2018 minutes

October 2018 minutes

SOUTH WITHAM PARISH COUNCILDraft Minutes of the Meeting held on the 2nd Oct 2018 at 7.30pm

Present 18-126 Cllr K Jolley (Chair), Cllr F Parish, Cllr C v Straubenzee, Cllr M Kinning, Cllr P Golding, Cllr C Hodgkin, Cllr White, Cllr S Lansdowne, Mrs H Sandon (parish clerk), LCCllr/SKDCllr R Adams, 2 VHMC members, 1 resident

Apologies for Absence 18-127 Cllr C Ashton

Public Forum 18-128
Janine Costello, representing South Witham Academy attended the meeting to inform SWPC of the Community Project being undertaken to celebrate Armistice Day (100th Anniversary). The children who attend the school art group are going to design and make 100 cushions with vibrant poppy designs which will then be sold for £10 each. There will be two lists to sign up for a cushion, one in the Angel Inn and one with the Community Coffee Group, with sample cushions being put in the local shops and pubs. Posters advertising the initiative to be put up widely around the village and on the village website/Fbook pages. Various cushion materials have already been donated to top up stocks held and the VHMC kindly offered to fund the additional cushion pads required. Witham Wanderers have agreed a donation and other local business funding would be most welcome. A school fundraising coffee morning will also be held. All proceeds raised from the project will then be used to purchase a Commemorative bench for the village, with any surplus monies being donated to the Royal British Legion. Several locations are currently being considered for the bench , with the children then voting to determine the location. The Parish Council agreed to arrange the bench install. Also suggested that a display of some of the cushions would be very fitting to accompany school project work being displayed in the Church for the Armistice service.

Two VHMC members present explained that the current VHMC Chairman Shaun Mason has stepped down and Hannah Wright has taken on the role. Alison Tummon will step down from her Treasurer role in December but will remain on the VHMC and train up a new Treasurer, who is currently being sought.

Receive Declaration of Interests 18-129 none

Notes of the Parish Council monthly meeting held on the 4th Sept 2018 18-130

The notes of the meeting were approved by the Council and signed by the Chair in acceptance as minutes.

Councillor Vacancy 18-131 Resignation received from Cllr Andrea Smith, clerk had displayed the vacancy notices as required, with deadline for calling by-election of 4th October. If none called, clerk to advertise the vacancy to be filled by co option, with all applicants invited to the November PC meeting for short interview.

Financial Matters 18-132

  1. Monthly Accounts SWPC total bank balance £19,968.79, BMM £19695.87, Play Project BMM £272.92. Payments made; 1)PKF ( 2017/18 external audit fee)£240.00 2) Parish Clerk ( includes. 2 website domain renewals) £684.09, 3) Janine Costello ( Sept street cleaning) £224.00, 4) Webster ( VH rec grass cutting Jul/Aug x 3 cuts) £216.00, 5) BHF ( contribution to defibrillator- VHMC to refund) £600.00, 6) Pat Dedynski, Garden Club Chair (refund for plants/ compost for Broadgate Rd trough) £27.00.

Clerk had submitted the PC vat return for period 10/10/17 – 30/9/18, £3371.50. Cllr van Straubenzee advised that Mr Elson is to cut the cemetery hedge, cost £180 plus vat.

  1. Audit of 2017/18 Accounts

PKF Accountants had completed /signed off SWPC’s External Audit, with no issues recorded. Clerk had displayed the statutory notice of completion of audit/certified AGAR as required.

Clerk’s and Councillors’ reports on ; 18-133

  1. Village Hall, Cllr Jolley i) roof Roof repairs taking place this week by Tim Smith (as agreed by Cllrs after reviewing all quotes), cost £4600 with scaffolding erected by Rutland Scaffolding £3620 plus vat. Tim Smith has also provided a quote for maintenance to windows, stripping and restaining varnish (2 coats) for 18 windows £750, Cllrs agreed that this should be done at same time, whilst scaffolding is in place.

  2. VH lease Current 3 yr lease with VHMC expires on the 31st March 2019. Meeting between SWPC/ VHMC to review/ make any changes to the lease to take place in Jan 2019, therefore Cllrs and VHMC asked to review the lease and give any suggested changes to Cllr Jolley as soon as possible.

  3. Other Hot water problem has been fixed by Paul Dalby, who has replaced the faulty valve (still under guarantee). Cllr Jolley to change boiler settings to Winter hours. Cllr Jolley had fixed the VH electric meter door.