Minutes 18 May 2023

Meeting of Abbots Morton Parish Council at 8:00PM on Thursday 18th May 2023 at Abbots Morton Village Hall

Minutes 05/2023

 Present: Martin Willingale (Chair), Nick Humphries, Martyn Walton, Jacqueline Allum.

In attendance: Kerry Williamson (Clerk), Ben Hurdman (District Councillor) and Colin Pemberton (Village Hall Committee & PCC).

Parishioners: 1

 

  1. Election of a Chairman and signing the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

It was unanimously RESOLVED to elect Martin Willingale as Chairman for the 2023/24 municipal year and the Declaration of Acceptance of Office was duly signed.

Councillors duly signed their Declaration of Acceptance of Office. Cllr Brighton was not present at the meeting – it was RESOLVED that Cllr Brighton could sign the Declaration of Office at a later date.

 

  1. Election of a Vice-Chairman

It was RESOLVED to postpone this vote to the July meeting.

 

  1. Apologies for absence

Karen Brighton (Councillor) and Lynne Pemberton (Village Hall Committee).

 

  1. Declarations of Personal and Prejudicial Interest
  • Register of Interests

Noted. Councillors were reminded a Register of Interests form must be completed and returned to Kim Paul, Wychavon District Council within 28 days of election (1st June 2023).

  • Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

Nil declared.

  • Other Disclosable Interests

Nil declared.

  • Dispensations

Nil declared.

 

  1. Open Session

The meeting was adjourned for the open session.

  • District Councillors

Ben Hurdman introduced himself as the newly elected District Councillor. It is his intention to attend Abbots Morton Parish Council meetings on a regular basis and will send a report if he cannot attend.

No further report available due to both District Councillors being newly elected at the beginning of May.

  • County Councillor

No report was provided.

  • Village Hall Committee

The following written report had been received:

Village Hall Committee Report to Parish Council Meeting 18th May 2023

(from Colin Pemberton, Bookings Officer and PRO)

The biggest thing to report is the outstanding success of the Coronation Coffee Morning.

Held on Tuesday the 2nd of May (our regular first Tuesday of the month fixture) it was among the first of the Coronation Celebrations in our area.

We are grateful to the Parish Council for donating to the village hall the £200 which had been given to the PC by Wychavon District Council for the purpose of helping with Coronation events. We are also grateful to Wychavon for giving it in the first place!

The money paid for Val’s Catering of Redditch to make sandwiches, scones (with jam and cream) and cake and for the purchase of some Prosecco with which we made the Loyal Toast to the new King and Queen.

Over the three hours of the coffee morning it was attended by 27 people, the vast majority from our neighbourhood, exceeding the normal attendance of our coffee mornings which now generally total around 16-18.

Other than that, bookings have been coming in steadily. We’ve just had, last Saturday, a successful birthday party for a 5yr old from Goom’s Hill, and we will be hosting a wedding reception over the weekend of 16th/17th/18th of next month.

St Peter’s Church’s Flower Festival Lunch will be held on Sunday 25th June, returning for the first time since the Covid Lockdown in 2020.

Yoga classes continue to be held in the hall on Monday and Friday mornings.

The hall is ticking over reasonably well but additional local bookings would always be useful.

  • Footpaths Officer

No report was provided.

  • Public participation

1 parishioner in attendance.

 

The meeting resumed following the open session.

 

  1. To consider and adopt the minutes from the Parish Council meeting on the 30th March 2023

It was RESOLVED to adopt the minutes as a true record, and they were duly signed by the Chair.

 

  1. Planning: To consider the following planning applications to be determined by Wychavon District Council:
  • W/22/00711/FUL & W/22/00968/LB: To receive any update on Manor Farm, Abbots Morton Road, Abbots Morton, Worcester, WR7 4NA. Conversion of barn to dwelling and erection of car port, to include raised drive and dropped kerb. Application restarted due to revised information being received.

No updates available, pending decision.

  • W/22/02758/HP: To receive any update on Appletrees, Abbots Morton Road, Abbots Morton, Worcester, WR7 4NA. Demolition of existing garage and erection of garage with work from home office.

No updates available, pending decision.

 

  1. Public Rights of Way and Highways
  • Lengthsman Scheme: To receive an update and to consider any items for the Lengthsman’s work schedule.

Cllr Willingale provided a photo of foliage covering a sign on the Alcester Road on the way out of the Parish towards Dunnington. It was RESOLVED to report this to the Lengthsman.

  • PROW maintenance and obstruction issues: To consider and review.

Pathway 500B is overgrown it was RESOLVED to report this to Worcestershire County Council.

Discussion about the church steps, it was AGREED by Colin Pemberton to take this to the PCC for consideration.

  • Flooding: To consider issues relating to highway drainage on the C2010, Abbots Morton Village Road.

No updates available. Clerk has contacted Worcestershire County Council for a second time for an update, but no response has been provided. It was RESOLVED that the Clerk will follow up again.

 

  1. Progress reports
    • Councillor vacancies

It was noted that there are two vacancies on the Parish Council which can be filled via co-option. Enquiries from parishioners were welcomed. Councillors were reminded to submit their election expenses forms by 1st June.

  • Dog fouling bin provision – second bin in the village update.

Second dog fouling bin has been purchased. Clerk passed the bin and post to Cllr Walton who will fit the bin.

  • Neighbourhood Watch – update.

Promotional material has been purchased. Clerk passed materials to Cllr Willingale who will liaise with Cllr Brighton about distribution.

  • King’s Coronation Funding – update on how the funding was spent.

The funding provided by Wychavon District Council was used to fund a successful Coronation Coffee morning attended by many residents.

  • ’20 is plenty’ scheme – update.

It was RESOLVED that the Clerk will follow up how to join the scheme.

  • Lengthsman recruitment – update.

Carl Brassington has been recruited. Based on the funding provided by Worcestershire County Council for 2023/24, the Lengthsman spend will be slightly over budget (£41.20) if the Lengthsman does a full 8.5 hours a month. April invoice was for 6.5 hours.

 

  1. Parish matters for discussion/decision
    • Local Council’s Insurance – to consider quotes and decide policy provider.

Quotes had been sought from Hiscox/Gallagher (£620.01), BHIB (£375.86 minimum) and Zurich (£214.00).  It was RESOLVED to accept the quote from Zurich with cover starting from 1st June 2023.

  • Wychavon Community Legacy Grant Round 5 – update from Cllr Willingale.

Noted but not to be followed up.

 

  1. Annual business as per Standing Orders
    • To review the following policies and procedures
      • Balances and Reserves Policy
      • Clerk, Parish, Councillor Protocol
      • Code of Conduct
      • Complaints Procedure
      • Disciplinary Procedure
      • Equal Opportunities Policy

It was RESOLVED that no changes were required for the above policies.

  • Financial Regulations

It was RESOLVED to adopt the latest Local Government Association Model Financial Regulations for England (2019) with update to 11.1(b) Contracts.

  • GDPR Data Privacy Policy
  • GDPR Data Protection Policy
  • GDPR Data Security Incident Procedure
  • Grievance Procedure
  • Press and Media Policy
  • Protocol for Planning Site Visits
  • Publication Scheme
  • Retention Policy
  • Risk Management Policy and Risk Register

It was RESOLVED that no changes were required for the above policies.

  • Standing Orders

It was RESOLVED to adopt the latest Local Government Association Model Standing Orders 2018 (England) updated April 2022.

  • Training and Development Policy

It was RESOLVED that no changes were required for the above policies.

  • To review insurance, risk and assets
    • Risk Management Policy and Risk Register
    • Insurance cover

It was RESOLVED that no changes were required for the above policies.

  • Inventory of Assets

It was RESOLVED that the second dog fouling bin should be added to the Inventory of Assets.

  • To review appointment to committees, working groups and external bodies
    • Village Hall Committee

It was RESOLVED to appoint Martin Willingale.

  • To review the meeting schedule for the year ahead

It was RESOLVED to hold six scheduled meetings per year starting at 8:00PM on the fourth Thursday of alternate months.

 

  1. Finance
    • 2022-23 Accounts: To consider and approve the end of year accounts.

It was RESOLVED to approve the 2022/23 end of year accounts and bank reconciliation.

  • Certificate of Exemption: To self-certify exemption from external audit.

It was RESOLVED that the Parish Council had met the requirements to certify itself exempt from external audit and the certificate was duly signed.

  • Annual Internal Audit Report: To consider and approve.

The internal auditor’s report for 2022/23 was considered and it was noted that there were no recommendations requiring attention.

  • Annual Governance Statement: To consider and approve.

The Annual Governance Statement for 2022/23 was considered and it was RESOLVED that each statement had been achieved and it was duly signed.

  • Accounting Statements: To consider and approve.

The Accounting Statements for 2022/23 were considered and it was RESOLVED to approve, and it was duly signed.

  • Bank mandate: To review bank signatory arrangements.

It was RESOLVED that the current bank signatory arrangements were satisfactory.

  • 2023-24 Budget expenditure: To consider and approve.

It was RESOLVED to approve the budget expenditure.

  • 2023-24 Bank reconciliation: To consider and approve.

It was RESOLVED to approve the bank reconciliation.

  • Invoices: To approve the following invoices for payment:
    • Kerry Williamson (salary and expenses): £555.64
    • Carl Brassington (Lengthsman): £130.00
    • Local Council’s Insurance: £214.00
    • Iain Selkirk (internal audit): £115.00
    • Worcestershire CALC (subscription): £110.19
    • Abbots Morton Village Hall bookings: £49.00
    • Glasdon UK Limited (Dog waste bin): £218.26

It was RESOLVED to settle the above invoices and a cheque for 12.9.4 was duly signed. The remaining invoices will be settled via internet banking.

  • Clerk’s Delegation: To note the following payments made between meetings:
    • 30/04/2023 – Abbots Morton Village Hall (King’s Coronation Funding): £200
    • 30/04/2023 – Neighbourhood Watch Network (promotional materials): £23.85

The above payments, made between scheduled meetings, were noted.

 

  1. Correspondence
    • Worcestershire CALC: CALC Update 23-04 & 23-05.

The above updates from CALC were noted.

  • Wychavon District Council: Wychavon’s Community Legacy Grant Round 5 – Briefing for Parish & Town Councils. Notification of rearranged date.

The above notification from Wychavon District Council was noted.

  • Worcestershire County Council: Parish Lengthsman Scheme 2023/24

The above communication from Worcestershire County Council was noted, the funding provided to the Parish Council for the provision of a Lengthsman increased by 5% to £1998.80 for 2023/24.

  • West Mercia Police: Parish Priorities.

The above communication was noted. It was RESOLVED that the Abbots Morton Parish priorities would remain the same for Q2.

  • Zurich Insurance: Policy renewal.

The above communication was noted.

  • Wychavon District Council: Latest news from Wychavon – Elections.

The above news from Wychavon District Council was noted.

  • Wychavon District Council: Notice of Uncontested Election.

The above Notice of Uncontested Election from Wychavon District Council was noted. This was displayed on the Parish Council noticeboard and website.

  • Wychavon District Council: District Elections.

The above communication on District Elections from Wychavon District Council was noted. This was displayed on the Parish Council noticeboard and website.

  • Worcestershire CALC: Dissertation Research Project (request to Clerks).

The above communication from CALC was noted.

  • Worcestershire CALC: May meetings.

The above update from CALC was noted.

  • Wychavon District Council: Wychavon Election Results.

The above communication on Election Results from Wychavon District Council was noted. This was displayed on the Parish Council noticeboard and website.

 

  1. Councillors’ reports and items for the next agenda: To provide an opportunity for councillors to report minor matters of information not included elsewhere on the agenda and to raise items for future meetings. Councillors are respectfully reminded that this is not an opportunity for debate or decision making.

No further reports or items for the next agenda.

Accessibility by WAH