2024 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

FREISTON PARISH COUNCIL
clerk@freiston-pc.gov.uk

MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD AT THE DANNY FLEAR COMMUNITY CENTRE ON Thursday 16th May 2024, at 7:00pm
Minutes taken by The Clerk: Mrs 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 (Vice Chair), Cllr Peter Bedford, Cllr Roy Pearson, Cllr Amy Marshall, Cllr Judith Godwin, Cllr Shaun Pearson, Cllr Tony Wheeler, Cllr Simon Pearson (arrived 19:08pm) and The Clerk Val Austin.

The meeting was called to order at 19.00pm 

1.   To Elect a Chairman for the ensuring year 2024/2025

On proposal from Cllr Bridgett Posey, and seconded by Cllr Amy Marshall, and with no objections, all councillors resolved for Cllr Nigel Marshall to continue as chair for the ensuring year. 

2.   Signing of the Declaration of Acceptance of Office by the Chairman to be witnessed by the Proper Officer

Cllr Nigel Marshall, accepted the chairmanship, and duly signed and witnessed.

3.   To Elect a Vice Chair for the ensuring year 2024/2025

On proposal from Cllr Peter Bedford, and seconded by Cllr Judith Godwin and with no objections, all councillors resolved for Cllr Bridgett Posey to continue to be the Vice Chair for the ensuring year.

4.   Signing of the Declaration of Acceptance of Office by the Vice Chair to be witnessed by the Proper Officer

Cllr Bridgett Posey, accepted the vice chairmanship, and duly signed and witnessed. 

5.   To appoint representatives for the ensuring year 2024/2025

a)   Appointment of representatives for Highway Matters

Cllr Roy Pearson

b)   Appointment of representatives for the Danny Flear Community Centre

Cllr Nigel Marshall 

6.   Freiston Poor Charity – Annual Report Update – Cllr N Marshall read out the report

See appendix A below.

The Annual Parish Council meeting closed at 19.07pm

The Monthly Parish Council meeting opened at 19.07pm

7.   Chairman to open the meeting:   Cllr Nigel Marshall read out the Chairman’s report 
(See appendix. B – below)

8.   Apologises: To receive and accept apologises where a valid reason for the absence has been given to the clerk prior to the meeting.

9.   Public Forum: To resolve to suspend the meeting for a maximum of 10 minutes to allow members of the public to ask questions or make short statements to the council. 

•   No members of the public were present.

10.    Police Matters: Stats & incidents are available to view on the police website. 

March 2024

11.    Minutes: To approve the minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on the 18th April 2024. To resolve as a correct record and to authorise the Chairman to sign the official minutes.

All councillors resolved for Cllr Nigel Marshall to sign the minutes. 

12.    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

•   None declared 

13.    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 include those received between the day of posting this notice and the day of the meeting.

TPO – Butterwick Primary School – Butterwick Road. 

•   The Councillors support the proposed restrictions, with the following observations.
•   A footpath would be beneficial to walk safely from / to the school in Butterwick to Freiston.
•   Cllr Bridgett Posey, mentioned writing to the school governor’s suggesting using part of their playing field to make a carpark.  

14.   Updates / Discuss and resolve the following items

14.1.   Highway & Roads – Update 

•   Cllr Roy Pearson, had nothing new to report, other than keep reporting to Fixmystreet.

14.2.   Bates Environmental - Noted

The clerk has re-emailed Bates regarding the seeding along the verge, still awaiting a response. 
   
14.3.   Parking along Church View – Update

•   Cllr Judith Godwin, mentioned wooden stakes with signs to stop people parking on the verge, the sign posts to be placed opposite The Post Office and the Butchers. 
•   The area needs to be re-generated, flattened and re-seeded in the autumn.  

14.4.   Newsletter – For councillors to approve for printing.

•   All councillors resolved for the newsletter to go to printing. 

14.5.  Horses Butterwick Road – For Information Only - Noted 

•   The clerk has been informed that two of the three horses have moved to a horse sanctuary. 

14.6.  Love Your Neighbourhood

To discuss and resolve – Do Freiston Parish Council want to enter as Best Village? 

•   All councillors resolved for Freiston PC to be entered into the Best Village category, the councillors to take photos and send to the clerk, for the clerk to enter. 

15.   Finance:

15.1      Bank Account: Statement of accounts as at 16th May 2024

•   Treasurers Account Balance - £1,984.70
•   Business Bank Instant Balance - £40,688.21
•   Fixed Term deposit account - £30,000.00

15.2   To approve the accounts for payments

•   Payments due May 2024 - £3,869.10
•   Payments made in between meetings - £642.43
•   Receipts received May £15,379.30

Please note, that the following items were not on the agenda, but due to time limits needed a response.

15.3   To approve the 2023/2024 End of Year Accounts and the Internal Auditors Report. 

•   Annual Governance & Accountability Return (AGAR) 2024/25, All councillors resolved for the chairman & proper officer to sign the AGAR page 3.

15.4   To approve section 1 & 2 of The Local Councils Annual Return

•   All councillors resolved to agree that the Chairman & the proper officer sign the AGAR sections 1 & 2.

16.   Date of next parish council meeting:  All councillors resolved that the June meeting be postponed to July 2024, therefore the next meeting will be Thursday 18th July 2024 

Noted: The clerk is on holiday from 29th May to 10th June 2024.

17.   Any other business to go forward to the July 20th 2024 Agenda / Note for information. 

•   Cllr Judith Godwin mentioned the mess, rubbish outside the church, which is piled up and does not move. 
•   Cllr Simon Pearson mentioned he will speak to the caretakers at the church
•   Cllr Bridgett Posey suggested the parish council write to the church. The clerk to deal. 

With no other business to go forward to the July meeting, the parish council meeting closed at 19:43pm

Appendix A – Report to the Parish Council – 2023/2024 – Freiston Poor Charity 

During the financial year the Trustees held three meetings. 

The charity board has now been restored and re-dedicated and is in St James’s Church, with thanks to the Parish Council for their support. 

Following the closure of Freiston Senior Citizens, their final bank balance was transferred to the Freiston Poor Charity Account and a piece of the charity land in Mill Lane, Butterwick was sold.

This resulted in increased income, and the Charity has been able to make the annual donations to Freiston Senior Citizens who applied for a heating allowance, adjusting the amount according to age. 
Educational grants were awarded to youngsters attending higher education. 

Appendix B – Chairman’s Report 2023/2024

A big thank you to all the Parish, Borough, and County Councillors for their attendance, comments and support over the last year. 

I’m happy to see the Danny Flear Community Centre and Playing Field well used by all again and the repairs / new play equipment will hopefully add to this. 

The war memorial is still looking great following its renewal in 2022, and the tommie’s improved it further.

It was nice to see the full and half marathon passing through the village again this year, in terrible weather, most people looked to be enjoying themselves.

Thank you, Bridgett (and John) for raising the flags throughout the year and the new 80th D- Day anniversary flag going up soon. 

Pothole repairs have occurred in the village but more new ones keep appearing every day, please keep reporting them on fix my street. 

Thank you to Shaun for hanging the new picture of King Charles in the Danny Flear Hall. 

Thank you to Judith for her continued efforts with the litter picking in the countryside and for organising the two village litter picks. A good effort by all. 

A big thank you to Val for setting up the parish newsletter and to all for giving her ideas and information to include.

A big thank you to all councillors for helping deliver the newsletter around the parish. 

Chairman Nigel Marshall