ANNUAL PARISH COUNCIL MEETING 12TH MAY 2020 MINUTES

Chairman: Councillor James Hill

Clerk: Katrina Jones, 77 High Street, , Northants NN6 6DD, Tel 01604-740862

Email: [email protected]

Minutes of the Annual Creaton Parish Council Meeting Held on Tuesday 12th May 2020 Online via Zoom

Present: Cllrs James Hill (Chairman), Sylvia Winter (Vice-Chairman), Michelle Aveyard, Anna Hughes, Christopher Reading, Susan Leggett and Geoff White.

In attendance: Katrina Jones (Clerk), Kevin Parker (District Councillor) and Jonathan Harris (District Councillor).

1. Election of Chairman: It was unanimously RESOLVED to elect Cllr James Hill as Chairman.

2. Election of Vice Chairman: It was unanimously RESOLVED to elect Cllr Sylvia Winter as Vice- Chairman.

3. Apologies for Absence: Cllr Maxene Atkinson.

4. Signing of Acceptance of Office Forms by Chair: Cllr Hill signed the acceptance of office form.

5. To Confirm Minutes of Meeting: It was RESOLVED to confirm the minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 10th March 2020 as a true and accurate record and they were duly signed by the Chairman.

6. Declarations of Interest: None.

7. Public Forum: No one wished to speak during this item.

8. Chairman’s Report: Cllr Hill provided a report summarising the work of the Parish Council over the past year and plans for future projects.

9. Councillor Attendance Figures: 8 meetings (6 ordinary, 2 extraordinary meetings)

Cllr Hill 6/8= 75%

Cllr Winter 7/8= 87.5%

Cllr Atkinson 7/8 = 87.5 %

Cllr Aveyard 5/8= 62.5%

Cllr Hughes 7/8= 87.5%

Cllr Leggett 7/8= 86 %

Cllr Reading 8/8= 100%

Cllr White 4/8= 50 %

10. To Confirm Committees, Terms of Reference and Councillor Roles: It was RESOLVED to approve the committees with no amendments. It was RESOLVED to approve the terms of reference with the proposed amendments suggested and circulated by the Clerk. It was RESOLVED to continue with the same allocation of Councillor roles.

11. To Review and Approve All Parish Council Policies and Regulations, Including Risk Assessment, Financial Regulations and Standing Orders: It was RESOLVED to approve all existing policies, financial regulations, standing orders and risk assessment without amendment.

12. To Approve Insurance Renewal: It was RESOLVED to renew the Parish Council’s insurance cover with Pen as recommended by Came and Company at a cost of £439.66.

13. To Agree Any Action Regarding Purchase of Speed Display Signs and Related Grant Application: It was RESOLVED that Cllr Reading would provide an updated report and obtain an up to date quote for the speed signs and related equipment. It was also RESOLVED that the Clerk would apply to County Council for a s50 licence and submit an application for grant funding available through the police commissioner.

14. To Receive Update on Parish Noticeboard Repair: It was noted that the restoration of the parish noticeboard had been completed and Cllr Reading was thanked for his work in co- ordinating this. It was agreed that Cllr Reading would continue to liaise with the carpenter regarding the cracked glass and the potential problem of condensation.

15. To Agree Contents of Village Link Article: It was RESOLVED to include the following items in the Parish Council’s article for village link: zoom meetings; proposed bench; and the staining of the bench on the Green.

16. To Note Correspondence Regarding the Bus Service and Approve Amount of Contribution: The correspondence to date was noted and it was agreed to pay the sum of £293.24, being Creaton Parish Council’s contribution until July 2020.

17. To Discuss Closed Churchyard: It was RESOLVED that the Clerk would make enquiries as to when the risk assessment could take place and contact the Diocese to ascertain the cost of applying for a Faculty. The advice received from the internal auditor was also noted, confirming that the Parish Council is not permitted to spend public money on repairing or restoring private headstones or memorials and action can only be taken to make them safe such as by laying them flat or removing them.

18. To Further Consider Purchase of a Bench To Mark VE Day and Agree Any Action: It was RESOLVED that the Clerk would write to residents to consult them on the location of the Proposed bench and apply for a bench licence from Northamptonshire County Council. It was also RESOLVED that Cllr Hughes would contact Northamptonshire County Council to ask about the removal of school sign on the verge where it is proposed the bench will be installed. It was agreed that Cllr White would mark the proposed position of the bench with posts.

19. To Agree Purchase of Parish Council Laptop and Agree Budget: It was RESOLVED to approve

a budget of up to £750 for the purchase of a laptop. It was agreed that Cllrs Winter and Aveyard would research this matter further.

20. To Agree Purchase of Zoom Subscription and Agree Zoom Training: It was RESOLVED to approve the purchase of a zoom subscription for twelve months as per the circulated quote.

21. To Agree Dog Signs: It was RESOLVED not to proceed with the Tidy Britain signs due to the cost and to use the signs the Clerk had obtained from District Council. It was also noted that Cllr Atkinson had offered to undertake spraying the dog fouling.

22. To Note Response to Conservation Consultation: The response submitted on behalf of the Parish Council by Cllr White was noted.

23. Planning Matters: a. Application No: DA/2020/0273 : Works to and removal of trees in a conservation area: Creaton Lodge 6, The Green, Creaton, Northamptonshire, NN6 8ND: It was RESOLVED that there was no objection to this application.

24. Finance

Bank Balance on Bank Statement as at 28th February 2020:

Business Reserve Account 55,800.32 Current Account 200.00 56,000.32 Includes: CIL Money (Restrictions on Expenditure) 5627.29 a. Receipts £ i. NCC Mowing Grant 450.27 ii. Interest (31.03.20) 8.02 iii. VAT Reclaim (21.04.20) 1374.59 iv. Precept (23.04.20) 10,500.00 v. Interest (30.04.20) 7.76 b. Payments for Approval: £ i. Katrina Jones (Clerk salary and home use payment March 476.03 & and April 2020, paid by standing order ) 476.03 ii. Eon for street light maintenance 100.86 iii. NCALC for membership subscription and internal audit 472.97 service iv. Stephen Hartwell Grass Mowing Services for mowing 300.00 churchyard v. Katrina Jones for reimbursement of printer paper 32.81 (£5.99); ink (£7.18 and £12.32) and 2nd class stamps (£7.32) vi. R&G for mowing verges and green (31.3.20 for £204.00 674.40 and 30.4.20 for £470.40) vii. Autela for payroll services 49.75 viii. Eon for electricity supply 285.97 ix. Village Link newsletter for February/March and the 100.00 April/May 2020 editions x. S Bignell for parish noticeboard repairs 2950.00

xi. Michelle Aveyard for reimbursement of zoom 83.93 subscription xii. Parish Council for CPC’s share of bus subsidy 293.24 xiii. Northamptonshire County Council for s50 licence 321.00 application xiv. Came & Company for insurance renewal 439.66 It was RESOLVED to approve all of the above payments. c. List of Payments and Receipts to be Received and Bank Reconciliation up to 31st March 2020 to be approved and signed: It was RESOLVED to approve the list of payments and receipts and the bank reconciliation up to 31st March 2020. d. To Consider Internal Audit Report and To Approve Annual Governance Accountability Return and Supporting Documents – To Be Signed By Chair and Clerk: (i) The internal audit report was noted. It was RESOLVED to approve the updated asset register, statement of variances and dates set for exercising electors’ rights. (ii) It was RESOLVED to approve the Annual Governance Accountability Return Part 2 and that all sections of the AGAR be duly signed by the Chairman and Clerk, including the approval and signing of the Certificate of Exemption contained within the AGAR Part 2 to be submitted to the external auditor.

25. AOB (Points of Information) a. Cllr White asked if there was any update on the Lane planning application. District Councillor Kevin Parker advised that would be holding their first planning meeting online but did not yet know if that application would be on the agenda of that meeting. b. Cllr Hill reported that a man in his mid 40’s with dark hair had been spotted cycling naked on three occasions between Cottesbrooke and Creaton in the past week and that police were aware. It was advised that members of the public should take extra care.

26. To Close the Meeting to the Public To Receive Update Regarding Staff Pension Matters: It was RESOLVED to close the meeting to members of the public to discuss confidential staff matters and an update was received from Cllr Hill, Aveyard and Winter who are dealing with this matter.

27. To Note Next Meeting: Ordinary Creaton Parish Council Meeting on Tuesday 14th July 2020 at 7.30pm: Noted. The meeting is expected to be held via Zoom.

Meeting closed at 9.16pm.

The Chairman has requested that the following be added to the minutes:

The Parish Council wishes to thank all the Creaton residents working for the NHS and in other frontline services.