Minutes of the meeting of 25th May 2021
Minutes of the Annual meeting of Minting and Gautby Parish Council held on Tuesday 25th May 2021 at 7.00pm in Minting Village Hall. Due to Covid 19 regulations, only the six standing Parish Councillors were present.
Present:- Cllr.E.B.Clark – Chairman / acting Clerk, Cllrs. J.Stuchfield [JS], H Padfield [HP], J,Padfield [JP], C.Bruntlett [CB] and W.Hughes[WH].
[1] Chairman’s welcome and election of officers for the year 2021-22.
The Chairman stood down, remaining in the chair in his capacity as acting Clerk.
[a] Election of Chairman for 2021-22.
Cllr. Clark was proposed by Cllr. Stuchfield and seconded by Cllr. H. Padfield. There were no further nominations. Cllr. Clark was elected Chairman by a unanimous vote
[b] Election of Vice-Chairman for 2021-22.
Cllr. H.Padfield was proposed by Cllr. Stuchfield, and seconded by Cllr. Hughes. There were no further nominations. Cllr.H.Padfield was elected by unanimous vote.
[c] Election of Responsible Financial Officer.
Clllr. J.Stuchfield was proposed by Cllr.Bruntlett, and seconded by Cllr. Hughes. There were no further proposals. Cllr. Stuchfield was elected by unanimous vote.
[2] Signing of officers Acceptance of Office forms.
Forms were signed and returned to the Clerk.
[3] Signing of Councillors Security Compliance Checklists.
All Councillors completed and signed their checklists.
[4] Declarations of Interests.
There were none.
[5] To confirm, or amend, and sign the draft minutes of the meeting of 24th March 2021
There being no amendments requested, CB proposed adoption, seconded by JP and unanimously resolved. The Chairman signed the minutes as a true and correct record of the previous meeting.
[6] Matters arising from the minutes, and activity since the last meeting.
The chairman reported on his meeting with Mr Sutton and Mr Merritt, regarding various maintenance matters in Gautby.
Other activity was related to agenda items.
[7] Correspondence.
The Chairman had received an anonymous package of documents containing various comments and complaints regarding a property in Baumber parish. He understood that Baumber PC had also received similar correspondence, and would be passing it to the ELDC Planning Dept.
Other correspondence of interest related to agenda items.
[8] Reports from District / County Councillors.
There were none.
[9] To approve adoption of the Auditor’s Report and recommendations.
The Chairman highlighted a comment by the Auditor that the Council’s general financial reserves were now at the high end of the recommended level, and that expenditure would have to be accurately matched to income to prevent unnecessary high reserves being accumulated.
WH proposed adoption of the report, seconded by HP, and resolved unanimously.
[10] Finance. To approve and adopt :-
[a] The audited accounts and
[b] The Bank reconciliation and the Explanation of Variances.
JS proposed adoption, JP seconded, and resolved unanimously.
[c] To approve and sign the Annual Governance and Accountability Report :-
1] The Certificate of Exemption
2] The Annual Internal Audit Report
3] The Annual Governance Statement
4] The Accounting statement
Adoption of the A.G.A.R. was proposed by CB, seconded by JP and resolved unanimously. The Chairman and RFO signed the documents.
[d] To sign the Notice of Public Rights.
The RFO duly signed the Notice.
[e] To approve the updated Register of Assets.
The Chairman commented that electronic equipment had been depreciated by 25%, and the Minting noticeboard reduced to £50. The new Gautby noticeboard had been added to the register at net cost. Approval was proposed by JS, seconded by HP and unanimously resolved.
[f] To approve payments :-
1] The Parish Noticeboard Company £442.00
2] Minting Village Hall Committee £24.00
3] B. Knight & Son £3024.00
4] L.A.L.C. £138.21
5] E-on £54.93
6] Came and Co. £370.11
Approval was proposed by WH, seconded by CB and resolved unanimously.
[g] To decide upon the utilisation of the residue of the ELDC grant for voluntary groups.
Chairman reported that £370.46 was still unspent, and it was now unlikely that it would be needed in future for voluntary groups. After discussion, it was decided that as the money was intended for social use locally, then to keep to that principle it would be best to donate it to Bardney Food Bank. WH proposed, JS seconded and it was unanimously resolved.
[11] To discuss arrangements for a 2021 Parish Meeting.
After a short discussion, it was agreed that arrangements could not be made until the relaxation of the current Covid 19 regulations had been officially announced in June.
[12] Parish maintenance matters.
[a] Memorial gates. The gates were now erected and paid for, and had attracted favourable comment in Minting. A memorial plaque to the late Gwenda Bell was required at a cost of approx. £50. JS proposed that the PC pay for the plaque, seconded by CB and unanimously resolved.
[b] Gautby noticeboard. The noticeboard was now erected, and Gautby residents had expressed their appreciation. The chairman thanked the Gautby Councillors for their work. WH proposed the purchase of 4 dozen skittle magnets for mounting documents, seconded by JP and unanimously resolved.
[c] Signposts. Chairman thanked CB for mounting the new signpost arms on the Hungram Lane junction. Concern was expressed that the sign at the Waddingworth turn to Minting and Gautby only mentioned Gautby. WH proposed replacing it with one with both villages on it. Seconded by JP and unanimously resolved.
[d] Playing field ditch. The ditch had been dredged, and it was hoped that the problem of sewage smells had been solved, now that the properties that drained into it all had sewage treatment systems in place.
[e] Playing field play equipment safety inspection. CB reported that he had carried out an inspection and had not found any faults.
[f] The Chairman mentioned that he had had a request to inspect one of the beck fences on the green in Minting. A detailed inspection was needed, and it was agreed to consider this matter at a later meeting.
[g] To discuss the addition of Gautby churchyard to the PC’s annual grass mowing schedule. With a small population in Gautby, it had fallen on one churchwarden to do all the work. JP proposed adding Gautby churchyard to the schedule, seconded by HP and unanimously resolved. WH hoped that similar assistance be offered to Minting churchyard if or when it was needed. Chairman agreed to advise Mr Allsop that any requests for assistance would be considered by the PC.
[h] Gautby kiosk painting. JP reported that Mr Jones had promised to complete the work during the coming summer.
[13] Agenda items for the next meeting.
Planning application S/057/01007/21 had been lodged too late to be an agenda item. The Chairman announced that he would call an extraordinary meeting on 8th June at Gautby Village Hall to allow Councillors to respond. WH mentioned the poor state of the road surface in Silver Street, Minting.
There being no further business, the meeting closed at 8.20pm.