July 2024 Minutes
Clerk: Carolyn Wilkinson.
Website: https://south-hykeham.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/
Minutes of the July meeting of South Hykeham Parish Council held on Wednesday 10th July 2024 at 7.00pm at South Hykeham Community Primary School, Wath Lane.
Present: Councillors Mrs P Whittaker (Chairman), D Rowson (Vice Chair), P Driffill, N Southam.
In attendance: Clerk: Carolyn Wilkinson.
The Chairman opened the full council meeting and welcomed those present.
1. To receive apologies for absence and to resolve to accept the reasons given. Cllrs Mrs Dillon- Jones, Cllr Roe and Cllr Mrs Graham had each sent her apologies. Cllr Driffill proposed, seconded by Cllr Southam and unanimously resolved on a show of hands that the reasons for absence in each case should be accepted.
The Police Beat Team, Councillor Lofts (NKDC) and Cllr A Briggs LCC had also given their apologies which were noted.
2. To resolve to receive any declarations of interest in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011 and to consider members’ written dispensation requests. There were no declarations of interest at this point.
3. To receive County and District Councillors’ reports – for information only. Items raised for any decisions will appear on the agenda for the next meeting. There were no reports for consideration.
4. To receive the Police report. In the absence of a representative from the Police Beat Team there was no report.
5. To resolve to adopt the Clerk’s notes of the meeting held on 21st May and 12th June 2024 as the minutes of those meetings. Proposed by Cllr Southam, seconded by Cllr Driffill and unanimously resolved on a show of hands that the Clerk’s notes were adopted as a true record of each of those meetings The Chairman signed the minutes.
6. Finance a) To resolve to approve the payment of accounts for July 2024.
Payee Expenditure Amount
Amazon Ink cartridges £23.95
Amazon Ink cartridges £19.95
C Wilkinson Salary £814.80
HMRC Tax & NICs £239.67
LCC Meetings 2024/25 £368.50
Three.co.uk Sim monthly plan £13.69
Giff Gaff Mobile phone £10.00
LALC Website annual fee £216.00
Total Expenditure £1,706.36
Total income £0
b) To resolve to approve the Parish Council’s unaudited accounts for 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024 Proposed Cllr Southam, seconded by Cllr Driffill and unanimously resolved on a show of hands that the unaudited accounts should be approved.
7. Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) 2023/24 PKF Littlejohn.
a) To resolve to approve the Annual Governance Statement (Section 1)2023/24. Proposed Cllr Southam, seconded by Cllr Driffill and unanimously resolved on a show of hands that the Annual Governance Statement (Section 1) should be approved. The Chairman and Clerk signed the Annual Governance Statement 2023/24.
b) To resolve to approve the Accounting Statements (section 2)2023/24.
Cllr Southam proposed that the Council should resolve to approve the Accounting Statements 2023/24. Cllr Driffill seconded the motion that was unanimously approved on a show of hands. The Clerk/RFO had signed section 2 before the document was presented to the Council. The Chairman signed the relevant section 2 of the Annual Return 2023/24 as prescribed in front of members of the Parish Council prior to submission to PKF Littlejohn and the publishing of the documents on the website and village noticeboards. Clerk to submit the documentation and completed AGAR and to ensure publication of the documents
c) To receive the internal auditors report. It had not been possible for the Clerk/RFO to meet with the internal auditor to submit the accounts for inspection due to hospital appointments and her associated incapacity. Deferred to the earliest possible opportunity
8. Litterpicking report and confirmed date of the next litterpick on Saturday 10th August 2024 10.30am. There is less litter accumulating at the moment as a result of the regular litterpicks and the publicity and posters being displayed. Council agreed that the initiative is a worthwhile exercise. McDonalds joined the last litterpick and will be invited to attend the next. Clerk to advertise on website, Witham Herald and email McDonalds and other County/District Councillors & volunteers inviting them to attend the next event.
9. Highways matters :-
a) Speed Indicator Device report from Cllr Roe. No report for this evening.
b) Outstanding/new highways faults requiring urgent attention. No matters to report.
10. Planning matters
a)To consider NKDC planning applications received and respond by deadline.
24/0688/HOUS 8 Beechcroft Close S Hykeham Demolition of existing conservatory and erection of single storey extension to rear Proposed Cllr Southam, seconded by Cllr Rowson and unanimously resolved on a show of hands that there was no objection and no comments.
24/0796/TPO 4 Blackthorn Court S Hykeham Proposed Cllr Southam, seconded by Cllr Rowson and unanimously resolved on a show of hands that there was no objection and no comments.
b) To consider LCC planning applications received and respond by deadline.
None received.
c) To receive LCC/NKDC Planning Decisions
23/1444/OUT Fern Bank 12 Thorpe Lane S Hykeham Outline application for residential development of 2 no. dwellings with some matters reserved (layout to be considered)
Approved
Notification of Planning Committee meeting at NK Council Offices 9th July 2024 & to note decision
23/0628/OUT Land off Heron Walk at Apex Lake N Hykeham. Residential development of up to 120 no. dwellings (outline with all matters reserved)
Approved
11. Hykeham Joint Neighbourhood Plan update - Update from HNP review Steering Group meeting. Next meeting Monday 15th July at 6.30pm Fen Lane. Will be concentrating on the protection of Local Green Spaces in North & South Hykeham & on community facilities in both North & South Hykeham. A new funding application is being drafted. Agenda item for the next meeting
12. 10 Year Strategy Working Party events update. Further discussions have taken place regarding the Armistice Day service which is due to take place on Monday 11th November 11am. The Headteacher has confirmed that his pupils will be present.
Agenda item for September
a) Suggestions for activities in 2025 from the working party meeting held earlier this evening
Suggestions were VE Day 80 2025, Operation Manna 2025. Agenda item for September
b) Arrangements for Parish Council stall at Dog Show on Sunday 11th August 2024 midday. Cllrs Rowson, Driffill, Mrs Whittaker, Southam and the Clerk will host the stall which will have craft activities and a tombola. Members of Council will be available to talk to their parishioners. Rev Collins will loan the Parish Council a gazebo and tables and chairs have been borrowed from the Village Hall.
c) Consultation/engagement opportunities for consideration. Agenda item for next month
13. To approve Councillor/Clerk’s training nominations. No Nominations
a) To confirm the attendance of Clerk and Chairman at LALC AGM on 24th July 2024. Proposed Cllr Southam, seconded by Cllr Driffill and unanimously approved on a show of hands that the places for each should be booked.
Clerk to book places
b) To consider nominations for Remembrance and Constitutional Parades & Traffic Management training. Members of council agreed that this training wasn’t of relevance to the Parish Council.
14. Correspondence. None
15. Chairman’s report. None
16. Clerk’s report. None
17. Parish Councillors’ reports –information only/items requiring a decision will appear on a future agenda.
No reports
18. To consider moving into closed session in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to meetings) Act 1960 as amended by section 100 of the Local Government Act 1972 for confidential items. Proposed Cllr Rowson, seconded by Cllr Southam that Council should move into closed session in order to discuss matters relating to the staffing.
19. To set a date for a meeting of the Human Resources Management Committee in order to conduct the Clerk’s Annual Appraisal. Cllrs Rowson and Southam to conduct the appraisal with a report to be brought back to the September meeting. Some discussion took place on the need for suitable office accommodation and storage space needing to be sourced as the Clerk no longer has the space to work effectively from home without it encroaching on the family space. Council also discussed the need to make provision in the budget for an assistant in order to share the workload and to ensure that there is business continuity should the Clerk be incapacitated for any period of time. Cllr Mrs Whittaker and Cllr Southam will make enquiries into possible solutions to alleviate the difficulties encountered in working from home and giving over personal space for business storage.
Cllr Southam also expressed concern that the Clerk’s home address is used on business correspondence and suggested a PO Box would be a possible solution. He also repeated that in order to improve council business security the Council needed to make budget provision for migration to a .gov.uk domain to better improve IT security for all member and the Clerk.
Date and Time of Next meetings: –
10 Year Strategy Working Party meeting Weds 11th September 2024 6.30pm
There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.05pm.