Meeting minutes 23 January 2025

LETWELL PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 23 January 2025

In Attendance:

• Cllr A Wood – Chair
• Cllr L Addy
• Cllr M Horn
• Cllr E Ladbrook
• Cllr C Warr
• Y Colverson – Clerk
• 7 members of the public

A period of not more than fifteen minutes was made available for members of the public, and Members of the Council, to comment on any matter prior to the start of the meeting. 

Issues raised:

Request received to varnish notice board.  Council replied that this will be done when the weather improves in the spring

Hedges on Ramper Road need cutting – Letwell Music have offered to pay for this.

Litter on Lamb Lane.  Advised public to report any such incidents to RMBC

Precept.  Understand this will be increased significantly, would Letwell merge with Firbeck.  Advised this had be discussed before however it was decided not to pursue this. 

A flyer had been posted to all residents asking for ideas to improve the area around the bus shelter.  Geoff Kenyan volunteered to re-seed and mow the area. 

RESOLVED  Thank Mr Kenyan was thanked for his offer which was gratefully accepted by the council.  Mr Kenyan was also thanked for his kind donation of a new flag. 

25-001 Apologies for Absence – To receive, and approve if appropriate, apologies for absence and reasons given.

None received

25-002 Declaration of Members Interests

1. Members are reminded to declare any interest in any item on the agenda at this time, or at any time during the meeting, in accordance with Letwell Parish Council’s Code of Conduct.  (Where a Member indicates that they have an interest, but wish to make representations regarding the item, those representations must be made during Public Speaking prior to the start of the meeting).

None received

2. To receive, and approve if appropriate, requests for dispensation from Members on matters in which they have an interest and wish to vote. 

None received

25-003 To approve Minutes of the Parish Council meetings held on 21st November 2024 and the Finance meeting held on Monday 9th December 2024

RESOLVED That the minutes of the meetings held on 21st November and 9th December are approved of a true record of the meetings.

25-004 Clerk’s report – To receive a report from the Clerk stating actions undertaken since the meeting held on 21st November 2024

Actions taken since 21 November 2024

Village Hall Lease

Have had contact with Libby Culmer at the Diocese office.  Although the Diocesan Board is named on the lease, they are only a trustee and not the owner of the village hall.  The owner is the Parochial Church Council of St Martin Firbeck and St Peter Letwell.  As there is no vicar in post at this time, Libby is looking into who the responsibility now lies with.  I am waiting for a response. 

Tree on the Triangle

I have been given an email at RMBC to contact regarding the diseased tree on the Triangle.  I have emailed, explaining that extensive searches by the Parish Council have not identified the owner of the tree however, as it is poses a risk to road and pavement users, and RMBC have done work on trees in that location previously, the responsibility should lie with them.  I am waiting for a response.  

Cost of licence

The cost of each live performance is £13.76.  This cost will is to be added to the cost of room hire for Letwell Music, as agreed at the Finance Meeting held on 9th December 2024.

Electoral Register

I have applied for a copy of the Electoral Register from RMBC.  As the Clerk to the Parish Council I am entitled to hold this however, due to GDPR regulations this information cannot be shared.  

RESOLVED That this information is received

25-005 Exclusion of press and public – to resolve items, if any, to be discussed with the press and public excluded. Section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960

RESOLVED Item 25-006, Staffing considerations, to be discussed with press and public excluded

25-006 Item for consideration and resolution

1. 80th Anniversary of VE Day.  To discuss possible events to mark this anniversary.

A representative of Letwell Community Group reported that ‘La-De-Da’ have been booked for an Afternoon Tea event to be held on Sunday 11th May.

RESOLVED That this information is received the Community Group are thanked for their continued work for the village

2. Community Action Committee – To consider, and resolve if appropriate, the formation of a Community Action Committee to carry out actions currently delivered by the Letwell Community Group.   Deferred from November 2024 meeting. 

A representative of Letwell Community Group reported that the Group had met and, after consideration of the advantages of a Parish Council Committee being formed, they had resolved to do this. 

The Parish Council were asked if they were in approval of this.

RESOLVED That a Community Action Committee, of the Parish Council, will be formed.  Terms of reference to be produced by the Clerk and the committee to be officially formed at the next meeting of the Parish Council

3. Champing in the Village Hall – further information requested at November meeting

The Clerk reported that she had had a telephone conversation with the Churches Conservation Trust, the organisation responsible for Champing.  Although she did not receive a definite ‘no’, as there are no amenities in the village, and it is not on a significant walking trail, it is unlikely to be successful.

RESOLVED That Champing in the Village Hall will not be pursued further

4. Land adjacent to bus shelter – to consider suggestions received from members of the community relating to potential improvements to this area. 

See Public participation.:

RESOLVED  Thank Mr Kenyan was thanked for his offer which was gratefully accepted by the council. 

5. Insurance Provision – To consider insurance provision and resolve, in principle, provider.

The Clerk reported that the Council’s insurance provision will expire before the next meeting of the Parish Council.  The Clerk will obtain quotes and circulate them to the Parish Council for consideration.

RESOLVED That the council authorise the Clerk to obtain quotations for insurance, these to be scrutinised and the policy providing best value to be purchased

6. Staffing considerations – to be discussed with public and press excluded

25-007 Finance

1. Account balances at 30.11.24

• Current account = £2,697.19
• Reserve account = £1,966.41
• Petty cash = £616.00
• Bar petty cash = £369.50
• Sum up account = £35.39

1. Payments – To receive and approve payments

RESOLVED That these payments are approved

1. VAT Claim

Cllr C Warr reported that she will be auctioning the final VAT claim for 2023/24 and asked for any invoices that may still be outstanding.

RESOLVED That Cllr Warr was thanked for this

2. To approve the budget and precept request for the financial year 2025/26. 

A meeting had been held on 9 December to discuss the Budget for financial year 2025/26, this was presented to the Council. 

Cllr A Wood requested that the sum set aside for cutting the hedges should be removed.  The Clerk also advised that the Council have no legal power to interfere with land that is not in their ownership or for which they have a lease. 

2 Abstained, 2 in favour. 

RESOLVED That the Parish Council will not continue to cut the hedges on Ramper Road

RESOLVED A letter will be sent to Letwell Music, thanking them for their kind offer to cut these hedges and advising them to liaise directly with the land owner regarding this.

After some adjustments to reduce the yearly expenditure.  It was moved that a precept of £8,540 be set for the financial year 2025/26

RESOLVED That a precept of £8540 be requested.  The clerk will action this before the end of January 2024

It was proposed to increase payment to the cleaner from £12.00 per hour to £15.00

All in favour

RESOLVED That payment to the cleaner will be increased to £15.00 per hour from 1 February 2025

25-008 Items to be included on the next agenda

Appointment of internal auditor

Maintenance weekend in May, ahead of VE Day celebrations

To set date and details for the Annual Parish Meeting

Bar audit and processes

25-009 Date and time of next meetings

1. To resolve a date time for the next full council meeting

RESOLVED That the next meeting of the Parish Council will take place on Thursday 27th March 2025.