2020 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

Minutes of Eagle & Swinethorpe Extraordinary Parish Council Meeting, held on Wednesday 25th March 2020 at 7.30pm in Eagle Village Hall.

The Press & Public were excluded from the meeting for safety reasons, the meeting was then conducted via online discussions, due to (Corona Virus) Covid 19

Present – Councillors Martyn Jackson – Chair, Jane Wallis – Vice Chair, Chris Patty, Dawn Warnock, Jane Fulton-Sutton & Colin Campbell

Rachel Popplewell – Clerk.

1. Welcome & Apologies

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies were received & accepted from Councillors Bottom & Chennells.

2. To receive Declarations of Interest under the Localism Act 2011 – being any pecuniary interest in agenda items not previously recorded on Members’ Register of Interest and request for dispensations.

None

3. Notes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Tuesday 25th February 2020 to be approved as minutes.

The council Resolved to approve the notes as minutes and a true record All Agreed – Via online meeting

4. To authorise the signing of orders for payment & to note bank balances and any monies received.

The councillors considered the list previously circulated. It was Resolved to approve the following orders for payment – All Agreed. Proposed by Cllr Jackson seconded by Cllr Warnock.

Cllrs Wallis & Warnock agreed to sign the Cheques for the payments below.

The Clerk was asked to look into Online Banking for the Parish Council, either with the existing bank or a new one. Action RP

The Clerk made comment the Parish Council laptop wasn’t working properly and access to emails was nearly impossible. Cllr Warnock offered to investigate.

Action DW

Cllr Wallis made comment that enough monies had been raised to pay for the Hampden Plane Memorial, the order had to be placed by 31.03.2020, this may now have to be reconsidered as most places were now in lockdown.

The Following accounts were approved at the meeting

Note – receipt of None – Domestic Rates Bill 2020/2021 = £0.00

Bank Balances

Parish Council – 28.02.2019 – £21,107.87

29.02.2020- £4,124.60

Playing Field – 28.02.2019 - £278.45

31.01.2020 - £3,313.44

Savings Account £12,000

5. To consider & approve the delegated powers – list previously circulated

After discussions it was Resolved to approve the following list of Delegated Powers; All agreed - show of hands.

Delegated Powers - It was proposed, seconded and Resolved to agree for the Parish Clerk/RFO to have delegated powers in consultation with the chair and vice chair to act on behalf of the council for the following:

Suspension Of Standing Orders / Financial Regulations - It was proposed, seconded and Resolved: That the Parish Council gives delegated authority to the Parish Clerk (in consultation with the Chairman/Vice Chairman of the respective substantive committees (i.e. Playing Field, Personnel)) to: suspend any relevant Standing Order or Financial Regulation as necessary to ensure the smooth running and operation (wherever possible) of the Parish Council for a period of no longer than 4 months (or as circumstances dictate), with the Parish Clerk to compile and maintain a list of such suspensions and reasons which will be to be presented to a future meeting of the Administration Committee for scrutiny

Annual Council Meeting / Annual Parish Meeting - It was proposed, seconded and Resolved: That as the cancellation of meetings has a direct impact on the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council (scheduled for 26th May 2020), the roles of Chair and Vice Chair and the existing committee structures (including the chairmanship of such) will remain the same until a suitable and safe public meeting is called and held. Where any cancellation of meetings has a direct impact on the holding of the Annual Parish Meeting, the Parish Council will hold such meeting at a future date. It is noted that whilst the above decisions are contrary to existing legislation (as of 25th March 2020) the Parish Council has made these decisions in order to place public safety at the forefront.

Orders For Payment - It was proposed, seconded and Resolved: That the Parish Clerk along with the authorised signatories for the authorising and signing of payments put measures in place with robust transparency processes to ensure effective business continuation and to minimise impact on

local service delivery and local business with ratification by the Parish Council to be made at the earliest and safest opportunity.

Planning Matters - It was proposed, seconded and Resolved: That That the Parish Council authorises the Parish Council to deal with planning applications via email and gives delegated power to the Parish Clerk & RFO to collate responses and submit to NKDC (on a majority basis).

Budgetary Control And Authority To Spend - It was proposed, seconded and Resolved: To authorise an increase in the spending limit to the Parish Clerk in consultation with the Chairman / Vice Chairman of the respective substantive committees (i.e. Allotment, Personnel) from any item below £2,000 to any amount below £ 5,000 in respect of any emergency or Health & Safety matter.

Policy Updates - It was proposed, seconded and Resolved: That delegation is afforded to the Parish Clerk to update policy documentation where revision dates are the only necessary updates and such updates to be ratified by the Parish Council at a future meeting. Where any legislative changes are necessary, the Parish Clerk will update relevant documentation and implement any necessary changes.

Advice To Tenants & Community Groups - It was proposed, seconded and Resolved: To offer impartial, practical advice to occupiers of Parish Council buildings and other community groups and organisations in respect of their responsibilities to take decisive actions (with the best intentions of public safety and to promote infection control) in respect of cancelling events, meetings and gatherings;

Future Meetings (For A Period Of No Longer Than 4 Months)

It was proposed Use of Skype, Whatsapp or other method to hold meetings remotely, as well as email, phone calls, and comments collated by the Clerk to ensure business continuity Meetings to be held in closed session to exclude the public and press All notes of the meeting will be available for the public to see unless of course, they were of a confidential nature and exempt from the public (eg staffing information).

Staffing

Where possible, arrangements will be made for the Clerk to work from home. The Parish Council will ensure she is able to do her job without additional risk.

The Litter picker to continue with duties, until such time that the situation prevents this.

Staff salaries to continue to be paid – rates the same as existing.

All of the above Delegated powers will continually be reviewed as the situation changes in line with direction from LALC and the Government.

6. To consider the locking/unlocking of the gates at the park and the action plan should the security firm be unable to attend.

The Clerk made comment that she had tried to contact the security firm, with no success. The gate locking to start on the 29th March 2020.

It was Resolved to carry on with the agreement previously signed with the security firm, unless the situation changes due to Covid 19.

Date and time of next meeting.

Tuesday 28th April 2020 at 7.30pm – to be conducted online.

(unless the legislation regarding gatherings changes due to Covid 19)

Meeting closed 7.40pm