November 2023 DRAFT Minutes
FREISTON PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD AT THE DANNY FLEAR COMMUNITY CENTRE ON Thursday 16th November at 7:30pm
Minutes taken by The Clerk: Val Austin
(These minutes will be checked at the next meeting before the council amends/approves them as a correct record)
PRESENT
Councillors: Cllr Nigel Marshall (Chair), Cllr Bridgett Posey, Cllr Peter Bedford, Cllr Roy Pearson, Cllr Amy Marshall, Cllr Judith Godwin and The Clerk Val Austin.
Also Present:
Lincolnshire County Councillor: Paul Skinner
The meeting was called to order at 19:33pm
1. Chairman to open the meeting: Hello & Welcome.
2. Apologises: To receive and accept apologises where a valid reason for the absence has been given to the clerk prior to the meeting.
• Cllr Simon Pearson – No apologises received.
• Cllr Tony Wheeler – No apologises received
• Cllr Shaun Pearson – Absent due to illness – Advised by email
3. Public Forum: No members of the public were present
4. Police Matters: Stats and incidents are available to view on the police website. Local Crime information website www.streetcheck.co.uk.
• September 23 – No update
5. Minutes: To approve the minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on the 19th October 2023. To resolve as a correct record and to authorise the Chairman to sign the official minutes
• All councillors resolved for the chairman Cllr Nigel Marshall to sign the minutes.
6. Declarations of interest (if any): To receive declarations of interest under the Localism Act 2011 – being any pecuniary interest in agenda items not previously recorded on Members’ Register of Interests
• No declarations received
7. Planning update: Town and Country Planning Act 1990 - To consider and make observations on all planning applications received and to note planning approvals, refusals, enforcement complaints and appeal decisions advised by Boston Borough Council.
To Note: - B/23/0356 – Former Village Hall – New plans received, reply required before the next parish council meeting, the clerk contacted councillors via email for their observations. Majority of councillors replied with no objections. (noted)
8. Parish Matters / Matters Arising / Updates
8.1. Street Lights – Ongoing. – Received an invoice for £4, 500.for some of the repairs to the street lights, which has been paid. – Noted by Councillors
8.2. Highway & Roads – Update
• Cllr Roy Pearson advised that there are many potholes all over, Church Road especially
• Cllr Paul Skinner advised that he is dealing with the 30 mph sign along Church Road. No update.
8.3. Levelling up fund - Update: Received email notification of £10,000 grant awarded for the playground refurbishment. The next stage of the process to be notified when received.
• The clerk to ask for updated quotes from the play equipment companies
• A decision to be made in January 2024 meeting.
8.4. Christmas in Freiston – To discuss and resolve
8.4.1 Cllr N Marshall – Update on Christmas Tree via T A Blackamore.
• Cllr Nigel Marshall has confirmed that TA Blackamore is donating the Christmas Tree to Freiston. Thank you to TA Blackamore.
• The clerk has not been able to purchase the agreed lights as they are out of stock, but will continue to look for lights elsewhere.
8.4.2 Cllr B Posey – Update on items purchased for prizes
• Cllr Bridgett Posey purchased 3 boxes of biscuits, for 1st 2nd & 3rd prize.
8.5. Adoption of Policies required – To Agree and Resolve: The clerk sent various policies to the councillors for adoption. To agree and to sign off.
• All councillors agreed to the signing off on the following policies (Adoption)
• Freedom of Information / Data Breach Policy / Complaints Procedure / social media Policy
• All policies to be added to the website.
8.6. Defibrillator positioning – To Discuss & Resolve: Cllr Nigel Marshall reported that a resident was not happy with the new positioning of the defibrillator at the Castle Pub, Wainfleet Road.
• All councillors agreed that moving the defibrillator was the correct thing to do.
• No further action to be taken.
8.7. The Big Borough Clean up – Update – Sunday 29th October 23, Councillors and residents took part in the borough clean up, collecting 20 plus bags of rubbish. Cllr Judith Godwin would like to do this again in 6 months’ time.
Date to be confirmed, and to be added to the March newsletter.
• Cllr Judith Godwin would like to do this event every three months and hopefully get more of the village involved, further details nearer the time.
9. Finance:
9.1 Bank Account: Statement of accounts as at 16th November 2023
• Treasurers Account Balance - £5,999.73
• Business Bank Instant Balance - £77,831.42
9.2 To approve the accounts for payments
• Payments due November - £982.72
• Payments made Oct / Nov - £5,103.99
• Receipts received Nov - £81.53
9.3 Savings Account – Update – The clerk contacted the bank, without success of getting a savings account, As the clerk made a complaint regarding the poor service received, the bank rewarded FPC with £25.00 for the complaint. - Noted
9.3.1 The clerk to continue trying to set up savings account.
• The clerk advised that the savings account was set up on 16th November 2023.
9.4 Draft budget – To Discuss and resolve. The clerk sent an updated budget sheet to all councillors for consideration.
• All councillors resolved the budget for the 2024-2025 year
• All councillors resolved for the precept amount to be increased to £35k from the previous year.
10. Date of next parish council meeting: Thursday 21st December 2023 at 7:30pm
• All councillors agreed that there would not be a meeting in December 2023, the next meeting to be held 18th January 2024.
11. Any other business by leave of the chairman: For January 18th 2024 Agenda.
• Cllr Bridgett Posey mentioned the parking along Church View and the state of the verge along the side of the road by the bus stop and along that verge.
• Cllr Nigel Marshall advised to keep under review and for any ideas to brought to the January agenda.
To Note –As these items were not on the November 2023 agenda, they will go forward to the January 2024 agenda for discussion and decision making.
• Cllr Roy Pearson mentioned the horses along Butterwick Road, being loose.
• Cllr Bridgett Posey mentioned that the flag should not be flying all year round.
With no other business the meeting closed at 20:23pm