2022 Rauceby PC Minutes of Meetings

Minutes
Rauceby Parish Council

email: raucebypc@gmail.com, website: https://rauceby.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk

Minutes from the Annual Parish Council Meeting held on Wednesday, 6 July 2022 at 7.30 pm at The Village Hall, South Rauceby. 

Present:      Cllr M Ireland (in the Chair), Cllr J Malloch (Vice-Chairman), Cllr G Enstone, Cllr S Enstone, Cllr, M Froggatt, Cllr B Balderston, Cllr J Hoare and the Clerk, Mr I Grady. 

Public speaking time:  One member of the public was present but did not ask to speak. 
1. Apologies for absence: Apologies were received from Cllr S Waite and Cllr R Enstone. 
2. To receive any Declarations of Interest: None received.
3. To decide on any items to be carried out in Closed Session: None required. 
4. To approve as a correct record the notes of the meetings held on 18 May 2022: Unanimously approved; the Chairman signed the minutes.
5. Rauceby Gigabit Project: An update from Cllr. S Enstone was presented at the meeting. He distributed a report that will be disseminated by direct mailing across the village that explains what is to (and must, if the benefits of the voucher scheme are to be maintained) happen regarding re-affirmation of the pledges given some time ago by residents.
6. Reports from Visiting Representatives and Police Matters if any: Nothing to report.
7. Planning Applications: All applications received to date have been considered by Rauceby Parish Council and approved by NKDC:
    Received from NKDC (This may include plans received since the agenda was circulated):
       i) None received from NKDC in this period.
    Plans decided by NKDC since the last meeting
       ii) None received by NKDC in this period.
8. New Business: Notified to Clerk prior to meeting
       i) Matters arising from Open Meeting in May. No matters arising.
       ii) New Councillors Code of Conduct adopted by NKDC 12 May 2022. This was discussed and adopted unanimously. As a consequence of the adoption, Councillors were required to formally acknowledge receipt of the Code.
           Action 1: Clerk to notify the NKDC Monitoring Officer of the adoption. (As part of the Code, NKDC will then ask for a formal review of all Councillors’ Pecuniary Interests registrations.)
       iii) GDPR Review: As part of the annual Policies review, Councillors and the Clerk are asked to review their own Data Protection Compliance. The Clerk distributed an appropriate checklist for all to complete. The completed checklists will be filed in the Parish records.  
In addition to the Data Protection Compliance, updated General Privacy Notice and Privacy Notice for Councillors and Role Holders were discussed and it was agreed they should both be adopted and posted on our website.
       iv) A new Publications Scheme was discussed and it was agreed to adopt it and publish it on the website.
        v) Two modifications to the Parish Standing Orders were discussed (one concerned the way in which contracts are laid – not an issue for Rauceby – and the other, the delegation of responsibilities to the Clerk to respond to Planning Applications – formalising a practise that is currently used). Both were agreed and the website is to be updated accordingly.
       vi) A revised Accessibility Statement was discussed and it was agreed to adopt it and update the website. Some discussion took place about how to realistically test the accessibility of our website. Some ad-hoc tests have been made by the Chairman and Cllr S Enstone.
      vii) A modification – concerning the retention period of the Pecuniary Interests Registrations of former Councillors – to the Records Retention Policy was discussed. The modification was adopted and the website is to be updated accordingly.
         Action 2: Clerk to update website in respect of policy modifications to Privacy Notices, Publication Scheme, Standing Orders, Accessibility Statement and Records Retention Policy.
         Action 3: Clerk to investigate whether there is a formalised Accessibility testing procedure.
      viii) A parishioner has kindly serviced the SID device and it is reported that it operates for much longer under a single battery charge than before. The Chairman and Council expressed their gratitude to the gentleman concerned.
9. Update on Outstanding Matters 
       i) Actions from the last meeting: all complete except three (see items below table):

       Item (a): Well refurbishment: Ownership of the well has still not yet been established. Although it was agreed that we should try and find out who it belongs to there is currently little enthusiasm within the council to improve the well’s image. It was therefore agreed to defer any beautification project until some other, unspecified, time. 
       Item (b): Discuss with NKDC Planning the definition of the term “permitted development”. Cllr Waring reported back that she was having difficulty getting a representative to come a explain the subtleties to us. Cllr Waring will continue to press for this engagement.
       ii) Traffic calming measures/gates: Cllr J Malloch announced that a local contractor has been approached to install the gates and it was hoped this would be completed by the end of July.
With regards to the red tarmac aspect, Cllr Ireland is still awaiting feedback from Cllr Wright of LCC to confirm that Rowan Smith of LCC Highways will complete the work by April 2023. 
       iii) Damage to Buttercross monument. The Clerk reported that a quote for repairs had been accepted by the Insurers (of the driver of the vehicle which caused the damage). A contractor has been appointed to repair the monument and he will commence when his own schedule allows (as yet unclear). 
       iv) Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebration. Cllr Ireland reported that the celebrations were reasonably successful. As the day had extremely wet weather, the Village Hall was used as a dry station to host the picnic indoors for those who did not wish to brave the outdoor wetness. The weather also tended to discourage many parishioners from attending either location but those who did participate enjoyed themselves.
10. Financial Matters: 
       i) Financial report – for approval and signing; July 2022
          The financial report was approved and signed off by the Chairman.
          The Current account stands at £19,167.41 at 9 June 2022.
      ii) This month’s payments were approved and cheques signed:
             * Zurich Insurance £296.41
             * D Gascoyne (Books and Audit) £150.00
             * Village Hall hire May 2022 £16.00 
             * I Grady fees £190.26 and expenses £69.26
      iii) The Clerk reminded Councillors that if they purchased or ordered material for the Parish, they must do so under the name of Rauceby Parish Council. If any other name is used, the Parish cannot claim back VAT where it is applicable. 
11. Matters of Urgency:  Any matters which have occurred after the agenda was published – for discussion only.
     * LCC has sent an email concerning its Minerals and Waste strategy for the future. It was considered that this was not a topic that applied to our village and so it will not be considered further. 
     * Rauceby Foundation has sent a “Name and Objects” document concerning the Rauceby Estate Trust’s ambitions. It was considered that this was not a topic that was appropriate for the Council to be involved with and so it will not be considered further. 
     * An item in abeyance for some time has been completed (Drainage work and low level kerbing on Thorpe Drove). Matter finalised.
12. Date of Next Meeting: The next regular meeting will be held on Wednesday, 21 September 2022 at the Rauceby Village Hall starting at 19h30.