Minutes of the meeting of the Bestwood St Albans Parish Council, held on the 18th July, 2017 in St Marks Church, School Walk, Bestwood Village, Nottinghamshire. The meeting commenced at 7.30pm.
PresentCllr Jack Ashworth
Cllr Frank Beckwith
Cllr Andrea Bennington
Cllr Pat Clarke
Cllr Marlene Gee
Cllr Alistair Hamilton
Cllr Portia NewlingChair of the Council
Cllr Mike Robinson
Mr Malcolm PlumbActing (Locum) Clerk
Mr Gary LongActing (Locum) RFO
Also presentBorough Cllr Tammy Bissett
9 members of the public
250/17Apologies for absence
Apologies for late arrival (through family commitments) were received from Gary Long
251/17Declarations of interest
Declarations of none pecuniary interests were received from Cllrs Jack Ashworth, Pat Clarke, Marlene Gee and Mike Robinson in relation to agenda item 6 – Applications for grants.
252/17Minutes
The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on the 13th June, 2017 were approved as a true and accurate record and were signed by the Chair of the Council.
253/17Updating information
The Acting (Locum) Clerk reported upon the following matters
- With assistance from Cllr Andrea Bennington, the Councils mobile phone contract had been cancelled (minute no 242/17)
- The Parish Councils final accounts statement for the year ending 31st March, 2017 has been submitted to Grant Thornton’s for external audit by the required date. Receipt of the accounts had been received. (minute no. 244/17)
- The recent casual vacancy as Parish Councillor will be reported upon later in the meeting (minute 246/17)
- Applications for grant support from Community Organisations have been received and circulated to all Councillors. These will be considered later in the meeting (minute no. 248/17)
Cllr Newling, Council Chair, reported that a quotation had been received for replacing the perspex frontage of the notice boards, but further clarifications were required. A further report will be given to the September 2017 Parish Council meeting. (minute no 248/17)
(Gary Long, Acting RFO, arrived at the meeting at this point)
254/17Parishioners questions/statements
- A Parishioner asked why the need for preparatory work by Officers in respect of the creation of two separate Parishes, was not brought up previously. The Acting Clerk responded that the final decision from Gedling Borough Council concerning the Community Governance Review had only very recently been received and had been circulated to Parish Councillors (only). It was therefore not appropriate to consider this suggestion (made to Councillors only), before this meeting.
- A Parishioner brought up the question of the division of budgets, following the separation of the current Parish Council into two separate Councils. In reply, Councillors gave what information was available at the current time.
- A parishioner reported that he understood the Borough Council had undertaken to provide additional litter bins, but that these had not yet appeared. (Noted)
255/17Financial matters
The meeting approved the following orders for payment.
Chq No.PayeeItemNet amount
2164Bestwood Village Vision. Grant£400. 00p
2165Malcolm PlumbClerks fees/expenses. June £229. 50p
2166Playsafety LtdPlay equipment inspection£113. 40p
2167Countrywide Grds Maint.Maint. April/May.£166. 80p
2168Gary LongRFO fees/expenses. May/June£482. 70p
2169Countrywide Grds.Maint.Maint. June/July£166. 80p
In relation to the arrangements for watering the hanging (floral) baskets, Cllr Mike Robinson reported that GBC were continuing with this work, but he was investigating alternative arrangements, with a view to reducing costs.
Circulated with the agenda papers to all Councillors were five applications for financial grantsupport from Community Organisations. These were as follows:
ProjectGrant requested
Top Valley Christmas lights£2,100
Muirfield Road Recreation Park renovation£5,000
Top Valley Fireworks Display£2,000
Top Valley Christmas Tree£2,000
Bestwood Village Christmas Tree£ 600
After a full and detailed discussion, taking into account current budgetary provisions and a statement from Councillor Robinson explaining the importance of these grant requests from Top Valley Ward to the whole Council, the meeting approved the following:
Top Valley Fireworks display£2,000
Top Valley Christmas Tree£1,000
Bestwood Village Christmas Tree£ 500
Budget for the current financial year, 2017/18. Circulated with the agenda papers was a draft budget for the current year, prepared by the Acting RFO. During the ensuing discussion, the following points were raised.
Past allocations of funds for specific projects
Provision for public seats allocations (costs and seat styles)
Budget for elections
Receipt records for past grants to the Parish Council
The revised and agreed budget is attached to these minute as a minutes document.
256/17Planning matters
Two planning applications for house extensions on Moor Road were reported and noted
257/17Top Valley Ward. Petition for a bye election to fill a casual vacancy as Parish Councillor
The Acting Clerk had circulated with the agenda papers to all Councillors a notification received from the Borough Council that a bye election had been called for by the requisite
number of Local Electors. If this election is contested, the cost to the Parish Council is estimated at £3,000. Procedures will now be carried out by the Borough Council to make the necessary arrangements. The meeting NOTED the Acting Clerks report.
258/17Restoration work to the War Memorial
The Chair of the Council, Cllr Newling reported that a quotation was being sent for this work, but additional quotes were needed. Cllr Jack Ashworth offered to investigate whether grants might be available for the work. The meeting agreed and noted the Chairs report.
259/17Community Governance Review
The Acting Clerk had circulated to all Councillors the recent notice confirming that the Gedling Borough Council had resolved to replace the current Parish Council of Bestwood St Albans with two separate Parish Councils for Bestwood Village and St Albans. Procedures would now be started to bring this change into operation with a projected completion date of April, 2018.
The Acting Clerk commented it may be necessary for the Parish Council to carry out factual research, particularly in relation to Parish Councils funds, recourses, assets and liabilities. This work would normally be done by Council Officers. During discussion however, Councillors felt that all this work could be carried out by Councillors themselves.
The report was NOTED by the meeting
260/17Date, time and location for the next Parish Council Meeting
Date.Tuesday 12th September, 2017
Time7.30pm
LocationOakwood Academy, Warren Hill.
261/17Exclusion of the public and press
It was resolved that, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Bodies (Access to Meetings) Act 1960, the remaining item of business be classified as confidential, since it concerns conditions of employment. Accordingly, the public were requested to vacate the meeting at this time, and this they did.
262/17Review of ongoing Clerking arrangements
Cllr Newling, Council Chair, reported that Malcolm Plumb’s current term of office as Acting (Locum) Clerk to the Council expires at the end of the current month (July 2017) having completed six months service. Cllr Newling therefore invited comments upon future Clerking arrangements from both Malcolm and Gary. These were given and noted by the meeting.
Malcolm and Gary then left the meeting at this point in order to allow Councillors to determine their preferences for the future. After a full discussion, it was agreed to combine the two roles of Clerk and RFO and to offer the new position to Gary Long, currently acting RFO effective from the 1st August, 2017. (Malcolm had previously indicated his support for whatever decision the Council felt was appropriate).
There being no further items of business, the Chair thanked everyone for their contributions and closed the meeting at 9.15pm.