July 2025 DRAFT Minutes
Present:
Parish Councillors: D Semley, J Tipping, M Parr, M Johnson, S Blades, R Craven
7.15pm – Public Forum: One member of the public was present and spoke to the council about defibrillators and their importance in the community.
Item:
52. CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME - Cllr. Semley welcomed all Councillors and The Reverand Stephen Johnson to the meeting and thanked all for attending.
53. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE - Cllr Bibb.
It was RESOLVED to accept Cllr. Bibbs apology for absence.
54. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST AND DISPENSATION REQUESTS – None in relation to agenda items
55. MINUTES & MATTERS ARISING
i. It was RESOLVED to accept the minutes from the Ordinary Meeting held on June 10th 2025 as a true and accurate record.
56. BUSINESS MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION – To consider and review:
i. Community stakeholder meeting
A meeting was held with the Reverand Stephen Johnson as he had been unable to attend the Annual Parish Meeting. He updated the Council on what the Diocese had planned for rural churches and their communities.
The possibility of a joint venture to work on a Harvest Supper for Corringham was also discussed.
Rev. Johnson was keen to meet with parishioners and asked that we invite him to our next Annual Meeting of the Parish.
ii. Clerk updates
a. Website Support - We have only 4 paid hours of website support remaining. In view of upcoming updates it was RESOLVED to buy a further 10 hours of support, as budgeted. Any hours remaining at the end of the fiscal year would be carried over into 2026/27.
b. Land on High Street - Cllr. Semley updated the Council on correspondence received re the ongoing occupation of land on the High Street.
c. Noticeboard keys - Cllr. Semley informed the Council that she had purchased two further ‘safety allan keys’ for the opening of the main noticeboard.
d. Bank Charges- Cllr. Semley updated the Council that HSBC has informed them that Bank charges are now to be removed.
e. Emergency Tree Works - Cllr. Semley informed the Council that some emergency tree works had to be undertaken as part of one of the trees around the pond had fallen in the high winds. Hilltop tree services undertook the works and did a full inspection of the tree in question (the large willow far side of the pond). They advised that the Council continue to monitor the tree as there appears to be a weakness at the base.
f. Verge Signs - Cllr. Semley distributed a selection of options for verge signage re dog fouling. It was RESOLVED to initially purchase a set of each option for use around the Parish.
g. VAT – VAT refund of £506.98 has now been received
iii. New clerk
It was RESOLVED to start the recruitment process for a new Clerk. Initially through local media resources within the local community, and then through national recruitment sites if required.
It was RESOLVED to offer renumeration in line with recommendations from SSLC as previous.
It was RESOLVED that Cllr. Johnson conduct telephone interviews initially and, in order to facilitate any potential recruitment over recess, that Cllrs. Johnson & Semley conduct any face to face interviews.
iv. Aisby defibrillator – The cost of a defibrillator through the WLDC scheme is now £600 plus £110 per year maintenance
In the discussions held in the public forum with a resident of the parish an alternative CellAED device was discussed. Anticipated cost for this is £400 per unit and £10 per month maintenance per single unit (the cost of maintenance for additional units would be less than £10 per unit).
These devices require no power supply, allowing them to be sited on non-community sites or away from dicer power supplies. This could allow the Council to consider siting other units around the Parish as well as in Aisby. The units are small, easily transported, and are very simple to use.
CellAED are currently not available in the UK but it was intimated in the discussion that this was about to change. On viewing the CellAED website there was an opportunity for UK based groups to register their interest.
It was RESOLVED to register Corringham Parish Councils interest in a CellAED device and review at next meeting.
v. Noticeboards – In view of the overhauling of the Parish council’s communication strategy with the availability of Parish information via the Corringham and Aisby Group Facebook page, the Parish council Facebook Page, and the Parish Council website it was decided that there was insufficient demand for the noticeboard to be reinstated in Aisby.
It was however RESOLVED that the council would approach the Village Hall with the intention of installing the existing noticeboard on the external wall as a Community noticeboard that could be used for community information such as Church service times, information re Call connect, and surgery opening times. This would then free up the Parish Council board for Parish business and the Village Hall board for their information.
vi. Filing Cabinets – It was RESOLVED to approach the Village Hall to ask if the Parish Council filing cabinet could now be reinstated in the Village Hall. The cabinet contains archive documentation that the Council is statutorily required to hold, together with title deeds, historical documents, and general information. It is currently being stored at Cllr. Semley house.
The smaller filing cabinet to remain with Cllr. Semley until a Clerk is in place. Cllr. Semley will continue to hold working documents at her home, in line with her role as acting Clerk and Burial Clerk. These are held in a fireproof bag.
It was understood that the Village Hall now have a key safe installed and it was further RESOLVED that we ask the Village Hall if we can use this for the noticeboard key and for the filing cabinet key if reinstatement of the filing cabinet is allowed.
vii. Village hall rental payments – The Village Hall had asked if the Council would consent to paying for the hire of the building for meetings once a year. It was RESOLVED to accept this proposal.
viii. Pond works/Playing field updates –
a. Cllrs. Bibb and Semley held a meeting with representatives from Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) with reference to a potential land swap around the pond and recreation ground areas.
The Parish currently do not own the whole of the pond area or the approach to recreation ground, although we do have a right of way across this area. The school do not have right of way across the parish recreation ground to the rear school gates. The Council felt that this situation needed to be resolved.
A suggestion was made by the Parish Council that we would like to see a small, green car park on the site, to help alleviate the school parking situation, together with a children’s play area.
After discussion it was suggested that there could potentially be a land swap of the pond area for a section of the recreation ground up to the school gate. This could allow the school access to their rear gates and all LCC to consider creating a car parking area.
Cllr. Semley apprised the Council on the discussion and the outline suggestions. It was RESOLVED to write to LCC stating the Council were in favour of the land swap as suggested subject to further consideration and discussion.
b. The safety post & signs can now be erected in the pond area. Cllr. Semley to arrange
c. In view of the current lack of water in the pond it was RESOLVED to defer the buying of plants until we have had some rain.
57. FINANCIAL REPORTS – To receive the financial report and approve payments.
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ITEM |
DESCRIPTION |
COMMENT |
ACTION |
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1. |
Monies in bank as of 27th June 2025 |
Current Account = £1,429.27 BMM (Reserve) Account = £40,144.85 Total = £41,574.12 Bank reconciled to 27th June 2025 |
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2. |
Bank activity |
Bank charges June 2025 = £8.00 Interest on reserve account June 2025 = £53.43 |
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3. |
Paid invoices & expenses |
Village Hall – Room hire (May meetings) - £58.50 Zurich Insurance - £369.63 |
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4. |
Income |
Allotment rent - £70 VAT refund - £506.98 |
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5. |
Payments awaiting approval |
Village Hall – Room hire
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6. |
Payments expected |
Heather property services – Grass cutting Hill Top Trees – Emergency tree removal |
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8. |
VAT |
Vat refund now up to date |
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Bank Reconciliation June 2025
i. It was RESOLVED to accept the RFO report and Bank Reconciliation as presented.
ii. Payments were approved as follows:
Village Hall Juen to March 2026 - £234
D Semley expenses (new Noticeboard keys) - £13.20
iii. It was RESOLVED to allow Cllr. Semley to make payments, within the budget parameters, to Heather Property Services for grass cutting services and Hilltop Tree Services for emergency tree works, as necessary over Council recess. The payment evidence to be presented at next meeting in September.
RFO report for July will be issued during recess and these payments will be evidenced.
58. PLANNING MATTERS – None of significance received.
59. CORRESPONDENCE – Circulated prior to meeting. None for discussion.
60. ONGOING MINOR ITEMS AND AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE NEXT MEETING
Village Hall – A brief update on the Village Hall situation was given. Councillors, where available, will be attending the open evening on 4th July.
Quiet lanes – Cllr. Semley to pursue this while in recess and report back at next meeting.
Bank Security keys – None received by councillor despite them all showing as having access apart from Cllr Johnson. Cllr. Semley to investigate.
61. DATE OF NEXT MEETING – It was RESOLVED that the date for the next meeting of the Parish Council, which will be the Tuesday 2nd September 2025 at 7.15 pm.
Meeting closed 21.30pm