2022 Minutes of Meetings

DRAFT MINUTES

HACONBY & STAINFIELD PARISH COUNCIL

ANNUAL PARISH MEETING

THURSDAY 5TH MAY 2022 COMMENCING AT 7:00 PM IN THE HARE & HOUNDS

Present: Councillors Richard Dixon-Warren (Chairman), Brian Blackbourn, Dennis Sharman, David Winn

Parish Clerk – Mrs Wendy Gray

No members of the public were in attendance but representatives from the Aveland History Group were in attendance to enlighten us on what the Group does and a Platinum Jubilee project for which they are currently raising funds.

1. Chairman’s Introduction:  Cllr Dixon-Warren welcomed everyone to the meeting.

2. Public Questions, Comments or Representations:  None.

3. Apologies for Absence: Cllr Leyland – congratulations on the safe arrival of new baby.

4. Approval of Minutes of APM 28 April 2021: Cllr Winn proposed, Cllr Blackbourn seconded, all in agreement that the above minutes be signed as a true and accurate record.

5. Reports: 

a) Chairman’s Report for 2021/2022.  Enclosed overleaf.

b) Annual Accounts 2021/2022:

1) Approve Annual Governance Statement

2) Consider Accounting Statements

3) Resolve to approve Accounting Statements

4) Sign and date Accounting Statement

Cllr Dixon-Warren proposed, Cllr Sharman seconded that as income and expenditure is below £25,000, the Certificate of Exemption form should be submitted to External Auditors.  Completion and signing off of items 1 to 4 to be completed before 30th June 2022.   All in agreement.

6. Conclusion: The meeting closed at 7.25 pm.

Overleaf – Chairman’s Report 2021-22 and Budget 2022-23

Haconby & Stainfield Parish Council – Chairman’s Report

2021-22

Annual Parish Meeting 5 May 2022

2021-22 was a busy and productive year for the Council.Covid-19 restrictions continued to impinge on Council business until May, when they were relaxed.This report covers the period since the last Chairman’s Report presented on 28 April 2021.We welcomed Laura Leyland to the Council in April 2021.

We were sorry to bid farewell to Councillors Janine Rayfield (November 2021) and Derek Bailey (April 2022).We hope that Councillor Leyland enjoys her time on the Council and thank Janine and Derek for their contributions to Parish Council business and the community.The following points highlight events and occurrences in 2021-22.

• - The Council’s last met by videoconferencing for the annual meetings on 28 April.  Thereafter, after the dispensation to conduct Council business remotely lapsed in May, meetings returned to the familiar face-to-face format.

Financial - Financially, the Council remains in the black.  It reviewed projected income and expenditure and decided to increase the precept by no more than the current rate of inflation (2.9 %) for 2021-22.  It continues to work to make its finances and budget strategy transparent.

Police - The civil parish remains a low crime area.  This is fortunate, given the decreasing profile of Neighbourhood Policing.  PCSOs no longer attend Parish Council meetings.  However, the initiation of a regular NPT update in September was welcome.  The Police responded to an incident in Haconby on 6 April.  Unarmed local Officers responded initially followed by an armed deployment because of the possibility that a firearm had been discharged.  A drone and police dog were deployed to facilitate a wide area search, if required, and enquiries were made.  Enquiries identified those involved and established that no firearm had been discharged.  No arrests were made.

Codes of Conduct / Standing Orders & Policies - The Parish Information and Policy Guide is on the Council’s website.  It contains Codes of Conduct / Standing Orders & Policies, and much else besides.  It is due an update and this will be done when resources are available.

Parish Emergency Plan - The Parish Emergency Plan is on the Council’s website.  The utility of its current pre-set format remains open to question.  It will be reviewed when resources are available.

Communication with the Parish Community - The Haconby and Stainfield Parish Council website is 16 months old.  It includes local business links and is a significant improvement for communications with the community.  The ‘Parish Councillors’ Facebook group supports the website and provides routine updates on parish and other issues. 

Parish Land (formerly Allotments / Townlands) - The Council’s aim remains to ensure that Parish Land is let for the benefit of both community and Council.  Common Law Tenancy, Farm Business Tenancy and Garden Allotments contracts are now in their fourth year following the management review in 2018.  A number of tenancies have changed over and three are vacant. 

In 2020, the Council paid £360 for clearance of the site of a bonfire lit on Parish Land to dispose of waste. The person responsible refused to reimburse the expense.The Council, lacking staff and financial resources to recover the debt, wrote it off in September.

Haconby with Stainfield Parochial Church Council (PCC) - Covid-19 reduced liaison between Council and PCC, and this is slowly rebuilding.  Condition of the closed churchyard and the Council’s assumption of responsibility for its maintenance remain ‘live’ issues, with SKDC support.  In the interim, the Council continues to subsidise the cost of maintaining the closed churchyard.

The PCC is involved in the Diocese of Lincoln’s plan called ‘A Time to Change Together – Resourcing Sustainable Church’.It is considering what type of church St Andrew’s is to be and will seek the support of the parish, churchgoers and non-churchgoers alike, to develop the church as a multi-use community resource in order to secure funding for the long-term future of the church.The Council agreed to support this parish community project.

Broadband – Full Fibre Connection Poll - LCC’s broadband team offered to advise and assist in setting up the BDUK Rural Gigabit Voucher Scheme.  Councillor Leyland’s Facebook poll recorded 26 (of 28 responses) interested in taking part in the scheme.  LCC’s broadband team briefed the Council on the project and the potential of this scheme is under consideration.

Highways Verges and Footpaths - The Council acknowledges and appreciates the assistance of local residents to cutting the grass on highways verges (including the Haconby ‘green’) and keeping footpaths clear.  This helpfully supplements the work done by LCC and Parish Council contractors, particularly when growth outstrips planned cuts and clearance.

Haconby Tree - The Council noted the completion of the crowdfunded project to replace the old horse chestnut tree on the green.  Following the planting of a sweet chestnut tree in February, a memorial plaque was laid in July.  The Council appreciates the contribution of all who organised, donated, supported and will maintain this project.

Bus Shelter - The Haconby bus shelter still needs work to bring it up to a satisfactory standard.  This is an ongoing project – funds will need to be found to complete it.

I tender my thanks to Parish, District and County Councillors who have supported the Council and its role in acting on behalf of the community it represents over the past year.Councillor Brian Blackbourn for his support as Vice Chairman and work to support Parish Land projects and maintenance, Councillor Derek Bailey for his work as Webmaster of the Parish Council website, his Parish Land maintenance schedule and for drafting the budget for 2022-23 (see below), and Parish Clerk Wendy Gray for continuing to keep the Council on track and legal.

The Council’s aim remains to work diligently to represent the local community, supporting local needs where possible, and improving quality of life and community well-being.It welcomes and is always open to courteous and constructive engagement by the Haconby and Stainfield community, individually and collectively.

RA Dixon-Warren

Chairman, Haconby & Stainfield Parish Council

Haconby & Stainfield Parish Council Budget 2022-2023