Sandon and Burston Parish Council
Agenda
Notice is hereby given that a Meeting of
Sandon and Burston Parish Council
will be held on Wednesday 8 July 2020
Commencing at 7.30pm.
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Prior to and at the conclusion of the meeting Members of the Public are invited to ask questions or make statements otherwise Standing Orders are adopted to regulate meeting business, unless revoked.
Agenda
03.07
1 Apologies (Councillor R Harris)
2. Declarations of interests
3. To approve the Virtual Meeting Policy as issued to Members.
4. Minutes – To receive and confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 11 March 2020.
5. Finance
5.1 Financial Statement and Bank Account Reconciliation Statements, April and May 2020. June 2020 (to follow).
5.2 To approve Financial Payments:
T W Storey (Sandon Garden Products) Fitting of Berrisford Bench and slabs – £550.
Chairman to update on condition on removal of bench Hilderstone Road and replacement.
5.3 End of Year Accounts
5.3.1 Internal Audit Report – audit completed 5 June 2020.
5.3.2 Annual External Audit Accounts Statement, Annual Governance Statement and Certificate of Exemption. (Signing of documents by Chairman/Responsible Financial Officer)
5.4 Financial Internal Audit Calendar and Event Diary. Issue 3. 6th April 2017
5.5 Accident Risk and Financial Risk Assessments. Issue 6 6 April 2017
6. Report from County Councillor
7. Report from District Councillor
8. Items Raised by Member Councillors / Clerk
8.1 Formal Complaint received dated 8 May 2020 from Mr D Barrett re Burston Pond – Fishing Rights.
9. Correspondence
9.1 Staffordshire County Council – Weekly email updates forwarded to Councillors.
9.2. Stafford Borough Council
9.3 Staffordshire Parish Councils’ Association – Weekly email updates forwarded to Councillors.
9.4 Any other correspondence received by the meeting date, for information.
10. Date of Next Meeting: Wednesday 12 August, Sandon Parish Room (venue to be confirmed)
10.1 Dates of Meetings 2020-21:
9 September, 14 October, 11 November, 9 December 2020
13 January, 10 February, 10 March, 14 April 2021. Annual Parish Meeting – 12 May 2021
3 July 2020
Mrs Tina Gould
Clerk
Telephone 07503 167538
Minutes
09 July 2020
Sandon and Burston Parish Council
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 8 July 2020
Via Zoom commencing 7.30pm.
Present:
Councillor S Shelley Chairman
Councillor Rosemary Wildblood
Councillor C Capjon
Councillor Hugo Wildblood
Clerk: Mrs T Gould
Questions from Members of the Public – see 20/008/1 below.
20/001 Apologies Councillors R Harris and A Hudson.
20/002 Declarations of Interest
20/002.1 There were no declarations of interest.
20/003 Virtual Meeting Policy
The Chairman welcomed everyone to this first virtual meeting and requested that Members agree to the Virtual Meeting Policy (a copy of which had been circulated to Members).
20/003.1 Resolved: That the Virtual Meeting Policy be accepted.
20/004 Minutes
20/004.1 Resolved: that the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting on 11 March 2020
be signed by the Chairman.
20/005 Finance
20/005.1 Financial Statements and Bank Reconciliation statements for April and May and the bank reconciliation for June 2020 (forwarded by email to Members) were presented by the Clerk. The following invoices had been approved during the lockdown period:
20/005.1.1 21st Century Glaziers – £149.52 (Re-glazing of Burston Noticeboard) – (reference Minute 19.149.1.9).
20/005.1.2 Clerk’s Salary – £414.04.
20/005.1.3 Reimbursement to Clerk for payment to HMRC £95.00.
20/005.1.4 Howards Ltd (Payroll Services) – 2019-20 £108.00.
20/005.1.5 Roe Contractors Limited – £600. Resurfacing Burston Car Park.
20/005.1.6 BHIB Ltd – £556.44 (Insurance)
20/005.1.7 Howards Ltd – £60 (Enrolment including submission re Declaration of Compliance with The Pensions Regulator).
20/005.1.8 Hands & Co (Internal Auditor) – £55.
20/005.1.9 T W Storey – Replacement of Stocks – T W Storey (Sandon Garden Products) £100 (Ref. July 2019 Minute 19.053.6.1)
20/005.1.10 Clerk’s Pay £412.01 (including expenses) and Payment to HMRC £95.00.
20/005.2 TW Storey (Sandon Garden Products) Fitting of Berrisford bench and slabs – £550.
The Chairman updated on the condition of Berrisford Road bench. Th Chairman had obtained details including prices of three similar benches (excluding fitting). Councillors had agreed by email to order a replacement bench from Mr Storey. The Bench had been replaced and refitted.
The Clerk proposed that £400 be allocated to bench maintenance from unallocated funds to pay for the Berrisford bench and to cover any potential future bench maintenance costs. The Clerk stated that the Fixed Asset Register would be amended to reflect these changes.
20/005.2.1 Resolved: To allocate £400 to Allocated Funds – Bench Maintenance from Unallocated Funds.
20/005.2.1.1 To pay the invoice (T W Storey) for the replacement of the Berrisford Bench – £550.
20/005.2.2 The Hilderstone Road bench also needed refurbishment. Mr Storey had undertook this work and refitted the bench at no cost to the Parish Council.
20/005.2.2.1 Resolved: The Chairman to write a letter of thanks to Mr. Storey.
20/005.3 End of Year Accounts
20/005.3.1 Internal Audit Report – audit completed 5 June 2020 and circulated to Members. The content of the report was noted, and actions would be taken to address the points raised.
20/005.3.2 External Audit Form – Internal Audit Section completed and signed by Internal Auditor.
20/005.3.3 Annual External Audit Accounts Statement, Annual Governance Statement and Certificate of Exemption (Signing of documents by Chairman/Responsible Financial Officer).
20/005.3.3.1 Resolved: That the Governance Statement be signed by the Chairman following signature by the Clerk.
20/005.3.3.2 Resolved: That the Accounts Statement be signed by the Chairman following signature by the Clerk.
20/005.3.3.3 Resolved: That the Chairman and Clerk sign the Certificate of Exemption certifying that the Parish Council finances for the year ending March 2020 did not exceed £25,000 for either Income or Expenditure and that the other criteria were met. The required information to be published on the website before 1 September 2020.
20/005.4 Financial Internal Audit Calendar and Event Diary. Issue 3. 6th April 2017
20/005.4.1 Continued adoption. Audit control procedures were in place and were considered adequate and proportionate to address the issues raised by the risk assessment.
20/005.5 Accident Risk and Financial Risk Assessments. Issue 6. 6 April 2017 – adopted.
Safety checks would be undertaken in the next four weeks on the two benches at Burston Pool. Safety checks had been undertaken as follows:
20/005.5.1 The condition of the Berrisford Bench had deteriorated and had been replaced.
The Hilderstone Road bench was not in good order and had been replaced.
The two noticeboards were in good order.
The flagpole was in good order.
The Stocks in Stocks Lane had been replaced.
Burston Car Park had been resurfaced.
The two Bus Shelters were in good order but needing cleaning.
The flagpole is in good order.
20/005.5.2 Audit Calendar/Event diary – Issue 3 6 April 2017, continued adoption.
20/005.5.2.1 Audit control procedures were in place were considered adequate and proportionate to address the issues raised by the risk assessment.
20/005.5.2.2 Independent audit completed on 5 June 2020 by Hands & Co. Report circulated to Member Councillors.
20/006 Report from County Councillor – not present.
20/007 Report from District Councillor – not present.
20/008 Items Raised by Member Councillors/Clerk
20/008.1 Formal Complaint received dated 8 May 20120 from Mr D Barrett re Burston Pond – Fishing Rights. The Clerk read out a formal complaint that had been received from Mr Barrett.
20/008.1.1 Resolved: The Chairman to write to Stafford Borough Council raising Mr. Barrett’s concerns and asking for an update on the lease with the Fishing Club.
20/008.2 Members asked for confirmation that there was still a Parish Council vacancy.
Resolved: The Chairman/Clerk to take forward suggestions put forward by Members to address the vacancy.
20/008.3 A Highways and Planning update had been forwarded to Members.
20/008.3.1 The Railway Bridge Fence had now been repaired and would be removed from the agenda going forward.
20/008.3.2 Dog and Doublet junction markings – three No Entry Signs are now in place.
20/008.3.3 Burston Grid – no further update. Email sent to County Highways 2 July requesting an update.
20/008.3.4 Footpath 36. Burston Pool to Canal Bridge. A further temporary closure was issued at the end of May. The footpath has continued to erode. The County Council have asked the Parish Council if they are prepared to make a financial contribution to repairs when a scheme is determined.
20/008.3.4.1 Resolved: The Parish Council approved in principle to make a financial contribution towards the cost of improvement to Footpath 36, but requested more detail of the plans. Councillors made suggestions as to other funding streams and it was agreed to feed these back to Staffordshire County Council.
20/008.3.5 Sandon Gateways – no further update.
20/008.3.6 Clearing vegetation from footpaths on A51 and Hilderstone Road – no further update.
20/008.3.7 Road signs obscured by hedges and those requiring a clean – Chairman to address this issue.
20/009 Correspondence
20/009.1 Staffordshire County Council – weekly email updates forwarded to Councillors.
20/009.2 Stafford Borough Council – updates forwarded to Councillors.
20/009.3 Staffordshire Parish Councillors Association – weekly updates forwarded to Councillors. Training dates forwarded to Councillors.
20/010 Date of Next Meeting: Wednesday 12 August, Sandon Parish Room (venue to be confirmed).
20.011 Dates of Meeting 2020-2021 – dates circulated for information.
The meeting concluded at 8.10 p.m.
Signed:………………….Chairman
Date………………………………