May 2022 Minutes AM
BLANKNEY PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Blankney Parish Council held on Thursday 26th May 2022 at 7.15pm in the Old Estate Office Annex Blankney
Cllr John F Money
Blankney Parish Council Clerk
johnfmoney@gmail.com
Telephone 01526 320323
1. Appointment of Chairman and Vice Chairman. The Chairman Cllr Richard W Parker indicated he wished to resign both the Chairmanship and in his position as a Member of the council after some debate the Chairman agreed to continue in the role (if elected by Members) in the short term until a replacement can be sourced. It was Proposed by the Vice Chairman Cllr Dermot Spurrier and seconded by Cllr Ian Mair that Cllr Richard W Parker continue as Chairman in the short term (recognising he will resign at the next PC meeting) all Members were in favour
Cllr John Money proposed Cllr Dermot Spurrier continues as Vice Chairman, this motion was seconded by Cllr Trevor Pearson and carried unanimously. When accepting the post he reminded Members he may not be standing for re-election at the next poll to be held next year (the date of Thursday 4th May 2023 was confirmed by Cllr Jason Robb) as he doesn’t think he will be able to meet the residency criteria.
It was further agreed the Clerk should set the co-option process in motion to co-opt a new Member to the Parish Council, the Clerk has been notified Cllr Tim Banks is very interested in joining the Parish Council. The Clerk assured Members all the correct procedures would be followed and a meeting would be arranged in due course proposed by the Chairmen, seconded by the VC and carried unanimously.
2. Apologies for Absence. Cllr Tim Banks
3. Minutes of the previous meeting (already signed and communicated to NKDC) but noted.
4. Declarations of Interest, None, the Chairman reminded Members any interest that becomes apparent during the meeting may be made at any time.
5. Adoption of Parish Council Policies and Procedures. The Chairman asked Members if they were happy with the policies as set out by the Clerk and if so he would propose they are adopted en bloc, including the revised Code of Conduct adopted by the District Council, seconded by Cllr Dermot Spurrier and carried unanimously.
(i) Standing Orders
(ii) Financial Regulations
(iii) Code of Conduct
(iv) Risk Assessment
(v) Complaints Policy
(vi) Data Protection Policy
(vii) Grants Policy
(viii) Recruitment and Selection Policy
(ix) Equality @ Discrimination Policy
The Chairman said considering there were no members of the public present he intended to carry on and Section 12a of the Local Government Act 1972: where members of the press and members of the public would be asked to leave the meeting did not apply
6. Finance. Copies of the draft accounts had been circulated to Members by the Clerk/Responsible Financial Officer, after some debate it was agreed to accept these draft accounts and instructed the Clerk/RFO to send them to the Auditors - proposed by the VC seconded by the Chairman and carried unanimously.
The debate on finances continued while it was accepted the Local Government Act 1972 states the Clerk/RFO while being a Member of the Council (and for 12 months after they resign) cannot be a paid employee of the Council. That said it was agreed the Clerk should be paid expenses on evidence and demand, not exceeding £1,800.00 p/a as set out in the Governance Toolkit for Parish & Town Councils published by a partnership between the National Association of Local Councils, the Society of Local Council Clerks, the Standards Board for England and the Association of Council Secretaries and Solicitors, endorsed by the Local Government Association all as set out on page 14, paragraph 10.0 this document has been furnished to Members the Clerk has been assured the payment of these types of expenses are allowable by the PC's auditors providing they are agreed in principle by the Members and signed off by the officers. it was further agreed the Clerk should be reimbursed all the money (identified in the draft accounts) he has expended on the Parish Councils behalf in the period when the Parish Council didn’t have a bank account and was unable to pay its outgoings. Proposed by the Chairman, seconded by Cllr Jason Robb and unanimously carried.
It was further agreed a premises risk assessment will have to be carried out at the Clerks Aisling House Scopwick so it can carry on being used as the Parish Council office with all signage, disabled access and visitor car parking indicated, the Clerk to procure these items and services, again proposed by the Chairman, seconded by Cllr Jason Robb and carried unanimously.
7. Correspondence. The Clerk assured all Members correspondence of worth (less promotional material) is circulated and actioned where necessary
8. Position of the Clerk to the Council. Previously discussed in finance
9. Date of the next meeting. To be arranged
The Chairman closed the meeting at 7.45pm and thanked everyone for attending
John
John F Money