Draft Minutes of a meeting of Shobnall Parish Council

held at Brook House, Shobnall Road

on Monday 14 August 2023 commencing at 7pm

Present

Councillors Dittmer, Donlon, Pennicott and Shilton

Also present

ESBC Councillor McKiernan

Mary Danby, Clerk

Public Forum

No members of the public were present.

1. Election of Chair

Resolved             That Councillor Pennicott be elected Chair for the ensuing year.

2. Election of Vice Chair

Resolved         That Councillor Shilton be elected as Vice Chair for the ensuing year.

3. Apologies

None, all Parish Councillors were present.

4. Declarations of Interest and receive written applications for dispensations under the Localism Act 2011

            None had been received.

5. Minutes

Resolved             That the Minutes of the meeting held on 17 April 2023 be approved as an accurate record.

6. Matters arising

None raised.

7. Borough Councillor report

Councillor McKiernan reported that:

• The May elections had seen a Labour majority returned, the Cabinet had been established and the Borough Council wants to focus on helping the community.
• The Councillor Community Fund had been replaced with the Ward Enhancement Fund which will be launched later this year.
• Discussions were ongoing regarding Bass House and Museum; she added that the Archives will open on Station Street in the near future.
• The Unity Park Open Day had taken place recently, new play equipment had been installed and community gardening was beginning to take place.

8. Financial matters

8.1          Schedule of payments up to 04 August 2023

                Resolved             That the above payments be retrospectively approved.

8.2          Schedule of payments due as at 04 August 2023 

 Resolved             That the above payments be approved.

8.3          Bank reconciliation at 31 July 2023 

               Resolved             That the above was a true record.

8.4          Earmarked Reserves (EMRs) as at 31 July 2023 

Resolved             That the EMRs be agreed.

8.5 Receipts/payments to 31 July 2023

Agreed                 The report be noted.

8.6 Bank account signatories

Resolved             That Councillors Pennicott and Shilton and the Clerk be nominated as  signatories on the council’s HSBC bank accounts and that any two of the signatories are required to action any instructions given to the bank other than electronic payments which are administered by the Clerk and approved by the council at each meeting.

8.7 Conclusion of Audit for the year ended 31 March 2023

Mazars LLP, the council’s Auditor, had completed their audit for the year ended 31 March 2023 and no comments or recommendations had been made for the council to consider.

The Clerk reported that the Notice of Conclusion of Audit had been displayed on noticeboards and published on the council’s website on 14 August 2023.

Resolved             That the report be noted.

9. Projects: Update

Councillors received an update on the ongoing projects.

Resolved             That:

1. The report be noted.
2. Councillors Pennicott and Shilton be authorised to sign the Section 50 application for permission to install the Speed Indicator Device (SID).
3. The County Councillor be requested to chase the SCC Officers regarding the council’s application for a licence to install a bench on SCC Highways land.

10. Review of policies and documents

Resolved         That no amendments were required to the following policies and documents:

• Anti-Fraud and Corruption Policy
• Document Retention and Disposal Policy
• Financial Regulations
• Information and Data Protection Policy
• Publication Scheme
• Risk Assessment
• Risk Management Policy
• Standing Orders
• Statement of Internal Control and Annual Review of Effectiveness of Internal Control

11. Planning matters

11.1        Planning applications 

11.2        Planning Decisions

                Resolved             That the report be noted.

12. Councillors’ questions

Councillor Pennicott asked that Palletforce be reinvited to attend a future meeting to discuss the noise levels caused by HGV’s braking which significantly impacts on residents late at night.

13. Correspondence and circulars

13.1        SPCA

The SPCA’s weekly Bulletins had been circulated to all councillors.

13.2        Highways England

The A38 Traffic Management Bulletins had been circulated to all councillors.

13.3        Staffordshire County Council: Data Protection Service for The Data Protection Act 2018/GDPR

Councillors were advised that Staffordshire County Council were offering a Data Protection service to all Parish and Town Councils through the Information Governance Unit.

Resolved         That the offer be declined as the council is happy with its current arrangements.

13.4     CPRE: Invitation to parish councils to join CPRE

Resolved         That the invitation be declined.

13.5     SPCA: Supporting the delivery of Health and Wellbeing initiatives with Town and Parish Councils

Resolved         That the communication be noted.

14. Items for the next meeting

Review of the Shobnall Neighbourhood Plan.

15.  Date of next meeting

            Tuesday 10 October 2023  commencing at 7pm at Brook House, 18 Shobnall Road, Burton upon Trent DE14 2BA

The meeting closed at 8.10pm

Signed  ………………………………………………………..

Date      ………………………………………………………..