May 2025 Minutes (Annual Meeting)
Minutes of the Grainthorpe Annual Parish Council Meeting held at Grainthorpe Methodist Chapel Schoolroom, High Street, Grainthorpe LN11 7JA, on Wednesday 14th May 2025 at 7.00 PM
Present: Councillors: Cllr Crabtree (elected Chairman), Hibberd, Jackson and Warrilow.
In attendance: The Parish Clerk.
Cllr Hibberd (Vice-Chair) opened the meeting and chaired agenda item 1
01:05/25 To elect a Chair
a) To elect a Chair for the year 2025/2026. The elected Member shall sign a declaration of acceptance of office, witnessed by the Proper Officer.
RESOLVED: That Cllr Crabtree be elected as Chair for the year 2025/2026.
Cllr Crabtree took the chair from this point.
b) To appoint a Vice-Chairman for the year 2025/2026
RESOLVED: That Cllr Warrilow be appointed as Vice-Chair for the year 2025/2026.
02:05/25 Declarations of Interest
a) To record declarations of interest by any member of the council in respect of the agenda items listed below. Members declaring interests should identify the agenda item and type of interest being declared.
None
b) To note dispensations given to any member of the council in respect of the agenda items listed below.
None
03:05/25 Apologies for Absence
To receive any apologies sent to the Clerk from Members not able to attend the meeting.
04:05/25 Open Forum
a) Members of the public may make representations in respect of the business on the agenda.
No members of the public were present.
b) To receive reports from County and District Councillors.
ELDC District Cllr Rickett had given a report at the Annual Parish Meeting that preceded this meeting.
05:05/25 Minutes of the Previous Meeting(s)
To approve the minutes of the previous meeting(s).
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of Wednesday 12th March 2025 be approved as a true record.
06:05/25 Co-option
To consider co-option of one Member to the Parish Council.
This item was skipped as no applicant was present.
07:05/25 Committee Membership
a) To appoint 3 members to the Personnel Committee.
RESOLVED: That Cllrs Crabtree, Jackon and Warrilow be appointed to the Personnel Committee.
b) To appoint one representative to the GCVA.
RESOLVED: That Cllr Hibberd be appointed as the representative for the GCVA.
08:05/25 Meeting Dates
To agree dates for meetings 2025/2026.
RESOLVED: That the following meeting dates be approved.
Wednesday 9th July 2025
Wednesday 10th September 2025
Wednesday 12th November 2025
Wednesday 14th January 2026
Wednesday 11th March 2026
Wednesday 13th May 2026
09:05/25 Finance & Governance
a) To approve payment of accounts.
RESOLVED: That the following payments be approved: -
|
T Kuzemczak |
Wages Month 12 Yr 24-25 |
£XXX |
|
T Kuzemczak |
Wages Month 1 |
£XXX |
|
T Kuzemczak |
WFH Allowance Month 12 Yr 24-25 |
£7.50 |
|
T Kuzemczak |
WFH Allowance Month 1 |
£7.50 |
|
O2 |
Telephone Bill |
£13.20 |
|
O2 |
Telephone Bill |
£14.18 |
|
LCC |
Speed Sign Post Installation |
£200.00 |
|
Ionos (reimburse T Kuzemczak) |
Domain & Email |
£7.20 |
|
Ionos (reimburse T Kuzemczak) |
Domian & Email |
£8.08 |
|
HMRC |
Tax/NI Feb 25-Apr 25 |
£155.80 |
|
A Shaw |
Internal Audit |
£100.00 |
|
Lloyds Bank |
Monthly Bank Fee |
£4.25 |
|
Lloyds Bank |
Monthly Bank Fee |
£4.25 |
b) To confirm deadlines for AGAR submission – end June 2025
RESOLVED: That the deadline be noted.
c) To review Council’s subscriptions: -
• LALC –Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils
RESOLVED: That the LALC subscription for 2025-2026 be approved.
d) To review direct debits: -
• HMRC – tax and national insurance
• O2 – mobile phone bills
• ICO – annual subscription
• Ionos – domain and email
RESOLVED: That the payments by direct debit be approved.
e) To review council assets and inventory.
RESOLVED: That the asset register be approved.
f) To review delegation arrangements.
RESOLVED: That the Scheme of Delegation be approved.
g) To review Standing Orders and Financial Regulations.
RESOLVED: That the Standing Orders and Financial Regulations be approved.
h) To review the Council’s employment policies and procedures.
RESOLVED: That the Disciplinary and Grievance Policies be approved.
i) To review the Council’s policies, procedures and practices in respect of its obligations under freedom of information and data protection legislation.
RESOLVED: That the Data Protection Policy be approved.
j) To review of the Council’s complaints procedure.
RESOLVED: That the Complaints Procedure be approved.
k) To review of the Council’s policy for dealing with the press/media.
RESOLVED: That the Press and Media Policy be approved.
l) To review arrangements for insurance cover in respect of all insurable risks and to receive quotations for insurance renewal.
RESOLVED: That the quotation from Zurich Municipal for £365.74 be approved.
m) To review the Council’s financial risk assessment.
RESOLVED: That the risk assessment be approved.
n) To approve year end accounts 2024-2025.
RESOLVED: That the year-end accounts for the year 2024-2025 be approved.
o) To receive the internal audit.
RESOLVED: That the internal audit be noted.
p) To approve the Annual Governance Statement 2024-2025 (AGAR Section 1).
RESOLVED: That the Annual Governance Statement 2024-2025 (AGAR Section 1 be approved.
q) To approve the Accounting Statements 2024-2025 (AGAR Section 2).
RESOLVED: That the Accounting Statements 2024-2025 (AGAR Section 2) be approved.
r) To approve the Certificate of Exemption.
RESOLVED: That the Certificate of Exemption be approved.
s) To note the dates for the exercise of public rights – Tuesday 3rd June 2025 – Monday 14th July 2025.
RESOLVED: That the dates be noted.
t) To receive an update from LCC regarding one lighting column purchased by the Parish Council that has now been removed from the Asset Register.
The new location (from 2013) was installed outside the gate entrance to St Clement’s Church. Quotation for works for LCC to install the column was approved by Grainthorpe Parish Clerk (30/07/2012). The column now comes under the shared service agreement LCC have with ELDC, showing LCC maintain the asset for the council and ELDC is the owner
RESOLVED: That the information be noted.
t) To receive a report from the Clerk on bank interest rates and review the bank accounts and signatories.
RESOLVED: That the Council will switch its bank accounts to Unity Trust Bank and that Cllrs Crabtree, Hibberd, Jackson, and Warrilow be added to the new bank mandate.
u) To adopt a Code of Conduct
RESOLVED: That the Code of Conduct be adopted.
10:05/25 Planning
a) Planning Decisions:
To note any planning decisions received since the previous meeting.
i) PROPOSAL: Section 73 application to vary condition 2 (approved plans) previously imposed on planning permission ref. no. N/062/01097/23 for the change of use of existing outbuildings to form 2no. holiday cottages.
LOCATION: PHEASANT LODGE, MARSH LANE, GRAINTHORPE, LOUTH, LN11 7JP
APPROVED
b) Planning Applications:
None received.
11:05/25 Highways & Public Rights of Way
a) To receive any updates on the Quickline cabinet.
RESOLVED: That the Clerk reiterates to Quickline that the Parish Council has already sent information and is awaiting a response.
b) To agree the terms and conditions of the LCC Parish Agreement for grass cutting.
RESOLVED: That the terms and conditions be approved.
c) To receive any quotations for grass cutting and award the contract.
Two quotations had been received.
RESOLVED: That a quotation from N Cook Agricultural Contractor for £240 + VAT per cut be approved.
d) To resolve any comment on the LCC draft public rights of way improvement plan.
RESOLVED: That no comment be made.
e) To receive an update on the order for two additional ‘repeater signs’ from LCC.
It was reported that the minimum order for BACS payment is £50. The signs are £20 each and the Council had previously agreed to purchase two at a cost of £40.
RESOLVED: That the order be not progressed at this time.
f) To receive any other correspondence or highways issues raised by Members.
No correspondence had been received.
12:05/25 East Lindsey Investment Fund GRASSroots Grant Scheme (ELIF)
To receive information on grant funding.
Cllr Crabtree had researched this funding for the GCVA.
13:05/25 LALC Training Scheme
To note that the Parish Council’s subscription has ended, and to receive information on resubscribing.
RESOLVED: That the Council will book training on a pay per session basis rather than entering into the annual contract.
14:05/25 Churchyard Grass Cutting
a) To receive a response to the offer of donation of mower to the PCC for cutting of the churchyard and respond to the question asked.
RESOLVED: That the equipment be provided as a one-off contribution.
b) To consider a payment of £150 towards grass cutting in the churchyard.
RESOLVED: That a payment of £150 be made towards the grass cutting in the churchyard, and that this payment shall be reviewed annually when the budgets are set.
15:05/25 Next Meeting
a) To report to the Clerk any agenda items for the next meeting.
• District Cllr Community Funding
• Anglian Water Fencing
b) To agree the date of the next meeting - Wednesday 9th July 2025
RESOLVED: That the date be noted.
The meeting closed at 8.39PM