Annual Parish Meetings

CLAXBY PARISH MEETING

Minutes of the ANNUAL CLAXBY PARISH MEETING held on Tuesday 6th May 2025 at 7.00 p.m. Village Hall, Claxby

Attendees: All members of the Parish Council and clerk. No other parishioners attended.

1. To approve and sign draft minutes of the previous meeting held 14th May 2024. The minutes were duly signed by the current Chair of the Council.

2(a). To receive the Chairman’s report on Village activities and events during the past year.

• Potholes, particularly on access roads to the village, are still a serious problem
• The flooding at the A46 junction has to some extent been rectified.
• The clerk continues to monitor and develop the Parish Council Website which is a good source of information and news for the village.
• A couple of H&S issues were rectified: steps and gate into dog walking area and vegetation from footpath between Bristow’s Corner and Crossways
• Thanks to volunteers from the Council and the Parish for all the work that had been done on the hall and field.
• To comply with legal requirements, under the Occupiers Liability Act 1957, 1984 a sign for the community field has been purchased and erected.
• The donation from Rotary of four 25kg bags of daffodil bulbs and 6000 “White Trophy” Ornithogalum(Star of Bethlehem) bulbs were split into 2kg and 250g bags respectively and distributed to villagers
• The sad passing of Wendy Roe and Ken Griffin was noted
• Requests for memorial benches in field/dog-walking area had been received
• Thanks to volunteers from LCC Councillor Volunteer Scheme for work undertaken (see VH and CF reports) in cleaning road signs and finger posts.
• One new councillor was co-opted; there is still one vacancy
• The Open Church event in May showcased many details of life in Claxby, both past and present
• The car park combination lock has now been fitted, and new picnic tables and seating in the field have been installed along with new fencing in the dog walking area
• A “Picnic in the Park” event to highlight the new playground was organised by the VH and CF committees on September 14th. It was attended and enjoyed by over 50 people; PC games were also available
• The “Wimbledon Strawberry Cream Tea” (July 3rd) event received £123.70 in donations, enough topurchase enough grey gingham material to make tablecloths for all the Village Hall tables and to make a number of strings of bunting to be used at special occasions
• The hall has been used as a Polling Station on two occasions; for the General Election, 98 residents cast their ballot
• MRAASG hired the hall 21st Feb for their fortnightly meeting as the regular meeting place was unavailable. Their safeguarding policy was provided so the hire could go ahead.
• Village games have been borrowed on a number of occasions
• Helen Gamble (LWCS) used to VH to showcase the Wolds to representatives from the Natural Landscapes from across the north of England
• Work by the new owner continues to improve Platts Wood
• The Old Rectory was purchased at auction and is currently being restored
• An Environment Group has been set up.
• Thanks to the clerk and all councillors for their continued work during the year

2(b) Village Hall update May 6th 2025

• Continuing weekly and monthly checks
• Dehumidifier being used on a regular basis, removing approximately  2.5l water per day 
• Slope was gritted on a few occasions Dec/Jan
• Display of artworks on-going
• Talk by Age UK on benefits availability, also covered possible phone, internet, banking scams.
•  Stairlift service to be every 3-4 years as confirmed by Obam Stairlifts (supplier)
• Now checking the EPG grey box – walkie-talkie batteries low on charge and are now charged 
• CVS Volunteers painted black railings at front and brown timber fencing at side and rear. They also laid angular gravel to side of hall

VH Usage April 2024 to March 2025

Figures for 2022 to 2023          255

Figures for 2023 to 2024          224

Community Field report

Volunteer work continued in the village field which included work along the perimeter -preparing seed bedsand sowing grass seed as well as continuing to prepare the land for the new play equipment and removing the remaining old equipment that could no longer be mended.

The installation of the new play equipment, supplied by Wicksteed, was slightly delayed due to poorweather conditions. However, we were able to re-open the play area by mid-August after the installation andAnnual Play Inspection had taken place. A regular visual assessment of the area is undertaken, checking the play equipment as well as the immediate area – seats, litter bin, land condition.

A Picnic in the Park event was held on 14th September to celebrate the new play area. This was well supported by villagers, their friends and family.

In October, the field and village hall were visited by Helen Gamble and some of her colleagues from theNorthern group from National Landscapes as she showcased some of her funding projects.

We were able to gain further funding from the National Landscapes grant scheme. This has enabled us tobuy two inclusive picnic tables and a new seat. These are now in situ. We were also able to renew and extend fencing in the lower field using the grant funding.

There is now a new information board at the entrance to the play park. This replaces a number of the old signs and meets the legal requirements for the play area.

Access to the car park in the village field has been improved. We are currently trialling the use of a combination lock so that residents can use the car park when visiting the field.

3. To receive a report on current Parish Council finances from the Responsible Finance Officer.

• The RFO reported that total receipts into the Parish Council account for the year were £24715.28 

This was made up of: 

• Precept of £6500 
• Grant from WLDC of £5000
• Grants from LCC of £3640.08
• Reclaimed VAT of £9537.19
• Donations of £38.01

• In addition to this, the Village Hall is generating its own income from donations and, by the end of March, payments into the account amounted to £1326.95
• Parish Council Expenditure for 24/25 was £66435.27 and village hall expenditure was £1469.43. (Playground equipment cost £54,000, and bench and tables cost £2200 – all paid for by grants, some carried over from 23/24)
• At the year end, the council’s total reserves stood at £2599.55 in the Unity (Parish Council) accounts and £8048.11 in Lloyds (village hall) accounts, which has been carried forward to the 2025/26 financial year. 
• The reclaimed VAT of £1018.08 will be split between the 2 current accounts, with £111.62 going back into the village hall account.
• The Council decided that the precept should remain at £6500.
• There is no predicted major expenditure for the coming financial year

4. Open meeting. 

No comments

Meeting closed at 7.20 p.m.