November 2023 Minutes
Corringham Parish Council & Burial Authority
Minutes of Ordinary Meeting November 7th 2023
Minutes of an Ordinary meeting of Corringham Parish Council, held on Tuesday 7th November 2023 at 7.15 pm at Corringham Village Hall
Present: Parish Councillors: D. Semley (Chair), S Blades, M. Parr, J Tipping
7.15pm – Public Forum:
No members of the public were present
1. CHAIRMAN’S REMARKS
Meeting was opening by Cllr. Semley who welcomed all to the meeting and advised Standing Orders & Nolan Principles were in place.
2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – None
3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LOCALISM ACT 2011 AND TO RECEIVE ANY APPLICATIONS FOR DISPENSATION IN RELATION TO DSICLOSABLE PECUNIARY INTEREST – None relating to the agenda.
4. MINUTES - To consider and resolve to accept as a true and accurate record and discuss matters arising:
RESOLVED - That Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held Tuesday 3rd October 2023 were approved and signed as a correct record.
a. Cllr. Semley still has not heard from WLDC re dog bin issues. Cllr. Semley to chase.
b. Order for Defibrillator has been placed with WLDC – Awaiting reply. Village Hall have agreed to it being sited on the village hall building and to access the village hall electricity supply.
c. No reply has been received from the Church re the overhanging trees and Ashwin Charity. Cllr. Semley to investigate if the email address on the website is manned and take appropriate action.
5. BUSINESS MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION
a. Budget & Precept: It was RESOLVED to accept the budget for 2024/25 as recommended by the Finance Committee. Precept request to be £15,000. It was noted that much of the reserves held in the bank would be used in the latter part of the 2023-24 financial year to undertake the tree works, pay subscriptions, allotment rents and some pond works. Further funding would be required to undertake the planned pond works and this would be sought through grant funding. Cllr Semley to investigate the costs associated with external audit as grant funding would push us over the £25k limit for internal audit only.
b. Cemetery Works: Emails have been sent to six contractors inviting them to tender for works on cemetery trees however to date response has been poor. Cllr. Semley to chase.
c. Pond works: Emails have been sent to six contractors inviting them to tender for works on pond however to date response has been poor with one declining to tender. Cllr. Semley to chase.
d. Civility & Respect pledge: RESOLVED to Appended to next meeting pending further information.
6. FINANCIAL REPORTS – To receive the financial report and approve payments.
a. RFO Report (see separate report) – It was RESOLVED to accept RFO report for October 2023 as presented.
b. All invoices for payment were listed on payment approval form. It was RESOLVED to approve all for payment.
7. PLANNING MATTERS
a. One planning application received – No comments from Council
b. Flyer from Thonock Estates re consultation on proposed development off High Street discussed. It was noted that not all properties in the Parish had received the flyer and those posting it had been seen to have walked past some houses without mailing the flyer. Cllrs. To attend the consultation where possible.
This site was submitted as part of the call for sites for the Corringham Neighbourhood Plan and was not adopted as it did not score well on the independent assessment.
The addition of this site in the revised Central Lincolnshire Plan was strongly opposed by the Parish Council.
8. CORRESPONDENCE
a. E-mails had been circulated prior to meeting for information only.
9. ONGOING MINOR ITEMS AND AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE NEXT MEETING
a. Complaints have been received with reference to overgrown hedges within the parish which are obstructing walkways. It was RESOLVED that Cllr. Semley investigate and speak to relevant householders.
b. Newsletter required. Cllr. Semley to draft and circulate
c. Ashwin Charity – Meeting of trustees required to agree way forward. Cllr. Semley to arrange.
10. MONITORING OFFICER RESPONSE & DISCUSSIONS WITH LALC
The Chairman chose on this occasion not to close the meeting, as had been done in the past when dealing with this issue, as it was felt that the confidentiality of the matter had been broken and the Council’s response now needed to be minuted for transparency.
Cllr. Semley updated the Council on discussions held with LALC (Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils) in response to a District Councillors correspondence to Councillors of Corringham Parish Council in which the District Councillor wrote “There was evidence to confirm a barrage of nasty and invidious attacks on Corringham Parish Council.” Together with the District Councillors publication of objectionable comments in a District newsletter aimed at Corringham Parish Council and it’s elected Councillors, contrary to a request from the Monitoring Officer that the outcome of a complaint be kept confidential and out of the public domain, and contrary to recommendations made to the said District Councillor with regard to dealings with Corringham Parish Council and it’s Councillors by the Monitoring Officer.
To date Corringham Parish Council has complied with the requests of the Monitoring Officer to:
1. delay the publication of the outcome of the complaint until after the May elections so as not to bias any election outcome
2. Uphold the confidentiality of the outcome of the complaint against a District Councillor
3. Ensure the outcome of the complaint against a District Councillor remain out of the public domain
LALC advised that the issue now be minuted in an open meeting to make it a matter of public record and for complete transparency, and in view of the behaviour of the District Councillor concerned LALC further advised that Corringham Parish Council refer the matter back to the office of the Monitoring Officer.
In view of this it was RESOLVED to refer the matter back to the office of the Monitoring Officer.
11. DATE OF NEXT MEETING – To resolve to note the next Ordinary Meeting of the Parish Council will be on Tuesday 5th December 2023 – 7.15pm – Venue: Corringham Village Hall
Meeting Closed: 20.10