EGM (August 2017)
5 August 2017
, 11:00am
Church Cottage, Wheldrake
Agenda
OFFICIAL NOTICE OF WHELDRAKE PARISH COUNCIL EXTRAORDINARY MEETING TO BE HELD AT 11AM IN CHURCH COTTAGE ON SATURDAY 5TH AUGUST 2017
Chairman: Cllr S Mercer
Acting Clerk/RFO: Mrs H Guest, 40 Linden Way, Thorpe Willoughby, YO8 9ND
Meetings are open to the Press and Public except for any item labelled as part 2 under the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, Section 1
Meetings are open to press and public except for any item labelled as Part 2 under the Public Bodies (1960) Act
Press and public may not speak when the council is in progress; when councillors are discussing council business; when councillors are in the process of decision making.
- Any elector is entitled to attend this meeting and any concerns, questions or suggestions will be taken after the Chairman welcomes those present. The time for this will be limited to 5 minutes.
- Listeners may also speak at the end of the meeting (for information only).
- Decisions cannot be made at this meeting on items not on the agenda.
- Councillors, clerk, public and press are requested to sign the attendance book.
Councillors are summoned to attend the Meeting of the Parish Council detailed above and to consider and resolve the business to be transacted on the agenda below.
Agenda items
Part 1
17028: Apologies/Attendance:
- Attendees: Clerk to note Councillors and visitors present at the meeting.
- Apologies: Council to receive apologies and any reasons for absence from councillors; to consider and resolve whether or not to accept any reasons given.
- Attendance Book: All present are requested to sign the Attendance book.
17029: Interests: Chair to remind members to make any declarations of interest in any agenda items.
17030: Welcome: Chair to welcome councillors, clerk and visitors to the meeting.
17031: Minutes
- To resolve whether to accept the Minutes of the Council meeting held on 26th July 2017, including Part 2 items.
- If approved, Chairman to sign minutes as a true record.
17032: Council to receive comments on agenda items or other questions/comments from electors present. (For information only; clerk to make notes of comments; no answers or discussion at this meeting)
Items received by the Clerk since the last meeting and to resolve any action to be taken:
- Concern was expressed by a resident regarding flooding at the Old Rail Crossing on Main Street and an unsafe road surface.
- A resident reported that a tree on Broad Highway, opposite the School has died and that it needs to be removed, along with an adjacent tree. The resident reported that both trees were gifted by a resident of Dovecote Close.
17033: Parish Council by Election: To note that there will not now be an election due to the number of nominations received by the Monitoring Officer. To discuss and resolve nominations and co-options as per information received from CYC. Note that it is anticipated that elected Councillors will take up their role at the meeting due to be held on Wednesday 30th August 2017.
17034: Committees and Working Groups: To discuss and resolve membership of:
- Planning Working Group
- Play Park Working Group
- Admin and Finance Committee
Then to discuss and resolve parameters ahead of production of Terms of Reference for each Group/Committee.
17035: Play Park: Due to information received that the FOWP (Friends of Wheldrake Park) having now dissolved, to discuss and resolve handover/takeover of responsibilities by the Parish Council.
17036: Parish Council Communications: To be compliant with legislation and the Code of Conduct, Parish Councillors are not permitted to comment as individuals on behalf of the Parish Council without a formal resolution and subsequent item in the meeting Minutes: The Proper Officer is responsible for all Parish Council communications. To discuss and resolve parameters ahead of production of a Communications Policy for the Parish Council.
17037: Comments from public present on agenda items – Note: decisions cannot be made on items brought to this stage of the meeting.
17038: Items for the next agenda
17039: To note the dates of future meetings: all meetings are to be held on Wednesday evenings at 7.30pm – venue to be confirmed:
2017 – 30th August, 27th September, 25th October, 29th November and 15th December.
2018 – 31st January, 28th February, 28th March and 25th April.
Closure of meeting.
Signed Helen Guest
Acting Clerk/RFO, Wheldrake Parish Council
Date: 1st August 2017
Minutes draft
DRAFT
MINUTES OF WHELDRAKE PARISH COUNCIL EXTRAORDINARY MEETING HELD AT 11AM IN CHURCH COTTAGE ON SATURDAY 5TH AUGUST 2017
Chairman: Cllr S Mercer
Acting Clerk/RFO: Mrs H Guest, 40 Linden Way, Thorpe Willoughby, YO8 9ND
Part 1
17028: Apologies/Attendance:
- Attendees: Cllrs Mercer, Arnold, Jordan, Barber, the Clerk and 8 members of the public.
- Apologies: Council received apologies from Cllrs Gilligan and Hodgson. It was resolved to accept reasons given.
17029: Interests: Chair reminded members to make any declarations of interest in any agenda items – None.
17030: Welcome: Chair welcomed Councillors, Clerk and visitors to the meeting.
17031: Minutes
- It was resolved to accept the Minutes of the Council meeting held on 26th July 2017, including Part 2 items.
- Chairman signed minutes as a true record.
17032: Council to receive comments on agenda items or other questions/comments from electors present. (For information only; clerk to make notes of comments; no answers or discussion at this meeting)
Items received by the Clerk since the last meeting: Council resolved to take the following action:
- Concern was expressed by a resident regarding flooding at the Old Rail Crossing on Main Street and an unsafe road surface. It was understood that this issue has been raised previously with CYC, but Clerk to contact Highways.
- A resident reported that a tree on Broad Highway, opposite the School has died and that it needs to be removed, along with an adjacent tree. The resident reported that both trees were gifted by a resident of Dovecote Close. Resolved that Cllr Mercer to identify which adjacent tree was being referred to and inform Clerk. Subject to findings, Clerk to take appropriate action.
Items received during the meeting:
- A member of the public who stated that he was a member of the WRA asked whether the financial issues previously reported included anything relating to VAT reclaims associated with the WRA. Clerk advised that nothing of this nature had been highlighted.
17033: Parish Council by Election: At Chairman’s’ discretion, this item was moved to the end of the public session, since there were forms to fill in which would be time consuming.
17034: Committees and Working Groups: It was resolved that the existing Planning Committee be repurposed as a Working Group and that an Admin & Finance Committee be created. Membership of Committees and Working Groups to be as follows:
- Planning Working Group: Cllrs Gilligan, Jordan and Hodgson (as existing members of the Planning Committee) + two of the new Councillors – these to be resolved at the meeting to be held on 30th August 2017.
- Play Park Working Group: Cllrs Gilligan and Arnold + two of the new Councillors – these to be resolved at the meeting to be held on 30th August 2017.
- Admin and Finance Committee – Chairman (Cllr Mercer), Vice Chairman (Cllr Arnold) and Cllr Jordan (ex RFO) + two of the new Councillors – these to be resolved at the meeting to be held on 30th August 2017.
During discussions, it was resolved to create two further Working Groups:
- Communications Working Group (see item 17036 below): The WG to consist of Cllrs Mercer, Gilks, Southern and Myers.
- Website Working Group: To consist of Cllrs Barber, Dudley-Smith and Myers.
It was further resolved to discuss and resolve parameters ahead of production of Terms of Reference for each Group/Committee for presentation/decision at the meeting to be held on 30th August 2017.
17035: Play Park: Due to information received, this item was moved into Confidential Session at Chairman’s discretion.
17036: Parish Council Communications: To be compliant with legislation and the Code of Conduct, Parish Councillors are not permitted to comment as individuals on behalf of the Parish Council without a formal resolution and subsequent item in the meeting Minutes: The Proper Officer is responsible for all Parish Council communications. Cllr Arnold provided an interim policy statement which it was resolved to approve until the production of a final policy. It was further resolved that a Communications Working Group be created to discuss and resolve parameters ahead of production of a Communications Policy for the Parish Council. The WG to consist of Cllrs Mercer, Gilks, Southern and Myers.
17037: Comments from public present on agenda items:
A member of the public raised the issue of Parish Council communications: other members of the public raised some very useful suggestions which were noted for the Communications Policy discussions.
17038: Items for the next agenda – None.
17033: (note the inconsistency in numbering) Parish Council by Election: Item moved to this part of the meeting at Chairman’s’ discretion. It was noted that there will not now be an election due to the number of nominations received by the Monitoring Officer. The Chairman welcomed the new members of the Parish Council: Cllrs Dudley-Smith and Gilks. On recommendation from the Monitoring Officer, it was resolved that two election nominees whose nomination forms were invalidated should be co-opted onto the Council. The Chairman welcomed Cllrs Southern and Myers to the Council. All new Councillors completed Acceptance of Office forms and Register of Interests forms. Clerk to forward copies of the ROI forms to the Monitoring Officer. It is anticipated that the remaining three nominees will be able to take up their positions at the meeting to be held on 30th August 2017.
17039: The dates of future meetings were noted: all meetings are to be held on Wednesday evenings at 7.30pm – venue to be confirmed:
2017 – 30th August, 27th September, 25th October, 29th November and 15th December.
2018 – 31st January, 28th February, 28th March and 25th April.
11.39am: Closure of Part 1 meeting.
Part 2
17040: Confidential business: At Chairman’s discretion, it was resolved to exclude Public and Press on the grounds that matters for discussion affect individual staff members/ procedures/ legal/ finance issues. This has necessarily created additional items/numbers in the Minutes.
17041: Play Park: It was resolved that the Clerk will arrange for a full safety inspection to be carried out as soon as possible.
17042: Clerk’s report on Confidential matters: For the benefit of new Councillors, the Clerk reported on confidential issues, legal advice received and subsequent actions.
12.37pm: Closure of Part 2 meeting.
Signed………………………………………………
Cllr S Mercer, Chairman
30th August 2017