meeting of the Council will be convened immediately.
25. To consider recommendations from the HR Cttee regarding staff pay for FY 2025-2026 - Cllr Bain
25.1. To receive/ approve the recommendation of the Finance Committee to advance the RFO’s pay to NJC pay scale points into LC3 (below substantive range).
26. To consider recommendations from the HR Cttee regarding staff pensions for FY 2025-2026 – Cllr Bain.
27. To receive an update on the renovation of the Parish Office – Cllr Trolley and agree any next steps if required.
28. To consider the amenity grass cutting arrangements from 1 April 2025.
28.1. To review / approve the grass cutting tender documents (grass verges, cemetery, play areas, and playing fields).
28.2. To consider requesting tender applications from recommended local contractors, and agree who these should be, if required.
28.3. To agree the dates for the return of the tender applications.