Minutes 2025

February 2025

CLAXBY PARISH COUNCIL

Draft minutes of the meeting held on 11th February 2025 at 7.30 p.m.

Present: Cllrs D Lofthouse (Chair) B Hunter (Vice Chair) C Saywell, J Pilbrow, 

J Lofthouse, R De Smit

Also present: The Clerk, Cllr Stephen Bunney (County Councillor)

Public Forum - no members of the public attended

 

1. Apologies for Absence – None from the PC. Cllr Tom Smith (District Councillor) had emailed to say he was otherwise engaged.

2. Declarations of Interest - none

3. To approve minutes of meetings held on 2nd December 2024. It was RESOLVED to accept the minutes as presented, and they were duly signed.

4. Chair & Council’s Comments and matters arising from the minutes. 

  • Claxby Platts: An abandoned car bumper had been reported by a resident who will continue to liaise with the new owner. 
  • 3 of the bags of daffodil bulbs from Rotary were distributed around the village. One of the bags was worth about £480. Action: Clerk to send email of thanks. 
  • Helen Gamble had reported that Country File was interested in filming progress on the Community Field, but nothing came of it.
  • Cllrs D and J Lofthouse will attend a Zoom meeting on National Planning Policy Framework training.
  • Rectory has been sold and was currently being renovated.

5. Clerk’s Report on outstanding matters. 

  • Community Field: Tables and bench had been delivered and paid for. The fencing had been completed, and the invoice had been paid. After a visit from Helen Gamble to inspect the work done, the full grant to pay for tables, benches and fencing had been received.
  • Precept: The WLDC Finance Department sent through the final "Parish Model" on 17th December which revealed that the Council can increase the precept from £6500 to £6636 without having any impact on the Council Tax for residents, so it was agreed to claim the latter amount.
  • After the heavy rains, blocked drains and culverts on Normanby Rise were reported and the clerk notified WLDC via Fix My Street. WLDC informed us that these were not their responsibility but that of the landowner.
  • : Clerk to liaise with Cllr Bunney to ascertain responsibility for these areas.
  • Cllrs Saywell, D. Lofthouse and the clerk met with 2 members of the planning enforcement department to discuss certain planning applications about which queries had been raised by parishioners. 

 

6. WLDC and LCC Councillor updates.

  • Cllr Bunney reported that works would be commenced on repairs on Pelham Rd on 13th February. These will be temporary repairs until the weather is drier, when more long-lasting repairs would be made.
  • Neighbourhood policing will be withdrawn from rural areas.
  • Council Reform: The Mayoral Authority has now been appointed. (This is a non-elected body). The Mayoral elections will be on May 1st. They will be overseeing (among other things) education and transport.
  • Local Government reform – the central Government proposal is to create a unitary council for the whole area. However, Local Council elections will still be held this year, so the district council is safe for the time being. Some Parish Councils’ assets may be owned by the larger authority, but in other respects Parish Councils will continue as they are.
  • Household food waste collections will start in 12 months’ time.

7. Finance: 

  • Review Financial Regulations. Cllr Saywell had issues with the formatting. 
  • : Clerk: Remove old document from the website. Download the new LALC Financial Regulations. Cllr D Lofthouse and clerk to look at and adapt this and then circulate prior to next meeting. 
  • Review clerk’s salary and resolve to accept new rates from 1/4/24 and clerk’s claim for backpay. It was RESOLVED to agree the new rates and the claim for backpay. 
  • Approve Schedule of Payments (see Appendix A). It was RESOLVED to accept the schedule.
  • Account balances as at 31/12/24

Unity savings £1767.97

Unity Current a/c £1937.12

Claxby Village Hall a/c £2287.85

Claxby Village Hall savings a/c £6040.66

 

8. Planning applications. None

9. Correspondence. LALC eNews. Cllr Saywell pointed out that JPAG is now replaced by Small Authorities body (SAPPP) with the intention of simplifying procedures for small councils, including the AGAR. 

The NHT Public survey. This was completed by Cllr De Smit and submitted by the clerk on behalf of the Council.

10.Councillors’ Responsibilities 

  • Resolve to establish and recognise Village Environment group – to include village environment and local highways. Cllr de Smit agreed to head this up, after being given more guidance on what was required. Action: Clerk and Cllr de Smit to liaise. 
  • Responsibility for Safeguarding. Cllr J Lofthouse agreed to be the Safeguarding Lead but pointed out that all Councillors have a responsibility for safeguarding. Groups that hire the hall should have their own safeguarding policies in place and it is the Village Hall Committee’s responsibility to ensure that the groups have such a policy. There are training courses available, and these would inform what the role entails. Cllr Saywell asked that the Safeguarding procedure be shared so that everyone was clear on their role.

11. Emergency Plan – appoint EPGTL and EPGATL. As no-one had come forward Cllr D Lofthouse agreed to write a newsletter asking for volunteers for this and for the Environment Group. This led to a wider discussion, with the chair asking for suggestions for other items to be included in the next newsletter.

12. Policies:

  • Review Grievance Policy. 
  • Review Disciplinary Policy.
  • : Download the new LALC versions to replace the existing ones. It was RESOLVED to adopt the updated policies.

Cllr Saywell agreed to track updates to policies as they are published and present them to Council.

He also agreed to forward some outstanding corrections to current published policies.

13. Village Hall: 

  • The Village Hall Committee’s report was noted. (Appendix B)
  • In addition, Cllr D Lofthouse questioned the need for annual stairlift servicing when it is barely used and will contact the supplier to confirm servicing requirements. 
  • He also suggested continuing to offer the hall free to villagers. It was RESOLVED to continue this offer. 

14. Village Field: 

  • The Community Field Committee’s report was noted. (Appendix C)
  • In addition, it was reported that moles have become a problem in the play area. Cllr Hunter agreed to set traps. The safety sign is arriving 12/2/25. Semi-permanent anchors for the tables and chairs will be installed when the weather allows. A rotten table will be removed.

15. Planning issues: It was agreed to check the planning portal for further applications and monitor any changes. 

16. Clerk’s contract: There is no change to the current contract. It was resolved that holiday pay and any changes to the contract would be reviewed and Cllr Saywell agreed to do this. Cllrs de Smit and Saywell to attend a webinar on forthcoming changes to employment legislation and the implications for small employers, feeding back to the PC.

17. Clerk’s annual appraisal. To be arranged with the chair.

18. Agenda items and date for next meeting. 

Financial Regulations/Safeguarding/Emergency Plan/Environment Group/Recruitment of Councillor/Councillor’s Responsibilities. Review Standing Orders.

 

Next meeting:  6th May at 7 p.m. for Annual Parish Meeting to be followed immediately by Parish Council meeting

 

Meeting closed at 9.35 p.m.