Annual Parish Meeting 2021

Foreword

The early part of this year, and the entirety of 2020 has been a particularly challenging and testing period for not only the Council, but our community and our country. From our small place in the world, we have seen our Parish come together spectacularly; neighbours helping neighbours, the Council initiating a Covid support scheme with the incredible assistance of almost 90 volunteers, and residents from all parts of the village chipping in to assist those most in need. I express heartfelt gratitude to you all on behalf of both the Council and community.

I would like to extend my thanks to Members of Council, residents of the Parish and particularly to our Officers and employees who have all, in their own way, stepped up to the challenges of the past year head-on, with dedication, professionalism and passion. 

It has been a year of change with the recent retirement of Colin Wordley, our most highly appreciated village caretaker, and the expansion of our office team in the new Deputy Clerk, Pete Tuckerman. Thanks also go to Mr Darren Parr who resigned from Council in August 2020. We thank him for his valued service to the Council and the community and wish him the very best for the future. During his time on the Parish Council, Mr Parr took on the responsibility for all the official arrangements for Remembrance Sunday, including running training sessions for all the volunteers who helped with road closures and public safety.
 

I look forward to the future with a developing and passionate team at the Council.

Committees and sub-committees

The Council ‘s committees and sub-committees have continued their work from previous terms, on a wide range of subjects and projects, taken from community consultation, informal discussions, correspondence and long term planning. Examples of works undertaken by the Council include but are certainly not limited to:

• delicate repairs to the limestone wall surrounding the St. John’s burial ground on Sleaford Road;
• a new trim-trail being installed at the Grantham Road playground;
• a plethora of planning applications considered and responded to including proposed large-scale development in relation to the Canwick Heath, and/or South-East Quadrant Sustainable Urban Extension as part of the Local Plan; and
• the establishment of a working Action Plan to detail our forward steps.

While the work of the Council continues, both what is seen and behind the scenes, we have a healthy Council with motivated and hardworking Members and as ever appreciate and welcome the input and inclusion of residents in all we can do for the Parish.

Professional Development

Training and professional development for Officers, employees and Councillors has continued despite the pandemic with online seminars and courses, enhancing the knowledge and capability of the Council in various areas. Particularly of note is that of the Clerk in obtaining the Certificate in Local Council Administration, among other things, enabling the council to reach for the Foundation level Local Council Award. A record of training activity can be seen in Appendix B.

Communication

The council continues to maintain a number of avenues for communication with residents, be with on the social media groups and pages for the council, library or a neighbourhood Plan as well as direct email and phone number for the Clerk. It is hoped that shortly all Members will have a Council email address to make communication with Members easier for the public, should they need.

Annual Events

While the planned VE Day event was sadly cancelled due to the pandemic, the Council has funding set aside for future events in the same vein to bring us all together when it is permitted.

Remembrance Day of 2020 was largely different to previous years, but of course respects were paid on behalf of the Council and the Parish. I was honoured to lay the wreath this year gone and stood with a number of parishioners in an informal and socially distanced two-minutes silence.

Thanks as ever must go to those who volunteered their time, (Wells Recovery, Rob Rickles and Andrew Fraser) to aid the council in erecting the Christmas tree in its usual spot, and was enjoyed by all going in and out of the village.

Community Building Development

While planned development of key community buildings is currently on hold since the pandemic’s beginning, the aspiration of the Council remains to modernise and adapt the existing pavilion and village hall in the future to safeguard and maximise the potential of these facilities.

Precept

Council recently agreed the budget for the forthcoming year 2021/2022. While the annual budget has been increased by just £2,059.02, the precept (monies requested as part of Council Tax) has increased by £8,866.82. This is due to a number of factors including a lower projected income from the Pavilion and Recreation Ground and a change in the way North Kesteven District Council calculates the tax base.  More details about the increases and specific costs for residents can be found in the report from the Finance and Policy committee.