Minutes 6th September 2023
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting
held on Wednesday 6th September 2023
at 7.30pm at the Village Hall
Present: Cllr S Luxton, Cllr R Tillett (Chairing), Cllr W Honan, Cllr N Vickers, Cllr B Hillson and Cllr E Hollingsworth
In Attendance: Tracy Watkins (Clerk)
28/23 Apologies:
Cllr A Birmingham, Cllr J Kemp (EDCC), Cllr S Randall-Johnson (DCC) and Cllr H Gent (DCC)
29/23 Declarations of interest
None
30/23 Minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 5th July 2023
Were agreed as a true record and SIGNED by the Vice Chair
It was agreed that the Clerk will send the minutes of previous meetings with agendas going forward.
31/23 Public Question Time
There were no questions from members of the public present.
Cllr Hollingsworth raised problems with visitors to the area when the weather is nice. Mess and noise. To be added to the agenda for November.
32/23 Lead Councillor updates
The following updates were provided:
• Finance – Cllr Birmingham
September Precept payment has been received in the Parish bank account. Invoice for the village hall roof not received yet. Awaiting an amended invoice for the coronation bench.
• Verges – Cllr Luxton
Another cut due again before the end of the year.
• Trees & Natural Environment – Cllr Hollingsworth
School hedge is looking very overgrown and messy. EH will contact school to discuss options. Natural England has given permission for another tree to be planted in the field. EH to investigate free options.
• Highways and Traffic Management – Cllr Tillett
Nothing to report.
• Planning – Cllr Honan
No new applications. One current application still to be decided.
• Communications – Cllr Vickers
Nothing to add. Discussed how new residents to the village could be identified. Put in WhatsApp group and Speke Up asking for new residents to make themselves known to the Council so pack can be sent out. Clerk to send electoral roll reports to all Councillors.
• Footpaths and Open Spaces – Cllr B Hillson
Trees on footpath number 10 have been removed. Bridge works still on-going. Cllr Luxton to contact contractor.
33/23 Village Hall
Roof replacement works are complete.
34/23 Financial Items
To receive the account summary to 31st August 2023 (previously approved by Cllr A Birmingham)
To NOTE the following payments were approved remotely in accordance with Financial Regulations
2 x Payments to Tracy Watkins (July and August)
2 x Payments to HMRC (July and August)
2 x Payments of £11.73 to BT for Village Hall Wi-Fi (28.07.23 & 28.08.23)
1 x receipt of £800 donation towards the Coronation bench
2 x donations of £25 towards the Coronation bench
Note: Payments approved by Councillors S Luxton, A Birmingham and R Tillett in accordance with the Financial Regulations
35/23 Adoption of the Power of Competence
It was confirmed that the Council meets the eligibility criteria for adoption of a General Power of Competence as defined in the Localism Act 2011 and SI 965 The Parish Councils (General Power of Competence) (Prescribed Conditions) Order 2012. The Council RESOLVED to adopt a General Power of Competence at the next relevant Parish Meeting. The Clerk to confirm with DALC which meeting.
The Councillors congratulated the Clerk on passing the Certificate in Local Council Administration (CILCA) in July.
The proposal to ADOPT the Power of Competence at the next relevant meeting was PROPOSED by Cllr Tillett and SECONDED by Cllr Hollingsworth.
36/23 Review of the Clerk’s remuneration
The Parish Clerk is employed on an employment contract which is based on The National Agreement on Pay and Conditions of Service of the National Joint Council (“the NJC”) for Local Government Services (the ‘Green Book’). The Clerk's employment contract also states that they will be awarded a single salary point in excess of the normal review award once you have completed the Certificate in Local Council Administration. The Parish Clerk completed her CILCA qualification on 25th July 2023. It was agreed to increase the rate of pay to NJC salary point 25 which equates to £16.64 per hour and to backdate to 25th July 2023. PROPOSED by Cllr Tillett and SECONDED by Cllr Honan.
37/23 EDDC Update
Cllr Kemp was not present at the meeting and had not sent a report. Clerk to request a report.
38/23 DCC Update
Cllr Gent and Cllr Randall Johnson were not available to attend the meeting. Cllr Randall Johnson sent the following update:
Reinforced Autoclaved Aeriated Concrete (RAAC) in Devon School
No Local authority run Devon Schools have been identified with RAAC and an urgent piece of work is being done to check the status of other schools in Devon that were formerly Local Authority run and now academies.
Immunisation advice to parents and carers at the start of the new school year
Pre-school boosters, offered to children from age three years and four months, are:
The four in one pre-school booster (diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio)
The MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine is given at one year (first dose) and at three years and four months (second dose)
A list of all the vaccinations your child should have had, by age, and by when,
is https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/nhs-vaccinations-and-when-to-have-them/
Annual flu vaccinations are also available to all school children from reception age to year 11
Children who are aged two or three by Thursday 31 August 2023 will be invited for vaccination at their registered GP practice, as well as any children who are at greater risk from flu to enable them to access the vaccine as early as possible in the flu season.
39/23 Other information/correspondence received/ discussion
• Action Points review (as circulated)
• Agricultural Inn
Landlady has informed one of the Councillors, informally, that she will only respond to the Council on any matters rather than to individuals. There have been no responses to the emails sent to the pub by the Clerk. No-one attended this meeting either from concerned parties or the pub. It was agreed to leave the pub as an agenda item until we have had a response from the pub. This is relevant as Cllr Tillett received a phone call from a worried member of the public after this meeting, regarding on-going concerns. Cllr Vickers will follow up before the next Parish meeting.
• Coronation bench
Has arrived and awaits being sited. Contractor will book in to do. Invoice has been chased.
Cllr Luxton will speak to the donator for the new village hall roof to enquire if we could put a plaque in the hall thanking them for the donation. Price to be obtained for plaque and to discuss at a future meeting about a ceremony.
• Fire Hydrants
Reverend Blundell has advised that any fire hydrants which have been painted yellow should not be parked on, as access is required at all times. Will advise this in Speke Up.
• Defibrillator
We are delighted to advise that a resident has agreed to take over the responsibility of looking after the defibrillator. Cllr Hillson will invite Mr Smiley to the next Parish Meeting. Pads and batteries are very expensive so in the future the Council will investigate having a contract with SWAST rather than funding the defibrillator in entirety.
• First Responder training
Cllr Kemp was not at the meeting so this could not be moved forwards. The same applies to basic life support training. Cllr Tillett will email Cllr Kemp.
• Internal Auditor
The Clerk reported that the current internal auditor will not be available to continue with this role. Before appointing anyone else the Clerk with check with DALC as to who is able/qualified to fufil this role.
• Speke Up submissions
A draft will be sent out in soon. Mention free trees. To announce bench siting ceremony when decided.
40/23 Next Meeting
• Meeting closed at 8.40pm. Next Meeting on Wednesday 8th November– Village Hall.