Parish Council Minutes 10th April

BURTON GREEN PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the meeting held at 6.00pm on Tuesday, 10 April 2012, at Burton Green Village Hall, Hodgetts Lane, Burton Green.

PRESENT: - Councillors; Mrs Hills; Owen; Taylor and Worringham.

At the start of the meeting Andrew Jones (Monitoring Officer for Warwick District Council) welcomed all to the first meeting of the new Parish Council and passed on the good wishes for the future work of the Council from Ashow & Stoneleigh Parish Council, Warwick District Ward Councillors Mrs Blacklock, Coker and Illingworth and Warwickshire County Councillor Whitehouse

The Monitoring Officer also advised that the three candidates for election to the Council had been notified by the meeting and were present at the meeting.

1. Election of Chairman

The Monitoring Officer provided advice to the Council that since the original letter from the Chief Executive of Warwick District Council the Council had received further legal advice that the Monitoring Officer could not chair the first meeting but a member of the Council needed to take this role. He apologised for this error by the Council and suggested that because of the concerns that had been expressed locally about appointing a Chairman of the Council up to the Annual meeting of the Parish Council, the Council may want to consider appointing a Chairman just for this meeting.

The Council thanked the Monitoring Officer for his advice and assistance to date and agreed the best approach would be to appoint a Chairman for the meeting.

It was proposed by Councillor Taylor, duly seconded by Councillor Worringham.

RESOLVED that Councillor Owen be appointed as Chairman for the meeting.

2. Vice Chairman of the Council

RESOLVED that the decision to appoint a Vice Chairman should be deferred until the Annual meeting of the Parish Council.

3. Code of Conduct

RESOLVED that the Model Code of Conduct for Parish and Town Councils (published by the Standards Board for England April 2007), be adopted including the requirements of paragraph 12 (2)

4. Register of Financial & Other Interests

Councillor Taylor submitted his Declaration of Financial and Other Interests Form. The other Councillors noted they needed to be submitted, to the Acting Clerk, by 28 April 2012

5. Declarations of Interest on items on the Agenda

There were no declarations of interest made.

6. Clerk of the Council

RESOLVED that

(1)    Graham Leach be appointed as Acting Clerk and Responsible Finance Officer for the Council;

(2)    the job description and person specification be amended by the Acting Clerk and circulated to Councillors for approval, then advertisement; and

(3)    the person acting as the Clerk or Acting Clerk, be appointed as the Proper Officer of the Council.

The Acting Clerk, thanked the Council for his appointment but explained that due to personal commitments he would only be able to undertake the role until the end of July 2012. The Council recognised this and hoped that a permanent Clerk to the Council would be in post long before then.

7.    Financial Arrangements

The Acting Clerk reported that the Council precept had been set at £10,333 for the year and that this would be made in two payments on 30 April 2012 and 26 September 2012. In addition he reported that the governance review order had not contained the transfer of the Bus Shelter or Parish Notice Board and he would need to contact Ashow & Stoneleigh Parish Council about the transfer of these assets.

Councillor Mrs Hills reported that the Council would be in receipt of a capital amount from Ashow and Stoneleigh Parish Council that was currently being considered by the Council’s auditor.

Councillor Owen reported on two preferred insurance quotes received for the Council’s public liability insurance. These were from AON and Aviva. They both offered the same level of cover however it was considered that AON had greater experience in this area of work and on that basis should be approached to insure the Council.

RESOLVED that

1. the financial report, be noted;

2. the Acting Clerk liaises with Councillor Hills over the most suitable bank account (either Lloyds TSB or HSBC for the Council) and all Councillors be established as signatories for the interim;

3. the Council appoint AON as its insurers.

8.    Planning Applications

RESOLVED that

1. the Acting Clerk writes to Warwick District Council to notify the Council of all planning applications in the parish; and

(2)    any applications received be notified to Councillors via email for consideration.

9.    Standing Orders and Financial Regulations

There were several minor amendments, to draft orders included on the agenda, agreed by Councillors and considering that the Council was due to have a further three Councillors it was considered appropriate that these be brought to the Annual meeting of the Parish Council for confirmation when all Councillors will be present.

RESOLVED that the draft standing orders, as amended, be brought to the Annual meeting of the Parish Council for confirmation.

10.    Membership of Associations

RESOLVED that the Council becomes a member of:

1. the Warwickshire Association of Local Councils, which in turn would mean membership of the National Association of Local Councils; and

2. Council for Protection of Rural England

11.    Information Commissioner

RESOLVED that the Clerk to the Council, be registered, as a Data Controller with the Information Commissioners Office and authorise the payment of the subscription fee by direct debit.

12.    Training

RESOLVED that payment for four Councillors and the Clerk to attend Induction Days with WALC for new councillors and Clerks.

13.    Official guidance

RESOLVED that consideration be deferred until all Councillors had taken office.

14    Web site

RESOLVED that consideration on the introduction of a website for the Council, be deferred until the next meeting.

15.    Meetings

RESOLVED that

1. the next three meetings of the Council be held at the Burton Green Village School, starting at 7.00pm on 10 May 2012, 14 June 2012 and 12 July 2012.
2. the Clerk brings the suggested dates for meetings for the next 12 months to the Annual Council meeting
3. the Council meets in the village school for now, with the ambition of moving meetings to the village hall as soon as practicable.

16.    Committees

RESOLVED that consideration of the establishment and membership of Committees, along with appointments to outside organisations, be deferred to the Annual meeting of the Council.

(The meeting ended at 7.38pm)