2025 Minutes of Meetings

DRAFT Minutes of Finance and General Purposes Committee of

Mareham le Fen Parish Council

meeting 9th May 2025 at 3pm

held at Mareham le Fen Community Centre

Present: Cllrs L.Thomas, C.Whiley

Not Present: All present.

Clerk:    A. Everard

Members of Public present: None

Due to a delay the meeting started at 3.20pm.

FGP1/25. To consider the member to chair this meeting.

It was RESOLVED that Cllr Thomas would chair this meeting of the committee.

FGP2/25.  Apologies for absence with reason given

None

FGP3/25. Declaration of Members’ interests in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 and requests for dispensations.

None

FGP4/25. To note the Clerk’s Report.

The Council’s Facebook Page had been used to advise the community that there were insufficient councillors so council business could not be conducted following the resignation of M.Percival, the former Chair of the Parish Council. The Clerk had also reported the parish council was inquorate to East Lindsey District Council and a temporary appointment of District Councillor F. Martin under S.91 Local Government Act 1972 was imminent.  This would enable a full parish council meeting to take place to co-opt new parish councillors.  Some residents had indicated their interest in being co-opted and were in the process of completing an application form.  More would be welcome as there were 6 seats available for co-option.

FGP5/25. Correspondence

The committee noted these had been circulated by the Clerk; LALC ENews (two-weekly); LALC Training Bulletin (monthly); LCC Town and Parish News and ELDC Town and Parish E-News (monthly); ELDC Messenger; ELDC Media releases; Election notices. It was noted that Cllr PJ Roberts, a resident in Mareham le Fen, had been elected on 1st May as the new County Councillor representing the Horncastle and the Keals division for the Reform UK political party.  It was also noted that Dame Andrea Jenkyns, Reform UK, had been elected as the first Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire Combined Authority on the same date.

FGP6/25. Planning Matters – https://publicaccess.e-lindsey.gov.uk/online-applications/

1. 00286/25/FUL - Planning Permission - Erection of a replacement dwelling - Wyncrest Fieldside Mareham Le Fen Lincolnshire PE22 7RA

It was RESOLVED to ‘Support’ the application and ‘no comments’.

2. S/114/00181/25 - Planning Permission - Erection of a boundary fence with existing fence to be demolished (works completed) - Kinwynd The Green Mareham Le Fen Boston PE22 7QN

It was RESOLVED to ‘Support’ the application and ‘no comments’.

3. S/114/00084/25 - Planning Permission - Extensions and alterations to existing dwelling to provide additional living accommodation and to include the provision of dormer windows.- Trelawney Fen Lane Mareham Le Fen Boston PE22 7SD – The committee noted that ELDC had APPROVED this.

FGP7/25.  To consider and approve financial matters

1. To approve expenditure on the payments schedule.

Already paid by BACs

To be approved for payment

The Committee RESOLVED to approve the listed payments and the Clerk to arrange payments to be issued.

2. To note the bank statement balances and bank reconciliation.

The Committee noted the bank statements and the balance on the current account was £13,917.63 and deposit £29,384.17 as at today’s date with no uncashed payments.

3. To consider amendments to the bank signatory list and online banking controls.

This item was deferred until new parish councillor co-options completed.

FGP8/25. To consider parish council newsletter and distribution. 

Due to current positive response to Facebook posts for co-options this would be deferred to a later meeting.

FGP9/25. To consider the Parish Council’s Risk Register 2025.

The Risk Register had been circulated ready for the 16th April 2025 meeting.  The Committee RESOLVED it had been reviewed and adopted.  

FGP10/25. To consider date of Annual Parish Meeting and the Annual Parish Council meeting.

The Committee RESOLVED that the Annual Parish Meeting will take place on 21st May at 6.45pm and the Annual Parish Council Meeting will take place on 21st May at 7.15pm immediately after the Annual Parish Meeting.

FGP11/25.  Training Bookings to be approved.

This item was deferred pending receipt of an up-to-date Training Bulletin.

FGP12/25. Date of the next meeting and items to be added to the agenda.

The committee requested that the following items were on the next parish council meeting agenda; Appointment to Outside Bodies, Speeding Awareness and resurrecting the Community Speedwatch.

FGP13/25. To resolve that under the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, the public and press be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following item(s) of business as they involve the likely disclosure of confidential information.

FGP14/25. To consider quotations for Speed Indicator Devices for Mareham le Fen.

The Committee considered the quotation from ElanCityUK for three Speed Indicator Devices for the village for £7,769.97 (ex VAT) and RESOLVED to accept it.  The choice of this product is as recommended by Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership (LRSP) and particularly the solar versions and data collection through the devices. The Clerk was to obtain the prices for the SIM devices that would enable remote monitoring too for which an estimated extra £1000 may be necessary.  As this purchase exceeded Financial Regulation and Standing Orders delegations the resolution would be reported to the next parish council meeting for ratification. The purchase would commence as soon as the poles were installed by LRSP.

FGP15/25. To consider tenders for grass-cutting and hedge-cutting in Mareham le Fen for 2025.

The Clerk had drawn up a specification based on previous meeting resolutions but had limited the tender to the current year’s grass cutting season with an option of a one-year extension (limited to RPIX increase) due to the current economic uncertainty and increased costs affecting businesses to reduce risk of contract failure in a longer contract period.  The work was offered in four lots.  The invitation to tender had been issued to four organisations that had expressed a prior interest and published on the Parish Council’s website, the noticeboard, and nationally on Contracts Finder and Find a Tender (noting the changes introduced by the Procurement Act 2023 and associated Procurement Regulations effective from 24 February 2025). The deadline for tenders was 12noon, 25th April 2025.  Nine quotations were received.  Councillors considered the merits of each tender taking into account the price quoted and experience demonstrated and any referees provided by those quoting for the work. The committee RESOLVED to appoint Welton Garden Services Ltd (subject to any pre-contract enquiries being satisfactorily completed) for all four lots and estimated grass-cutting expenditure would be approximately £10,200 (ex VAT) for this year.  Hedge cutting would be an estimated £800. Due to Financial Regulations and Standing Orders this order would be reported to the next parish council meeting for ratification. The contractor was ready to start work in week commencing 19th May 2025 which complies with the 8-day post-procurement waiting period.

Meeting ended 4.17pm.