May 2024 DRAFT Minutes Annual Parish Meeting
DRAFT MINUTES OF THE SWINDERBY ANNUAL PARISH MEETING held at 7pm on 13 May 2024 at SWINDERBY VILLAGE HALL, Bulpit lane, Swinderby
Present: Cllr G Lloyd (Chair SPC), Cllr. L Carter (Vice Chair) SPC, Cllrs. N Marris, R Hodgson, A Haig and S Longson.
Clerk: S Aikman
Also in attendance: Cllr Peter Overton (NKDC) and 7 members of the public
The meeting was chaired by Cllr Geoff Lloyd.
APM1. To receive and approve the minutes of the Parish Meeting 22nd May 2023.
The minutes of the meeting were agreed as an accurate record of the meeting and signed by the Parish Council Chairman.
APM2. Chair’s Report Annual Parish Meeting 13th May 2024.
Chair’s Report AGM 2024
a) Teamwork. Throughout the past year Swinderby Parish Council has been well supported on several issues by our District Councillors Peter Overton and Mitch Elliott, and out County Councillor Alan Briggs. We have received substantial support and feedback from residents on several issues. Furthermore, we continue to work in partnership with NKDC and LCC All this support is greatly appreciated.
b) Church Farm Development. (Moor Lane). This development could take the next steps forward following the signing of the final s106 on the 15th of February 2024. A summary of this legal agreement was written for the Link Up to make certain that all residents were aware of the plans and the implications for the Parish. We are now waiting for new plans showing how the biodiversity net gain required for this development will be achieved and for the crescent in front of the school and church.
c) Speed Indicator Devices. These were sent away in March 2023 for an upgrade and were only returned 9 months later. They have been successfully reinstalled and we are now able to revisit the issue of speeding through the village and hopefully implement some more solutions in the next 12 months.
d) Severn Trent Water. We continue to correspond with this organisation as we have done over the past decade. We raised several complaints with them and the regulatory body. In response STW have agreed to undertake some upgrades to the system but have failed to give a definite timeframe. We remain sceptical regarding these plans and if, in the future, they can adequately cope with the foul water and any surface water that enters their systems in our Parish.
e) Light and Life Mission. In 2023/24 we had three formal meetings with representatives from the church. These meetings were attended by a member of our community and on one occasion the local police. At these meetings we explain the issues and frustrations being experienced by residents in the hope they can be at least reduced if not solved.
f) Neighbourhood Plan. The team is now finalising the draft NP plan and it will then go back to the community for further feedback. An informal consultation period will run from the 2nd of June for 6 weeks. To gather feedback, there will be members of the team at the Swinderby Summer Sunday on the 2nd of June and an open event will be held in the village hall on the 13th of June.
g) Fosse Green Energy. A well-qualified member of the community has attended meetings concerning the development of numerous solar parks in the area and reported back to the Parish Council. Although only a small area of the Fosse Green Energy Park is in our Parish, the overall size is equivalent to 1200 football pitches and is 3.5 miles long. This is one of many solar parks being proposed for the region. So far, the response from the Parish Council is to produce a leaflet and circulate to all residents highlighting the key issues relating to these developments. Residents were then encouraged to contact the Minister responsible for making the decision and to give her their views on the proposals.
h) Trees Unfortunately several diseased trees have been felled during 2023/24 and although we try and replant more where possible it is not always feasible.
i) LIVES In the summer of 2023, in response to community requests. two courses were run on CPR in the village hall by Stef Okon from LIVES.
j) Jubilee Park. The Parish Council successfully applied for a Lottey Grant to modify the senior multi-activity equipment to enable it to continue to comply with health and safety regulations. The grant also allowed us to install a climbing wall.
k) Key Operation Issues. This spring a different contractor and new to the Parish started to cut the grass. Councillors, together with residents, continue to use Fix My Street to report pothole, fly tipping and faulty streetlights.
l) Container. At long last we have been able to collate all the Parish Council’s paraphernalia in one place, in the new container on the village hall carpark.
Finally, thanks to the hard work of our clerk we continue to comply with all financial regulations and standing orders. (Geoff Lloyd).
APM3. Financial Report 2022/23.
The Clerk reported that the end of year accounts for 2023/24 had been completed. The Internal Audit had been undertaken and paperwork would be completed at the Annual Parish Council meeting that was to follow. Paperwork would then be ready to send to the External Auditor. The Annual Governance and Accountability Return would be available for all to see on the Parish Council website. The Clerk can be contacted to answer any questions about Parish Council finance at any time of year and not just during the period of public consultation.
The Parish Council held some reserves in case of need and worked hard to keep costs low for residents while maintaining the parish facilities. The Clerk thanked the Parish Councillors, not only for their careful budgeting but also for the amount of work undertaken by themselves that had reduced the funds required through the precept.
APM4. Open Forum for Parishioners comments and questions.
Swinderby Trust
Swinderby Trust is a small charity focused on local needs and was registered with the Charity Commission on the 20th of August 1973. It dates back to 1658 when it was first established as a charity known as Poor’s Land and includes a bequest from former resident Tom Weatherhogg (1876–1954) as requested in his will.
The present Trustees are listed on the Charity Commission website together with a summary of income and expenditure from 2017 to 2023. At present the income is generated from approximately £20,000 invested in stocks and shares. As a result, our annual income varies significantly according to how the stock market performs. In addition, the Trust has three small parcels of land in the Parish.
Trustees
The charity is managed by a team of Trustees who meet regularly to discuss the charity’s finances, agree ideas for future fund raising and review any applications received for support. The current Trustees, all of whom are residents of the Parish, are as follows:
• Geoff Lloyd (Chair)
• James Anderson (Secretary)
• Mike Batt (Treasurer)
• Andrew Vaughan
• Ron Hodgson
• Pat Haig
Application of Income.
To comply with our constitution, we must ensure that any donations we make comply with the following:
• Benefit the inhabitants of the Parish of Swinderby
• Provision is not available from public funds, for example from taxes, allowances or benefits
• Support either organisations or individuals
• Address a need, hardship or distress
Our last few donations have been to organisations to ensure maximum benefit for as many people as possible as follows:
• April 2022 - donation to Collingham Village Care (£200)
• November 2022 – donation to Swinderby Link Up (£200)
• December 2022 – donation to Friends of Swinderby School (FOSS) for goal posts (£250)
• July 2023 – Collingham Village Care (£50)
• February 2024 – Fellowship Lunch Group (£120)
The Trustees are also keen to focus on well-being as a need
History
The Poor’s Land Charity was established as an outcome of the enclosure of Swinderby initiated by Sir Henry Disney in 1629 and completed by his son John in 1658. It was a long and protracted affair involving the courts and commissioners. For over 250 years the associated documents, many on parchment, were stored in the Parish chest in the church but they now reside in London.
The enclosure of Swinderby resulted in many poor residents losing their rights over common land for grazing and for collecting fuel. At the time the poor were the responsibility of the Parish and hence provision was made in granting 20 acres of land and several dwellings in which they could reside. For many years the Trust provided support not only by making financial donations but also providing rye and fuel, initially turf and furze and eventually coal. At the time the charity also covered the cost of repairs to dwellings, often to repair or renew the thatching on roofs.
Tom Ernest Weatherhogg was born in Swinderby in 1876. His father George Weatherhogg married Ann Jackson in Swinderby Church in March 1866. His parents are buried at Swinderby with the following inscription on the grave.
“In affectionate remembrance of Ann, the beloved wife of George Weatherhogg, second daughter of the late David Jackson, who died March 11th, 1892 aged 51 years and of George William, the beloved husband of above who died Sep 26th 1910 aged 69 years"
At 14 Tom moved to Birmingham to join his brother to work at Cave’s Horse Repository in Mosely Street. He then trained as an auctioneer before farming at Shirley and Yardley in the West Midlands. However, he made his fortune in establishing and operating haulage and coach firms in and around Birmingham.
He kept in contact with the village of his birth by often visiting and regularly subscribing to the Methodist Sunday School fund, including sending £5 a year for distribution among the poor members of the Church. In his will he left the Church Trustees £500, the interest to be distributed to the old and needy of the village “in grateful remembrance of my boyhood days in the village where I was born.”
Future Plans
The Trustees’ plans for the Trust focus on the following three areas:
Awareness - we suspect the existence and purpose of the Trust are not particularly well known by local residents and we are keen to change this, both to encourage possible support but also to make individuals and organisations aware of their ability to apply for financial support if appropriate.
Income – as stated, our current income is derived exclusively from share dividends and is, therefore, dependent on how the stock market performs. We are keen to explore other income sources, whether from fund raising events, donations or bequests.
Land – the Trust owns three small areas of land within the Parish, none of which are utilized. We are keen to consider how best these could be developed, either as a means to generate income or as a way to provide some benefit to the community.
Should you have any questions about Swinderby Trust, or wish to apply for support, please contact one of the Trustees listed above.
Annual Treasurer’s Report 2023
The end year accounts are attached. In summary:
Income £1032.31
Expenditure £2882.00
Opening Current Account 01/01/23 £8629.82
Current Account Balance at 31/12/23 £4979.93
The investment portfolio is currently made up of:
Aberdeen Income & Growth Trust Shares
Global Opportunities Trust Shares
Troy Income & Growth Trust Shares
Liontrust European Dynamic Fund
Liontrust UK Smaller Companies Fund
During the year we decided not to renew our 2 Shawbrook Fixed Rate Saver accounts which were worth £4199.80.
We have invested £6000.00 in 2 Liontrust investment funds.
The total value of our investments is currently £20603.37. This represents an increase of £801.81 compared to £19801.56 at the end of 2022.
Our total net assets are worth £25583.30. This is £2848.08 less than the value at the end of 2022 (£28431.38).
The Annual Return for the Charity Commission for the year ending 2022 was submitted in March 2023 as follows: Income for 2022 £574.00 and Expenditure for 2022 £673.00.
All Saints Church Swinderby
Revd. Canon Andrew Vaughan gave an update on the redevelopment of areas of the Church following a Lottery grant that had been received this year. He explained that they were developing a warm, hospitable place for resident’s use. Limecrete screed was being installed in areas of the Church and would be carpeted. New heating and lighting had been installed. It was hoped that these updates would make an additional community space in the village.
Village Matters
A resident gave an overview of the recent communications with the Light and Life Mission. Marshalling was now being undertaken by Church members and this had made an improvement to the parking issues.
A resident commented on an air conditioning unit that had been installed on the front of a building. Cllr Lloyd would raise the concern with NKDC Planning.
APM5. Parishioner’s Questions none.
The meeting was closed at 8pm.