May 2025 Minutes (Annual Meeting)
Present:
Parish Councillors: D Semley, J Tipping, M Parr, S Bibb (part), M Johnson, S Blades
7.15pm – Public Forum: Representatives from Corringham and Aisby Community Group (CACG) were in attendance
Item:
31. ELECTION OF CHAIR - Cllr. Semley left the room in order for the Council to be able to speak freely. The Council RESOLVED to invited Cllr. Semley to become Chairman for the coming year. Cllr. Semley accepted the position.
32. ELECTION OF VICE-CHAIR – Cllr. Blades was offered the position of Vice-chairman and duly accepted
33. CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME - Cllr. Semley welcomed all to the meeting and thanked Councillors for electing her to the position of Chairman for a further year.
34. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE - Cllr Craven – Personal issues
35. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST AND DISPENSATION REQUESTS – Cllr. Parr - Allotments
36. MINUTES & MATTERS ARISING
i. It was RESOLVED to accept the minutes from the meeting on April 8th, 2025 as a true and accurate record.
ii. Pond works, next steps – Cllr. Semley reported that we have received a Community Wildlife Grant of £500 from LLC for the purchase of plants for the pond area.
It was RESOLVED to purchase some red cloved seeds as a start to the replanting of the banks.
Further discussion re the pond appended to next meeting
37. BUSINESS MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION – To consider and review:
i. Clerk Updates -
County Councillor - Cllr. Semley informed the meeting she had contacted the new County Councillor to make introductions. It was RESOLVED to send a message of congratulations together with an invitation to the Annual Meeting of the Parish together with a copy of our latest newsletter.
Annual Meeting Invites - It was also RESOLVED to invite the current Rural Dean of Corringham to the Annual Parish Meeting.
District Councillor, Village Hall, CACG and school have also been invited to attend.
Playing Field - Cllr. Semley informed the Council that she had spoken to the School re the closure of the gate to the playing field and had also spoken to them with regard to any contacts they may have at LCC.
Newsletter - Cllr. Semley informed the Council that nearly all the newsletters were now delivered and positive feedback had been received. A copy is available on the website and one will be posted on the noticeboard.
ii. CACG Funding Request – The Council had put questions to the CACG regarding their request for funding. Members of the CACG attended and responded to the questions. A discussion was had then the CACG members left the meeting in order for the Council to consider their decision. In view of monies saved on dredging of the pond and monies allocated to Community events the Council RESOLVED to award a grant £2,500 to CACG towards the running of a community event.
iii. Amendments to Standing Orders and Financial Regulations -
The documents had been circulated prior to the meeting and had been amended in line with NALC recommendations. The Financial Regulations had been re-issued in line with The Procurement Act 2023 and The Procurement Regulation 2024, which came into force February 2025.
It was RESOLVED to accept the amendments to the Standing Orders.
It was RESOLVED to accept the reissued and revised version of the Financial Regulations
iv. Review of relevant Council Policies, Procedures and Practices in respect of its obligations under the Freedom of Information and Data Protection Legislation:
Burial Policy – Review of Fees – A comparison of fees for local cemeteries was presented to the Council for discussion. It was RESOLVED to increase the Full Interment fee from £220 to £245, the Exclusive Rights Fee (single) from £200 to £220, £400 to £440 (double) for residents of the Parish. Ashes interment and exclusive rights to remain as current. Non resident fees to be double of the resident fees.
The following policies were reviewed and it was RESOLVED to accept them as current:
Abusive, Persistent or Vexatious policy
Code of Conduct
Co-option Policy
Complaints Policy
Internal Controls System
Lost Child and Vulnerable Person Policy
Privacy and Data Protections Policy
New Policies – It was RESOLVED to create two new policies – Reserves Policy and IT Policy.
v. Allotments – After much discussion it was RESOLVED to increase the rental for the allotments by £3.50 per year in line with GDPR. New rents for 2026-2027 will be £73.50 and £63.50 per allotment.
vi. Review of representation on or work with external bodies and arrangements for reporting back. – It was RESOLVED to continue to send representatives to CACG meetings when invited.
It was RESOLVED to request the date of the AGM of the Village Hall in case any members were available to attend.
vii. Review of inventory of land and other assets including buildings and office equipment. – It was confirmed that all land belonging to the Parish Council is now registered at Land Registry.
It was RESOLVED to accept the updated asset register and amendments.
viii. Confirmation of arrangements for insurance cover in respect of all insurable risks – It was RESOLVED to accept insurance quote from Zurich Insurance.
ix. Review of the Council’s and/or staff subscriptions to other bodies.- It was RESOLVED to renew subscriptions to:
a. LALC Website administration scheme
b. LALC Training scheme
c. LALC internal audit scheme
d. LALC subscription
It was RESOLVED to pay for SLCC subscription for any new Clerk appointed.
x. Determining the time and place of ordinary meetings of the Council up to and including the next annual meeting of the Council – A list of dates was presented and it was RESOLVED to accept them as the dates for meetings up until AGM of May 2026. To be published on website and posted on noticeboard.
xi. i. Review of existing committees and their Terms of Reference. –
a. Finance committee -review and membership - It was RESOLVED to make no amendments to existing Terms of Reference
All council members expressed an interest in standing on the Finance Committee. RESOLVED to accept all members.
xii. Results of green lane/quiet lane Facebook consultation – Appended to next meeting for further discussion.
38. FINANCIAL REPORTS – To receive the financial report and approve payments.
i. RFO report for April 2025 was presented. It was RESOLVED to approve as a true and accurate record.
RFO Report April 2025:
ITEM DESCRIPTION COMMENT ACTION
1. Monies in bank as of 29th April 2025 Current Account = £1,966.42
BMM (Reserve) Account = £43,735.35
Total = £45,701.77
Bank reconciled to 29th April 2025
2. Bank activity Bank charges April 2025 = £10.00
Interest on reserve account April 2025 = £59.50
3. Paid invoices & expenses Village Hall – Room hire (February) - £26
4. Income Allotment Rents - £140.00
5. Payments awaiting approval Hewitt Plant Hire – Pond Works - £1,320 (£220 VAT)
6. Payments expected Heather Property Services – Grass cutting
Village Hall
7. VAT Claim for 2024-25 fiscal year submitted for £306.79
Total VAT for 2023/24 & 2024/25 = £506.98 VAT claim for 2023- 24 has not been paid DS to chase
8. AGAR AGAR documents ready to be signed
9. Grant Funding £500 grant secured from Lincolnshire Wildlife Fund for plants for pond area.
10. Reserve Register Now on website
ii. Payments - The Following additional invoices were received after the RFO report had been prepared. It was RESOLVED to agree payment of those listed on RFO report and those listed below:
Heather Property Servies – Grass Cutting, March & April - £1,105
Village Hall – Room Rental - £26
Langham Print – Newsletter printing - £149
iii. AGAR, Internal Audit & Notice of the period for the exercise of public rights and other information required by Regulation 15 (2), Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015.
– Cllr Semley informed the Council that the Internal Audit is underway and all AGAR documents have been sent to the auditor.
Cllr. Semley stood down as Chair for the signing of the AGAR documents to allow her to sign as RFO and Clerk. Cllr. Blades took the Chair.
Cllr. Semley took the Council though the AGAR documents. It was RESOLVED to accept the AGAR documents as a true and accurate record and to sign accordingly. AGAR documents were duly signed. As the Audit is not complete the Exercise of Public Rights period was not set.
39. PLANNING MATTERS – No planning applications to review.
40. CORRESPONDENCE – Correspondence had been received from the Captain of the Belltower re monies for repairs to bell ropes. It was RESOLVED that the council would, in principle, support such a request. There were, however, issues to be resolved around the procedures. It was RESOLVED that Cllr. Semley would speak to the Bell Tower captain face to face to reach an agreement.
Reply had been received from Village Hall regarding keys for the Parish Council. The Council are not to be allowed a set of keys.
41. ONGOING MINOR ITEMS AND AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE NEXT MEETING
Apropos the latest accident at the junction of Pilham Lane and the A631 and feedback from emergency services it was RESOLVED that Cllr. Semley would contact LCC Highways and Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership with the Council’s concerns.
42. DATE OF NEXT MEETING – It was RESOLVED that the date for the next meeting of the Parish Council, which will be the Tuesday 10th June 2025 at 7.15 pm.
Annual Parish Meeting to be held on Tuesday 20th May at 7.00 pm in Corringham Village Hall.
Meeting closed 21.07pm