May APCM Minutes
Minutes of the Annual Parish Council Meeting of Carlton Scroop and Normanton on Cliffe Parish Council held at Carlton Scroop Village Hall on Tuesday 21 May 2024.
In Attendance: Councillors Thomas, J Baines, H Baines, England, Hands, Hankinson, Worrell and Mrs Gascoigne (Clerk), District Councillor P Stephens (part).
1. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN & DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE (24/01)
Councillor England proposed that Councillor Thomas be re-elected as Chair, which was seconded by Councillor Hands. Councillor Thomas indicated that he was happy to stand and there were no other candidates. The Chairman duly signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.
Resolved: To re-elect Councillor Thomas as Chairman.
2. ELECTION OF VICE-CHAIR & DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE (24/02)
Councillor J Baines proposed that Councillor H Baines be elected as Vice-Chair, which proposal was seconded by Councillor Hankinson. Councillor H Baines indicated that he was happy to stand and there were no other candidates. The Vice-Chair duly signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.
Resolved: To elect Councillor H Baines as Vice-Chair.
3. WELCOME REMARKS BY THE CHAIRMAN (24/03)
The Chair welcomed Councillors and thanked them for their attendance.
4. APOLOGIES: TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND TO RESOLVE TO ACCEPT REASONS GIVEN (24/04)
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Balfe and County Councillor Maughan.
5. DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTEREST AND REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATION (24/05)
No declarations of pecuniary interest or requests for dispensation were made.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (24/06)
4.1 Councillor England proposed that the Clerk’s notes of the Parish Council meeting held on 18 March 2024 be approved as a true record, which was seconded by Councillor Hands.
Resolved: The minutes of the meeting held on 18 March 2024 were approved and duly signed by the Chair.
The Chair moved the meeting to agenda item 8.
8. REPORTS FROM DISTRICT AND COUNTY COUNCILLORS (24/07)
8.1 District Councillor Stephens gave an update on the implementation of purple lidded paper recycling bins. Councillors reported that a number of grey recycling bins in the parish had been rejected and tagged following the introduction of separate paper recycling and that there was no longer the option to leave additional side recycling waste.
8.2 Councillor Thomas reported that he had raised the issue of the travellers’ site in Carlton Scroop with the Chief Executive of SKDC. He had asked about the Council’s strategic plan and the allocation of sufficient suitable spaces for travellers. Councillors noted that the current planning permission was due to expire in March 2025 and asked Councillor Stephens for his support when the renewal came up for consideration.
8.3 A written update had been received from County Councillor Maughan.
Action: The Clerk to post the update on the website and Facebook.
Councillor Stephens left the meeting at 7.53pm. The Chair returned the meeting to agenda item 7.
7. ANNUAL PROCEDURES (24/08)
7.1 Members considered the Internal Audit Report for 2023/24, which had been circulated by the Clerk and noted that all questions were answered in the affirmative with the exception of Petty Cash which was not applicable. Councillor Thomas proposed that the Internal Audit Report be approved, which was seconded by Councillor Baines. Councillors approved the payment of the Internal Auditor’s invoice in the amount of £75.
Resolved: To approve the Internal Audit Report for 2023/24 and to approve payment of the Internal Audit invoice in the amount of £75.
7.2 Section 1 of the Annual Governance Statement had been circulated to Members in advance of the meeting, and they confirmed their agreement to each question. Councillor Hands proposed that Section 1 of the Annual Governance Statement was approved, which was seconded by Councillor Hankinson.
Resolved: To approve Section 1 of the Annual Governance Return.
7.3 Members considered the Annual Accounting Statements contained in Section 2 of the Annual Return, which had previously been circulated along with supporting documents. Councillor England proposed that Section 2 be approved, which was seconded by Councillor Worrell.
Resolved: To approve Section 2 of the Annual Governance Return.
7.4 Councillor H Baines proposed that the Council declare exemption from External Audit as its income and expenditure were below £25k in 2023/24 and all other conditions were met, which was seconded by Councillor J Baines. The Chair thanked the Clerk and the Internal Auditor, Tracey Davis, for their work on ensuring the accounts were completed and audited in a timely manner.
Resolved: To declare exemption from external audit.
Action: The Annual Governance Return and Certificate of Exemption to be signed by the Chairman and Clerk, the Certificate of Exemption to be returned to the External Auditor and the Annual Governance Return and supporting papers to be posted on the website.
9. PARISH PLAN (24/09)
9.1 Councillors agreed to consider the Parish Plan objectives for 2024/25 at the next meeting. Councillor Thomas mentioned a suggestion from a resident that children’s play equipment be provided on the Jubilee Field, and councillors discussed the maintenance, inspection and insurance implications of this. Councillor Worrell asked whether an update on achievements against the parish plan to date could be circulated to residents, which councillors agreed to discuss at the next meeting.
Action: The Clerk to add consideration of Parish Plan objectives to the next agenda.
10. CLERK’S REPORT (24/10)
10.1 Members noted the Clerk’s report regarding actions from the last meeting and approved the reimbursement of £51.80 to the Clerk for the purchase of a replacement battery for the Speed Indicator Device (SID).
Resolved: To approve reimbursement to the Clerk of £51.80.
11. FINANCE (24/11)
11.1 Members noted the following income received.
Received From Purpose Amount £
2024/25
SKDC Precept 2024/25 9,000.00
NatWest Interest Apr 24 26.76
11.2 Councillor Thomas proposed that the following items of expenditure be approved, which was seconded by Councillor Worrell.
Resolved: To approve the following items of expenditure.
Payee Purpose Amount £
2023/24
Palmer Hedgelaying Hedgelaying Jubilee Field 3,398.40
Employment Costs March 2024 310.04
Chandler’s Farm Equipment Jubilee Field Gate 167.96
2024/25
Who Lets Your Dog Out March 2024 92.40
ICCM Annual subscription 2024/25 100.00
LALC Annual subscription 2024/25 99.38
LALC Training Scheme 120.00
Crimson Kings Jubilee Field tree works 1,020.00
Employment Costs April 2024 263.64
Autela Payroll Services Jan to Mar 24 73.73
Who Lets Your Dog Out April 2024 138.60
CloudNext Web hosting 59.98
Employment Costs May 2024 263.64
11.3 Councillor England proposed that the April bank reconciliation be approved, which was seconded by Councillor Hands and would be signed at the next meeting.
Resolved: To approve the April bank reconciliation.
11.4 Members noted the budget monitoring statement showing expenditure and income against the 2024/25 budget.
11.5 Councillor H Baines proposed that a request for funding of £500 for mowing Normanton Churchyard be approved, which was seconded by Councillor J Baines.
Resolved: To approve a payment of £500 to Normanton Churchyard Fund.
11.6 Members noted the VAT reclaim for 2023/4 in the amount of £848.87.
12. PLANNING (24/12)
12.1 Councillors noted the following planning applications on which no comments were made:
12.1.1 S24/0603 Section 73 application to removal of condition 2 (Agricultural Occupancy) of Stone Horse Farm, Hough Lane, Carlton Scroop, Lincolnshire, NG32 3BB
12.1.2 S24/0182 Various tree works, Carlton Manor, Heath Lane, Carlton Scroop NG32 3AS
12.2 Councillors noted the following planning decisions:
12.2.1 S24/0182 Various tree works, Carlton Manor, Heath Lane, Carlton Scroop NG32 3AS, Work allowed 25 April 2024.
12.2.2 S24/0356 Traditional general purpose agricultural building for farming activity, Pine Hill Farm, Main Street, Carlton Scroop, Lincolnshire, NG32 3AU Details refused 21 March 2024
12.2.3 S23/1772 Change of use of agricultural building to single dwelling, Carlton Ashes Farm, Carlton Ashes, Hough on The Hill, NG32 2BJ Granted 20 March 2024
13. HIGHWAYS (24/13)
13.1 There were no Highways updates to report.
14. CEMETERY (24/14)
14.1 Councillor Hankinson reported that she and Councillors H and J Baines planned to trim brambles on the right-hand side of the Church yard close to the Church.
15. JUBILEE FIELD (24/15)
15.1 Hedgelaying, hedge and grass cutting and gate
Councillors discussed arranging for the hedging around the field to be cut twice per year. Councillor J Baines mentioned that there were also a couple of wobbly concrete posts along the fence.
15.2 Councillors discussed the cutting of the Jubilee Field by SKDC. Councillor H Baines reported that he and Councillor J Baines had returned the field to good order, and that it was now ready to be maintained by SKDC. They would need the code to access the field once the gate was installed.
15.3 Councillor H Baines mentioned that SKDC had not cut the verges at the bottom of the village, and would provide photos.
15.4 Councillor Thomas informed Councillors that he had received a report from residents that public footpath FP5 was overgrown and impassable. He had also received a report that the hedge on the public footpath adjoining the A607 had not been cut. Councillors confirmed that one area was the responsibility of the Parish Charities and the other, approaching the Sudbrook Road was the responsibility of Baines Estates.
Action: The Clerk to obtain quotes for hedge cutting.
Action: Councillor J Baines to provide photographs of the wobbly fence posts and Councillor H Baines to provide photographs of overgrown areas not mown by SKDC at the bottom of the village.
Action: Councillor Thomas to speak to the Chair of the Carlton Scroop Charities regarding the overgrown hedge adjacent to their land, and Councillor H Baines to attend to the hedge adjoining Baines Estates land.
The Chair moved the meeting to agenda item 17.
17. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES (24/16)
17.1 Councillor England proposed that the Standing Orders be approved, which was seconded by Councillor Hankinson. Councillor Hands proposed that the revised Financial Regulations, which had been updated in line with the new model document provided by the National Association of Local Councils, be approved, which was seconded by Councillor England.
Resolved: To approve the Standing Orders and Financial Regulations.
Councillor England left the meeting at 8.45pm. The Chair returned the meeting to agenda item 16.
16. COMMUNITY UPDATES (24/17)
16.1 Bus Shelter
There was no update on the repair of the bus shelter opposite Newark Lane, Carlton Scroop in the absence of Councillor Balfe.
16.2 Bench, Heath Lane
Mr Rainthorpe had provided an update to the Annual Parish Meeting regarding the installation of the new bench at Heath Lane, Normanton. He had affixed steels to the bottom of the seat and would arrange installation at the agreed location on Heath Lane.
16.3 Community Updates
Councillors discussed the placing of items on the verge adjacent to the highway which could prevent vehicles leaving the road to allow others to pass. They agreed that residents should be advised to report any such issues via FixMyStreet.
18. CORRESPONDENCE (24/18)
18.1 Members noted all general correspondence circulated for information since the March meeting.
19. DATE OF NEXT MEETING (24/19)
19.1 Tuesday 30 July 2024
The Chair closed the meeting at 8.53pm.