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Castor Parish Council > Documents > Minutes > Minutes 4th May 2023

Minutes 4th May 2023

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Minutes of Castor Parish Council Meeting

Held on Friday 4th May, 2023 at 7.30pm in the Cedar Centre

 

 

  • ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN of the Parish Council for the forthcoming year – There being only one nomination Cllr. Neil Boyce was elected unopposed.

Proposed Cllr. Rowlands Seconded Cllr. Shaw

 

  • DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE –The Declaration of Acceptance of Office was duly signed in the presence of the Clerk

 

  • ELECTION OF VICE CHAIRMAN of the Parish Council for the forthcoming year– There being only one nomination Cllr. Fiona Rowlands was elected unopposed.

Proposed Cllr. Boyce Seconded Cllr. Shaw

 

  • PRESENT: Neil Boyce (Chairman), Cllr. Richard Anker, Cllr. William Baxter, Cllr. Steve Davies, Cllr. Fiona Rowlands, Cllr. Jane Greene, Cllr David Shaw. One member of the public was also in attendance.

 

  • APOLOGIES – Terry Young tendered his apologies as unable to make this meeting. In addition, apologies were recorded for Cllr. Dennis Surgeon in accordance with the extended leave of absence approved by the parish council.

 

  • DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – Anker & Greene declared an interest, as an allotment holder, in the item on the agenda related to the allotments.

 

  • MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS – We unanimously RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the previous meeting, held on Monday 2nd March 2023 -. These were duly signed by the chairman.

Proposed Cllr. Fiona Rowlands and seconded Cllr. Steve Davies

 

  • Matters arising from the previous minutes. – we were informed that Cllrs. Boyce and Baxter are to present the coronation Mugs to the children at the school and Pre school on the day after this meeting.

 

  • Public Forum – None

 

  • Confirmation of PARISH COUNCIL STANDING ORDERS, FINANCIAL REGULATIONS and INTERNET BANKING PROCESS together with the CODE OF CONDUCT. Links to these had been circulated with the agenda. We considered each of these in turn and saw no reason to make any amendments. We unanimously RESOLVED to approve these policy documents.

Proposed Cllr Boyce Seconded Cllr. Rowlands

 

  • REVIEW OF RESPONSIBILITIES AND REPRESENTATION ON, OR WORK WITH, EXTERNAL BODIES – We agreed the following councillor responsibilities

Land and tree matters: (Neil Boyce and William Baxter)

Neighbourhood Planning: (Fiona Rowlands, and David Shaw)

Parish Liaison: (Neil Boyce and the clerk) incl. PCC Scrutiny (Neil Boyce)

Allotments: (Terry Young and Richard Anker)

School Liaison & Children & Young People: (Steve Davies)

Village Hall: (Richard Anker)

Northey & Wright Charity: (William Baxter)

Police Matters: (Richard Anker)

Caspra: (Neil Boyce)

Council & church cohesion: (Neil Boyce and William Baxter)

Good neighbour scheme: (Neil Boyce and William Baxter)

Media/information/website (Fiona Rowlands, William Baxter and the clerk)

Internal Finance: (The clerk as Responsible Financial Officer)

Governance & HR (Neil Boyce and the clerk)

Rural Services Network (Neil Boyce & Steve Davies)

Climate Change Action Group (David Shaw)

S106 Projects co-ordination (Fiona Rowlands)

 

  • PLANNING and associated matters

 

  1. Joint Community Action Plan (JCAP) – There are no actions required at this time and the plan will be reviewed at the next meeting with Ailsworth Parish Council

 

  1. Neighbourhood Planning (NP) – David Shaw reported no change to the current position.

 

  1. Status report – The clerk reported no further changes since the last meeting merely the addition of the planning item for consideration at this meeting

 

  1. Planning applications –

 

  1. 23/00493/CTR – 4 Polls Yard – Removal of Leylandii tree – We have no objections.

 

  1. Woodlands – Standing Item –
    1. We noted that in respect of the proposal to replace the existing building the Conservation Officer is strongly of the view that the building should be retained.
    2. Land swap proposal – No response to our formal approach.
  • Tennis Courts and Bowling Green. No response to our formal approach.
  1. Anticipated Planning application by the Tennis Club – we have no further indications of any planning application being forthcoming from the Castor and Ailsworth Tennis Club

 

  • LAND & ALLOTMENTS:

 

  1. Appeal – We considered an appeal by Mr Bonvini, allotment holder, against the previous parish council decision to remove a dome structure on his allotment. We noted that the structure had been tidied up and agreed to allow the structure to remain for the remainder of the allotment year and to amend the lease agreements with revised limitations when renewed in October 2023.

 

  1. Parish Councill observations – We noted that a fire Hydrant sign had been covered during work to a wall and asked the clerk to write seeking reinstatement of the sign

 

 

  • HIGHWAYS – Clay Lane/ Cow Lane Bridleway. We noted the advice from the Highway authority

 

  • Community MATTERS –

 

  1. Joint Parish Liaison Group (JPLG) – We deferred further consideration of the draft agenda until our June meeting

 

  1. Langdyke Trust – Nature Recovery Project (NRP) – The Vice chairman reported on a planned open day scheduled for 20th We also noted the report from Mike Horne that work at the Paddock Splash Lane is ongoing and making good progress. Irrigation Bags are to be installed to protect growth of recently planted trees

 

  1. Standing Stones & Information Boards – We noted that there is further fencing work required and that the signage is taking a long while to produce. We also noted that our ward Cllr. Saquib Farooq has agreed to use the leadership fund to replace the other information boards and that he has asked for estimates to be provided to him.

 

  • Governance Matters
  1. Operation Golden Orb – were informed that the commemorative Mugs had arrived today and the chairman undertook to keep these until such time as the distribution to children of the local school and playgroup could be arranged.

 

  1. Annual Governance & Accountability Return (AGAR)

 

  1. Internal Audit and Financial Statements – The Clerk as Responsible Financial Officer informed us that the audit of the accounts for the financial year 2022/23 had been completed and we RESOLVED to authorise the payment of the £200 audit fee.

Proposed Cllr. Boyce Seconded Cllr. Baxter

 

Financial Accounts – The Clerk, as Responsible Financial Officer, presented a full set of Accounts with Bank Reconciliations, asset register and notes to the accounts. We thanked the Clerk and RESOLVED to accept the accounts as a basis for that Annual Financial Statement to be submitted to external Auditors. Proposed Cllr. Shaw Seconded Boyce

 

  1. Annual Governance and Accountability Return – We had before us the completed Accounting Statement and RESOLVED to accept the statement as drafted, for signature by the Chairman and submission to PKF Littlejohn.

Proposed Cllr. Boyce Seconded Baxter

 

  • Public Rights of Inspection – We noted that the Clerk as Responsible Financial Officer had set the dates for exercise of public rights of inspection. The dates being Monday 5th June to Friday 14th July and include the legal requirement of the first 10 working days of July. The appropriate notice will be displayed on the notice board and published on our website.

 

  • official announcements & CORRESPONDENCE. –

 

  1. Good Neighbours scheme – We noted that Sue Magill is the lead coordinator for Castor.
  2. Resignation – We received the official resignation of Jane Greene as a Parish Councillor with effect from 31st May through family commitments. We thanked Jane for her sterling services to the parish council and on behalf of the parish council gave her a small gift of appreciation and wished her well for the future. We further RESOLVED to replace Jane by Cllr. David Shaw as a bank signatory.

Proposed Cllr. Boyce Seconded Cllr. Rowlands

 

  • Future Agenda Items
    1. Review of Cricket Club Lease

 

  • Date of next meeting – The next scheduled meeting of the parish council is to take place on 1st June 2023 in the Cedar Centre commencing at 7pm.

 

 

Clerk & RFO 8th May 2023

Meeting Closed at 10.40pm