13 May 2025 Minutes (Annual Council Meeting)
Billingborough Parish Council
Minutes of the annual meeting of Billingborough Parish Council held on 13 May 2025 in the Sports Pavilion at the Recreation ground.
Present: Cllrs C Woodhead (Chairman), M Turner (until 18.48), C Williamson, A Sharpe, J Tweddle, J Green
In Attendance: H Beaver (Clerk). 1 member of the public, C. Cllr M Hill, (from 18.26 – 18.42).
The meeting started at 18.26
1. Election of Chairman and signing of Chairman’s Acceptance of Office form.
12. It was Resolved for Cllr Woodhead to continue as Chairman, she signed the Acceptance of Office form, witnessed by the Clerk.
2. Election of Vice Chairman and signing of Vice Chairman’s Acceptance of Office form.
13. It was RESOLVED for Cllr Williamson to continue as Vice Chairman, he signed the Acceptance of Office form, witnessed by the Clerk.
3. Confirmation of Councillors and signing of Acceptance of Office forms. -not required.
4. Apologies for absence.
14. Apologies for absence had been received by Cllr Middlebrook, it was resolved to accept her apologies.
5. Approve draft minutes of the EG meeting held 8 April 2025.
15. It was resolved to accept the minutes as circulated, the Chairman signed the minutes.
6. To consider any requests from Members for a dispensation on any items on the agenda. To agree, or not, by resolution to any dispensations, including voting rights. – none received.
7. Appointment of Members to designated Roles & Responsibilities:
a. Allotments, b. Aveland Field Project(?), c. Cemetery/ including development,
d. Church Rep. e. Cricket Club/Pavilion Rep, f. Emergency Plan/Flood co-ord,
g. Entrance planters, h. Finance, i. Newsletter Editor, j. Police liaison(?), k. Primary School Rep, l. Recreation Grd/CCTV. m. Speed signs/Parking. n. Springwells, o. Tenancy and Contracts, p. Toller Educational Foundation Rep, q. Village Hall Rep, r. Youth Probation Co-ord(?)
16. Members agreed that there was currently no need to have a representative for the Aveland Field project, a tenancy and contract Cllr, or a Youth Probationer co-ordinator. The remainder of the roles were filled by members volunteering and these are to be listed on the website. Clerk to action.
8. Appointment of 3 Members to form a HR Committee and elect its Chairman.
17. Councillors Tweddle, Sharpe and Green were elected as the HR Committee Members.
9. To Adopt the Council Policies and Procedures, and agree to adopt changes to Standing Orders: Cemetery Regs, CCTV Code of Practice, CCTV Policy, Cllr expenses Policy, Code of Conduct, Co-Option Policy and Proc, Complaints Proc, Data Protection/Publication /Freedom of Information Policy, Discipline and Grievance Policy, Environment Policy, Equal Opps Policy, GDPR Privacy Notice, Financial Regs, Grants and Donations Policy, Health and Safety policy, Risk management Policy, safeguarding Policy, Social Media Policy, and amendments to Standing orders.
18. It was resolved to adopt all policies as reviewed in March 2025, and to adopt the amendments to the standing orders as advised by LALC.
10. To adopt Statements/Terms of Reference: Cllr Statement of Internal Control/HR Comm Terms of Ref’.
19. It was resolved to adopt the Statement of Internal Control and the Terms of Reference for the HR Committee.
11. To review the findings from the checks carried out by Councillors during March 2025 on all Council assets, to evaluate if any action is required and to allocate tasks if required and to adopt the asset register as circulated.
20. It was resolved to accept the asset register as circulated. All assets had been checked by Cllrs at the year end, other than minor repairs to the noticeboard and the planters, the latter which had already been rectified, the remaining recommendations were for items to be cleaned, which Cllrs decided they would allocate doing amongst themselves.
12. Finance Report – RFO
a) 2024/25 End of Year Accounts & External Audit Return and Accts to 30/4/25
i. To review and approve the End of Year Internal Audit report.
21. It was resolved to approve the end of year internal audit report.
ii. To approve and sign the Annual Governance Statement.
22. It was resolved to approve the Annual Governance Statement, the Chairman and the Clerk signed the statement.
iii. To approve and sign the Accounting Statement.
23. The Clerk presented the previously circulated Accounting Statement that had been signed by the RFO at the time of completion, it was resolved to approve the Statement, the Chairman signed the Statement.
iv. To approve the end of year accounts.
24. It was resolved to approve the end of year accounts as circulated.
b) To Approve the previously circulated accts to the end of April 2025 - deferred.
c) To approve payment of expenditure listed on the payment schedule.
25. It was resolved to approve the invoices for expenditure as listed, two Councillors signed the listing.
d) To receive a report from Cllr turner for financial checks carried out on invoices for Jan-April 2025 inclusive – deferred.
e) To review the need for any action or budgeting required regarding riparian rights at the cemetery- deferred.
f) To consider, as the first bi annual review of the year, if all variable direct debits are still required and valid.
26. The previously circulated list was reviewed and it was resolved to accept the list as presented, two Councillors signed the list.
13. Clerk’s Report and any matters arising.
27. The Clerk reported that as at the end April 2025 the total monies in both accounts totalled £70, 013.37. Horbling Parish Clerk had replied to say that he and at least one Horbling Councillor would attend. She also confirmed that the sand and sand bags had been delivered.
14. Admin Matters:
a) To consider any planning applications.
28. Planning App S25/0762 submitted by the owners of the Fortescue Arms, to convert the stables and coach house in to six short term holiday lets was briefly discussed. It was decided that as there was already a group involved with the future of the Fortescue, potentially with it becoming a Building of Community Interest, it would be better to establish their viewpoint for consideration.
b) To set a date for the Clerk’s Appraisal – deferred.
c) To resolve to agree the request from the Village Hall Committee to support its’ request for grant funding.
29. It was resolved to support this request.
15. Village matters:
a) Update on the Commemorative plaque for the Hall Field.
30. The Clerk advised that the Company had agreed to replace the sign if the Parish Council would agree return the original sign at its own cost. It was RESOLVED to agree to this proposal.
b) Flood/Emergency Plan – update on any flooding related issues and to discuss arrangements for the emergency planning meeting arranged for June 11 at the Village Hall.
31. It was felt that although the reports received from the EA were quite comprehensive, they didn’t really answer any questions and the further questions to be posed by the flood committee would be welcome and supported.
16. Recreation ground:
a) To update on any works carried out following the annual inspection of the Recreation Ground and cleaning carried out by the Scouts, to establish if any further action/budget is required.
32. A regular maintenance programme was discussed and a proposal to purchase a strimmer for the Parish Council’s use was put forward, it was decided to obtain quotes for this for the next meeting. It was also decided to ask in the newsletter that the Council be notified if any cleaning at the recreation ground is required.
b) To receive a report regarding the legionella monitoring.
33. Cllr Tweddle reported that there was some plumbing work that still needed doing to fulfil compliance. It was decided that Cllr Tweddle would get some quotes for the next meeting.
c) To update on pavilion works completed (patio), and to review any quotes or grant funding applications received.
34. Members thanked the Cricket Club members for the work they had done on the patio, which everyone agreed was looking good. It was resolved that if grant funding could be sourced needing a twenty per cent contribution from the Parish council, a budget of £500 was set as a limit for the 20% contribution.
d) Biodiversity project – update. – deferred.
e) Update on any advancement/research regarding possible update to tennis court area.
35. Questions to ask local schools and clubs were clarified. Answers to be reported back at the next meeting.
17. Cemetery - To consider any further quotes received for the installation of railings to replace the current gates. – Deferred.
18. To consider any applications for co-option – none received.
Next meeting: Tuesday 8 July at the Pavilion, Recreation Ground.
APPENDIX A: Payments from 1/4 to 30/4/25
|
DATE |
PAYEE |
AMOUNT |
|
1/04/25 |
LALC ATS |
192.00 |
|
1/04/25 |
LALC |
393.48 |
|
2/04/25 |
SKDC |
187.13 |
|
9/04/25 |
HMRC |
79.29 |
|
10/04/25 |
S’WELLS C’TAKER |
122.79 |
|
10/04/25 |
CLLR WOODHEAD |
13.49 |
|
10/04/25 |
HERITAGE PROPERTY SERVICES |
1887.46 |
|
22/04/25 |
SKDC |
58.00 |
|
22/04/25 |
SMARTEST ENERGY |
27.00 |
|
25/04/25 |
ICCM |
186.00 |
|
25/04/25 |
ICCM |
105.00 |
APPENDIX B: RECEIPTS RECEIVED 1/4-30/4/25
|
DATE |
FROM |
AMOUNT |
|
3/04/2025 |
SKDC |
19500.00 |
|
17/04/2025 |
SKDC |
926.64 |
|
23/04/2025 |
B.A.G.S. |
540.00 |
APPENDIX C: Transactions for authorisation on 13 MAY 2025
|
PAYEE |
DESCRIPTION |
AMOUNT |
|
CLERK |
MAY SALARY |
949.52 |
|
CLERK |
OFFICE ALLOWANCE MAY |
25.00 |
|
BLOSSOM BOOKKEEPING |
PAYROLL 25-26 |
200.00 |
|
CPRE |
SUBSCRIPTION 25-26 |
36.00 |
|
COMPLETE WEED CONTROL |
VILLAGE MAINTENANCE |
516.00 |
|
REC CARETAKER |
APRIL/MAY |
593.75 |
|
SPRINGWELLS CARETAKER |
APRIL/MAY |
200.00 |
|
CEMETERY CARETAKER |
APRIL/MAY |
200.00 |
|
COMMUNITY CLEANER |
APRIL/MAY |
433.38 |
SIGNED: CLLR WILLIAMSON
SIGNED: CLLR TWEDDLE