December
FOSDYKE PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE MEETING FOR FOSDYKE
PARISH COUNCIL
HELD ON THE 3rd OF DECEMBER 2024 AT 7.30PM
AT FOSDYKE VILLAGE HALL
Present: Cllr J Cropley-Chairman
Cllr K Gratton-Vice Chair
Cllr C Cropley
Cllr M Houssain Cllr A Mowton
In attendance: Mrs B Gratton - Parish Clerk
Miss C Glenn - Administrator
Also present: 12 Members of the Public
12 members of the public attended tonights meeting.
7:30pm - The chairman opened the meeting with a greeting followed by the members of the public being made aware where the fire exits, fire extinguishers and toilets are.
10 Minute public Forum
No comments from the public.
24/67APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
No apologies for absence received.
24/68 TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST UNDER THE LOCALISM ACT 2011
There were no declarations of interest.
24/69Draft minutes of the meeting held on 3/9/24 to be approved and signed by the chairman
Minutes from 3/9/24 were not signed at the last meeting on 5/11/24 as Cllr Mowton at the meeting pointed out mis' quotation, the clerk amended the minutes they were proposed as correct by Cllr Hussain and seconded by Cllr Gratton. The chairman has signed them.
The minutes for the meeting held on the 5/11/24, proposed as correct by Cllr Mowton and seconded as correct by Cllr C Cropley. They were then signed by the chairman.
24/70CORRESPONDENCE
A list of correspondence is attached.
24/71Matters arising from councillors
Update from Steve Ingoldmells regarding minutes not being on the council website. The website has been updated to accommodate the parish council draft minutes and final council meeting minutes. There have been problems with loading the minutes onto the website due to some of the minute's format not being compatible with the website. This has now been amended and resolved
24/72Finance – accounts and financial information
The clerk read out the accounts for Fosdyke Parish Council.
24/73LALC auditor to audit Fosdyke Parish Council 2024-2025
Steve Fletcher from Lalc was the auditor for the year 2023/2024. LALC would like to send us Mr Fletcher for the year 2024/2025. All the Councillors were agreeable to Mr Fletcher returning to Fosdyke Parish Council. Proposed Mr Fletcher audits the council 2025, proposed by Cllr c Cropley and seconded by Cllr houssain.
24/74 Precept and Budget 2025
The precept budget has increased in previous year by 5%. The councillors debated a rise in the precept and the effect this will have on the residents. The clerk said that we have double the precept in the bank, Cllr Mowton said that we do not need a rise. The clerk said that as costs have risen, and the council have spent money on audits and accountancy packages, increase cost in maintenance and wages we may be using up reserve funds. It was decided that an increase of 3% would be appropriate, proposed by Cllr C Cropley, seconded by Cllr Houssain.
The Chairman also mentioned that we still have the street lighting upgrade to pay for, which will be around £14k. A question was raised of does the council pay for the lighting costs, Clerk Gratton is investigating who and how the street lighting is paid for and by whom.
24/75Clerk and Administration pay scales
The LALC advised government pay scale system has been used to keep Fosdyke Parish employes in line with the most up to date pay scale points.
Admin - £12.26 - 2 hours pw Spinal pay scale 2
Clerk - £13.91 - 3.5 hours pw Spinal pay scale 10
24/76administration assistant employment contract to be agreed and signed
Miss C Glenn agreed to contract and signed during the meeting.
24/77decide on appraisal committee for clerk and administrator
The council have agreed on having an appraisal committee for the clerk and administration assistant. Cllr Gratton & Cllr c Cropley will be the two members of the committee for the administrator assistant's appraisal. Cllr Mowton & Hussain will be the appraisers for the clerk.
24/78 SOCIAL MEDIA
Cllr Houssain stated the council Facebook page has 170 followers, 148 visits to its page and has reached 208 people. Cllr houssain also thanked Mr Davisdson on his Facebook post welcoming people out of the cold and into a warm space and was our most viewed post.
24/79 Allotment's expression of interest and vacancy update
Cllr Mowton produced a map, he verbally advised Councillors where the allotments were as the map was not showing any usable content. Cllr Gratton enquired as to the size of the plots, and asked if there were still allotment plot indicators in the allotments. Cllr Mowton said that they did not.
Cllr Mowton has not produced his tenancy agreement and the council have not located their copies. The chairman said that he will contact the archives to seek them out as they are around 40years old.
Cllr Gratton said that she will contact the landlords to also seek relevant paperwork.
Cllr Mowton asked who has enquired about taking on an allotment, the Chairman and Clerk said they under GDPR restrictions this could not be shared in a public meeting. Cllr Mowton said there are no vacant allotments due to them being on a roll over contract. The Clerk replied that one of the tenants passed away meaning that 3 allotments are vacant. The clerk has not had any copies of tenancy paperwork for tenants. The other allotment holders have agreed to work the allotment in the short term only. As the allotment markers have been removed without consent the allotments will need re plotting before they can be re let. Tenancy agreement need to be located and read before the council can proceed. Tenants must not assume they can just keep using the vacant allotments only a short-term agreement with the council.
24/80 Bell Lane speed restrictions
Cllr M Brookes has attended a highways meeting and has updated Fosdyke Parish Council to say that there will be no change to the current 30MPH speed limit on Bell Lane.
The council discussed any possibilities of precautionary advisory signage showing a reduced speed sign/speed limit. The Chairman will contact highways management and propose a 20mph advisory speed limit and also see about speed restrictions however the Chairman does not believe this will be granted as this is a 30MPH road. Residents have mentioned traffic calming measures the council will enquire as to what options are available, and at what cost.
24/81 Highways–Thompson Lane
An application has been for Thompsons Lane to no longer be a public road but a private lane. S116 Highways Act 1980. This has been objected by the council and the application will be available to view on the village notice board, website and Facebook in due course and will be available for public comments. The clerk will reply stating the objection.
24/82Date of next meeting
The date for the next meeting will be held on Tuesday 7thJanuary 2025 at 7:30pm
24/83 Any Other Business
The Christmas lights will be taken down on Saturday 4thJanuary 2025
We have also received a letter from our new local MP asking that he would like to come and see us and be able to advertise in the parish magazine, this has been passed on to the correct correspondence
We welcome you all to the welcoming of our new priest Fr Paul Norwood, his first service shall be on Sunday 7th December at 11:00 am at fosdyke all saint's church
Meeting closed at 20:24HRS.