January 2025 DRAFT Minutes (EOM)
23
Metheringham Parish Council (23/01/2025)
Draft Minutes of an Extraordinary l Meeting
Held in the Parish Office 31a High Street Metheringham LN4 3DZ
23rd January2025
There was a public forum at 6.15pm prior to the meeting where members of the public, County and District Councilor’s together with any other members of public bodies present may make short statements to the committee.
Public forum: No comments.
Members of Council:
The Chair Councillor Keith Parker (KP); the Vice Chair Councillor Roy Grummitt (RG); Councillor Mrs June Gwillym (JG); Councillor Ms Asia O’Sullivan (AO); Councillor Mrs Shirley Peak (SP; Counsellor Fran Pembury (FP); Councillor Mrs Catherine Redpath (CR); Councillor Rob Castle (RC); Councillor Dave Parry (DP); Councillor Malcolm Wallace MWa); Councillor Mike Westerman (MWe); Councillor Mark Worthington (MWo). Proper Officer of Council John F Money (JFM)
Attendance:
In Attendance: Chair Cllr K Parker; Vice Chair Cllr R Grummitt; Cllr Mrs J Gwillym; Cllr Ms A O’Sullivan; Cllr Mrs S Peak; Cllr Mrs C Redpath; Cllr R Castle (work); Cllr D Parry*; Cllr J Simpson; Cllr M Wallace; Cllr M Westerman; Cllr M Worthington and J F Money Temporary Clerk.
The Meeting took place in Formal Session.
1.The Chair opened the meeting: with the usual housekeeping notes and a brief explanation of the meeting contents.
2.To resolve to accept apologies for absence and reasons given in accordance with Local Government Act 1972 S85(1)
Apologies for absence received from: Cllr Mrs F Pembury (Family) proposed & RG seconded AO; Cllr R Castle (work), proposed AO & seconded Cllr M Wa (*Cllr D Parry initially gave apologies citing a meeting of the district council)
Members Declarations of Interests:
a) The Chair reminded Members may make any declarations of interest at this point but may also make them at any point during the meeting in accordance with Metheringham Parish Councils Code of Conduct: None given
b) Dispensations: To consider and accept dispensation request received by the Temporary Clerk to relevant members in accordance with Metheringham Parish Councils Code of Conduct. None requested
c) Members were reminded to review and revise their declaration of interest form held by NKDC where any change of circumstances have occurred.
4.To ratify the minutes: To be reviewed at the full council meeting 29th January 2025
5.To review any matters arising (which are not agenda items): as above
6. To review the budget and precept request for the year 2025/26.
The items were debated together, but resolved in reverse order
b) Set the precept sum request based on the budget sum resolution.
Budget meeting: The Chair explained the report the Temporary Clerk had compiled together with the associated spreadsheets which showed the income and expenditure over the last four years, with a projected total of £198,079.82 to 31st of March 2025. Prior to and during the debate Members had the opportunity to peruse the bank statements for the year to date (until 31st of December 2024). Capital expenditure of £32,000, which included a large sum for replacement street lamp columns was identified; it was noted that this sum may not be spent next year so therefore it could be removed from the budget. It was stated that going back over years the spend has been reasonably stable accounting for inflation. Not knowing what items of extraordinary expenditure may arise next year it was agreed to use the budget sum as a guide to increase the precept request from. Councillor Roy Grummitt proposed an increase of 11% on last year's figure of £180,000, this proposal was seconded by Councillor Mrs June Gwillym; the Chair asked if there was any amendments to the proposal - Councillor Dave Parry made an amended proposal of an increase of 9.5% on last year's total, seconded by Councillor Mrs Catherine Redpath, the amendment was voted on first and was carried by a majority of the Members present; therefore the initial proposal made by Councillor Roy Grummitt fell. It was therefore resolved that the precept request to North Kesteven District Council would be for £197,100, an increase of 9.5% on last year's total of £180,000, the Chair instructed the Proper Officer to make the request on Friday 24th January 2025, this being the last day the request could be made to the district council: Action JFM.
a) Set the draft budget sum.
A short debate took place regarding the budget inclusive of other income and it was proposed by Councillor Mrs Catherine Redpath and seconded by Councillor Ms Asia O’Sullivan that the budget for 2025/26 would be set at £210,000, this motion was resolved unanimously: Action JFM.
The Chair thanked all for there attendance and closed the meeting at 7:35pm.
7. Date of the next meeting: 29th January 2025
*Cllr Dave Parry joined the meeting later on, but before the Budget debate